Just days before His cross and in the midst of His Olivet discourse on His coming at the fall of Jerusalem and at the end of the world, Christ uttered these famous words: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matt. 24:3 5).
By speaking of the heavens and earth as one day to pass away, Christ does not mean that they will be annihilated or cease to exist. Instead the heaven and earth in their present condition and qualities will pass away. This will happen at the return of Christ when the world is purged by fire (II Peter 3). The renewed world or "new heavens and new earth" will result. Earth will still be the same planet only much more beautiful and glorious. It will no longer be a world of sin and death and the curse, for it will be filled with righteousness and the knowledge of God will cover the whole earth (Hab. 2:14).
Man is like the grass of the field which withers and dies. Human houses—no matter what their owners might think—won't last forever (Ps. 49:11). Cities and empires decline and collapse—think of mighty Babylon! But the heavens and the earth, of all of created reality, are the most permanent and fixed. We take the solid ground underneath us for granted. It is terra firma. Sure it has existed for thousands of years!
But Christ states that God's Word is more firm, enduring and permanent. One day the heavens and the earth (in their present qualities) will pass away but Christ's words shall never pass away. The Greek text is emphatic: they shall never never pass away!
But why does Christ make this strong affirmation of the permanence of His words in this context? First, He has been speaking of glorious events which are hard to believe. The gospel will be preached to all nations (Matt. 24:14)! Think how incredible that must have appeared to the few disciples in the first century or the church in the middle ages. Christ will come again bodily in the clouds "with power and great glory" (30) and His angels will gather His elect "from one end of heaven to the other" (31). Could all these wonderful things really happen? Yes, for Christ says that His words shall never pass away.
Also, this promise of the certainty of his words is necessary here, because Christ is predicting events so terrible that we are apt to wonder if they could really happen: wars, famines, pestilences and earthquakes; great apostasy, false Christs and false prophets; great tribulation and persecution. The false Christs and false prophets "shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect" (24). But lest we doubt, Christ tells us that His words are more firm and enduring than the very earth under our feet! So believe it always, and don't doubt!
Additional Info
- Volume: 9
- Issue: 1
Stewart, Angus
Rev. Angust Stewart (Wife: Mary)
Ordained - 2001
Pastorates: Covenant Protestant Reformed Church of Ballymena, Northern Ireland - 2001
Website: www.cprf.co.uk/Contact Details
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Address7 Lislunnan Road
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CityBallymena
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State or ProvinceCo.Antrim
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Zip CodeBT42 3NR
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CountryIreland
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Telephone(01144) 28 25 891851