The Greatest Week in Human History
Why do you seek the living among the dead?
He is not here, but He is risen!
Without Form and Void (תֹ֨הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ)
The insistence among some Christian teachers that the universe was created in six days raises a few issues when examining Scripture. It is Scripturally accurate that the earth we currently know was made in six days; however, made and created are two different concepts.
In a beginning God created the heavens and the earth, Genesis 1:1. Although in verse one many English translations add a definite article (the) before “Beginning”, implying that it is the first act or start of creation, in the original Hebrew, “Beginning” is not definite. Therefore, Genesis 1:1 is not referring to the beginning of God’s acts of creation. God’s first step in creation was creating the spirit beings, who witnessed the creation of the universe, Job 38:7. In verse Two of Genesis chapter One, the Hebrew verse starts with a conjunction vav (ו). Vav is used to indicate the progression of the story; however, it is not connected to time, only to order. Many events could have happened between the two episodes, but the first event occurs before the second one. Therefore, God created the heavens and the earth, and then something happened that caused the earth to be in a state of ruin. What occurred between the creation of the universe and the earth being found as a wasteland, void of life, in Genesis 1:2 is not discussed in Genesis, for the focus is on the renovation of the earth and the creation of humans, not the creation of the universe. Before we look at what happened between the creation of the universe and the condition of the earth in Genesis chapter One verse Two, let us examine the words “without form” and “void” to ensure we are not imposing an English meaning onto them that does not convey what the Hebrew language is stating.
To-hu (תֹּהוּ) means a wasteland – a place void of life. It does not carry the meaning of “without a clear or definite shape or structure”, in the same way the English concept of formless is used. Instead, “wasteland” or “void of life” properly express the Hebrew concept. To-hu (תֹּהוּ) is used to describe the path of the chiefs and princes of the people who reject God. He makes the chiefs of the people on the earth wander in wastefulness, Job 12:24. He pours contempt on the princes and causes them to wander in squander, Psalm 107:40. In these two verses, to-hu (תֹּהוּ) is incorrectly translated as wilderness, which is mid-bar (מִדְבָּר) in Hebrew. Those who are wicked and lay a snare for man, turning aside the just by wasteful (to-hu) words will be cut off, Isaiah 29:21. To-hu conveys the meaning of a wasteland, not a place that has no form such as a primordial ooze, which was pushed upon Scripture by the theory of evolution.
Bo-hu (בֹּהוּ) expresses emptiness. Bo-hu is used to describe Edom after the wrath of God comes upon it. It will be a place of emptiness, void of life. The pelican and porcupine will possess it, with the owl and the raven; however, a line of confusion will be stretched out over it, and its nobles and princes will be nothing, Isaiah 34:11-12. This describes a place that has no intelligent life. In Genesis chapter one verse two, bo-hu carries the same meaning. The earth is found in a state of having no intelligent life upon it.
The Hebrew phrase, to-hu vav bo-hu (תֹ֖הוּ וָבֹ֑הוּ) is also used in Jeremiah 4:23, describing the desolation of the earth at the anger of God. This shows us that in Genesis, without form and void (to-hu vav bo-hu) does not describe an earth that is in a state of being formless before its formation; instead, it is a wasteland that is empty. The land being a wasteland and empty because of God’s judgment is the same condition of the earth in Genesis chapter One verse Two, which was a direct result of Lucifer’s sin. Just as in Jeremiah chapter four, the earth has been caused to become in this state by judgment; it was not originally in this condition. God did not create the earth in a chaotic state; instead, it was formed to be inhabited, Isaiah 45:18. However, it was not initially inhabited by humans or biological life. Earth, or Eden, was Lucifer’s throne before his fall, Ezekiel 28:13. The earth is found a wasteland and empty in Genesis chapter one verse two because Lucifer attempted to set his throne in the third heaven with God, causing the earth to be flooded and no light to shine upon the deep.
When it comes to understanding Scripture, the original words are essential to comprehend what is conveyed by the Holy Spirit through the writings of the authors of Scripture, for they express the truth revealed, not the derived meaning of words by translations. We should be very cautious not to impose the meaning of an English word onto Scripture. “Without form and void” originally carried the meaning of a wasteland that was empty; however, through the generations, these English words have changed their meaning, and teachers have used this difference to force an interpretation upon Scripture to justify an incorrect belief that Genesis Chapter One is the creation of the universe. This requires redefining the meaning of words and ignoring other passages of Scripture that clearly show the earth was inhabited before humans were created. Genesis chapter one is the story of the renovation of the earth for the creation of biological life and humans. It is not the story of the creation of the universe.
Antichrist (ἀντίχριστος)
The Apostle John writes of the antichrist (ἀντίχριστος) in his first and second letters to the Church. Antichrist is a word created by combining a preposition (ἀντί) expressing opposition and Christ (Χριστός); therefore, it defines one who is against Christ.
