Doctrine - Earth

Module 1 Lesson 1: Mysteries of the Scriptures – Earth

Now that we’ve already dealt with the history of the OAC, warts and all without the typical sugar coating, let’s delve into the doctrine of “spiritual” interpretation. Here we will look at how the word “earth” is interpreted “spiritually”.

Creation or natural coincidence?

The original document was updated in Afrikaans on May 10^th, 2011.

          Original Afrikaans:

“…Volgens die geskiedenis van die bybel is die AARDE wat God geskep het volgens Genesis 1 vandag 6000 jaar oud wat teenstryding met die wetenskap is. Volgens konkrete bewyse is bepaal dat die aarde waarop ons vandag woon miljoene der miljoene jare oud is.

Kyk bv. net na die ontstaan van Goud, Diamante, Steenkool ens. Dit het tot stand gekom oor miljoene jare heen.

Dit bewys vir ons net een ding en dit is dat die aarde wat God volgens Genesis 1 geskape het nie dieselfde aarde is waarop ons vandag woon nie. Openbaring gee ook vir ons ‘n duidelike aanduiding hiervan…”

English translation:

“…According to the history in the Bible the EARTH that God created according to Genesis 1 is currently 6000 years old which is contradictory to science. According to concrete evidence the earth we live on is millions of years old.

Look for instance at the origin of Gold, Diamonds, Coal etc. It came into existence over many millions of years.

It proves one thing to us and that is that the earth that God created according to Genesis 1 is not the same earth that we are living on. Revelation also gives us a clear indication of this…”

To the author and readers of the original document:

Contradictory to science? What science? Concrete evidence? Do you know there’s a difference between theory and fact?

Theory is an idea based on general principles independent of the facts.

Fact is a thing certainly known to have occurred or to be true.

If you choose to believe so-called “science” over the Bible then there is no reason for you to believe in spirits or souls either because there is no scientific evidence for their existence. According to science we’re just an activity of carbon and some proteins, we live and then we die. The soul is dismissed as an object of human belief or a psychological concept. We are deemed to be mere stardust ruled by the laws of chemistry and physics. We learn a lot from actual science but science doesn’t know everything.

Gold is a mineral which is formed within minutes when a supernova explodes. Gold is found everywhere on earth, from microscopic particles in the oceans to greater quantities under the ground where it can be mined. A cubic zirconia is like a diamond but it takes approximately 8 days to manufacture. Charcoal is like coal but it takes approximately 5 days to manufacture. The last two are MAN-made, MAN that according to Psalms 8:4-5 was made a little lower than the angels. Do you have more faith in the knowledge and wisdom of man than in God? Do you love the lie more than the truth? Has the god of this world blinded you?

By the way, when people casually use the term “millions of years ago” it usually means that they’re not sure of how long ago something really happened. The bigger the uncertainty, the more millions or zeros are added. It’s based on the logic that if you shook a jar of sand long enough it would eventually turn into a Rolex watch. Or if you left a rock long enough, it would eventually become a mobile phone.

People are prone to over exaggeration, if they sit too long in the traffic then it took them a “lifetime” to get to their destination. It took an “eternity” if they stood too long in a queue etc. If you’ve told someone something five times then you’ve told them a “thousand” times already. People don’t even know exactly what happened 2,000 years ago but they will try to convince you of what happened “millions of years” ago with theories instead of facts.

The earth is estimated to be 4.5 billion years old based on the radiometric dating of fragments from the Canyon Diablo iron meteorite. Radiometric ‘ages’ depend on the assumptions that are made and the results are only accepted if they agree with what is already believed. Scientists have not found a way to determine the exact age of the Earth because there is no instrument available that directly measures age.

It is assumed that radioactive decay rates remain linear and unchanged over billions of years because they have been measured for over sixty years now without any observed changes. Radiometric dating is based on the half-lives of radioactive isotopes which have been measured over the last forty to ninety years. Radioactive isotopes are produced in nuclear reactors. Isotopes with a half-life less than “68 million years” are absent in nature whereas those with a half-life greater than “68 million years” are present in nature.

