But by the same word [of God] the heavens and the earth that are now are stored up for fire and are being reserved to the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly men.

Likewise, the fire of Jehovah’s day, the coming day of judgment, will not destroy the earth, neither all creature life in it, but will destroy off earth’s surface the society of ungodly people and also their works that are out of harmony with God’s purpose. Our earthly planet and also our sun and the billions of other suns in our Milky Way, which are already balls of fire, will survive that day of judgment.

14. What kind of fire will it be that will be able to take care of the “heavens” as well as the “earth,” and with what result?

¹⁴ Literal fire such as is common to our earth and our solar system could never affect the invisible Satan and his spirit demons or destroy them from being an unseen, spirit heavens that has dominated mankind from the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden down till now. A profusion of Bible texts indicate that the “fire” of the coming day of world judgment is symbolic, but destructive like fire; and just how literal fire of such things as lightnings may be employed on that day by Jehovah God, we do not know now. Jehovah’s executional power will remove Satan and his demons from their heavenly position of control over mankind and will destroy the earthly society (or, “world”) of ungodly people. Thus, again the literal earth will be cleansed just as gold and silver are purified by fire. Earth will then be a fine home for survivors.