Will New Heaven Be on Earth?
With the coming of Lord Kalki (The Second Coming of Christ), the earth will be purified by fire, and this material planet will be the residence of the faithful throughout eternity. In other words, a “New Earth” will be what we commonly think of as “New Heaven.” This is the truth – “earth shall become New Heaven”.
My focus is upon what is specifically said regarding the destiny of the material “heavens and the earth.” Peter declares that the “heavens shall pass away with a great noise.” The term “heavens” (plural) refers, not to the place where God is (Bible, Matthew 6:9), but to those realms where the birds fly (Bible, Ezekiel 31:6; and Matthew 8:20), and beyond to that region of the stars and planets (Bible, Genesis 1:14; 22:17).
My special interest is in the term “pass away” . While the word may occasionally be used in a temporal sense ( “passed by” – Bible, Mark 6:48), frequently it takes on an eternal significance. For example, the Lord contrasted the temporal nature of heaven and earth with the eternal duration of His word—the former will “pass away,” the latter never will (Bible, Matthew 24:35). In this sense the term signified: “to come to an end and so no longer be there, pass away, disappear”. Bible, 2 Peter 3:10 and Revelation 21:1 under this definition. In his commentary on Luke, that the term “pass away” (Bible, Luke 21:33) signified that “everything material will cease to exist”. There is no sense of a “renewal” in the term.
In a passage regarding the Day of Judgment, John writes that “the earth and the heaven fled away; that there was found no place for them” (Bible, Revelation 20:11). Where is the “restoration” in that? There “is found no place for it”. “The destruction of the world is complete . . they [the material earth and heaven] are annihilated”.
The apostle continues by saying that the “elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat”. The term “elements” (stoicheia) refers to the very fundamental components of an object, e.g., the letters of an alphabet. With reference to material objects, the word has to do with “the first and simplest component parts . . . the primary matter”. “Dissolved” (from luo) is found three times in verses. In this case the word means “to reduce something by violence into its components parts, destroy”.
Thus it is clear : “Of the parts of the universe, as it is broken up and destroyed in the final conflagration (Bible, 2 Peter 3:10-12).” Add to this the term “melt” (teko) in verse 12 (Bible, Isaiah 34:4). Those who see a “restoration” or a “purification” in these terms have “Urim and Thummim” far more formidable than those claimed by Joseph Smith, Now we come to the term rendered “burned up”.
The pophesy declears – the fate of the earth is described as being “burned up” . This expression likely would indicate “shall be found for destruction, i.e., unable to hide themselves from the doom decreed by God”.
In a thrilling vision, the apostle John saw “a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more” (Bible, Revelation 21:1). It suggests this three-fold division “represents the whole of this world”.
We are introduced to the “new heaven and a new earth.” One thing is certain, the “new” is not the same as the old (i.e., material/physical). The nature of the “new heaven and new earth” may logically be demonstrated quite simply.
Just as our present environment is called heaven and earth (we draw our sustenance from the air and land), even so, our future state of existence figuratively is designated as a “new heaven and new earth.” That this is an allusion to heaven itself can be demonstrated logically. In logic there is a maxim that states: Things equal to the same thing, are equal to each other. If A = B, and B = C, it follows that A = C. If we are promised “heaven” as our final dwelling place, and we are promised a “new heavens and a new earth,” yet there is but “one hope” (Bible, Ephesians 4:4), it necessarily follows that the “new heaven and earth” and “heaven” are synonymous—the former a figurative expression.
This new heaven and new earth is that which is spoken of by our Lord. It would appear that this is best understood as the vision of heaven itself, thought of in terms of the New Jerusalem, the heavenly city in the new heaven and the new earth.
Will Earth will Convert into New Heaven ?
My vision said one of the clearest distinctions in the Bible is that which exists between heaven (the abode of God, the “heaven of heavens” – Bible, Deuteronomy 10:14; Psalm 115:16), and the earth. It requires but a few passages to establish this premise.
In warning “heaven,” the throne of God, or by “earth,” his footstool (Bible, Matthew 5:34-35). Jesus taught His disciples to pray that God’s will be done on earth, as in heaven (Bible, Matthew 6:10). In Bible, Matthew 6:19 -it is declared that one must not lay up treasures on earth, where thieves might confiscate them;
rather, one’s “treasure” should be heavenly in nature.
The Christian’s “hope” is to be realized “in the heavens” (Bible, Colossians 1:5). It is an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, that fades not away, reserved “in heaven” for us (Bible, 1 Peter 1:3-4). How is this passage to be explained if the “heaven” of Peter’s statement will, in fact, “fade away,” and give place to an eternal existence on earth? Peter must harmonize with Peter (Bible, 2 Peter 3:13).
Our reward, grounded in our citizenship, will be in heaven, whence also we wait for our Savior (Bible, Philippians 3:20). Christ is not returning from heaven to be with his people on a reconstructed earth; He is returning to take his people home to the Father.
When Jesus declared: “In my Father’s house are many mansions” (Bible, John 14:2), he clearly spoke of “heaven.” This scarcely can be doubted. He then said: “I go to prepare a place for you.” He spoke of going to his Father in heaven. Subsequently, he promised to “come again,” and “receive” his people that “where I am, you may be also” (Bible, John 14:3), i.e., that they might abide in heaven with him.
But it is alleged that a “new heaven and a new earth” await us. It is an earth that will have been purified, renovated, reconstituted—as a result of the contamination of sin. Does this proposition apply to the earth only? Or to both “the heavens and earth”? Both are mentioned in the four biblical texts that speak of a “new heaven(s) and new earth.”
The passages that mention a “new heavens and a new earth” are Bible, Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13, and “a new heaven and a new earth” (Bible, Revelation 21:1). The evidence will demonstrate – Earth is refer to “New heaven” because the abode of God will be on Earth.
