The End of the World: Is it a homicide or a suicide?

A study of whether our world will be destroyed by God or human being itself

___________________

A Paper Presented to
Dr. Martin Hanna
Andrews University Theological Seminary

___________________

GSEM 510-002 Revelation, Inspiration and Hermeneutics

___________________

by
Student Name: Song Ven Tay
AU ID#: 209140
December 2, 2018
 Table of Contents

Introduction ...........................................................................................................1

01 The End of the World? Are You Serious? .........................................................3

02 Bible Prophecies ...............................................................................................5

03 The Study of Biblical Eschatology ....................................................................7

04 What the Scientists Say About It ..................................................................... 12

05 How Should Christian React to It .................................................................... 16

Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 18

Bibliography ........................................................................................................ 21
 Introduction

I grew up in an Adventist home. When I was about four or five years old, I followed my

parents to go to Adventist church every Sabbath in the little island of Penang, Malaysia. I have

been listening to the speakers’ preaching on the pulpit in the church every Sabbath. One of the

most common topics that the speakers preached in the church was the Second Coming of Jesus.

In those preaching, I heard that the Bible teaches about the prophecies that just before

Jesus comes, our world will fall apart, buildings will collapse, there will be many earthquakes,

famines, pestilences, wars and many people will die. All these will be caused by God. However,

on the other hand, the Bible tells us that God is love (1 John 4:8).

All the while, I always had a question in my heart, like some of the people had, that why

the self-proclaim loving God would want to destroy our world? Is He indeed a loving God or is

He actually a cruel God? He wants to end our world. However, will this world really end? If so,

is it really God that wanted to destroy it? Or would it because of human factors that are bringing

the end of the world to itself?

In recent years, when I noticed that there had been many environmental activities to

promote the protection of the earth and to say that our planet is ill, otherwise, our earth may not

continue. This raised my interest to study about it and to see if what is happening now

concerning our earth's environmental phenomena are in consistent with the Bible teachings about

the end-time prophecy.

In this research paper, I will do some hermeneutic to study some of the Bible texts and

see what they are really saying about the end-time events or prophecy. Meanwhile, I will also use

1
current events such as science, news from television or newspapers and scientific articles to

elaborate my points. I will also refer to the work of God's Prophet – Mrs. Ellen G. White’s

writing to see if she has any advice on the issue of the end-time event.

Due to I am a Chinese Malaysian, besides I understand English, I also understand a few

more languages like Chinese and Malay. Therefore, among my sources of this research paper,

some of them may be taken from the Chinese literatures, books or news from television or

newspapers. When I come across to these materials, I will do my best to try to search and find

the original English article (if the material is translated from English). If not, I will do the

Chinese to English translation in order to let the readers understand the content of them.

2
 01 The End of the World? Are You Serious?

Seventh-Day Adventists are always eager and in enthusiasm in sharing the gospel

message of the Second Coming of Jesus. Just like one of the two important messages of its name

“Adventist” which means a group of people that waiting for the imminent Second Coming

(advent) of Jesus Christ.

Adventists, as well as other Christians other than Adventists, believe that once the

Second Coming of Jesus occurs, that is the day when our world will end in history.

If a person is not a Christian, he/she may not believe that the world will end one day.

However, when we look at the film industry, “we see growing attention not only in the moment

of apocalypse — aliens and zombies who occupy our planet or world catastrophies like global

warming, tsunamies or tornados etc. — but also in the post-apocalyptic age where survivors are

trying to find a way of living after disaster.” 1 All these may give the people something to think

of about the future.

Some people may say that the above movies are just the stories that were made to

entertain people, that’s why the film industry is also called “the entertainment industry.” Let’s

see if there’s anyone have anything to say about the end of the world other than the film industry.

