How will God destroy the existing heavens and earth?
God will destroy the existing heavens and earth by fervent heat, which will dissolve the elements and melt them down to nothing. Scripture declares that all these things shall be dissolved, so the present creation will be reduced to nothing by intense heat.
Les explains that the destruction of the heavens and earth is by fervent heat that will melt the elements down to nothing. He notes that if God should see fit to destroy this little solar system, it would just be a little blip in the hole. Since all these things will be dissolved, Peter asks what manner of persons we ought to be in holy conversation and godliness. Les applies this by saying that since we deal with this kind of God, it is foolishness for man to reject or thwart Him, yet most of human history has kept God out. He also expresses alarm over the younger generation having no concept of God, eternity, or spiritual things, living only for the here and now and the flesh.
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.
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