I had taken note that the scriptural references used for indicating the flood as the end and beginning of the first and second worlds was 2 Peter 3:5-7 and 2 Peter 2:5. It was then that I recalled reading from Tim Martins work on the flood that he would often refer to

2 Peter 3 as well. So I decided that I needed to look closer at these 2 Peter 2 & 3 verses. What I want to do now is to examine these verses in detail and lay out what they appear to really indicate. When we do this these verses may change forever the way we look at Genesis 1 through 11. It may then become apparent to some that we will have to change our thinking about longstanding views on Genesis. This could be similar to the gut wrenching emotional change that occurred when we first realized that our acceptance of Preterism meant that we no longer could hold on to the same belief system that we had been raised with. The reason for this now is that one may need to seriously reevaluate their literal hermeneutic for Genesis studies and then come to grips with that emotional paradigm change. Peter’s letter penned through the Holy Spirit indicates strongly that early Genesis is a covenantal story describing the first recorded “Heavens and Earth” written in covenantal language that is fostered throughout the scriptures. This means that while we have readily taken on a Preterist understanding for the future portion of 2 Peter 3:5-7 many have hung on to a less consistent Preterist position for the first portion of that section when applying it to Genesis. It’s very similar to some of our friends that still adhere to some futurist notions for NT prophecy while recognizing the AD70 event. They want to have it both ways which can render a consistent position difficult to maintain.

(2 Pet 3:4 NIV) They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

The most important phrase we should recognize is the words Peter used in verse 7 stating “THE PRESENT HEAVENS AND EARTH”. These words indicate that Peter believed that a proper description for Israel at this time was the covenantal terminology of “HEAVENS AND EARTH”. This is an extremely strong confirmation for all of us who adhere to that designation as well. Now this is not really anything new for most of us here at PP but its necessary in laying the foundation of where I want to proceed.

Let’s now examine the wording of verse 6 which states that the “WORLD” at that time was destroyed. Now again there is nothing new here as we know that Noah’s world was destroyed. But did you notice the transition words that Peter used in verse 7 in comparison to verse 6 as he was relegating the previous “WORLD” of Noah’s with the “PRESENT HEAVENS AND EARTH”. In other words Peter was declaring Noah’s “WORLD” a covenantal world in the same manner deemed for the present Mosaic covenant. This is a strong inference that Noah’s world was indeed no more a physical world than the Mosaic world was. They were both what you would classify as a “SPIRITUAL ORDER”, and yes there was physical destruction involved in ending both worlds. But this understanding renders Noah’s “AGE” as a Godly Covenant as Peter is indeed making this comparison in the strongest terms and without ambiguity.

Further verification of this is indicated from the description of Noah’s world given by Peter in verse 5 where he states “THE HEAVENS EXISTED AND THE EARTH WAS FORMED OUT OF WATER AND BY WATER” which again verifies Noah’s world as a preexisting “HEAVENS AND EARTH”. So we have Peter describing Noah’s world in verse 5 as the “HEAVENS AND EARTH” that was formed out of water and then in verse 6 declares that the “WORLD FORMED” out of water was then “DESTROYED” by these waters.

So here is the formula of these verses.

A. “HEAVENS and EARTH” were formed out of water.

B. “WORLD” = “HEAVENS and EARTH” was destroyed by same waters.

C. “PRESENT HEAVENS and EARTH” are reserved for fire.

D. conclusion = TWO previous “HEAVENS and EARTHS” destroyed

The realization is that both “HEAVENS and EARTHS” were covenants which indicated that the covenantal language of Genesis 1-11 needs to be examined in light of that determination. We should therefore no longer look at the covenantal story of Seth’s lineage which was terminated by the flood except for a remnant as literal narrative language describing a global or world wide decree against all human kind. I believe some further examples will also bear this position correct as well. What we have in essence is the removal of two of God’s previous “SPIRITUAL ORDERS” and not of physical world orders.

In case the reader believes that this designation of Noah’s world as a Heaven and Earth is a belief only to these earlier Preterist and myself I refer you also to Don K Preston’s book “The Elements Shall Melt With Fervent Heat” on page 74 we find his statement

“While Peter speaks of Noah’s heaven and earth, he asserts it was their world that perished. This bears on the definition of his (Peter’s) heaven and earth. Peter is comparing the perishing of the world at the Day of the Lord in Noah’s day with the coming Day of the Lord.”

He again states on page 75.

“This helps us realize that Peter is speaking of worlds, societies, that had/were to perish, not physical creation.”

Of course Don was dealing primarily with literal futurist in his book that was looking to a physical end of the world and was not delving into the discussion with literal Genesis interpretations of which this article is concerned. But it is apparent that Don Preston has confirmed this position as well.

