Somewhere in the back of the mind of many people is the idea that, because of man’s wickedness, God will allow mankind to destroy the earth until it disintegrates into nothingness. Will this ever happen? What does God’s word – the Holy Bible teach about this subject?
The best of human minds – scientists, technologists, government leaders, business tycoons, theologians, academicians, etc. – have looked at the state of our planet and our society, and have fearfully concluded that we are on a collision course to total annihilation in the next decade or years. For one, they point out that several nations have more than enough nuclear weapons in their arsenal to blast this earth into smithereens many times over. Add to this the mounting global pollution crisis, the agricultural crisis, the health crisis, the racial crisis and other crises you may think of, and the inevitable conclusion is that it is possible that we could lose this earth as a place we call our home! [See: my article “The Next Chapter of History” and https://www.herbert-armstrong.org, click ENTER HERE, select “Books & Booklets” and scroll down to the booklets titled “Are We in the Last Days?” “Our Polluted Planet,” “World Crisis in Agriculture,” and “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.”]
Some 2,000 years ago a unique human being – Jesus Christ of Nazareth — had predicted that, in our time, humanity would come to this impasse, unless our Almighty God intervenes in time. He said: “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has never been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened” (Matthew 24:21-22).
Jesus also predicted that, after the symbolic “sixth seal” is opened, great earthquakes will occur in such a way that “every mountain and island was moved out of its place” (Revelation 6:11-12). The apostle Peter was inspired to write: “In the day of the Lord [when Jesus returns to judge the earth] the elements will melt with fervent heat, both the earth and the works in it will be burned up” “ (2 Peter 3:10). Revelation 21:1 adds, “…the first earth [our present] had passed away.” If the ”elements” of the earth are burned up by such a horrific fire, will the earth still remain – or will it simply disintegrate – pass away?
Because of this possible scenario, many people believe there’s no other hope but that they will be safely shot up to heaven, and live there forever and ever. [Go back to the above-cited Armstrong link, and scroll down to the booklet titled “What Is the Reward of the Saved?”]
Just what does the Bible teach about the fate of our beloved planet earth?
Ecclesiastes 1:4 clearly assures us: “But the earth abides forever.” The earth is such a special place to our Creator God that He will make sure it abides forever, despite the horrific fire that will engulf it. How will He do this?
Isaiah 51:6 says: “The heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will grow old like a garment.” Hebrews 1:10-11 also says about the foundation of the earth and the heavens, “They will perish, but You [God] remain; and they will grow old like a garment; like a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be changed.” It is the “garment – the “cloak” [the outer covering or crust of the earth] – that will be folded up and dissolved by fervent fire, as Peter wrote [see above] and changed into something better! The inner part or core of the earth, however, will remain, as Ecclesiastes 1:4 assures.
The new “garment with which God will re-clothe the earth is described in Revelation 21:1-3 as a “new earth,” where its surface will have “no more sea.” Then the “Holy City,” the “New Jerusalem” will come down “out of heaven” to this renewed earth, to become God’s everlasting abode [“tabernacle”] with men [then transformed as ever-living Spirit-children of God].
Before this magnificent event, the earth will have been ruled by Jesus Christ and His glorified saints for a little over 1,000 years. This will result in not only a wonderful new world of peace, prosperity and joy, but also billions more of divine, glorified children of God. [Go back to the above-cited Armstrong link, and scroll down to the booklet titled “The Wonderful World Tomorrow – What It Will Be Like!” See also: “When He Rules the World.”]
From the New Earth as headquarters, God and His divine family will rule the vastness of the whole universe. Together they will undertake the joyful work of creating “all things new” (Revelation 21:5). What an exciting, magnificent time [eons] that will be!
With such a glorious future, the award-winning writer Pearl Buck fittingly called our planet “The Good Earth.” Let’s treasure it, too!
Pedro R. Meléndez, Jr.
17022024