A common belief is that the world will come to an end, so common is it that it is often the subject of jokes with the text "The end of the world is nigh" (nigh being an old word for near or imminent). But does the bible really predict that the world, the earth itself, will be destroyed?

The short answer is "No!" The bible actually states the opposite, in Ecclesiastes 1:4, "A generation is going, and a generation is coming, But the earth remains forever." That is a very plain statement, leaving no room for misunderstanding. It clearly tells us that there will always be a planet Earth, that it will never be destroyed.

More than that, the bible also makes it clear, again stated in a way that leaves no possibility for misunderstanding, that there will also be people living on the earth forever. This is found in Psalm 37:29, "The righteous will possess the earth, and they will live forever on it."

That is certainly a relief, but it raises the question: what does 1 John 2:17 mean, where it says, "Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire."? How can the world pass away, but the Earth remain forever? The answer is hinted at in the next words, "But the one who does the will of God remains forever. " Very obviously, the "world" does not refer to the physical planet in this context. There are other examples of this use of "world". 2 Peter 2:5, says, "He did not refrain from punishing an ancient world, but kept Noah, a preacher of righteousness, safe with seven others when he brought a flood upon a world of ungodly people." Later, Peter said, (2 Peter, 3:6), "By those means the world of that time suffered destruction when it was flooded with water." These are clearly references to the Flood, when Jehovah cleansed the earth of wicked people who lived for destructive self indulgence and sensual pleasures above all else.

We can discern that "world" in this context refers to the people, the

mass of humanity who are alive at a given time, and the kind of society they have developed. The word is used in this way in 1 John 5:19, "We know that we originate with God, but the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one." Here John contrasts Christians with the rest of human society. Regarding his followers, Jesus, while praying to God, said this (John 17:15-16), "I do not request that you take them out of the world, but that you watch over them because of the wicked one. They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world."

That is the context in which "The world is passing away". 2 Peter, 3:7-10 puts it this way, "But by the same word the heavens and the earth that now exist are reserved for fire and are being kept until the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly people. However, do not let this escape your notice, beloved ones, that one day is with Jehovah as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance. But Jehovah’s day will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be exposed."

Then what will happen? Peter goes on to say in verse 13, "But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell." That will be when Jehovah’s promise in Psalm 37 will be fulfilled, "The righteous will possess the earth, And they will live forever on it." They will live on a new earth, in a new world system, in a new kind of society, and that will be Jehovah’s Kingdom!

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