Personification of the earth in scripture.

[lforrest]

I was wondering if there is anything to the personification of the earth in scripture. Could it be only metaphor, is the earth a dead hunk of rock unable to react aside from Newtonian physics?

Deuteronomy 4:26
Isaiah 26:21
Matthew 24:6-8
Leviticus 18:28

 

[DuckieLady]

I was wondering if there is anything to the personification of the earth in scripture. Could it be only metaphor, is the earth a dead hunk of rock unable to react aside from Newtonian physics?

Deuteronomy 4:26
Isaiah 26:21
Matthew 24:6-8
Leviticus 18:28

If you read through Job 38, its clear that the earth is evidence of God's glory, knowledge, and power over the earth. It is evidence that he does what we can't.

"Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?

"Who gives the ibis wisdom
or gives the rooster understanding?
Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?"

I bet it would be pretty cool to read that chapter and watch nature clips at the same time. Sometimes we are so locked into our safe limited perspective, we are missing out on how great He is.

 

[MatthewG]

Hello @Iforrest,

Using a program called esword, though could use the actual strong concordance however for time sake.

Looking at Deut, Isiah, and Leviticus;

They all use H776 ‘eh-rets; which is from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land) - x common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X nations, way + wilderness, world.

So considering how many of the Old Testament writings which the Apostles and even Jesus had availability to look and read: concluding that it was mainly written on the bases of the Chosen nation predestined by God to work with through Abraham. The land then or earth then would be like saying the “world they knew then” the world as they understood it per-say.

Now with the use of nations in Matthew 24 (there was no indication of world in the few text you had given), the Greek work is G1484: meaning eth’-nos, probably from G1486 : a race (as of the same habit), that is a tribe; specifically foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually by implication pagan): Gentile, heathen, nation, people.

So in that context you would see that these people would be fighting amongst each other tribe against tribe even in the sense of Jewish vs Non-Jew it is one of the many reasons that people today believes these things came to pass that brought up the destruction of Jerusalem in 70ad as predicted by Jesus Christ in that chapter you quoted.

Thank you for your time,
God bless,
Matthew G.

(I don’t understand what personification of earth would mean, by the way).

 

[Jay Ross]

Now with the use of nations in Matthew 24 (there was no indication of world in the few text you had given), the Greek work is G1484: meaning eth’-nos, probably from G1486 : a race (as of the same habit), that is a tribe; specifically foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually by implication pagan): Gentile, heathen, nation, people.

MatthewG, you are right in your statement of facts with respect to the three verses from Matthew referenced in the OP, however, if I were to isolate just three sentences from one of your videos that you post on this forum, would I be able to get the understanding of the whole video from just those three sentences?

I was wondering if there is anything to the personification of the earth in scripture. Could it be only metaphor, is the earth a dead hunk of rock unable to react aside from Newtonian physics?

In the opening of the Creation Story in Genesis, "God first created the heavens and the earth," ("haa'aarrets") and in Genesis 12:1 God offer this same earth that He would show him as his, and his descendants after him, future inheritance/possession. This in a nut shell is the overarching story that is found in the Scriptures.

When we isolate a few verses from the context of the verses around it, we will miss the overarching story of the scriptures as found in the Bible. We need to cast our eyes a little further on and consider Revelations 21 where it tells us that God will restore His earth after the final judgement to what it was at the time of create as the Saints' inheritance and possession as the Sons of God.

God, over time has shown Abraham, and us as well, how we can gain our inheritance of the whole earth in the future.

The issue I have is that we all tend to make God's righteous requirements of us complicated by establishing our own understanding of how God intends this to work out.

Shalom

 

[MatthewG]

@Jay Ross, I don’t know.

May God give the increase and the spirit lead and guide. When it comes to your comment about how ‘all’ tend to make the requirements of righteousness complicated.

Would suggest that it is faith in the Gospel of Christ; that Jesus died for all peoples sins, was buried and raised again. And believing in that makes a person right with God a new born Christian. But that is simply the beginning of the walk.

Take care and God bless,
Matthew G.

 

[Jay Ross]

@Jay Ross, I don’t know.

May God give the increase and the spirit lead and guide. When it comes to your comment about how ‘all’ tend to make the requirements of righteousness complicated.

Would suggest that it is faith in the Gospel of Christ; that Jesus died for all peoples sins, was buried and raised again. And believing in that makes a person right with God a new born Christian. But that is simply the beginning of the walk.

Take care and God bless,
Matthew G.

Perhaps you missed the gist of what I was saying, but still needed to respond with your thoughts. You only considered a few words rather than the scope of what I had posted.

At lest your first sentence was honest in response to my opening question to you. Perhaps you should have pondered a little/lot longer, like an hour or even a day, on that question before you responded.

