6.4 New Heavens and a New Earth

The Day of Pentecost marked the end of the Old Heavens and the Old Earth, which were God's Old Covenant relationship with Israel. Its laws provided an awareness of sin, condemnation, and judgment.

The inauguration of the New Covenant on the Day of Pentecost resulted in New Heavens and a New Earth. Jesus had ascended to the throne of heaven to make intercession for the saints on an everlasting basis, and Satan was cast out. Simultaneously, the Holy Spirit is at work making intercession for the saints and conforming them to become like Christ. The law of sin and death gave way to the law of the Spirit in which there was and is life and joy more abundantly.

We only need to turn to Isaiah 65:17-19 to understand the purpose of creating New Heavens and a New Earth. It is God's response to the Old Covenant falling short and how God upgraded humanity to the New Covenant:

3 Isaiah 65:17-19

17 "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered, nor come into mind.

18 But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem to be a delight, and her people a joy.

19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; and the voice of weeping and the voice of crying will be heard in her no more.

This can only happen in the New Jerusalem, which emerges from heaven. For all practical purposes, the New Jerusalem constitutes the new heavens.

Isaiah 66:22 describes the perpetual nature of life on earth based on the continual nature of having offspring as part of the New Covenant:

1 Isaiah 66:22

22 "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me," says Yahweh, "so your offspring and your name shall remain.

Revelation 21:1-3 describes the New Heaven and the New Earth.

3 Revelation 21:1-3

1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more.

2 I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.

3 I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, "Behold, God's dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God."

Verse 3 says the same thing as Ezekiel 37:27:

1 Ezekiel 37:27

27 My tent also will be with them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

The New Earth refers to the mystery of Jews and Gentiles becoming mutual recipients of God's grace.

The greatest reality of understanding this New and Everlasting Covenant, which is one of peace with God, is the incredible security that anyone can take in knowing that they belong to God and He to them. It is a covenant with God according to the first and second greatest commandments. It includes walking circumspectly and loving others as self. It is a testimony to God's faithfulness as we navigate the straight and narrow path, leaning not too far to the left by justifying sin and not too far to the right by adopting a legalistic and Pharisaical attitude.

The difference between the Old Heavens and Earth and the New Heavens and Earth can be understood in Hebrews 12:18-24:

7 Hebrews 12:18-24

18 For you have not come to a mountain that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and to blackness, darkness, storm,

19 the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which those who heard it begged that not one more word should be spoken to them,

20 for they could not stand that which was commanded, "If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned".

21 So fearful was the appearance that Moses said, "I am terrified and trembling."

22 But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels,

23 to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,

24 to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.

The New has replaced the Old, God has become approachable, Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant, and His blood sacrifice is more powerful than any other sacrifice.

Hebrews 12:25-29 provides another vantage point for understanding the forthcoming changes on earth and in heaven in which anything that can be shaken will be shaken, that our God is a consuming fire. We are blessed to receive an unshakable kingdom and worship God with reverence and awe:

5 Hebrews 12:25-29

25 See that you don't refuse him who speaks. For if they didn't escape when they refused him who warned on the earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven,

26 whose voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens."

27 This phrase, "Yet once more" signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.

28 Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can't be shaken, let's have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,

29 for our God is a consuming fire.