The Scriptures in many places refer to the time of destruction in the end of the present order of things under various symbols or illustrations such as "fire," "earthquake," "whirlwind," etc. The literal earth or planet on which we dwell is not referred to in connection with these statements, but the present social order, with all of its selfishness and evil, is to be destroyed in a destructive time of trouble "such as was not since there was a nation." The earth itself will never pass away, for the Bible declares the Lord formed it to be inhabited and will eventually "make the place of His feet (His footstool–the earth) glorious." The expression of the Prophet, "there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before," we understand to signify that during the time of trouble and distress that shall come upon the nations in the last days, there will be no place or source of comfort and consolation for the class of false prophets or prognosticators of the preceding verse.
