August 18, 2004

PLAINER WORDS … NEW HEAVENS and NEW EARTH

Paul wrote his last will and testament in a letter which is referred to as 2 Timothy. In this, he told Timothy that in the last days of the Dispensation of the Grace of God that “perilous times shall come” (2 Timothy 3:1). Paul enumerates a number of the characteristics of the terrible days to come in verses two through eight.

In 2 Timothy 4:1 Paul informed Timothy how the world will be delivered from the “perilous times.” Jesus Christ intervenes by His Epiphany (Epiphaneia)―a blazing forth; that is to say, a divine intervention on behalf of mankind. It is when His Epiphany blazes forth that His Kingdom is established. Many phenomenal events come into play with Jesus Christ’s intervention into world affairs.

It is pointed out, in Philippians 2:9-11, that every being in the heavens, and on the earth, and even all of the dead will be raised in order for there to be a universal acknowledging that Jesus Christ is Lord. Also, along with this submission to Christ, the glory of God will be revealed for all to see.

Knit together with these events will be the creation of new heavens and a new earth.

“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind” (Isaiah 65:17).

“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” (Isaiah 66:22).

Scholars all agree that the creation mentioned here in Isaiah 65 & 66 is the same as the one mentioned in Revelation 21. They do not elaborate on why they claim the two are the same. No explanation will suffice when you actually study Isaiah 65 & 66 and compare it with Revelation 21. A serious student will have to admit, based on what saith the Scriptures, they are not the same creations. They don’t match. The problem the scholars have with the creation of Isaiah 65 & 66 is that they don’t know where to place it. They are steeped in the pre-millennial school of theology. Since they cannot place it, they erroneously place it in the millennium. The millennium is the favorite dumping-ground for all prophecies that dispensationalists don’t know what to do with. This is the case with the new creation of Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22.

It seems that when difficult unfilled prophecies are considered, they are “dumped” into the millennium to find their fulfillment. This does harm to the truth the Lord would have us see.

Between Isaiah 65:17 and Isaiah 66:22, we find in the context that the LORD said;
“Thus saith the LORD (Yahweh/Jesus Christ), The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool” (Isaiah 66:1). His throne is in heaven, not on earth, when He creates new heavens and a new earth which brings in the Kingdom of Christ.

This is in harmony with Acts 3:21; “Whom the heaven must receive [retain] until the times of restitution of all things.”

The new creation which Isaiah wrote about informs us what will be some of the results of this great work.

God will create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy (Isaiah 65:18). This Jerusalem will be on Mount Zion (vs. 25). The Jerusalem in Revelation 21 is the “holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven” (vs. 2). There will be sinners in the new creation of Isaiah 65 & 66 (cf. 65:20 & 66: 24). There will be no sinners in new creation of Revelation 21 (vs. 27). There is no temple in Revelation 21; see verse 22, whereas, there is a temple in Jerusalem of the new creation of Isaiah 65 & 66.

SORROWS DISAPPEAR IN THE NEW CREATION

“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. 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” (Isaiah 65:18-19).

“And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isaiah 35:10).

In plainer words, the joy that Isaiah sets before the Israelite is that there will be a long duration of time during which they will experience no sorrow, weeping, or crying. There will be no reason for sorrow.

LIFE SPAN IS LENGTHENED

Another of the consequences of the creation of Isaiah 65 is that life expectancy will be greatly extended, that is, for those who are natural men. Very much like the pre-flood environment in which people lived for hundreds of years. (We’re not referring to those who have experienced the realization of the “blessed hope” of the Church over which Christ Jesus is the Head):

“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. And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. 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. 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” (Isaiah 65:20-23).

People, who are submissive to the rules and principles of the Government of God, will live lives comparable to those of trees. Not trees as we know them, but trees under the ideal conditions that will exist when Paradise is restored.

“For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody”
(Isaiah 51:3).

Not only that, but parents will live long enough that their children don’t inherit their homes or the vineyards they planted. The parents enjoy the fruit of their labor.

Another reason for joy is that the children will be taught by the LORD (Yahweh/Jesus Christ) Himself.

“And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children” (Isaiah 53:13).

As the result of all mankind having been enlightened as to Who Jesus Christ is and continually hearing the “word of the Kingdom” (Matthew 13:19), there will be no need for men to teach others the things of God.

“And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest” (Hebrews 8:11).

DISEASE, PESTILENCE, AND POOR HEALTH REMOVED

The inhabitants of the new earth shall not say they are sick (Isaiah 33:24). Sickness is caused by certain individual sins during the age to come. Jeremiah 30:31 says, regarding those days; “But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.”

This teaches us that the “curse” will be removed, and men will not die because of Adam’s sin but will be subject to death based upon their own doing (see also Romans 8:19-23). Ezekiel makes additional comments on this phenomenon:

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die” (Ezekiel 18:20-21).

HUNGER AND STARVATION DISAPPEARS

The Lord will cause the earth to become abundantly fertile; therefore, there will not be any famines.

“That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him” (Psalm 67:2-7).

“And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase …” (Ezekiel 34:27).

In Zechariah 8:12, we notice an interesting and telling bit of information regarding the new earth yielding her increase—the earth will no longer be rained upon, no longer will there be thunderstorms, hail, or floods. The “heavens shall give their dew” as it was before the Flood.

“For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things” (Zechariah 8:12)

In view of this, consider Isaiah 35:1-2; 5-7:

“The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God…Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.”

The energy generated in the earth by the blazing forth of the glory of God will result in the earth yielding its’ increase to such an extent that the sower overtakes the harvester.

“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt” (Amos 9:13).

This happens when the Epiphany (Appearing) and the Kingdom comes. This is a long time before the Second Coming (the Parousia) and the 1000 year reign of Christ upon the earth. The Pre-Parousia Kingdom of God will last at least 490 years (Daniel 9:24), probably the duration will be about 700 years which ends with the 2nd Coming (i.e., the Parousia)

UNIVERSAL PEACE ENJOYED

When the Epiphany of Christ Jesus takes place, He utters His word, and wars cease (Psalm 46:9). Not only that; war colleges will be shut down and men will learn war no more.

“And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isaiah 2:4).

“And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Micah 4:3).

This is done voluntarily by the nations when our Lord Jesus Christ rebukes the far-off nations. To insist that this is millennial truth is a stretch. It doesn’t fit into the thousand year time frame mentioned in Revelation 20. This cannot be a post-millennial Kingdom as some have suggested. By necessity, this has to be a pre-millennial Kingdom.

The Lord Jesus Christ begins to judge (krino; distinguishes, i.e.decides) who, among the living and dead will qualify to live under His Government when He intervenes on the behalf of mankind, as well as all the ruined creation.

All of the above is part of the glory of God that will be manifested at His Epiphany (Epiphaneia) and His Kingdom.

Tom L. Ballinger