Earth... Will The Planet Be Burnt Up?
It is not the literal heavens and the literal planet or sphere called earth that are to be destroyed. Apostle Peter speaks of "the world [or 'heavens and earth'] that then was [before the Flood], being overflowed with water, perished." The literal heavens and the literal earth did not then cease to exist, but rather the religious and civil arrangement of things existing on our planet before the Flood was then destroyed, i.e., ceased to exist.
Similarly, "this present evil world," or order of affairs
(Gal. 1: 4; 2 Tim. 4: 10; Titus 2: 12), with its heavens and earth (its false religious and secular powers) is to "pass away with a great noise [commotion]"; it is "reserved unto fire," the fire of God's wrath"; it is to be devoured by the fire of his [God's] jealousy" (2 Pet. 3: 7, 10-12; Zeph. 1: 18; Hag. 2: 6, 7; Heb. 12: 26-28)fire is used in the Bible to symbolize destruction. But the literal earth will remain, with people, even unconverted people, on it, "For then will I turn to the people a pure language [a pure message, the message of truth], that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent" (Zeph. 3: 8, 9; Isa. 24: 6; Matt. 24: 21, 22; The Divine Plan of the Ages, p. 317).
The literal earth, this planet or sphere, and the literal heavens are eternal, for the Church, to whom Jesus promised an eternal home in heaven (John 14: 1-3; 1 Thes. 4: 17; Heb. 10: 34; 2 Pet. 1: 4), "have a building of God [a new spiritual body], an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Cor. 5: 1); and those of the world (but not of the Lord's Church) who will be saved unto eternal life will "inherit the earth; for yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be; yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shalt not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth. For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. The transgressors shall be destroyed together"; "All the wicked will he destroy" (Psa. 37: 9-11, 22, 29, 34, 38; 145: 20; Prov. 2: 21, 22; Isa. 60: 21; Matt. 5: 5). "The earth abideth for ever" (Eccles. 1: 4; Psa. 104: 5; 119: 90). God created it to be inhabited (Isa. 45: 18). And He says, "As truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with my glory" (Num.14: 21; Hab. 2: 14; Psa. 72: 19; Rev. 5: 13); "all flesh shall see it together," after it is revealed (Isa. 40: 5), for "all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God" and reverence Him (Isa. 52: 10; Psa. 67: 7). We therefore, "according to his promise, look for new heavens [with Christ and His Church, instead of Satan and his evil angels, in control] and a new earth [human society organized on a new basis], wherein dwelleth righteousness"
(2 Pet. 3: 13; Isa. 65: 17; 66: 22; Rev. 21: 1-5).
