s part of an on-going series contrasting the Judeo-Christian Bible with the Koran on a variety of topics. Previous articles include: "Was Abraham a Jew or a Christian?", Idolatry 101, 102, 103, Oneness, Unbelievers, God's Character, The Resurrection, The Proclamation, The Judgment, The Creation of Man, The Creation of Woman, and The Fall of Man: Part 1-The Command, Part 2 – The Disobedience, and Part 3 – The Consequence.The Fall of Man - Part 4 – Its Ramification
in the Koran it appears that the disobedience of Adam and Eve affected the whole earth. In the Holy Scripture it appears that all that God created in six days was affected by their disobedience. The Koran and Holy Scripture differ in how they deal with the situation.
THE KORANIC ACCOUNT
There is very little mentioned in the Koran about the result or ramification of the fall of man.
The Koran states: “God brings the creation into being and will then restores it (1).”
“It is He who brings the Creation into being, and will then restore it: that is easier for Him (2).”
“Know that God restores the earth to life after its death (3).”
THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT
On the other hand, the Holy Bible has a great deal to say about mankind and the world condition after the fall.
The Holy Bible says: I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come to mind. (4)
For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. (5)
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, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 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? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (6)
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. (7)
And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the tree. (8)
Of old, You have laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They shall perish, but you shall endure: yes all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shall you change them, and they shall be changed: But you are the same, and your years shall have no end. (9)
Having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (10)
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. (11)
COMMENTARY ON THE RAMIFICATION
The Koran states that God created the earth, yet at some time the earth will need to be renewed. Perhaps the writer of the Koran knew that when Adam and Eve sinned the whole earth was affected. The Koran does not say specifically why the earth needs to be renewed except that when the earth dies he (god) will renew it. Renewing the earth is easier for the god of Islam than the alternative. However, the Koran does not state what that alternative is. Those who are afraid the earth will die can take courage that when the earth does die the god of Islam will apparently remanufacture it. For a god who only has to say ‘be’ and it is. (12) How is it easier to remanufacture the earth than to create a new one?
The Holy Scripture, on the other hand, clearly states that God will discard the present universe and create a new one. No remanufacture of earth for the true God of the Holy Bible. Why is this? The Apostle Peter writes in the New Testament that righteousness will dwell in the new heaven and earth. This means that sin dwells in the present heaven and earth. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God sin became an integral part of matter to the farthest extent of creation. No amount of refinement of the elements in the universe can get sin out of the matter. God created the universe out of nothing and to nothing it will return. Scientists have discovered that the universe is running down. The term for this process is entropy. Things go from a higher state of order to a lower state of order or disorder. Given enough time the universe will cease to exist. However, God will destroy the present universe at the time of His choosing before it runs down.
It was necessary for Jesus to die and shed his blood to reconcile the universe to God. This is because sin is in the creation from the time of man’s disobedience to God. Much innocent blood has also been shed including America’s recent abortion holocaust since 1973 which has further defiled the nation and the earth.
Jesus became sin on the cross that those who believe in Him would be reconciled to God. To believe in Jesus you must believe that He is God in flesh, the only begotten Son of God, sinless, born of a virgin, raised from the dead, that he received the wrath of God for your sins on the cross.
Jesus shed his blood so that you can be reconciled to God. If you are not reconciled to God, you can be by confessing to God that you are a sinner and inviting Jesus into your heart. A sample prayer is: “Lord Jesus Christ forgive me of my sin and come into my heart.”
REFERENCES
1. The Koran Page 284 Paragraph 30:11
2. The Koran Page 285 Paragraph 30:27
3. The Koran Page 382 Paragraph 57:17
4. The Holy Bible Isaiah 65:17
5. The Holy Bible Isaiah 66:22
6. The Holy Bible II Peter 3:10-13
7. The Holy Bible Revelation 21:1
8. The Holy Bible Isaiah 34:4
9. The Holy Bible Psalm 102:25-27
10. The Holy Bible Colossians 1:20
11. The Holy Bible II Corinthians 5:17-21
12. The Koran Page 47 Paragraph 3:48
The verses you cite from the Qur'an have nothing to do with the recreation of the planet Earth, as you imagine it. Instead the verses have to do with the recreation of man (i.e., the hereafter, the Day of Judgment). The pagan Arabs could not believe that mankind would be resurrected. In the two verses you cite in the 30th Surah, 11 and 27, Allah (swt) is trying to tell the Arabs through the Qur'an that their recreation on the Day of Judgment is an easy matter for Him, that His recreation of them will be just as easy for Him as was their original creation.
ReplyDeleteAs for verse 57:17, when Allah (swt) refers to the earth reviving after its "death," He means soil that has dried out (such as a desert or a land that has undergone a drought), which can come back to life (support new plant life) after rainfall.
Please don't take the Qur'an at face value; doing so will only result in misunderstandings such as this. To understand the Qur'an well requires study in the historical, linguistic and theological contexts. While that road is more difficult and lengthier, it produces more gems of understanding. Keep up your study of the Qur'an; insha'allah (if God wills), one day you too may become a Muslim.
Dear Anonymous
ReplyDeleteYou write well; I'm impressed. Thank you for your comments. They will require my careful study and thought before responding which I hope to do in the near future.