Radiometric dating is an experimental discipline and is subject to a variety of human errors and unusual circumstances. Small deviations in radioactive decay rates were observed at the time of a huge solar flare. It is thought that these variations were due to environmental conditions interfering with laboratory instruments. There are always more unknowns in measurements than what people can think of.

In 1980 a rock erupted from the Mount Saint Helens volcano and was sent to a laboratory for dating. The laboratory dated the rock at several million years based on its potassium-argon age.

"The probability of life originating from an accident is comparable to the probability of an unabridged dictionary resulting from an explosion in a print shop." Dr Arthur Conklin, a noted biologist

Some food for thought: To determine the age of a tree is as straightforward as counting the rings in its trunk. How long can a tree live before it dies of old age? How many trees are there currently that have at least a million rings in their trunks?

One...two...tree!

          Original Afrikaans (continued):

          “…Ons lees in:

Openbaring 21:1 En ek het 'n nuwe hemel en 'n nuwe aarde gesien, want die eerste hemel en die eerste aarde het verbygegaan; en die see was daar nie meer nie.

Kom ons soek die antwoorde in die bybel.

Genesis 1:1 In die begin het God die hemel en die aarde geskape. Vers 2 En die aarde was woes en leeg, en duisternis was op die wêreldvloed, en die Gees van God het gesweef op die waters…”

English translation:

“…We read in:

Revelation 21:1 AND I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

Let us look for the answers in the Bible.

Genesis 1:1 IN the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Verse 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters…”

To the author and readers of the original document:

You’re taking the first chapter and the second last chapter of the Bible and ignoring everything else in between. Please read a little further than the first two verses, after He finished creating the heaven and the earth and everything else in between:

Genesis 1:26-27 AND God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

MAN will have dominion over the same EARTH that God created in Genesis 1:1.

          Original Afrikaans (continued):

          “…VRAAG: Is dit moontlik dat enige plek woes en leeg terselfde tyd kan wees?

ANTWOORD: Nee! Beslis nie…”

English translation:

“…QUESTION: Is it possible that any place can be without form and void simultaneously?

ANSWER: No! Definitely not…”

To the author and readers of the original document:

It is only in the Afrikaans translation that the Afrikaans word for “without form” could also mean chaotic. By choosing the Afrikaans translation for this line of reasoning the original author is trying to imply that the Afrikaans word woes actually means “chaotic”. He conveniently forgets that the Old Testament wasn’t originally written in Afrikaans, but in Hebrew.

Strong’s definition for the Hebrew word tôhû which is used where the Afrikaans word woes (“without form” in the KJV) is used:

From an unused root meaning to lie waste; a desolation (of surface), that is, desert; figuratively a worthless thing; adverbially in vain: - confusion, empty place, without form, nothing, (thing of) nought, vain, vanity, waste, wilderness.

If you don’t understand English, then for the benefit of our Afrikaans readers:

Met ander woorde soos ‘n woestyn, onbewoonbaar want daar was niks.

Die HAT Afrikaanse verklarende handwoordeboek se definisie vir woes:

1. Onbewoon en onbewerk,

2. Wild, ru, onbeskaaf,

3. Buitensporig, abnormaal baie,

4. Losbandig,

5. Ontstuimig

Strong’s definition for the Hebrew word bôhû which is used where the Afrikaans word leeg (“void” in the KJV) is used:

From an unused root (meaning to be empty); a vacuity, that is, (superficially) an undistinguishable ruin: - emptiness, void.

So yes, it is definitely possible that any place can be without form and void according to the original definitions of the words in Hebrew.

If all the ground on earth was levelled out we would all be under water more than a kilometre deep. Survivors who were lost out at sea would be able to tell you how the sea was like a desert, water everywhere but not a drop to drink. Besides their flotation device the world around them was void and without form. Water not in a container doesn’t have a fixed form.

Without form and void

And just to humour the author and his readers, yes it is also possible that any place can also be chaotic and empty. Ever seen what it looks like when a place has been blown up? It’s chaotic and empty. Go have a look at photos of Nagasaki and Hiroshima after they were blown to smithereens by atomic bombs. Those cities were completely chaotic and empty. In less than a hundred years (let alone millions of years) they are now both habitable again.

