Since the beginning of human history, speculation about the end of the world
has fascinated mankind. Myths and stories about the end of the earth exist in
almost every religion and culture ever known. And yet, somehow, men seem
unsatisfied with the answers they receive. They turn to Nostradamus, Edgar
Cayce, or ancient Hindu writings hoping to uncover some modicum of truth that
will satisfy their innate desire to know something about the future and the
ultimate fate of the world.
Never has mankind’s fascination with the end been more prevalent than it is
today. Fears of global warming saturate the news media. Worry over a nuclear
holocaust persists into its sixth decade. And storylines of asteroids, comets,
aliens, or bio-engineered super-diseases wiping out all planetary life continue
to dominate the themes of many Hollywood blockbusters. Throughout the world,
people are plagued with the same recurring questions. Will the human race become
extinct? Will nuclear war or global warming destroy the biosphere? Will the
world as we know it continue to exist?
The answer to these questions and many others concerning the end of the world
are not found in the writings of Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, or any other
self-professed psychic. But they can be found in the Bible, which has a track
record of 100% accuracy when it comes to future events.
What the Bible Says
According to the bible, the earth is eternal. So despite what some people
say, we shouldn’t worry about the earth itself being destroyed. However,
throughout the ages, the nature of the earth has changed, and it will change
again in the near future.
Since the beginning of human history, speculation about the end of the world
has fascinated mankind. Myths and stories about the end of the earth exist in
almost every religion and culture ever known. And yet, somehow, men seem
unsatisfied with the answers they receive. They turn to Nostradamus, Edgar
Cayce, or ancient Hindu writings hoping to uncover some modicum of truth that
will satisfy their innate desire to know something about the future and the
ultimate fate of the world.
Never has mankind’s fascination with the end been more prevalent than it is
today. Fears of global warming saturate the news media. Worry over a nuclear
holocaust persists into its sixth decade. And storylines of asteroids, comets,
aliens, or bio-engineered super-diseases wiping out all planetary life continue
to dominate the themes of many Hollywood blockbusters. Throughout the world,
people are plagued with the same recurring questions. Will the human race become
extinct? Will nuclear war or global warming destroy the biosphere? Will the
world as we know it continue to exist?
The answer to these questions and many others concerning the end of the world
are not found in the writings of Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, or any other
self-professed psychic. But they can be found in the Bible, which has a track
record of 100% accuracy when it comes to future events.
What the Bible Says
According to the bible, the earth is eternal. So despite what some people
say, we shouldn’t worry about the earth itself being destroyed. However,
throughout the ages, the nature of the earth has changed, and it will change
again in the near future.
The Book of Genesis teaches that God created the earth and everything in it
to be perfect. However, the nature of the earth changed when Adam and Eve
partook of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. This act prompted God to
place a curse on the earth, and it radically transformed the nature of the earth
itself. Several centuries later, the human race had become so corrupt that God
decided to destroy it with a flood. However, God spared Noah and his family,
allowing them to repopulate the earth of the present day.
Throughout these changes, the earth as a creation has remained intact. But
its nature has been radically altered twice. The bible teaches that it will soon
be altered third time, and this time, the result will be far different from the
previous ages.
The New World
Verses throughout the bible point to the creation of a new earth. This
shouldn’t be viewed as an entirely new physical creation by God. Rather it
should be viewed as a highly transformative process whereby the current earth is
reshaped by the hand of God to create a different world. The prophet Isaiah
described this process over two thousand years ago:
“Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth – so wonderful that no one
will even think about the old ones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in my
creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people
will be a source of joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and delight in my people.
And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard no more.” Isaiah 65:17-19
(NLT)
The nature of the present earth will change dramatically. It will be
transformed from a place of sadness and weeping to a place of intense happiness,
where “the sound of weeping and crying will be heard no more.” The creation of
this new earth is also mentioned by Peter who encourages us to live our lives in
accordance with God’s will. He encourages us to do so, because he knows this
present age will soon pass:
“And God has also commanded that the heavens and the earth will be consumed
by fire on the day of judgment, when ungodly people will perish.” 2 Peter 3:7
(NLT)
“But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the
heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will
disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to
judgment.” 2 Peter 3:10 (NLT)
“Since everything around us is going to melt away, what holy, godly lives you
should be living! You should look forward to that day and hurry it along – the
day when God will set the heavens on fire and the elements will melt away in the
flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and the new earth he has
promised, a world where everyone is right with God.” 2 Peter 3:11-13 (NLT)
From these passages, it is clear that God will one day use fire to create a
new earth from the present world. It will be dramatically different from the one
in which we live. But how different? What will the new earth look like? The
bible provides us with a vivid illustration.
