| Heaven: A Place or An Aberration | Added: Sep-10-04 |
Earth-Note: The Earth will not be annihilated by fire, as some believe. The Greek word for "passed away" in II Peter 3:10,12 (also Revelation 21:1), where this burning of the Earth by fire is found, is parerchomai. In short, this word means "to change from one condition to another." This change will occur when the Earth is burned and purified by fire (global warming?).
The Earth was created to perpetuate itself. That is, it was created to continue to grow vegetation and spring forth in its appointed times. The psalmist David tells us that the Earth is "established for ever" (Psalm 78:69) and that its "foundations should not be removed for ever" (Psalm 104:5). Solomon recorded that "one generation passeth away and another generation cometh: but the earth "abideth for ever." (Ecclesiastes 1:4). This tells us the Earth will not dissolve away into nothingness, but rather the opposite is true. The Earth we now enjoy will never cease. It will be changed, but not annihilated. Nuclear blasts will not wipe it out. No huge meteor will cause it to cease (although some will hit it). The Earth is here to stay.
The Earth is literal and it will have a literal city setting on twelve literal foundation stones. This is our eternal dwelling. It is the new city, New Jerusalem. It is the city John saw coming down out of heaven (Revelation 21:2). It will also be spiritual and blissful because we are spiritual beings as well as physical beings. (For details of this and other aspects of heaven see my books - "The Unveiling" and "When Death Comes")