Strong’s Greek number 1667 expresses the action of rolling up, coiling, or wrapping together. In Scripture it depicts a decisive, divine act that signals both the transience of the present creation and the sovereign power of God to conclude history and inaugurate a new order. The word appears twice in the Greek New Testament, each time portraying the heavens themselves being folded up by the hand of God.

Biblical Occurrences

1. Hebrews 1:12 — “Like a robe You will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed; but You remain the same, and Your years will never end.”
2. Revelation 6:14 — “The sky receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place.”

Old Testament Background

The image of the heavens being rolled or folded arises in Isaiah 34:4 and Psalm 102:26–27 (which Hebrews 1 cites). These passages proclaim that created things, no matter how vast, are as malleable as fabric in the hands of their Maker. The prophetic background underscores two themes: (1) creation’s temporality, and (2) the unchanging character of the Lord.

Theological Significance

• Divine Sovereignty: Only the Creator can manipulate the cosmos as a craftsman handles cloth. The act is instantaneous and effortless, magnifying divine authority.
• Transience of Creation: Rolling up the heavens signals that even the largest structures are provisional. All created reality awaits renewal (Romans 8:19–22; 2 Peter 3:10–13).
• Continuity and Discontinuity: While the old order is folded away, the promise of a “new heavens and a new earth” (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1) guarantees continuity of God’s purposes and discontinuity of corruption.

Eschatological Implications

Revelation 6 places the “rolling” at the opening of the sixth seal—part of a series of judgments that precede Christ’s visible return. The cosmic disturbance serves as a universal summons to repentance (Joel 2:10–13) and a prelude to final restoration. Believers interpret this episode not as random catastrophe but as a milestone in God’s redemptive timeline.

Christological Focus

Hebrews 1 applies the language to the Son, affirming:
• His deity—He performs actions reserved for YHWH in the Old Testament.
• His immutability—though the heavens are altered, He “remains the same.”
• His mediatorial role—He not only sustains all things (Hebrews 1:3) but will also transform them (Philippians 3:21).

Pastoral and Ministry Application

• Assurance: The certainty that Christ outlasts creation steadies believers amid cultural and environmental upheaval.
• Worship: Recognizing Christ as both Sustainer and Ender of the present order fuels reverence and hope-filled praise.
• Holiness: Knowing the world will be “rolled up” motivates holy conduct and missional urgency (2 Peter 3:11–12).
• Comfort in Grief: Earthly loss is set against the backdrop of an unshakeable kingdom (Hebrews 12:28).

Historical Usage Outside Scripture

In classical Greek literature the term described sails furling or papyrus being wound. Such everyday imagery made the biblical metaphor vivid to first-century readers: the heavens are no more permanent than a tent cloth struck at daybreak.

Related Concepts and Cross-References

• “Scroll” imagery: Ezekiel 2:9–10; Revelation 5:1; contrasts between sealed and unsealed scrolls emphasize divine revelation and consummation.
• Cosmic upheaval motifs: Isaiah 13:13; Haggai 2:6–7; Matthew 24:29; each signals divine intervention in history.
• Permanence of God: Malachi 3:6; James 1:17; Psalm 90:2.

Summary

Strong’s 1667 powerfully illustrates the ease with which God will terminate the present heavens, marking the transition from the temporal to the eternal. In Hebrews the word exalts Christ as the immutable Lord; in Revelation it heralds the approaching culmination of redemptive history. Both occurrences encourage believers to anchor their lives in the unchanging Savior while anticipating the promised new creation.