Beliefs about the Afterlife (xxxxvi)

"The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever" 

(Psalm 37: 29 ESV)

In this chapter we will begin to look closer at the several major bible passages that speak of new heavens and earth and see how the accounts are alike and how they are different and then to explain the differences. First, we will begin with the texts in the prophecies of Isaiah (which we have already introduced and made comment and observations). Here are the two from Isaiah:

"17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. 18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. 20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. 21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. 22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them. 24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord." (Isa. 65: 17-25 kjv)

"22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. 23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. 24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh." (Isa. 66: 22-24)

Now, here is what the apostle Peter wrote:

"3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." (II Peter 3: 3-13)

Finally, here is what John recorded in Revelation:

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." (Rev. 21: 1-5)

Literal Fulfillment

The language of these prophecies concerning new heavens and earth cannot be legitimately interpreted in a figurative way so as to deny their literal fulfillment.

In other words, the leading subjects (nouns) of the prophecy, such as heavens, earth, etc., cannot be taken in a non literal way. Consistency and the law of non contradiction will not allow a figurative fulfillment. As I have stated several times in this series, every prophecy that has come to pass was fulfilled literally. It is a shame that so many fail to recognize this self evident fact that a study of prophecy reveals. 

What we are going to focus upon is 1) how Isaiah's, Peter's, and John's description of the new heavens and earth are alike (similarities) and 2) how they are different, and then to address the question as to why they are different.

My thesis has been that the new heavens and earth of Isaiah describe life in the thousand year reign of Christ primarily, but that described by John, and perhaps by Peter, describes life in the endless ages which follow the millennial reign. I have also contended that old testament prophecies of the new heavens and earth, and of the reign of the Messiah on earth, often blended together, like a double exposure in filmography, two comings of the Messiah and two ages of new heavens and earth.

There are things said in Isaiah's description of new heavens and earth that are inconsistent with what John writes about the new heavens and earth in the ending chapters of the book of Revelation. But, there are also so many things wherein they are alike. The Millennial age is a new heavens and earth, although not yet the new heavens and earth of the ages that follow the Millennial age. 

Questions

1. When will the present heavens and earth be destroyed, perish, or end?

2. How will they be destroyed? 

3. When will the new heavens and earth be created?

4. What will be new about the new heavens and earth?

5. Is the Millennial Kingdom age the prophesied new heavens and earth?

6. Why is John's new heavens and earth different than Isaiah's?

7. Does Peter see the Millennial age as the new heavens and earth?

8. Who are "the nations" of the Millennium or of the new heavens and earth?

9. Where will the resurrected children of God live in the new heavens and earth?

10. How will they be involved with the ongoing human race?

Question #1 - "When will the present heavens and earth be destroyed, perish, or end?" 

Let me begin addressing that question with this citation from Dr. John Walvoord (from "The New Heaven And The New Earth" at Walvoord.com - here emphasis mine):

"Only a few other passages in the Bible deal with the subject of the new heaven and the new earth, and these are often in a context dealing with the millennium (cf. Isa. 65:17; 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13). The fact that millennial truths are mentioned in the same context in all three of these major references has often confused expositors. However, it is a common principle in prophecy to bring together events that are distantly related chronologically, such as frequent reference to the first and second comings of Christ, actually separated by thousands of years (Isa. 61:1-2; cf. Luke 4:17-19). In a similar way there is mention of the resurrection of the righteous and of the wicked in the same verse, as in Daniel 12:2, events separated by a thousand years. And Malachi 4:5 speaks of the second coming of the Lord followed by verse 6 referring to His first coming. Second Peter 3:10-13 refers to the day of the Lord beginning before the millennium, as well as to the destruction of the heavens and the earth with fire at the end of the millennium. If all the passages are put together, the sequence of events becomes plain, and the allusions to the new heaven and the new earth are clearly set forth in the book of Revelation as following the millennial kingdom and immediately preceded by the destruction of the old earth and heaven, as previously mentioned. J. B. Smith’s objection to the first heaven and the first earth passing away is not substantiated by any of the proof texts which he cites."

