FLAT or ROUND Earth?

[Phil G]

And for the record, im not a flat-earther. But that doesnt mean that the Biblical authors were not. The Bible was simply written long before the shape of the earth was discovered. Its the same reason the early church struggled to accept heliocentrism and put galileo on house arrest.

The problem is that the Bible does not define the earth as flat. There are verses, such as the ones you quote, which are used to promote both the ideas that the people who physically wrote the Bible believed the earth to be flat and that the earth is flat. While I accept you don't claim the latter, I believe you are wrong on the former.

One of the things which amazes me is how some people today seem to be of the opinion that the biblical authors didn't use metaphor when describing God's creation, yet they used metaphor in many other places. Verses such as Isaiah 55:12 (trees don't have hands), Psalm 93:1 (God doesn't wear clothing because He is spirit), Proverbs 15:3 (God doesn't have literal eyes), John 15:1 (Jesus is not a literal vine), John 10:7 (Jesus is not a literal door), and many other verses clearly reveal the use of metaphor within the Jewish thinking.

Yet when it comes to the shape of the earth and the creation of the universe, it's all supposedly to be taken literally, according to some. But the reality is the Bible authors mixed literal truths with metaphors. Sometimes it's obvious which is which, other times bias can play a part in deciding when something should be understood as metaphor and when not. Sometimes a word can be translated in other ways which steer away from any understanding of a flat earth. This is why Bible study is so important. For every biblical expert and theologian who claims the Bible authors believed the earth to be flat, you will find another who disagrees.

Some translations and inferences of words in your quoted verses are at best, contentious. For instance the Hebrew word 'raqia' translated as 'dome' in your Genesis quotes does not necessarily mean something solid. It can be an 'expanse' of something composed of matter. Scientists say the universe is composed of both matter and energy. In my opinion that fits well with 'raqia'.

The Hebrew word 'chug' in its masculine noun form found in Proverbs 8:27 and Isaiah 40:22 means 'vault', not circle. And if the earth was understood as a circle, how can it have four corners (Isaiah 11:12)?

The Hebrew word 'dur' found in Isaiah 22:18 does not definitively mean 'ball'. It can mean 'pile' or 'circle' too.

There is a whole maze of problems interpreting Scripture as to how the shape of the earth was understood at the time. It is not defined in the Bible and therefore the Bible should not be used for such purposes.

 

[Phil G]

I like that. plus the mileage would be vastly different.

Yes absolutley the mileage would be vastly different. It wouldn't take much beyond some experienced and adventurous people to do it for themselves. No need for rockets or planes, just good old fashioned sailing vessels! They wouldn't even have to check the mileage, which would be another verification of which theory is correct, just the direction they steer towards over time would be enough. Let's have some enterprising flat earth believers check it out!

 

[Niels]

I hear a lot of Christians saying that we live on a flat earth and nobody can go in or out the earth. Is the Bible clear on this subject?

For what it's worth, I've never heard a Christian in real life refer to the Earth as flat. There may be some who believe it is, but I haven't knowingly met any.

This seems to be an internet thing. Maybe disinformation spread by a foreign government or people who want to discredit Christianity. That would be my best guess.

The Bible doesn't go into great detail about the shape of our planet. Based on what I've read elsewhere, however, it seems like many if not most people in antiquity were aware that the Earth and other planets are spherical. There may be a reference to the 'four corners' of the world, but that figure of speech is still used today. The concept of North, South, East, and West isn't new.

 

[Lost4words]

Flat earth belief is a rather modern concept....

Today, it is fuelled by loonies on youtube. People who are extremely gullible, naive and open to fantastical fantasy stories.

The Bible doesnt state that the earth is flat. Its peoples narrow interpretation of scripture that makes them believe it says so.

God gave us science. He gave us the ability to learn about His creation. He gave us the minds, the tools to do just that.

Look up into the sky. All planets, moons, stars are ROUND. Every single one. All Gods creation. We are NOT living on a flat disc!!

 

[Michael Snow]

Anyone seen any surveys showing the demographics of flat earthers? Numbers, Ages, countries, religion? I only run into such on Christian forums.

They reject the Bible's clear standard of two or three witnesses, and thus call brothers in Christ, liars.

