Earth, land and world - What is the difference and does it make any difference in our beliefs?

The phrase “lost in translation” is becoming more of a reality to me as I study the Word. Looking at Revelation afresh is blowing my mind as I question what I have been programmed to believe. It is difficult at times as I have to question myself as to whether it is worth the time and possibly uprooting my beliefs in the process.

I am however spurred on to continue in my search and this is where I need your assistance as I might be so far off the rails that I have lost sight of where I started. Please help me in my thinking by giving your input as my thoughts are expanded with the more feedback I receive. (Almost sounds like an AI. 😖)

Reading Rev. 13 this morning it dawned on me that the words "earth" and "land" are being used interchangeably. English is more descriptive than Greek in this instance; having multiple words for one Greek word.

V8a "All the inhabitants of the earth will fall down and worship him..."

V11a "Then I saw another beast rising up out of the earth;..."

V14a " And he deceives those who inhabit the earth..."

The word for "earth" is G1093, pronounced: ghay. It means:

- arable land
- the ground, the earth as a standing place
- the main land as opposed to the sea or water
- the earth as a whole
- the earth as opposed to the heavens
- the inhabited earth, the abode of men and animals
- a country, land enclosed within fixed boundaries, a tract of land, territory, region

This word is used to describe: ground, land, country, earth, etc. - https://www.blueletterbible.or....g/lexicon/g1093/kjv/

The same word for earth is used in Rom. 10:18

"But I say, did they not hear? Indeed they have; 'Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.'"

The verse ends with the word "world" which is G3625, pronounced: oy-kou-men'-ay. It means:

- the inhabited earth
- the portion of the earth inhabited by the Greeks, in distinction from the lands of the barbarians
- the Roman empire, all the subjects of the empire
- the whole inhabited earth, the world
- the inhabitants of the earth, men
- the universe, the world

Might we be substituting the word "earth" as in "land" with the word "world" whenever we think of the Anti-Christ's reign? Might his reign be a "localized" (albeit a large area) event where he has dominion over his kingdom, but not over the entire world?

Remember, we are reading a translation into English and the writers had to use source material to determine the full meaning of a word in Greek. Many of our “translations” are simply rewrites of existing versions to fit in with a narrative, so there are merely more versions of the same possible mistranslations. Having multiple incorrect copies of a story doesn’t suddenly make the story truthful. It simply means that more people read the incorrect text and then build their “truths” upon it.

Think of the Theory of Evolution. All modern scholars have to keep to this theory or they get shunned by the scientific community. The same is true when someone questions the truth statements made by the so-called church fathers, but how many can a person get wrong before they and their theories are ejected from our beliefs? We don’t even always know or want to investigate what the origins of our beliefs are.

In this example, if we read Rev. 13:7-8 and change "earth" to "land" then it changes the meaning in my view:

"He was also permitted to wage war against the saints and to overcome them, and authority and power over every tribe and people and language and nations. 8 All the inhabitants of the land will fall down and worship him, everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world in the Book of Life of the Lamb who has been slain."

We also have to be aware that the word “nations” in verse 7 is G1484 which is translated as “gentile” 93 times and “nation” 64 times and looking at the other verses it is used in; many more should have read “gentile” rather than “nation”. So, might it be a mistranslation in this verse as well?

These verses sounds more like a dictator ruling their country/land, oppressing their people as opposed to what I have been taught to believe that he rules the entire world.

I understand that this is a new way of looking at these verses, so if I am way off the reservation then please let me have it. “it” being more Scripture to look at as I really want to know whether the “Bogeyman” we have been programmed to fear is what is in Scripture.

#earth #world #endtimes #antichrist