SA 40:22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
MAT 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Astromical bodies are spherical, and you cannot see the entire exterior surface from anyplace. The kingdoms of Egypt, China, Greece, Crete, sections of Asia Minor, India, Maya (in Mexico), Carthage (North Africa), Rome (Italy), Korea, and other settlements from these kingdoms of the world were widely distributed.
2007-04-09 06:23:16 · 23 answers · asked by ame XY 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
You are inferring that it is describing a coin.
What you don't realize is that in the spiritual realm, it is possible to see objects on a sphere as easily as you might on a flat surface. The spiritual realm is not limited to our three-dimensional existence.
One example of this is that when Jesus returns, "...Every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him. So be it! Amen." (Revelation 1:7)
2007-04-09 06:28:39 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋
1. The verse does not say it was flat. The Bible does not teach the earth as being flat. The "circle" is still round. The world is still in a circle if viewed from space. Samuel could have easily said "the sphere of the earth". He was being poetic. EDIT: And the part about the heavens being a curtain and a tent - that was Samuel's point of view! It still looks like that to me!
2. The devil showed Christ the kingdoms which were visible from the mountain. No doubt they could see quite a lot. But the point was, the devil was showing Jesus what he owned, and what Jesus could own if only He bowed to the devil.
2007-04-12 07:26:44 · answer #2 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For all you folks who accuse this asker of making up scriptures, or misquoting them, you should try using a concordance before you attack someone else's knowledge of the scriptures. Try checking out www.bible.com. The verses he is quoting are in the book of SAMUEL and of course MATTHEW, and both are quoted accurately (from the King James Version).
And besides saying that the world was flat, even if that were somehow true at the time, Satan would have to have given super vision to Jesus' human eyes for him to see from Jerusalem to Australia and America.
Christians will have to rationalize these verses away, saying either that they shouldn't be taken literally, or saying that they really did happen and making up some mystical explanation not mentioned in the Bible ("God showed him all these kingdoms in the spirit" for example).
If these verses SHOULD NOT be taken literally, then perhaps the creation story, and Jesus' miracles, shouldn't be taken literally either, or other parts of the Bible that seem to contradict reality or common sense.
Of course, if they SHOULD be taken literally, and both God and "the devil" can magically show the entire surface of the earth from one spot on a mountain, then all bets are off. Reality and common sense no longer apply, and all those silly answers people wrote here become entirely possible(like, "the world was flat, but became round after the crucifixion," or even "it was flat but God blew it up like a balloon").
So, for Bible scholars and wannabe's, a sincere question: Which is it? Is the Bible to be taken Literally, or metaphorically?
2007-04-09 07:05:31 · answer #3 · answered by Don P 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It describes what was seen....with their eyes....at that moment in time...
...have u ever stoon on a hill or a mountain and looked down, the area that u see looks flat, not sperical, ut we all know that the earth is a spere and not flat, even tho it looooooks like it when ur on the earth, looking around u.
Duh, the Bible isnt actually telling ppl what shape the earth is, but what the man saw. In order to understand what is written in the Bible, u need not only to be able to read but to have common sense!
2007-04-09 06:30:30 · answer #4 · answered by Eryn v 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is my opinion that you are Interpreting two verses with one context.
in matt 4:8 it does not say anything about a coin and it does not say that the devil showed jesus all the kingdoms from one spot.
although i can see what you mean! in the catholic tradtions the world was flat for many centuries. it just proves that Religion and Traditions dont mix well to equal the truth.
May i recommend reading Historical manuscripts or study some of Glenn Kimbals books. his commentary on religious manuscripts are quite extensive and not so closed minded.
2007-04-09 06:30:21 · answer #5 · answered by Gomakawitnessofjesus 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Bible was written a LONG time ago. Before people knew what we do now. It's been translated by numerous different people, of numerous different origins. Don't take it literally. The stories have GREAT moral messages, BUT, They were not meant to be taken literally. Enjoy the stories, But remember they were only applicable 2000 years ago. Soooo, don't get too crazy with this thing.
2007-04-09 08:42:39 · answer #6 · answered by poopinmypocket 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That was in the old testament. Jesus changed everything including the shape of the earth. The earth is now spherical.
After seeing the earth was a disk in Matthew 4:8 Jesus realized the earth should be spherical and changed it.
2007-04-09 06:27:30 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Those verses are correct (at least the second one) but in no way imply that the earth is shaped as a coin. "The circle of the earth" is just what it is...a circle? Is the earth not a circle?
Also, when Satan showed Jesus the kingdoms of the world, he did so in a miraculous way. It could've been a vision. This verse also shows us that all the world governments are the Devil's property. Can't we see that in all its corruption?
Oh yeah,what Is SA?
2007-04-09 06:33:54 · answer #8 · answered by aseptic technique 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
In Matthew Satan was trying to convince Jesus to bow to his will and Jesus COULD see the entire world because He was, is and will be forever God.
I do not accept the 'circle' in your ref SA being a 'coin'. Your quote says 'circle'. There is no chapter 40 in I or II Samuel. What is this a quote from? Do you maybe mean Isaiah?? The circle there means to move in a circle like a compass or to be circular or spherical. I can't write the Hebrew here to show you.
2007-04-09 06:47:22 · answer #9 · answered by Orpah! 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yup, Round like a Pizza, except for the places in the bible where it says the earth is square and has 4 corners.
2007-04-09 06:29:37 · answer #10 · answered by U-98 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The devil taketh him unto a exceedingly high mountain.
The devil took Moses up into a high mountain and Moses bowed down and worshiped him. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did not want the "Promised Land" that the devil offered them, they knew that the "Promised Land" was the kingdom of heaven, not some place on earth.
2007-04-09 06:36:24 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