Finally, it needs to be pointed out that a complete destruction of the earth in the eschaton is not a belief shared by all premillennialists. Similar to the account of the flood God’s judgment brought destruction upon the earth, but the earth itself did not vanish. God showed his care through persevering each species of animals and by the restoration and many new wonders that occurred on the earth after the flood. Likewise, many premillennialists see the final destruction of the earth in terms of purification and renewal, rather than the replacement of an old bad earth for a new good earth. In support for their view theologians refer back to the church father Irenaeus who did not believe in the total annihilation of the cosmos: “For neither is the substance nor the essence of the creation annihilated (for faithful and true is He who has established it), but “the fashion of the world passeth away”” (566, emphasis his). In a rebuttal to Al Truesdale, who argues in Last Things First: The Impact of Eschatology on Ecology that premillennialism is incompatible with environmental concern, R.S. Beal Jr. states that the issue of apocalyptic destruction “has not been carefully considered by most current premillennialists. The destruction of the physical world may not, after all, be a doctrine taught in Scripture” (177).
Raymond C. Van Leeuwen writes concerning the fate of this world in the eschaton “There is both continuity and change between this world and the next” (67). The new heavens and the new earth are not ex nihilo creations as was the first creation. Ernest Lucas in The New Testament Teaching on the Environment cites a commentary on Isaiah 40-66 on the meaning of “new heavens and new earth”: “The words “I create a new heavens and the earth” do not imply that heaven and earth are to be destroyed and in their place a new heaven and new earth created… Instead, the world, designated as “heaven and earth” is to be miraculously renewed” (Westermann 408).
The New Testament passage that has led many to reject a view of renewal in favor of complete destruction and re-creation is 2. Peter 3:10: “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare”. Although there is no room for a discussion on the exegesis of the passage in this paper it must be noted that many exegetes have argued for a translation of the passage that would emphasize the renewal aspect over the idea of complete destruction and re-creation.
The first and foremost justification for a reading of 2 Peter 3 as renewal lies in the idea of reading this passage in light of scripture as a whole, which continuously stresses continuity between the present created order and the new earth. The Greek expressions translated as “destruction”, “laid bare” or “burned up” do not necessitate an understanding that excludes continuity and renewal. The idea of purification is more prominent than the concept of the creation being completely destroyed. Earnest Lucas summarizes: “the old creation is not simply abolished, but is transformed” (96). Abraham Kyper’s offer this interpretation of the earth’s renewal: “And herein roots the love of God, that He will repair and renew this world, His own creation, His own work of wisdom, His own work of art, which we have upset and broken, and polish it again to new luster” (38).
The debate between an eschatology of destruction and one of renewal continues among premillennialists. Although the first position does not justify an escapist eschatology that de-motivates Christians to fulfill their responsibility as stewards of the earth and as citizens of the kingdom of God that has broken into the present, a view of renewal offers a more optimistic view of the creation and a source of encouragement for environmentally concerned Christians. To come to a conclusion on this issue, a look at the history of theology as well as careful exegesis of all passages in question is necessary.
As I have stated in the beginning, this paper is part of a personal journey, a journey that has only just begun. I looked for a biblical justification for my concern, instead I caught glimpses of a biblical theology of the earth. R.S. Beal Jr. calls Christians to reconsider their view of the environment: “All that God cherishes enough for redemption, the Christian can and ought to cherish” (178, emphasis his). Since the root cause of environmental degradation is moral, the first step needs to be repentance (Pratney 143, 154). As Christians we need to re-discover a biblical theology of the world we live in and put it into practice as part of the mission of the church in bringing redemption to all of creation. VanDyke urges Christians to begin mirroring God’s care for his creation in the land that has been entrusted to us personally and corporately (100). “When we buy a part of the landscape, we buy a part of God’s creation that we have decided to put under our own care” (DeWitt, Caring 54). Christian environmentalism is growing and thankfully more and more Christians are realizing the kingdom value of eco-justice, by making personal choices as well as by addressing environmental degradation through structural evil. By doing so, we mirror God’s love for his creation, affirm the goodness of creation, we love our neighbor, we draw the kingdom of God into the present and we join the earth in our common purpose of singing God’s praise.
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