Climate change’s destruction
by Merrill Olson
In speaking of our human responsibility as far as the earth is concerned, Psalm 8:6-8 is interesting: “You have him to have dominion over the works of You hands; You have put all things under his feet, All sheep and oxen-Even the beasts of the field, The birds of the air and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the sea.”
Therefore, these verses speak of God’s representative, humankind, over all His Creation. After He created Adam and Eve, He commanded them to have dominion over all the earth. “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth’” (Genesis 1:28). This meant that all living creatures were to be under them. However, this dominion has never been fully realized because sin entered through Satan and then Adam and Eve rebelled against God’s created order.
Along with this Fall, came the earth’s subjection to bondage. The Bible says, “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope” (Romans 8:20). Because of it, the creation that now exists is in a corrupted condition. This is why there are earthquakes, volcanoes, sickness, slavery, suffering, sorrow, etc. But someday that will all be changed. This will happen after the Lord Jesus’ Second Coming and He sets up His Millennial Kingdom of peace and righteousness. “For behold, I [God] create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind” (Isaiah 65:17; 11:1-9). Yet, there are many other passages that speak of this glorious time!
But, the final end, before the eternal ages, God will destroy the earth with fire. “But the heavens and earth which now exist are kept in store by the same word [God’s word], reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men [people]…But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, 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” (2 Peter 3:7, 10).
Therefore, the same word [God’s word] that brought judgment upon the earth by water (vs. 5-6) is the same word that will destroy this earth by fire. As God intervened in a catastrophic way before, in the Global Flood, He will do again with fire.
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With all this in mind what the Scriptures say, it does not mean that those who criticize today’s green agenda are anti-environmentalist. They surely do want clean air and water. However, this green agenda is controlling laws and politics. Many of the leaders are driven by it, and the media treats those against it with degradation. The fossil fuels are portrayed as being so bad that the environment will suffer. Therefore, the call, “Save the environment!”
Tragically, many churches are hopping on the bandwagon. Instead, of seeking to evangelize the lost people who are on their way to an eternal hell without Christ, their concern is on saving the planet! Surely, they are aware of what God’s Word says about this present earth and its final demise, it’s destruction!
Therefore, people will not destroy this planet. That will be God’s doing. Until that time, it is being “reserved for fire” (1 Peter 3:7). Thus, remember that it is God who is in control!
Merrill Olson served as a senior pastor for thirty-four years. He received a B.S. from Minnesota State University-Mankato, an M. Div. from Bethel Theological Seminary, and a D. Min. from Columbia Evangelical Seminary. He is currently involved as an interim pastor along with a teaching and writing ministry. His emphasis is on apologetics and training believers to defend their faith in Christ from God’s Word. He is well versed in Bible prophecy as it pertains to end times. He is a gifted speaker with the conviction that only by the Word of God can people experience inward transformation by the Holy Spirit. He and his wife, Jan, reside in Minnesota and have two daughters and four delightful grandchildren.