Sunday: New Heavens and a New Earth
Read Isaiah 65:17-25. What kind of restoration does the Lord promise here?
God promises a new creation, beginning with the words: “For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind” ( Isaiah 65.17-18, NRSV).
Image © Lars Justinen at Goodsalt.com
In the city there will be no more weeping ( Isaiah 65.19-20). Their work and children will remain for them to enjoy (Isa: 65:21-23). God will answer them even before they call (Isa: 65:24).
Nice as it is, why is this not a picture of our final restoration, our final hope?
Thus far we have a picture of tranquil long lives in the Promised Land. But even though people live longer, they still die. Where is the radical transformation of nature we expect with the creation of “new heavens” and a “new earth”? The next verse tells us: “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent—its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the LORD” (Isa: 65:25, NRSV).
For carnivores such as lions to become vegetarian requires far more than a vegetarian cooking class. It requires a re-creation to restore the world to its ideal state, as it was before sin in Eden introduced death.
Here in Isaiah 65, God presents the creation of “new heavens” and a “new earth” as a process, a series of steps, that begins with the re-creation of Jerusalem. Compare Isaiah 11, where the Messiah would bring justice (Isa: 11:1-5). Then, eventually, there will be peace on God’s worldwide “holy mountain”; the imagery used in Isaiah 11 is similar to what’s found in Isaiah 65: “The wolf shall live with the lamb … and the lion shall eat straw like the ox … ” ( Isaiah 11.6-7, NRSV). Although the Lord’s “holy mountain” would begin with Mount Zion at Jerusalem, it was only a precursor, a symbol, of what God promises to do, ultimately, in a new world with His redeemed people.
| Suppose instead of living 60, 70, 90, or even 100 years, most people lived a million years or more. Why, still, would the fundamental problem of humanity not be solved? Why is eternal life the only answer to our deepest human needs? |
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One of the most overused words in modern English is "pristine". You will hear property developers extol the pristine views that will be available to those who purchase into their development. The view might by pristine to start with but by the time all the land is sold, you are going to look out on a sea of houses and roads very much like any other suburb.
"Pristine" has a sense of untouched, before civilisation came, primitive, and associated with the idea that it is something better.
I used to go to Australia's Kosciuszko National Park, and walk to the top of Australia's highest mountain in summer. Kosciuszko National Park is described as "pristine alpine wilderness. Well, you drive past a dozen ski-lifts and several winter chalets - that always look a bit abandoned in mid summer. Then you walk through the snow gums that are dying because the temperature is warming up. You walk past the sphagnum moss bogs that are churned up by the brumbies (feral horses), and after about 10km you eventually reach the top of the mountain where you share the view with others who have taken their cigarettes and slabs of beer with them so they can celebrate the "top of Australia" experience. So much for "pristine".
I could repeat similar stories for any number of Australian "pristine" spots. Too many people, easy access, stupid ecological decisions and just plain "who cares" has tarnished and decimated some of the arguably best natural experiences to be had in Australia.
Our lesson today talks about the New Heaven and Earth. They could be described as Pristine in the proper sense. Recreated according to the original plan. I could perhaps expand on that a fair bit from a spiritual sense but I want to address a more practical issue.
Because we believe that all things will be created new (pristine) does not absolve us from the responsibility of caring for what we have now. I look forward to heaven and the new earth and all that goes with it. But, at the same time, I value what we have now and try to do my bit in the local community.
In the judgement scenes associated with the seventh angel in Revelation we read this:
Looking forward to recreated "pristine" has to be balanced with a sense of maintaining "pristine"now.
Today's study guide has explained verses in Isaiah 65 & 66 that have long puzzled me.
They are a dual prophecy, a conditional prophecy of what Jerusalem could be if all accepted the coming Messiah which would be symbolic of the final solution of the Great Controversy.
Accordingly I need to be careful in interpreting the verses. Will we plant and build in the new earth or was that only for the first fulfillment? People dying at a hundred is that 1st or final fulfillment? It is not eternal life is it?
The study guide points out "Although the Lord’s “holy mountain” would begin with Mount Zion at Jerusalem, it was only a precursor, a symbol, of what God promises to do, ultimately, in a new world with His redeemed people."
Just like in Matt 24 Jesus was answering several questions combined together so are the prophecies of Isaiah only to be untangled at a later stage.
How to understand? Maybe study the original plan in the garden, Jesus' teachings, Revelation 21 and the Spirit of Prophecy.
The messages given through Isaiah are not all the details of the new earth just an overview to encourage His people.
Here are some extracts from the book "Heaven" which is a compilation of EG White's writings on heaven and the new earth, which answers my questions on Isa 65 & 66. I recommend reading all the 20 pages of this little book.
