THE MEANING of the compound disrupt (kata-bal-)
DOWN-CAST is satisfactorily settled by its contexts. In 2 Cor.4:9 we read,
persecuted, but not forsaken,
cast down, but not perishing,
It is parallel to persecuted, and closely allied to
abandoned or destroyed. The A.V. also has cast down. The word
foundation, which the A.V. uses for the noun, they use for themelios
PLACE-CARE also, so make no distinction between them, which is most
unscientific, for the two terms are antonyms, opposites, not synonyms. We
must be consistent, if we wish the truth.
THE EVIDENCE FOR "DISRUPTION"
As many of our friends may not have seen the evidence
which compelled us to change from the usual rendering "foundation" to
disruption about fifty years ago, we will briefly recapitulate it here.
The Greek word is kata-bolee DOWN-CASTing. The main stem,
CAST, suggests
forcible motion, "cast into the fire (Matt.3:10). This is seen in some
derivations as belos arrow, bolee a stone's throw, ek balloo
OUT-CAST, eject, ek bolee jettison, dia-bolos
THRU-CASTer, adversary,
and often with an evil implication. It is not used of laying down.
There is no other word in the divine vocabulary which demands the
rendering disruption. But the popular translation, foundation, is
needed for another stem PLACE-CARE, which suggests careful motion, such as
the cautious movements of a mason when building a wall. This is reflected
in its derivations, such as meditate, regret, repent, etc. The use
of these two distinct and partly conflicting stems for one English word is
not only contrary to the fundamental principle on which a concordant
version is founded, but it also disrupts the truth.
THE SEPTUAGINT USAGE
One of the best tests of the significance of a Greek
word in divine revelation is its usage in the Septuagint, which was
translated by Jewish rabbis and used by our Lord and His apostles. The
following is a list of all the Hebrew stems which they translated by means
of this Greek stem, kata bal:
| chrs DEVOTE, |
doom Job 12:14; Ezek.26:4,12. |
| lqch AFTERMATH, |
Ezek.33:4 |
| ntsh LET-GO, |
abandon Ezek.29:5 |
| nphl CAST, |
fall 2 Kings 3:19,25; 6:5; 19:7; 2
Sam.20:15;
2 Chron.32:21; Psa.36(37):14; 72(73):18;
105(106):26,27; 139(140):10; Prov.7:26;
Jer.19:7; Ezek.6:4; 23:25; 30:22; 32:12; 39:3;
Dan.11:12 |
| nthtz BREAK-DOWN, |
Ezek.26:9 |
| phrtz BREACH, |
Job 16:15(14); Prov.25:28 |
| shtm GRUDGE, |
Job 16:10(9). |
| shchth RUIN, |
Ezek.26:4 |
| shphl LOW, |
Isa.26:5 |
Not one of these stems conveys the idea of founding,
but some, such as doom, abandon, fall, break down, breach, ruin, are
almost synonyms of disruption, and incompatible with foundation.
In contrast to this the Greek themelios, PLACE-CARE, found, represents
the Hebrew stem sd FOUND 22 times, and a slightly different form, themelioun,
at least 30 times. The only other Hebrew equivalent worth mentioning is
arm un, HIGH, or citadel, which, of course, is well founded. Negatively,
as well as positively, the Greek O.T. used by the early believers, on
which the new revelations were based, distinguishes radically between
DOWN-CASTing, disruption, and PLACE-CARE, foundation.
In the inspired Scriptures, almost all of the occurrences refer to the
disruption of the world. The dictionary tells us that the world
denotes the heavens and the earth the universe, or its inhabitants
and their concerns. The Concordant Lexicon defines kosmos as "SYSTEM,
world, an orderly arrangement, adornment 1 Peter 3:2, especially the
constitution of human society in a given period of time." The Septuagint
translates Hebrew words by it which the C.V. renders implement, deed,
host, beauty, luxury, ornament. From this it is seen that it may apply to
any SYSTEMATIC arrangement, whether material or spiritual. As we shall
see, disruption is used of both the material mirrors, as well as their
spiritual counterparts, to indicate the four great cataclysms in the
history of the earth, the first of which consisted in making the earth a
chaos and vacant, and its corresponding evil, usually, but
non-scripturally called the "fall" of Adam, which is much the same idea.
