The New Heavens and New Earth

 Introduction:

Several religious groups and denominations believe that when Christ’s second coming occurs, this earth will be transformed or renovated and the righteous will live on it throughout eternity.  But does God’s Word actually teach this? 

Body:

  I. Old Testament References

       Isaiah 65         Romans 10:20 (Isaiah 65:1 is quoted)

• Isaiah 65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.”  Christian era, Law of Moses is past away
• Isaiah 65:18 “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy.”  Jerusalem – spiritual (God’s People)                             Experience joy due to salvation.
• Isaiah 65:20-23 “No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days, For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed.  They shall build houses and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.  They shall not build and another inhabit; They shall not plant and another eat; For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.  They shall not labor in vain, Nor bring forth children for trouble, For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the Lord, And their offspring with them.”  Death and sinners exist!  This is not referring to eternal life!
• Isaiah 65:24-25 “It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear.  The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, The lion shall eat straw like the ox, And dust shall be the serpent’s food.  They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, says the Lord.”  Peace is experienced by those in the “holy mountain.” kingdom (church)  Isaiah 2:1-4                               [Also Isaiah 11:6-9 and Romans 15:8-12]

     Isaiah 66

• Isaiah 66:20-21 “Then they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the Lord out of all nations, on horses and in chariots and in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,’ says the Lord, ‘as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.  And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites,’ says the Lord.”  “All nations” – Jews and Gentiles will make up the kingdom.    (holy mountain Jerusalem)  Christian age   Ephesians 2:12-17
• Isaiah 66:22-23 “For as the new heavens and the new earth Which I will make shall remain before Me,’ says the Lord, ‘So shall your descendants and your name remain, And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,’ says the Lord.”  All will worship together in the Christian age.  There will be a regular pattern of worship.
• Isaiah 66:24 “And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me.  For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched.  They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”  Those who reject Christ’s invitation will suffer eternal punishment.

II. New Testament References

• II Peter 3:10-13  “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.  Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire and the elements will melt with fervent heat?  Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”  II Peter 3:7 “But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”  Consider this context carefully.
• “pass away”  to come to an end and no longer be there; disappear  Matthew 24:35  “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”  Not transferred or renewed                          heaven – sky and space
• “dissolved” – let loose, unbound, destroyed
• “melt” – perish or be destroyed by melting
• “new heavens and new earth” – final abode in heaven

     Revelation 21

• Revelation 21:1 “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.  Also there was no more sea.”  New is not the same as the old. (physical)
• Revelation 21:2 “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”  The holy city, new Jerusalem, cannot be a physical one, because it’s coming from heaven.  The new heaven and new earth must be a figurative expression for God’s dwelling place, heaven.                       Matthew 5:34 “But I say to you, do not swear at all neither by heaven, for it God’s throne, nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.”    Revelation 21:24,27 “And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.”  “But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”  This describes where the righteous will dwell, including the faithful in the church.

Invitation:

• When one becomes a Christian, his/her citizenship changes from earth to heaven.  Philippians 3:20 “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, “
• The Christian’s hope is now in heaven.  Colossians 1:5  “because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel”
• Why? Their inheritance is there!  I Peter 1:3-4  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,”
• Let’s read Christ’s invitation.  John 14:1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”  NKJV

Bobby Stafford

July 3, 2011

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