Why does the world need to "end"?

[Halbhh]

Also this is a good question:

My question is why couldn't God just zap all the "problem" people away but otherwise allow this world to live on as usual and let the more benevolent people go into leadership and institutional positions again.

Over and over in the Old Testament, you see God doing exactly that. Just exactly what you've written.

But it only held up evil for temporary times lasting only a generation usually. It didn't work. Evil came back, seemingly worse each time. Israel even fell all the way down into the worst of evils: offering children in fires to idols (literally burning their children in fires as sacrifices to idols -- perhaps the ultimate evil is to destroy the innocent in order to worship a false god instead of the only true and loving God, which they had been explicitly warned against:
"You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the LORD hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods." == Deuteronomy 12:31)

So, Christ came, to make it even easier for anyone that would turn and repent to be entirely redeemed.

God is choosing out of the world those that will admit their wrongs and follow Christ.

And He will make that perfect world you are hoping for, we read.

 

[timothyu]

And He will make that perfect world you are hoping for, we read.

With either evil removed or at least the remembrance of it? God always knew the knowledge so I doubt that will change.

 

[Halbhh]

With either evil removed or at least the remembrance of it? God always new the knowledge so I doubt that will change.

None that retain evil in their heart (as what they value most) can enter Life we read, basically. Only those that truly trust God and follow Christ can enter there. To enter heaven, we must have the "new heart" God promised.

 

[timothyu]

None that retain evil in their heart (as what they value most) can enter Life we read, basically. Only those that truly trust God and follow Christ can enter there. To enter heaven, we must have the "new heart" God promised.

Yes but no matter how hard we try we can't remove it ourselves. We can only hate it enough to want it gone.

 

[Jamdoc]

Nothing that is truly good will ever cease.

-CryptoLutheran

Marriage, and by extension, Childbirth

 

[Jamdoc]

Talking a lot on here about the end of days because of all the stuff that is going on in the world, and it is scary to me because I just started my 30s and if the world is going to end, in the meantime here life will be very dark and miserable anyway. My question is why couldn't God just zap all the "problem" people away but otherwise allow this world to live on as usual and let the more benevolent people go into leadership and institutional positions again. Why does God sound like he wants to throw the baby out with the bathwater? I know what the Bible may say, but why do I even need to be part of his plan, whatever it is?

It was tried with the flood
with the patriarchs
with Israel and the old covenant

It's not like God said, "well I guess I just have to sacrifice my Son and destroy and remake the world to fix it" as a first option.
He knew it'd have to happen that way, but He still tried other alternatives first, probably for question like this' sake. Because we don't understand why He couldn't just remove the problems.

 

[timothyu]

So much of this is not a mystery about God but a mystery about man trying to explain God.

 

[David's Harp]

It was tried with the flood
with the patriarchs
with Israel and the old covenant

It's not like God said, "well I guess I just have to sacrifice my Son and destroy and remake the world to fix it" as a first option.
He knew it'd have to happen that way, but He still tried other alternatives first, probably for question like this' sake. Because we don't understand why He couldn't just remove the problems.

Yeah, I think these things had to happen as a demonstration of man's sinful nature, and to show the need for our only hope and Saviour Jesus Christ.

 

[David's Harp]

Talking a lot on here about the end of days because of all the stuff that is going on in the world, and it is scary to me because I just started my 30s and if the world is going to end, in the meantime here life will be very dark and miserable anyway. My question is why couldn't God just zap all the "problem" people away but otherwise allow this world to live on as usual and let the more benevolent people go into leadership and institutional positions again. Why does God sound like he wants to throw the baby out with the bathwater? I know what the Bible may say, but why do I even need to be part of his plan, whatever it is?

Romans 3:23 KJV — "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God".
If He zapped the problem people away, He'd have to zap us all away!

 

[Trusting in Him]

We live in a fallen and sinful world, God has given us a choice, be part of this sinful world, or to choose to be overcomers and live for God. It's not meant to be easy, that's why to God those that overcome are special.

And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. (Malachi 3:17)

God has somewhere better for those that are His, but we are here to prove that we truely love Him, trust Him and will choose to do His will.

 

[BobRyan]

Talking a lot on here about the end of days because of all the stuff that is going on in the world, and it is scary to me because I just started my 30s and if the world is going to end, in the meantime here life will be very dark and miserable anyway. My question is why couldn't God just zap all the "problem" people away but otherwise allow this world to live on as usual and let the more benevolent people go into leadership and institutional positions again. Why does God sound like he wants to throw the baby out with the bathwater? I know what the Bible may say, but why do I even need to be part of his plan, whatever it is?