THE FIVE WORLDS
As is shown in The Divine Calendar, there are five
worlds in the eonian times, corresponding to the eons, and these are
separated by four disruptions, intermediate periods in which there are
great changes, two for the worse and two for the better, and all with a
physical aspect which mirrors its spiritual counterpart. The first
physical disruption is recorded in the forefront of revelation, after the
creation of the heavens and the earth, by which the earth became a chaos
and vacant. The corresponding spiritual disruption could not occur until
there was another creation. But, soon after Adam was formed, he and his
wife sinned and so shattered the beautiful relationship between them and
their Subjector. This formed the first spiritual disruption.
THE FIRST DISRUPTION
When Adam and Eve were first formed there was perfect
harmony between the man and his Subjector on the one side, and with his
wife on the other. This was in the sphere of spirit. Just as there were
two creations, one of the heavens and the earth (Gen.1:1) and the other
of humanity (27), so also there were two disruptions. In the latter, Eve
listened to the serpent, ate the forbidden fruit and Adam offended the
Subjector by his disobedience, so that they became mortal and were driven
from His presence. The harmonious relationship of humanity with the
Creator was disrupted. In the course of time this led to bloodshed, when
Cain, the first human to be born, murdered his brother, due to the
previous "disruption of the world." The "system" is not limited to the
earth, but includes the creatures on it. Both will be restored, the earth
as well as mankind.
THE ANCIENT WORLD
The second, the "ancient world" (2 Peter 2:5), which
failed under Adam's headship, was closed by the deluge, which disrupted
the waters above and drowned the humans beneath, and so prepared for the
present evil world. In the future, the earth and mankind are to undergo
terrific physical changes, as recorded in the Unveiling. Along with
these will come the disruption of the present system of society, so that
Christ will be King over all the earth in the fourth world. In preparation
for the fifth world the whole terrestrial sphere will be consumed by fire
and mankind will be judged before the great white throne. Thus there are
four disruptions in all, of which the physical changes correspond closely
to the spiritual.
DISRUPTION INDEFINITE
The phrases "from the" and "before the disruption" are
printed with a light face "the" in the present C.V., to show that there is
no article "the" in the Original. But few seem to note this fact or take
heed to its message. The disruption here indicated is world disruption in
general, a condition, a fact, not any special act, but necessarily
beginning with the first of the series. It embraces physical as well as
spiritual disruption, the so-called "fall " of Adam as well as making the
earth a chaos and vacant, briefly, before, or from the operation of
evil in the earth or in humanity. If a particular world had been
intended it would have been named and preceded by the article the. We
may change the C.V. to "world disruption" in the future.
CREATED AND DISRUPTED
Just as Adam was created quite perfect in his way,
but became a sinner, so the earth also had been created fit for
habitation, but became a chaos and vacant. In both cases there was a
"disruption of the world," and this phrase may well refer to either or
preferably to both, for both together commence an interval in which God,
by means of both material and spiritual disruption, reveals Himself as
Saviour and Lover, preparing for the revelation of His power when He will
create them anew. Each one of us will go through this process also, both
physically and spiritually, and, at present, is in a condition akin to
the "disruption of the world." This should help us to grasp the force of
this expression.
THE WORLD
Only one "world" or SYSTEM could have existed when Cain
slew Abel. As this term usually refers to the order or arrangement of
human society, it goes back to the subjection of Adam under the Alueim,
the Subjectors, and his descendants. It was this miniature world which was
disrupted when Adam sinned, transgressed and offended God. The slaying of
Abel by Cain was the most flagrant and atrocious result of that
disruption, the first time that human blood was shed by a fellow human.
If the world had not been disrupted, Cain would not have slain his
brother.
BEFORE AND FROM
Before any disruption God loved His Son (John 17:24)
and foreknew Him as the flawless and unspotted Lamb (1 Peter 1:20), and
chose us in Him (Eph.1:4). This shows that sacrifice was in God's heart
even before sin was introduced. But it was not till Adam's sin, or from a
disruption, that His Kingdom was made ready (Matt.25:34), blood was shed
(Luke 11:50), the works occurred (Heb.4:3). Then the suffering of Christ
was due (Heb.9:26), and, in a sense, He was the Lambkin slain as soon as
sin entered (Rev.13:8). The names of all in the scroll of life were
entered in that far distant past, so the disruption did not affect their
fate (Rev.17:8).
SIN'S DISRUPTION AND REPUDIATION
The effects of the initial disruption could only be met
by sacrifice (Heb.9:26). So Abel sacrificed a sin-offering. But Cain
refused to do this, and brought a bloodless offering of fruit, which God
could not accept, as it failed to recognize the curse of death (See CV).