At least 3 men who walked on the moon were/are brothers in Christ. Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11) was a deacon in his church. His pastor sent Communion elements with him, not knowing whether he would return. Aldrin had his communion meal before leaving the LEM.
Jim Irwin (deceased, Apollo 15, with whom I flew on the 'Weightless Wonder" as they practiced setting up the lunar vehicle) had a ministry, High Flight, in which he presented his Christian Witness to world leaders and others.
Charlie Duke (Apollo 16, recently interviewed by Eric Metaxas on Socrates in the City ...on youtub) became a Christian after his return.
Of the other 9 men who walked on the moon and the 6 Command Module pilots, some of them may well have been Christians also. I also met Harrison Schmitt, Apollo 17, on the Vomit Comet.

 

[ThisIsMe123]

I hear a lot of Christians saying that we live on a flat earth and nobody can go in or out the earth. Is the Bible clear on this subject?

Something like this would never be in the Bible. Can't always go to the Bible for everything.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

In the flat earth mode I wonder how far it is from South Africa to Australia to Argentina.

 

[Ed Parenteau]

In the flat earth mode I wonder how far it is from South Africa to Australia to Argentina.

Since all long distance navigation is based on a globe, and uses the "great circle mapper" to plot a course, you'd actually never get there.

 

[ThisIsMe123]

I'll just leave this here...this will shut them up...

 

[Omniskeptical]

I hear a lot of Christians saying that we live on a flat earth and nobody can go in or out the earth. Is the Bible clear on this subject?

No, and it was irrelevant at the time it was written.

 

[prodromos]

I'll just leave this here...this will shut them up...

View attachment 330125

I'm not happy about Australia being pushed over the edge like that!

 

[d taylor]

I'll just leave this here...this will shut them up...

View attachment 330125

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Your post (the illustration) shows that you completely do not understand the creation (by God) described in The Bible.

 

[SeventhFisherofMen]

I hear a lot of Christians saying that we live on a flat earth and nobody can go in or out the earth. Is the Bible clear on this subject?

I say Cube Earth

 

[d taylor]

That is an embarrassing comment. You obviously did not read what Augustine said. He said no such thing as you stated.

There is an old saying about opening one's mouth before opening ones ears.

I guess you have no problem with Augustine because you believe as he does. That faith requires works to be real faith, that is back loading faith with works. By what he wrote he did not believe in faith alone.

So for Augustine verses like John 3:16 can not give any person eternal life, by simply believing in Jesus. A life of obedience of works is also required according to Augustine.

 

[Daily Propane]

Its round

 

[ThisIsMe123]

-​

Your post (the illustration) shows that you completely do not understand the creation (by God) described in The Bible.

Hm, a joke that went over your head, unless of course you were joking too? lol

 

[Job 33:6]

The problem is that the Bible does not define the earth as flat. There are verses, such as the ones you quote, which are used to promote both the ideas that the people who physically wrote the Bible believed the earth to be flat and that the earth is flat. While I accept you don't claim the latter, I believe you are wrong on the former.

One of the things which amazes me is how some people today seem to be of the opinion that the biblical authors didn't use metaphor when describing God's creation, yet they used metaphor in many other places. Verses such as Isaiah 55:12 (trees don't have hands), Psalm 93:1 (God doesn't wear clothing because He is spirit), Proverbs 15:3 (God doesn't have literal eyes), John 15:1 (Jesus is not a literal vine), John 10:7 (Jesus is not a literal door), and many other verses clearly reveal the use of metaphor within the Jewish thinking.

Yet when it comes to the shape of the earth and the creation of the universe, it's all supposedly to be taken literally, according to some. But the reality is the Bible authors mixed literal truths with metaphors. Sometimes it's obvious which is which, other times bias can play a part in deciding when something should be understood as metaphor and when not. Sometimes a word can be translated in other ways which steer away from any understanding of a flat earth. This is why Bible study is so important. For every biblical expert and theologian who claims the Bible authors believed the earth to be flat, you will find another who disagrees.

Some translations and inferences of words in your quoted verses are at best, contentious. For instance the Hebrew word 'raqia' translated as 'dome' in your Genesis quotes does not necessarily mean something solid. It can be an 'expanse' of something composed of matter. Scientists say the universe is composed of both matter and energy. In my opinion that fits well with 'raqia'.