According to an International Chinese version of a science and technology magazine -

How It Works, the author - Ceri Perkins, wrote that our world could end in eight cataclysmic

ways, such as supervolcano eruption, nuclear winter, asteroid impact, runaway greenhouse

1
Zoran Turza, Hermeneutical Approach to Eschatological Issues, Hermeneutical perspective of Werner
Jeanrond, 40.

3
effect, the sun dies, gamma-ray burst, global pandemic, and artificial intelligence robot takes

over the world. 2

In a similar way, the science magazine - Discover 2010 October Issue, the author - Corey

S. Powell wrote not only that our world could end in eight cataclysmic ways but thirty.3

Corey says in his article that “Fashions come and go in all human endeavors—even

eschatology, the study of the end of the world.” Then, he continues in his explanation:

“Back in the 1980s, our planet seemed sure to perish in a nuclear

barrage… By the 1990s, death by asteroid impact was all the rage. After 9/11

and the 2001 anthrax attacks, worries turned to a bioweapon unleashed by a

terror group. The latest obsession is plague, delivered in the metaphorical form

of vampires and zombies…”

What did Corey say that “Fashions come and go in all human endeavors —

even eschatology, the study of the end of the world” could be possibly accurate? Let’s

continue to explore.

2
Ceri Perkins, “A Big Analysis of the Earth Crisis,” How It Works (Taipei: Imagine Publishing), April
2016, 28-35. You may refer to the internet English version of this content in the How It Works official website:
https://www.howitworksdaily.com/7-cataclysmic-ways-the-world-might-end. However, in the English version of
this article, Ceri Perkins only mentioned the first seven cataclysmic ways but without the eighth, maybe that is
because the Chinese version is the latest edited version of her writing; therefore, she added some new insight into
the article.
3
Corey S. Powell, “30 Ways the World Could End,” Discover Magazine, Digital Edition (Wisconsin:
Kalmbach Publishing), October 2010 Issue. Accessed November 15, 2018.
http://discovermagazine.com/2010/oct/30-ways-the-world-could-end
4
 02 Bible Prophecies

First of all, let us begin with the Bible prophecies and see whether the Bible is worth our

belief. If the Bible prophecies are reliable, then, it would worth our study the biblical

eschatology, so that we can get ready for it (if the current social phenomena that are happening

can relate to the biblical eschatology’s prophecy).

In 2012, the whole world was talking and worrying about a prophecy that was predicted

by the ancient civilization – Mayan, that our world might end on December 21, 2012. Everyone

was talking about the end of the world, even Hollywood also came out with a blockbuster movie

– 2012.

Back then, when this movie came out, it created a lot of heated discussions in the society,

even my non-Christian friends used to ask me about my opinion of the accuracy of this prophecy

and what I think about it and whether I would believe that it will fulfill or not. I had an

opportunity to share with them what I believe, from the biblical point of view. This was an

excellent opportunity for me to share with my non-Christian friends the gospel of Jesus Christ.

This hot topic had sprinted the entire internet world, even the news from television and

newspapers also often broadcast about its news, opinions, discussions, and concern. The reason

why this topic was so fiercely discussed was that the people were convinced and believed that

the Mayan’s prophecies were highly accurate in the past.

Among many various discussions about the Mayan’s prophecy, one of them even

mentioned the Bible prophecy that predicted about the end of the world. In this Chinese

television program, a news narrator told the audience that we should not ignore the accuracy of

5
the Bible prophecies.4 It is well known to the world that the prophecies of the Bible are highly

accurate.

A scholar name J. Barton Payne had done some research about the biblical prophecies

and found out that just in the Old Testament alone, it has covered almost 30% of prophecies.5

According to Payne’s analysis, the entire Bible has about 31,124 verses, of which 8,352

verses contain predictive material. Therefore, the proportion of prophecies in the Bible accounts

for 27%, that is, more than a quarter. Among those 8,352 verses, after deducted all the repetitive

prophecies, there are approximately 737 independent predictions throughout the Bible.

The Chinese version of a Sunday Church online Christian news media - The Gospel

Herald, commented about Payne’s research and tell its readers that among those 737 predictions,

there are approximately 590 of them are major prophecies which 96.6% of them had almost

fulfilled 6 (the rest of them are still in the process of fulfilling or waiting to be fulfilled in the

future).