It is only at the conclusions of the eons, and of the worlds, that the
sacrifice of Christ will have its full effect. Then sin will be repudiated
as an instrument of divine revelation, so there will be no more
disruptions after the consummation. By means of these disruptions,
countered by the sacrifice of Christ, God will draw all mankind into the
embrace of His paternal love.
The observant reader will have noted that the record in Genesis, as we
have expounded it, is in practical accord with the assured facts of
science. How could it be otherwise? The same Subjectors Who created the
heavens and the earth inspired the record. From the theological viewpoint
it has been suggested that there are three alternatives, as follows: 1.
Science and faith are irreconcilable. 2. They need to be "harmonized." 3.
Faith and science are on two different levels and have two distinct
functions. But we have found that they not only agree, but have the same
function on two different levels. As indicated by our title, nature is a
material mirror of spiritual truth. They are like two notes, an octave
apart, and so produce the harmony of the universe.
Science and theology are antagonistic as to the age of the earth. But
scientists also disagree among themselves. Geologists and biologists, we
are told, make it much older than astronomers. I suppose the theologians
are agreed that it is about six thousand years old. But that depends on
the mistranslation of the opening words of revelation, and the false
assumption that Adam, the progenitor of the human race, was created at
that time. The Scriptures do tell us the age of humanity, but even that
has been much shortened by the copyists of the Hebrew text. The Concordant
version has made a prolonged effort to give the correct Adamic reckoning,
but not the date of creation, for that is not revealed. So it seems that
both science and theology may be reconciled, for they are mutually
ignorant, and make much ado about a matter which neither understands.
UNSCIENTIFIC THEOLOGY
The Subjector clutches the wise in their craftiness (1
Cor.3:19). If theologians were really scientific in their deductions from
the inspired Originals, they would not ignore the word become eithe in
the sentence "And the earth became a chaos..." (Gen.1:2). If it were
absent, then they would be justified when inserting is, for this is
understood in Hebrew in such cases. Neither would they mistranslate katabolees
(DOWN-CASTing), in the phrase "before the foundation of the world"
(Eph.1:4). The word for foundation is themelios PLACE-CARE. Few
scientists would commit such palpable falsifications. By a simple glance
at the present condition of the strata of the earth they would confirm the
Hebrew text, but oppose the theologians. The evidence in the earth and
in the Book agree. Only the translators disagree with both because they
refuse the evidence in the record they are supposed to expound and defend.
THE DAYS OF READJUSTMENT
These two willful alterations have totally obscured the
function of the week's work. Instead of being a gradual creation, it was
the readjustment of a chaos, to prepare the scene for the presence of
humanity. Adam could not have lived on an earth which had become a dark
abyss. He needed light and air and land and vegetation and animals and
luminaries. So these were made before he was created on the sixth day. On
the first three days there was no creation whatever. The water and the
land were certainly created earlier than the chaos that existed on the
first day. The next creation mentioned in the account were the living
souls, birds, fish and sea-monsters on the fifth day.
THE "DAYS"
We do not know how long the seven "days" lasted. But we
do know that God called the light day, and the darkness He called
night. So it was not a "twenty-four hour" day. This makes sense, for He
does not work at night (John 9:4). It denotes a period of time when no
work is done. Only two days in a year are of equal length, so the length
of each day is not an essential factor. In fact the heavens and earth were
created in one day, not seven (Gen.2:4). And there is a figurative
Lord's day which will last a thousand years (Zech.14:1; Joel 2:1). All
this in God's Word should keep us from insisting on a twenty-four hour
day or half of it, though it may have been so.
THE CREATOR NOT TIRED
Our most popular version says that God rested from
His work (Gen.2:2,3). This comes perilously close to irreverence. God is
not a man. No work can make Him tired. He ceased from further work. In
Ex.20:11 rested should read stopped. So elsewhere. The law stopped
all work on the sabbath, and had to be obeyed whether men were tired or
not. Nothing is gained by determining the exact duration of God's
operations, especially since this has no spiritual significance. It is
important to limit the number of days to six, and the length of the week
to seven, for man should sweat six days for his own living, as a result
of the curse, to form a background for God's grace in the seventh.
THE BIBLE "NOT SCIENTIFIC"
Some would like us to think that the Bible is not a
scientific work, so it need not agree with science! Alas! This is all too
true! By this I do not wish to insinuate that the inspired Scriptures,
written in Hebrew and Greek, are not reliable. Quite the contrary! Except
for the slight amount in which their text has been altered in
transmission, they are far ahead of science, which is only lately catching
up in some matters. It is our translations which are not scientific. For
instance, the A.V. commences, "In the beginning God created the heaven..."
