Critical “Elements” of Greek in Prophecy

· Leave a Comment

Are you, um, Peter? But, what, how . . . is it really you?

I know, that’s what many say when they first arrive in this blessed place of glory!

I’ve read your letters, and thought often of what you might have looked like during your earth days. I’m so overwhelmed with joy to finally see and talk with you.

It’s great to know my epistles are still being read down there.

Oh, yes Peter! Your writings are God inspired and they have blessed countless numbers of souls, but . . .

But? Is there something you would like to ask me?

Well, yes, actually there is something. Something that you wrote in your second letter. I always told myself I would ask you about it one day when I got . . . well, here!

I see! I would be delighted to answer any of your question. Any knowledge sought after here in this heavenly realm is freely granted.

I couldn’t help but notice you wrote many words about our Lord’s coming.

Oh yes, well, ever since “that day”, even until the present, my mind has been preoccupied with His glorious appearing!

That day?

Yes! It was the day when Jesus took me into the future and was transformed in glory right before my eyes, and . . . I saw His glorious appearing. James and John saw it too. Ever since then, I must say, I have earnestly desired for that day to come. But, is that what your question is about?

What? Oh, yes, well sort of! In your second epistle you mentioned that,

“the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise.” (2 peter 3:10)

But, then you went on to say,

“and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned.” (2 Peter 3:10)

Oh yes, of course! I even remember where I was when those words were first penned in Greek. But, I see you know your King James quite well!

Well, Peter, I was always told King James was the best translation. You know, come to think of it, I once had a desire to learn Greek, but . . . anyway, where were we? Oh yes, what you wrote about the Lord’s coming never really sunk in. I mean, it’s obvious the heavens passing away and the “elements” melting . . . of course that’s referring to when God will burn up the physical earth and sky just before He restores it, and . . .

Hold on! Wait just a minute! What are you talking about? That’s not what I said! How could you possibly think that? Oh, wait, you said earlier you had a desire to learn Greek, but . . .

But, I never did. And I was never too good with that really big dictionary thingy either. I think it was called a “Strong’s” something or another.

I see! You really should have paid more attention to that desire to learn Greek. That was the Holy Ghost prompting you, you know. He doesn’t prompt everyone that way of course, but when He does and you listen, you can be sure it will be worth it!

So, then will you help me better understand what you meant?

With pleasure! You mentioned the word “elements?”

Yes!

The Greek word I used there was [stoicheion], and it speaks of something orderly in arrangement, but I was not referring to any type of physical, earthly “elements.”

You weren’t? But I thought . . .

Yes, but you were thinking in King James!

But when it says the elements shall “melt”, and the earth shall be “burned up”, it seems that actual, physical matter will be altered.

Well, I used the Greek word [luo] for melt, which can mean to melt physically, but it can also mean something being loosened, removed, or even put off.

Then what about the earth being “burned up?”

Boy, you can really see the translator’s bias in thinking I was speaking of physiological changes taking place at the coming of the Lord. But in regards to the words “burned up”, I actually used the Greek word [katakaio] which does mean to burn something down to the ground. But I used it in a metaphorical sense to promote the idea of how everything will be laid bare before the Lord when he comes, similar to how land would be laid bare after a fire passed through it.

Well, that’s great but you still didn’t explain about the “elements”! If they’re not physical, then what?

Let me remind you of a few times brother Paul was inspired to use the same Greek word for “elements” as I did. He said in Galatians 3:3,

Even so we, when we were children, we were in bondage under the elements [stoicheion] of the world.

And then in verse 9 of the same chapter he said,

But now after ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the week and beggarly elements [stoicheion], where unto ye desire again to be in bondage?

You don’t think Paul was speaking of bondage to physical elements like rain or snow, heat or cold, or any material matter do you?

Well of course not!

So you can see how, if it’s not physical, then it would spiritual. Spiritual elements that are in an orderly arrangement. And, as Paul confirmed, it’s those same “elements” which desire to bring mankind under bondage. Those “elements” are the present world’s system of evil spirits. It refers to the authority Satan temporarily now holds over the kingdoms of the world.

I think I am starting to get it now!

And the day will come when he will be removed from that position of authority and Jesus will gain control; as it says of Him in Revelation 11:15 when the seventh trumpet is blown,

The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever.

Wow, that’s amazing!

Yes! So when I wrote those Holy Ghost inspired words so long ago, here’s what I was saying;

In the day the Lord appears there will be many who do not believe, so they will not be prepared, and that day will overtake them like a thief who breaks in at an unsuspected time. At that moment, the heaven shall pass away, meaning, the veil that stops mankind from seeing into the spirit realm shall be removed. John the Apostle spoke of the same event under the opening of the sixth seal when he said, “The heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together” (Rev. 6:14) Then Satan and all evil spirits (the elements) who now rule over the kingdoms of the world will be removed (melt) and be cast down, as John also prophesied concerning the future war in the heavens, “he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him”. (Rev.12:9) And everything shall be laid bare (burned up) before the presence of the Lord.

Um, Peter, do you think by chance we could have John and Paul join us in this conversation? There are some things they wrote about also that I never quite understood.

Sure, let me call for them, but you know, all this could have made sense to you long ago if you would have just studied your Greek . . .

by John Wiertzema