the New Heaven and Earth

Okay, THIS will be the last post in my series “time of the end.”

Not only because it is lucky number 7, but because you can’t do a teaching about the end times and call it “complete” without this topic being covered.

I used to read passages about the new heavens and earth with fascinated dread, believing that God, in His wrath, would completely obliterate our current planet and reality in “holy fire.”

Verses, such as found in 2 Peter, where it is said that these things will come to pass, were some of my favorite, although, looking back, they don’t paint a very pleasant picture of God at all.

But that’s why we are here!  To learn from what the scriptures say and to be mindful that the Bible authors use very colorful, metaphorical language to explain spiritual realities.

Let’s go ahead and start with that passage in 2 Peter I was talking about, beginning in chapter 3 verse 7:

“But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” (Italics Mine)

According to Peter, whatever he is referring to by “heavens and earth” will be destroyed by fire.  But notice how he ties this image with “judgement and destruction of the ungodly.”

Christian pastors all over love to use this one to condemn “sinners,” which they all define however they please, in order to get whatever reaction they are seeking; sobbing at the alter for being a human being; a quickened heart beat as anxiety sets in which causes a slightly bigger “offering” count at the end of service, or what have you.

But as we learned last time, according to Jesus in Revelation 21, the “ungodly” are those barred access to New Jerusalem, and so should be seen, in context, as the religious leaders, teachers of the law of Moses, and those who did detestable things in the name of “God.”

So what Peter is describing here directly references the “judgement” of Jerusalem.  You got it, 70 AD.

Peter is saying that “the heavens and earth,” a metaphor for the current religious system under the Law of Moses at that time, would be destroyed by fire, which it quite literally was, and would only remain until the “judgement” of Jerusalem and those who perpetuated said religion came to a sudden end, removing the “old” heavens and earth, by which the way was made ready for the “new.”

Let’s keep going in 2 Peter, verse 8:

“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you,^[a] not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies^[b]will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” (Italics Mine)

This use of allegorical language here, “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day,” has been used to support the futurist ideology that this “coming judgement” is talking about something in our future.

That’s not what’s being said here.

Peter is writing to people who have it rough, REAL rough.  As Jesus and John (in Revelation) both say, the greatest persecution the world had ever seen was upon those who believed and trusted in Jesus.  It’s safe to say they were a liiiittle bit anxious for relief and an end to their trials.

Peter, in an attempt to gird up their faith and comfort them, tells them that God has not forgotten His promise to deliver them.  Sure, he could have used better word choice, since “God doesn’t keep time like you do” could be misconstrued and cause even MORE anxiety!  “Whadaya mean Peter?!!!  How long are we gonna have to wait?!!!”

Then Peter tells us that the main reason for the delay is because “God wishes that no one at all would perish” in the coming judgement that would soon hit Jerusalem, and so time was allotted to allow as many as possible to repent before sudden destruction came.

But Peter isn’t giving us a math problem, so that we can search the Bible for numbers and cut them up into chunks and fit them into a “this is for 2000 years in the future” theology.

If that were the case, then everything he is writing to his audience has absolutely no relevance to them and they never saw said deliverance from their troubles as was promised (well, unless you count death as God’s deliverance, LOL).

No no no!

Peter heard Jesus say, more than once, that all would see the deliverance of God who waited upon the Lord!  He knew that “some standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming with His kingdom,” and that “all these things (signs of the times) would come upon THIS (their) generation!”

Sorry about that rabbit trail, it’s just, MAN!!!  I can’t tell you how many people tell me what I already know, which is the MISINTERPRETATION I grew up believing which says, “When Jesus says “this generation” He is referring to the generation that sees the signs.”

Yeah, I agree, the generation that saw the signs was HIS generation, just as history records for us, not to mention Paul.

And then what about “some standing here WILL NOT TASTE DEATH before they see the Son of Man coming with His kingdom?”  Do we have some 2000 year old dudes walking around unbeknownst to us?  I don’t think so.

Okay, back to the content, 😉

Peter tells his audience that “the day of the Lord will come like a thief,” which should be understood as “suddenly and without warning.”  Without warning to those who are “asleep,” but to those who “stay awake,” Jesus says, “that day will NOT come upon them unbeknownst.”  But to those who did not heed Jesus’ words and so did not make themselves ready, that day would come like a thief, and “leave their house desolate and empty.”

Catching the metaphor?  If not, I’m not sure I can help you any more.  LOL

Then Peter says, “and the heavens will pass away with a roar and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved!”  WHAAATTTT?!!!

Let’s look at this from a literal perspective just for fun.

The heavens, where God is supposed to live, will pass away and the “heavenly bodies” will be BURNED UP AND DISSOLVED!  HOLY MOLY!  So I guess heaven’s gonna be destroyed and all the angel’s heavenly bodies are goin’ up in smoke then!  No other explanation!  I’m a literalist and Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it!”

Or… we could use our brains, as Jesus kindly gives us permission to do.

Obviously this is not LITERALLY what Peter means.  The “heavens” in question here are the current (at that time) understanding of God and the religion they had built that supported that belief.  This “heaven” would “pass away.”

The “heavenly bodies” aren’t bodies of angels who didn’t make it into the door of the “new heaven” soon enough and so were burned up in the old one, haha, no.  This refers to the utensils and such in the temple which were used for sacrifice, offerings and other ritualistic uses.  These are the things that would be “burned up” when Rome later burned the temple to the ground, “not leaving one stone left upon another,” just as Jesus said would happen.