But the Hebrew has shmIM heavens. Only lately have the scientists
recognized three different strata in the atmosphere. When the Scriptures
spoke of ON-heavens, they translated it celestial correctly twice (1
Cor.15:40), but in many other places they ignored the ON-, and confused it
by rendering it with forms of heaven. The ON- may have dropped out in
copying occasionally.
Our popular translations of the Bible are not scientifically made. If
they were, there would be no real clash with true science. Neither is much
of science really scientific. When good sense is used in both realms they
do not merely agree, but the physical facts mirror spiritual truth, and
this throughout the Scriptures. For example, I have long used the
Scriptures as a guide to health. When I found that Daniel's diet consisted
of seed food (not pulse, Dan.1:12,16), I tried to help my inherited
dyspepsia by doing the same, and it has proved a great boon. On the
contrary, when I read that David prayed, "Purge me with hyssop"
(Psa.51:7), I proposed to use hyssop (caper) as a purgative, but I checked
the word purge, to be safe, and found that it meant "make a
sin-offering," not purge at all! The "Bible" led me astray!
The Scriptures in the original do not clash with real science, when
consistently translated. But when a discordant version masquerades as a
true transcription of God's Word, then it clashes with all knowledge. And
it is doubly dangerous, when supported by learned men who are giving their
lives to the study and dissemination of God's revelation. When I found
that the A.V. did not agree with the facts in nature, I went to Palestine
to check it on the spot. This confirmed my suspicions. Therefore we have
given each plant and animal a single name throughout, as well as limiting
every expression to one equivalent whenever possible. That is not only
concordant but scientific, in the best sense of the word.
THE SHAPE OF THE EARTH
I was once considerably concerned not to allow my
previous education, not only in biblical, but also in secular science,
especially astronomy, to influence my study of the Bible. Was the earth a
comparatively flat surface, as a limited part of it seemed to be from
observation and the Bible, or was it an enormous curve, as astronomy
taught? As there was no possibility of rising high enough to check this, I
made a journey to San Diego, the best point to view an eclipse of the moon
at the time, so that the earth's contour could clearly be seen as its
shadow crept over the surface of the satellite. Its circular shadow on the
moon conclusively convinced me that it was a globe, and that the
Scriptures used the common figure of implication. Now, photographs taken
from a great height clearly show its curved contour. Besides, judged by
the background of stars, the sun appears to go around the earth once a
year, not every day.
Hebrew uses the same figure in relation to the contour of the holy land. Shphl
means LOW. The A.V. translates it vale, valley, and plain. But there
are other Hebrew words which undoubtedly must be used for these terms. So
I spent a day while in Palestine visiting the shephelah, and found that
it referred to the foothills between the plain along the shore of the
Mediterranean and the central mountain region. It looked low, but only
from above. It looked high from the shore. So nearly all such terms
are relative, as they appear to the senses of the common folk who use
it. Perhaps the coast dwellers may have called some of them hills! We
live on Euclid heights, but above us are the foothills and above them
are the mountains. In comparison with them we are low.
In English the sun sets, but what this means literally is not clear. In
German it goes under. But in Hebrew it IN-S or enters, but what is not
said. Such expressions are not a safe basis on which to reason about the
sun's movement. We also say that it sinks, like the German. These
examples are given to show that no idiomatic language, not even the
Hebrew, can determine the literal motions of objects the eyes behold, but
only the apparent motion from a given standpoint. Many words of location
cannot be absolute, but must be relative.
EARTHQUAKES
Perhaps the most impressive evidence to show that the
earth is a chaos, is to live through a severe earthquake, and study its
cause and results. I once lived in an "earthquake country" near Mt.
Tauquitz, which the Indians blamed for the shocks. Realizing this, I built
an "earthquake proof" building of well-braced timbers, filled in with
bricks held by cement. It was well that I did, or I might not have
survived to write this. The quake was so severe that it threw a bowl of
water clear across the room. It broke down walls in San Jacinto, the
nearest town. The roads had a crack every few yards.
Earthquakes come with some regularity in certain well defined regions. San
Francisco had a rather severe series of shocks recently, along the same
lines as about fifty years ago. That quake cost many lives and almost
destroyed the city. The place where this is written has one occasionally.
