In the early 90’s, because of a position I held as manager of training by a San Antonio company, I was asked to volunteer as a judge for one of the school districts student competitions on presentations. I was not to judge the content, only their presentation skills. So, I spent Friday and Saturday along with two other judges as many high school students passed before us making presentations. Before becoming a volunteer, I did not know that the theme of the contest was global warming. To my near shock I had to endure one after another of creative expressions by the youth on the dangers and urgency of global warming. The presentations were innovatively presented in passion and earnest more than most preachers discuss hell. To all those presenting, global warming was frighteningly real. There was no hint of it being a false theory or even a mere theory. They all stated with urgency that the earth only had ten more years. That was more than 30 years ago. Even though Al Gore, and many others pushing their theory as scientific and real have been proven wrong by the passing of time, the same dogma goes on, with trillions of dollars being spent to combat something that does not exist. That does not mean we should not be stewards over pollution, but can or will the earth be destroyed by man-made means of environmental decisions? The Scripture is the source of truth on such matters.

Does the Scripture address whether or not the earth will be destroyed and if so, how will it be destroyed? Peter tells us it will be destroyed by God and will melt in fervent heat (2 Pet. 3:10-13). John records the timing of its destruction will be after the thousand-year reign of the Lord (Revelation 21:1). He further says it will be replaced by a new heaven and a new earth which will continue for eternity. What God will do with the present earth has nothing to do with whether people are using too much hair spray or freon. The Bible instead addresses how God in all wisdom made the present earth to be sustaining and self-cleansing. In the wisdom book of Ecclesiastes, we read:  “A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. Also, the sun rises, and the sun sets; and hastening to its place it rises there again. Blowing toward the south, then turning toward the north, the wind continues swirling along; and on its circular courses the wind returns. All the rivers flow into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again” (Eccl. 1:4-7). Solomon under Divine inspiration, addresses the manner of creation of the earth. God so established the earth that it moves to refresh and revitalize itself. This is a scientific fact from scripture long before man knew it. No one can eliminate any substance on the earth. They may use it and change it from one form to another, but it continues to exist and thereby goes through cycles that cannot be destroyed. 

Any realistic look at the wisdom of the earth’s design, and the manner of its intricate physical laws should be a cause for worship of the true God (Romans 1:20-21; Psalm 19:1-6). To think that God has been caught by surprise by man’s activities is ridiculous. What should be seen is that God formed all the earth and made man to have the creative ability to develop all kinds of useful innovations from its substances, such as engines that burn fossil fuel. Did such an innovation surprise God?  Such thinking is absurd. No substance or pollution can ultimately destroy the earth because God designed it so that one substance or process contributes to the revitalization of another, and so the earth continues. Man is not capable of changing that, and that is Solomon’s point.

Secondly, we have the very promise of God. In Genesis, following the flood, we read this promise made through Noah to all future generations, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done. While the earth remains, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Gen 8:21b-22). This is the sovereign God who cannot lie (Titus 1:2). This is the same God who created the world, and holds all activities of the earth in His omnipotent power (Isa 45:7). Please note that God has promised that He will maintain all weather cycles. Believing anything else is an offense to Him. It cannot have any scientific merit, because the God of science has stated this as His promise.

What we should fear is the true God, who holds all things in His glorious hands. Our earth was wonderfully created by Him and is now sovereignly administered by Him.  Not only is the earth in His hands, but so are each of us. We should place our confidence in Him through His Son and worship Him. Do not fear global warming or what has now been renamed climate change, but fear Him who is real, and is worthy of our greatest attention. He has shown His love and care by providing us His Son as our Savior. He alone is our true comfort and supreme hope!