4. What is the “earth,” and how will it be destroyed?

⁴ The “earth” represents the world of mankind alienated from God. Such a world existed in Noah’s day and, by divine decree, ended with the Flood. “By the same word the heavens and the earth that are now are stored up for fire and are being reserved to the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly men.” (2 Pet. 3:7) Whereas the Flood destroyed the ungodly all at one time, the coming destruction will occur in stages during “the great tribulation.” (Rev. 7:14) In the first phase of that tribulation, God will move the political rulers of this world to destroy “Babylon the Great,” thus showing his contempt for that religious harlot. (Rev. 17:5, 16; 18:8) Then, in the war of Armageddon, the final phase of the great tribulation, Jehovah himself will wipe out the rest of Satan’s world.​—Rev. 16:14, 16; 19:19-21.

“Earth and the Works in It Will Be Discovered”

8. How are the earth and the works in it “discovered”?

⁸ What did Peter mean when he wrote that “earth and the works in it will be discovered”? The word “discovered” can also be rendered “found out” or “laid bare.” Peter meant that during the great tribulation, Jehovah will lay bare Satan’s world, exposing it as being against Him and His Kingdom and thus deserving of destruction. Speaking prophetically of that time, Isaiah 26:21 reads: “Jehovah is coming forth from his place to call to account the error of the inhabitant of the land against him, and the land will certainly expose her bloodshed and will no longer cover over her killed ones.”

9. (a) What should we reject, and why? (b) What should we cultivate, and why?

⁹ During Jehovah’s day, those who have been molded by the world and its evil spirit will display their true nature, even slaughtering one another. In fact, it could well be that the numerous forms of violent entertainment popular today are conditioning the minds of many for the time when each man’s hand “will actually come up against the hand of his companion.” (Zech. 14:13) How important, then, that we reject anything​—movies, books, video games, and so on—​that may engender within us traits that are detestable to God, such as pride and the love of violence! (2 Sam. 22:28; Ps. 11:5) Rather, let us cultivate the fruitage of God’s holy spirit, for such qualities will prove to be incombustible when the figurative heat is on.​—Gal. 5:22, 23.