We are first introduced to the concept of the antichrist in 1 John 2:18, where John writes about how we know it is the last hour. My little children, it is the last hour, and just as you heard that an antichrist is coming, now also many antichrists have come, by which we experientially know it is the last hour. The antichrist is the liar who denies that Jesus is the Messiah, 1 John 2:22. Who is the liar, except the one denying that Jesus is the Messiah? This one is the antichrist, the one denying the Father and the Son. Although these antichrists may claim to be from the Father, the ones that oppose Christ also reject the Father, 1 John 2:23. Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father, the one verbally agreeing, has the Son and the Father. Every spirit that does not verbally agree that Jesus has come in the flesh is the antichrist, 1 John 4:3. and every spirit which does not confess (verbally agree) the Jesus is not out from God, and this is the [spirit] of the antichrist, which you have heard that is coming and now already is in the world. They are the deceivers who have gone out into the world, some even out from the assemblies, from the beginning of the Church, denying that Jesus has come in the flesh, 2 John 7. The antichrist is one who causes others to wander away from the truth. Because many deceivers have gone out into the world, the ones not confessing Jesus Christ has come in flesh. This is the deceiver (wanderer) and antichrist. In these latter times, many depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons, hypocrites who have seared their conscience in rejection of the truth, 1 Timothy 4:1-3. Now the Spirit explicitly said that in [the] last times certain ones would depart from the faith giving heed to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons, in hypocrisy speaking lies, having seared their own conscience, forbidding marriage, to refrain from foods which the God has created for partaking after thanksgiving to the ones believing and fully experientially knowing the truth. Therefore, the antichrist describes anyone who speaks in opposition to Christ, denying Who He is.
When John speaks of the antichrist that we have heard is coming in 1 John 2:18, he is not referring to the man of lawlessness, also known as the first beast of Revelation who has seven heads and ten crowns. Let no one deceive you according to any means, because except the leaving comes first and [then] the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 2 Thessalonians 2:3. And I was standing upon the sand of the sea and behold out from the sea a rising beast having ten horns and seven heads and upon his horns ten diadems and upon his heads blasphemous names (names that are falsely attributing something to him), Revelation 13:1. 1 John was written in 90 A.D. from Ephesus, and Revelation was written in 96 A.D. from the island of Patmos. Therefore, if John were referring to the antichrist in the book of Revelation when writing about the beast, he would have used this term to tie him back to his first and second letters to the Church. However, the antichrist is not used outside John’s first two letters, and within the letters, John specifically describes who the antichrist is. When it comes to the man of lawlessness, using the term antichrist as a synonym does the saints a disservice. We, of the Church, will never know who the man of lawlessness is and should be thankful, for he will be malignantly evil incarnate. The snatching of the Church by Christ will happen before the man of lawlessness is revealed and the wrath of God is poured out upon the earth, 2 Thessalonians 2:3. This one will set himself up in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem, declaring himself to be a god, 2 Thessalonians 2:4. The one opposing and exalting over every thing called god or worshipped, so that he sits in the holy of holies of the God displaying himself that he is a god.
The antichrist is among us now. In fact, there are many antichrists who walk among us denying the death for sins and resurrection of Christ three days later, opposing His physical resurrection, contesting that He is the Jewish Messiah, disagreeing that He is God in the flesh. Therefore, the Church would do well to heed the advice of the Apostle John to let the truth abide in us while rejecting the heresy these false teachers try to sneak in, 1 John 2:24. Let that which you have heard from a beginning abide in you, If that which you heard from a beginning abides in you, also the Son and the Father abide in you.
To Pull, Drag, or Draw (ἑλκύω)
To draw (ἑλκύω) expresses the concept of moving an object from one area to another by attraction or pulling.
During Christ’s earthly ministry, after Jesus declared that He was the bread of life that came down from heaven, the crowd following Him from the other side of the sea where He fed them began to murmur. They knew that Jesus was the son of Joseph, so how could He come down from heaven? In response, Jesus instructed them to stop murmuring, for no one has the ability to come to Him except the Father draws him, John 6:44.
When Jesus is lifted up, He will draw all men unto Himself, John 12:32. The time for the judgment of this world has come. Just as a seed of wheat must die to produce more, through His death, many more sons of the light will be produced, John 12:36.
After the death of Christ, the disciples returned to their fishing business. They spent the night out on the sea but did not have any success. In the morning, the resurrected Christ spoke to them from the shore and instructed them to cast out the nets on the other side of the boat. Once they did this, the catch was so large they could not draw it into the boat, John 21:6. Realizing the man on the shore was Jesus, Peter jumped into the sea and swam to shore while the other disciples drew the net to land, John 21:7.