The point is that they are the result of "faults" in the earth's surface.
These must have been produced by an earth-wide shock before historic
times, which at the same time threw the earth off its axis, so that the
north star seems to move, and the north magnetic pole is not at the
geographical pole. These are clear evidence that the earth has had a
tremendous shock, and is off its axis.
Ask any builder how he would duplicate the "faults" in the earth's crust.
He would tell you that the only practical way would be to build it right
first, and then break it apart later. Such fissures and upheavals must
arise from a perfect original. I have built some walls and seen others
which had been cracked by an earthquake. They were of the same nature and
appearance as the earthfaults, that is, a continuous, but uneven, break,
which could be fitted together again if it were practicable to move both
sides.
THE MOON
As the moon is spoken of as under the feet of Israel in
the future (Rev.12:1), it may well be a symbol of evil and the powers of
darkness, especially of the adversary. This would link the physical and
spiritual disruptions together, both being effected by the powers of
darkness and of evil. But this is only a suggestion, as there does not
seem to be definite evidence in the Scriptures to this effect, so we do
not teach it, and do not seek to defend it.
It has also been suggested that the moon caused the disruption by striking
the earth like a meteor, making a deep depression in the south Pacific
ocean, just as the meteors of the end time will readjust it for the
following millennial reign (Rev.8:10). This would badly wrinkle the moon's
surface, which is much more distorted than that of the earth. This is a
good thing, for otherwise it would reflect much less sunlight than it
does, for a smooth globular reflector would divert very little light to
any given point, such as the earth. But the mountains on the moon, some of
which are much higher than any on the earth, reflect some light to the
earth, even if they are near its varying rim.
In this case, as the moon was cast down (2 Cor.4:9), disruption was
literally a fact, and no other word could describe it better. The
application of this word to the result of Adam's offense may be taken from
this earlier disruption in the physical realm, as they are parallels, as
most of the terms in our spiritual vocabulary are taken from the former.
The stubborn fact faces us: There is disruption, both in the physical as
in the spiritual world. The latter is fully revealed in God's Word, and
was due to the introduction of sin and evil soon after the creation of
Adam. The second disruption, the deluge, has likewise left its mark, not
only in the Scriptures, but in the skies also. The future disruptions will
all be double, and are revealed beforehand for faith. Great calamities
will visit the earth before the Messianic kingdom, and a complete
conflagration before the new earth. Why should the Scriptures not record
the first one, which is so fully embossed upon the surface of the earth
and reconciles true science with religion? It is, but it takes a spiritual
eye and God-given faith to believe His Word.
We cannot say that Satan caused the disruption of the earth, neither did
he directly cause the entrance of sin but we do know that the Adversary is
sinning from the beginning (1 John 3:8). He does not always do it
directly. In Eden he sinned through the serpent. And in these last days he
has many human mediums who do his will. But, thanks be to God, His panoply
provides us with the truth and the faith to extinguish the fiery arrows
that assail us.
PERSONAL DISRUPTIONS
Each one of us has had a personal disruption ever since
Cain, the firstborn of humanity, for this is the term used of the
discharge of eggs in the case of Sarah at the conception of her son Isaac,
according to Hebrews 11:11. As a result of Eve's offense, Ieue Alueim said
to her, "In grief shall you bear sons" (Gen.3:16). So it is that, not
only are we all suffering because of the effects of the initial disruption
of the earth, but the later disruption that severed our first parents from
God, also introduced a continuous series of them at the birth of our
bodies. Normal childbirth was not originally intended to be painful, but
now every human is not only "born in sin," but it is a grievous process in
order to remind mankind of their first mother's introduction of disruption
into the spiritual world.
Hitherto many of us have thought of a "world" or system, as either
physical or spiritual, whereas it includes both. It takes the earth as
well as humanity on it to make a complete world. And both are affected at
the beginning of each eon.
The Adversary hates this truth and has tried to erase it from the pages of
the Bible, although it is written in the rocks, and may be read on the
sinful, offensive heart of mankind from its attitude toward its Subjector.
It is the very first act of each human, even before birth, when, as an
egg, it bursts forth from the ovary of its mother during her prime, or,
later, in the case of Sarah (Heb.11:11). The whole terrestrial system, as
well as God's revelation is permeated with the evidence of disruptive
evil, and looks forward to the gracious and glorious deliverance from it
through Christ Jesus, so that God may be All in all.
How blessed are they, whose eyes behold,
How His words and works God's love unfold!
