Will God literally destroy the earth again?

[Chris38]

I was reading in Genesis 8 last night and read a scripture that struck me a little. I know the Bible says the this earth will pass away, which leads us to believe it will be destroyed and every living creature thats on the earth with it.

But in Genesis 8:21 God promises never to curse the ground again and then says he will never again destroy all living things. Which brings up my question Does he literally destroy the earth again in the last days or is he talking about something else?

[Matthehitmanhart]

I was reading in Genesis 8 last night and read a scripture that struck me a little. I know the Bible says the this earth will pass away, which leads us to believe it will be destroyed and every living creature thats on the earth with it.

But in Genesis 8:21 God promises never to curse the ground again and then says he will never again destroy all living things. Which brings up my question Does he literally destroy the earth again in the last days or is he talking about something else?

"A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever." - Ecclesiastes 1:4

[RockSolid]

I was reading in Genesis 8 last night and read a scripture that struck me a little. I know the Bible says the this earth will pass away, which leads us to believe it will be destroyed and every living creature thats on the earth with it.

But in Genesis 8:21 God promises never to curse the ground again and then says he will never again destroy all living things. Which brings up my question Does he literally destroy the earth again in the last days or is he talking about something else?

He wasn't speaking of the literal heavens and earth passing away.
Here is a good explanation from John Brown (1784-1858)..
"Heaven and earth passing away," understood literally, is the dissolution of the present system of the universe; and the period when that is to take place, is called the "end of the world." But a person at all familiar with the phraseology of the Old Testament Scriptures, knows that the dissolution of the Mosaic economy, and the establishment of the Christian, is often spoken of as the removing of the old earth and heavens, and the creation of a new earth and new heavens.

Basically, it was the transition of the old covenant, temple, priesthood, leaders, and sacrifice to the new covenant with all new covenant counterparts.

The earth that we live on is going to be here a very long time.

Also, the greek word for "pass away" doesn't mean "destroy or annihilate". It means "to be in the past, behind, depart, be past". It was going to change from one form to another.


2Cor 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Are we literally destroyed when we are saved? No. The old has passed away.... it's in the past, behind us. We are changed from one form to another... old to the new.

[Cyberseeker]

Ka - boom! - All gone

"I will sweep away everything
from the face of the earth,”
declares the LORD.
I will sweep away both man and beast;
I will sweep away the birds in the sky
and the fish in the sea—
When I destroy all mankind
on the face of the earth,
declares the LORD."
(Zeph 1:2-3)

[Athanasius]

It will be renewed, and it will be where we spend eternity (or where we start).

[mattlad22]

Ka - boom! - All gone

"I will sweep away everything
from the face of the earth,”
declares the LORD.
I will sweep away both man and beast;
I will sweep away the birds in the sky
and the fish in the sea—
When I destroy all mankind
on the face of the earth,
declares the LORD."
(Zeph 1:2-3)

What you posted doesnt say the earth itself will be destroyed 8) but that everything on earth will be swept away.

[Cyberseeker]

What you posted doesnt say the earth itself will be destroyed 8) but that everything on earth will be swept away.

Ka - boom! - All gone

"The whole world will be consumed
by the fire of my jealous anger."
(Zeph 3:8)

[Matthehitmanhart]

Ka - boom! - All gone

"The whole world will be consumed
by the fire of my jealous anger."
(Zeph 3:8)

Yeah, but "consumed" doesn't have to mean "completely annihilated"; and if we read Zeph 3:8 together with passages like Ecc 1:4 and 2 Pet 3:10, and within the broader biblical theme of God's covenant promises for the earth, then something like "renovated" seems much more on target. The fire of God's jealously is a fire of testing, a refiners fire (cf. Mal 3:2-3). As Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 3:11-14, only the works that are not done unto God (metaphorically called "wood, hay, straw") are destroyed in that day, while all those that are performed on the foundation of Christ ("gold, silver, precious stones") last into the age to come. This is the basis for Paul's conclusion at the end of the letter: our labor is not in vain because everything done in Christ will last into the age to come, when Christ himself, the master builder, will take it all and transform it into something unimaginably glorious (1 Cor 15:58).