Since the accuracy of Bible prophecy is exceptionally high, we should not ignore the

prophecies that mentioned the end-time events in the Bible. Let us now go and look at the Bible

verses on eschatology.

4
Doomsday Prophecy, “Modern apocalypse,” aired April 21, 2010, on Eastern Broadcasting Company
Financial News, 2010, accessed November 20, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKTEZEgNc2c
5
J. Barton Payne, Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy: The Complete Guide to Scriptural Predictions and
Their Fulfillment (New York: Harper & Row, 1973), 13, 674–675, 681.

Li Si Chen, “The Fulfillment of Biblical Predictions Are True, Be Watchful of the True the End of the
6

World,” Evangelism-Shepherding, The Gospel Herald, December 21, 2012, accessed November 20, 2018.
http://www.gospelherald.com.hk/news/gen-2479/《聖經》預言應驗無花假「真末日」當警醒
6
 03 The Study of Biblical Eschatology

First of all, let us define what the meaning of eschatology is. The word Eschatology

derived from two Greek words: eschatos (last) and logos (word).7 When these two Greek words

put together, the literal meaning of eschatology is “last word.”

There is "another meaning for the Greek word logos which is “study.” “Eschatology,

therefore, is the word concerning, or the study of, what is ultimate or last, that is, what is final in

the program of God.” 8

Some authors put it this way that the eschatology is “the study of the last things; for

example, end-time judgment, resurrection, and glorification,” 9 and “the destiny of this world …

the individual person and everything it encompasses,” 10 such as eternal life and eternal

damnation, paradise, doomsday, and the Second Coming of Jesus, etc.

Due to the limited space of this research paper, I will only concentrate on study two Bible

verses that seem to indicate that God wanted to destroy the world and humanity in the end time.

In the book of Revelation 7:1-3 the Bible says…

“And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of

7
Bernard S. Cayne, ed., The New Lexicon Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language (New York:
Lexicon Publications, Inc., 1991), 322.
8
"Grenz, 1992:16," cited in Jonathan M. Menn, Biblical Eschatology (Oregon: Wipf and Stock Publishers,
2017), 3.

Karl T. Kemp, Verse-by-Verse Studies of Selected Eschatological Prophecies from the Book of Isaiah
9

(Missouri: Karl Kemp Teaching Ministries, 2013), 1.

Ian A. McFarland et al., The Cambridge Dictionary of Christian Theology (New York: Cambridge
10

University Press, 2011), 168.

7
 the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on

the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending

from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice

to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying,

Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants

of our God in their foreheads.”

In these verses, the four angels “represent divine agencies in the world holding back the

forces of evil,” and the four corners “signifies that the whole earth,” and the four winds “are

plainly destructive forces” from everywhere.11

At first glance, it seems that it is God that has given these angels the power to hurt the

earth (v. 2-3). In reality, if we “viewed in the light of the great controversy between Christ and

Satan, these destructive forces represent the efforts of Satan to spread ruin and destruction

everywhere.” 12

The meaning of the Greek word krateo (holding) in verse 1 is “holding in check,” which

is “to take control of.” 13 It was God that sending angels to hold back or to take control of the ruin

and destruction that Satan wanted to cause everywhere in the world.

Another Greek word didomi (“given” to hurt the earth and the sea) in verse 3 has the

meaning of “to grant or permit one.” 14 Therefore, the meaning of the Revelation 7:1-3 is that the

Francis D. Nichol, ed., The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, volume 7 (Washington D. C.:
11

Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1980), 781.

12
Ibid.
13
Riversoft Ministry, Strong-Lite Dictionary (MySword Bible Software for Android, 2018).
14
Ibid.
8
angels were commanded by God to hold back or to take control of Satan’s destructive works on

earth until a time when they are granted or permitted to let go of their control.

Ellen White has a similar comment on these verses in Testimonies to Ministers and

Gospel Workers:

“John sees the elements of nature—earthquake, tempest, and political

strife—represented as being held by four angels. These winds are under control

until God gives the word to let them go. There is the safety of God's church. The

angels of God Do His bidding, holding back the winds of the earth, that the

winds should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree, until the

servants of God should be sealed in their foreheads.” 15

It is God that wanted to protect the world, not to destroy it. It is the works of Satan to

destroy the world.

