A Completely New World for This Globe
A NEW WORLD! Who can create such a thing? What will it be like? According to whose ideas will it be made? Will it suit everybody that lives? Will it endure forever? The right answer, backed by authority that cannot be questioned, comforts those who mourn because of the present wicked conditions, and quiets all fears of the future that is shrouded in darkness and uncertainty. It fills the hearts of righteous persons with hope. Receiving that authoritative information, such ones are put at ease with the assurance that the new world will be absolutely perfect and will completely satisfy their heart’s desire and more than fulfill their highest expectations.
Now is the time for all lovers of righteousness and truth to take courage and rejoice. It is a time for all who would live under a rule of justice and peace to examine the facts in the light of that incoming new world and to learn the truth and then be guided by it. The difficulties in the way and the cost of time and study on your part are not to be compared with the rewards you receive in knowledge, understanding, peace, joy and hope of life. The time is short. Those who do not inform themselves and who do not now choose the new world which the true Higher Powers will shortly establish will never live to enter into its blessings and glories. It is for those who desire it and prepare for it. None will be forced into it against their will and choice.
The new world means more than the nations realize. It calls for more than they can muster. The bald fact is that they do not want it. For that reason the promised new world of lasting peace should not be confused with the so-called “new order” or “new world order” that was held up and widely advertised a few years ago by the political and religious dictators as a lure to the people. The righteous new world is the very opposite of that selfish and ambitious human scheme. Such scheme seeks realization by harsh, brutal might, by the destruction of millions of lives and peaceful homes, by the forcing of the common people contrary to their conscience and personal free choice, and, for shame! by the cooperation of organized religion to persuade the subjected peoples that such “new order” is according to the will of Almighty God. Set up by such means and ways and for such purposes, that man-made “new order” can never be the expression of the will of a God of truth and justice. Neither can it last or endure, for it stands in the way of the glorious new world of righteousness, and it poses as a counterfeit substitute for God’s promised kingdom. Doomed to failure, it will perish!
Not by human wish and power and effort shall this be, but by the almighty power and decree of the great Ruler of the universe. He is the great Authority on questions affecting the universe, including our earth and the nations and people thereon. He is the One Source of dependable information that satisfies the longing of honest hearts for the truth. His revealed Word, the sacred Bible, is his means or channel for bringing this unerring information to the teachable persons who seek righteousness and life. He is the One Interpreter of his own prophetic Word. He brings to pass in our day the conditions and events which fulfill and make clear the hidden meaning of the prophecy, and then he opens the eyes of the searchers of his Word to see the agreement or correspondency between prophecy and the hard facts in evidence today. (2 Pet. 1:20, 21) Therefore, to the great Ruler of the universe all credit, honor and thanksgiving are due for all the revealed information on the new world which will completely transform the lives of humankind on earth.
Great upheaval is under way on earth. On the one hand, there are new methods of atomic warfare, modern means of travel and communication, startling discoveries of science, and, on the other hand, there are flashes of truth exposing the unfounded “new order” schemes of religion. As a consequence, great changes are under way. The need of a new is admitted; the old must pass out. However, humans are prone to cling to the old, because accustomed to it, notwithstanding it has been to their hurt. The few selfish men who have reaped profit, advantage, power and control from the old, prefer it and try to stop or control any movement toward the new. For their selfish interests they offer things which they call new, but which are merely camouflaged with modern names and dress and are underneath the same old things. Careful investigation discloses that there are forces stronger than man which prevent him from setting up a truly new system of things. Man can change only the surface appearance of a few things on the earth, and can make them look new for only a short time; he cannot control the things which are higher than man and unseen to him. However, the One who sits upon the throne of the universe has said: “Behold, I make all things new . . . Write: for these words are true and faithful.”—Rev. 21:5.
Man’s talk about a “new world” by human accomplishment is very recent and is really designed to check man’s progress and freedom. Already nearly six thousand years ago the Creator foretold the building and coming of a grand new world and that it would liberate obedient men from deception, oppression and death. And why, in the early dawn of man’s existence, did the Creator of perfection foretell of a coming new world? For an answer to that question it is necessary to review the facts concerning the world which the Creator originally made, as well as the facts concerning the world that now exists and which is responsible for the present distress.
TWO PARTS TO ORIGINAL WORLD
The word “world” as used by the great Creator is not limited to the earth and the things visible to man. The inspired Scriptures of truth show that a “world” includes the heavens, or things higher and unseen to man, as well as the earth. It includes the invisible and visible together, the invisible dominating and affecting what is visible to the human eye. Let there be no confusion on what Scripturally constitutes the two parts of a world. “Heavens” here does not refer to the celestial stars and planets of stellar space, nor does the “earth” have reference to this physical terrestrial globe that swings through an annual solar orbit. In a symbolic sense, the “heavens” and the “earth” of a world are made up of intelligent creatures rather than inanimate objects, the heavenly part being composed of invisible creatures, while human creatures make up the visible earthly part. That this definition and explanation of what constitutes a world is no cunningly devised fable, but is according to the holy Scriptures, we shall see from a careful study of the Bible.
The world that God created originally, and as man first knew it, was made up of visible and invisible elements. The superior part, the “heavens”, was composed of spirit creatures, spirit sons of God, all perfect, glorious and holy, all organized in an orderly manner for God’s service. Some were given positions as seraphim, others as cherubim, and still others as angels or “messengers”. All of these countless myriads of glorious spirit creatures made up God’s universal organization, and all were in harmonious agreement with Him and subject to His direction.—Ps. 80:1; 99:1, Am. Stan. Ver., margin.