The Hebrew word 'chug' in its masculine noun form found in Proverbs 8:27 and Isaiah 40:22 means 'vault', not circle. And if the earth was understood as a circle, how can it have four corners (Isaiah 11:12)?

The Hebrew word 'dur' found in Isaiah 22:18 does not definitively mean 'ball'. It can mean 'pile' or 'circle' too.

There is a whole maze of problems interpreting Scripture as to how the shape of the earth was understood at the time. It is not defined in the Bible and therefore the Bible should not be used for such purposes.

This is like saying that the Biblical authors weren't young earth creationists because the Bible doesn't say the age of the earth.

It was their default position because future discoveries had not yet occurred. This is why the Babylonians and Egyptians had maps of a flat earth. This is why the early Catholic church believed in geocentrism, and why early church fathers such as john chrysostom were flat earthers.

You'll never find an early church heliocentrist, not an ancient near east inscription of a spherical earth.

Earth resting on top of pillars with a dome over it is something that presupposes a flat earth. And the Bible has many passages like this.

Water under the earth, pillars under the earth that are sunk. Heaven being "up", Sheol being "down". The firmament or raqia terminating at the horizon between light and day.

All these ideas in the Bible all presuppose a flat earth. Because earth had not yet been discovered to be round, the default was to accept what was visibly seen. Which to the naked eye, is flat.

And no, the passages about the circle of the earth are not referring to spheres, because people had not yet discovered a spherical planet. When the Bible describes the circle of the earth, that's what it means. A circle.

 

[Job 33:6]

If you can provide such an image from ancient Hebrew sources then I will accept that some may have had such a view, but someone putting this image together and claiming it is ancient Hebrew cosmology is baseless. It is their personal interpretation of the what they believe the Scriptures say.

My source is the Bible and dozens of passages that I've quoted that reflect ancient near east cosmology.

This really shouldn't be such a large stumbling block for the church. As if the Biblical authors couldn't express ideas from their time in history, but could only express information that they themselves had no understanding of and wouldn't discover for thousands of years into the future.

Why is it such a problem for people to accept that early church fathers lived in a time before a spherical earth was discovered, and thus believed in a flat earth? Eratosthenes identified a spherical earth in 200BC, but Genesis was written at least 1000 years earlier.


Homily IX.


