last no one really believes the Scriptures unless he obeys them, the mere

assent to the doctrine of Inspiration is not sufficient.  It is the testimony

of the Saviour Himself that a wise builder 'digs deep' and lays his

foundation upon a 'rock' (Luke 6:48).  The future glory and everlasting

blessedness of Israel depends upon the foundation upon which these blessings

rest.  If they rest on the promise they made at the foot of Mount Sinai, 'All

that the Lord hath spoken we will do' (Exod. 19:8), then failure and disaster

is a foregone conclusion.  The Lord's provision is expressed in the words of

Isaiah 28:16, 'Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation (1) A Stone, (2) A tried

Stone, (3) A precious Corner Stone, (4) A sure Foundation indeed'.

It would be pardonable if we believed that the foundations of the

earth, being laid by the Lord Himself, were lasting, but that belief would be

dispelled if we realized that only by Redemption will heaven and earth stand

unmoveable and lasting.  This is so true, that when the apostle would prepare

his Hebrew readers for the shock they would have when they realized that

their priesthood, sacrifices, offerings and covenant were to 'wax old' and

'vanish away' (Heb. 8:13), he quoted Psalm 102:25 -27:

'And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hath laid the foundation of the

earth; and the heavens are the works of Thine hands: They Shall Perish

... They All Shall Wax Old ... They Shall Be Changed' (Heb. 1:10 -12).

Over against the transient nature of creation itself, the apostle

places Christ, even as he does throughout the rest of the Epistle to the

Hebrews, when facing the equal transience of the law, saying, 'But Thou

remainest ... but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail', coming

back to the same blessed theme at the close of the Epistle saying, 'Jesus

Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever' (Heb. 13:8).  If the

reader will turn to the article, Pleroma3 and spread out the chart at the end

of the book, the following notes need not be unduly lengthened.  Job 38

contains the expostulation of the Almighty with him, saying, 'Where wast thou

when I laid the foundations of the earth?', and then follow words that give a

further reason why the present heavens and earth will not endure for ever.

The word translated 'foundation' in verse 6, 'Whereupon are the foundations

thereof fastened?' is the Hebrew word eden, translated fifty -two times,

'socket' in the law of Moses, and referring always to the silver sockets made

of the redemption shekels upon which the Tabernacle rested in the wilderness.

The choice of this word in Job 38 not only indicates that the present heaven

and earth is a vast tabernacle, but by so doing, makes it certain that like a

tent or tabernacle it is not intended to last for ever.

We come to the New Testament and there, in 1 Corinthians 3:10,11, we

have the assurance we need, 'According to the grace of God which is given

unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation ... other

foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ'.

'On Christ the solid rock I stand,

All other ground is sinking sand'.

After reading 1 Corinthians 3:10,11, Ephesians 2:20 seems to contain a

contradiction, 'the foundation of the apostles and prophets'.  Here, however,

Jesus Christ is said to be 'the chief Corner Stone', vast enough and firm

enough for both Paul and Peter to build upon (1 Pet. 2:6).  The apostles and

prophets appointed by the ascended Christ, were for 'the readjusting of the

saints' (as the word 'perfecting' here means, Eph. 4:12), and to this new

foundation laying Ephesians 2:20 refers.