"woes en leeg" (chaotic and empty)

          Original Afrikaans (continued):

“…Jesaja 1:2 Hoor, o hemele, en luister, o aarde, want die HERE spreek: Ek het kinders grootgemaak en verhoog, maar húlle het teen My oortree.

Deuternomium 32:1 Luister, o hemele, dat ek kan spreek, en laat die aarde hoor die woorde van my mond.

VRAAG: Hoë luister die aarde? Het die aarde dan ORE, Nee man! As die aarde dan ore het moet hy dan tog ook verstand hê.

ANTWOORD: Nee! Dit is glad nie moontlik nie…”

English translation:

“…Isaiah 1:2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

Deuteronomy 32:1 GIVE ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.

QUESTION: High does the earth listen? Does the earth have EARS, No man! If the earth has ears then it also has an understanding.

ANSWER: No! This is not possible…”

To the author and readers of the original document:

The heavens and the earth are called to witness against disobedient PEOPLE when they are being addressed, try reading the full chapter to understand the context. Please also read Deuteronomy 4:26, Deuteronomy 31:28 and Psalm 50:4 to understand the correct context. The ability to hear (perceive sound) and the ability to listen (hear with attention) can have two different meanings.

Sound is a vibration and not everything that can detect vibrations has ears. A snake for instance has no ears and is by definition deaf, but it can detect and feel vibrations in the ground.

Not everything that can detect sound has understanding. An echo can repeat what is said without ears or an understanding. A recording device can record sound without any understanding. Despite its lack of understanding it can still be used as evidence against an accused in a court of law.

In much the same way the blood in the ground was a witness against Cain when he slew Abel, go and read Genesis 4:10.

          Original Afrikaans (continued):

“…Openbaring 12:16 En die aarde het die vrou te hulp gekom, en die aarde het sy mond oopgemaak en die rivier opgesluk, wat die draak uit sy bek uitgegooi het.

VRAAG: Hier sien ons dat die aarde BENE het want hy het beweeg en ‘n M0ND. Is dit so?

ANTWOORD: Verseker nie…”

English translation:

“…Revelation 12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

QUESTION: Here we see that the earth has LEGS because he moves and a MOUTH. Is that so?

ANSWER: Surely not…”

To the author and readers of the original document:

Where do you read that the earth has legs? The earth helped the woman by opening her mouth. Does the earth walk around on legs when there are earthquakes? Does the earth have legs when sinkholes appear?

A big-mouthed two legged sinkhole?

There is no mention of legs anywhere in the verse you’re quoting. Did you know that the words “legs” and “mouth” have different meanings? A table stands on legs but it doesn’t walk. A chair has feet and a back but its not a living organism. A cannon has a mouth but no intellect. A river has a mouth but it can’t speak. A womb has a mouth but it doesn’t say a word.

Go and read Numbers 16 and see how the EARTH opened her mouth and swallowed the PEOPLE that gathered against Moses.

          Original Afrikaans (continued):

“…Jesaja 66:8 ...Want Sion het weë gekry, meteens haar kinders gebaar.

Vers 11 sodat julle kan suig en versadig word aan die bors van haar vertroostinge; sodat julle kan uitdrink en julle verlustig in die oorvloed van haar heerlikheid.

Vers 12 julle sal op die heup gedra word en op die knieë getroetel word.

VRAAG: Sion, is ‘n berg en is deel van die aarde. Het die aarde dan borste, heupe en knieë?

ANTWOORD: Nee, dit is sinneloos. Hoekom laat God dan toe dat sulke dinge in die bybel geskrywe word? Dit verwar ‘n mens mos. Kom ons gaan verder…”

English translation:

“…Isaiah 66:8 …for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

Verse 11 That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.

Verse 12 …ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.

QUESTION: Zion is a mountain and a part of the earth. Does the earth then have breasts, hips and knees?

ANSWER: No, that is senseless. Why does God then allow such things to be written in the Bible? This confuses people. Come let us continue…”

To the author and readers of the original document:

Zion is the symbol of ancient Jerusalem or the Jewish religion. Jerusalem is being portrayed as a pregnant woman. The prophet Isaiah starts off with a series of rhetorical questions to prove that only God can let this type of birth take place. Please read the entire chapter to understand this in the correct context. It’s only confusing when you read parts of individual verses out of context. You’re reading the last part of verse 8 then jumping to verse 11 and then finishing on the last half of verse 12. No normal person reads the Bible like that!