7. But I have yet somewhat more to say on this head. For not only, indeed, does the magnitude and beauty of the creation, but
403
also the very manner of it, display a God who is the artificer of the universe. For since we were not present at the beginning, whilst he was engaged in the work of forming and creating all things; nor had we been present, could we have known how they came into being,1415 the power that disposed them being invisible; He hath made the mode of this creation to become our best teacher, by compounding all things in a manner which transcends the course of nature. Perhaps what I have said, is not sufficiently clear. Therefore it is necessary that I should again repeat it in a clearer manner. All men, then, must admit that it is the course of nature for water to be supported on the earth, and not the earth on the waters. For the earth being a certain dense, hard, unyielding, and solid substance, is easily able to support the nature of water; but the water, which is fluid, and rare, and soft, and diffusive, and giving way to all it meets with, must be unable to support any solid body, though it were of the lightest kind. Often indeed when a small pebble fails upon it, it yields, and makes way, and sends it down to the bottom. When therefore thou beholdest not a small pebble, but the whole earth borne upon the waters, and not submerged, admire the power of Him who wrought these marvellous things in a supernatural manner! And whence does this appear, that the earth is borne upon the waters? The prophet declares this when he says, “He hath founded it upon the seas, and prepared it upon the floods.”1416 And again: “To him who hath founded the earth upon the waters.”1417 What sayest thou? The water is not able to support a small pebble on its surface, and yet bears up the earth, great as it is; and mountains, and hills, and cities, and plants, and men, and brutes; and it is not submerged! What do I say? Is not submerged? How comes it to pass, that since the water has been in close contact with it below, during so long a period, it has not been dissolved, and the whole of it become mud? For the substance of wood, when soaked in water but a little time, is rotted and dissolved; and why do I say of wood? What can be firmer than iron? yet often this is softened, when it remains a long time in water; and well it may. For it derives its substance from the earth. Therefore many run-away servants, when they make their escape, dragging their shackles and chains along with them, go to brooks of water, and thrust their shackled feet therein, and after making the iron softer by this means, they easily break it by striking it with a stone. Iron, forsooth, is softened, and wood is rotted, and stones are worn away by the nature of water; yet so great a mass as the earth hath remained such a length of time lying upon the waters, without being either submerged, or dissolved, and destroyed!1418
8. And who is there that must not feel astonished and amazed at these things; and confidently pronounce that they are not the works of nature, but of that Providence which is above nature? Therefore one speaks thus: “Who hangeth the earth upon nothing.”1419 And another observes, “In His hands are the corners of the earth.”1420 And again: “He hath laid the foundation of it upon the seas.”1421 And these declarations, though they seem contrary to one another, have yet an entire agreement. For he that said, “He hath laid the foundation of it upon the seas,” meant the same thing as he did who declared, “He hath hung it upon nothing.” For its standing upon the waters is just the same thing as hanging upon nothing. Where then is it suspended and placed? Hear the same one saying, “In His hands are the corners of the earth.” Not that God hath hands, but that thou mayest know that His power it is, providing for all things which holds together1422 and supports the body of the earth! But if thou believest not what I now say, believe what thou beholdest! for even in another element it is possible to find this admirable workmanship. For it is the nature of fire to tend upwards,1423 and to be always mounting aloft; and although you force and constrain it never so much, it cannot submit to have its course directed downwards. For often, when we are carrying a lighted torch, although we incline its head downwards, we cannot compel the force of the flame to direct
404
itself to the ground; but still it turns upward, and passes from below toward that which is above. But with respect to the sun, God hath made it quite the contrary. For He hath turned his beams toward the earth, and made his light to direct itself downward, all but saying to him by the very shape (of the heavens), “Look downward.—Shine upon men, for thou wert made for them!” The light, indeed, of a candle cannot be made to submit to this; but this star, great and marvellous as it is, bends downward, and looks toward the earth, which is contrary to the nature of fire; owing to the power of Him who hath commanded it. Wouldest thou have me speak of another thing of the like kind? Waters embrace the back of the visible heaven1424 on all parts; and yet they neither flow down, nor are moved out of their place, although the nature of water is not of this kind. For it easily runs together into what is concave; but when the body is of a convex form, it glides away on all sides; and not even a small portion1425 is capable of standing upon such a figure.1426 But, lo! this wonder is found to exist in the heavens; and the prophet, again, to intimate this very circumstance, observes, “Praise the Lord, ye waters that are above the heavens.”1427 Besides, the water hath not quenched the sun; nor hath the sun, which hath gone on his way beneath for so long a time, dried up the water that lies above.

Here we have John Chrysostom considering the idea that the heavenly ocean might quench the flame of the sun. And we have a belief that earth is sitting on pillars.

Babylonians, and Egyptians also have things like the tablet of shamash, the Babylonian map of the world, inscriptions of a flat earth in sarcophagus'

The Biblical authors believed these things literally. Before people discovered things like plate tectonics in the 1900s, back in 1000BC, earth rested on pillars. And the Bible has many verses about this.

 

[Job 33:6]

My source is the Bible and dozens of passages that I've quoted that reflect ancient near east cosmology.

This really shouldn't be such a large stumbling block for the church. As if the Biblical authors couldn't express ideas from their time in history, but could only express information that they themselves had no understanding of and wouldn't discover for thousands of years into the future.

Why is it such a problem for people to accept that early church fathers lives in a time before a spherical earth was discovered, and thus believed in a flat earth?


Homily IX.


