Why do those who believe the Bible supports the eschatological teaching in a paradise on this earth do so?

Question

Doesn't 2 Peter 3:7-13 and Revelation 21:1 make it quite clear otherwise? It says in 2 Peter 3:10 "...that the heavens will disappear with a roar." And, didn't God in Christ make all that is visible according to John 1:1-3, no matter whether one believes Him to be divine or not? So, why on earth (pardon the pun) can't He also destroy in totality what He has made? Our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29!) Fire from earth won't get the job done! "Elements" in 2 Peter 3:12 in the Koine Greek makes it very clear that this involves ALL the "stuff" that makes up what is visible. Does not this include all the universe? You bet. And, the words "first earth and first heavens passing away" in the koine Greek means just that in Rev. 21:1. It means that EVERYTHING, (all in the first "order", the universe and the earth), will cease to exist any longer! So how can one possibly do interpretation jockeying around this with a clear conscience, using Bible verses that are not as clear cut as this?

Answer 1

I found paradise when God called me and I answered. If you have Jesus along with you, even the worst things in this world cease to perturb you and you take a step at a time knowing that the Lord is alongside. Not that we don’t try to improve on what is happening or try to make this a better world. It’s that come good or bad, we are thankful to God for this life and every blessing that He has given.

Now to the question of interpreting scriptures: any Bible student who believes in God knows that some of the verses we read somehow appear to apply to our lives and the situation we go through. In other cases, they may not for now but do so at a later date. Concerning the end of the world, it will happen at the appointed time set by our Heavenly Father and as Jesus Himself said, nobody knows when the end will be. However, He also warned us to be ready as if the last hour was at hand and to serve Him faithfully as true followers of our Lord. Look around, how many so called Christians do you see who truly serve our Lord and Master the way we should?

Indeed this world (earth and universe) is corrupt: full of sin and evil, and more or less the second heaven and earth would be free of such corruption since the Church of Christ would be established in it. The Book of Revelation also points to the founding of the rule of Jesus Christ after His second return on earth for a 1000 years. We don’t know if this is a literal period or to be taken relatively. In the OT, there is a lot of prophesy of the terrible day of the Lord or the day when the Lord will come and will punish the wicked. It speaks of great destruction and desolation and if we read Revelation there are two major battles mentioned. One is at the second coming of Christ and the second after the 1000 years are over and satan is loosed to deceive the earth once more.

Now isn’t that interesting. If you read the OT books written by Moses from Exodus to Deuteronomy, we find that God is dwelling with man (in a way) and a community guided by a great prophet and man of God - Moses, is being established as a nation that still exists even today, after thousands of years! Even Moses and the prophets who came long after remarked, “Has anything like this every happened? Look at the nations around you or their history, if anyone’s so called god has come and delivered their people the way the Lord God had redeemed Israel.” Yet in spite of all this, the Ark of the Covenant, the Pillar of Fire by night and the Pillar of Cloud by day, the entire mountain and earth trembling when God descended to meet His people, the Israelites continued to rebel against God and would not listen to Him.

How miserable are we, a stiff necked people for most likely if we had comprised of that community of so long ago, we might have behaved worse than them! Our God is a great and forgiving God and so He did not destroy them but spared their children and fulfilled His promises in them by making them a great nation and giving them the Promised Land. Fast forwarding to the rule of Jesus Christ for a 1000 years. During this period, I believe everyone who is living or born knows for sure that there is only one God and one Lord Jesus Christ. Still, we have the second battle coming up after satan is loosened from prison. So humans don’t learn right? Even though we are created in God’s image, something miserable is still there in us that leads us away from God and in direct rebellion, something which the evil one uses to our own downfall (and his). That’s why perhaps the second heaven and earth that will be instituted as listed at the end of the Book of Revelation may be different from this corrupt world - a heavenly city prepared for God’s people those who love Him with all their heart, mind and soul.

Let’s be humble and meek and seek our Lord and God with all our heart. And when the time is ripe, He’ll guide His people safely, as Jesus said He will not loose any of the sheep that His Father hath given into His hands.

“Though I walk through the valley of shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfortest me.”

With every blessing for the New Year,
Andrew

Answer 2

It's because it's generally accepted in the Christian religion to be true. The idea of Heaven and Hell was invented in the 5th century AD in Constantinople as an answer to the ongoing questions Christian people's had as to why the Bible didn't tell you what happened after you died. (The original writers of the Bible probably believed the same as the Jews that there is no afterlife) It was probably an idea that they came up with to get more Jewish people to convert to Christianity because it seemed like such a nicer idea than never ending darkness after you die even though there was probably absolutely no evidence to justify the theory of heaven and hell in the first place.

Answer 3

Some think that the word "elements" in Greek is referring to = bad rudiments
For example the 3 children in the furnace who were not burned up, the Lord was with them.
The Holy Spirit warms believers,
God is a consuming fire,
but warms a believer, not destroys a believer.
Evil will be burned up.
Satan will be destroyed in the Lake of Fire at the end of the millenium.
The 3rd earth age will come after this 2nd earth age passes away,
all peoples will be in a spiritual body instantly at the return of Christ,
believers will not be harmed,
evil will be destroyed
as all knees will bow to Christ.

Answer 4

There will be a paradise on earth,firstly for a 1,000 years until satan is released one last time,then on the second earth.
One thing is for sure,we will not be sitting around on clouds playing harps!

Answer 5

sometimes you have to demolish an existing building to make room for the new building you want to build.

Answer 6

Because those "heavens and earth" referred to speak of rulership (heavens) and earth (human society). If that weren't true, then King Solomon lied when he said at Ecclesiastes 1:4 - "A generation is going, and a generation is coming; but the earth is standing even to time indefinite. " and So was King David when he said at Psalm 37:11 "11 But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, And they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace."

Why do I believe the earthly paradise:

Take a look at Isaiah 35, 45, 55, 65 (yes those chapters). They all speak of earthly and human restoration.

Answer 7

May the Lord richly bless you all during each and every single day of the 1238 days that is left....!!!

Now we have learned from the Bible that the Rapture of the true believers of Jesus Christ will occur on May 21, 2011 AD, which will be five months before the end of the world on October 21, 2011 AD

"And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man." (Revelation 9:5)

The Bible is a Book that is absolutely true and trustworthy. It is the centerpiece, the keystone of this study.

Website: http://www.timehasanend.org/
A book by Family Radio: "Time Has An End - A Biblical History of the World 11.013 BC - AD 2011".

Are You Ready to Meet God?

Answer 8

why ask why?