When The Earth is Destroyed by Fire, where are the Survivors of God's Judgement?

[1LoverofGod]

The Day of The Lord is when Jesus returns at the end of the Tribulation period to execute God's Judgement over the Earth.
There's many scriptures in both Old and New Testament Prophecies describing The Day of The Lord.

I want to point to just two verses specifically that describes the result The Day of The Lord........


"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?"
2 Peter 3:10-12

"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea."
Revelation 21:1

So, I have wondered just how the Earth will be destroyed by Fire that leaves me thinking
Where will the surviving Tribulation Saints and The surviving Nation of Israel be when fire consumes the Earth into destruction?
I can't wrap my mind around how this will take place with Humans still on the Earth when it's burned up with fire.

I'd like some thoughts that makes sense out of this, please.

 

[1LoverofGod]

I know the Revelation 21:1 verse relates to after the millennium.
But still, where is everyone when the old Earth passes away by fire?.

I also know that at the end of the millennium there's another war, Gog and Magog. This is against Satan and those who follow him that numbers like the sand of the sea and Jesus casts them all into the Lake of Fire.
For God to Create the New Earth is the destruction by fire at the end of the Millennium? Even so, how is it possible with a populated Earth?

 

[Greg]

It's a new creation and God is able to put his people there to populate it. Kind of a little bit like the Rapture when you think about it.

 

[1LoverofGod]

It's a new creation and God is able to put his people there to populate it. Kind of a little bit like the Rapture when you think about it.

My question is
When God destroys the earth with fire, are people on the Earth when He does that?
I can't see in scripture the in between the destruction of Earth by fire and the Creation of The New Earth.
I don't think Earth has no population on it at any time.
I'm just wondering how
2 Peter 3:10 can happen with people on the Earth
I know God can do anything. I just can't imagine how.

Reading verses 5&6 of the same chapter from 2 Peter 3 it's describing what happened with the flood destroying the earth.
But with the flood, we are given insight on God protecting Noah and his family with the Ark when the flood came. But I don't see any information on how God protects those still on the Earth when He destroys it with fire.

 

[1LoverofGod]

It's a new creation and God is able to put his people there to populate it. Kind of a little bit like the Rapture when you think about it.

I think I get what you are saying now.
Maybe God may take the population of people off of the Earth like a Rapture to destroy the Earth. That's a possibility.

 

[Greg]

That's pretty much what I was saying. I know it's not necessarily the most satisfying answer, but I think God is God and has it covered. I'm thinking once sin is dealt with once and for all, He moves us to His ultimate permanent reality. No idea how/when He does that, but I know He does. Interesting thing to think about!

 

[Andy C]

I know the Revelation 21:1 verse relates to after the millennium.
But still, where is everyone when the old Earth passes away by fire?.

I also know that at the end of the millennium there's another war, Gog and Magog. This is against Satan and those who follow him that numbers like the sand of the sea and Jesus casts them all into the Lake of Fire.
For God to Create the New Earth is the destruction by fire at the end of the Millennium? Even so, how is it possible with a populated Earth?

We know after the rapture, the church is in Heaven. We know at the end of the millenium, there will be a countless numbers of believers who will still be in earth. The Bible is silent as far as I can tell about what happens to them, so it’s possible when the those at the end of the millennium whose names are not found in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire, perhaps those whose names are in the book will join the church, already in Heaven, and are among the inhabitants of the new Jerusalem as it descends down. JMHO.

 

[1LoverofGod]

It's a new creation and God is able to put his people there to populate it. Kind of a little bit like the Rapture when you think about it.

I think I get what you are saying now.
Maybe God may take the population of people off of the Earth like a Rapture to destroy the Earth. That's a possibility.

That's pretty much what I was saying. I know it's not necessarily the most satisfying answer, but I think God is God and has it covered. I'm thinking once sin is dealt with once and for all, He moves us to His ultimate permanent reality. No idea how/when He does that, but I know He does. Interesting thing to think about!

Yes I see it like that too.
It's clear that the Church is Raptured prior to the beginning of the seventh week, Jacob's trouble.

But I know that Israel will go through the Tribulation as well as everyone else that was left behind after the Rapture of the church.
So it's those who are on the Earth after we are gone that I wondered about as to how the Earth could be destroyed by fire as Peter describes and people on the Earth not be affected by it.
After thinking about it more I had to place the timing of this destruction whether it took place at Jesus second coming because I believe that is The Day of The Lord.

But then I thought it could be at the end of the Millennium that this fire comes upon the Earth to destroy it and then God Creates The New Earth, based on chronologically between Revelation 20 and 21, where it seems to have a Gap without details of what happens between Satan and his followers being cast into the Lake of Fire and The Creation of The New Heavens and New Earth.
Isaiah 65 describes the New Earth and those dwelling in it this way......


