lds the new heaven and the new earth

7/26/2019 LDS the New Heaven and the New Earth

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New Heavens, New Earth: Suddenly or Slowly?

The heavens and the earth are repeatedly referenced in the scriptures by the prophets asthe objects of remarkable, sweeping changes in the past and in the future.

"For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not beremembered, nor come into mind." Isaiah !:#$.%

"&evertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth,

wherein dwelleth righteousness." ' (eter ):#).%

"*nd I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were

passed away+ and there was no more sea." evelation '#:#.%

"*nd there shall be a new heaven and a new earth+ and they shall be like unto the old

save the old have passed away, and all things have become new." -ther #):.%

"*nd the end shall come, and the heaven and the earth shall be consumed and pass away,

and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth." Ibid.%

"For all old things shall pass away, and all things shall become new, even the heaven and

the earth, and all the fullness thereof, both men and beasts, the fowls of the air, and the

fishes of the sea+ ...." /01 ':'), '2.%

/escriptions of these alterations are couched in emphatic terms that strongly suggest

dramatic differences 3 changes so great that only the terms 4new,5 4old,5 4consumed5and 4pass away5 seem to suffice in order to fully illustrate the radical degree of change

seen in the past and foreseen for the future.

Typically, these changes are said to occur in transitional eras, relatively short periods oftime either during the /eluge at the end of the (atriarchal *ge or in a time immediately

prior to the 6econd 1oming of the 6avior at the ushering in of the 7illennium.

8f course, we learn from modern geology and astronomy that such a dramatic change is

physically impossible in the space of a few years or decades. 1hange comes very slowly,

we are told by scientists and scholars. The renowned astronomer 1arl 6agan, givenscience9s view of the tediously slow rate at which these things seem to change, was fond

of saying "billions and billions of years" when referring to the periods of time needed to

change the heavens above us and the face of the earth at our feet.

&evertheless, the preponderance of the evidence from the scriptures, cited above,

indicates just the opposite: * rapid and dramatic change has occurred in the past and will

occur yet again in the future.

This contradiction between science and the prophets puts atter;day 6aints on the horns

of a dilemma. /o we believe science or the prophets with regard to how rapidly change



takes place on the -arth and the solar system 3 indeed, in our universe< =hy is this of

any concern to us<

The answer comes in two parts. The first part rests in a brief history lesson to e>amine

two opposing scientific theories of how change comes about in the earth and in the

heavens.

The two opposing theories were passionately debated in the scientific community in the

mid;#th century. 8ne group of scientists and scholars felt that the most profound changein the earth and in the heavens came in sudden, sweeping, dramatic and catastrophic

events, such as &oah9s Flood. ?ence, the term 41atastrophism5 was coined to designate

that theory. * second group insisted that such change comes only very slowly and

gradually, in the same consistent and uniform manner as we see it operating in the forcesof nature all around us today where mountains rise ever so slowly while water and wind

ever so slowly wear them away, gradually and ine>orably altering the entire face of the

earth. ?ence, the term "@radualism" was coined, also sometimes called the theory of

Aniformity or Aniformitarianism.

By the end of the #th century, the debate was over. The precepts of @radualism carriedthe day 3 to such a degree that the scientific community unwaveringly refused to

seriously considered 1atastrophism for nearly two centuries. 6cientists and scholars

derisively lumped catastrophists together with religionists as a class of people for whomrational thought and empiricism were foreign processes.

-ven today, when the patently catastrophist idea of an asteroid impact catastrophically

wiping out the dinosaurs 3 suddenly and irreversibly altering the face of the earth and itsentire ecosystem in an instant 3 has made an unprecedented comeback, reconsidering

1atastrophism still seems to be out of the Cuestion for science. -ven when the whole

world has been treated to a graphic demonstration of the sudden, catastrophic, planet;altering power of incoming comet fragments when 6hoemakerDevi repeatedly

impacted Eupiter in #2 3 a celestial visual aid presented by the 1reator, if you will 3

science steadfastly refuses to re;evaluate its decision to opt for @radualism as the primarymechanism of change on the earth and in the heavens. -ven more incomprehensible still

is the religionists9 proclivity for turning a blind eye to these things, ignoring the

implications of these discoveries for their perception of scriptural accounts.

The second part of our answer seems to lie in a short declaration made by -lder 8rson

(ratt, an early *postle and confidant of the prophet Eoseph 6mith.

"7any geological speculations have been put forth to account for the great changes that

have happened in the surface strata of the earth. But it is not our intention to e>amine the

probability of improbability of those conjectures+ but merely to give some few facts fromdivine revelation to show that the present geological conditions of our globe are not, in

their general characteristics, the result of slow and gradual changes+ but the effects of

sudden convulsions and catastrophes under the control and superintendence of the *ll;

powerful Being who formed all things." The Seer , ol. II, &o. 2, *pril, #G2, italics



added.%

8nce again we see that revealed knowledge pointed to the more correct of the twotheories and foreshadowed the most recent discoveries at the end of the 'Hth century

about our world that have only recently begun to revolutionie science and replace old

scientific dogma.

-lder (ratt was a recognied scientist and mathematician in his day, having worked out

part of the eCuation to more accurately describe the orbits of planets. In addition, hisdirect observations of the phases of the moon from a small observatory constructed on the

temple grounds in 6alt ake 1ity formed the basis for the 7oon 6tones, which accurately

depict the phases of the moon on the walls of that sacred temple.

That said, it becomes evident that -lder (ratt spoke with both the authority of good

science and "divine revelation." Indeed, it is apparent that he could appropriately be

called a catastrophist. 7oreover, he emphatically declares that the idea of slow and

gradual change is not the scriptural perspective revealed to the prophets.

6o, how should modern 6aints see all this< =hat would be the benefit of altering ourviews<

8nly by seeing scriptural references such as those Cuoted at the beginning of this articlethrough the eyes of 1atastrophism, as espoused by -lder (ratt, can we properly conceive

of the import of their message. 8therwise, seen from a @radualism perspective, they

seem like largely inconseCuential, lyrical rhetoric, indicative of little.

6een in the 1atastrophism conte>t, the only circumstances that would cause the ancient

prophets to speak of changed heavens and earth would be dramatic changes in -arth9s

orbit and position in our solar system. Though science vehemently denies that possibility,the only logical conclusion is that our planet has changed its position in the solar system

with respect to the other planets, the stars and our sun and that it will do so again in the

last days. 8nly such sweeping changes could give earthlings a "new heaven" and a "newearth." @iven -lder (ratt9s assertions and the scriptural statements of past and future

changes, the conclusion is inescapable.

&o wonder the prophets characteried the -arth as reeling "to and fro" during suchevents.

J *nthony -. arson, 'HH'

lds the new heaven and the new earth

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