End of the World -- a Reply

Dear Art,

That was a good letter from you. I could enjoy commenting on a number of things to which you referred. But probably the most salient aspect of your letter, as it appeared to me, was when you asked about “The End of the World.” That topic is significant because of the great pressures that exist today between peoples and nations, and various threats of aggression and retaliation, whether ostensible or actual. This seems of greater intensity today, compared to past times, because of the added capacity that exists to destroy other nations, and perhaps even civilization itself!

Now the Bible has two pictures of the future – one is a picture of immense fulfillment, eternal joy, and incomparable happiness, for all human beings who “go God’s way” in this life here and now. The other is a picture of terrible judgment, unbridled and unending wickedness, complete confusion, unmitigated regret, etc., for all who “go their own way” in this life.

Art, you asked in your recent letter, “Does God have a plan to bring about the end of the world?” In answering that, I would say “Yes.” But usually that idea is based upon an attitude of fear. Even the Bible speaks about a time to come when conditions on earth will be so difficult and prospects for the future so threatening that “men’s hearts will fail them, because of fear” (Luke 21:25, 26).

However, as Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon said so long ago about the true and living God, -- “[His] dominion is an everlasting dominion…and he does according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, or say to him, ‘What are you doing’?” (see Daniel 4:34-35)

Certainly God is good. All that He does now and all that he will do in the future is according to His own perfect and righteous plan. I take that from a study of His being and character in the Holy Scriptures. If we know that He is in control and we trust Him, there is no cause for the fear about which I was writing!

There is no one else who has unlimited wisdom and ability as our great Creator God does. He doesn’t want any of His [human] creatures to face “terrible judgment, unbridled wickedness, complete confusion, and unmitigated regret.”

But God wants human beings to experience, instead, what I described as “immense fulfillment, eternal joy, and incomparable happiness.” The latter can be ours if we listen to God, i.e. if we pay attention to Him by reading and believing His Word the Holy Bible, which is His “Owner’s Manual” for human beings. And above all else that we may factor in, surely we need to focus on knowing and doing His will – being available to fulfill His plan for us, right here and now!

Art, my friend, the God of the Bible, Who is the great Creator and Redeemer, indeed has a plan for history. He is interested in you and me. His deep interest is in each human being on planet earth, now and for the future. He has made us in His image, and expects us to take responsibility for our decisions, especially for the decision whether we will “go God’s way” in this life and leave the results to Him!

Above when I wrote that perhaps human beings could destroy “even civilization itself,” I was only expressing a conjecture made by those who have an inadequate view of God and what He is like. He has given us in the Bible a trustworthy revelation of His acts and His plans, so far as we need to know them. And that Book indicates that God will someday in the future judge this world and destroy it, but will in its place create “new heavens and a new earth” (see Rev. 21:1).

So when you look at this scenario, there is nothing of man’s ability to destroy civilization in it. God’s Book shows that He is involved in His creation; and this aspect of His character is called His immanence. At the same time we see that He is above His creation and separate from it (i.e. not dependent on it for His own existence), and that is known as His transcendence. He is deeply interested in this world, and especially interested in you and me, so He sets up the rules, (surely we need to know our limitations), and we ought to keep them! At the same time, He is kind and merciful toward us, so that we can trust Him to be fair and loving toward us at all times.

Now, Art, this brings me back to the tremendous declaration of God’s love to all human beings in these words: “For God so loved the world [men and women, boys and girls everywhere] that HE GAVE His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him [GOD’S SON] will not perish [be lost forever at the end of life on earth] but have [has now, that is, and always will have] eternal life!” (John 3:16).

Then, Art, if you ask, “is the world coming to an end? I’d say “Yes.” If you ask, “Is it something to be afraid of?” I’d say, “Not if you rightly understand God’s program of the ages, and get in line with His plan of redemption!”

If you ask, as you did, I believe, “What is this world coming to?” I’d say, “It’s coming to Jesus!” Dr. Adrian Rogers used to put it that question-and-answer exchange on his radio broadcast, “Love Worth Finding”. And that is because the Lord Jesus Christ not only lived here on earth for thirty-three years, was crucified, and rose again, but He is going to return to earth to rule in perfect righteousness. And that is the best future this old world can ever hope to have, before it is finally destroyed, and a new heavens and new earth created.

I hope that this information is useful to you. And I trust that it gives you some reassurance about life on earth, -- that life and its outcome are not random, but that the great Creator God Himself is in charge! He has a wonderful purpose for all His creation. And He loves you and me, Art, so that He has a truly amazing plan for your life and mine!
Here’s hoping that you will recognize Christ for Who He is, and will give the allegiance of your life to Him.

Sincerely, -- “PapaPops”