Another Bible verse that I want to draw out is Revelation 11:18

“And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the

dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy

servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and

great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.”

These verses refer to the end of time where Christ will soon to be the King over the earth.

This is almost the end of all disasters, and the kingdoms of the world are about to

become the Kingdom of Christ (Revelation 18:15-17).

15
Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 444.
9
 The Andrews Study Bible explains that “while the seventh trumpet 16 signals the close of

human probation (Revelation 10:7), there are still events that must take place before the Second

Coming.” 17 These events must take place because “the nations were angry.” (Revelation 11:18a)

“They will band together to oppose the work and people of Christ (see on Revelation 13:12;

14:8).” 18 Therefore, in heaven, God declared that He is going to judge and destroy the wicked

that destroy the earth and will give the reward to the righteous. (Revelation 11:18b)

In the article titled “Corrupted,” 19 a Seventh-day Adventist businessman - Gerry

Wagoner gives a comment on Revelation 11:18, especially the last portion of it (destroy them

which destroy the earth) “has become the Magna Carta of a rapidly growing green movement,

quoted by ham-fisted environmentalists and church-going pie-baking individuals alike.”

Gery argued that the word “destroy” in Greek is diaphtheiro, which is “to corrupt” in

English. Thence, the last part of this verse reads literally “corrupt them which corrupt the earth.”

Gery points out that the same word diaphtheiro is used in 1 Timothy 6:5 to refer to “men of

corrupt minds, destitute of the truth...” and “Jesus used diaphtheiro to describe what moths do to

treasure in Luke 12:33. They corrupt, or defile it.” For Gery, “the problems described in

Revelation 11:18 is not that people in the end times are using plastic, fossil fuel and SUV’s, they

are defiling the earth with violence and iniquity—just as it was in the days of Noah.”

16
There are seven trumpets altogether that begin from Revelation 8:2-11:19 and these trumpets refer to the
judgments on the wicked. The span time from the cross – the beginning of mediation– to the Second Coming of
Jesus. For further details of the interpretation of each trumpet, please read Jon L. Dybdahl, ed., Andrews Study Bible,
New King James Version (Michigan: Andrews University Press, 2010), 1670-1674.
17
Ibid., 1674.

Francis D. Nichol, ed., The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, volume 7 (Washington D. C.:
18

Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1980), 805.

19
Gerry Wagoner, "Corrupted," ADVindicate, December 5, 2014, accessed November 6, 2018.
http://advindicate.com/articles/2014/12/5/corrupted
10
 Gery continue to argued that it is the twenty-four elders (Revelation 11:16) who utter the

Revelation 11:18 and they are not going to issue a death sentence on those who “don’t recycle;

on individuals who drive Dodge diesel pickup trucks, who use Walmart plastic bags, and burn

wood to heat their homes…” According to Gery, “that is not corrupting the earth, it is corrupting

Scripture.” 20

Even though the context of the Revelation 11:18 does not seems to say that God wants to

judge and punish those who destroy our living environment, but what about those that

deliberately destroy it? The environment that God told our first parents “to dress it and to keep

it?” (Genesis 2:15) Would it be the result of what Paul said to Timothy that in the last days,

perilous times will come, that men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant,

abusive, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous,

reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but

denying the power thereof? (2 Timothy 3:1-5, KJV, NKJV, NASB, RSV) All these are the cause

of men’s moral corruption (sin) that leads to negligence in environment protection.

As I said earlier, it is God that wanted to protect the world, not to destroy it. It is the

works of Satan to destroy the world. However, how does Satan going to destroy the world? It is

through his agents on earth, whom the Bible calls the children “of your father the devil, and the

lusts of your father ye will do.” (John 8:44)

In the next chapter, I will show you what the current scientists say about the topic of

eschatology. Do our contemporary scientists believe that our world will end someday? Why?

Also, in chapter 5, I will come back and touch the issue of how the Christian should react to this.

