Which path will mankind go?

I have had two pictures of our future in my mind for some time now and those pictures are becoming clearer to me. Two separate paths will lead us to two separate results. One path will lead to destruction and the other will lead to peace and serenity. I believe God is giving us, as a whole and individually, the decision of choosing which path we will take.

The Bible talks about a new heaven and new earth. I see that could happen in two different ways. If all of us humans decided to receive the Living Water and we all become One with God in Christ Jesus, then Satan will be defeated. He would have no more control or influence over us. In essence, there would be a new heaven and new earth. If we continue down our present path, then I think God has no choice but to destroy everything and create a new heaven and new earth. The choice is up to us.

Isaiah 65:17 King James Version (KJV)

¹⁷ For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

I have discovered several things in this scripture verse in my studies. We can not tell if the new heavens and new earth are being created as we speak or if they will be created in the future. Some translations have translated from the original text that it is a future creation, “I will create” and some translate the original text to the present tense, “I am creating”. Also, the original Hebrew word that has been translated to our English word “new” is “chadash” {pronounced khaw-dawsh'}. The meaning has a primitive root; to be new but in a causative way; to rebuild, renew, repair. So, we really can not tell if God is repairing this world and this heavens or will He do away with these and create new.

Other things I have discovered in my studies which I believe go along with these thoughts are found at the ends of both the Old Testament and New Testament of our Bible. The last book of the Old Testament is the book of Malachi.

Malachi 4:4-6 Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

⁴ Bethink ye on the law of my servant Moses, which I commanded to him in Horeb, to all Israel commandments and dooms. (Remember ye the Law of my servant Moses, which I commanded to him at Mount Sinai, yea, my ordinances and judgements, or laws, for all the people of Israel.)

⁵ Lo! I shall send to you Elijah, the prophet, before that the great day and horrible of the Lord come. (Lo! I shall send you the prophet Elijah, before that the great and terrible day of the Lord shall come.)

⁶ And he shall turn again the heart of fathers to sons, and the heart of sons to the fathers of them, lest peradventure I come, and smite the earth with (a) curse. Amen. (And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers toward their sons, and the hearts of the sons toward their fathers, lest perhaps I come, and strike the land with a curse (KJV says "...smite the earth with a curse."), and destroy it. Amen.)

(If you are a believer, then you have been adopted into the people of Israel.)

Here it says in a nutshell that if peace is not restored, then God will destroy it (earth) as He did when He sent the flood upon the earth and destroyed every living creature including man, except for those He saved that were in the ark. This time it will be destruction by fire. I feel that the Lord is still giving us a chance to change our heart with His help of the Holy Spirit, the Living Water.

This is what it says at the end of the New Testament.

Revelation 22:14-17 Common English Bible (CEB)

¹⁴ Favored are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right of access to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. ¹⁵ Outside are the dogs, the drug users and spell-casters, those who commit sexual immorality, the murderers, the idolaters, and all who love and practice deception.
¹⁶ “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to bear witness to all of you about these things for the churches. I’m the root and descendant of David, the bright morning star. ¹⁷ The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who is thirsty come! Let the one who wishes receive life-giving water^[a] as a gift.”

Ezekiel 11:19-21 Common English Bible (CEB)

¹⁹ I will give them a single heart, and I will put a new spirit in them. I will remove the stony hearts from their bodies and give them hearts of flesh ²⁰ so that they may follow my regulations and carefully observe my case laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. ²¹ As for those whose hearts continue to go after their disgusting and detestable things, I will hold them accountable for their ways. This is what the Lord God says!