In the orderly arrangement of that original world, God placed an invisible princely one, an “anointed cherub”, over the visible earthly part for the purpose of caring for and watching out for the welfare of man. Concerning this one it is recorded: “Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; . . . Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.” (Ezek. 28:13, 14) Altogether different from these spirit creatures who made up the “heavens” of that first world were Adam and his helpmeet, Eve, who were “of the earth, earthy”. (1 Cor. 15:47) “There are heavenly bodies, and there are earthly bodies, but the beauty of the heavenly bodies is of one kind, and the beauty of the earthly bodies is of another.” (1 Cor. 15:40, An Amer. Trans.) Thus it was that the original world was made up of two parts, both perfect and righteous.
But did it remain pure and virtuous in its integrity? Did that first world continue as a part of God’s universal organization, submissive to Jehovah’s sovereign domination? The tragic facts that followed and which are now a part of mankind’s woeful history show that it did not. Rebellion broke out. Covetousness and lawlessness entered the heart of the “anointed cherub”, and since then he has been known by such names as the Devil, Satan, Dragon, Serpent and Lucifer. The human pair as well as many angelic creatures, now called demons, joined Satan in that rebellion. Thus it was that both parts of that original world of righteousness met their downfall.
As a result, the wicked spirit creatures were placed under surveillance, while disobedient Adam and his companion in sin were driven out of the garden of perfection to begin their sentence of death amid conditions of sweaty labor and sorrow. The children they brought into existence were all by inheritance imperfect, sinful and unclean, and condemned to death.—Rom. 5:12.
That first and fallen world lasted only sixteen and a half centuries before it came to its disastrous end in the overwhelming flood of Noah’s day. “The world that then was,” says the apostle Peter, “being overflowed with water, perished.” (2 Pet. 3:6) That “world” that perished was not this globe, for there is much historical and geological evidence to prove that it was our present sphere that experienced the flood. What then perished in the flood? Why, human society in its corrupt and degenerate generations, and also broken up was the organizational setup of Satan’s invisible demon hordes that were misleading and oppressing mankind. This brought to an end that first world, even though the heavenly part, wicked angels, did not perish, but only had its then existing organization disrupted. Proof, this is, that it takes both parts to constitute a world.
PRESENT WORLD TO BE REPLACED BY NEW
The Devil’s invisible demon forces not being destroyed at the flood, it was not long before they were reorganized and thereafter succeeded in turning most of the offspring of Noah away from God. Thus another world, made up of invisible and visible parts, sprang into existence, and because of its sinful course, and because it has continued on down to the present time, it is spoken of in the Scriptures as “this present evil world”. (Gal. 1:4; Titus 2:12) This world has no relationship with God’s promised new world. It is the Devil’s world. He is its chief invisible “prince”, the “god of this world”. (John 14:30; 2 Cor. 4:4) And again Christians are warned that “the whole world lieth in the evil one”. (1 John 5:18, 19, Am. Stan. Ver.) Still another scripture there is, that proves that a world is made up of visible and invisible parts. “For we [as God’s witnesses] are made a spectacle unto the world, both to angels and men.”—1 Cor. 4:9, Am. Stan. Ver.
For our good cheer in this present time of the seeming triumph of wickedness the sure Word of Almighty God declares: “And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.” (Isa. 13:11, 13) That the Lord Jehovah will this time shake down and consume in a fiery destruction the invisible as well as the visible elements of the Devil-ruled world, note what the apostle Peter declares: “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”—2 Pet. 3:7.
Many blind followers of religious creeds contend that Peter’s statement here means that this literal globe of ours is going to be burned to a crisp. Foolish people! Have they never read the infallible words of the Lord: “The earth abideth for ever”? (Eccl. 1:4) Moreover, by taking such a view churchy religionists are found in the ridiculous position of claiming they are going to heaven when the earth is burned up, the same heaven which Peter says “being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat”. (2 Pet. 3:12) So if, to get off the horns of this dilemma, the religionists admit that in the one case the “heavens” are symbolical rather than literal, then they are forced to admit that the “earth” referred to in the same passage is also symbolical, which is the simple truth of the matter.
The fact, however, that the Lord has predetermined to completely destroy this present wicked world, this present system of visible things under the direction of the invisible satanic powers of wickedness, should give no cause for alarm, worry or dismay. No, for the apostle continues with this heart-gladdening statement: “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (2 Pet. 3:13) Ah, yes, a completely new world! And all “according to his promise” made back there in the garden of Eden when rebellion first broke out. (Gen. 3:15) Thus purposing from the beginning to establish a righteous world, with righteous heavenly creatures supervising the activities of perfect earthly creatures, Almighty God, by the mouth of his prophets, from time to time gave reassuring promises that in his due time he would accomplish his purpose. “Behold,” Jehovah says, “I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create.”—Isa. 65:17, 18.
Who, then, can create such a thing? Why, Jehovah God, the one who created the original righteous world. What will it be like? The visible part will exist in the most beautiful, perfect and soul-satisfying garden that can be imagined, and then some! Unlike the Devil’s present world of woe in every detail. According to whose ideas will it be made? Only according to the perfect design of the great God whose wisdom, love, justice and power are supreme. Will it suit everybody that lives? Most assuredly, for only the lovers of righteousness and those that delight themselves in the abundance of peace will live forever in that world. Under Theocratic rule directed by the invisible “heavens” with Christ Jesus the King and overlord, all will be happiness, peace and blessedness on earth. Sickness and disease and want and fear will be unknown, the worship of Jehovah will be pure and free, in spirit and in truth, and man and the lower animals will be at peace. Will it endure forever? Yes, for the Devil and all his wicked spirit associates will be destroyed, never again being allowed to turn a righteous world into sin and disobedience.