20
For further details of Gery Wagoner’s hermeneutic explanation, please refer to his article in footnote 19.
11
 04 What the Scientists Say About It

In 2017, I bought a newly published Chinese translated scientific book: A Farewell to Ice

- A Report from the Arctic.21 What captured my eyes was the subtitle of the cover of this book –

“The polar sea ice continues to melt, not only will the flood come, but the earth will no longer be

suitable for human habitation in 2050.”

I was so shocked when I saw this book and thought to myself: “Wow! 2050 from now is

only a little more than 30 years, what is going on?” This reminds me of a Chinese newspaper that

I read 18 years ago, which I happened to cut it out and keep it with me wherever I go until now.

In the year 2000, while the whole world was celebrating the Millennium, a world famous,

76-year-old British astrophysicist: Dr. Steven Hawking predicted that “After 1,000 years, the

earth is difficult to survive. Humans need to migrate to another planet.” 22

The reason why Dr. Hawking gave this shocking warning because he believed that our

earth would not be able to survive another Millennium. By then, due to global warming, our

earth will be way too hot to live on.

Then, in 2008, Dr. Hawking in an exclusive CNN interview said that “if humans can

survive the next 200 years and learn to live in space, then our future will be bright.” 23 The

21
Peter Wadhams, A Farewell to Ice - A Report from the Arctic: The polar sea ice continues to melt, not
only will the flood come, but the earth will no longer be suitable for human habitation in 2050, trans. Nianci Wang,
Weisheng Wu, Xinru Huang (Taipei: ACME Publishing Group, 2017). You may find the original English edition of
this book in https://www.amazon.com

“After 1,000 Years, the Earth is Difficult to Survive. Humans Need to Migrate to Another Planet,”
22

Kwong Wah Yit Poh Press Berhad, October 3, 2000.

23
Technology and Science, “Hawking: If we survive the next 200 years, we should be OK,” aired October
9, 2008, on CNN, 2008, accessed May 22, 2016. http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/10/09/hawking/
12
deadline is no longer a thousand years, but two centuries.

In 2016, Dr. Hawking made another warning again. He “warns humanity could destroy

itself in the next 100 years” 24 because we are rapidly progressing in the realms of science and

technology. Dr. Hawking said that we might create “new ways things can go wrong.” For Dr.

Hawking, the next 100 years are our most dangerous period, as we become much more advanced

in technology and science.

In the 2000s alone, we have warnings from different scientists that our planet may have

been destroyed in 1,000, 200 or 100 years, and now, after the book A Farewell to Ice - A Report

from the Arctic is published, it shows that our scientists worry that our planet may not survive

more than 32 years. In fact, there are many articles, magazines, books, and documentary videos

have been produced to warn people about the danger of our planet that needs our attention now.

For example, in March 2017 issue of the Chinese version of National Geographic

magazine, the Chief Editor told the readers that scientists have confirmed that after 2014 and

2015, 2016 has broken the high-temperature record for the third consecutive year, becoming the

hottest year since global climate data. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration, since the 1880s, among the 17 years with the highest temperature, 16 have been

in place since 2000. Unfortunately, many people have ignored the irrefutable proofs of scientific

facts, and the efforts to save the planet from the crisis have been steadily weakened. 25

For the English version of the same issue, the Chief Editor – Susan Goldberg says:

24
David Shukman, “Hawking: Humans at risk of lethal 'own goal',” Science & Environment, BBC News,
January 19, 2016, accessed May 22, 2016. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35344664

Lee Yungshih, ed., “From the Editor,” National Geographic, Chinese Version, No. 184 (Taipei: Boulder
25

Media, March 2017).

13
 “In the past three years, this magazine has run 34 stories on climate

change — including a special issue devoted to the topic... And that doesn’t count

the hundreds of climate stories we have published on nationalgeographic.com.

