I was amazed how many verses in the Bible talk about the End of the “heavens and earth” just before the new Creation.
The two main passages worth studying are:
I believe the destruction of the cosmic universe will be by literal fire due to the number of times “fire” is used in the listings. Whereas, creation of the world was by Divine Power and water, and judgment in the flood by water, this judgement will be by fire. Drowning and being burned to death are traumatic primal fears all humans have.
The destruction of the world and universe is in effect “de-creation.” Whereas, in the beginning, God creates all there is out of nothing; in the destruction of the “heavens and earth,” all created elements of the world will be turned back into nothing. In other words, “being” is turned into “non being.” This something only divine power can achieve. All that is left after God’s judgment are the angels (both fallen and godly) and mankind (damned and blessed) who are witnesses to this event. Then the new creation occurs.
The destruction of the “heavens and earth” also satisfies the Justice of God. The severity of God’s wrath against the cosmos is revealed because of man’s sin and demonic influence. Satan is called the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 2:4), "prince of the power of the air" in Ephesians 2:2 the "ruler of this world" in John 12:31. The created universe is the domain of Satan and now will be destroyed with unbelievers enslaved to him….of this destruction Paul writes, "when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed. 2 Thess 1:7f.
The ungodly on the left side of the Jesus as Judge, will see this cosmic conflagration of horror, and readily deduce what hellfire is prepared for them. The blessed on the right hand of the Jesus as judge will rejoice (Rev. 18:20) for Babylon is destroyed and no more will the “blood of prophets and of God’s holy people of all who have been slaughtered on the earth” (Rev 18:24) occur again.
THE LISTING********************THE LISTING
Ps. 11:16 Upon the wicked He will rain snares;
Fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup.
Dt 32:22 For a fire will be kindled by my wrath,
one that burns down to the realm of the dead below.
It will devour the earth and its harvests
and set afire the foundations of the mountains.
Job 14:12 So man lies down and does not rise.
Until the heavens are no longer,
He will not awake nor be aroused out of his sleep.
Ps 102:25-27 “Of old You founded the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands. “Even they will perish, but You endure;
And all of them will wear out like a garment;
Like clothing You will change them and they will be changed. “But You are the same,
And Your years will not come to an end.
Isaiah 51:6 “Lift up your eyes to the sky,
Then look to the earth beneath;
For the sky will vanish like smoke,
And the earth will wear out like a garment
And its inhabitants will die in like manner;
But My salvation will be forever,
And My righteousness will not wane.
Is . 65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered
or come into mind.
Is 66:22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth
that I make
shall remain before me, says the Lord,
so shall your offspring and your name remain.
Daniel 7:11 Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time.
Zeph 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold
Will be able to deliver them
On the day of the Lord’s wrath;
And all the earth will be devoured
In the fire of His jealousy,
For He will make a complete end,
Indeed a terrifying one,
Of all the inhabitants of the earth.
Mal 4:1 For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the Lord of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.”
Mt. 5:18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
Luke 16:17 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.
Luke 21:33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Ro 8:20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
I Cor 7:31 and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away.
2 Cor 4:18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
I Peter 4:7he end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
I John 2:17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
Rev. 6:11 I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. 14 The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Revelation 20:11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.
Zephaniah 1:18 “Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.”
The two main passages worth studying are:
II Peter 3:10-14 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
Observations: I believe the destruction of the cosmic universe will be by literal fire due to the number of times “fire” is used in the listings. Whereas, creation of the world was by Divine Power and water, and judgment in the flood by water, this judgement will be by fire. Drowning and being burned to death are traumatic primal fears all humans have.
The destruction of the world and universe is in effect “de-creation.” Whereas, in the beginning, God creates all there is out of nothing; in the destruction of the “heavens and earth,” all created elements of the world will be turned back into nothing. In other words, “being” is turned into “non being.” This something only divine power can achieve. All that is left after God’s judgment are the angels (both fallen and godly) and mankind (damned and blessed) who are witnesses to this event. Then the new creation occurs.
The destruction of the “heavens and earth” also satisfies the Justice of God. The severity of God’s wrath against the cosmos is revealed because of man’s sin and demonic influence. Satan is called the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 2:4), "prince of the power of the air" in Ephesians 2:2 the "ruler of this world" in John 12:31. The created universe is the domain of Satan and now will be destroyed with unbelievers enslaved to him….of this destruction Paul writes, "when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed. 2 Thess 1:7f.
The ungodly on the left side of the Jesus as Judge, will see this cosmic conflagration of horror, and readily deduce what hellfire is prepared for them. The blessed on the right hand of the Jesus as judge will rejoice (Rev. 18:20) for Babylon is destroyed and no more will the “blood of prophets and of God’s holy people of all who have been slaughtered on the earth” (Rev 18:24) occur again.
THE LISTING********************THE LISTING
Ps. 11:16 Upon the wicked He will rain snares;
Fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup.
Dt 32:22 For a fire will be kindled by my wrath,
one that burns down to the realm of the dead below.
It will devour the earth and its harvests
and set afire the foundations of the mountains.
Job 14:12 So man lies down and does not rise.
Until the heavens are no longer,
He will not awake nor be aroused out of his sleep.
Ps 102:25-27 “Of old You founded the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands. “Even they will perish, but You endure;
And all of them will wear out like a garment;
Like clothing You will change them and they will be changed. “But You are the same,
And Your years will not come to an end.
Isaiah 51:6 “Lift up your eyes to the sky,
Then look to the earth beneath;
For the sky will vanish like smoke,
And the earth will wear out like a garment
And its inhabitants will die in like manner;
But My salvation will be forever,
And My righteousness will not wane.
Is . 65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered
or come into mind.
Is 66:22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth
that I make
shall remain before me, says the Lord,
so shall your offspring and your name remain.
Daniel 7:11 Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time.
Zeph 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold
Will be able to deliver them
On the day of the Lord’s wrath;
And all the earth will be devoured
In the fire of His jealousy,
For He will make a complete end,
Indeed a terrifying one,
Of all the inhabitants of the earth.
Mal 4:1 For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the Lord of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.”
Mt. 5:18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
Luke 16:17 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.
Luke 21:33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Ro 8:20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
I Cor 7:31 and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away.
2 Cor 4:18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
I Peter 4:7he end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
I John 2:17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
Rev. 6:11 I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. 14 The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Revelation 20:11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.
Zephaniah 1:18 “Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.”
