In 1992 I wrote in the Christian Spirit Magazine that the United Nations sponsored ‘Earth Summit’ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil had caused a big stir around the earth when concerned leaders and scientists from nations poor and wealthy, backward and developed, from every political ideology, from every continent, gathered together to confront the ecological crises of our desperately ailing planet.

Speech after speech rang the same alarm. If Man does not act today, the runaway sickness will turn into a nightmare of mutation and death. Now is the time to act, each speaker bellowed, any further delay in responsible environmental management and the dominant creature of this planet will not be able to insure a safe and stable home for future generations of his kind.

Scientist after scientist presented their case, prophecies of doom, declaring that the earth is in mortal danger of becoming dysfunctional and that Man, an already endangered species, will surely follow those species that he has killed off and himself become extinct if a worldwide commitment to rational environmental behavior is not instituted immediately.

The two-week Earth Summit was the climax of a process, begun in December 1989, of planning, education and negotiations among all Member States of the United Nations, leading to the adoption of Agenda 21, a wide-ranging blueprint for action to achieve sustainable development worldwide. At its close, Maurice Strong, the Conference Secretary-General, called the Summit a “historic moment for humanity”. Although Agenda 21 had been weakened by compromise and negotiation, he said, it was still the most comprehensive and, if implemented, effective programme of action ever sanctioned by the international community. Today, efforts to ensure its proper implementation continues, and they will be reviewed by the UN General Assembly at a special session to be held in June 1997. 

Ten years later in ‘02 (boycotted by the United States) and again in ‘12 the UN convened to follow up Earth Summits in further attempts to implement regulations and agreements between the nations of the world on every continent, regardless of their economic situation or industrial state, what had become known as ‘Agenda 21’. Its comprehensive plan was and is to curtail and forestall climate change, depletion and plunder of Earth’s natural resources, carbon emissions and pollution of land, air and sea. But Agenda 21 has not gotten any legs. Without the United States and other industrial modern states full backing there is no chance that Man will curtail activities that are, by all rational accounts, destroying the land, air and sea, and along with it the life on this planet. 

So we of the EOE are obligated to turn to prophecy for we understand that our ability to afflict the earth in such an apocalyptic way has only become possible because of the rise of the age in which we live, the Age of Travel and Knowledge having increased at Mach speed beginning roughly with the coming of steam power as we emerged from Seventeenth Century and the American and French Revolutions.

While Man is certainly abusing the environment with reckless abandon and there is cause for concern and need for responsible behavior, the doomsayers know nothing of God’s Word and His prophesied plan. If they did they would know God has promised to intervene before we disintegrate, emulsify, evaporate, Burn and rape, shred, wreck, ruin and, or otherwise destroy our planet.

As Christians, it is vital to our peace of mind that we look hard and long into God’s prophetic word to get the correct vision of the earth’s future. Today’s ecological crises, though severe and a sign of the times, will not cause Man’s demise, nor will environmental management and responsible ecological policy save the Earth or Man from the fate the providence has declared. To think ecology is salvation is to give far too much credit to the things of this world and, for the Christian to not avail themselves of prophetic knowledge is to not only be irresponsible it is to inflict devastating harm on one’s own body and soul. Hoping in and praying for the fulfillment of prophecy – preaching and teaching God’s plan – is responsible. 

Man’s future is written in stone regardless of man’s fears, scientific analysis, his computerized predictions, or all the summits he can call from here to China. Prophecy is the solid rock of tomorrow; the facts upon which not only the Christians’ hopes must rest, but upon which his energy and work must be spent. 

Though Man is engaged in totally destroying the Earth it is something which God shall never allow. He has promised not to let those who are destroying the Earth accomplish the careless fruit of their ignorance and greed. The phenomenon of this recklessness arrogance of Man to uncaringly destroy Earth for personal gain is a real threat but prophecy tells us that God will not allow it to happen, though it would if he were not to step in and prevent it.

In this regard, we should never lose sight of God’s goals. The simple truth is that God has promised those who are savable among Man a millennium of perfect rule by Christ on earth. He will rule from Jerusalem and those who have been faithful will be kings and priests of that New World during that time. (Rev.1). Due to war and supernatural judgment some parts of the earth may be uninhabitable at first (we don’t know), but the millennium, it is promised, will be a wonderful time of restoration not only for Man but for the earth. Yet even that thousand year rule is not the end of God’s plan, not the ultimate goal, for the Earth will then disappear, and like putting on a new set of clothes everything will become new, including the Earth which shall pass away in favor of something new and different.

Hard as it is for even God’s people to understand the Earth’s restoration and salvation, or ensuring it’s eternal glory, is not what God’s Plan is all about, not the bottom line.

The Book of 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 declares, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal: but the things which are not seen are eternal”

We are stunned when we realize the full implications of this Scripture which reveals that everything we can see is temporary – that means the sun, the moon, the stars, my body, your body, – yes, the Earth – everything – is temporary. And now, by understanding this Scripture and others like it we can take Jesus literally when he said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Mark 13:31

Hebrews 1:10-12 is even more blunt about the matter:

“And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
   They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
   And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.”

In the last Book of the Bible the conclusion of the earth’s purpose is revealed showing that the earth is in fact cast off like an old garment in favor of a totally new world:

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them….
   And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” Rev. 20:11 & 21:1

What does this prove, besides the fact that the earth is not eternal, but ultimately a temporary thing. As the Bible declares: “The things which are seen are temporary, the things that are unseen, these are eternal.”  It proves that the only things that are not temporary are the things that are unseen. God and the relationships he creates are eternal. Things unseen are permanent. Mortal Man does not like this fact because it tends to put everything out of our control once we accept this as reality. The only rational recourse is for us to live by faith rather than sight, sound, feel and tangible presumption.

No matter how badly people at an Earth Summit wish for the earth to be permanent it is a vain hope. No matter how much people don’t care and presumptuously continue to destroy the Earth, the Earth will not be utterly destroyed by Man. Rev. 11:18 God shall not allow it, for it is but a tool of His to bring a faithful person into eternal realms; and God’s word tells us in truth that He shall destroy those who pollute and plunder it, but we should not kid ourselves about its permanence either.

Let us who believe in a new heaven and a new earth keep our eyes fixed on our eternal home with God and his Son Jesus Christ, and not be lulled into believing that this earthly dwelling is eternal in any way. “For the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Cor 4:18