3.2 The Future of the Universe (OB11)

If there is somebody who created the world, only He can tell us what really will happen.

Evolution: Evolution sees no temporal end to the universe. An astrophysicist like R. Breuer writes for example [B8, p. 49]: “Gravity is the driving force that keeps even an eternally expanding universe in motion against a purely thermic heat death.” Breuer even lists some speculations about future events. After 1020 years, the classical evolution of the cosmos will end; it will be followed by a quantum mechanical era and all protons will undergo gravitational collapse after 1045 years. “After 101500 years there will be spheres of pure iron in utter darkness at exceedingly low temperatures” (p. 55). But even this is not seen as the end. Freeman Dyson, a physicist of Princeton, extrapolates across all temporal boundaries: As far into the future as we can imagine, there will always be objects. In an open cosmos, history has no end.

Scientific Objections: We do not know whether we live in an open universe or a closed one; furthermore, the geometrical/astronomical structure of the universe is totally unknown. The only honest answer about the future of the universe is that no scientifically based projections can be made.

The Bible: If there is somebody who created the world, only He can tell us what really will happen. The Word of God does not describe this world as being in a state of continual development (evolving toward point omega according to Teilhard de Chardin), but as being subjected to decay since man’s fall into sin (Rom. 8:20–21). The Lord Jesus exclaims in Matthew 24:35: “Heaven and earth will pass away.” This temporal end of the universe is also described in other passages of the Bible:

Psalm 102:25–26: “In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain.

Isaiah 34:4: “All the stars of the heavens will be dissolved and the sky rolled up like a scroll.

Isaiah 51:6: “. . . the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment.

2 Peter 3:10–13: “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. . . . But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth.

Revelation 6:14: “The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up.

Did God Use Evolution?

Per theistic evolution, God started the process of evolution and guided it over millions of years. This content analyzes and rejects the assumptions and results of the doctrine of theistic evolution.

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