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The predictions of the Doomsday Clock will not be fulfilled, because God promises a bright future for mankind and the earth

COVER SUBJECT | IS THE WORLD OUT OF CONTROL?

What Does the Bible Say?

What Does the Bible Say?

THE dire state of the world today was foretold in the Bible many centuries ago. And what is more, the Bible specifically predicted a bright future for mankind. What the Bible says should not be quickly dismissed in view of the fact that so much of what it foretells has actually been fulfilled in amazing detail.

For instance, consider the following Bible prophecies:

  • “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages and earthquakes in one place after another.”​—Matthew 24:7.

  • “In the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God.”​—2 Timothy 3:1-4.

Those prophecies describe a world that some might say is spiraling out of control. In a sense, our world is indeed out of control​—out of the control of humans. According to the Bible, humans simply do not have the wisdom and power to bring about a permanent solution. This is highlighted in the following scriptures:

  • “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”​—Proverbs 14:12.

  • “Man has dominated man to his harm.”​—Ecclesiastes 8:9.

  • “It does not belong to man . . . even to direct his step.”​—Jeremiah 10:23.

Left to its own devices, the world could very likely face a global catastrophe. But that is not going to happen! Why? This is what the Bible says:

  • God “has established the earth on its foundations; it will not be moved from its place forever and ever.”​—Psalm 104:5.

  • “A generation is going, and a generation is coming, but the earth remains forever.”​—Ecclesiastes 1:4.

  • “The righteous will possess the earth, and they will live forever on it.”​—Psalm 37:29.

  • “There will be an abundance of grain on the earth; on the top of the mountains it will overflow.”​—Psalm 72:16.

These Bible teachings provide clear answers. Mankind will not die off from pollution, lack of food and water, or a global pandemic. The world will not be destroyed in a nuclear holocaust. Why not? God is in control of our planet’s future. Granted, God has allowed humans to exercise free will. However, they will reap the consequences for their decisions. (Galatians 6:7) The world is not like a runaway train, completely out of control and heading to a catastrophic end. God has established boundaries, or limits, on how much damage humans can inflict on themselves.​—Psalm 83:18; Hebrews 4:13.

But God will do more. He will bring about an “abundance of peace.” (Psalm 37:11) The positive outlook explained in this article is just a glimpse of the bright future that millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses have learned about by studying the Bible.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are a global community of men and women of all ages and of every ethnic background. They worship the one true God, whose name is Jehovah, as revealed in the Bible. They are not afraid of the future because the Bible says: “This is what Jehovah says, the Creator of the heavens, the true God, the One who formed the earth, its Maker who firmly established it, who did not create it simply for nothing, but formed it to be inhabited: ‘I am Jehovah, and there is no one else.’”​—Isaiah 45:18.

This article examined some of the Bible teachings regarding the future of the earth and humankind. For more information, see lesson 5 of the brochure Good News From God! published by Jehovah’s Witnesses and available at www.jw.org

You may also watch the video Why Did God Create the Earth? available at www.jw.org. (Look under PUBLICATIONS > VIDEOS)