Is 40:22 – Circle (Heb. “khoog”) of the Earth (circle/compass, spherical) –
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 (inflation)
And spreads them out like a tent to live in.
SABER TRUTH TIGER
The Bible translators used the word "circle" to refer to the earth, dating back centuries. It was only when it became common knowledge that the earth was a sphere that the word began to appear in lexicons and commentaries. Before then, the flat earthers used Isaiah 40:22 as their proof text to prove the earth was a flat disc. Notice the earth is a flat circle in this verse and the sky is not the heavens we know in the 21st century but they are stretched out above the earth like a tent. A dome shaped tent. The Hebrew word "circle" can also be translated as a vault.
Moreover, the Jews already had a word for a sphere. It is translated as "ball" in isaiah 22:18:
And roll you tightly like a
ball,
To be cast into a vast country; There you will die And there your splendid chariots will be, You shame of your master’s house.’
Isaiah 22:18 - A Message for Shebna [H1754]
Bob Ryan
Job 26:10 "He has
inscribed a circle on the surface of the waters
At the boundary of light and darkness. "
SABER TRUTH TIGERS
This fits with the flat earthers. Back in medevial times when there was controversy about the flat earth the flat earthers used this verse to support their cosmology. The earth was a flat disc surrounded by waters. The sky overhead was a dome that was turned over the earth to create a vault and the vault met the horizon on the circle of the earth, much like when you set up a dome shaped tent. There is, inside the tent, the surface you sleep on, and the dome meets the ends of the floor place. The earth was thought to be land, and the waters surrounded the earth, and the sky and the waters came together on the horizon. Now, in the 21st century, we know better but in the medieval times when there was much debate about the flat earth it was the flat earthers, and not the others, who used these verses to support their view. The flat earthers claimed the moon was a flat disc too.
What is interesting is with a good set of binoculars you can focus on the moon during the day time and see it is a sphere. At least I believe I can. Some may disagree. With a huge telescope you can see the moon is a sphere at night. But in the medieval times the flat earthers were high in number and there were debates between those who believed the earth was a sphere and those who believed it was flat. The ancient Greeks and Babylonians had already determined the earth was a sphere and were able to determine when eclipses would take place. That is absolutely shocking when you hear that for the first time. Yes, as early as the fourth century BCE there were those who knew the earth was a sphere. The well educated in Europe in medieval time knew the earth was a sphere but the lesser educated used the Bible as their proof text that the earth was flat. The round earthers claimed the proof the earth was a sphere gave the example of a ship disappearing on the horizon or if you were on a ship as she sailed out to sea the city you left slowly disappeared below the horizon with the higher buidlngs disappearing last.
BOB RYAN
The ocean itself covers over 70% of Earth's surface.
SABER TRUTH TIGER
In those days this was unknown.
BOB RYAN
So it can accurately be said that there are points in every day where there is a circle inscribed on the the surface of the waters - at the boundary of light and darkness.
SABER TRUTH TIGER
Ecclesiastes 1:5 is held to by flat earthers. It says this about the sun:
Ecclesiastes 1:5
5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
There is a day and a night in flat earther cosmology. The sun sinks in the west, goes down below the horizon, and it is dark. Then, the sun hastens to its place where it rises. This supports the flat earther's cosmology. In other words, it drops below the western horizon, it gets dark and during the night the sun makes it way toward the eastern horizon to rise.
BOB RYAN
A sphere with a light source on one side of it - will have a circle inscribed "at the boundary" between light and darkness. It will have BOTH light and dark at the same time and the boundary will be a circle - as long as the object is a sphere.
SABER TRUTH TIGER
The boundary between light and darkness was assumed to be the western and eastern horizons. The sun set below the western horizon and that is the defining point between light and darkness in flat earth cosmology. When the sun traverses underneath the earth to the eastern horizon and rises, a new day begins. It was not common knowledge then that the earth was a sphere. Now, in the 21st century, we know better. It was NOT believed then that the earth could have BOTH light and day at the same time. The flat earth was indeed a circle. Strangely, the Hebrew writers believed heaven was a circle too. In Job 22:14 we read (KJV) :
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.
The "circuit" of heaven was the same exact word the ancient Hebrews used for the "circle of the earth". That's because the flat earthers believed heaven (God's throne) was above the top of the firmament and it was directly over the circle of the earth. So, as Jehova walked in heaven, he could look down on the earth below and see what was happening.
In Genesis 11 we have some more flat earther cosmology:
11 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.
4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
Of course we know that they were mistaken that they could reach heaven. Such a thing is not possible. But they believed they could, and that matters, because it shows that they believed they could. Now, let's continue with Genesis 11:
5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
6 And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
See this? Flat earthers do and they teach that God believed the builders of Babel really could accomplish their goal of building a tower whose top may reach unto heaven. Now continue with Genesis 11:
7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
See what God did? He needed to confound their language to stop them from building the tower. So, let's continue with Genesis 11:
8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
God successfully ended the building of the tower.
9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
There are verses that talk of the "pillars of the earth" and the earth does not move. There is talk of the "ends of the earth" or "the four corners of the earth" and so on. When Satan tempted Jesus he took him to a very high mountain to show him the kingdoms of the earth. This would not be possible on a sphere.
Matthew 4:8
Again, the devil *took Him to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory;
If the writer believed the earth was a sphere it would not matter how high in the sky Jesus and Satan were, they could not see all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. It will do no good to argue that Satan was merely showing Jesus a vision, because it would not be necessary for Satan to take Jesus to a very high mountain to show him a vision.
On Got Questions.org you can find this.
