From Faith Science:
There was some kind of global explosion or massive earthquake that destroyed the earth’s surface!
I beheld the earth, and lo, it was without form and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord and by his fierce anger. For thus hath the Lord said, “The whole land shall be desolate; yet I will not make a full end.”Jeremiah 4:23–27 kjv
Here are the main points of Jeremiah’s prophecy:
1. The earth was without form and void, which is exactly what was said in Genesis 1:2.
2. There was no light in the heavens or the earth.
3. The mountains and hills shook like they were feathers in the wind.
4. No man survived.
5. All the birds were gone.
6. The beautiful earth became a wilderness.
7. The cities were broken into pieces because of God’s anger.
8. Even though God emptied the earth, it was not completely destroyed.
Some scholars relate this scripture to the destruction of Judah. Yet, Jeremiah saw the entire earth, not just Judah, without form, empty and dark. Hence, Jeremiah seems to have been expounding on what Moses wrote in Genesis 1:2 because they used identical language.
Throughout the Bible, God inspired different men to write about the same topics from different perspectives. For instance, Apostle John and Prophet Daniel both saw the end of the age but highlighted varying details. Also, the four gospels were written about the same events yet the accounts were not always identical. This case is no different, which explains why cross-referencing scriptures is so important.
Moses only saw the result, but Jeremiah saw the process. The earth shook so much that the mountains moved with ease. Take another look at this detail because it confirms that there was a global earthquake or a massive explosion. In addition, he saw no human life and where the birds in the sky once flew, nothing was left. What once was fruitful became a wilderness and the cities had been destroyed.
Most importantly, God said he would make the whole earth desolate but it wouldn’t be the end. Now let’s look at this carefully. This vision can’t be referring to the destruction of Israel because it speaks of the entire earth. It can’t be referring to the flood of Noah because the sun was never extinguished, or the earth would have frozen solid.
What about the end of this age? Is that what he was referring to?
For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.Isaiah 66:22 kjv
In this scripture, God said that he would make a new heaven and a new earth. It’s easy for the average Bible student to argue that this must be connected to Jeremiah 4:27. This means that after God destroys the contents of the earth, he will make a new one. Notwithstanding, in Isaiah 66:22, he never said that he would refurbish the old earth. He made the earth desolate in Jeremiah 4:27, but at that point he did not destroy it.
Accordingly, there was no need to make a new one. So any connection between Jeremiah 4:27 and Isaiah 66:22 is a stretch. Now I’ll establish my point with a prophecy from the Apostle Peter.
But 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. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.2 Peter 3:10–13 kjv
Here are the main points of Peter’s prophecy:
1. The heavens will be completely destroyed with a great noise.
2. A fire will burn so hot that even the elements of the earth and heavens are destroyed.
3. Everything will be pulverized, which means the end of the heavens and earth as we know it.
The general consensus of most Bible prophets is that the earth will be destroyed by fire before God creates a new one. Still, that’s not all that Peter said. He also included the destruction of the heavens.
This greatly contrasts what Jeremiah saw in Jeremiah 4:23–27. He saw only the destruction of the earth’s surface and the extinction of light. In addition, he also said that an earthquake or massive explosion was the cause, while Peter saw complete destruction by fire.
Peter saw a fire that was so hot that it melted even the elements of all physical things until they were dissolved. While Jeremiah saw an empty wilderness at the end of the partial destruction, Peter observed that absolutely nothing would be left after the most intense fire he could perceive. In consequence, there is no way that we can infer that Jeremiah was talking about the end of this age because it completely contradicts what Peter saw. With that option eliminated, let’s figure out whether the devastation Jeremiah visualized could possibly have taken place before or after Noah’s flood.
And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, “I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.”Genesis 8:20–21 kjv
God promised after the flood that he would never kill everything on earth again the way he did in Noah’s time. That eliminates the possibility of the destruction witnessed by Jeremiah taking place on earth since then. God will destroy all of the heavens and the earth by fire at the end of time. That’s different from destroying only the living things on the earth, as he did with Noah and in Jeremiah’s vision.
Here’s a quick recap: Jeremiah saw the destruction of living things on the earth only by an explosion or an earthquake and the extinction of light. Noah experienced destruction of living things on earth only by a flood. Peter saw destruction of all things, both living and inanimate, by fire on earth and in the heavens. So we’re seeing three distinct events here that should never be confused with one another.
It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities.2 Corinthians 12:1–5 nkjv
Now let’s clarify something in 2 Peter 3:10–13. Apostle Peter saw a vision of the heavens completely destroyed at the end of the age. From the context of that vision, he was referring to the physical heavens, which would include the atmosphere and outer space. When Paul visited the third heaven, he went beyond the physical into the spirit realm. The physical destruction Peter saw in his vision could not have included the third heaven, which Paul saw, because God lives in perfect beauty. Hence, the physical heavens, along with the earth, will be destroyed by fire.
Then Job answered and said, “I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him,and hath prospered? Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger. Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.”Job 9:1–6 kjv
Analogous to Jeremiah 4:23–27, Job described a massive earthquake that changed the topography of the earth. An earthquake of this scale is completely outside the realm of our current comprehension of Bible history. Nothing like this ever occurred since the time of Adam. Job said that God shook the earth out of its place, overturned mountains, and even removed them completely. It must have happened because it’s recorded.
Not just that, but he made it clear that God was behind it. Even if we can’t grasp this concept within our Christian doctrine, it can’t be ignored, because it’s in the Bible. When we look at the prophecies of the end of the age, including the books of Daniel and Revelation, it’s difficult to fit Job 9:1–6 into it. To that end, some time before the earth became completely void in Genesis 1:2, God wrecked it with an earthquake or massive explosion.