I now want to refer to a recent article posted here on PP by Duncan McKenzie, called “The Covenant Judgments of Revelation” (http://planetpreterist.com/news-5109.html) where he ended his section with a very informative examination of the use of “Heavens and Earth” basically bearing out how the biblical language is utilizing this verbiage to relate how God has moved in this world and progressively brought the final implementation of the present “New Heavens and Earth” which is the everlasting never ending one. Duncan performed such a thorough job of explaining this concept that I am going to quote from his section to illustrate how this language is utilized. So with due consideration to Duncan I now quote his work.

Duncan states

“I don’t think most Christians are aware that the OT uses the creation of heaven and earth as a covenant image. In Isaiah God likened the establishment of the old covenant to the establishment of the heaven and earth.”

“But I am the Lord your God, who divided the sea whose waves roared-The Lord of hosts is His name. And I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, That I may plant the heavens, lay the foundation of the earth, and say to Zion, “you are My people.” Isaiah 51:15-16”

“When the Temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in the 6th century BC Jeremiah likened it to a return to the chaos that existed on earth on the first day of creation (cf. Gen 1:2-3).”

(Jer 4:23 NIV) I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the heavens, and their light was gone…..26 ( I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert; all its towns lay in ruins before the LORD, before his fierce anger…. 28 Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above grow dark, because I have spoken and will not relent,

After considering the scripture quotes above it would be difficult in my estimation to ignore the similarity of the language from Genesis 1 & 2 and not recognize the continuity of that language there with that in other locations.

(Gen 1:1 NIV) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.

4 God saw that the light was good, and he SEPARATED THE LIGHT FROM THE DARKNESS.

Now consider the language that John utilized in his gospel describing the “Creator”

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 He was with God in the beginning.

3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

5 The LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS, but the darkness has not understood it.

9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.

Where do you think John picked up his metaphor for light and darkness? I submit that through the Holy Spirit John recognized much more from Genesis 1 than a description of physical attributes. That would have been secondary meanings to John in my estimation as the Gospel that John wrote has strong parallels with Genesis.

I want to examine two separate instances of the Sabbath discussion and determine if we see any further evidence of Genesis not being taken as physically literal by Jesus and the inspired writers. Lets review a Genesis 2 and Hebrews 4 sections now.

Gen 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.

2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.

3 And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the LORD God made the earth and the heavens--

(Heb 4:3 NIV) Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, "So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'" And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world.

4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day God rested from all his work."

(John 5:16 NIV) So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him. 17 Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working."

Have we considered that the Sabbath Day from Genesis is not to be considered a literal day? What kind of rest did God setup for us, could it have been a spiritual Sabbath. Especially since Heb 4:9 says that there “REMAINS” a Sabbath rest for us. Was this rest to be the result of the “parousia” and eternal redemption?

Since we have a new Heavens and Earth being created do we now have a new Sabbath rest being created as well? Look at the words for the first “heavens and earth” Sabbath.

(Gen 2:3 NIV) And GOD BLESSED THE SEVENTH DAY AND MADE IT HOLY, because on it he rested from all the work of ”CREATING” that he had done.

Is the reason for the seemly contradiction of Jesus statement concerning the Sabbath in John 5:16 with Heb 4:3 because the Sabbath is created for man and not God? Where it speaks of God’s work we have the work/creation of a “new spiritual orders” and not physical orders.

(Heb 4:8 NIV) For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 THERE REMAINS, THEN A SABBATH-REST FOR THE POPLE OF GOD; 10 for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.

Further confirmation for the creation of Heavens and earth is found in other NT scripture as 2 Peter 3 is not the only verification of this implication found in the NT. I want to examine two other sections of scripture that indicate strongly that the NT writers fully recognized that there were previous spiritual orders that had come and gone. Let’s look now at an excerpt of Paul’s writings in Ephesians.

Eph 2:11 So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called "the uncircumcision" by those who are called "the circumcision"--a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands--12 remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the COVENANTS OF PROMISE, having no hope and WITHOUT GOD IN THE WORLD…… 15 He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might CREATE in Himself ONE NEW HUMANITY in place of the TWO, thus making peace,….. 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.21 In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord;22 in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.

3:1 This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles--

The above section from Paul is some of the clearest language that indeed the Bible has been concerned with the world of the covenants and those people. Paul recognized and declares that Gentiles were foreigners to these covenants, “COVENANTS OF PROMISE”. With the plural used here it means not just the current covenant but the former ones as well. That would include the earliest declaration of the Heavens and Earth Covenant with Seth’s Lineage which was destroyed by the covenant removing “Flood” of Noah’s day. (See my earlier article listed here at PP titled “East of Eden Revisited” http://planetpreterist.com/news-5101.html .) These verses above when read in the context of Covenant Language and compared to 2 Peter 3 reveals a message that has more than likely gone over most everyone’s head previously. It was not just Peter who understood the total covenant story but all of the inspired writers and Apostles had this concept down pat.

By bringing into this new covenant the formerly excluded ones we have the “NEW CREATION” or new “HEAVENS and EARTH” or “SPIRITUAL ORDER” being “CREATED” just as the “HEAVENS and EARTH” of Seth’s covenant was created and just as the current Mosaic covenant had been created.

