Does Scripture give us a hint as to whether the world will end, and if so, how? Yes, it does. Of course, as you already know, it doesn’t tell us what everyone really wants to know, namely, when will it end? That is a mystery that God has chosen to keep hidden within his own heart. But make no mistake about it: God, in Scripture, has very clearly told us how the world will end.

This past Wednesday, March 14, one of the more brilliant scientists of our generation passed away. Stephen Hawking was 76 years old. In the immediate aftermath of his death numerous news services and blogs described his dire warnings to those of us who remain alive on Earth. Hawking believed that if certain changes aren’t made, the world as we know it will come to an end and life on earth will cease.

Among the many potential causes of the end of life on Earth noted by Hawking were such things as an asteroid strike and the emergence and eventual takeover by Artificial Intelligence. Hawking claimed that AI will soon reach a level where it will be a “new form of life that will outperform humans.” He even went so far as to say that AI may replace humans altogether, although he didn’t specify a timeline for when his predictions might come to fruition.

Then, of course, there is the possibility of an alien invasion from another galaxy. Hawking also warned repeatedly that over-population could threaten human existence on Earth. To these many possibilities he added dramatic and destructive climate change brought on by unfettered global warming. Hawking was quoted as saying that unless some drastic steps are taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions “Earth will one day look like the 460°C (860°F) planet Venus.” His advice was that humans must begin to explore the possibility of “spreading out into space,” that is, seeking for possible ways to live on other planets.

I suppose one might add to Hawking’s list of potential catastrophic events a nuclear holocaust, perhaps instigated by North Korea or Russia or Iran.

What are we to make of this? Is Hawking correct in his predictions? As brilliant as the man obviously was, the answer is decidedly No.

Of course, there are others who insist that the world will never come to an end. Life on earth will simply continue to evolve and expand and develop with ever increasing technological sophistication. Life 10,000 years from now will be noticeably different, but human beings will still be here doing their thing, whatever that “thing” might be.

So, what does the Bible say? Does Scripture give us a hint as to whether the world will end, and if so, how? Yes, it does. Of course, as you already know, it doesn’t tell us what everyone really wants to know, namely, when will it end? That is a mystery that God has chosen to keep hidden within his own heart. But make no mistake about it: God, in Scripture, has very clearly told us how the world will end.

One more word of clarification about the so-called “end” of the world. In speaking this way neither the Scriptures nor I are suggesting that human existence on earth will ever end. What the Bible tells us is that human history in its present form or shape will come to an end. But God’s people will continue to live forever and ever on a new and redeemed earth, an earth that is free from pollution, free from corruption, free from natural disasters, free from the effects of sinful human beings, free from war and pestilence and disease, free from the presence of Satan and his demonic forces, an earth that will be glorified and transformed to serve as the habitation in eternity for those whom Jesus Christ has redeemed and saved by his cross and resurrection (for this, see Revelation 21-22).

So, if the Bible doesn’t tell us when this happen, what does it say about how it will happen? Aside from the wide variety of alternative beliefs about what will happen at the end of the age, I think I can sum up what most if not all Bible-believing followers of Jesus will agree on. Let me sum it up this way.

The Scriptures, and in particular the book of Revelation, tell us that there will be ever-increasing expressions of demonic activity, ever-increasing expressions of idolatry and immorality, and ever-increasing persecution of Christians by the world system that hates God and his truth. Eventually, at some point in the future, perhaps in our lifetime, perhaps not, Satan will orchestrate a global assault on the Church of Jesus Christ in one last-ditch attempt to crush the kingdom of Christ. But Jesus will return in the clouds of heaven and together with the angelic hosts and the multitudes of saved men and women will destroy his enemies and bring final and decisive judgment against those who have resisted, defied, and blasphemed his name.

As I said, Christians differ on a lot of other details about what will or will not happen in conjunction with the return of Christ, but most will agree on the basic truths that I just stated about how human history in its present expression will come to an end.

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