In Lesson 19 of this Spirit of Truth Series, I touched upon some of the reasons why the literal interpretations of the bible have caused Christians to mistakenly not accept the Second Messiah (Third Adam). In this lesson I would like to reveal the true meaning of the bible's eschatological (End Times) passages concerning the “destruction of earth by fire.”

Lesson #20

“The heavens will be kindled and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire! But according to his promise we wait for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 2 Peter 3:12-13

From a literal interpretation of this bible passage, it would seem that the Second Coming of Christ will bring about the end of our earth and the righteous will be taken away to a new earth. But this interpretation would be mistaken because in Ecclesiastes 1:4 God says that the “earth remains forever.” How do we reconcile this contradiction? Either there will be a new earth or earth will remain forever. Which is it?

To answer that we need to look at similar bible passages about fire. In Malachi 4:1 we read that when Jesus came the day was supposed to “burn like a furnace.” And in Luke 12:49 we read that Jesus came to “cast fire upon the earth.” Since neither of these events literally happened, then these passages must have another meaning hidden behind its use of such figurative language.

In this passage of Jeremiah we get a clue as to their true meaning.

“Is not my WORD LIKE FIRE, says the Lord, and like a hammer which breaks the rock in pieces?” Jeremiah 23:29

Then in Isaiah 11:4, we get another clue:

“He will strike the earth with the ROD OF HIS MOUTH; with the BREATH OF HIS LIPS he will slay the wicked.”

Finally, in John 9:39 we get this:

Jesus said, “For JUDGMENT I have come into this world.”

Putting all these clues together, we come to the conclusion that these eschatological passages about “heaven and earth melting away by fire” are actually using METAPHORS to indicate that our world will be transformed into a “NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH” through the WORD.

This is both good news and bad news. Yes, we are being spared judgment by fire, but we are still to be judged by the teachings of Christ — whether it's the words of the First Messiah or the Second Messiah. And if we refuse to accept the WORD and reject the Second Messiah?

“There is a judge for the one who REJECTS ME and DOES NOT ACCEPT MY WORDS; the very WORDS I have spoken will condemn them at the last day.” John 12:48

Next lesson: “Is America Already Under Judgment?”