The Transience of Creation

The Transience of Creation
1. Beginning and End
The Bible begins with reference to the beginning of creation (Gen. 1:1). Since the transcendent Creator pre-existed it and brought it into being, the inference is that he lives eternally and has neither beginning nor end (Isa. 41:4; 43:10b; 44:6; 57:15; Rev. 1:8, etc.). In contrast, what he has made is characterized by transience since what has a beginning must have an end. This is the consistent teaching of the rest of Scripture (Ps. 90:2; 102:25-27; Isa. 34:4; Heb. 1:10-12, etc.).
2. Manufactured Things
All things “made by hand” (cheiropoietos) both human (e.g. idols, Isa. 2:8,18,20; the temple, Mark 14:58) and divine (the flesh of man, Job 10:8; Ps. 102:25; Isa. 64:8; the earth, Heb. 1:10) are faulty like the hand-written law (Heb. 8:7, etc.) compared with God himself (cf. Heb. 3:3). All things are tools in the hands of God (Ps. 119:89-91) and will finally be dispensed with once they have served the divine purpose. By contrast, what God does not do or make “by hand” (acheiropoietos) remains (e.g. spiritual circumcision, Col. 2:11; the heavenly temple, Mark 14:58; Heb. 9:11,24, cf. Rev. 21,22; the spiritual body, 1 Cor. 15:42-49; 2 Cor. 5:1).
3. Transience Directly Asserted
There are various passages in Scripture referring explicitly to the transience of creation. (N.B. Transience is natural and has nothing to do with sin, cf. Mt. 6:19f.; Luke 12:33. It is symbolized by grass, smoke, shadow, etc., Isa. 40:6-8; 51:6.) The covenant with Noah is effective only while the earth remains (Gen. 8:22). Jesus refers in Matthew 5:18 to the continued existence of the obsolescent hand-written law (Heb. 8:13) only until heaven and earth pass away (cf. Luke 16:17). In 24:35 he asserts flatly that heaven and earth will pass away in contrast with his words. In 1 Corinthians 7:31 Paul says the present form of this world (1 Cor. 7:31) like its rulers (2:6) is on the way out (cf. 1 John 2:17; Rev. 21:1).
4. Creation and Destruction
Paul tells us in Romans 1:20 that God’s eternal nature is revealed by all created things. The author of Hebrews tells us that all these created things in contrast with God himself (cf. 1:12b; 3:3) are doomed to destruction (Heb. 12:27). 2 Peter 3:7,10-12 teaches the same.
5. All Visible Things
In 2 Corinthians 4:18, we are informed by Paul that all (physically) visible things are by nature impermanent. Thus the hand-written law and the hand-built temple which were visible served a temporary purpose (2 Cor. 3; Heb. 8). Only the invisible is permanent (cf. John 17:24; Rom. 1:20; 1 Tim. 1:17; 6:16; Heb. 11:27).
6. All Shakable Things
The author of Hebrews stresses the shakable nature of creation and indicates that all that is shakable will eventually be removed so that what is unshakable may remain (12:27, cf. Hab. 3:17-19; 2 Pet. 1:14f.).
7. All Perishable Things
Paul lays it down emphatically that all that is naturally perishable (i.e. manufactured created things) cannot inherit imperishability (1 Cor. 15:50). They cannot, in other words, be eternalized. This includes food (John 6:27) and of course the belly that consumes it (1 Cor. 6:13; Phil. 3:19). But food or fruit can be both literal and metaphorical (spiritual). So while literal fruit is consumed and perishes, spiritual fruit abides forever (John 6:22ff.; 1 Cor. 13:13; Gal. 5:22f.).
Since creation as a whole was manufactured (“made by hand”), it will in due course perish (Heb. 1:10-12) or wear out (Col. 2:22). Otherwise expressed, the beginning of the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1) implies their inevitable end (Ps. 102:26; Rev. 20:11; 21:1).

1. Beginning and End

The Bible begins with reference to the beginning of creation (Gen. 1:1). Since the transcendent Creator pre-existed it and brought it into being, the inference is that he lives eternally and has neither beginning nor end (Isa. 41:4; 43:10b; 44:6; 57:15; Rev. 1:8, etc.). In contrast, what he has made is characterized by transience since what has a beginning must have an end. This is the consistent teaching of the rest of Scripture (Ps. 90:2; 102:25-27; Isa. 34:4; Heb. 1:10-12, etc.).

2. Manufactured Things

All things “made by hand” (cheiropoietos) both human (e.g. idols, Isa. 2:8,18,20; the temple, Mark 14:58) and divine (the flesh of man, Job 10:8; Ps. 102:25; Isa. 64:8; the earth, Heb. 1:10) are faulty like the hand-written law (Heb. 8:7, etc.) compared with God himself (cf. Heb. 3:3). All things are tools in the hands of God (Ps. 119:89-91) and will finally be dispensed with once they have served the divine purpose. By contrast, what God does not do or make “by hand” (acheiropoietos) remains (e.g. spiritual circumcision, Col. 2:11; the heavenly temple, Mark 14:58; Heb. 9:11,24, cf. Rev. 21,22; the spiritual body, 1 Cor. 15:42-49; 2 Cor. 5:1).

3. Transience Directly Asserted

There are various passages in Scripture referring explicitly to the transience of creation. (N.B. Transience is natural and has nothing to do with sin, cf. Mt. 6:19f.; Luke 12:33. It is symbolized by grass, smoke, shadow, etc., Isa. 40:6-8; 51:6.) The covenant with Noah is effective only while the earth remains (Gen. 8:22). Jesus refers in Matthew 5:18 to the continued existence of the obsolescent hand-written law (Heb. 8:13) only until heaven and earth pass away (cf. Luke 16:17). In 24:35 he asserts flatly that heaven and earth will pass away in contrast with his words. In 1 Corinthians 7:31 Paul says the present form of this world (1 Cor. 7:31) like its rulers (2:6) is on the way out (cf. 1 John 2:17; Rev. 21:1).

4. Creation and Destruction

Paul tells us in Romans 1:20 that God’s eternal nature is revealed by all created things. The author of Hebrews tells us that all these created things in contrast with God himself (cf. 1:12b; 3:3) are doomed to destruction (Heb. 12:27). 2 Peter 3:7,10-12 teaches the same.

5. All Visible Things

In 2 Corinthians 4:18, we are informed by Paul that all (physically) visible things are by nature impermanent. Thus the hand-written law and the hand-built temple which were visible served a temporary purpose (2 Cor. 3; Heb. 8). Only the invisible is permanent (cf. John 17:24; Rom. 1:20; 1 Tim. 1:17; 6:16; Heb. 11:27).

6. All Shakable Things

The author of Hebrews stresses the shakable nature of creation and indicates that all that is shakable will eventually be removed so that what is unshakable may remain (12:27, cf. Hab. 3:17-19; 2 Pet. 1:14f.).

7. All Perishable Things

Paul lays it down emphatically that all that is naturally perishable (i.e. manufactured created things) cannot inherit imperishability (1 Cor. 15:50). They cannot, in other words, be eternalized. This includes food (John 6:27) and of course the belly that consumes it (1 Cor. 6:13; Phil. 3:19). But food or fruit can be both literal and metaphorical (spiritual). So while literal fruit is consumed and perishes, spiritual fruit abides forever (John 6:22ff.; 1 Cor. 13:13; Gal. 5:22f.).

Since creation as a whole was manufactured (“made by hand”), it will in due course perish (Heb. 1:10-12) or wear out (Col. 2:22). Otherwise expressed, the beginning of the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1) implies their inevitable end (Ps. 102:26; Rev. 20:11; 21:1).