What Does the Future Hold?

 

WHY DOES THE ANSWER MATTER? A person’s prospects for tomorrow affect the way he acts today. 

For example, those with little hope for the future may adopt the attitude: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we are to die.” (1 Corinthians 15:32) Such an attitude often leads to overeating, heavy drinking, and anxiety—not to genuine peace of mind.
 

Granted, if the future were left entirely in human hands, our prospects would be bleak. The earth’s air, water, and land are being polluted on an unprecedented scale. The threat of nuclear war and terrorist attacks is mounting. Disease and poverty affect billions worldwide. Yet, there are sound reasons for hope.
 

While humans cannot accurately predict the future, Jehovah God describes himself as “the One telling from the beginning the finale, and from long ago the things that have not been done.” (Isaiah 46:10) What does Jehovah say about what the future holds?
 

What the Bible Says

Jehovah will not allow the earth or life on it to be damaged beyond repair. In fact, the Bible promises that 

God will “bring to ruin those ruining the earth.” (Revelation 11:18) By means of his Kingdom, or heavenly government, Jehovah will cleanse the earth of wickedness and bring about the conditions he originally purposed. (Genesis 1:26-31; 2:8, 9; Matthew 6:9, 10) The following Bible verses open a window on the future, describing events that will soon affect every individual on earth.
 

Psalm 46:8, 9. “Come, you people, behold the activities of Jehovah, how he has set astonishing events on the earth. He is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth. The bow he breaks apart and does cut the spear in pieces; the wagons he burns in the fire.”
 

Isaiah 35:5, 6. “At that time the eyes of the blind ones will be opened, and the very ears of the deaf ones will be unstopped. At that time the lame one will climb up just as a stag does, and the tongue of the speechless one will cry out in gladness. For in the wilderness waters will have burst out, and torrents in the desert plain.”
 

Isaiah 65:21, 22. “They will certainly build houses and have occupancy; and they will certainly plant vineyards and eat their fruitage. They will not build and someone else have occupancy; they will not plant and someone else do the eating.”
 

Daniel 2:44. “The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.”
 

John 5:28, 29. “The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear [Jesus’] voice and come out.”
 

Revelation 21:3, 4. “God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”
 

How the Bible’s Answer Brings Real Peace of Mind

At first, the conditions described above may sound too good to be true. But these promises are made by God, not by men. And Jehovah God “cannot lie.”—Titus 1:2.
 

If you learn to trust in God’s promises and live by his laws, you will retain your peace of mind despite the most trying of circumstances. War, poverty, sickness, and even the trials of old age or the prospect of death—none of these things will permanently rob you of your peace. Why? Because you will be convinced that God’s Kingdom will reverse the effects of all these maladies.
 

How can you gain that kind of hope for the future? You must make “your mind over” and prove to yourself “the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2) You will likely need further proof that the 

Bible’s promises are trustworthy. Such an investigation is worth the effort. Few things that you do in life will bring you greater peace of mind.