Earlier this month, my 6-year-old said something out of nowhere that stopped me in my tracks:

"Daddy, the world never end."

"What made you say that, my boy?"

"Jesus told me."

"What will the world be like?"

His response:

"It will look like heaven."

"Awesome, my boy. Sounds like what Jesus taught us to pray—heaven on earth."

Then came the question that made me laugh out loud:

"Daddy, when you're 54, will you still look the same?"

The innocence of a child can take you to the highest heavens—then remind you you're getting old in a second.

Anyway, this got me thinking deeply.

I’ve always believed this earth would be destroyed, and we’d be given a new one. But the truth is, I’d always held that belief simply because it’s what I’d been taught—not because I’d asked the Holy Spirit about it for myself.

So, I decided to lay down everything I thought I knew—especially since I've been on this journey with God about His good nature vs evil—start from scratch, and ask the Holy Spirit to teach me directly about this.

I also wanted to explore whether there was a deeper lesson to what my son had said.

Here’s what has unfolded in the weeks since.

This might challenge some of the theology and tradition we hear today, but you may be pleasantly surprised by the truth and hope it brings.

When Scripture speaks of a "new heaven and a new earth," it uses the Greek word kainos (καινός) instead of neos (νέος).

• Neos means something completely new in existence, as in "brand new, never before seen."

• Kainos, however, refers to something that is renewed, transformed, or refreshed—still connected to the old, but made new in quality.

For example:

• 2 Corinthians 5:17 – "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new (kainos) creation..." — A believer doesn’t become an entirely different person but is renewed, transformed in nature.

• Matthew 9:17 – "New (kainos) wine into new wineskins." — The wine isn't brand new in existence but renewed in quality.

So, when Revelation 21:1 and Isaiah 65:17 say, "Behold, I create a new (kainos) heaven and a new (kainos) earth," it suggests that God isn't scrapping this world but transforming it into its fullest, redeemed version—heaven and earth united as one.

God’s original mandate in the Garden of Eden will be fulfilled. What He started in the beginning will not end in chaos, but in restoration.

The earth isn't a disposable item to God—it's His beloved creation, and He’s in the business of making all things new.

God’s renewal is far greater than simple restoration. It’s an invitation to become what we were always meant to be.

2 Peter 3:10 is often read as saying the world will be burned up:

"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare (or burned up)."

Key Greek Words That Indicate Purification Instead of Annihilation

"Laid Bare" (Εὑρεθήσεται – heurethēsetai)

Some manuscripts say the earth will be burned up (katakaēsetai, κατακαήσεται), but the more reliable reading is "laid bare" or "disclosed" (heurethēsetai, εὑρεθήσεται).

This suggests exposure for purification rather than complete destruction.

"Destroyed" (Λυθήσεται – luthēsetai)

The word luthēsetai (λυθήσεται), translated as "destroyed" or "dissolved," actually means "loosened, released, or unbound."

It's the same word used for untying a donkey (Luke 19:30) or being freed from chains (Acts 22:30)—not annihilation but liberation.

"Elements" (Στοιχεῖα – stoicheia)

Some think stoicheia refers to physical elements (earth, fire, water, air) being burned up.

However, in other NT passages, stoicheia refers to spiritual forces or old religious systems (Galatians 4:3, Colossians 2:8).

This could mean that Peter is describing the removal of corruption and worldly systems, not the literal destruction of the planet.

Fire as Purification, Not Annihilation

Fire in Scripture often symbolizes refinement rather than destruction:

• Malachi 3:2-3 – "He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap..."

• 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 – "Each one's work will be revealed by fire... If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved."

This suggests that Peter is talking about a refining fire that removes corruption and renews creation, not an absolute wipeout.

Analogy: Goldsmith

Think of a goldsmith who melts down a gold nugget, not to destroy it, but to burn away impurities and reveal its true beauty. The fire doesn’t erase the gold; it refines it, bringing out its fullest potential.

In the same way, the fire of God's purification won’t destroy the earth—it will transform it, just as it refines us in our journey of sanctification.

The world is not being erased, but redeemed.

Jesus didn’t teach us to escape the earth but to bring heaven to earth—a kingdom reality here, now.

In Matthew 6:10, He taught us to pray, "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

This isn't just a spiritual desire for the afterlife; it's a call for God's will to be established right here, right now, in the world we live in.

If heaven is our final destination, then it stands to reason that the earth—the place we live right now—has a significant role in God’s redemptive plan.

When you pray "on earth as it is in heaven," you are partnering with God to see His kingdom manifest here. Heaven isn’t some far-off dream; it’s part of God’s plan for now.

"The kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt 4:17)

It’s already here, in seed form, waiting to expand and fill the earth.

If God is in the business of redeeming humanity through Jesus Christ, why would we assume He would abandon the very earth He created and called "good"?

The truth is, this world is not some mistake God plans to throw away.

Just as He redeemed us, He will also redeem the earth. The ultimate goal isn’t destruction but restoration—God will make all things new (Revelation 21:5).

If the earth is a divine creation meant to reflect God’s glory, then it will be redeemed, not destroyed.

In fact, even in the midst of our current suffering and brokenness, Romans 8 tells us creation itself is groaning for this redemption, longing to be liberated from the decay it’s under.

God’s promise isn’t just to fix us as individuals, but to restore all of creation to its intended glory. His kingdom, His will, His goodness will fill the earth like the waters cover the sea.

The world will be restored to what it was always meant to be—perfected in God’s glory.

1. Have I ever questioned what I believe about the future of the earth—or have I simply accepted what I was taught?

2. Am I open to letting the Holy Spirit reshape my understanding, even if it challenges familiar theology?

3. What would change in how I live today if I truly believed God’s plan is to restore and renew, not abandon or destroy?

Bless you,

Lee