The Future of the Earth — What It Is to Be
By Emma Hildreth Adams
By Mrs. Emma Hildreth Adams This is a question of intense interest to every earnest, thoughtful Bible student, to every true child of God. Of himself, man has no ability to reply to the momentous interrogation. No amount of devout study of the earth itself — on its surface or in its depths — can bring any response to his plea for light on the veiled subject. No rapt investigation of the star-studded heavens by night, will win from one of their silent, speeding luminaries slightest answer to the absorbing inquiry. It is safe to say that, aside from the Word of the living God, there can be obtained, in all the universe, no definite, reliable answer to this lofty, transcendent question. Only the Creator of the earth can tell us what destiny awaits this strangely interesting orb — rushing around the sun at the rate of eighteen miles a second, without effort on its part, without friction, in absolute silence, threatening no other planet with appalling disaster. Only the Creator of the earth can inform us what modifications and changes, if any, are to take place upon its surface, in its depths, in its relation to the great universe, and how these changes shall affect the life and interests of its present occupants. Fortunately, for the guidance, comfort, and cheer of His children on the earth, God has revealed quite clearly, through His prophets and apostles, and through Christ His Son, what are His plan and purpose concerning the future of this sin-afflicted globe. Let us try to ascertain what destiny awaits it, so far as the Scriptures turn light upon the important subject. A few days spent in gathering out their wonderful assertions and statements on this point will pay munificent interest, and may change the searcher's entire purpose of life. But first a paragraph or two to define who is really the founder of this world, to whom it really belongs. In that triumphant, inimitable citation to Job, that mighty demand upon him to answer, if he were able, recorded in chapters 33-41 of the book of Job, the Lord — Christ — makes irrefutable, illimitable claim to being the One who laid the foundations of the earth; the One who determined the “measures thereof;” who placed, figuratively speaking, its four corner-stones — into which sank its stable sockets; who shut up its ever-moving seas with doors, established His decree upon them, saying, “Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall the pride of thy waves be stayed.” (Margin.) In no other book of the Bible, probably, is7there set forth evidence more complete, more convincing and masterful, that God, through Christ, is the Creator of the earth, its seas, and all the varied and wonderful creatures thereon, therein, creatures astounding for variety, strength, power, intelligence, and beauty. In 2 Sam. 7:13, 16, God instructed the prophet Nathan to inform His servant David that the throne of his kingdom should be established forever, on condition that his seed should keep God’s statutes and judgments, and should obey and serve Him faithfully. We know that, because of Solomon’s departure from God, and because of the marvelous ill-doing of succeeding generations of David, the throne and kingdom of David were taken from them, when Zedekiah fell a captive into the hands of the king of Babylon; and for thousands of years no throne and kingdom of David have been possessed by his seed. But that great promise — of wonderful solace and cheer to King David — holds firm and true to-day. Of David, centuries later, came One far greater than he, greater than Solomon — the Christ of God. It was to His throne and His kingdom that God had ultimate reference in His promise to David. In Psalms 89 we read these exhilarating, infallible words: “I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn unto David My servant, Thy seed will I establish forever, and build up thy throne to ALL generations. . . . I will make Him My first-born, higher than the kings of the earth. My mercy will I keep for Him forevermore, and My covenant shall stand fast with Him. “His seed also will I make to endure forever, and His throne as the days of heaven. . . . His seed shall endure forever, and His throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established forever as the moon.” But the author of all these triumphant lines, possibly David himself, descends suddenly from his exultant strain to tones of deepest mourning. Hear him: “But Thou hast cast off and abhorred. . . . Thou hast made void Thy covenant with Thy servant: Thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground. . . . Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries. Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.” History confirms this pathetic picturing. Many centuries ago was David’s personal throne cast to the ground. Therefore the above inspiring promises can pertain only to Christ, his glorious antitype, and His blessed seed. But who are this auspicious, this fortunate seed that shall possess the earth forever? In Matt. 5:5 occur words from the lips of Him who spoke the earth into existence, who “commanded the morning” and “caused the dayspring to know its place:” “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” David, in Ps. 37:9, declared, “Those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.” Verse 18: “The Lord knoweth the days of the upright; and their inheritance shall be forever.” Verse 29: “The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever.” In Isa. 57:13 the “God of the whole earth” proclaims: “He that putteth his trust in Me shall possess the land, and shall inherit My holy mountain.” Once more, in chapter 60: “Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land forever.” We copy also from chapter 45:18: “Thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited. I am the Lord.” Other scriptures might be cited to prove that the earth, for a time to come called FOREVER, will be occupied by a race meek, upright, and righteous. But before that blissful day shall come, the planet is destined to experience a momentous, appalling transformation, on its surface, in its structure, a change which shall be equivalent to the creation of a new earth. Indeed, the Bible actually calls this radical modification the making of a new earth. Attention is called to this remarkable work, in two scriptures, as follows: Isa. 65:17: “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” Isa. 66:22: “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall REMAIN before Me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.” Listen to an apostle: “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up. . . . Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” 2 Peter 3:10, 13. “Be ye glad and rejoice FOREVER in that which I create.”