Covering our climate - where we keep setting records for the hottest year — is

one of the most important things we can do. It's particularly crucial in an era

when some people claim that there are no “facts” and basic science is loudly

questioned without embarrassment. That we will continue to report — factually

and fairly — on how climate change is altering the Earth. Those who deny

climate change receive a lot of attention, but the vast majority of Americans

acknowledge the reality of the problem. Nearly two-thirds of respondents told

Gallup last year that they are worried about global warming — the highest figure

since 2008… We are committed to understanding, and to helping you understand,

how best to care for this planet.” 26

The book that I previously mentioned at the beginning of this chapter - A Farewell to Ice

- A Report from the Arctic, covers the issue of ice cap that keeps decreasing every year in the

Arctic, is actually a short excerpt from a documentary film Before the Flood 27 that produced by

National Geographic about the climate change.

26
Susan Golberg, “From the Editor,” National Geographic (Washington, D.C.: National Geographic
Society, March 2017).
27
Before the Flood, directed by Fisher Stevens (RatPac Documentary Films, 2017). Official website:
https://www.beforetheflood.com/

14
 According to the film, at present, the earth’s temperature has warmed up by 0.85 °C (1.4

ºF), 28 and there are many natural disasters have been seen. Scientists predict that the global

temperature will continue to heat 1.5-2 °C, which is probably unavoidable.

Perhaps, you have a question in your mind, and you would like to ask: “How does the

temperature increase by 1 or 2 °C or more could affect our planet and our humanity?” The

following is a chart I made to make it easy for you to understand:

28
According to NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) measurement, the global surface
temperatures from 1951 to 1980 were estimated to be 57 ºF (14 °C), but due to the increased of temperate since then,
our planet’s average surface temperature now in 2017 is 58.62 ºF (14.9 °C). Tim Sharp, ed., “What Is Earth's
Average Temperature?” Science & Astronomy, Space.com, April 23, 2018, accessed December 2, 2018.
https://www.space.com/17816-earth-temperature.html
15
 05 How Should Christian React to It

When scientists and non-Christian organizations around the world are actively warning

the world of current crises, many countries and environmentalists have joined the ranks and

shouted the slogan: "Save Our World," how should we respond as Christians?

In 2006, a Hong Kong monthly Christian magazine Angel’s Heart, August issue

dedicated a 21-pages long of special topic titled “Who Will Save the Earth?” 29 and calls on

Christians to rise up and take our responsibility as Christian stewardship to protect the planet. As

an Adventist, how should we respond to it? Is it correct when Gery Wagoner accused that those

are using Revelation 11:18 as a means to warn the people that God is going to judge and “destroy

(corrupt) them which destroy (corrupt) the earth” is not corrupting the earth, but corrupting

Scripture?

William K. Hayes asks the readers the below question in Adventist Review:

“Does the Creator who declared all life-forms ‘very good’ (Gen. 1:31),

who lovingly feeds and waters the creatures (Ps. 104:24-27; Isa. 43:20; Matt.

6:26), and who sees the sparrows that fall (Matt. 10:29), take notice of what has

become of His creation? Does He see that “the whole creation groans” (Rom.

8:22, NKJV)? Of course He does.” 30

Willian continued to says that “numerous published surveys reveal that Christians and

29
Andrew Yuen, ed., “Who Will Save the Earth?” Angel’s Heart, Issue 03 (Hong Kong: The Media
Evangelism Limited), August 2006, 10-30.
30
William K. Hayes, “Christians and Environmental Stewardship,” Adventist Review (MD: Review and
Herald Publishing Association, January 2016).
16
those of other faith groups are measurably less concerned about environmental issues than the

public at large.” Two of the three reasons why the indifference or even anti-environmental

sentiments of some Christians are because they believe that…

1. God permits humans to exploit natural resources without concern for consequences.

2. Our eschatological views lead some to insist we need not be concerned about our

earthly home and its creatures because this world will be destroyed and re-created at

the second coming of Jesus.

In Genesis 2:15, God placed Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden “to dress it and to keep

it,” refers to His expectations for us to take good care of the land, and not to destroy or to corrupt

it. Even though our world will be destroyed and re-created at the Second Coming of Jesus,

Christian should still take good care of our environment. We have no right to deliberately

destroying God’s creation. Just as our physical body will be changed in a “twinkling of an eye, at

the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we

shall be changed,” (1 Corinthians 15:52) it doesn’t mean that we can deliberately destroy our

body and making it sick and dying. Christian need to take good care of our own health by eating

healthy, sleep well, do not overworked, need to exercise, etc.