Table mountain is the symbol of Cape Town and Cape Town is referred to as the mother city of South Africa. Mothers typically have breasts, hips and knees. Allow me to share the definition of the word “personification” with you (verpersoonliking in Afrikaans).

Check out that mother!

Personification is the act of attributing human characteristics to abstract ideas etc.; incarnation; representing an abstract quality or idea as a person or creature; prosopopoeia; a person who represents an abstract quality; “she is the personification of optimism”.

If you don’t understand English, then for the benefit of our Afrikaans readers:

Verpersoonliking: as persoon voorstel, personifieer; inkarneer; lewenslose voorwerp of saak as ‘n persoon voorstel.

I hope these definitions will assist you in understanding certain aspects of personification and poetry.

          Original Afrikaans (continued):

“…Lukas 8 v 4-15 Die gelykenis van die saaier. Vers 11 sê: Die saad is die woord van G0D.

Die Evangelie volgens Lukas 8

8:4 En toe daar 'n groot menigte vergader, en die wat uit die verskillende stede by Hom aangesluit het, sê Hy aan hulle deur 'n gelykenis:

8:5 'n Saaier het uitgegaan om sy saad te saai; en toe hy saai, val 'n deel langs die pad en is vertrap, en die voëls van die hemel het dit opgeëet.

8:6 En 'n ander deel het op die rots geval; en nadat dit opgeskiet het, het dit verdroog, omdat dit geen vogtigheid gehad het nie.

8:7 En 'n ander deel het tussen die dorings in geval; en die dorings het daarmee saamgegroei en dit verstik.

8:8 En 'n ander deel het in die goeie grond geval en gegroei en honderdvoudige vrug

opgelewer. Toe Hy dit gesê het, roep Hy uit: Wie ore het om te hoor, laat hom hoor!

8:9 En sy dissipels het Hom gevra en gesê: Wat beteken hierdie gelykenis tog?

8:10 En Hy antwoord: Aan julle is dit gegee om die verborgenhede van die koninkryk van God te ken; maar aan die ander deur gelykenisse, sodat hulle, terwyl hulle sien, nie sien nie, en terwyl hulle hoor, nie verstaan nie.

8:11 Dit is dan die gelykenis: Die saad is die woord van God.

8:12 Dié langs die pad is die hoorders. Daarna kom die duiwel en neem die woord uit hul harte weg, sodat hulle nie sou glo en gered word nie.

8:13 En dié op die rots is hulle wat die woord met blydskap ontvang wanneer hulle dit hoor; en hulle het geen wortel nie, aangesien hulle net vir 'n tyd glo, en in die tyd van versoeking val hulle af.

8:14 En wat in die dorings geval het--dit is die wat gehoor het, en hulle gaan weg en word verstik deur die sorge en rykdom en genietinge van die lewe en dra geen ryp vrug nie.

8:15 En wat in die goeie grond val--dit is die wat, nadat hulle gehoor het, die woord in 'n edele en goeie hart hou en met volharding vrug dra.

VRAAG: Waar word die woord van God gesaai ?

ANTWOORD: In die aarde, wat die VERSTAND van die mens is Vers15.…”

English translation:

“…Luke 8:4-15 The parable of the sower. Verse 11 says: The seed is the word of God.

The gospel according to Luke 8

8:4 AND when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:

8:5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

8:6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.

8:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.

8:8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundred-fold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

8:9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?

8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

8:12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

QUESTION: Where does the word of God get sown?

ANSWER: In the earth, which is the UNDERSTANDING of man verse 15…”

To the author and readers of the original document:

You’re confusing good ground with the earth as a planet. If the parable was about earth as a planet, then the other seed would’ve fallen on mars, jupiter, venus, saturn and any of the other planets in our solar system. But, the seed that fell on good ground are those that heard the word with honesty and goodness. The other seed fell by the way side, on the rock and among thorns. Verse 15 doesn’t make use of the words “earth” or “understanding” at all. Remember, this is a parable or an illustration spoken by Jesus to explain moral and spiritual truths.

