In Isaiah 45:18, to what does “the earth” refer?

Question

In Isa. 45:18, it is written,

For this is what the LORD says— he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited— he says: “I am the LORD, and there is no other. ^{NIV, 2011}

My question is: when the LORD (i.e., Yahveh) says,

he who fashioned and made the earth

I’ve heard that the English Language cannot expressively convey words and symbols of the Hebrew Language. To substantiate this is the fact that preachers also quote the Hebrew intent and symbol behind a word to fully understand its meaning. So does the word “earth” there literally mean the planet Earth or can it be understood as “the universe.” Also, does this mean that God is actually in support of us inhabiting other planets, e.g., Mars, Mercury, etc.?

Answer 1

So does the word “earth” there literally mean the planet Earth or can it be understood as “the universe.” Also, does this mean that God is actually in support of us inhabiting other planets, e.g., Mars, Mercury, etc.?

The word "earth" in the Hebrew is "erets" which means land, earth, in other words our planet. But the word "heavens" can, and probably does, encompass the entire universe including the earth. The point of this particular verse is that God did not first create the earth formless and empty (tohu and bohu) but He created it to be inhabited. Genesis 1:2 "And the earth became (hayah) without form (tohu) and void (bohu)."

Romans 8:19-21 says that the creation waits eagerly for the sons of God to be revealed "that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now." This verse is saying that the universe is waiting for God's children to release it from its bondage of decay!

This was a wonderful question with a wonderful answer: We, as Spirit beings, literal children of God and brothers and sisters of Christ will spend eternity beautifying the entire universe and making it inhabitable. The next question should be "Inhabited with what? Or who?"

Answer 2

The word that appears in the Masoretic Text is אֶ֫רֶץ (ʾě·rěṣ), which occurs over 2,500 times in the Hebrew Bible. It most commonly conveys the meaning "land" (as in a country), "country", or "nation" in the Old Testament, but it is also the word used in Genesis to mean "earth" - as in the planet. Less commonly it is used to mean "soil" or "ground" (e.g. she would never venture to set a foot on the ground - Deuteronomy 28:56).

I do not think that the word means something more broader, like the universe. If this were the case then Genesis 1:1 - When God began to create heaven and earth (ʾě·rěṣ) - seems somewhat superfluous.

I don't think a cogent argument could be made one way or the other for God's supporting or opposing man's habitation of other planets based solely on the etymology of a Hebrew word in the Old Testament.

Answer 3

Can “earth” represent the mind of man, In a spiritual sense that is?

IT IS STRONG’S number 127h. The “h” is for the “Hebrew” dictionary provided in Strong’s Concordance. The word for 127 is; adamah, ad-aw-maw; “soil (from its gen. redness): – country, earth”… The root word is said to be Strong’s number 119; adam, aw-dam; “show blood, flush.” And as for the word soil (7704h), we have the meaning, “spread, field,” thought plain. And for blood (1818h); “blood,” life force. Has not the eye seen, and the ear heard? Another word for “earth” in the Hebrew text is Strong’s number 127, adamah, from the root 119, adam. Adam! Earth is man! Earth is the mind of man!

Yes?