What Will the Future Earth Look Like?
The Book of Isaiah contains a wealth of information on the nature, quality,
and characteristics of the new earth. One of the first references is found in
Chapter 11:
“In that day, the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard and the
goat will be at peace. Calves and yearlings will be safe among lions, and a
little child will lead them all. The cattle will graze among bears. Cubs and
calves will lie down together. And lions will eat grass as the livestock do.
Babies will crawl safely among poisonous snakes. Yes, a little child will put
its hand in a nest of deadly snakes and pull it out unharmed. Nothing will hurt
or destroy in all my holy mountain. And as the waters fill the sea, so the earth
will be filled with people who know the Lord.” Isaiah 11:6-9 (NLT)
God will finally lift the curse He placed on the earth following the fall of
man in the Garden of Eden. This curse created a conflict between the animal
kingdom and mankind with many humans killing animals and many animals killing
humans. But on the new earth, “nothing will hurt or destroy.” And the number of
people who know the Lord will be as endless as the waters in the sea.
Isaiah continues his description in Chapter 65:
“No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults
die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old
at one hundred! Only sinners will die that young! In those days, people will
live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards. It will
not be like the past, when invaders took the houses and confiscated the
vineyards. For my people will live as long as trees and will have time to enjoy
their hard-won gains. They will not work in vain, and their children will not be
doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the Lord, and their
children, too, will be blessed. I will answer them before they even call to me.
While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer
their prayers! The wolf and lamb will feed together. The lion will eat straw
like the ox. Poisonous snakes will strike no more. In those days, no one will be
hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Isaiah
65:20-25 (NLT)
Babies will not die, and the lifespan of the human race will be extended well
beyond current expectations. Life expectancy will be so great that the death of
a one hundred year old person will be a notable tragedy. People will enjoy the
fruits of their labor without fear that someone will come and steal what they
have. The people of the new earth will be so close to God that He will answer
their prayers before they have even prayed them! Animals who are natural enemies
in our age will become friends on the new earth, and all the animals of the
earth will be herbivores.
On the new earth, Jerusalem will be the center of the world. It will be the
dwelling place of the Lord, and people from every nation will travel to
Jerusalem to worship and to have their disputes settled. War will no longer
exist. Because of this, armies and weapons will no longer exist. The Lord will
settle all disputes, and the people will devote the energy they previously
expended on war to prosperous living and worship of the Lord. Peace and
prosperity will be abundant, and there will be nothing to fear.
Knowing what we now know about the new earth, who would not want to live
there? Unfortunately, the bible also tells us that many will turn down their
invitation to this blessed new world. The only way to get there will be to place
one’s trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, who will be the undisputed ruler of the
new earth.
When Will This Future World Arrive?
Because the new earth is the creation of Jesus Christ, it will not arrive
until after His Glorious Appearing. In the interim, many politicians, idealists,
and others will conjure their own ideas of how to create such a world. But
placing faith in any of these people or their schemes will only lead to
disappointment.
For the bible is clear that the new earth will only arrive when God comes to
physically dwell among His people:
“I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, ‘Look, the home of God is now
among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God
himself will be with them. He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will
be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils
are gone forever.’” Revelation 21:3-4 (NLT)
When God dwells among men, the earth will no longer harbor death or sorrow or
crying or pain. It will be a new world. The old world will have come to an end -
its evils gone forever.
Conclusion
Those who worry about the end of the world or live in fear of a great
worldwide catastrophe are not living their lives in accordance with God. For God
tells us to live boldly and without fear of the things of this world:
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love,
and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)
Don’t worry about global warming or a nuclear holocaust. Don’t live in fear
of a worldwide pandemic or asteroids or comets or aliens or massive volcanoes.
The Lord is in control of everything, and He has already revealed what will
happen to this present age. He will usher in the end of the world and transform
the earth into his own dwelling place. Therefore, if we are to have fear of
anything, it should be the Lord Himself. The prophet Isaiah agrees:
“Do not fear anything except the Lord Almighty. He alone is the Holy One. If
you fear him, you need fear nothing else.” Isaiah 8:13 (NLT)
Jesus reminds
His disciples of this command while teaching them not to fear persecution:
“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only kill your body;
they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body
in hell.” Matthew 10:28 (NLT)
In short, don’t fear the end of this world. Celebrate it. Christ is coming.
And when He arrives, He will eliminate all the evils of this world, including
our fear and worry.
