In the year 2020, for the first time ever, astrophysicists and astronomers noticed an extraordinary burst of radiation and light that is explained only by a red giant devouring an orbiting planet (ref. 1). The burst came from the direction of the constellation Aquila within the galaxy of the Milky Way, about 12000 light years away. In the past, scientists have only ever detected evidence of this sort of thing before and after the event. To see it this way is a world first.
Every star – the earth’s sun included – will one day exhaust its fuel of hydrogen. As this happens, the core of the star will contract and the outer layer will expand, turning the star into a so-called red giant. The red giant will expand so much that orbiting planets, one by one, will be engulfed and devoured by fire.
Over a thousand years from now, sometime after the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ, the sun around which the planet earth orbits will also expand into a red giant and burn up the entire planet earth. This is the prophecy of 2 Peter 3:10.
… 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.
2 Peter 3:10
This is the second and final end of the world (ref. Job 38:13), and also the second “day of the Lord” (ref. 2 Peter 3:10) in Bible prophecy, not to be confused with the first end of the world and the first “day of the LORD” (ref. Joel 2:31) in Bible prophecy. The first, the one in Joel 2 around the time of Armageddon, involves the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and the beginning of the kingdom of God. The second, the one in 2 Peter 3, will happen after the event of Gog and Magog (ref. Revelation 20:7-9, Ezekiel 38) and just before the time of the new Jerusalem from heaven (ref. Revelation 21:2).
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea [burned up by the sun’s fire]. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride for her husband… And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new…
Revelation 21:1-5
At the time of the new Jerusalem, all humans who are alive will have been born again, made immortal and incorruptible. What is more, among the living at this time, there will be no more evil, for all will be one with Jesus Christ.
He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving [atheists included], and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters [Satanists and all who worship any of the fallen angels], and all liars [think heretics, false teachers, and other wolves in sheep’s clothing] shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Revelation 21:7-8
Many scientists today insist that the sun around which the planet earth orbits will die some five billion years from now.
Some others fantasize that mankind might build spaceships, and travel through outer space to inhabit planets elsewhere. Actually, it takes half a lifetime just to fly beyond the solar system. And even then, there is probably not another planet like earth anywhere in the universe. I also doubt there is biological life elsewhere.
I suppose, this is why 2 Peter 3:10 reads that the passing of the earth will come “as a thief in the night”. Only the faithful will understand and see it coming. The rest, unbelieving and unrepentant, will be taken by surprise.
Hollywood’s propaganda of aliens aside, the movie Knowing (2009) portrays what it would be like when the planet earth meets its fiery fate (ref. 2).
Everyone not saved and everything on the earth will burn in the fire.
To be saved, as always, one must choose the side of God as opposed to Satan, and one must have faith in Jesus Christ.
Now, it is not for nothing that this first ever discovery of a star burning up a planet was made by scientists in America. In a way, the coming fiery end in these last days of Babylon, the land of the beast of the earth, is a picture of the fiery end of the entire planet earth over a thousand years from now. To this point, Isaiah 24 speaks of “earth” but means “Babylon”.
The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word. The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
Isaiah 24:3-6
For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
Isaiah 66:15-16
Another reason why the first end is a picture of the second end is, in Malachi 4, the sun is a metaphor of Jesus Christ.
For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun [notice the spelling “Sun” rather than “Son”] of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.
Malachi 4:1-3
Furthermore, Revelation 21 explains, after the sun burns up the earth and goes supernova, the Son of God Jesus Christ will become the new light of the world – the literal light of the new heavenly Jerusalem.
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Revelation 21:23
For now, Jesus Christ is the light of the world, showing all on the earth the way which leads to life.
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
John 8:12
References:
1. Charles Choi (5 May 2023), “Scientists catch real-life Death Star devouring a planet in 1st-of-its-kind discovery”, space.com
2. “At Earth’s End”, youtube.com/watch?v=RDdc0-JD8Dk