What Is God’s Purpose for the Earth?

Jehovah Goda made the earth to be a perfect paradise home for humankind​—a place where men and women would enjoy a full, satisfying life in human perfection forever. This fundamental truth contradicts the commonly accepted but Scripturally baseless idea that God made the earth to be some kind of testing ground for humans, to see if they deserved to live a more meaningful life in a spirit world.​—See the box “Must We Leave the Earth to Enjoy a Meaningful Life?” on page 6.

God made man and woman in His image, giving them the capacity to reflect His wonderful qualities. (Genesis 1:26, 27) He made them perfect. They had everything they needed to enjoy a productive, meaningful life forever. That would include filling the earth and subduing it, transforming the whole planet into a paradise just like the garden of Eden.​—Genesis 1:28-31; 2:8, 9.

God has not abandoned his purpose for the earth and mankind. Through the prophet Isaiah, Jehovah assures us that He is the Maker of the earth, the one “who did not create it simply for nothing, who formed it even to be inhabited.” (Isaiah 45:18) Very soon now, he will begin bringing the earth back to the perfect state he originally purposed. With the rightness of his way of ruling absolutely established, he will be justified in using his irresistible power to enforce his will and utterly destroy all evil. (Isaiah 55:10, 11) In the model prayer, Jesus Christ included an appeal for God to take this action. Jesus taught us to pray: “Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.” (Matthew 6:9, 10) What does that include?

God’s Will for the Earth

Among other things, “the meek ones themselves will possess the earth.” (Psalm 37:9-11, 29; Proverbs 2:21, 22) Jesus Christ will “deliver the poor one crying for help, also the afflicted one.” He will save them “from oppression and from violence.” (Psalm 72:12-14) War will be no more; nor will death, tears, pain, or suffering be anymore. (Psalm 46:9; Revelation 21:1-4) Multitudes of people who have died during God’s toleration of evil will be resurrected to life here on earth, and they will be given the opportunity to benefit from these and other blessings.​—John 5:28, 29.

In fact, Jehovah will undo the harm that Satan’s rebellion has caused. So complete will this remedial action be that “the former distresses [all the things that bring grief and pain today] will actually be forgotten.” (Isaiah 65:16-19) That future is guaranteed. God does not lie. All his promises come true. Life will no longer be “emptiness and chasing the wind.” (Ecclesiastes 2:17, The New English Bible) Rather, life will be filled with meaning.