New Heavens and New Earth

Overview

The new heavens and new earth is the final destination and goal of all the redeemed (read more here).

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)

Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (2 Peter 3:13)

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. (Revelation 21:1)

In my view, the many amazing blessings that premillennialists claim will occur in the 1,000 year earthly millennium will actually occur in the new heavens and new earth.

Articles about this topic:

• New Heavens and New Earth (this article)
• The New Heavens and the New Earth
• Heaven
• The New Heavens and New Earth
• New Heavens and New Earth

Featured article: The Virtues

Related articles: Philosophy — the study of the soul | Eschatology

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Chronology . . .

Major events for the redeemed . . .

• This current world of body + soul (blind to spiritual realities + vexed by evil spirits)
• After death the soul is in purgatory or heaven and is protected to various degrees from the influences of the evil spirits
• Second coming of Christ; resurrection of the body; great white throne judgment
• For the redeemed; eternal life in the new heavens and new earth

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Final Goal . . .

It is commonly thought that the final goal of redeemed humans is heaven but the New Testament nowhere states this. Only a few verses even mention humans in heaven . . .

The hope which is laid up for you in heaven. (Colossians 1:5)

Knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. (Hebrews 10:34)

To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. (1 Peter 1:4)

And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. (Revelation 5:3)

And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. (Revelation 12:1)

And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. (Revelation 13:6)

I heard a great voice of much people in heaven. (Revelation 19:1)

And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (Revelation 19:14)

Certainly the redeemed go to heaven (or purgatory) after death; but they do not remain there — after the great white throne judgment they inhabit the new heavens and new earth.

It is common for Protestant Evangelicals to ask someone "if you die today will you go heaven?" Certainly the souls of the redeemed will remain in the spiritual realm when they die, either in purgatory or in heaven. What is often ignored is that our souls already reside in the spiritual realm, in a realm closely associated with the earth. This realm is also populated by the good spirits (angels) as well as the wicked spirits; these are engaged in mortal combat in a great spiritual war. Our souls are influenced by both kinds of spirits.

At death the fate of each human soul varies:

• The souls of the wicked will remain associated with the earth and will continue to be vexed by Satan and the wicked spirits. This judgment is proper for them because these have rejected God and chosen to be members of the kingdom of darkness.
• The souls of the truly saintly and of martyrs will enter into a high heavenly realm inhabited only by good spirits (angels) and by God. This is not the highest heaven; only God resides there.
• The souls of the rest of the redeemed will enter a time of purgation — purgatory. I suspect that God will still allow the wicked spirits to vex them to some degree but they will be protected from the damning influences of the evil spirits. As they resolve the spiritual issues that prevent them from entering heaven they will slowly move higher and higher up the spiritual realm until their purgation is finally completed.
• Some wicked souls may remain associated with the earth. These are known as ghosts. Ultimately they will be eternally damned in hell.

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Conditions in the new heavens and new earth . . .

The new heavens and new earth will finally bring utopia to the redeemed. Human bodily life will become what God planned it to be (read more here and here).

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. (Isaiah 11:6-8)

There will be animals, infants, childrearing, and children who grow up to become adults.

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. (Isaiah 65:20)

Infants will not die soon after birth; people will not die prematurely. At the end of a normal lifespan (100 years) the unredeemed in hell will not be saved from their misery by death (as they are in this world) and the redeemed will still be receiving blessings (and will continue to do so forever).

And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. (Isaiah 65:21)

But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. (Micah 4:4)

People will live in homes, will have farms and vineyard, and will enjoy preparing and eating food.

But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Micah 4:1-2)

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. . . . And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. . . . And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. (Revelation 21:2,10,24)

God will reside in a special way in Jerusalem and people will travel there on pilgrimages.

And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:1-2)

There will be a river of water of life and the tree of life which will provide healing food for people.

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)

There will be peace.

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. (Matthew 17:20)

People will have miraculous powers.

And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. (1 Corinthians 15:49)

For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. (Romans 6:5)

We will be as Jesus was during the 40 days after his resurrection. We will be able to materialize at will wherever we choose.

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. (Revelation 7:16-17)

There will be no unfulfilled desires. There will not be hardships as there is in this current world.

There will be a literal temple in Jerusalem with animal sacrifices, priests, rituals and rites. However, animals will not be killed; Jesus' sacrifice on the cross will be the sacrifice they offer just as during the Eucharist.

And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. . . . And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. (Genesis 22:8.12-13)

In the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain. (Revelation 5:6)

There will be a nation of Israel in the new heavens and new earth and it will possess the promises given to Abraham. This nation will have a temple and a priesthood. The resurrected David will be their king.

There will be marriage, procreation, conjugal relations, childbirth, and childrearing.

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Quality of Life . . .

In the new heavens and new earth we will still be a soul inhabiting a body (a resurrected body). The souls will still have appetites, however these appetites will not be sinful. Just as an infant has appetites (hunger, urge to breathe, need for touch and to be loved and cared for) but does not sin, in like manner we will continue to have appetites.

The Protestant Reformers believed that we are born totally depraved and that we all sin hundreds of times per minute in our thoughts and deeds. I reject this view. Infants do not sin (even though they may hurt someone; but they do not intend to do this). It takes the development of the sense of morality which only develops years later before we can sin.

Just as there is conflict, tension, and suspense in a good story; so also we will experience these in the new heavens and new earth. As an example, as the population of a certain planet increases, the inhabitants will have to decide to explore another part of the universe and to settle there. Some will stay and some will leave and both groups will miss each other.

Children will be born and will mature into adulthood. The parents will have the challenging task of educating the child and of providing proper spiritual direction. While sin will be absent, there will still be various distractions and challenges. Out of their love for their children, parents will discuss and consider how to best assist their children so that they can achieve their full potential.

People will adopt careers that suit them. Some will be farmers. Even there is no need for people to eat, it will be enjoyable and many will continue to prepare food and eat. There is no need for farmers to provide food since people can materialize it at will, but humans were designed to enjoy simple activities such as farming, building things, designing things, improving things, etc. Receive food from a farmer will be a blessing for both parties.

Relationships will be a joy. People will enjoy each others' company and will tell stories, laugh, sing, and spend time together.

Everybody will be very involved in worship and devotional activities. God's presence will be felt by everyone. People will take pilgrimages to various special sites. Jerusalem will be a popular pilgrimage site as will the New Jerusalem; the 1,500 mile square city that will be floating in the sky somewhere.

People will have hobbies such as mountain climbing (no ropes required); playing and composing songs and music; surfing; knitting; playing games; collecting things; dancing; travelling to places on earth (planes and cars are not needed), under the ocean, on other planets, even to the center of stars.

Many people have had utopian ideals which they attempted to implement with varying degrees of success. The new heavens and new earth will finally be the utopia that everyone craves.

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Musings . . .

I long for eternal life in the new heavens and new earth. The presence of the blessed Trinity will be felt continuously. There will be no more urgings to sin; no more weakness of character.

The fog preventing my soul from seeing deeply into the spiritual realm will be lifted. I will see angels. I will see into the most sacred holy of holies.

And immediately I was in the spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. (Revelation 4:2)

All my heart's desires will be fulfilled. I will play music and surf. I will explore the universe.

The difficulties of this world will no longer exist. People will not exploit one another but will seek each others' good.

Article originally written August 15, 2010.

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