Some modern people believe that our current earth and its sidereal heavens will eventually be consumed in an inexorable fire, after which time God will create new heavens and an entirely different earth – this doctrine is known as “scorched earth theology.”
However, this viewpoint overlooks two important realities. First is that God has an established record of upholding His promises concerning judgment.
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1. The sun will be destroyed
The sun is in the process of dying. Scientists estimate that in several billion years it will transition into a red giant and expand up to Mars’ orbit, possibly destroying any nearby planets including Earth if it still exists by then. After that point it may explode creating a supernova leaving behind huge amounts of dust which will become new stars and planets; The Bible refers to something similar taking place both on planets and throughout space-time – similar to what we would experience as part of its fiery judgment if an eclipse takes place between stars in some form or another.
God designed and created the cosmos and all its celestial bodies, keeping their balance and maintaining them to regulate time and location, but He warns us they will someday perish.
When the Sun explodes, its hydrogen fuel will be burned off and it will become a red giant, possibly wiping out Mercury and Venus and potentially scorching or incinerating Earth – according to scripture, which states it will be “seared with fire and brimstone”.
Actually, there are multiple reasons for why the sun will explode and destroy Earth. As it ages and uses up all its hydrogen fuel supplies, as well as release more energy, its explosion will be devastating for life on Earth. It will take about billions of years before this happens – its aftermath could be even worse!
Scientists also believe that when the Sun collapses, its core will convert helium into energy and unleash massive heatwaves, which will consume both the Earth and atmosphere while also vaporizing oceans and melting ice caps; all this would result in drastic climate changes across Earth.
The Bible warns of God’s resurrection people living on a new Earth without sin or need to consume animal flesh for clothing purposes, while experiencing a more spiritual rather than material realm.
2. The moon will be destroyed
Answering the question of whether or not the sun and moon will exist in the Eternal State can be a challenging undertaking, since opinions differ significantly on this matter. However, scripture provides us with some clear statements to assist our understanding on this matter; one being that God promises that the earth and sidereal heavens will be completely destroyed by fire – meaning the present earth and its atmosphere will vanish altogether before giving way to a brand new creation complete with new earths and skies that provide homes for righteousness (2 Peter 3:13).
2 Peter 3:10 is often quoted when discussing this subject. It speaks about how the present earth will be destroyed by fire and then replaced with something new; furthermore it refers to how both heavens and earth will be stored up for fire in preparation of its eventual destruction. So the question arises as to whether or not this means that sun and moon will also perish along with us?
Some may interpret this passage to mean that Christ will return with fire that consumes both sun and moon, thus completely extinguishing them at his return. Although this is a popular interpretation, this interpretation is incorrect since Scripture never indicates He will walk back onto earth but will return via heaven (Revelation 19:11-15).
Notably, other scholars argue that 2 Peter 3:10 refers to something entirely different. According to these scholars, the verse refers to an event before our current universe was even created – when God will judge and purge Earth of its sinful inhabitants before returning it back to its paradisiacal splendor.
Scholars who hold this view believe that our present earth will be rejuvenated through a less intense fire than that which destroyed it during the Flood, after a thousand-year peace period known as the Millennial Kingdom has ended and all righteous individuals will have been transported from it onto its successor planet, creating the New Earth.
3. The stars will be destroyed
When the Bible refers to God destroying the earth, it refers to an event yet to take place; when that happens it won’t be by water but by fire. God chose fire over water for two reasons – judgment and creation. Judgement means He would judge its sinful state and purge evil from society by flooding it; water would not have accomplished this as effectively. Creation means He wanted a fresh start without those who were evil (as 2 Peter 3:10 makes clear).
“All things in heaven and on earth that now exist are stored away by God to be used on that great Day of Judgment and Perdition of Ungodly Men”, also referred to as the end of the world or end times, when Christ returns and becomes King; when all dead people will rise at once; it is the Great White Throne Judgment Day when unrepentant sinners are judged in an eternal Hellfire; or alternatively when Christ returns as King over all nations on Earth (The end).
The Earth will be consumed by an unquenchable fire that is capable of burning everything that can be ignited combustibly, including stars. John the Baptist used this same flame when baptizing with it (Matthew 3:11); it burned up Korah and his family when they disobeyed God (Numbers 16:31). It will consume everything on this planet in its path – including us!
Some believe that during this tribulation period, stars will actually fall to Earth; others do not believe this to be possible due to how far away from us they are. Others believe God will cause natural disasters which resemble falling stars – this biblical concept was demonstrated when Joshua asked Him for extra time so Israel could finish their battle with Amorites (Joshua 10:12-14), as well as in Lot’s wife becoming a pillar of salt (Luke 19).
4. The earth will be destroyed
One common interpretation of this verse is that God will use fire to consume and destroy the planet, yet when biblical writers use “earth” they mean an organized human society system rather than physical planet. This language is repeated throughout the Bible to depict judgment on governments and societies, rather than physical objects (for instance Isaiah 24:1-6 and Jeremiah 4:23-28). Peter’s words should be understood in this light as part of an ongoing theme which began with Noah’s Flood: “By one word God created the heavens and earth, while all previous civilization perished due to floodwater. Now He keeps all creation safe for fire until His day of judgment arrives and destroys ungodly men.
When “the earth will be destroyed” appears in the Bible, it means a global cleansing of sinful humanity by fire. Unlike Noah’s Flood, this doesn’t aim to eliminate humanity as such but only cleanse it of evil and prepare the ground for God’s people to repopulate it with Edenic beauty and splendor; its soil won’t be marred with thorns and thistles or full of fratricide-fueled warfare like it currently is.
Since God is committed to living on this Earth with us redeemed humans and wants His existence with them on a New Earth that He promised, this present earth cannot simply be erased; otherwise it would lead to restarting creation from scratch, something He isn’t planning.
Instead, this present earth will be cleansed and purified through fire to make way for people and nations of the future who will inhabit it with perfected bodies without sin committing. God holds this planet dear and does not wish for it to cease existing; thus its importance cannot be undermined or taken away from him.