I agree with Dr. Walvoord about how old testament prophecies often blended together two prophetic scenes into one, such as the two comings of the Messiah, and of the new heavens and earth of the Millennium and of the endless ages following. I am not sure that this was the case with the prophecies of the apostles and new testament writers of scripture. I am not inclined to believe that Peter spoke of what occurs both before and after the Millennial reign, blending together two different scenes, as did Isaiah, for instance. One of my reasons for affirming this is because Peter wrote that we have in Christ's coming "a more sure word of prophecy." (II Peter 1: 19) Christ has come and spoken to us more plainly and literally about God's plans, about fulfilled prophecies, and about new prophecies and of prophecies yet unfulfilled. 

So, when is the prophecy of Peter to be fulfilled? Is the destruction of the present heavens and earth fulfilled at the second coming of Christ and prior to the thousand year reign? Or, does the destruction of the present heavens occur after the millennial reign? In either case, Peter sees the new heavens and earth being created after the destruction of the old or present heavens and earth. That point we will address further shortly. 

Peter also connects the end of the present heavens and earth and the beginning of the new with the coming of the day of the Lord, or the day of Christ's coming and reign. In the above passage from Peter, notice the words in red. They speak of the coming of Christ, and "the day of the Lord," and "day of judgment and perdition." That would seem to indicate that Peter sees the coming of Christ and his Millennial reign (that thousand year "day") as the time when the prophecy is fulfilled. 

If the new heavens and earth that Peter speaks of are the same as the new heavens and earth of John in Revelation chapters twenty one and two, then the prophecy is not fulfilled in the Millennium but in the endless ages that follow (that age whose time is fixed in its beginning, length, and ending). Thus, when Peter speaks of "new heavens and earth wherein dwells righteousness," he is not speaking of the Millennial age, even though it may be characterized as such a place (as did Isaiah). The difference is that the millennial new heavens and earth are Utopian and Edenic, or Paradisaical, but not perfectly so, while the endless ages following the millennial are wholly righteous, a place where there is no lawlessness nor unrighteousness.

The destruction of the present heavens and earth prior to the millennium, as connected with the return of Christ, or with his "apocalypse" (appearing or revelation), seems to be well described in the scenes of the Book of Revelation and the opening of the seven sealed scroll, where we see the earth and heavens being destroyed by the awful judgments of the day of judgment, or day of Christ's return (Rev. chapters 6-19); And, the inauguration of new heavens and earth begins with the millennial age under Christ and his people. That is not to deny, however, that some aspects of the prophecies pertaining to new heavens and earth are not fulfilled in the millennial age. That there is a passing away of the old heavens and earth after the millennium is seen in these words from Revelation chapter twenty:

"And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them." (vs. 11)

This is the time when many commentators place the destruction of the present heavens and earth that Peter foretold us about. But, I doubt that. Perhaps this is another example of dual fulfillment of bible prophecy. Surely the heavens and earth of the Millennium of Revelation twenty are "new" in comparison to the present heavens and earth and surely also the heavens and earth of the ages following the Millennial will also be "new" in comparison to the Millennial heavens and earth. But, if the old heavens and earth end at the end of the Millennial reign, then we must say that the thousand year age will not be the new heavens and earth and also say that the destruction of the present heavens and earth does not occur before the Millennial reign of Christ on earth (which does not seem to be the case) but after it and after the great white throne judgment and the resurrection of the wicked dead. 

Also, by destruction of heavens and earth is meant not only the physical elements that make up the atmosphere and the soil but much more, including the people who live and occupy those heavens and earth. We see this in Genesis where Moses describes the destruction of the old world and its heavens and earth.

"And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth." (Gen. 6: 12-13 kjv)

So, the passing away or perishing of the present heavens and earth also signifies the purging away of the present occupants of the land, of those who are "flesh."  Also, the "corruption" was not only physical (involving rust and decay) but moral and spiritual. In making a new earth, or new creation, or new world, a new people must be made for it. So it was with Noah and his immediate family of eight souls. 

