Question:
Could you please explain Isaiah 34:11-15? Does the fire destroy all the animals present at the coming of Christ, or will there be any animals on Earth at that time?
Answer:
There is no evidence that when our Lord returns for the second time, all life on earth will be destroyed. Though all human life may perish, Isaiah teaches this, and Jeremiah 4:25 declares, “I beheld, and, lo, there was no man.” Additionally, Revelation 19:21 supports this notion. Among those who remain on earth after the great wars that devastate the habitable parts of the globe, it is said, “The remnant were slain with the sword of Him that sat upon the horse,” indicating they will perish in the brightness of Christ’s presence. However, there will still be animals that survive.
The fire, therefore, is not universal; it is kindled in specific places, rendering the entire earth a desolate wilderness. Isaiah 34, which seems to use Idumea as a representation of this desolate state, suggests that wild beasts and birds of prey will inhabit the earth during this time. A call goes out for them to come and devour the carcasses of the fallen men. This is referenced in Revelation 19:17-18.
When the glory of God appears a second time, the entire sinful earth, except for the area where the holy city stands—the place made sacred by the feet of the Son of God—will become a vast lake of fire. The Scriptures do not indicate that this lake of fire will begin at the start of the thousand years or at the beginning of the Day of the Lord; rather, it will come during the Day of the Lord. As we read in 2 Peter 3:10, “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in 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.”