What are the pillars of the earth mentioned in the Bible? Does the Bible actually teach that the earth rests on pillars?
www.gotquestions.org
The pillars of the earth is a poetic phrase that is used a few times in the Bible. Looking at the use of the term in context sheds some light on what “the pillars of the earth” are.
SABER TRUTH TIGERS
They claim it is *poetic* but that is because we today KNOW it is not true that the earth was supported by pillars. We know better and those who believed the earth was a sphere in medieval times knew that too. But, the fact of history is when the Hebrew Scriptures were written the people did not believe the earth was a sphere floating in space. So, the burden of proof is on the ones claiming the pillar references are poetic. People did NOT know then the earth was a sphere and they believed the earth was supported by pillars.
GOT QUESTION
First, we should note that the phrase itself is metaphorical and not to be taken literally.
SABER TRUTH TIGER
No, we should not note that the phrase itself is metaphorical and not meant to be taken literally. People in those days believed the earth was supported by things like pillars. Some even believed the earth was supported by a giant Elephant or Turtle.
GOT QUESTION
Just as people today might speak of “the four corners of the earth” without meaning the earth is square,
SABER TRUTH TIGER
Yes, people TODAY might speak of "the four corners of the earth" without meaning the earth literally has corners but in the days when the Hebrew Bible was being written the earth was known to have "corners" or "ends". Just because people use this ancient phrase to refer to the earth does not mean it was that way when the Hebrew Bible was being written.
GOT QUESTION
the Bible speaks of “the pillars of the earth” without meaning the earth is flat or set on actual pillars. Whereas some translations such as the NKJV, ESV, and NASB use the phrase
the pillars of the earth, other translations simply have “the foundations of the earth” (NIV, CSB, BSB).
SABER TRUTH TIGER
Where is the author's proof that when the Hebrew Scriptures spoke of the pillars it was without meaning the earth is flat, or set on actual pillars? People back then did not think the way we do today. We know things today that they didn't. So, where is his evidence that pillars are poetic? Other translations do indeed have the foundations of the earth but does that mean it is true or are the translations hiding a perceived problem in the Bible?
GOT QUESTION
In
Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving, she says, “The pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them He has set the world” (
1 Samuel 2:8, ESV). In this way, Hannah observes that God has set and ordered the world as it is, and He controls the very building blocks of the earth. Her wording brings to mind the construction of a strong house: the Builder of the earth is God Himself, and He upholds and supports its continued existence. As the Maker and Sustainer of the world’s “pillars,” God exercises control over every living thing.
SABER TRUTH TIGER
There is no need to read into something that is not there. Hannah believed the earth had pillars. And Jehovah set the world on those pillars, That's what the Bible plainly teaches.
GOT QUESTION
The pillars of the earth also appear in the book of Job. In answering his friend Bildad,
Job talks about how God’s mighty power disqualifies any man from contending with Him: “They could not answer him one time out of a thousand” (
Job 9:3). Job describes God as one who overturns mountains and “shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble” (verse 6, ESV). Job uses the word
pillars to refer to the rocky foundations of the earth. God alone has these in His power, and He can shake things up if He sees fit.
SABER TRUTH TIGER
Job uses the word pillars, period. He doesn't say he is referring to the rocky foundations of the earth. He says, plainly, "pillars". Remember that in Job's day people did not believe the earth was a sphere. They believed it rested on pillars.
GOT QUESTION
In
Psalm 75:3 Asaph quotes God: “When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars” (ESV). The context is God’s judgment of the wicked at a time of His choosing when He will bring down the evildoer and exalt the righteous. The shaking “pillars” of the earth in this psalm seem to be a reference to unsteadiness and unrest in society, due to the onslaught of wicked men.
SABER TRUTH TIGER
Psalms 75:3 plainly says when the earth 1) totters and 2) that Jehovah keeps the pillars steady. The writer claims this "seems" to be a reference to unsteadiness and unrest in society. Say what? How does that *seem* to be the case? Where is that in the verse?
GOT QUESTION
God promises to intervene and restore society to stability. Or it could be that the “pillars” in
Psalm 75:3 are the righteous, whom the Lord promises to keep from falling.
SABER TRUTH TIGER
Why does this verse mean that the pillars refer to righteous people? Where is the proof for this claim?
GOT QUESTIONS
For examples of people being described as “pillars,” see
Psalm 144:12,
Galatians 2:9, and
Revelation 3:12.
SABER TRUTH TIGER
Psalm 144:12
Let our sons in their youth be as grown-up plants,
And our daughters as corner pillars [
a]fashioned as for a palace;
Galations 2:9
9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, [
a]James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right [
b]hand of fellowship, so that we
might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
Revelation 3:12
12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.
Now, something I can agree with. These are all clearly metaphors. Now, just because the word pillar is sometimes used as a metaphor does not automatically assume that everytime the Bible uses the word "pillar" it is a metaphor. If you assume those verses referring to the "pillars" of the earth are only metaphors I need PROOF.
GOT QUESTION
When people in the Bible use the phrase
the pillars of the earth, they are not giving a scientific description of the shape of the world.
SABER TRUTH TIGER
Just don't claim that is the case, prove that is the case. I need evidence of your claim. How does the person answering this question know that in an age of scientific illiteracy people that use "pillars of the earth" are giving a 21st century understanding of cosmology and therefore did not mean pillars literally?
GOT QUESTION
The Bible does not teach that the earth sits on pillars, piers, or poles. Speaking of “the pillars of the earth” was simply a poetic way to denote foundations.
SABER TRUTH TIGER
Yea? Prove it.
