XPost: alt.bible   
   From: usenet@christrose.news   
      
   Watchtower promotes almost nothing but pure, Bible-contradicting lies:   
   Isaiah taught the old heavens and earth would perish, and that there   
   would be a new heavens and earth:   
      
         “The heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like   
          a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but   
          my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be   
          dismayed” (Isaiah 51:6, ESV).   
      
         “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former   
          things shall not be remembered or come into mind” (Isaiah 65:17,   
          ESV).   
      
         “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall   
          remain before me, says the LORD, so shall your offspring and   
          your name remain” (Isaiah 66:22, ESV).   
      
   Psalms and Hebrews confirm the heavens and earth will pass away, and be   
   changed like a robe:   
      
         “Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are   
          the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain;   
          they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like   
          a robe, and they will pass away” (Psalm 102:25–26, ESV).   
      
         “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,   
          and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish,   
          but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a   
          robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed”   
          (Hebrews 1:10–12, ESV).   
      
   Peter confirms the present heavens and earth will be dissolved by fire,   
   and that we wait for new heavens and earth:   
      
         “But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are   
          stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and   
          destruction of the ungodly.” (2 Peter 3:7, ESV)   
      
         “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of   
          people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,   
          waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because   
          of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the   
          heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his   
          promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which   
          righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:11–13, ESV)   
      
   Revelation shows the fulfillment of this:   
      
         “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it.   
          From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was   
          found for them.” (Revelation 20:11, ESV)   
      
         “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven   
          and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.”   
          (Revelation 21:1, ESV)   
      
   After the thousand year reign of Christ (Revelation 19-20:10), The   
   present heavens and earth will flee away, and be replaced by a new   
   heavens and earth for believers (Revelation 21).   
      
   New Testament revelation is what governs the understanding of the Old   
   Testament. This is why Watchtower heretics have to spend so much time in   
   the Old Testament. It makes it easier for them to promote deceit if they   
   don't have to account for New Testament Revelation.   
      
   For example, Watchtower heretics try to twist verse snippets here and   
   there in the Old Testament which talk about the present heavens and   
   earth abiding "forever" (olam). They try to make a total theology out of   
   their misrepresentation of these Old Testament verses. Yet here are   
   clear biblical uses of the Hebrew word olam (often translated “forever”)   
   where the context proves it refers to a limited or defined period of   
   time, not endless duration. Scripture itself defines the limits.   
      
         “I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever   
          [olam], yet you brought up my life from the pit” (Jonah 2:6,   
          ESV).   
      
   Jonah was in the fish three days and three nights (Jonah 1:17).   
   “Forever” describes his experience, not endless time.   
      
         “Then his master shall bring him to God… and he shall be his   
          slave forever [olam]” (Exodus 21:6, ESV).   
      
   This lasted for the servant’s lifetime, not eternally.   
      
         “I will bring him, that he may appear in the presence of the LORD   
          and dwell there forever [olam]” (1 Samuel 1:22, ESV).   
      
         “As long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD” (1 Samuel 1:28,   
          ESV).   
      
   The text itself explains olam as “as long as he lives.”   
      
         “And he shall be your slave forever [olam]” (Deuteronomy 15:17,   
          ESV).   
      
   Again, lifelong service, not endless existence.   
      
         “So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial   
          forever [olam]” (Joshua 4:7, ESV).   
      
   The stones existed as long as the memorial stood, not eternally.   
      
         “Lift up your heads, O gates… O ancient doors [olam]” (Psalm   
          24:7, ESV).   
      
   The doors are old, not eternal.   
      
         “He looked and shook the nations; then the eternal [olam]   
          mountains were scattered” (Habakkuk 3:6, ESV).   
      
   Mountains called “eternal” are still shaken and altered by God.   
      
         “The hill and the watchtower will become dens forever [olam]…   
          until the Spirit is poured upon us” (Isaiah 32:14–15, ESV).   
      
   Olam explicitly ends when God acts.   
      
         “Making their land a horror, a thing to be hissed at forever   
          [olam]” (Jeremiah 18:16, ESV).   
      
   Israel’s desolation did not last eternally.   
      
   Key biblical truth:   
      
   Olam does not mean “endless by definition.” It means duration viewed   
   from the standpoint of the subject—often long, undefined, or complete   
   within God’s purpose. Context determines its length. Scripture itself   
   repeatedly places boundaries on it.   
      
   Therefore:   
      
   When passages say the earth “remains forever” or the righteous dwell in   
   the land “forever,” the word itself does not demand eternal preservation   
   of the present creation. It allows for continuity through judgment,   
   transformation, and fulfillment, exactly as later revelation teaches   
   (Psalm 102:25–26, ESV; 2 Peter 3:7–13, ESV).   
      
   Make no mistake. The present heavens and earth WILL be destroyed by   
   fire, folded up like a garment, and flee. They will be replaced with a   
   new heavens and earth, where God will dwell with all believers, not just   
   144,000 Jews who will be saved during the Tribulation.   
      
   --   
   Have you heard the good news Christ died for our sins (†), and God   
   raised Him from the dead?   
      
   That Christ died for our sins shows we're sinners who deserve the death   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)