Formless and void

Interplanner

Well-known member
There was nothing good about the earth in its first stage. We know this from how Gen 1 ends. It is only good after it has been formed and filled.

We also know this from Jer 4:23, where 'formless and void' is used to describe the scene of the destruction of a country.

We also know this from NT passages which speak of places of blackest darkness and who inhabited them. At its first stage the earth was blackness and darkness.
 

OCTOBER23

New member
"Formless and Void"

Destruction of Jerusalem - 70 AD
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Is Jeremiah talking about the past or the Future ?

23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.
24 I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
25 I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.
26 I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.
27 For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.
28 For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.
29 The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.
30 And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.
31 For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.
1 ¶ Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
2 And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.
 
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Interplanner

Well-known member
Jer 4 is about the 1st destruction of Jerusalem. It is the only other place where the expression is used in the Bible. It doesn't just apply to a city. It applies to what topic is in the context.
 

6days

New member
Interplanner said:
There was nothing good about the earth in its first stage. We know this from how Gen 1 ends. It is only good after it has been formed and filled.*
There was something awesome happening in Genesis 1:2 "The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters."

God had started the 6 days process of creating everything. It would seem that the initial step was making a water covered planet. The planet without continents, mountains etc was formless. God had not created life yet...the planet was empty.

Interplanner said:
We also know this from*Jer 4:23, where 'formless and void' is used to describe the scene of the destruction of a country.
The destruction was so complete that it was compared to formless and void. Jeremiah isn't telling us that there was destruction before "In the beginning....."
Interplanner said:
We also know this from NT passages which speak of places of blackest darkness and who inhabited them. At its first stage the earth was blackness and darkness.
You are very creative.
 

Muires

New member
Swedenborg interprets these words as referring to the inner darkness of the soul, at the beginning of its journey through life and rebirth.
 

oatmeal

Well-known member
There was nothing good about the earth in its first stage. We know this from how Gen 1 ends. It is only good after it has been formed and filled.

We also know this from Jer 4:23, where 'formless and void' is used to describe the scene of the destruction of a country.

We also know this from NT passages which speak of places of blackest darkness and who inhabited them. At its first stage the earth was blackness and darkness.

God did not create it that way in Genesis 1:1.

However it did become that way, hence the six days it took to restore order
 
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