[Chris38]

Ka - boom! - All gone

"I will sweep away everything
from the face of the earth,”
declares the LORD.
I will sweep away both man and beast;
I will sweep away the birds in the sky
and the fish in the sea—
When I destroy all mankind
on the face of the earth,
declares the LORD."
(Zeph 1:2-3)

Then Genesis 8:21 makes absolutely no sense when he vowed not to do what you just mentioned. In one scripture he says he wont and in one he says he will

[Hunter121]

It says in revelation, there will be new heaven and new earth, a paradise as it was supposed to be, ruled by Jesus

[Matthehitmanhart]

It says in revelation, there will be new heaven and new earth, a paradise as it was supposed to be, ruled by Jesus

In one sense new, yes, but in another sense renewed. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Are you the same person you were before?

[Raybob]

Ka - boom! - All gone

"The whole world will be consumed
by the fire of my jealous anger."
(Zeph 3:8)

Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
(2Pe 3:12-13)

Ever since man's refinement of petroleum, the elements of this earth have become totally polluted. I'm sure when the Lord returns, it will be over in the twinkling of an eye. Every element will be completely transformed with fervent heat into a totally new heaven and earth, like in the days of the garden of Eden.

[Cyberseeker]

...the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?...

For example, melting point of Gold (Au) 1064 degrees celsius,
melting point of Steel (Fe) 1535 degrees celsius,
melting point of Carbon (C) 3675 degrees celsius,
(source)
By way of comparison the melting point of water (H2O) is 100 degrees celsius. It looks like (gulp) the end to me.

[RockSolid]

Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
(2Pe 3:12-13)

Ever since man's refinement of petroleum, the elements of this earth have become totally polluted. I'm sure when the Lord returns, it will be over in the twinkling of an eye. Every element will be completely transformed with fervent heat into a totally new heaven and earth, like in the days of the garden of Eden.

The greek word for "elements" in this verse is "stoichen". It doesn't mean elements like atoms, gold, metal, ect. Everytime it is used in the NT it means elementary principles or laws. Peter was speaking of the impending melting away of Judaism elements, not the earth elements.

Here are some examples of this exact greek word being used elsewhere.
Gal 4:3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.

Gal 4:9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?

Col 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Nowhere does it mean literal elements as in gold, steel, water, ect.

Strong's Concordance definition:
element, principle, rudiment.
properly, fundamentals, like with the basic components of a philosophy, structure, etc

Word's Studies definition:
refers to "the rudiments with which mankind . . . were indoctrinated (before the time of Christ), i.e. the elements of religious training or the ceremonial precepts common alike to the worship of Jews and of Gentiles" (J. Thayer).

[divaD]

The greek word for "elements" in this verse is "stoichen". It doesn't mean elements like atoms, gold, metal, ect. Everytime it is used in the NT it means elementary principles or laws. Peter was speaking of the impending melting away of Judaism elements, not the earth elements.

Here are some examples of this exact greek word being used elsewhere.
Gal 4:3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.

Gal 4:9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?

Col 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Nowhere does it mean literal elements as in gold, steel, water, ect.

Strong's Concordance definition:
element, principle, rudiment.
properly, fundamentals, like with the basic components of a philosophy, structure, etc

Word's Studies definition:
refers to "the rudiments with which mankind . . . were indoctrinated (before the time of Christ), i.e. the elements of religious training or the ceremonial precepts common alike to the worship of Jews and of Gentiles" (J. Thayer).

I fully agree. Speaking for myself, I simply don't take that passage in 2 Peter 3 as meant to be understood in the literal sense. I believe there will be actual places where there will be literal fires. But this will be region specific, and not that the entire earth will literally be ablaze.