Water and Fire

But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

2 Peter 3:7

An ancient extrabiblical text recounted that shortly after Adam's death Eve shared a message from Michael the Archangel with all of her children.  The angel's warning was that the sin of man would culminate in two complete judgements on the earth: one by fire and one by water.  The historian, Josephus, also alluded to this prophecy of destruction.  In chapter two of Antiquities of the Jews he records that Seth was given the same prophecy directly from his father, Adam. Not knowing which would come first, Seth built two pillars to record the prophecy. He built one of brick and the other of stone because he didn't know the order of the judgments. Should the fire come first the brick would remain and should the flood come first the stone would remain.  

Regardless, the Bible, the only source of truth, does reveal two judgments.  The verse above from 2 Peter is actually reminding the reader of those two judgments.  He points out that the pre-flood world was much different than the current earth.  Peter then reveals under inspiration that the earth as we know it will again be destroyed and renovated in the future by fire.  He adds, "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness...(2 Peter 3:11)."  Take note, however, of the underlined text above.  What does it mean by the same word?  There is an interesting possibility.  

Could it be that there is a mystery in the first verse of the Bible that records the judgments on the earth?  In a future post we will explore the name of God revealed in that verse in Hebrew--Elohim.  For now, that name ends with the letters yod, mem. Yod is the hand or work and mem is the letter representing water in paleo-Hebrew.  God does a work on the waters. If there is water, is there fire? Hmmm...

Look at the other two words in the Word of creation.  It's already been noted in Created-The Message of Bara that Christ the Son is the Creator and He holds the creation together by His omnipotence.  It was also noted in the last post that the word, beresheet, alludes to Jesus laying His life down for us all in a loving act of redemption.  Look at the word created above in the picture.  Did you notice that the same three letters are found at the beginning of the word translated "In the beginning?" In a way, it says bara sheeth bara.  Take note of that. 

 Jewish Rabbis have curiously studied the Torah text for centuries looking at the way words within biblical sentences often convey underlying meaning through subtext.  According to Jewish teaching, the Law was given to Moses in block form with no breaks between words and the idea of subtext goes back to the original. Ironically, using this ancient method, there certainly seems to be messages hidden within the text and the Same word of creation has a message buried just under the surface.  It's as if the same word for the creation also tells of its destruction: by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire.

Hebrew words, interestingly enough, often serve as their own antonyms, their own opposites.  An example is the word for mercy, chesed.  In one passage in Proverbs it is translated as "reproach." In like manner, bara, the word for creation can serve as its opposite as the context of a sentence dictates.  Here are three examples:

•  Bara is translated as “cut down” in Joshua 17:15.      
•  Bara is also translated as “dispatch” in Ezekiel 23:47.       
•  Bara is once translated as “done” in Ezekiel and Isaiah as a work where God has done something.
  

Between the two appearances of "bara" above in the first two words of scripture is the word sheeth.  This word is actually related directly to the name of Adam's son, Seth.  It means appointed or set in place.  God created, established the earth, and then will destroy it at His appointed time.  That is not a hidden mystery as the plain text reveals it. The chapter of 2 Peter 3 confirms this.

How will that destruction take place?  Is it possible that the same word of creation also carries the earth's final destruction or renovation?  There is another little word hidden in the word translated In the beginning. It is the word made with the aleph and shin in the word beresheet.  Esh is the Hebrew word for fire.  Coincidence? Maybe.  Again, it's not a mystery, it is a word that God has inspired clearly.  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? (2 Peter 3:12)

Remember that bara, as noted in The Message of Bara, pointed to Christ the Son and that the Bible teaches that He is the beginning and the ending, the first and the last, the Aleph-Tav.  It was noted that the letters spelling created in Hebrew, bet, resh, aleph, could be translated as God the Son.  It is worth noting that He, alone, then is the ark of safety in any judgment as bara, sheeth, bara could also be seen as God the Creator, established, God the Son. Again, this is not a mystery teaching but the very central message of the Bible.  Jesus in the only place of salvation.  Without trusting Him there is no salvation. Those found in Him will stand through all judgment as He is their place of safety.  Please call on Him today.  Don\t wait.  The signs pointing to the world's soon coming Tribulation are everywhere.  Hurry!  Don't put Jesus off too long as Jesus Christ is Soon2Come.