NEW HEAVENS, NEW EARTH

NEW HEAVENS, NEW EARTH

Joe R. Price.

The basic meaning of the expression "heavens and the earth" is that of a dwelling place, a habitation. In Genesis 1:1 God created "the heavens and the earth" - the physical world - for mankind to inhabit (Gen. 1:26-28).

We later find a similar expression used with a spiritual connotation (Isa. 65:17; 66:22). Isaiah spoke of God creating "new heavens and a new earth" in which all men would come to worship before Him (Isa. 65:17; 66:23). He thus prophesied of the church - the habitation or dwelling place of God's people (cf. Isa. 2:1-4).

God dwells with His people in the church, and they with Him (2 Cor. 6:16-18). Christians are raised out of the death of sin to sit "in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:5-6).
We become citizens of a new kingdom when we are saved in Christ (Col. 1:13). Christians inhabit a new and spiritual realm, the church (Acts 2:47). Our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20). Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled in the church over which Christ reigns and into which we have been transferred (Col. 1:13; Rev. 5:9-10).

The kingdom of Christ, or church, is a dwelling place uniquely different from this earth. It is a spiritual kingdom, the house of God, where peace between God and man exists (Eph. 2:14-22). This world is not my home!

When Peter used the expression "new heavens and a new earth" in 2 Peter 3:13 he is looking forward to yet another dwelling place of God's people - the eternal kingdom, our heavenly home (2 Pet. 1:11). In visionary form, John saw this "new heaven and a new earth" (Rev. 21:1).
Revelation 20:11 and 21:1 speak of the time when this material world is destroyed (2 Pet. 3:10). In its place will be "new heavens and new earth" where God's people will eternally dwell with Him.

In summary, we see the same expression, "heavens and earth" applied first to this material world (Gen. 1:1), then to spiritual kingdom which now exists, the church (Isa. 65:17; 66:22), and finally to the eternal kingdom, our heavenly inheritance (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1). In each case it is applied to a habitation created by God for His creation. As His "new creation" (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17), Christians presently inhabit the Messiah's kingdom. In the last, glorious day, Christ will deliver us, His kingdom, unto God the Father (1 Cor. 15:24-28). In that habitation of righteousness we shall dwell forever (Matt. 25:46).

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