17
 Conclusion

Bernard McGinn, a medieval specialist at the University of Chicago Divinity School once

said: “Over the past 30 years, more scholarship has been devoted to apocalypticism than in the

last 300.” 31

Many scientists, like what the late Professor Stephen Hawking suggested, are actively

looking for another habitable planet to replace our earth because they know that our planet has

no hope in surviving. The most recent discovery was found in 2015, and they called it Kepler-

452b. It “is the first near-Earth-Size planet in the habitable zone of a star very similar to the sun.”

32
“This exciting result brings us one step closer to finding an Earth 2.0.” 33

Besides the question of whether this planet is truly habitable for a living, scientists have

another major problem with this newly discovered planet – the distance. Kepler-452b is located

1,400 light-years away from our earth.

With our current latest technology, the fastest spacecraft - Parker Solar Probe spacecraft

which could fly with the speed of 213,200 mph 34 would take 4 million years to reached planet

Bernard McGinn, cited in Kenneth L. Woodward, “The Way the World Ends,” Newsweek, October 31,
31

1999, accessed May 22, 2018. https://www.newsweek.com/way-world-ends-167602

32
Michele Johnson, ed., “Searching for Habitable Worlds,” NASA, July 23, 2015, accessed December 27,
2017. https://www.nasa.gov/ames/kepler/searching-for-habitable-worlds
33
Michele Johnson, ed., “NASA’s Kepler Mission Discovers Bigger, Older Cousin to Earth,” NASA, July
23, 2015, accessed December 27, 2017. https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-kepler-mission-discovers-bigger-
older-cousin-to-earth

Wikipedia contributors, “List of vehicle speed records,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, December 2,
34

2018, accessed December 2, 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_vehicle_speed_records

18
Kepler-452b.35

There is indeed no hope for humanity to migrate to another planet to keep surviving. In

the past, I thought why God is so cruel, why He wants to destroy our world and to bring in the

end of the world? However, after seeing all these reports, I realized that it was not God who

wanted to bring the doomsday to us, but because God knew that when men left Him and lived a

life that apart from Him and violated His commandments, humankind will do anything to "harm"

ourselves and our world. It is we who bring the end of the day to ourselves. It is God who wants

to save us in the last days. It is impossible for humankind to save ourselves.

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s

house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for

you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that

where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:1-3) This is humanity’s only hope, that Jesus – the

second person of God would come and save us.

“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress

of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear

and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens

will be shaken.” (Luke 21:25-26)

Will scientists' predictions come true in 2050 that our planet will no longer be suitable for

human habitation? We do not know. When will Jesus come back? We never know too, but there

35
Wikipedia contributors, “Kepler-452b,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, November 29, 2018,
accessed December 2, 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kepler-452b. According to the information of this
website, at the speed of the New Horizons spacecraft, about 37,000 mph, it would take approximately 26 million
years to reached planet Kepler-542b. Meanwhile, Parker Solar Probe spacecraft is about 6 times faster than New
Horizons spacecraft, so, you may do the math.
19
are only two possibilities in this great event: the end of the world will only come after or before

2050, for whatever men could think of, it will never happen. However, Jesus once told us: “Now

learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth

leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is

near — even at the doors!” (Matthew 24:32-33)

20
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. “After 1,000 Years, the Earth is Difficult to Survive. Humans Need to Migrate to Another
Planet.” Kwong Wah Yit Poh Press Berhad, October 3, 2000.

2. Before the Flood. Directed by Fisher Stevens. RatPac Documentary Films, 2017.

3. Cayne, Bernard S., ed. The New Lexicon Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language.
New York: Lexicon Publications, Inc., 1991.

