by Wayne Bereman

Created on: June 01, 2009   Last Updated: June 05, 2009

Many Christians today, having read books about the "end times" with both literal and futurist interpretations of Revelation and Biblical prophesy, believe the world will soon be destroyed by God. Indeed some may believe that global warming plays into this discussion, and could even be the mechanism God might use in destroying life on this planet. I'd like to briefly challenge not only the notion that global warming will or could ever destroy life on planet earth, but also the notion that God would ever allow his creation to be wiped out again. And to do this, I'd like to examine not Revelation or Daniel or Thessalonians or even the gospels. Instead, we need only agree on what scripture is, and simply return for a moment to Genesis, when God last destroyed life on earth.

In reading the Bible, we must agree first on how we will understand what is written. Almost every Christian will agree that the Bible is the inspired Word of God; that it is truth without error. In such, they seek to understand it grammatically, as words are the method God used to convey his message, and historically, as historical statements are made. And because a Christian accepts by faith the truth of scripture, he must agree that scripture cannot contradict itself. If the Bible could be self contradictory, how would we decide what parts to accept, and what to throw out? That notion is contrary to the laws of logic and clearly counter intuitive. If scripture were not true, who would call himself a Christian?

With these basic and generally agreed upon ideas in place, we can move on and read scripture and understand it fully. Whatever is true in the Bible's first book, Genesis, is still true in its last book, Revelation. In Genesis, God is displeased with the world, and instructs Noah to build an ark, gather up the animals of the world to preserve them, and take his family with him to preserve the race. Do we have to worry that this will again occur?

Many Christian leaders teach that God promised in Chapter 9 of Genesis never to again destroy the earth by "flood". And they are certainly correct, God does say this clearly. Genesis 9:11 says "And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth". But to fit a theology of a future apocalypse, these leaders are often heard saying "ah, perhaps not by flood, but God could use some other method to destroy earth, such as fire, war,

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