After Paul rebuked a demon who had possessed a young slave girl to deceive people who lived in the city of Philippi because she was following Paul around, claiming that he was presenting a way of salvation, her masters dragged Paul and Silas to the authorities in the marketplace, Acts 16:19. They realized that because Paul rebuked the demon she had lost her divination abilities, and therefore, her value to them.
Having partiality of persons is detrimental, for the rich man drags others into court and attributes false things to them, James 2:6-7.
When Paul was found in the Temple by some of the Jews from Asia who were seeking to kill him, they took the opportunity to stir up the people against him. Supposing Paul had brought Gentiles into the Temple, they seized him and dragged him out of the Temple, shutting the doors, Acts 21:30.
Temptations do not come from God, but each one is drawn out (ἐξελκόμενος) and enticed by his own desires, James 1:14.
To draw is used in the sense of attracting along with dragging. Although Christ had done many signs and wonders among the Jews, most did not believe; however, the ones who came to Him were attracted by the Father. Their faith in Christ did not come from them, but the Father drew them in, for He knows who are His. In the same way, because Christ was lifted up in crucifixion and raised three days later, He attracts many to Him. This is a gentle type of drawing, not forceful. Although God desires that all men be saved, He did not determine that certain ones would perish and, therefore, will not force anyone to be saved. It is the kindness of God that brings us to repentance (change of mind), not an authoritarian hand. We also see the subtle side of drawing out with how temptations come upon men and ultimately produce sin by drawing them out of their safe place and enticing them through their own strong desires. On the other side is the dragging out by force, as with a net or a rich man taking others into court.
Energize (ἐνέργεια)
Energize (ἐνέργεια) expresses the state or quality of being active.
When Paul communicated to God on behalf of the saints, he often expressed a desire for them to be given a spirit of wisdom and revelation in full experiential knowledge of Christ so that the eyes of their hearts are opened to the hope of His calling. With the heart open to see, we are able to discern the inherent ability of God that was working in the resurrection of Christ through the energizing of the might of His strength, Ephesians 1:19-20.
In the mystery of the Christ, which in past ages was not revealed but has now been declared by the Spirit and His holy apostles and prophets, we learn that the Gentiles are able to become fellow heirs, for God has made it possible for them to partake of the same body and, therefore, His promise in Christ. Paul was appointed the steward of this dispensation by the grace given to him according to the energizing of God’s inherent ability to bring the good news among the Gentiles of the unsearchable riches of the Christ, Ephesians 3:7-8.
God gave us apostles, evangelists, and pastors even teachers to bring us to a oneness of the faith so that we are no longer tossed around like inarticulate babblers. Instead, while speaking the truth in love, we can grow up in all things unto Christ, who is the head. For the whole body, being knit together, supplies each joint’s need according to the working of each part to edify itself, Ephesians 4:16.
Through the working of His inherent ability by which He can subdue all things, our bodies will be outwardly transformed to express a proper opinion of Him, Philippians 3:21. Many walk among the saints who are enemies of the cross. Their end is ruin, their god is the belly, and they openly display their shame. In contrast to how they focus on earthly things, we are to remember that our citizenship is in heaven, where we eagerly await our Savior, Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must stand firm in the Lord and walk in the pattern Paul left for us, Philippians 3:17.
As the steward of the dispensation of Grace, Paul agonized according to the energy given to him in his inherent ability to make known the riches of the mystery of the Christ among the Gentiles, the hope of glory, Colossians 1:25-29.
In Christ, we have been circumcised with a circumcision that is not done with hands, for it is the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh by being placed into the Christ. We are immersed into His burial and, therefore, raised through the faith of the working (energizing) of God, who raised Him from the dead, Colossians 2:12. He made us alive in Christ while we were dead in our trespasses and the uncircumcision of our flesh, wiping out the handwritten ordinances against us by nailing them to His cross, Colossians 2:14. Therefore, let us not be those who govern our lives according to the principles of this world system, judging others according to days, food, drink, or sabbaths, which were nothing more than shadows of the things to come, Colossians 2:17.
After the Church is removed from the earth by Christ returning in the air to call His bride home, the man of lawlessness will rise, who works according to the energizing of Satan, with inherent ability, signs, and lying wonders to deceive those who did not welcome the love of the truth, 2 Thessalonians 2:9. Because they did not welcome the love of the truth to be saved, God will send to them a strong working of error that they should believe the lie in order that those who took pleasure in unrighteousness while rejecting the truth should be condemned for their wanderings, 2 Thessalonians 2:12.
Energize (ἐνέργεια) conveys a state or quality of activity that is seen in the resurrection of Christ by the working of God’s might, the mystery of the Christ, how the body works together for its edification, in the work of pastors and teachers to bring to light the truth of the gospel, and the employment of Satan’s ability through the man of lawlessness to deceiving the world by God sending an operating of wandering among those who rejected the truth.