Is Jesus Coming Back to Judge All and Destroy the Earth?
Do you believe Jesus is coming again to raise the dead, judge all who have ever lived, and destroy the earth? The following question is particularly relevant in the current age. One would hope that the answer would be yes among all members of the church, but that is not the case in all points. For our purposes, we will review the Scriptures that affirm that this is what awaits each soul and habitation of the living.
Who Will Be Raised and When?
First, we must affirm that Jesus is returning. In Acts 1:10-11, two messengers of God declared these words,
And while they were looking stedfastly into heaven as he went, behold two men stood by them in white apparel; who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven.
The return of Christ is imminent and unknown. While we can be assured that He will return, who will be subject to the resurrection, and when will this occur? Is there a judgment for the wicked and not the righteous? Will one occur before the other? Jesus explained as He taught,
For as the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself: and he gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment.
(John 5:26-29) (emphasis mine)
From this passage, we can prove that judgment is imminent. This judgment will consist of all the dead. The righteous will be raised unto the resurrection of life and the wicked unto a resurrection of judgment.
Who Will Be Judged and When
The resurrection and judgment of the just and unjust will occur in the same time frame. Jesus said all that are in the tombs shall hear His voice and come forth. This does not allow for a judgment of the righteous in heaven during an alleged seven years of tribulation as some followers of the premillenial theory suggest. Jesus explains again,
But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered all the nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats; and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels:
(Matthew 25:31-34;41) (emphasis mine)
The judgment of the righteous and unrighteous is here described as a gathering of all nations. At that gathering, all will be separated into two categories: sheep or goats. The sheep or righteous will receive the kingdom of heaven (fully) that has been prepared for them. The goats or unrighteous will receive eternal fire in hell, the abode prepared not for man, but for the devil and his angels.
What Will Come of the Earth?
When the Lord returns and gathers all who have ever lived to Him, something else will happen. It is at this time that the Earth will be destroyed and cease to exist. The Bible teaches this concept in 2 Peter 3.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness, looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
(2 Peter 3:10-13) (emphasis mine)
It is true that some hold to a theory known as the Renovated Earth, otherwise known as Realized Eschatology. This theory suggests that the earth will be renovated by fire, and the righteous will live on this renovated earth. Without devoting too much time, we will focus on what we have read. First, the heavens will pass away, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat. Second, the earth and works that are therein shall be burned up. Third, again we see that all will be dissolved, the heavens will be dissolved, and elements shall melt with fervent heat. This seems quite evidently to declare a destruction of the present earth, not a mere wiping of the slate.
Let me explain it this way, the word for dissolved is lythēsetai (λυθήσεται), which comes from the root to loose. So imagine this. If you unbound a particular item it breaks apart, and no longer exists as it did. Now contrast that with Colossians 1:17 and what it says the Lord does, “and he is before all things, and in him all things consist” What the ASV renders as consist is the word synestēken (συνέστηκεν), meaning set or held together. So picture this: when the Lord returns, all will be judged. The heavens and earth will be burned up and dissolved (completely loosed from their existence). In the meantime, from the creation this earth has been sustained and held together by the Lord. When the Lord destroys this earth, its elements, and works, nothing will remain from it.
Why is This Important?
Why are we even considering this question? First, the assurance of the end commands actions in the present. We must be a people that are comforted by the fact that The Lord is returning for His people and to judge all who will not accept His offer of salvation (cf. 1 Thess 4:16-18). There is a home in Heaven prepared for us. We ought to use each day to bring more souls with us to the reward the Lord has prepared for the righteous.
