THE END OF THE WORLD

By Gary Ray Branscome

In regard to the end of world, the doctrine that God has given us, the doctrine that He wants us to believe and teach, consists of what His Word explicitly says. And, it says, “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2Peter 3:10). That same doctrine is taught in a number of other passages. In Luke 21:33 we read, “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away”. In Psalm 102:25-26 we read, “Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will endure: yea, all of them will grow old like a garment; you will change them like clothes, and they will pass away”. And, in Hebrews 1:10-12 we read, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of your hands. They will perish; but you remain; they will all grow old like a garment, And you will fold them up like a robe, and they will be changed: but you remain the same, and your years will never end”.

The passages just quoted do not describe a mere alteration or cleansing of this world, but a total destruction of both heaven and earth. Our Lord Jesus Christ has plainly said, “The stars will fall from heaven” (Matthew 24:29 see Mark 13:25). Job said, “Man lies down, and does not arise: until the heavens are no more” (Job 14:12). In the book of Isaiah we read, “And all the heavenly bodies will vanish, and the heavens will be rolled together like a scroll: all its stars will fall, like leaves falling from a vine, or figs falling from a fig tree” (Isaiah 34:4), and again, “Behold, I create a new heavens and a new earth: and the former will not be remembered, or come into mind” (Isaiah 65:17). In the book of Revelation we read, “The sky departed like a scroll when it is rolled up” (Revelation 6:14); and again, “I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away” (Revelation 21:1). That is what the Bible says, and that is what God wants us to teach (see Jeremiah 23:28).

When Peter said, “In keeping with His promise, we look for a new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells,” he was not speaking prophetically, but was stating what he believed, and what he expected others to believe (2Peter 3:13).