7. But I have yet somewhat more to say on this head. For not only, indeed, does the magnitude and beauty of the creation, but
403
also the very manner of it, display a God who is the artificer of the universe. For since we were not present at the beginning, whilst he was engaged in the work of forming and creating all things; nor had we been present, could we have known how they came into being,1415 the power that disposed them being invisible; He hath made the mode of this creation to become our best teacher, by compounding all things in a manner which transcends the course of nature. Perhaps what I have said, is not sufficiently clear. Therefore it is necessary that I should again repeat it in a clearer manner. All men, then, must admit that it is the course of nature for water to be supported on the earth, and not the earth on the waters. For the earth being a certain dense, hard, unyielding, and solid substance, is easily able to support the nature of water; but the water, which is fluid, and rare, and soft, and diffusive, and giving way to all it meets with, must be unable to support any solid body, though it were of the lightest kind. Often indeed when a small pebble fails upon it, it yields, and makes way, and sends it down to the bottom. When therefore thou beholdest not a small pebble, but the whole earth borne upon the waters, and not submerged, admire the power of Him who wrought these marvellous things in a supernatural manner! And whence does this appear, that the earth is borne upon the waters? The prophet declares this when he says, “He hath founded it upon the seas, and prepared it upon the floods.”1416 And again: “To him who hath founded the earth upon the waters.”1417 What sayest thou? The water is not able to support a small pebble on its surface, and yet bears up the earth, great as it is; and mountains, and hills, and cities, and plants, and men, and brutes; and it is not submerged! What do I say? Is not submerged? How comes it to pass, that since the water has been in close contact with it below, during so long a period, it has not been dissolved, and the whole of it become mud? For the substance of wood, when soaked in water but a little time, is rotted and dissolved; and why do I say of wood? What can be firmer than iron? yet often this is softened, when it remains a long time in water; and well it may. For it derives its substance from the earth. Therefore many run-away servants, when they make their escape, dragging their shackles and chains along with them, go to brooks of water, and thrust their shackled feet therein, and after making the iron softer by this means, they easily break it by striking it with a stone. Iron, forsooth, is softened, and wood is rotted, and stones are worn away by the nature of water; yet so great a mass as the earth hath remained such a length of time lying upon the waters, without being either submerged, or dissolved, and destroyed!1418
8. And who is there that must not feel astonished and amazed at these things; and confidently pronounce that they are not the works of nature, but of that Providence which is above nature? Therefore one speaks thus: “Who hangeth the earth upon nothing.”1419 And another observes, “In His hands are the corners of the earth.”1420 And again: “He hath laid the foundation of it upon the seas.”1421 And these declarations, though they seem contrary to one another, have yet an entire agreement. For he that said, “He hath laid the foundation of it upon the seas,” meant the same thing as he did who declared, “He hath hung it upon nothing.” For its standing upon the waters is just the same thing as hanging upon nothing. Where then is it suspended and placed? Hear the same one saying, “In His hands are the corners of the earth.” Not that God hath hands, but that thou mayest know that His power it is, providing for all things which holds together1422 and supports the body of the earth! But if thou believest not what I now say, believe what thou beholdest! for even in another element it is possible to find this admirable workmanship. For it is the nature of fire to tend upwards,1423 and to be always mounting aloft; and although you force and constrain it never so much, it cannot submit to have its course directed downwards. For often, when we are carrying a lighted torch, although we incline its head downwards, we cannot compel the force of the flame to direct
404
itself to the ground; but still it turns upward, and passes from below toward that which is above. But with respect to the sun, God hath made it quite the contrary. For He hath turned his beams toward the earth, and made his light to direct itself downward, all but saying to him by the very shape (of the heavens), “Look downward.—Shine upon men, for thou wert made for them!” The light, indeed, of a candle cannot be made to submit to this; but this star, great and marvellous as it is, bends downward, and looks toward the earth, which is contrary to the nature of fire; owing to the power of Him who hath commanded it. Wouldest thou have me speak of another thing of the like kind? Waters embrace the back of the visible heaven1424 on all parts; and yet they neither flow down, nor are moved out of their place, although the nature of water is not of this kind. For it easily runs together into what is concave; but when the body is of a convex form, it glides away on all sides; and not even a small portion1425 is capable of standing upon such a figure.1426 But, lo! this wonder is found to exist in the heavens; and the prophet, again, to intimate this very circumstance, observes, “Praise the Lord, ye waters that are above the heavens.”1427 Besides, the water hath not quenched the sun; nor hath the sun, which hath gone on his way beneath for so long a time, dried up the water that lies above.

Here we have John Chrysostom considering the idea that the heavenly ocean might quench the flame of the sun. And we have insurance that earth is sitting on pillars.

Babylonians, and Egyptians also have things like the tablet of shamash, the Babylonian map of the world, inscriptions of a flat earth in sarcophagus'

The Biblical authors believed these things literally. Before people discovered things like plate tectonics in the 1900s, back in 1000BC, earth rested on pillars. And the Bible has many verses about this.

