The earth will never
end or pass away, because "God himself that formed the earth and made it,
he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be
inhabited". (Isaiah 45:18) "The earth abideth forever."--Ecclesiastes 1:4.
[428]The word world means the social and political order or rule
governing the people. From Adam to the time of the great deluge was the
first world or social order of government; which was under the
administration of angels (Hebrews 2:5), and which passed away in a
great flood, during which only Noah and his family, consisting in all of
eight persons, were carried over from the old to the other or newer
world, and were saved. (2 Peter 3:6; 1 Peter 3:20) There began with Noah
and his family a new order or world, which in the time of the Apostle's
day and before that time had grown evil, and which he designated as "the
present evil world". (Galatians 1:4) The Apostle clearly shows that that
world must pass away to make way for the new and righteous kingdom,
which will rule and govern and bless the people.
[429]It was during the early part of this world that God made promise
to Abraham that through his seed all the families of the earth should be
blessed. Later, at the death of Jacob, God organized the nation of
Israel or the Jews into a nation and at Mount Sinai made a covenant with
them. Jehovah dealt with the nation of Israel exclusive of all other
nations for a number of years.
Pages:
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280