“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;
For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing,
And her people a joy.
19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
And joy in My people;
The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her,
Nor the voice of crying.

20 “No more shall an infant from there live but a few days,
Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days;
For the child shall die one hundred years old,
But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 They shall build houses and inhabit them;
They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They shall not build and another inhabit;
They shall not plant and another eat;
For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people,
And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labor in vain,
Nor bring forth children for trouble;
For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the Lord,
And their offspring with them.

24 “It shall come to pass
That before they call, I will answer;
And while they are still speaking, I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
The lion shall eat straw like the ox,
And dust shall be the serpent’s food.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,”
Says the Lord."
Isaiah 65:17-25


But look at verse 22:
"For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people,"

I've heard some teach that this indicates that while people live to be like the "age of a tree", that it means people will live hundreds of years, like a tree does, so people will still die but live much longer, but will be part of the resurrection at the end of the Millennium. But this theology that's taught points to this passage being during the millennial reign of Jesus.
But how can this be true if verse 17 specifically says this is when God creates the New Earth?
Ugh
I have so many questions that I will likely not have answers to until it happens

 

[1LoverofGod]

We know after the rapture, the church is in Heaven. We know at the end of the millenium, there will be a countless numbers of believers who will still be in earth. The Bible is silent as far as I can tell about what happens to them, so it’s possible when the those at the end of the millennium whose names are not found in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire, perhaps those whose names are in the book will join the church, already in Heaven, and are among the inhabitants of the new Jerusalem as it descends down. JMHO.

I agree. It's just that I couldn't figure out how the Earth gets consumed by fire with people still on Earth. Like I said In post #8 as you say there's a Gap that has no detailed information on what happens between those being cast into the Lake of Fire and the Creation of the New Earth.
But Greg has a good possibility of there being a Rapture scenario with those who dwell on the Earth when that destruction takes place.

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

I wonder what happens to Hell and everyone/everything in it, since it's inside the Earth, and God promises eternal death and torment for those there.

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

There's nothing that says people can't be taken by God to the new before the old is destroyed. Perhaps all saved/Creation gets to watch/witness from Heaven or vicinity of the Great White Throne. God spoke the Heavens and Earth and all on/in into being, nothing that says He couldn't do this for both new creation and disposing of old creation. What a thing to see! Creation!

 

[1LoverofGod]

I wonder what happens to Hell and everyone/everything in it, since it's inside the Earth, and God promises eternal death and torment for those there.

Hell isn't the same as The Lake of Fire.
Those currently in hell will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgement and cast into the Lake of Fire, so I imagine there will no longer be a need for Hell, so it will likely be destroyed with the Earth when God Creates the New Earth.

 

[1LoverofGod]

Hell isn't the same as The Lake of Fire.
Those currently in hell will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgement and cast into the Lake of Fire, so I imagine there will no longer be a need for Hell, so it will likely be destroyed with the Earth when God Creates the New Earth.

I stand corrected.......

Hell is a place of suffering originally prepared by God for the devil and his angels (Matthew 18:9; 25:41). The words Hades (Greek) and Sheol (Hebrew) are sometimes associated with hell. However, Hades/Sheol is simply the place or realm where the spirits of people go when they die (see Genesis 37:35). Hades/Sheol is not necessarily a place of torment because God’s people were said to go there as well as the wicked. In the New Testament, we find that Hades is somehow “compartmentalized.” That is, the realm of the dead is divided into a place of comfort and a place of torment (Luke 16:19–31).

There are other words associated with hell in the Bible such as Gehenna and lake of fire. The biblical teaching is that there is an actual place where the spirits of the unsaved go for eternity (Revelation 9:1; 20:15; Matthew 23:33).

Everything that ever was or is or will be is created by God, including hell (Colossians 1:16). John 1:3 says, “All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made” (ESV). God alone has the power to cast someone into hell (Luke 12:5). Jesus holds the keys of death and Hades (Revelation 1:18).

Jesus said that hell was “prepared” for Satan and the demons (Matthew 25:41). Hell is a just punishment for the wicked one. The lake of fire will be the destination for those who reject Christ (2 Peter 2:4–9). The good news is that people can avoid hell. God, in His infinite mercy and love, has offered salvation by grace through faith in God’s Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16, 36; 5:24).

Did God create hell? | GotQuestions.org

Did God create hell? Why did God create hell? For what purpose was hell created?

www.gotquestions.org

 

[mattfivefour]

I am not of the opinion that Isaiah 65:17-25 takes place during the millennium. That theology just does not line up with the rest of Scripture. I believe that the events of this passage refer to the newly created earth of revelation 21:1, that will instantly be created following that which is described in Isaiah 34:4 and 2 Peter 3:7,10.

