Genesis 8:22 reads as “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” This is a promise that God proclaims after he accepted the sacrifice of Noah. What is interesting to note is that while this verse speaks of the provisions of God in seedtime and harvest and the patterns of God in temperature (cold and heat) fluctuations, seasons (summer and winter) and a perpetual rotation of the earth on its axis making the diurnal (day) and nocturnal (night) cycle, it also speaks of a definite period of time that the earth will remain.
In other words, the earth as we know it will have an end, as we know it. It was destroyed once by flood (during the time of Noah), but it will be destroyed once and for all. by fire, when the Lord Jesus Christ returns, as the Scripture indicates in 2 Peter 3:10-12).
Points to ponder:
Unfortunately many live today, while the earth remains, as if the present would be the model of the future, seeking and hoarding the ephemeral and earthly things, that will one day be burnt up. The present would pass for there is a definite time period for this earth to remain and no one else knows when the end shall be, except God the Father, who is in heaven, but there will be an end … so as the Scripture advises, let us not be ignorant (2 Peter 3:5) walking after our own lusts (2 Peter 3:3), but instead let us diligently look forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ; to the new heaven and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness (2 Peter 3:13), while the earth remains!
Genesis 8:22 (KJV)
22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
2 Peter 3:4-14 (KJV)
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
