32. Logically, then, what else becomes symbolic in Peter’s writings?

³² Accordingly, the means used for destroying the present symbolic heavens and earth becomes symbolic also, namely, fire. Thus the literal heavens and earth will not be destroyed when 2 Peter 3:7, 10 is fulfilled: “By the same word 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. . . . Jehovah’s day will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a hissing noise, but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be discovered.” The fiery time of trouble will destroy the invisible control of Satan the Devil over mankind and the earthly society of ungodly people. But Christians who are reconciled to God will survive.

33. What are the new heavens and new earth?

³³ Hence Peter continues on to say: “But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell.” (2 Pet. 3:13) The new heavens, being symbolic, will be Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom ruling from the invisible realm. The new earth will be the organized “other sheep” for whom the Fine Shepherd Jesus Christ laid down his human life. In this new earthly society righteousness will be cultivated and will dwell, so that the literal earth will everywhere be filled with righteousness in the midst of paradise conditions.

34. What, then, is God’s field of work, and what should all Christians feel obligated to do?

³⁴ This glorious message affects or has a bearing upon all mankind. It is God’s will through Christ that this good news should go to all the inhabited earth before the heavens and earth that are now are destroyed and all the ungodly with it. (Matt. 24:14) All the world of mankind is today God’s field of work and activity, as never before. As Christians dedicated entirely to the doing of his will, we are obligated to be fellow workers with him in the highly important work of salvation. Appreciating his undeserved kindness to us, we will determinedly go forward “working together with him.” Thus we will lovingly show him that we have not missed the purpose of all his unmerited kindness to us through Jesus Christ.—1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor. 5:19 to 6:1.

If Jesus Came Back

At a congregation luncheon in Lauttasaari, Finland, author Eila Pennanen gave a lecture on the above-mentioned subject, at the conclusion of which she said, as reported by the clergy-sponsored religious journal Vartija, issue No. 5-6, 1962: “How would people react to Jesus nowadays? The organization men of the church would smilingly ignore him, the Pharisees would denounce him in the press, the Scribes would demand that Bishop’s Councils punish him for heresy, the Sadducees would regard him as an uneducated and simple man and secular authority would silence him in a much more effective way than crucifixion did. Publicity alone is murderous. There is reason to hope that Jesus does not come back.” Little wonder this is the attitude, for what would Jesus say about Christendom’s spiritual apathy, materialistic greed, immorality and wars? What would he say about the religious leaders who join the politicians in extolling the United Nations rather than the kingdom of God?