Oh well so be it.

PS: - you responded 12 minutes after I had posted, not enough time to meditate on what I had said.

 

[Aunty Jane]

I was wondering if there is anything to the personification of the earth in scripture. Could it be only metaphor, is the earth a dead hunk of rock unable to react aside from Newtonian physics?

Deuteronomy 4:26
Isaiah 26:21
Matthew 24:6-8
Leviticus 18:28

It is my belief that the earth is used figuratively in all those verses. The planet itself is not alive, but the things God created to live on it, certainly are....and the abundance of life is supported by what the earth produces.

Isaiah 66:1 says...
“This is what Jehovah has said: ‘The heavens are my throne, and the earth is myfootstool. Where, then, is the house that you people can build for me, and where, then, is the place as a resting-place for me?’”
At first reading, we might wonder why the earth is described as Jehovah’s “footstool.” This is not a derogatory term. Among all the billions of celestial bodies in the universe, the earth alone is given this special designation. Planet Earth will stand forever as unique, for it is here that Jehovah’s only-begotten Son paid the ransom for the human race, and it is here that Jehovah will vindicate his sovereignty by means of his Kingdom in the capable hands of the one who gave his life for us. It is fitting that the earth should be called Jehovah’s footstool.....a king might use such a stool for ascending to his lofty throne and thereafter as a resting-place for his feet.

I love the way the Bible uses figurative things in an illustrative way to help us to see things from God’s lofty perspective.

 

[Bob Estey]

I was wondering if there is anything to the personification of the earth in scripture. Could it be only metaphor, is the earth a dead hunk of rock unable to react aside from Newtonian physics?

Deuteronomy 4:26
Isaiah 26:21
Matthew 24:6-8
Leviticus 18:28

I don't think of the earth as having a spirit.

 

[ScottA]

I was wondering if there is anything to the personification of the earth in scripture. Could it be only metaphor, is the earth a dead hunk of rock unable to react aside from Newtonian physics?

Deuteronomy 4:26
Isaiah 26:21
Matthew 24:6-8
Leviticus 18:28

At first I didn't understand your reference to the earth being "personification" (personified). But the scriptures that you post and the use of personification, simply refer to the person of God bringing all things to fruition according to his word and promise. The personification is God.

 

[MatthewG]

Yes @Jay Ross I did not understand what you were saying. This morning got up and saw this thread again and decided to go and look the word Earth, and also nations. In the Old Testament you have God working with the Chosen nation of Israel, throughout the Old Testament, did God use other nations sometimes?

Possibly but I’m so unlearned that I can not say for sure. I know Jonah went to Niveneth which was a Gentile country (nation-tribe), however God still chose to work in and through the nation of Israel in which was to bring forth the messiah from the blood line of David.

Now with this in consideration; Jesus was sent for the main mission which was towards the lost sheep of Israel. And because of this; Jesus in Matthew 24: talked about the destruction of Jerusalem (the city of peace), because they had come so far away from God in their acts.

Idol worship became a very common thing there. The last of all the people sent to warn Jerusalem was Gods Son. God giving the land to the nation of Israel decided “let’s kill the son and everything will be ours anyway we don’t need to listen to God”.

So Jesus predicted the downfall and destruction of Jerusalem and ushered in all people being able to come to the Lord. Now with all of this said. I believe (which you may not) that there was a select group of people back then who ended up becoming the bride of Christ for Jesus back then that was taken away at the coming Wrath of God upon the Nation of Israel.

So this is why those word studies I shared earlier I believe are very helpful to know because people will debate about the end of the world and this destruction being for us today, which I simply do not agree with.

However if you believe or anyone else that this is not true, they may believe how they please because I don’t have time to really get into those topics unless someone is really desiring to know about it in context and to me it explains context very well, though people may disregard it.

Hope that this helps you,
Matthew

 

[Enoch111]

I don’t understand what personification of earth would mean, by the way

Treating the earth as a person. The Bible does treat the earth (or creation) as a person: For the earnest expectation of the creature [creation] waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God....For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. (Rom 8:19,22).

Also Death and Hades are personified in Revelation.

 

[Enoch111]

The personification is God.

Since God is definitely not His creation, that won't fly.

 

[TLHKAJ]

The earth isn't a person with a soul and spirit. And yet, many scriptures use terminology that we relate to as persons/humans. The earth is also God's footstool. And Adam and Eve were to replenish and subdue it.

 

[Jay Ross]

Yes @Jay Ross I did not understand what you were saying. This morning got up and saw this thread again and decided to go and look the word Earth, and also nations. In the Old Testament you have God working with the Chosen nation of Israel, throughout the Old Testament, did God use other nations sometimes?

