They Shall Perish
Hebrews 1:11,12
They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. (Hebrews 1:11,12)
In Genesis, chapter 1, we have the phrase, ‘and God saw that it was good.’ This phrase appears 5 times: verses 10, 12, 18, 21, and 25; however, there are 2 other similar phrases, verse 4, ‘God saw the light that it was good,’ and verse 31 ‘and, behold, it was very good;’ thus, bringing the total to 7, or the number of completion, perfection — God’s rest. These 5 exact phrases speak of God’s grace to the world, as the light of verse 4 speaks of the light of the world, Jesus Christ. ‘In him was life; and the life was the light of men,’ John 1:4. In the Gospel of John, chapter 1, we also have a beginning, but it compares not with the creation, but before the creation. We have the light mentioned 7 times in John, chapter 1, five times referring to the Lord Jesus as ‘the light,’ and 2 times referring to Him as ‘the light of man.’ In our King James Bible the Holy Spirit has seen fit to capitalize the word ‘Light’ 4 times; thus, bearing witness to Christ’s creatorial power over the world and over man. This was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world; so that man is without excuse. (Romans 1) The comparison of the creation in Genesis, chapter 1, and He who was the Creator in John, chapter 1, is the connection of the Holy Spirit to all things have been created by Him, and for Him, and that all things were created for His pleasure as the Son of God. We are just surfing the surface of these 2 great chapters, but even at a glance we see the grandeur, and the movement of the Spirit of God linking these 2 chapters together. This can only take us deeper into the glories of Christ. If we just submit ourselves to the Spirit of God, He will lead us into all truth. So not only will we see God’s good pleasure, but everything was ‘good,’ and if everything was ‘good’ why should they perish?
In Genesis, chapter 3, we are introduced to the Serpent, that is the Old Serpent, the Devil, or Satan. It is he who tempts the woman, and she submits to his will by taking the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; and then she gives the fruit to her husband which he willingly takes. In this verse the word ‘husband’ is used, not the word Adam, for they were one flesh, both male and female. The following words are from the Lord Jesus Christ, And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, (Matthew 19:4) And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? (Matthew 19:5) Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. (Matthew 19:6) The Lord Jesus declared ‘let not man put asunder.’ Adam then partakes of the fruit, and being the Federal Head over the woman receives the judgment against himself; for he had the responsibility over the woman. Adam had brought sin into the world. This changed him from life to death, from light to darkness, from good to evil, and from innocent to guilty. What does this have to do with Hebrews 1:11 and 12? In Hebrews it is the final result of sin, it ends with it’s effect over the last stage of creation. Hold that thought for a moment! Let’s go to the Gospel of John, chapter 3, where the Lord Jesus introduces us to the serpent again, and refers back to the Old Testament to teach us about types, sin, faith, death, life, substitution, and His coming sacrifice through death on the cross of Calvary. Jesus said, And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: (John 3:14) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:15) He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36) The Lord Jesus pointed back to this exact moment in ages past. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. (Numbers 21:8) And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. (Numbers 21:9) This was an example of the curse which was placed on Adam in the garden; that through the Lord’s death on the cross the curse would be lifted from those who would believe on Him.
Now back to . . . ‘they shall perish.” The earth, the animal kingdom, all of creation, and the very heavens themselves felt the rip in eternity when Adam sinned. All were infected by his sin. This brings us to the hours of darkness on the cross. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of God was lifted up on the cross. In the hours of darkness not only was the judgment of the sin of the world placed upon Him, but He also removed the curse for us, and from us. It was more than just the removal of sin, for God had placed on Adam a curse because of sin. So Christ became a curse for us; darkness was now changed to light, death was changed to life, guilt was changed to redemption so that God, in Christ, sees us without sin; and also, evil was changed to good in that the old Serpent, the Devil, was also judged at the cross.