Let us quote further from Walvoord (same place). He wrote:

"The eternal state is clearly indicated in the absence of sea, for frequent mention of bodies of water occur in millennial passages (cf. Ps. 72:8; Isa. 11:9, 11; Ezek. 47:10, 15, 17, 18, 20; 48:28; Zech. 9:10; 14:8). The evidence of Revelation 21:1 is so specific that most commentators do not question that the eternal state is here in view." 

Why the new heavens and earth will no longer have "sea," will perhaps be discussed later, but it does show, as Walvoord says, that the new heavens and earth that John describes comes after the Millennial age. It is true that most commentators agree with this view. However, that does not mean that the heavens and earth of the Millennial age and kingdom, as described by Isaiah, are not new. If they are not new, then they are in every respect the same as now. But, from Isaiah we see how this is not so. For now, vipers still bite children, and most people do not live for hundreds of years, and the lion eats the lamb. So, it seems to me that both the Millennial age and the endless ages afterward may be called "new." Also, the word "renewed" or "renewal" carries the idea of being continuously made new.

Further, the destruction of the present heavens and earth, according to Peter, occurs in conjunction with Christ's return to earth and with the day of judgment and perdition. He says the present heavens and earth are "reserved for fire," a conflagration, or baptism of fire. He says this occurs in that time described as "the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men," that day occurring when Christ comes the second time. 

So, we see one of the glaring difficulties in discerning when and how a prophecy is fulfilled. Just as looking at a "double exposure" requires close inspection to discern the overlapping pictures and to see how each item in the fused picture fits into one or other of the two scenes that have been blended together, so too does looking at the prophecies concerning the coming of new heavens and earth and the destruction of the old heavens and earth. In either case, however, we see nothing but literal scenes.  

By his coming again Christ destroys by fire the existing order of things and sets up a new order. In each case, when one world was destroyed and another created to take its place, the heavens and the earth were not in essence annihilated though dramatically changed. What "passed away" and was no more was the heavens and earth as formerly constituted, not the essence of earth and heavens. We may truly say that the old world of the time between Adam and Noah is not the same world we have today. But, it is still essentially the same earth and heavens. It is the same with those who are converted or born again. They become a "new creation" in Christ so that "old things are passed away" and "all things become new" (II Cor. 5: 17), yet it is still them, they not being annihilated in their essential selves (though what they used to be in character and behavior is annihilated). So too with resurrection bodies. They will be recreated and changed, glorified and made immortal, but it will still be the same bodies that they were born with and in which they lived during their lifetimes (more on the nature of resurrected bodies in future chapters).  

In the next chapter we will analyze the destruction of the heavens and earth that Peter prophesied about and try to discern whether it is what occurs before or after the Millennial kingdom age. But, in ending this chapter of introduction, I want to cite from an Internet article titled "NEW HEAVENS AND NEW EARTH: BEFORE THE MILLENNIUM OR AFTER?" by Douglas Hamp (See here). He wrote (emphasis mine):

"The placement of the new heavens and new earth traditionally comes after the Great white throne judgment. The trouble is there are too many verses that argue against that. In this short expose, we will consider some verses, that if taken literally, prohibit the above interpretation. 

The typical end-times sequencing is 

1. The great tribulation 

2. The second coming 

3. The judgment of the nations (separation of the sheep and the goats) (Mat 25:31-41, Joel 3:2) 

4. The millennium, Jesus ruling with a rod of iron (Isa 11, Rev 20:1-10) 

5. The Great White Throne Judgment 

6. The new heavens and and the new earth 

Hamp wrote further:

"The first thing we need to consider is that the earth will be in such havoc that the Lord must recreate it at (or shortly after) the second coming because it will be uninhabitable; all the oceans will have been turned to blood and be full of rotting dead corpses of all the sea creatures – certainly not a nice place to live!" (Rev. 16: 3)

Therefore, we see that the heavens pass away and the earth is utterly devastated at the second coming and thus a new heavens and new earth are absolutely necessary." 

