| Highlights of Dawn | October 1966 |
This Disintegrating World
“The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” —II Peter 3:10
FIFTY-TWO years ago came the first World War. So far as the masses of mankind were concerned, it came unexpectedly and was unwanted. To encourage the distraught people of the warring nations, the dreadful struggle was announced as “a war to end wars.” And with the jubilation that spontaneously broke out throughout the nations on that memorable armistice day, November 11, 1918, one would be justified in thinking that the nations would never again want to go to war.
Many sincere efforts were made to keep the peace, but these failed, with the result that another global struggle got under way in 1939. This wore on for many weary years, and finally was blasted to an end in 1946 by the dropping of those first atomic bombs on two helpless Japanese cities. Since then there has been the Korean War, and while this was not a World War, it nevertheless cost billions of dollars and thousands of human lives.
Now a number of the nations are involved in a struggle in Viet Nam, which is ever increasing in intensity and volume; and no one knows when or how it will end. Billions of American dollars are being poured into this struggle, and hundreds of thousands of men. Now there is the constant threat that this struggle might well escalate into a third World War, with all its horrors of hydrogen bombs and other modern death-dealing instruments of destruction.
While we are appalled at the tremendous loss of life involved in all the wars, large and small, which have plagued mankind beginning with 1914, it is what has been taking place in world society as a whole that particularly interests us at the moment. Guns and bombs have destroyed people and cities to an extent that would have been thought impossible a century ago, but the impact of this has meanwhile been destroying a social order to an extent which can be visualized only when we compare the world of today with the pre-1914 world.
The European world prior to 1914 was governed largely by hereditary ruling houses aligned with one or another state church. For the most part these have almost entirely disappeared. The United States was an isolationist country, persistently refraining so far as possible from involvement in the affairs of other nations, especially in military matters. How this has changed! The upsurge of communism in Russia and Asia has helped to alter this, so that today the United States maintains military forces in thirty-three countries. Ninety-five countries are receiving from the United States military or economic aid, or both, in the form of grants and loans.
We might say that to a degree the United States is supporting what is left of the world outside of the communist countries. This is an undertaking which most economists think cannot continue too much longer; but it is believed that without it the world would be left in complete chaos, an easy prey for the communists. However, with all the support that the United States ‘can give to the weak and faltering nations of earth, it is still a very sick world, a world in which serious trouble can erupt almost any time or any place.
Now World-wide
Prior to 1914 most people in the United States gave very little thought to the rest of the world. Europe was a place to be visited by a few of the rich. South America, generally speaking, was seldom in the news, and this was also true of the Asian countries, and the countries of the Near and Middle East. In a vague sort of way some knew of the diamond mines of Africa, and that this was the country from which the original slaves of the South were imported. Seldom did any of these faraway countries make the front pages of the newspapers, and this was true also of Australia and New Zealand.
But how different it is now! Suddenly—that is, within less than a half-century—the whole world appears before us every day through the news. It is as though Japan, China, Viet Nam, South America, and the other far-flung places of the earth had suddenly been moved to our very neighborhood! And there is serious trouble in every country. The prophetic “increase of knowledge” and running “to and fro” have contributed to this, as it has also to the general chaos that exists on every continent of earth, and even on the isles of the sea.—Dan. 12:4
Religion Also
What a vast change there has been in the religious world since 1914! Prior to that time, religion was a vital part of government throughout most of Europe. And while we did not have a church-state government in this country, religion occupied a more important place in the lives of the people of the nation than it does today. Through the last half-century there has been a general breakdown of moral and religious standards in every nation of the earth—the heathen as well as the professed Christian.
On the other hand, in the professed Christian world steps are being taken by the churches to strengthen ‘their weakening position. They are endeavoring to unite for mutual protection against the general enemies of communism, atheism, and a rising tide of religious doubt and disinterest. The ecumenical spirit is so prevalent that even Catholics and Protestants are beginning, in a limited way, to mingle in religious worship. To this end they must, of course, temporarily lay aside their prejudices and their peculiar traditions, but their mutual need for help impels them to do this.
An interesting fact not mentioned in the public press has been the utter failure of the Pope’s visit to the United States and the United Nations. He came here to plead for peace. He celebrated mass before an audience of nearly a hundred thousand. He adjured the delegates at the United Nations to pray and work for peace. It was as though when he flew back to the Vatican we should expect to see the warring armies in Viet Nam almost at once lay down their arms. Or perhaps the hope was that the rulers of North Viet Nam would suddenly change their attitude and ask for a peace conference.
But nothing like this happened. Instead, the Viet Nam war has continued to escalate ever since the Pope made his unprecedented journey and plea for peace. As we have said, this has not been mentioned in the public press, but we cannot help wondering what thinking men and women must conclude as to the Pope’s influence in the heavenly courts. To us it means that he has lost much of his influence over the rulers of the nations—for certainly the time was when the desire of the Pope for either peace or war was not denied.
