Shortly before the Lord Jesus was crucified, the disciples ask Him the question recorded in Matthew 24:3.

Matt 24:3
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (KJV)

The word translated world is aion which means age. The disciples knew that, if the kingdom was to be established, the age they were in would end and the glorious age of the kingdom would follow. However, they may have also thought that the coming kingdom would bring about a new heaven and a new earth. Isaiah spoke of the kingdom and said,

Isa 65:17
17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. (KJV)

The Apostle John revealed in Revelation 20 that before the new heaven and new earth is established the Lord Jesus will rule the present earth for one thousand years.

Rev 20:4
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (NKJ)

John goes on to say that at the end of the thousand year reign of Christ, the nations will mount one final rebellion. At that time the enemies of the Lord will surround Jerusalem and the saints of God, but God will sent fire from heaven to destroy them.

The Great White Throne judgement will then take place, and all unsaved people from the beginning of time will stand before the Lord and be judged. God will open the Book of Life, and they will be cast into the lake of fire because their names will not be found therein. Immediately thereafter, the new heaven and new earth will appear.

As John wrote the book of the Revelation, he revealed for the first time in all of scripture that Christ would rule the earth for one thousand years before the new heaven and new earth. Therefore, as the disciples asked about the end of the age, they may have thought that the earth as they knew it was about to end.

It also needs to be noted that the disciples did not know about the age or dispensation we live in today. The Apostle Paul said that our dispensation of grace was revealed to him but was kept secret even from the prophets of other ages.

Eph 3:2-5
2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery ...
5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: (NKJ)

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

Other church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/

James III’s link:
http://www.jeditime.blogspot.com