'

The Bible predicts
1. A desolate Earth - in Jer 4:23-26, destroyed cities left in ruins and no humans
2. Destruction of all the unsaved - 2 Thess 1
3. Earth wiped out - 2 Peter 3

Then what follows is the New heavens and New Earth of Rev 21.

But God will take all the saints to heaven at that point 1 Thess 4:13-18 as Jesus promised in John 14:1-3, gathering the saints "from one end of the sky to the other" Matt 24:29-31

Scientists today say that the earth is becoming more and more polluted and talk about mankind needing to leave Earth at some future age and go to another more habitable planet.

God has already stated that - that will be THIS planet because He will make it brand new.

 

[BobRyan]

Yes I agree there needs to be some kind of judgement, but can it be done in a way that doesn't disrupt the current lifestyles of people?

We have examples from the past - telling us how this goes.

2 Peter 3:
3 Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue just as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, 6 through which the world at that time was destroyed by being flooded with water. 7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people.
10 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.

 

[BobRyan]

The belief that there is an "end of days" is popular in the Christian community. Not saying that it is true or not, but if there is an end of days soon I feel a little bummed even if I am supposed to feel happy about it.

This world ends and the result is eternal life - no more cancer, no more car accidents, no more slow painful death over a period of years dying from "old age", no more separated families, no more crime, no more wickedness.

But to get there -- God has to push the big "reset" button - wiping out all the trash and evil of this world, remaking the entire planet surface - so it is "paradise" once again.

He could have done that 1000's of years ago of course - but that would not protect the universe from another rebellion. This Earth is the insurance policy against unnending cycles of rebellion through all eternity.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Marriage, and by extension, Childbirth

I don't believe the relationships, the love, and the bonds that are formed in marriage, or between children and parents will be dissolved in the future Age. These good things will not cease. Though none are married or given in marriage in that Age, and neither shall there be the pains of labor, the love and goodness of these things will not simply vanish, for these things are good and gifts from God.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[BobRyan]

Marriage, and by extension, Childbirth

Matt 22
23 On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Jesus and questioned Him, 24 asking, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother as next of kin shall marry his wife, and raise up children for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother; 26 so also the second, and the third, down to the seventh. 27 Last of all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.”

29 But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven

=======================

In heaven we might think of our time there as the time spent at a church social event - where we are all the family of God and everyone is socializing as friends.

 

[Jonaitis]

He indeed expects change or he wouldn't have commanded us to repent of our backwards ways.

God is immutable.

 

[Jonaitis]

Only Satan and Judas could say that evil was necessary, and be correct.
For the rest of us, it is good that is necessary, because good brings Life, does not destroy life, and continues to support it's continuous existence.

If evil is not necessary, then God does not need to display His holiness, justice, and mercy through its defeat.

 

[BobRyan]

timothyu said: ↑
He indeed expects change or he wouldn't have commanded us to repent of our backwards ways

God is immutable.

1. But humans are not.
2. God has declared his own immutable decision to affirm free will of his creation and deal with it accordingly.

Jer 18:
5 Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, 6 “Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel. 7 At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull down, or to destroy it; 8 if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it.

9 Or at another moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to build up or to plant it; 10 if it does evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will think better of the good with which I had promised to bless it. 11 So now then, speak to the men of Judah and against the inhabitants of Jerusalem saying, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am fashioning calamity against you and devising a plan against you. Oh turn back, each of you from his evil way, and reform your ways and your deeds.”

=============

a Ten year old's limit to being able to determine something for hand puppets is easy - the ten year old completely controls the puppet.

God on the other hand is able to see the future with skill above the ten year old. He can see and plan even in the context of free will. The ten year old cannot.

 

[BobRyan]

If evil is not necessary, then God does not need to display His holiness, justice, and mercy through its defeat.

If evil does not exist then God has no plan to defeat it... it does not exist.
But since evil does exist - then when God's Word declares Him to have a plan to defeat it - we can believe it.

 

[Jamdoc]

I don't believe the relationships, the love, and the bonds that are formed in marriage, or between children and parents will be dissolved in the future Age. These good things will not cease. Though none are married or given in marriage in that Age, and neither shall there be the pains of labor, the love and goodness of these things will not simply vanish, for these things are good and gifts from God.

-CryptoLutheran

But there will never again be a new birth, isn't a new child being born a good thing? Wouldn't it even be a better thing if that child was born into a non fallen world? The pain of childbirth is part of the fall, but childbirth itself WAS intended to be part of the world before the fall. God didn't wait until after the fall to command "be fruitful and multiply".

But that's being taken away.
and not everyone gets to have children in this life, so.. there's a bit of a FOMO thing.

But some things yes, some good things, God is taking away.