Now we’re finally ready to look at the eternal earth, the final stage in the restoration of all things as they existed before Lucifer’s rebellion. This section runs from Revelation 21:1 to 22:5 and includes John’s reference to the new heaven and new earth and his detailed description of the holy city New Jerusalem that comes down from God out of heaven to the earth.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the previous heaven and the previous earth had passed away and there was no more sea.” (Revelation 21:1)
In both places above the word ‘new” is translated from kainon and means, qualitatively new (meaning the essential qualities or characteristics are now different). This “new” heaven and earth is not something that appears quickly as the result of an immediate, universal catastrophic event that takes place after the Millennium and just before the eternal earth. Instead, it is the result of a process that starts with the presence of Christ, redeemed saints and holy angels on the earth during the Millennium and with Christ both abolishing His enemies and bringing about certain changes having to do with the reversal of the curse. We’ve already discussed those things, so we won’t go back there again.
Now, the reason I point to the Millennium as the beginning of the new heavens and earth is first found in Isaiah 65:17 where we see “For behold, I create a new heavens and a new earth. And the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind.” The passage that follows in Isaiah 65 and 66 has to do with the Millennium, where Isaiah describes changes that take place during that time. The statement “the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind” does not mean the former things will not specifically be remembered (memory will not be wiped clean), but that the new will be so wonderful and fulfilling that people will not long for the old or regret its passing.
OK, to put this in context, I will mention just a few things we’ve already discussed. Earthly Jerusalem has been rebuilt and has become the capital of the world. Israel has been restored and elevated to its rightful place as the spiritual leader of the earth. God is rejoicing over them and they are rejoicing in Him. Now, men live eternally in natural bodies. There is universal prosperity, with all men enjoying the fruits of the earth without fear of losing that prosperity through natural disasters or debt. It is no longer necessary to spend vast resources to support naturally corrupt governments or to produce materials for war. All the effects of the curse are being removed and will no longer trouble mankind, the animal kingdom or the earth.
The other reference to new heavens and earth in Isaiah 66:22-24 does have to do with the eternal earth and we definitely won’t go back there again, as we have looked at that passage numerous times already. The next reference is found in II Peter 3:10-13. In this passage Peter also puts this promise of a new heaven and new earth in the proper context of time. The reference to the new heavens and new earth are not found until verse 13, but we have to start with verse 10 to get the full picture of what Peter is describing here. This is verse 10.
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and the heavens will pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are on it will be exposed.”
He starts with “the day of the Lord”. This is the 2nd coming at the end of the tribulation and the beginning of the Millennium. Again, the changes that eventually bring about the new heavens and earth begin with Christ’s return to the earth to establish His kingdom and destroy His enemies (look at Isaiah 13:6, 9; Jeremiah 46:10; Ezekiel 30:3; Matthew 24:29-30; I Thessalonians 5:2-3; II Thessalonians 1:7-10; and Jude 14-15 where the day of the Lord is in the context of the 2nd coming of Christ to establish His kingdom and destroy His enemies).
Let’s look at verse 10 in more detail. First, you may have noticed I omitted “in the night” after “thief”. It is not found in the original and many of the more contemporary translations do not have it. The reference to that day “coming like a thief” is simply Peter’s way of saying the day will come unexpectedly. Then it says the heavens “pass away with a great noise”. “Pass away” is parerchomai and means to change from one condition to another. It is never used to indicate destruction or annihilation. The heavens are changed. The “great noise” is rhoizedon, a sudden, rushing sound, indicating the changes begin immediately.
Then the “elements shall dissolve with fervent heat”. “Elements” is from stoicheion, translated elements, rudiments or principles in other places (look at Galatians 4:3, 9; Colossians 2:8, 20 and Hebrews 5:12 to see other examples). This is commonly thought to be a reference to the material elements of the heavens, but those things do not seem to be qualitatively changed from the descriptions we see concerning the material heavens. So, we must consider that, here, stoicheion refers to the evil and corrupt elements that exist in the heavens brought about by the rebellion of Lucifer and other angels and the effects they have on fallen man. “Shall melt” is luo and is a future passive verb, indicating a change that starts here and continues into the future. While Christ is present on the earth dealing with His enemies there, He’s also dealing with enemies in the heavens. Given the context, “fervent heat” is probably a metaphor representing unyielding judgment.
This is further supported by the next phrase “and the earth and the works that are on it will be burned up”. The “earth” is ge, a word used to describe the inhabited earth, often associated with corruption, frailty or weakness when compared to heaven (as in Matthew 6:19-20; John 3:31). The “works” on this earth are to be burned up. This is ergon, a word often associated with the fleshly works of man, especially in the false, religious realm (as in Matthew 23:5; II Corinthians 11:13-15 and Revelation 3:1). Then finally, “exposed” is heuerthesetai, translated, “discovered” or “laid bare” in other translations. As already discussed, during the Millennium all forms of man-made religion will be abolished and the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord.
There is a different translation found in the KJV and repeated in some others. Instead of “exposed”, the KJV has “burned up” from katakaio, found in some later translations. My Zondervan Greek-English Interlinear has “will be discovered”. Either way, from what we have already discussed, during the Millennium Christ will do away with all man-made religion.
So, what do we have here so far? In Revelation 21:1 when John looks and sees a new heaven and new earth, he’s really seeing something that has come as a result of a process of change that started when Christ returned to earth to establish His kingdom. It is the finished product, which Peter then describes in II Peter 3:13. “But we look forward to new heavens and a new earth as He promised, where righteousness will remain forever.” The difference is that John goes on to describe physical changes, while Peter is talking about spiritual changes.
We have one more issue to talk about. The end of Revelation 21:1 says “and there was no more sea”. At present approximately ¾ of the surface of the earth is covered by oceans. The word is thalassa and is used primarily in the New Testament to describe the Sea of Galilee or Tiberias or the Red Sea, making us think the word applies only to smaller bodies of water. That it refers to oceans here is probably more correct, but we have nothing to compare it to in other references. It is obvious from the Old Testament that rivers, lakes and small seas will exist given the many references to seas, isles and coastlands (Isaiah 42:9-10; Ezekiel 47; Zechariah 14:8 for example). It makes sense to think the eternal earth will contain much more habitable land. However, it boggles the mind to consider how these extreme changes to the topography of the earth might take place.