If one will simply read of what happens to the earth and heavens during the days of the judgments of the Apocalypse (Revelation chapters 6-20), he will see them and their occupants fairly well destroyed. Such devastation is detailed. However, the fleeing away of the earth and heavens at the time of the appearing of the great white throne and the judgment of the wicked dead (Rev. 20: 11) has no details of any destruction. Also, if the destruction of the present heavens and earth that Peter foretold is what occurs in those chapters in the Apocalypse, and if the new heavens and earth come immediately when the old heavens and earth are destroyed, then that would indicate that the Millennial age is one of the fulfillments of the prophecies of new heavens and earth. It is not, of course, the larger or complete fulfillment of the promise, for that comes in the ages that follow the Millennium and the final riddance of Satan and his seed from the heavens and earth.

Hamp wrote further:

"In Isaiah 65:17 God declares that He will make new heavens and a new earth which from reading the passage is occurring at the beginning of the millennium/messianic age."

My answer is that of "dual fulfillment" of bible prophecy (of which we have spoken of in previous chapters), to see two separate prophetic events merged into one picture.

Recall that the argument is made that since the new heavens and earth follow the Millennium, and the general white throne judgment (per Revelation chapters twenty and twenty one), and since the text in chapter twenty says that the heavens and earth fled away and were no more when the white throne judgment occurs, one must therefore conclude that the destruction or ending of the present heavens and earth does not occur when Christ comes and begins the Millennial kingdom age (an untruth).

Further or rather, the destruction of the present heavens and earth seems to be what is occurring in Revelation chapters six through twenty and this does precede the Millennium; And, if the new heavens and earth come immediately after the destruction of the present, old, or first heavens and earth, then we must say that we see new heavens and earth both at the start and at the conclusion of the thousand year kingdom age. 

Hamp said further:

"Once we see that the new heavens and new earth must go at the beginning of the millennium so many other pieces of our end-times puzzle fit into place. The key is to take things literally. We also begin to see God’s promises to Israel in a different light. I suggest that replacement theology, which has permeated our theology more than we realize, has gotten us off track on the timing of the new heavens and earth. God promised that he will establish the kingdom and the Jews would be the head and not the tail and that kingdom, would never, ever pass away. (Dan 7:18)"

Prophecies are to be understood literally, at least those prophecies that are given through words (oracles) of God. There are prophetic messages in events and things, in dreams and visions, and these do prophesy by means of figures, symbols, metaphors, similes, etc., and yet they all point to a literal fulfillment. All prophecy that has been fulfilled already has been fulfilled literally. Every animal sacrifice under the direction of God in the old testament carried within that rite a prophetic message. So too with the passing over of the Israelites by the angel of death and all the feasts of the covenant with Israel, and the temple design and rituals. But, the things that they typified in Christ and in his mission into the world were literally what those rituals typified.

Hamp said further:

"The basic chronology therefore is as follows: 

1. The great tribulation 

2. The second coming 

3. The judgment of the nations (separation of the sheep and the goats) (Mat 25:31-41, Joel 3:2) 

4. The new heavens and and the new earth (possibly before the judgment of Joel 3:2) 

5. The millennium, Jesus ruling with a rod of iron (Isa 11, Rev 20:1-10) 

6. The Great White Throne Judgment

Of course, I would add #7 and have the words "the new heavens and new earth after the millennium."

This would accommodate the view I take which says that the new heavens and earth have fulfillment in both the Millennium and in the eternal ages following.

Got Questions web page replies to this question "What does the Bible say about the end of the world (eschaton)?" (See here) saying (emphasis mine):

"The event usually referred to as “the end of the world” (eschaton) is described in 2 Peter 3:10: “The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.” This is the culmination of a series of events called “the day of the Lord,” the time when God will intervene in human history for the purpose of judgment. At that time, all that God has created, “the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1), He will destroy."

