“Revolving upon its own axis, and describing an ample circuit through the boundless fields of space, is a planet of the solar system bearing upon its surface a population of over a thousand millions subject to sin, disease, and death. This orb of the starry heavens shines with a glory similar to that of its kindred spheres. Viewed from them, it is seen sparkling ‘like a diamond in the sky’ ; and with the rest of the heavens, declares the glory of God, and shows forth the handiwork of Him that did create it.”
The quotation above is the opening paragraph of Elpis Israel written by Dr. Thomas in 1848. Scientists would agree with the first part of this paragraph as a beautiful description of the earth. But most of them, not believing the Bible, would not agree that it “declares the glory of God, and Him that did create it.”
Wise men of this world have advanced many guesses concerning the origin of the earth but like those who bore false witness against Jesus, “their witness agreed not together”. Their guesses change from time to time as they encounter unexplained facts, and the speculations of one generation are often rejected by the next.
The opening and unchanging statement of the Bible is sufficient for those who trust the Bible as the inspired word of God, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”.
A more interesting question is, What will become of the earth ? And again, those who trust the Bible as God’s inspired revelation to man, can answer the question to complete satisfaction by plain statements from that revelation.
“For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens: God himself that formed the earth and made it ; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited ; I am the Lord; and there is none else” (Isa. 45:18).
“One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh : but the earth abideth for ever”
“While the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Gen. 8:22).
These statements seem plain enough but the continuity of the earth is necessitated and guaranteed by other considerations from the scriptures. The earth is primarily and permanently involved in God’s great plan of redemption. And it will continue to “declare the glory of God” after theological and scientific guesses are forgotten.
In the opening chapters of Genesis we find the account of the creation of man and that he was given the dominion of the earth (Ch. 1:26). In chapter 2 we find the record of his transgression which resulted in his disinheritance, and he was driven from the Garden of Eden under sentence of death. Immediately following this we have the first promise of a remedial system (Gen. 3:15), and in chapter 12 a more definite step is taken in the plan of redemption. Abraham is called from his native country into the land of Canaan which he was promised as an everlasting inheritance, and that through him and his seed, or descendant, all people of the earth would be blessed.
Dr. Thomas referred to this covenant given to Abraham as “the gospel in a nut shell” because no details were given to Abraham. He was not told the nature of the blessings nor the instrumentality through which they would be realized. These important details were revealed in another, closely related covenant, to David the great king of Israel (2 Sam. 7:12-). It was revealed to David that some time in the course of human events a descendant of his would occupy his restored throne and would administer, through universal dominion of the earth, the blessings of the covenant given to Abraham.
The messages of the Old Testament Prophets are aglow with the blessings of that glorious reign of Israel’s promised Messiah.
“He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor . . . He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth . . . His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun : wand men shall be blessed in him : all nations shall call him blessed”
“And the Lord shall be king over all the earth : in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one” (Zech. 14:9).
The prospect of the fulfillment of the covenants to Abraham and David became the national hope of the nation of Israel, and there is abundant evidence in the New Testament that it is still the hope of true believers today.
The first verse of the New Testament introduces a genealogy to show that Jesus was that “Seed” of Abraham and that “Son” of David promised in the Old Testament scriptures. “Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham”. The angel announcing the birth of Jesus connected him with the covenant given to David, “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest : and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David : and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever ; and of his kingdom there shall be no end”.
Others speaking by inspiration connect him to the covenant given to Abraham, “To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant ; the oath which he sware to our father Abraham”.
We see then that Jesus Christ is introduced to New Testament readers as the one whose mission it is to execute the covenants given unto David and Abraham.
“Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many ; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ” (Gal. 3:16). And again in Verse 27, 29, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ . . . And if ye be Christ’s then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Therefore, the true Christian faith has its roots in those ancient covenants of the Old Testament. And those covenants, as we have seen, were distinctly related to the dominion of the earth. It therefore makes the whole picture harmonious when we read, “Blessed are the meek : for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5). And the song of the redeemed will be, “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests : and we shall reign on the earth” (Rev. 5:10). Compare also Rev. 2:26, 27 and Psa. 2:8, 9.
Those who believe the Bible have no fear that the earth will be destroyed by atomic bombs, or by any other agency, because the earth on which we live is bound up in the immutable oath of the everlasting covenants.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One