Heaven
God Has Not Revealed All.—The Lord has made every provision for our happiness in the future life, but He has made no revelations regarding these plans, and we are not to speculate concerning them. Neither are we to measure the conditions of the future life by the conditions of this life. Hvn 62.1
Matters of vital importance have been plainly revealed in the Word of God. These subjects are worthy of our deepest thought. But we are not to search into matters on which God has been silent. Some have put forth the speculation that the redeemed will not have gray hair. Other foolish suppositions have been put forward, as though these were matters of importance. May God help His people to think rationally. When questions arise upon which we are uncertain, we should ask, “What saith the Scripture?”Ms 28, 1904 quoted in Selected Messages 1:173. Hvn 62.2
Then we began to look at the glorious things outside of the City. There I saw most beautiful houses, that had the appearance of silver, supported by four pillars set with pearls, most glorious to behold, which were to be inhabited by the saints, and in them was a golden shelf. I saw many of the saints go into the houses, take off their glittering crowns and lay them on the shelf, then go out into the field by the houses to do something with the earth; not as we have to do with the earth here. A glorious light shone all about their heads, and they were continually offering praises to God. Hvn 136.1
No Marriages or Births—There are men today who express their belief that there will be marriages and births in the New Earth, but those who believe the Scriptures cannot accept such doctrines. The doctrine that children will be born in the New Earth is not a part of the “sure word of prophecy.” The words of Christ are too plain to be misunderstood. They should forever settle the question of marriages and births in the New Earth. Neither those who shall be raised from the dead, nor those who shall be translated without seeing death, will marry or be given in marriage. They will be as the angels of God, members of the royal family.—Ms 28, 1904 quoted in Maranatha,369, Hvn 140.1
There the Eden life will be lived, the life in garden and field. “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.” Isaiah 65:21, 22.
Hvn 149.1
There every power will be developed, every capability increased. The grandest enterprises will be carried forward, the loftiest aspirations will be reached, the highest ambitions realized. And still there will arise new heights to surmount, new wonders to admire, new truths to comprehend, fresh objects to call forth the powers of body and mind and soul. Hvn 152.5
All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God's children. With unutterable delight we shall enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen beings. We shall share the treasures gained through ages upon ages spent in contemplation of God's handiwork. And the years of eternity, as they roll, will continue to bring more glorious revelations. “Exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20) will be, forever and forever, the impartation of the gifts of God. Hvn 152.6
"No more shall an infant from there live but a few days.........For the child shall die one hundred years old" Isa 65:20.
Reading this chapter gets me really confused. Isn't Isaiah in this chapter prophesying about the new Earth where everything shall have been made new in that "the voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, nor the voice of crying?" What's is the meaning of the a hundred years lifespan cap?" And do we still labour in this new Earth? Some enlightenment please.
Benard- to me when we read and study the bible we have to understand what the bible is saying. Sometimes the passage is speaking to us literally, or is it prophetically, or figuratively.
E.g the Lord told Moses he bare them on eagle's wings. What does that meant to us?
“Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto Myself'. Ex 19:4. Here again in Isa 41:31. Two phases come into play- 'the Lord bare them on eagles' wings and 'to mount up on eagles' wings.
These are figurative terms- meant how the Lord protected them from their enemies who were stronger than them. He was their deliverer, sustainer, provider, etc. The characteristics of God can be compared with that of the eagle, e.g strong, great, vast, ability to sit high and see below, etc.
The child shall die an hundred years has nothing to do literally to the new earth, it is used figuratively.
Hope this helps a little.
We need to understand that the Bible uses figures of speech to make a point. This passage in Isaiah is poetry and uses poetic language to give a sense that our normal perception of time is not a useful measure in eternity. Isaiah's use of literary constructs to get the message across is well known.
I believe we can avoid confusion if we use Isaiah 35 and 65 as an appetite sitimulation, and use Revelation 21 with preceeding chspters and following chapters as the meat for your question.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:1.
'Suppose instead of living 60, 70, 90, or even 100 years, most people lived a million years or more. Why, still, would the fundamental problem of humanity not be solved? Why is eternal life the only answer to our deepest human needs?'
Human fundamental problem is sin- as a result of such, the entire earth has been in turmoil for six thousands years. The Lord will have to get rid of the problem of sin as well as the people who love sin.
If we cant care the earth now in this state how can we care the new city? If we cant take care of our old house now how can we take care of a new one?
I, though excited about the new heaven and earth dont spend much time in fascination about them because as long as I am raised in the 1st resurrection I will enjoy all the rest of what Jesus has to offer me. Therefore my journey starts now, in this place where I am. Living a life of love for my creator, sustainer and redeemer and my neighbor as myself. I am going to do a little help to someone who needs it.
Song says-Brighten the corner where you are, someone far from harbor you may glide across the bar.
