Where Will You Spend Eternity?
By Allen Moon
This Earth Not to Be Destroyed—It Will Be Renovated and Become the Eternal Dwelling of the Redeemed
It is in harmony with the character of Jehovah and His purposes, as revealed in His word, to believe that He creates worlds not merely for the pleasure of beholding the work of His hands suspended in space, but rather that they may be the abodes of His offspring. Of the earth, He Himself has caused it to be written: "For 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; and there is none else." Isa. 45:18. God is love, and can not be content without objects of love who possess intelligence and partake of His attributes. The inhabitants of our world, although fallen, are still the objects of His love and redeeming grace. PROVISION FOR AN ETERNAL HOME
He has not failed to make provision for their future inheritance, as He has said by the mouth of His servant David: "He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great. . . . Ye are the blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth. The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's: but the earth hath He given to the children of men." Ps. 115:13-16. Our God is a real being, as surely as are those whom He has created; and the homes that He provides for His offspring are material abodes. The fact that our world is now marred by sin and the curse, does not change the plan of God for its future. It has only delayed, for the time being, the execution of His purpose. DEFINITE DESIGNS FOR THE FUTURE
The Lord has not left His people to conjecture as to His designs for the future. He says: "Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in His commandments. His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed." Ps. 112:1, 2. This is a promise which He will, in the future, fulfil to every son through Jesus Christ; for He says further: "His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth." Ps. 25:13. Man, as man, lost his inheritance by sin. The earth was his as the gift of his Creator, but he forfeited it. The divine Son redeemed it to Himself, and will share it with the righteous ones, who are also redeemed. He has promised it. "Evil-doers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth." Ps. 37:9. Sinners unrepentant and unredeemed shall not share in the inheritance restored at such infinite cost—the death of God's beloved Son. Sinful men could not appreciate the inheritance, as evidenced by their having rejected the Son. The decree is: "Yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be." Ps. 37:10. By his own transgression, the sinner forfeits all right to this earth as his home, which God had again promised on condition of faith and obedience; but of the righteous it is said: "The meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Ps. 37:11. JUSTICE CALLS FOR DESTRUCTION OF SIN AND SINNERS
How just and reasonable, since God must pay the ransom price for man and the home He has provided for him, that He should dispossess those who continue in transgression and sin, and cut them off eternally without an inheritance, while He bestows it upon the righteous seed, who accept redemption through the Son, and will not again threaten the stability of His dominion. "Such as be blessed of Him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of Him shall be cut off." Ps. 37:22. The earth is not promised to the upright as merely a temporary dwelling-place, for we are assured: "The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever." Ps. 37:29. "For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it." Prov. 2:21. "Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth." Prov. 11:31. And since he has eternal life as the gift of God, through Jesus Christ, he will spend eternity in the earth. NOT IN ITS PRESENT CONDITION
It is not in the present condition of this old sin-cursed earth that the righteous will delight themselves in the abundance of peace. The children of God may, by faith, look forward to new conditions on earth, as one has said: "Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens [atmospheric] and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 Peter 3:13. The promise is unmistakable in this particular. The Lord has spoken directly and definitely through His servant the prophet. NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH
"Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind." Isa. 65:17. No more poisonous atmosphere, no more death-laden breezes to remind the redeemed of the sin-cursed earth, no more seas to engulf mankind, and no more thorns and thistles to wear out his life! No more ferocious animals, for man's dominion over the animal creation will be restored! No more sickness or death! Decay will be removed from the earth itself, and all that pertains to it will be perpetual. He says: "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." Isa. 66:22. The earth, as the home of the saved, will not only be abiding, but the further promise of the Lord is:103"Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified." Isa. 60: 21. Throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity the ransomed hosts will ascribe praise and adoration to the name of Jehovah. "The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Hab. 2: 14. The Creator who walked and talked with man in the garden before his transgression, as a father with his son, has said: "In a little wrath I hid My face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer." Isa. 54: 8. SOME OF THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM
These are some of the exceeding great and precious promises of our God. These are some of the mysteries of the kingdom of God which belong to the redeemed; for the Saviour said: "Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God." Mark 4: 11. "We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory. . . . But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." 1 Cor. 2: 7-10. These are not man's conceptions or man's theories. David, who was mouthpiece for the Lord, said in his last words: "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and His word was in my tongue." 2 Sam. 23: 2. And how decisive are his words when he says, speaking for the Lord: "The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever." As "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God," His children may confidently rest therein.