4. Chen, Li Si. “The Fulfillment of Biblical Predictions Are True, Be Watchful of the True the
End of the World.” Evangelism-Shepherding. The Gospel Herald, December 21, 2012,
accessed November 20, 2018.

5. Doomsday Prophecy. “Modern apocalyps,” aired April 21, 2010, on Eastern Broadcasting
Company Financial News, 2010, accessed November 20, 2018.

6. Dybdahl, Jon L., ed. Andrews Study Bible, New King James Version. Michigan: Andrews
University Press, 2010

7. Golberg, Susan.“From the Editor.” National Geographic. Washington, D.C.: National

Geographic Society, March 2017. Accessed December 2, 2018.

8. Hayes, William K. “Christians and Environmental Stewardship.” Adventist Review. MD:

Review and Herald Publishing Association, January 2016.

9. Johnson, Michele, ed. “NASA’s Kepler Mission Discovers Bigger, Older Cousin to Earth.”
NASA, July 23, 2015, accessed December 27, 2017.

10. Johnson, Michele, ed. “Searching for Habitable Worlds.” NASA, July 23, 2015, accessed
December 27, 2017.

11. Kemp, Karl T. Verse-by-Verse Studies of Selected Eschatological Prophecies from the Book
of Isaiah. Missouri: Karl Kemp Teaching Ministries, 2013.

12. Lee, Yungshih, ed. “From the Editor.” National Geographic, No. 184. Taipei: Boulder
Media, March 2017.

13. McFarland, Ian A. et al., The Cambridge Dictionary of Christian Theology. New York:
Cambridge University Press, 2011.

14. McGinn, Bernard. Cited in Kenneth L. Woodward, “The Way the World Ends,” Newsweek,
October 31, 1999, accessed May 22, 2018.

15. Menn, Jonathan M. Biblical Eschatology. Oregon: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2017.
16. Nichol, Francis D., ed. The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, volume 7.
Washington D. C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1980.

17. Payne, J. Barton. Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy: The Complete Guide to Scriptural
Predictions and Their Fulfillment. New York: Harper & Row, 1973.

18. Perkins, Ceri. “A Big Analysis of the Earth Crisis.” How It Works. Taipei: Imagine
Publishing, April 2016.
https://www.howitworksdaily.com/7-cataclysmic-ways-the-world-might-end

19. Powell, Corey S. “30 Ways the World Could End.” Discover Magazine. Wisconsin:
Kalmbach Publishing, October 2010.
http://discovermagazine.com/2010/oct/30-ways-the-world-could-end

20. Riversoft Ministry. Strong-Lite Dictionary. MySword Bible Software for Android, 2018.

21. Sharp, Tim, ed. “What Is Earth's Average Temperature?” Science & Astronomy. Space.com,
April 23, 2018, accessed December 2, 2018.

22. Shukman, David. “Hawking: Humans at risk of lethal 'own goal'.” Science & Environment.
BBC News, January 19, 2016, accessed May 22, 2016.

23. Technology and Science. “Hawking: If we survive the next 200 years, we should be OK,”
aired October 9, 2008, on CNN, 2008, accessed May 22, 2016.

24. Turza, Zoran. Hermeneutical Approach to Eschatologial Issues, Hermeneutical perspective

of Werner Jeanrond.

25. Wadhams, Peter. A Farewell to Ice - A Report from the Arctic: The polar sea ice continues
to melt, not only will the flood come, but the earth will no longer be suitable for human
habitation in 2050. Translated by Nianci Wang, Weisheng Wu and Xinru Huang. Taipei:
ACME Publishing Group, 2017.

26. Wagoner, Gerry. "Corrupted." ADVindicate, December 5, 2014, accessed November 6,

2018.

27. White, Ellen G. Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers.

28. Wikipedia Contributors “Kepler-452b.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, November 29,
2018, accessed December 2, 2018.

29. Wikipedia Contributors. “List of vehicle speed records.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia,
December 2, 2018, accessed December 2, 2018.

30. Yuen, Andrew, ed. “Who Will Save the Earth?” Angel’s Heart, Issue 03. Hong Kong: The
Media Evangelism Limited, August 2006.

22