God bless you for this question. I hope you will understand when I use this simple illustration about the new heavens and new earth presented by Isaiah.
" Matt 24: 15 - so when you see standing in the holy place the abomination that causes desolation spoken of through the prophet Daniel- let the reader understand that the end is near."
Permit me to now rephrase
" so when you see standing in God's holy mountain the promises of new heavens and earth spoken off through prophet Isaiah - let the reader understand that *its a sign of restoration for the saint*
Summarily:
Just as we have sign of the end of time in Matt so we have sign of restoration of the saints in Isaiah. A process and means to restoration of new heavens and earth itself.
A blessed week brethren and sisters.
I am also confused of the verse Isaiah 65:20, so I will appreciate receiving a clear explanation on this verse.
God bless you all
Yes, Isaiha 65:20 is confusing to anyone who stops to think about it. The only way I can make sense of it is to see the prophecy as potentially applying to literal Israel if they had been faithful to God. Even on this earth, they would have lived a long life.
Spiritual Israel inherits the promises of literal Israel, but the fulfillment is even more glorious. Not only will God's people have *long* life. They will have *eternal* life!
This lesson's picture speaks a thousand words! Why is this image depicting the conditions prevailing in the new earth the most prominent in Christian circles?
Isaiah 65:25KJV - ”The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.”
The new earth will not be ruled by the powers of man’s brute quest for dominance, but by the powers which govern God’s Righteousness in the heart of all mankind – Love and Kindness, born of Justice promoting Peace.
Mankind’s desire will be to will to do their Father’s Will; this starts right here on the old earth.
I understand man’s untimely death having come to him as the consequence of his ‘fallen’ nature; the life in his fallen nature’s iniquity - a sinful life - experiencing the inability to live in/by/with God’s Glory. The Father created man to experience life in His Nature. It had become impossible for this now imperfect child of God to inherit eternal life in his fallen state – Gen.3:23KJV.
'Closing the Gates to Heaven' was no ‘arbitrary punishment’ for the parents of mankind; their state of iniquity prohibited them from remaining in the Father's Presence. It was the, from the Beginning, established Law of God which denies imperfection to be in his Presence. But the Father established a way - by covering man with His own Righteousness in and through Christ Jesus - man, hid in Christ - would again have access to Him!
Isa.11:1-5KJV points to the importance of the work of the Savior, the changes He was to bring to the hearts and administration of the affairs of mankind –
v.5: “And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.”
As recorded in Scripture, Heaven’s standards have governed mankind’s affairs all along but are only visible to the spiritually perceptive eye. Now, in the old earth’s remaining future, and in the new earth to be formed, man will accept the Creator’s administration’s authority. No more will fallen man need to look to himself and his imperfect standards to govern his affairs.
Our ‘Life Eternal’ starts in each believer’s life right here and now! As I see it: the new world becomes populated by mankind, but living their lifes in His Righteousness. Every creature’s desire is to live in peace with its ‘neighbor’. Through Christ, our new Adam, man again lives life as it was meant for man to live from the Beginning, before our first parents’ and all following generations’ lives were so devastatingly impacted by evil.
I do not think *age* will have the same meaning under circumstances governing the New Earth. We cannot see clearly the progression of man’s destiny in the new earth and the new Heavens. If perfecting man’s spiritual nature is the reason for his extended living then, after departing this earth at a ripe old age, there could follow a continuing life in Heaven were he could avail himself to further engage in this spiritual process of maturing this living soul, to so become a citizens of Heaven forever.
I have blessed with the comments. God bless
Hello, this is my first time to comment on a topic. Isaiah 65:20 somehow leads one to think that there is still death "new heaven and new earth"..which is an outright delusion.
With the guidance of the Holy Spirit and through prayer, I looked at the International Standard Version's translation this is how it reads:
(Isa 65:20 ISV) “And there will no longer be in it [refering to the New Heaven and the New Earth] a young boy who lives only a few days, or an old person who does not live out his days; for one who dies at a hundred years will be thought a mere youth, and one who falls short of a hundred years will be considered accursed."
It sometimes boils down to translations. In this particular verse, I believe that the ISV translation captured the essence of the message. Take note that the re-creation of the heavens and the earth was given at verse 17 and continuously described right to the end of the chapter, which is verse 25.
Both the child and the adult person's life span of a hundred years was only used to highlight what will be missing in the "new heaven and earth" which is the curse of death due to sin..it is not saying that there will still be death (with a longer life span) in the new heaven; but that death will be impossible in it.
And these are all supported, and in harmony with verses from Rom. 6:23, 1Cor.15:51-55, 1Thess. 4:16-18, Rev.21:4 & 27, Rev. 22:3
I hope this helps. Thank you and Good bless us all