My first observation is to say that "the day of the Lord" in the prophecy of Peter is the day of Christ's second coming, which is also the same day as "the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men," and this is exactly what we see occurring in the book of Revelation in conjunction with that day. That does not seem to be a day that follows the Millennial day, but what precedes it. It also has too many other problems with that view. 

When Peter says that we are looking for the coming of Christ, he connects his coming with the destruction of the present heavens and the beginning of a new heavens and earth. If that does not occur at all until after the Millennium, then even during the Millennium people will still be waiting for the new heavens and earth, and must wait for a thousand years. 

The authors continue:

"The timing of this event, according to most Bible scholars, is at the end of the 1000-year period called the millennium. During these 1000 years, Christ will reign on earth as King in Jerusalem, sitting on the throne of David (Luke 1:32-33) and ruling in peace but with a “rod of iron” (Revelation 19:15). At the end of the 1000 years, Satan will be released, defeated again, and then cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-10). Then, after a final judgment by God, the end of the world described in 2 Peter 3:10 occurs. The Bible tells us several things about this event."

If Christ is present on earth during the Millennium, then it must in some sense be heaven on earth, his being here in the manner described in scripture (when the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord so that all know the Lord - see Isa. 11: 9; Jer. 31: 34; Heb. 8: 11) making it a truly new heavens and earth. Yet, as we know, though the millennial age will be in many ways new, it will not be the full realization of new heavens and earth, for that does in fact follow the millennial age and the eternal banishment of Satan and all evil beings from the human world, as the chronology of the Apocalypse shows. Further, it could be argued that Christ was once on earth (for thirty three years) and yet we cannot say that the heavens and earth were made new by his presence. So, that is not an argument by itself. But, when one looks at all the passages that describe the earth and life upon it in the Millennial heavens and earth in the kingdom of God, he must see how it becomes that time prayed for, when God's will is done on earth as it is in heaven. 

The authors continue:

"First, it will be cataclysmic in scope. The “heavens” refers to the physical universe – the stars, planets, and galaxies—which will be consumed by some kind of tremendous explosion, possibly a nuclear or atomic reaction that will consume and obliterate all matter as we know it. All the elements that make up the universe will be melted in the “fervent heat” (2 Peter 3:12). This will also be a noisy event, described in different Bible versions as a “roar” (NIV), a “great noise” (KJV), a “loud noise” (CEV), and a “thunderous crash” (AMP). There will be no doubt as to what is happening. Everyone will see and hear it because we are also told that “the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.”"

But, cataclysmic changes to the present heavens and earth do occur during the time when the judgments of the Book of Revelation are occurring on earth and in the heavens, as the narrative of the book shows. This is what Hamp was affirming in the above citations. It seems apparent that the destruction of the present heavens and earth occurs when the seven seals of the Apocalypse are broken and the trumpet angels and angels of wrath have wrought their destruction upon the wicked world. That time period is called by various terms in scripture, as "the day of Christ's coming again," "the day of Christ," "the day of the Lord," "the day of judgment," "the day of fire and perdition of ungodly men," or as "the hour of testing and trial which shall come upon all the world," "the last day," "the day of wrath," "the day of vengeance," "the day of redemption," etc.

The authors continue:

"Then God will create a “new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1), which will include the “New Jerusalem” (v. 2), the capital city of heaven, a place of perfect holiness, which will come down from heaven to the new earth. This is the city where the saints—those whose names were written in the “Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 13:8)—will live forever. Peter refers to this new creation as “the home of righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13)."

That is true, but with a word of explanation. That is not to deny that the heavens and earth of the thousand years will be "new" in so many ways to the present heavens and earth. In the new heavens and earth of the endless ages following the Millennial age the Lord promises to "make all things new" (Rev. 21: 5). All things were not made new in the thousand years, though many things were made new.

In the next chapter we will look at how the destruction of the present heavens and earth occurs in the days of Christ's apocalypse and in the day of judgment or day of wrath and vengeance. We will also address the rest of our questions enumerated above.