A New Heaven and Earth

KEY VERSE: “I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” —Revelation 21:1

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Revelation 21:1 – 22:5

THE GRAND AND ultimate purpose of God and his plan of the ages is to establish a kingdom of righteousness on earth. This kingdom is to be ushered in by the victorious Christ, as described in Revelation, chapters 19 and 20. In the last two chapters of Revelation, the holy city, the New Jerusalem, is seen coming down from God out of heaven.—Rev. 21:2

A city is symbol of a government, and the picture of the city coming down from heaven is the placing of the new government, or kingdom, upon earth by God. The highly symbolic language used by the Apostle John in telling of these climatic events might appear to imply the abolishment of planet earth and the heavens, and the bringing forth of a new planet and heavens. Ecclesiastes 1:4 plainly says, “The earth abideth forever.” God did not create the earth in vain.—Isa. 45:18

The earth is used as a symbol for the order of society upon earth, and heaven is used as a symbol of the spiritual ruling powers over earth. The new earth is the new order of society in the form of God’s kingdom replacing this present evil world. The new heavens is the new spiritual ruling power of Christ replacing the spiritual rulership of Satan. Likewise, when the scripture says there was no more sea, this does not mean that the earth’s oceans would dry up, because an abundance of water is essential to life upon earth. Instead, this statement is also symbolic and refers to the masses of mankind in an unstable, anarchistic, condition, and this condition will no longer exist.—Isa. 57:20

The change in earth’s society will be as never seen before, with no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain. Satan’s evil rule will have ended and God’s direct attention to all of earth’s affairs will be clearly manifested. Earth’s inhabitants will have become his people, and they will joyfully acknowledge him as their God.

Most important, “No longer will there be any curse” (Rev. 22:3, NIV), neither the curse of death nor the curse of thorns and thistles. The absence of false religion is clearly shown when it is said, “I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb, are the temple of it.” (Rev. 21:22) We have the mental picture of the heavens and the stars therein as the dome of a huge cathedral with all mankind giving true, deserving worship to God and the Lamb.

It is then that Jeremiah 31:34 will be fulfilled, and also the words of Paul. ( Phil 2:10,11) Every precious jewel and gem is used to describe the enhancement of this glorious city. “The street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.” (Rev. 21:21) Those who dwell in the city must meet the highest standard of righteousness, as symbolized by the refined gold of its streets so that they appear as transparent as glass.

Human life will again be a precious thing, as prophesied by Isaiah when he said, “I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.” (Isaiah 13:12) “The Spirit and the Bride say, Come … Let him who desires take the water of life without price.”—Rev. 22:17, NRSV

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