When shall they perish? Even though God’s judgment took place at the cross on His beloved Son, the fulfillment, or results of that judgment are yet to come. There will be a time when Christ is exalted on the earth as Lord of lords, and King of kings; however, at the end of His thousand year reign, Satan will be loosed, and once again man will rebel against the Lord, and against His anointed.
And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, (Revelation 20:2) And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. (Revelation 20:3)This will bring forth the final judgment against the nations of the world. Man’s last test will be a test resulting once again in the failure of man. The final judgment will be set, and at it’s conclusion, God will fold them up with creation, and create a new heaven, and a new earth.
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (Revelation 20: 7-14)
We have the new heaven and the new earth in Revelation 21, And 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. (Revelation 21:1) This judgment comes by fire, not as in the days of Noah with water, but now by fire to dissolve all which had been defiled.
But 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. (2 Peter 3:10)
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, (2 Peter 3:11)
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? (2 Peter 3:12)
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (2 Peter 3:13)
This is the final state when all is surrounded by God’s righteousness. There will be nothing to defile or to detract from His glory; in fact, God will be All-in-All.
But thou remainest, now we have a comparison with the things that are changed to the things that do not change. We have a God that never changes, He never fails, and He remains consistent in all that He is, both yesterday, today, and forever. God reminds us that He is a Being that never changes; therefore, He is a Just God. All that has gone before in this chapter of Hebrews has led us to this comparison of the things that change, and to Him who changes not. It is in the Lord Jesus that we must build our holy faith. Though heaven and earth pass away, He is the same, and the Word of His power will not fail. We can rest out heads against His bosom, and listen to the heart beat of eternity, and rest in the peace that He gives to His own. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)
And they all shall wax old as doth a garment —here is historical testimony of change and decay to our present age. Since the balance of power changed in the world in the beginning of the 2nd millennia, or the year 2,000, man has been engineering social, financial, and moral change in this world. How’s that working for you? We have endless wars, more poverty, more tyranny in the world including the United States of America. Men of godless hearts suppressing the people of all nations in the name of a godless democracy that vacillates on every point of life and liberty. I give you only one example, freedom of speech, you can only speak in the freedom of their words. Step outside their boundaries, and you are judged most harshly by an immoral world. We are surrounded with the phrase, ‘for the greater good;’ yet, on closer examination we find that it is not for good, but for evil. I would rephrase it to those who propagate it as ‘the greater evil.’ Now, we have the ‘village.’ The village is to raise up the child. There is no mention of a moral upbringing, or for that matter even a good education. It is an indoctrination that they are talking about, and indoctrination into their evil system. Why have the schools of the world been so politicized, and not given over to the education of the mind? God has been thrown out of their system; therefore, the child will be brought up to have no moral fiber, given over to their own lusts, and will resemble those of the days of Noah. The world is covered with a blanket of immorality that is speedily bringing God’s judgment. On every level of society we have deception, guile, evil speaking, and evil doing. The cup of the world’s sin is beginning to flow over the brim. God is shaking the very foundation of the earth, trying to get the attention of a godless world that will not repent. He shall fold them up is a precise judgment. He can shake the tallest mountain, He can sweep the plains with His torrent of wind, He can flood the land with the clouds of His creation, and He can open the ground to engulf sin and the sinner. These clouds of judgment look very dark at this time; however, for the child of God it is just one step closer to the God of creation calling him home.
but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail – To trust the Almighty God in a world of evil is our lot. We are not of this world, though we live and breathe in this world at the present; we have been redeemed by the blood of Christ into His eternal kingdom. The Lord Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If you are looking for change — you will not find it in Him. For He is the same, He is the same way, He is the same truth, He is the same life unto the Father of lights and perfections. All is for Him, and of Him. He is the Creator of all things, they and us were created for His good pleasure. So when this world has run it’s course of evil, He will be the same. He will fold it up, and it shall be changed. And the state of God’s righteousness will be to His glory, and that glory an everlasting glory. Amen.
© Copyright 2015, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. “Freely ye have received, freely give.”
All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)