As to what happens to those of us who are inhabiting earth at that moment, I think Greg put his finger on it. Since we are in Christ, when God vaporizes all of creation and replaces it with a new creation, we will be safe in Christ. Then we will return to dwell on this new earth just as Noah and his family left the ark to dwell in the new earth that emerged from the flood and just as we will return from the Rapture to dwell on the present earth for the millennium.

 

[1LoverofGod]

I am not of the opinion that Isaiah 65:17-25 takes place during the millennium. That theology just does not line up with the rest of Scripture. I believe that the events of this passage refer to the newly created earth of revelation 21:1, that will instantly be created following that which is described in Isaiah 34:4 and 2 Peter 3:7,10.

As to what happens to those of us who are inhabiting earth at that moment, I think Greg put his finger on it. Since we are in Christ, when God vaporizes all of creation and replaces it with a new creation, we will be safe in Christ. Then we will return to dwell on this new earth just as Noah and his family left the ark to dwell in the new earth that emerged from the flood and just as we will return from the Rapture to dwell on the present earth for the millennium.

You say "what happens to us", I do know that we who have glorified bodies would be able to go up to Heaven during the destruction by fire of the old Earth.
My question was specifically about the one with earthly bodies dwelling on the Earth during the Millennium, believing Jews with earthly bodies and believing Gentiles with earthly bodies. Those nations we will rule over during the thousand years.
They would have earthly bodies, so these groups of people are included in the "us" you're talking about?
I don't discount the possibility for those with earthly bodies to get Raptured up off the Earth for safety. Anything is possible for God to do.
But it's these people groups that I was referring to who are not with glorified bodies.

 

[Hol]

I don't discount the possibility for those with earthly bodies to get Raptured

That makes sense.

But then I thought it could be at the end of the Millennium that this fire comes upon the Earth to destroy it and then God Creates The New Earth

That’s what I think.

I've heard some teach that this indicates that while people live to be like the "age of a tree", that it means people will live hundreds of years, like a tree does, so people will still die but live much longer, but will be part of the resurrection at the end of the Millennium. But this theology that's taught points to this passage being during the millennial reign of Jesus.
But how can this be true if verse 17 specifically says this is when God creates the New Earth?
Ugh

If it helps, the way I think of these puzzling promises is to dig into a few questions: could these passages be written in a Hebraic literary style, or maybe it’s written in the context like Daniel’s 70-weeks?

If you’ve listened to Andy Woods he explain that the church is not in the OT. The end of the 69th week when Jesus rides into Jerusalem and Israelis greet Him with Hosanna but their leaders determine to kill him and He rises on the third day—up until the rapture we have the church age. The 70th week is still coming like Daniel wrote. There’s a huge time gap. Maybe Isaiah wrote the New Creation in the first part of the 65th chapter as the joy at the end of time, and the Millennium age as the interlude before that

 

[mattfivefour]

You say "what happens to us", I do know that we who have glorified bodies would be able to go up to Heaven during the destruction by fire of the old Earth.
My question was specifically about the one with earthly bodies dwelling on the Earth during the Millennium, believing Jews with earthly bodies and believing Gentiles with earthly bodies. Those nations we will rule over during the thousand years.
They would have earthly bodies, so these groups of people are included in the "us" you're talking about?
I don't discount the possibility for those with earthly bodies to get Raptured up off the Earth for safety. Anything is possible for God to do.
But it's these people groups that I was referring to who are not with glorified bodies.

Thank you for clarifying, Rose. I apologize for not answering your actual question.

I have always believed that somehow God will glorify all of those who are faithful at the end of the millennium. Why would He not? After all, nothing unclean --in other words nothing that is not glorified-- will enter the New Jerusalem. Further, He will not destroy those who are faithful because that would go against His perfect character as revealed in the Word of God.

Therefore, based on the character of God and what little we can glean from the scripture on this topic, I believe that all those humans on the earth at the end of the millennium will be glorified in order to be made fit the dwell in the New Earth where only righteousness dwells. Thus what I said about us would apply to them equally.

 

[1LoverofGod]

Thank you for clarifying, Rose. I apologize for not answering your actual question.

I have always believed that somehow God will glorify all of those who are faithful at the end of the millennium. Why would He not? After all, nothing unclean --in other words nothing that is not glorified-- will enter the New Jerusalem. Further, He will not destroy those who are faithful because that would go against His perfect character as revealed in the Word of God.

Therefore, based on the character of God and what little we can glean from the scripture on this topic, I believe that all those humans on the earth at the end of the millennium will be glorified in order to be made fit the dwell in the New Earth where only righteousness dwells. Thus what I said about us would apply to them equally.

Makes sense. Thank you