Problem:
Does the earth abide forever or not? Psalm 104:5; Ecclesiastes 1:4 and Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:10
Solution:
Abides forever
Psalm 104:5, “He established the earth upon its foundations So that it will not totter forever and ever.”
Ecclesiastes 1:4, “A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.”
Does not abide forever
Isaiah 65:17, “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, And the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind.”
2 Peter 3:10, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.”
The context of the Ecclesiastes passage is revealed in the previous verse (3) which says, “What advantage does man have in all his work which he does under the sun?” In other words, the perspective of Ecclesiastes is from a completely human standpoint. The same is occurring in the Psalms passage, a description from a human perspective. Therefore, the writers will see the earth abiding forever because that is exactly how it appears. But, in Isaiah 65:17 and 2 Peter 3:10 the contexts are altogether different. They are speaking of the time in the future when the new heavens and new earth will be made. Take a look at 2 Peter.
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells,” (2 Peter 3:10-13).
Since sin is in the world, the earth and all its works will be destroyed and cleansed, and a new heaven and new earth will replace them.
