Paradise on Earth

[onewithhim]

When I learned that the Bible speaks of a restored Garden of Eden and the restoration of mankind to the perfection and endless life that Adam forfeited, I was thrilled. Who doesn't want to keep living on this beautiful earth, with our loved ones, and being able to do all the things we love to do---endlessly?

If God said to you today, "When do you want to die?" would you say "now!!"? I don't think very many people would say that.

We CAN live forever here on Earth. The Bible tells us that we can.

Matthew 5:5
Psalm 37:9-11,29

[Eloi]

Gen. 1:1 reports on the creation of all the heavenly bodies that exist. When those bodies and everything that fills space were created, none of those bodies contained material life. Today we can see and study from a distance the shape and composition of these celestial bodies of different types; there are stars, planets, asteroids, etc. So far no life form has been discovered in them, and the state of some of those bodies is similar to that described of Earth in Gen. 1:2, because in that same state was the original planet we live in, when it had not yet been transformed.

Does that mean that the earth was at first poorly created, or decayed somehow later, or ruined for some reason? Of course not! Just as those celestial bodies that today occupy outer space are not. Gen. 1:2 informs about the original state when the planet was created together with the rest of the heavenly bodies. This is reported to understand the work of God that is explained later and the transformation process of this planet. Today we can meditate on the difference when we see the other celestial bodies and compare them with our current planet.

Starting from verse 3 of Gen. 1, the process of transformation of the celestial body, which was the original planet we inhabit today, begins to be explained. From being a common planet similar to others, it was transformed into a beautiful place that would be filled with diverse and abundant life, unlike the rest of the celestial bodies in space. This planet was transformed by God to later be inhabited, and in this way it was changed to fulfill another specific purpose: to be our home.

[myth-one.com]

Verse 1 is a summary of what God did: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Verse 2 is the detailed description of that creation.

Verse 2 is the description of the completed creation in verse 1 after some time. It is a general description. We are debating the details. You claim that God created the earth as without form, empty, and void. I'm claiming that God created the earth as very good and it came to be without form, empty, and void.

For example:

1: In 2008, a book was written. (a summary of what has happened)

2: The paper was blank with no ideas upon it.

So in the beginning was God and paper? Funny.

I am just using that as an analogy for the timing, the process.

That is in no way an analogy of Genesis 1:1-2

In Genesis 1:1-2, God created the heaven and the earth, and described only the earth as being without form. empty, and void sometime after its creation.

Why do you suppose that only the earth came to be without form, empty, and void?

[myth-one.com]

Gen. 1:1 reports on the creation of all the heavenly bodies that exist. When those bodies and everything that fills space were created, none of those bodies contained material life. Today we can see and study from a distance the shape and composition of these celestial bodies of different types; there are stars, planets, asteroids, etc. So far no life form has been discovered in them, and the state of some of those bodies is similar to that described of Earth in Gen. 1:2, because in that same state was the original planet we live in, when it had not yet been transformed.

If the earth had to be "transformed", then it was not completed during the original creation process as claimed in Genesis 1:1!

Does that mean that the earth was at first poorly created, or decayed somehow later, or ruined for some reason? Of course not! Just as those celestial bodies that today occupy outer space are not. Gen. 1:2 informs about the original state when the planet was created together with the rest of the heavenly bodies. This is reported to understand the work of God that is explained later and the transformation process of this planet. Today we can meditate on the difference when we see the other celestial bodies and compare them with our current planet.

You're claiming that God did not have the power to create the earth as He desired it to finally be. He had to break it up into increments.

In the re-creation of the earth described beginning in Genesis 1:3, it required six days.

Starting from verse 3 of Gen. 1, the process of transformation of the celestial body, which was the original planet we inhabit today, begins to be explained. From being a common planet similar to others, it was transformed into a beautiful place that would be filled with diverse and abundant life, unlike the rest of the celestial bodies in space.

You do not know that there are not millions or billions of earth like planets.

It happened once for a fact. And it could be very common.

[Eloi]

In Gen. 1:1 all heavenly bodies were created as they were from the beginning with all the processes and laws that they follow ... earth included, even if it was still uninhabitable. It was as perfect as any other heavenly body is in the outer space right now. There was not any re-creation of the earth, just a transformation as described in the Bible. Anything else is just speculation without proof.

[myth-one.com]

In Gen. 1:1 all heavenly bodies were created as they were from the beginning with all the processes and laws that they follow ... earth included, even if it was still uninhabitable. It was as perfect as any other heavenly body is in the outer space right now. There was not any re-creation of the earth, just a transformation as described in the Bible. Anything else is just speculation without proof.

Spirits can live anywhere, so the Earth was never uninhabitable. Satan was given rule over the earth and he had angels under his command on the good earth long before humans existed. His rebellion and neglect of his responsibility to replenish the earth resulted in the earth becoming without form, void, and dark as described in Genesis 1:2.

Your "transformation" required six earthly days beginning in Genesis 1:3 according to the scriptures.

Gee, why couldn't an almighty God create it very good in the original creation?

