Shirley H Wife, mother, veteran in the spiritual war we all face!

Remember, God is the "I Am." Therefore, saying, "I am creating," means, “I m about to create.” God created all that exists. He will create a new cosmos, that will accommodate His presence when He returns to walk again with His people.

In Revelation 21 John saw in his vision that the old heaven and earth had passed away. It was no more! Verse 4 in this chapter tells us, "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, no more sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

HALLELUJAH!

November 13 2022 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

John Appelt

The “new heavens” and the “new earth,” in Isaiah 65:17, is the prophecy of what God will create in some future day. These replace the old heavens and earth, of which everything about it will not be remembered or recalled.

Other than Isaiah 66:22, which states the new heavens and new earth will be preserved eternally, as also the future descendants of Israel, the only other mentions are II Peter 3:10 and Revelation 21:2. 

These passages conflict about when the new heavens and new earth appear. Isaiah seems to connect with the millennium whereas Revelation seems to connect it with the eternal state. But the solution is that both passages each present two different concepts.

Isaiah 65:17-19 describes the things that God will create which will happen in the future eternity. Then, Isaiah 65:20-25 backtracks to tell of certain conditions describing the millennium that lead to the new heavens and new earth. This section has to be the millennium because of the mention of sin, Isaiah 65:20.

In like manner, Revelation depicts two concepts. Revelation 21:1-8 describes the eternal future state during which God dwells with men, His kingdom comes down to earth, and death, pain, and sorrow are absent. This is the sense of I Corinthians 15:24-28 when the millennial kingdom of Christ will transition to the eternal future state over which God will reign. Once Christ has conquered all enemies, He will deliver the kingdom to God. There will be one last rebellion at the end of the millennium and then the enemies will all be defeated, Revelation 20:7-10. Chronologically, this future state follows the Great White Throne judgment, Revelation 20:11-15. 

However, Revelation 21:9-22:5 goes back in time giving a side explanation of the bride, the Lamb’s wife, like the description of the Mystery Babylon harlot of Revelation 17:1-18. These contrasting visions were both shown to John by one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues. This section must be about the millennium because Revelation 22:2 tells of the “healing of the nations,” which could not be in the eternal state, but in the millennial period when Christ/Messiah rules the earth. 

After the millennium, the old heavens and earth are destroyed as described in II Peter 3:7-13. This world will perish by fire, Isaiah 34:4, 51:6, Psalm 102:25-26, just as Noah’s world perished by the catastrophic flood, II Peter 3:5-7. This will be a complete replacement, not just refinement, Revelation 20:11 and 21:1.

Believers will be spared this judgment, which is designated for the ungodly, II Peter 3:7, just as eight people on the ark were spared the destruction during the flood, I Peter 3:20. 

Peter used this coming event to spur believers on to godly living, II Peter 3:11-14, and looking forward to the new heavens and new earth where there is eternal righteousness. The Lord’s promise in Isaiah 65:17 of a brand-new universe will not fail to be fulfilled, giving believers hope and joy.

June 13 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report