Heavens and Earth
In our text we have a prophecy which is closely related to the time in which we are living. In this text man’s social order is symbolized as a “heavens” and an “earth.” In verses 5 and 6 of this chapter the social order that existed prior to the Flood is also referred to as a “heavens” and “earth,” and Peter refers to them together as a “world.” Peter tells us that the “heavens” and “earth” of that time perished in the Flood. We know that the literal earth did not perish, but merely the social order that existed on the earth. With the perishing of that social order there was the destruction of many human lives, but the important consideration is that a social order was then destroyed.
It is important to keep this distinction in mind in our study of the prophecies.* The prophetic end of the world is not the destruction of the earth; nor is it the literal heavens and earth that are referred to in our text. Life on this earth is very much subject to the influence of the higher powers of the sun, the moon, and the stars; so this relationship is employed by the Lord to illustrate the spiritual and the material aspects of man’s social order.
*Note. See the article in this issue, “Christ’s Return and the End of the World.”
The symbolic “heavens” in our social order is comprised of Satan, whom Paul refers to as “the god of this world” (II Cor.4:4), and associated with him, the fallen angels. These exert their influence through false religion and religious systems, which are also a part of these “heavens.”
In our text the apostle tells us that in “the day of the Lord” these “heavens” would pass away with a great noise, and that the “elements” composing them would melt with fervent heat. In Luke 21:25,26 we have a prophecy by Jesus in which he describes our day as one when men’s hearts would fail them for fear, and he adds that “the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” This is evidently the same “heaven” or “heavens” mentioned in Peter’s prophecy.
The “Elements”
What are the “elements” of these symbolic heavens? The word “elements” in this prophecy translates a Greek word which elsewhere in the New Testament is translated “rudiments” and “principles.” It is translated “principles” in Hebrews 5:12, where Paul tells the Hebrew brethren to whom he is writing that they needed to be taught again “which be the first principles of the oracles of God.”
In Colossians 2:8 this same word is translated “rudiments,” and the margin suggests “elements.” The text reads, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” The word appears again in the 20th verse and is again translated “rudiments.” We quote, “Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances?”
It is clear from these inspired uses of this Greek word that it does not describe the material elements which make up the sun and moon and stars—the literal heavens—but rather the dogmas, teachings, traditions, and edicts by which, through the centuries, the great religious systems of earth have controlled the people. It has been a control exercised through their minds, based to a large extent upon fear.
Now this control is being shaken. The dogmas and “principles” of religion are slowly “melting.” They cannot remain firm in the face of the increasing knowledge and the fiery troubles of this “day of the Lord.” For the most part all the religions of earth have had generally good moral standards, but the people are rapidly breaking away from these. Less and less do the people fear the threats of future torment. Unbelief and semi-belief is on the increase everywhere. The ecumenical movement is an effort to regain power over the people by other means than through the outworn dogmas of the church, for these elements, it seems apparent, are melting and losing their effectiveness.
“Works” of the “Earth”
In our text Peter speaks of the “works” of the symbolic earth. He says, “The earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” The Greek word here translated “works” means labor, or toil. It is variously translated in the New Testament as “deed,” “doing,” “labor,” and “work.” It does not, apparently, refer to what we might call the “works” of man such as his great cities, and other material achievements.
The reference seems, rather, to selfish and sinful human pursuits, behavior, conduct, actions. Selfishness, or at least self-interest, is the motive which prompts most human pursuits, and under the kingdom laws, selfishness will be replaced by love. Thus the outlook of the people will be entirely different and they will be working for the happiness of others, rather than to exploit them, as is so often the case today.—Isa. 11:9
Today, with the powers of religious restraint weakening, selfishness controls to a greater extent than ever, and the “works” of the symbolic earth are becoming increasingly chaotic. Ultimately the symbolic fire of the great “time of trouble” will completely destroy the “works” of man, and then, under the administration of Christ’s kingdom, they will be put to work on kingdom projects.
New Heavens and New Earth
The destruction of Satan’s world is not the only thing accomplished as a result of Christ’s return. After telling of this destruction, Peter adds, “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (vs. 13) Peter knew that there would be a “new heavens and a new earth” because God had promised it. See Isaiah 65:17-22. In vision John saw this promised new heavens and new earth. (Rev. 21:1-4) It meant, as John saw it, that then God would be dwelling with the people, and there would be no more pain and death.
The glorified Jesus and his church, exalted to live and reign with him a thousand years, will constitute the new power of spiritual control over the people. There will also be a new “earth,” that is, the visible phase of Christ’s kingdom. In this arrangement also the people will be controlled through their minds. However, instead of being led by the “doctrines” of devils, they will be brought under the laws of God. Using “Zion” and “Jerusalem” to symbolize the spiritual aspects of the messianic kingdom, the prophet wrote, “The law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”—Micah 4:1-4
To begin with, the new symbolic earth of promise will be composed of the Ancient Worthies raised from the dead. But as the people, beginning with natural Israel, conform to the laws of that new government, the new “earth” will expand until it embraces the entire restored world of mankind. What a glorious day that will be! When the messianic kingdom shall have fully accomplished its purpose, the Lord will reign supreme throughout the entire planet, and the Christian’s prayer for God’s kingdom will be fully answered.—Matt. 6:10; I Cor. 15:25-28