But wait, God does claim that everything He ever made was very good:

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. (Genesis 1:31)

If God made the earth very good in verse one, it should have reremained the same if maintained properly. But it is clearly not in very good shape in verse two. Therefore, it was not maintained properly. It was abandoned by some of the angels created and assigned to replenish it!

Their neglect of their duties resulted in the earth becoming formless, void, and dark.

[Eloi]

You are creating a myth out of two words. "Formless and empty" doesn't mean something happened to mess it up.

[onewithhim]

Gen. 1:1 reports on the creation of all the heavenly bodies that exist. When those bodies and everything that fills space were created, none of those bodies contained material life. Today we can see and study from a distance the shape and composition of these celestial bodies of different types; there are stars, planets, asteroids, etc. So far no life form has been discovered in them, and the state of some of those bodies is similar to that described of Earth in Gen. 1:2, because in that same state was the original planet we live in, when it had not yet been transformed.

If the earth had to be "transformed", then it was not completed during the original creation process as claimed in Genesis 1:1!

Does that mean that the earth was at first poorly created, or decayed somehow later, or ruined for some reason? Of course not! Just as those celestial bodies that today occupy outer space are not. Gen. 1:2 informs about the original state when the planet was created together with the rest of the heavenly bodies. This is reported to understand the work of God that is explained later and the transformation process of this planet. Today we can meditate on the difference when we see the other celestial bodies and compare them with our current planet.

You're claiming that God did not have the power to create the earth as He desired it to finally be. He had to break it up into increments.

In the re-creation of the earth described beginning in Genesis 1:3, it required six days.

Starting from verse 3 of Gen. 1, the process of transformation of the celestial body, which was the original planet we inhabit today, begins to be explained. From being a common planet similar to others, it was transformed into a beautiful place that would be filled with diverse and abundant life, unlike the rest of the celestial bodies in space.

You do not know that there are not millions or billions of earth like planets.

It happened once for a fact. And it could be very common.

No one would say that God did not have the power to create a world the way he wanted it to be. He just went through certain steps to create everything in its time. Then he allowed humans to take care of the Garden and make it into a world-wide paradise.

The six "days" of Genesis were not 24-hour days. They were unspecified periods of time, sometimes billions of years.

There very well may be millions of planets out there similar to Earth. We'll find out some day when we get into Paradise and all things are explained to us.

[myth-one.com]

You are creating a myth out of two words. "Formless and empty" doesn't mean something happened to mess it up.

Everything that God ever created was said to be very good:

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. (Genesis 1:31)

So God created the heaven and the earth very good in the first verse of the Bible:

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

But the second verse of the Bible describes the very good earth created in verse one as follows:

And the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep... (KJV Genesis 1:1-2)

How can that be? A hint is offered in seven different translations of the scriptures. For example:

Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. (Genesis 1:2 NIV)

The indication in these seven versions is that the earth was created very good and had become without form, empty, and dark over a period of time. Many call this explanation the Gap Theory.

<==================== The earthly angels ================>

Know ye not that we shall judge angels?... (I Corinthians 6:3)

Paul is writing to the Christians at Corinth. Who are these angels which Christians shall judge? They are the angels who sided with Satan in his rebellion against God and are now restrained in hell:

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. (Jude 1:6)

Jesus even visited and preached to them in their prison:

By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; (1 Peter 3:19)

At some time after the original creation, Satan was given rule over the earth:

And the devil, taking him up into a high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whosoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. (Luke 4:5-7)

But Satan lusted after even more power, so He rebelled against God:

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!... For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars (angels) of God... I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. (Isaiah 14:12-14)

Satan and his angels warred against God in Heaven:

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon (Satan); and the dragon fought and his angels, (Revelation 12:7)

Satan and his angels were defeated and they were cast back down to their original assignment -- the earth:

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelation 12:9)

Although we do not know the exact number under Satan's authority, it was one-third of the total number of angels. Satan and the angels who joined his rebellion against God were exiled from the Kingdom of God and restricted to ruling the earth:

And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth... (Revelation 12:4)

In conclusion, there is ample evidence that spirits were given original dominance over the earth. Satan ruled the earth with a host of angels under his control!

About 6,000 years ago, God returned, re-created a decimated earth, created man and gave man dominion over the earth.

[myth-one.com]

The six "days" of Genesis were not 24-hour days. They were unspecified periods of time, sometimes billions of years.

According to the Bible, a day is one evening and one morning:

Genesis 1:5
. . . And the evening and the morning were the first day.

[onewithhim]

The six "days" of Genesis were not 24-hour days. They were unspecified periods of time, sometimes billions of years.

According to the Bible, a day is one evening and one morning:

Genesis 1:5
. . . And the evening and the morning were the first day.

No, the "days" were unspecified periods of time, as we might say "in my grandmother's day they all walked to school." "Evening and morning" were just ways of saying the beginning and the end.

One scripture says that God created earth and heaven in a "day." "This is the history of the heavens and the earth in the time of their being created, in the DAY that Jehovah God made earth and heaven." (Genesis 2:4) Your idea ends up in smoke.