We continue with the subject of,

The Millennium and the End of Sin

The fate of the earth

According to our Adventist friends, “The earth will be burned completely with a purifying fire…”

“Describing the day of the Lord, when all traces of sin will be eliminated, Peter said, “The heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10).

The fire that destroys the wicked purifies the earth from the pollution of sin. Out of the ruins of this earth God will bring “a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away” (Rev. 21:1). From this cleansed, re-created earth—the eternal home of the redeemed—God will forever banish mourning, pain, and death (Rev. 21:4). Finally, the curse sin brought will have been lifted (Rev. 22:3).”

As was stated in our previous post the attempt to force a literal interpretation on what the apostle Peter was stating here has led to the erroneous conclusions held here by our Adventist friends as well as the rest of the professing church. Before we take a look at the correct interpretation of this verse with a proper understanding of the symbolism’s used, we would likewise like to mention that it is not the eradication of the wicked which purifies the earth from the pollution of sin (as underlined above), no sin will still remain for a while even after the present heavens and earth have been dissolved. The work of eradicating sin is not the work of “fire” trouble, destruction, but rather the work of the Christ, Head and body and it will encompass the whole millennial age as mankind is gradually resurrected, restored to the original perfection in which God intended them.

Now as to out subject text.

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (2 Pet 3:10)

Note the “heavens” and the “earth” here mentioned do not refer to the literal heavens and earth, but rather to the symbolic heavens and earth, that is, the “heavens” here mentioned represent the ecclesiastical heavens, the ruling powers, both religious and political, but more particularly the spiritual controlling powers presently in control, Satan, and the fallen angels with him.

It is these ruling powers both religious and political which will pass away with a great noise (in turmoil and confusion) as well as, the elements (of society), which will melt with fervent heat (in great conflict which is even now beginning to brew, in tumult, strife, human passion and wrath leading eventually to anarchy), in which both the earth (the social order as now presently organized under Satan’s control) and the works (pride, rank, ethnicity, selfishness) that are in it will be burned up (swallowed up, dissolved).”

These are the “heavens and earth”, which shall, perish, which are reserved for the “fire” of the Great Day, the Day of His Vengeance, the Great Time of Trouble (i.e. Armageddon), which the Scriptures inform us will be burned up, dissolved, this in order to make way for the NEW “heavens” and “earth” (2 Pet 3:13) new spiritual powers, Christ’s Kingdom, our Lord taking the place of Satan, and his body the Church, taking the place of the fallen angles, a new religious order or system, one based upon truth and righteousness. A NEW “earth”, a new social order, reorganized on the basis of love and justice.

“Though the earth be removed (the present organization of society be dissolved), and though the mountains (the kingdoms and governments) be carried into the midst of the sea (into the restless anarchist masses); its waters (peoples, the discontented masses) roar and be troubled (as is evident even now), the mountains shake with its swelling (the governments troubled, worried concerned by this uproar),” (Psa 46 :1-3) nevertheless we shall not be moved nor alarmed for we have been forewarned of these events in advance and know that they are necessary in order to make way for the new order of things, the Lord’s Kingdom.

In our next post we will consider the supposed desolation of the earth for a thousand years.