(Heb 12:27 NIV) The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken--that is, CREATED THINGS--so that what cannot be shaken may remain.”

Paul also states that He might create one new humanity in place of the two. The reader may find it interesting that in Acts 17 when Paul addresses the Greek philosophers (Gentiles) that he uses the Greek word “ethnos” which infers Gentile nations and not Jewish and then declares that they were from one “BLOOD” which interestingly in John 1:13 is used again to declare the difference between “sons of God” and physical man.

(Acts 17:26 NKJ) And He has made from ONE BLOOD EVERY NATION of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, NOT OF BLOOD, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Paul continues to clarify his understanding when he is addressing the marriage issue in

1 Corinthians 7 where he confirms that “the present form is passing away” thus designating the present covenant as a form. It is interesting that several translations designate the Greek word “schema” here as “fashion” similar to changing garments or clothing.

(1 Cor 7:31 NRSV) and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present “FORM” of this world is passing away.

Let’s now consider some OT scriptures that may shed light on the Gentile exclusion from the covenants that God created.

“(Gen 2:4 NIV) This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the LORD God made the earth and the heavens—…….7 the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

(Gen 4:25 NIV) Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, "God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him." 26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the LORD. 5:1 This is the written account of Adam's line. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God.”

“This likeness of God is inserted here for Seth and his line but was not for Cain’s line, just further indicators of Cain’s exclusion from the rest of the story and corresponds to Paul’s acknowledgement that the Gentiles were out of the presence of God.

These verses above in my opinion are the declarative “CREATION” of this first ever covenant of “sons of God” that Paul is referring above to in Ephesians chapter 2. And we know since Paul states above that the Gentiles “have no hope and are without God” that they are not part of the story. So we now have two instances of NT scripture indicating strongly what that “WORLD” entailed and it was not part of the Gentile world. The Gentiles were always excluded from the eastern entrance of the Tabernacle and Temple just as Cain was sent packing east to the land of Nod “East of Eden”.

I would like to bring to bear one more NT writer namely the Hebrew author. This letter is in my estimation on par with Romans in regard to explaining to us the background information that we find so useful in reconciling the covenant story.

(Heb 1:10 NIV) He also says, "In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. 11 They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. 12 You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end."

As we look at this quote from Psalm 102: 25-27 we find again very intriguing descriptive language as the Hebrew writer sets the stage for the rest of the letter. Notice again the usage of the covenant language, “foundations of the earth” they will perish, they will all wear out like a garment, like a garment they will be changed.

Did you notice the word “THEY” and how often it is used to convey the idea that more than one episode of “heavens and earth” is being referenced for the reader. The topper of this indicator is the final “But you remain the same” which hammers home that as covenants come and go God will have always been there and remain forever.

I would like to end with a quote from Hebrews.

(Heb 12:24 NIV) to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." 27 The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken--that is, CREATED THINGS--so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our "God is a consuming fire."

Did you catch the use of Abel in the above covenant discussion; did you ever consider Abel a part of a covenant before?

“(Mat 23:35 NIV) And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.”

Here again the writer is referring to those of covenants past who did not escape when God formerly shook the “heavens and earth” this can only be referring to Noah’s world again which the writer here classifies as “CREATED THINGS”. Again did we ever consider Noah’s world as a “CREATED THING” or to borrow again from Duncan McKenzie “the spiritual order of this planet”.

The Spiritual order of this planet has been changed like a garment, rolled up and put away by God twice previously never to be done so again.

I still get goose bumps when I now turn to Revelation 21, as I still remember just a little over a year ago the former wilderness that I was in when I didn’t have a clue to the total freedom that these new heavens and earth were inferring to me and all other believers.

(Rev 21:1 NIV) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, …3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

After Thoughts.

I want to reiterate some points now that I previously mentioned. As I have come into the Preterist movement recently I do so with some fresh eyes in a few respects. One of the problems that I perceive within this movement is the lack of consistency in Preterist circles. We are all fully aware of the Preterist who get very close but can never completely get the futurist monkey off of their backs. Many of these Preterist have very difficult issues to deal with in being able to openly dismiss a futurist position for a multitude of reasons. To my idea a Preterist hopefully should recognize the consistent language from Genesis to Revelation and apply it in a constant “fashion”. This should not include taking the first 11 chapters of Genesis and excluding them from a consistent Preterist hermeneutic. Just as the literal futurist have problems with consistency in the NT so also does the literal Genesis expositor in the OT. Once the spell is broken for these Preterist I believe we will see an explosion of new work in Genesis that will come like a “flood”.

I had mentioned that I had been reviewing a chart from two previous early 20^th century Full Preterist. Kurt Simmons has just released their story and information and those that are interested may read about them on Kurt’s Web site at http://www.preteristcentral.com/. Their story is the second article from the top listed as “Full Preterist Time-line-Pioneer Preterist Leaves Testimony to his Faith Engraved in Stone”

After reading the article I would be glad to answer further questions concerning their work as it will become apparent of my intimate knowledge once you read the post.