Woah!!!  Knowledge duuuude!

Let’s head over to Hebrews now and get someone else’s perspective on this subject.  Chapter 12 beginning in verse 18:

“For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest ¹⁹ and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. ²⁰ For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” ²¹ Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 

What the heck is the author talking about?

This is the giving of the Law of Moses, straight out of Exodus.

The “blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest” is what Moses records in Exodus as God supposedly sat at the top of mount Sinai in a blazing fire, surrounded by a great tempest.  Anyone who even TOUCHED the mountain would be killed instantly (besides Moses of course ‘cuz he was so bad ass!!  But also humble, too.  Perks of writing about yourself, LOL)

The trumpets of heaven supposedly blasted out a great and terrifying sound that caused all Israel to tremble in their boots at the foot of the mountain, and they begged Moses not to allow this terrifying visage of God to speak to them again, lest they die of a cardio vascular infarction of apocalyptic proportions!  Haha, words, they’re fun.

But look at what the author says about this scene.  “You have not come to what may be touched.”  What does he mean by this?

Remember Jesus words to the Pharisees?  “The Kingdom of God COMES WITHOUT OBSERVATION.”  It’s not something physical that can be touched!  God’s TRUE kingdom is NOT terror and blazing fire and heart attacks and fear!!!  It is “righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit,” says Paul.

The author of Hebrews is telling us right here that the administration of Moses was NOT God’s doing, as God’s kingdom does not come in such ways.

Moving on, verse 22:

“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, ²³ and to the assembly^[a] of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴ and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” (Italics Mine)

This “Mount Zion” should be contrasted with mount Sinai.

Under the old covenant, a covenant made in fear and violence, God was seen as nothing if not a monster, ready and waiting to crush you for the slightest misstep.

Under the new covenant, we find ourselves united with God in Love, surrounded by “the spirits of the righteous made (revealed to be) perfect,” where, not Moses, but Jesus is our mediator, showing us a better way and a better God, the True God; Jesus, who’s blood “cries out a better word than that of the blood of Abel.”

What exactly does that last phrase mean, “who’s blood cries out a better thing than the blood of Abel?”

Well, dear friend, what DID the blood of Abel cry out for?

Genesis chapter 4 makes it clear that “VENGEANCE!” is what the blood of Abel cried out!  And the god of Moses, as Genesis 4 records, was happy to oblige, as we find “God” claiming “seven-fold vengeance” on anyone who tried to kill Cain.  I go into this in detail in my post “Cain and Human Violence,” if you want to check that out.

But the blood of Christ cries out something different than “Vengeance!”  His blood signified a covenant of “peace.”  Peace between man and God, and peace with each other, in brotherly love, forgiveness and mercy.  A kingdom of “Abels” where all refuse to become the “Cain” in the name of vengeance.

Hebrews goes on, verse 25:

“See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. ²⁶ At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” ²⁷ This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. ²⁸ Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, ²⁹ for our God is a consuming fire.” (Italics Mine)

The first part of this passage is a warning to heed the words of Jesus and live as He instructed because God was speaking through Jesus to warn of a very soon to come, horrible and complete destruction of Jerusalem.

Then we have the “shaking” metaphor concerning the “kingdom of God” or “new Jerusalem” which we explored last post.  A very clear comparison is being made that the man-made things (Law of Moses and the temple along with the religion it birthed) are the “heavens and earth” that will be shaken and so removed, so that the way can be made clear for the “new heavens and earth,” which cannot be shaken.  This is the kingdom of God within us Jesus spoke of.

We’ll finish up with John’s vision of “a new heaven and new earth” from Revelation 21, starting from the top, verse 1:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. ² And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place^[a] of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people,^[b] and God himself will be with them as their God.^[c] 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Need I say any more?

Clearly, the “new heavens and earth” are one and the same thing as the “new Jerusalem,” the “Kingdom of God,” the “Father’s House,” where Jesus had prepared a place for all those who put their trust in Him.

Don’t let the phrase “and the sea was no more” confuse you.  This is just a parabolic way of saying “there is now no more dividing of peoples and nations and such.”  The great “sea” of nations finds unity in Christ, and oneness with God in the new heavens and earth, which is why Paul says in Galatians 3:28:

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

In the new heaven and earth, “death is no more,” meaning, the law of Moses, the accuser, the devil that gave death it’s sting and sin it’s power, was a thing of the past, turned to smoke and ash along with all the other “heavenly bodies” that were used to falsely represented God and His heart.

The dwelling place of God is revealed to be with man, and now, forevermore we can live in complete unity and oneness with Him because of the work of Jesus, the savior of the world.  As Jesus said in John 17:3:

“And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

We are those who inherit this “eternal” quality of life, which Jesus promised to those who love and believe in Him.  Forever more this promise is extended to all humanity as a way to experience the Father, who is love, so we too can share the good news of the Gospel and so bring the dead to life, eternal life.

I think that’s a beautiful place to end my friends.

What a journey eh?  I feel such a wave of warmth and peace right now, even as I write this in this cold warehouse where I work (LOL, yes, I do most my blogging at work ;).

Not too sure what we will do next time, but I’m sure something awesome will come along and I’ll get another chance to gain revelation right along with you all.

I hope this has been amazing for you, and I hope you have a better, clearer vision now of  what the Bible calls “the time of the end.”

Till next time,

Rhett