          Original Afrikaans (continued):

“…Mattheus 13:38 en die saailand is die wêreld. Die goeie saad, dit is die kinders van die koninkryk, en die onkruid is die kinders van die Bose …”

English translation:

“…Matthew 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one…”

To the author and readers of the original document:

Take note, the field is the world, not the earth. The world refers to all of the living human inhabitants of the planet earth. See also how this parable differs from the one in Luke. In Luke 8:11 the seed is the word of God. In Matthew 13:38 the good seed are the children of the kingdom. In Luke 8:15 the good ground are they which heard the word in an honest and good heart.

          Original Afrikaans (continued):

“…Opsomming: Ons het gesien dat die aarde ORE, VERSTAND, BENE, M0ND, BORSTE, HEUPE en KNIEë het. As jy al hierdie dinge sien wat sien jy dan? ‘n MENS:

Dit bewys dus vir ons volgens LUKAS 8 dat die aarde wat GOD volgens GENESIS 1 geskape het ‘n mens is. Net ‘n mens het ore, verstand ens. As ons van nou af in die bybel praat van die aarde, onthou dit is ‘n mens. Nou dat ons hierdie dinge weet (Jes 48 v 5-7) kom ons pas dit toe op die volgende verse…”

English translation:

“…Summary: We have seen that the earth has EARS, UNDERSTANDING, LEGS, MOUTH, BREASTS, HIPS and KNEES. When you see all these things what do you see? A MAN: This proves according to LUKE 8 that the earth that GOD created according to GENESIS 1 is a man. Only a man has ears, understanding etc. From now on if we speak in the Bible about the earth, remember it’s a man. Now that we know these things (Isaiah 48:5-7) let us apply it to the following verses…”

To the author and readers of the original document:

No, you're actually describing a WOMAN. If I read the verses in their correct context then I still see the EARTH as the planet we call home. You’re making assumptions that aren’t there. You’re confusing personification with reality and you struggle to differentiate between these two. Your so-called proof is based on your own imagination.

          Original Afrikaans (continued):

“…Habakuk 2:14 Want die aarde sal vol word met die kennis van die heerlikheid van die HERE soos die waters die seebodem oordek.

ONTLEDING: m.a.w. die mens se verstand sal vol word met die kennis van die heerlikheid van die Here…”

English translation:

“…Habakkuk 2:14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

ANALYSIS: in other words the man’s understanding will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD…”

To the author and readers of the original document:

It actually goes a lot further than that. In this context it means that all the nations of the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD.

          Original Afrikaans (continued):

“…Esegiël 43:2 En kyk, die heerlikheid van die God van Israel het van die oostekant af gekom; en die geruis daarvan was soos die geruis van baie waters, en die aarde het geglans van sy heerlikheid.

ONTLEDING: Die aarde is verlig deur Sy heerlikheid. Die mens sal verlig word deur die heerlikheid van die Here. Nou het ons onbetwisbare bewyse gevind dat die aarde wat GOD geskape het in der waarheid ‘n mens was volgens die boek van Genesis 1…”

English translation:

“…Ezekiel 43:2 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.

ANALYSIS: The earth is enlightened by His glory. The man will be enlightened by the glory of the Lord. Now we have found unquestionable proof that the earth that GOD created is in truth a man according to the book of Genesis 1…”

To the author and readers of the original document:

No, start reading at Ezekiel 40:1 then you will see that this was all part of a vision that Ezekiel saw in the twenty fifth year of their captivity. The LORD back then (Ezekiel 11:23) had left the city in an easterly direction and He will enter again from the east.

Maybe you should also read Revelation 21:10-11 to understand His glory in context.

This is by no stretch of the imagination unquestionable proof that the EARTH that God created is a MAN. Go and read the whole chapter of Genesis 1, from verse 1 all the way to verse 31. See if you can read in which verse MAN was created and you will see it was a seperate incident after the EARTH was created.

          Original Afrikaans (continued):

“…Jesaja 65:17 Want kyk, Ek skep nuwe hemele en 'n nuwe aarde, en aan die vorige dinge sal nie gedink word en hulle sal in die hart (hart van verstand) nie opkom nie.