Possibly but I’m so unlearned that I can not say for sure. I know Jonah went to Niveneth which was a Gentile country (nation-tribe), however God still chose to work in and through the nation of Israel in which was to bring forth the messiah from the blood line of David.

Now with this in consideration; Jesus was sent for the main mission which was towards the lost sheep of Israel. And because of this; Jesus in Matthew 24: talked about the destruction of Jerusalem (the city of peace), because they had come so far away from God in their acts.

Idol worship became a very common thing there. The last of all the people sent to warn Jerusalem was Gods Son. God giving the land to the nation of Israel decided “let’s kill the son and everything will be ours anyway we don’t need to listen to God”.

So Jesus predicted the downfall and destruction of Jerusalem and ushered in all people being able to come to the Lord. Now with all of this said. I believe (which you may not) that there was a select group of people back then who ended up becoming the bride of Christ for Jesus back then that was taken away at the coming Wrath of God upon the Nation of Israel.

So this is why those word studies I shared earlier I believe are very helpful to know because people will debate about the end of the world and this destruction being for us today, which I simply do not agree with.

However if you believe or anyone else that this is not true, they may believe how they please because I don’t have time to really get into those topics unless someone is really desiring to know about it in context and to me it explains context very well, though people may disregard it.

Hope that this helps you,
Matthew

MathewG, after rereading your quoted post quoted above, I have come to the conclusion that your first response to my question said it all.

Your response was, "I don't know."

Over the last 20 or so years I have come to the conclusion that our "beloved" English Translation do not maintain the same context that was originally recorded in the original language texts. In Matthew 13:52, Christ pointed to an ancient covenant that existed at the time of Adam's existence and which He, Christ, changed the process by which mankind would receive salvation through His death on the Cross and the shedding of His Blood for for all of mankind for those who are drawn to Him and His Promises.

Have I resolves all of the questions that I could possibly ask? No. Am I meditating on those question with God's input? I certainly am.

lforrest asked a very valid question in the OP. What does God's earth look like? Does it embrace God's kingdom here on the earth? Can we "attribute a personal nature or human characteristics to something non-human, like the earth, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form that is representative of the earth?"

His question is more philosophical than just black and white concepts and precepts that you responded with by using the limited internet program/web site know as eSword. It does not provide the actual Hebrew or Greek word used in the Greek text, but only provides the meaning of the Hebrew or Greek Root words embedded within the Hebrew or Greek words used in the text. As such its use is very limited.

Shalom

 

[Enoch111]

The earth isn't a person with a soul and spirit.

And yet Jesus said that the very stones would cry out His praise if His disciples were barred from doing so: And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. (Lk 19:37-40)


Also John the Baptist said that God could raise up children of Abraham from the very stones of Israel: Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. (Luke 3:8) This was not an exaggeration, for "With God nothing shall be impossible".

 

[TLHKAJ]

And yet Jesus said that the very stones would cry out His praise if His disciples were barred from doing so: And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. (Lk 19:37-40)


Also John the Baptist said that God could raise up children of Abraham from the very stones of Israel: Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. (Luke 3:8) This was not an exaggeration, for "With God nothing shall be impossible".

Yes, and God created Adam of the dust of the ground. I don't see anywhere, though, that points to the earth having a soul.

 

[Wynona]

I was wondering if there is anything to the personification of the earth in scripture. Could it be only metaphor, is the earth a dead hunk of rock unable to react aside from Newtonian physics?

Deuteronomy 4:26
Isaiah 26:21
Matthew 24:6-8
Leviticus 18:28

Great question! It reminds me of the verse in the New Testament talking about how all creation is groaning for the sons of God to be revealed.

When Adam and Eve sinned, creation was put under a curse (" cursed is the ground because of you [adam]") and is now subject to corruption, death, and decay.

Can you imagine what redeemed creation will be like in the New Heavens and the New Earth? I think it's going to be amazing.

 

[Pythagorean12]

Our disrespect for our planet and the environment only makes it appear as if we think earth is a dead rock circling the star in our solar system.

Everything is creation of and from God .
God is a living spirit beyond our comprehension in his immensity. No thing is dead because all things are of and from our living God.

 

[farouk]

Great question! It reminds me of the verse in the New Testament talking about how all creation is groaning for the sons of God to be revealed.

When Adam and Eve sinned, creation was put under a curse (" cursed is the ground because of you [adam]") and is now subject to corruption, death, and decay.

Can you imagine what redeemed creation will be like in the New Heavens and the New Earth? I think it's going to be amazing.

@Wynona I think you're referring to Romans 8.22, right?

 

[Wynona]

@Wynona I think you're referring to Romans 8.22, right?

Yes @farouk !