“And: ‘You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment'” (Hebrews 1:10-11).
One of the more intriguing aspects of this passage involves this reference to the heavens and how they will perish and grow old like a garment. One source explains how this ancient Biblical message is reflected in a relatively modern scientific principle…
“Three different places in the Bible (Isa_51:6; Psa_102:25-26; Heb_1:11) indicate that the earth is wearing out. This is what the Second Law of Thermodynamics (the Law of Increasing Entropy) states: that in all physical processes, every ordered system over time tends to become more disordered. Everything is running down and wearing out as energy is becoming less and less available for use.
That means the universe will eventually ‘wear out’ to the extent that (theoretically speaking) there will be a ‘heat death’ and therefore no more energy available for use. This wasn’t discovered by man until fairly recently, but the Bible states it in clear, succinct terms.” (1)
While the academic community has formulated this truth into in a modern scientific principle, even those who aren’t familiar with the Second Law Of Thermodynamics undoubtedly recognize that everything breaks down, wears out, or stops functioning over time. This is true for living beings and immaterial things alike. For instance, batteries run out of power, metallic surfaces rust, buildings suffer structural failures, bridges and roads decay, and all living things eventually die.
While this may be a depressing reality, it is important to face this critical truth: everything in this present physical order will eventually cease to exist one day. Nevertheless, there is hope in the midst of this fatalistic reality. While the people, places, and things we know today will eventually pass from the scene, Jesus remains. And even though our current world is subject to entropy and decay, it will eventually be replaced by “…a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).
With this in mind, we would do well to follow the counsel that Jesus offers in the Gospel of Luke…
“Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12:33-34 NIV).
(1) The Evidence Bible [note on Psalm 102:25-26] Bridge-Logos Publishers 2011