Maar in die volgende skrif gedeelte word ek weer heeltemal verwar…”

English translation:

“…Isaiah 65:17 FOR, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

But in the next piece of Scripture I get totally confused…”

To the author and readers of the original document:

The hardships vanish because God creates new heavens and a new earth. This theme becomes an important promise in 2 Peter 3:13 and Revelation 21:4. It’s not about the destruction of the old earth, but about a new beginning that God establishes with His people. This theme is first envisaged in Isaiah 43:18-21. Unfortunately the “New South Africa” is not a suitable example.

Your total confusion is apparent from the very beginning of your document, all the way through till the very end. It is my sincere prayer that the truth will set you free.

          Original Afrikaans (continued):

“…SPREUKE 8: Christus (Wysheid) bestaan van ewigheid af nog voordat GOD die aarde en alles wat daarmee gepaard gaan gemaak het.

VERS 31 en Sy verlustiginge was met die mense kinders nog voordat die aarde gemaak is.

VRAAG: Nou hoekom maak GOD dan in GENESIS 1 mense terwyl daar alreeds mense was?

Was God miskien nie tevrede met die mense wat reeds bestaan het nie? Is daar 'n verskil tussen die 2 groepe. mense?…”

English translation:

“…Proverbs 8: Christ (Wisdom) existed from eternity even before GOD created the earth and everything associated with it.

VERSE 31 …and my delights were with the sons of men even before the earth was made.

QUESTION: Now why does GOD then make man in GENESIS 1 if there were people already?

Was God maybe dissatisfied with the people that already existed? Is there a difference between these 2 groups of people?...”

To the author and readers of the original document:

You misquoted Proverbs and added things that aren’t even written there!

Proverbs 8:1-3 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

Do you really think Christ is female?

Proverbs 8:31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

You falsely added “even before the earth was made” to this verse all by yourself. The most dangerous lie is a half truth.

Where do you read that there were PEOPLE even before God created Adam, the first earthly MAN? Please get someone to read the first two chapters of Genesis to you out loud, slowly and clearly so that you can hear every word. Regarding Jesus the Christ that existed from the beginning, please go and read John 1:1-14, John 3:31 and 1 Corinthians 15:47.

          Original Afrikaans (continued):

“…Dit bring ons by die einde van Lesing 1 van Module 1…”

English translation:

“…This brings us to the end of Lesson 1 of Module 1...”

Thus ends the first attempt by the author of the original document to insult your intelligence.

Summary:

There are instances where the Bible uses the word earth in a particular context to refer to all the nations of the earth (Genesis 11:1, Psalms 67:1-2, Psalms 72:19, Psalms 98:1-3, Isaiah 6:3, Isaiah 11:9, Habakkuk 2:14, Zechariah 14:8-9). The words and verses need to be read and understood in the context in which they were written. In other instances the Bible uses the words water or flood to refer to people and nations (Psalms 18:16, Psalms 124:2-5, Isaiah 59:19, Jeremiah 47:2, Revelation 17:15). This therefore contradicts the OAC notion of “spiritual” interpretation that every instance of earth in the Bible means the same thing.

Depending on the context, earth could also mean:

• the soil or ground ('ădâmâh in Genesis 2:7)
• land as opposed to the sea ('erets in Genesis 1:10)
• the name of our planet ('erets in Genesis 1:1)
• a country ('erets in Genesis 21:32)
• a plot of ground ('erets in Genesis 23:15)
• the ground on which a man stands ('erets in Genesis 33:3)

Strong’s definition for the Hebrew word 'ădâmâh (225 occurences in KJV OT) is:

soil (from its general redness): - country, earth, ground, husband [-man] (-ry), land.

Strong’s definition for the Hebrew word 'erets (2,505 occurences in KJV OT) is:

the earth (at large, or partitively a land): - X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X nations, way, + wilderness, world.

Strong’s definition for the Greek word gē (252 occurences in KJV NT) is:

soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe (including the occupants in each application): - country, earth (-ly), ground, land, world.

Further reading:

Module 1 Lesing 1 – Aarde

Module 1 Lesson 2 – light

Module 1 Lesson 3 – water

Module 2 Lesson 1 – kingdom of God