Also, the closest things I'm aware of, are things like inscriptions of the sky goddess nut on sarcophagus', such as that of King Ramses the 2nd, who lived about the time in which the OT was written. The Babylonian map of the world, the tablet of shamash, things like the Babylonian kudurru stone. Another example is the inscription on the sarcophagus of wereshnefer.

But you have to understand, it's not just cosmology that is observed as shared in the ancient near east. It's allllll sorts of stuff in the old testament.

Sons of God language with the mesopotamian apkallu. Flood language shared with things like Genesis eritu and atrahasis, divine council language. Check out Psalm 74:14 with leviathans heads in a plural state, described in Isaiah and job as a fleeing serpent, a twisting serpent.

These are all terms and ideas held commonly in Canaanite writings, Akkadian and Babylonian writings, Egyptian writings etc.

A lot of Christians aren't aware of these things. But I would just recommend Biblical Authors John Walton, he has many books on this subject. Another one is Dr. Micheal Heiser. He has a popular book called the unseen realm that I would also recommend.

 

[Job 33:6]

When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,
Proverbs 8:27

Isaiah 40:22 Amplified Bible (AMP)
It is He who sits above the circle of the earth

Heres a list I found onlineL
To him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his loyal love endures forever.
Psalms 136:6

Let's look at some more verses on the raqia:
And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.”
Genesis 1:6

God made the dome, and separated the waters which were below the dome from the waters which were above the dome; and it was so. God called the dome heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.
Genesis 1:7‭-‬8

And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years,
Genesis 1:14

In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened.
Genesis 7:11

the fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained,
Genesis 8:2

And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the dome of the sky.”
Genesis 1:20

And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood beside him [or stood above it] and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring;
Genesis 28:12‭-‬13

“You shall not make for yourself a divine image with any form that is in the heavens above or that is in the earth below or that is in the water below the earth.
Exodus 20:4

and they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there was something like a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness.
Exodus 24:10

He has described a circle on the face of the water between light and darkness. “The pillars of heaven tremble, and they are astounded at his rebuke.
Job 26:10‭-‬11

can you join him in spreading out the skies, hard as a mirror of cast bronze?
Job 37:18

So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
Joshua 10:13

Yet in all the world their line goes out, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has pitched a tent for the sun,
Psalms 19:4

To him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his loyal love endures forever.
Psalms 136:6

Praise him, highest heavens, and waters above the heavens. Let them praise the name of Yahweh, because he commanded and they were created. And he put them in place forever and ever, by a decree he gave that will not pass away.
Psalms 148:4‭-‬6

Praise Yah. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament.
Psalms 150:1

and all the host of heaven shall rot. And the skies shall roll up like a scroll, and all their host shall wither like the withering of a leaf from a vine, or like the withering from a fig tree.
Isaiah 34:4

It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in;
Isaiah 40:22

Over the heads of the angels there was something like a dome, shining like crystal, spread out above their heads.
Ezekiel 1:22

And above the dome over their heads there was something like a throne, in appearance like sapphire stone; and seated above the likeness of a throne was something that seemed like a human form.
Ezekiel 1:26

And I looked, and look! On the dome that was above the head of the cherubim something like a stone of sapphire, and like the appearance of the shape of a throne it appeared above them.
Ezekiel 10:1

He made strong the skies above, When the springs of the deep became fixed, When He set for the sea its boundary So that the water would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth;
Proverbs 8:28-‬29

The sky vanished like a scroll rolling itself up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.
Revelation 6:14

he will wind a winding tightly around you like a ball (The biblical authors had words for spherical objects that they could use if they wanted to), to a wide land. There you shall die, and there the chariots of your splendor will be, disgrace to your master’s house!
Isaiah 22:18

He raises up the poor from the dust. From the ash heap he lifts up the needy, to cause them to sit with noble people and to cause them to inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth belong to Yahweh and he has set the inhabited world on them.
1 Samuel 2:8

“Where were you at my laying the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you possess understanding. Who determined its measurement? Yes, you do know. Or who stretched the measuring line upon it? On what were its bases sunk (talking about the pillars that hold earth up)? Or who laid its cornerstone,
Job 38:4‭-‬6

The earth and all its inhabitants are shaking; I steady its columns. Selah
Psalms 75:3

For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, And he hath set the world upon them.
1 Samuel 2:8