A NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH    

   We are not told anything about life in heaven. John says, 

" beloved, now we are children of God; and it is not yet made 
manifest what we shall be. We know that , if he shall be manifest, 
we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (1 (1 1 John 
3:2) 

   Even if we were told we couldn't understand, and there would be 
no language that could explain what things in heaven look like. The 
bible is interested in telling us how to live now, so that we can 
achieve heaven. It is by faith in Christ, and living in accordance 
with that faith that will give us eternal life. 

               THE OLD HEAVENS

   The old heavens is the spiritual sphere under which the world 
lives,

 "But if our gospel is hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in whom 
the God of this world hathe blinded the minds of them which believe 
not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the 
image of God, should shine unto them." (2 Cor. 4: 3,4) 

   But Satan does not have that power of himself. It is through sin 
(the sting of death is sin). Sin produces death, and it is through 
the fear of death that mankind is in bondage, (Heb. 2:14-18) Satan 
is the ruler of the spirit that works in the sons of disobedience. 
(Eph. 2:2) He uses and directs this power to move men to do his 
will. The Bible speaks of turning from the authority of Satan unto 
God. (Acts 26:18)

   The results of this rule of kings sin, and death are described at 
(Romans 5:12-14) . 

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by 
sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that is not imputed when 
there is no law, Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, 
even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's 
transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come." The 
Mosaic Law made men (particularly the Jews) more conscious of sin, 
and pointed out to them the badness of it, making them more 
responsible for their sins, but without the Law men were going on 
sinning and dying. 

   The old heaven, being the spiritual sphere in which men live is 
one of DARKNESS, spiritual darkness. 

"The light shineth in darkness [men's spiritual darkness]; and the 
darkness comprehended [extinguished] it not." (John 1:5) "And this 
is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men 
loved the darkness rather then the light, because their deeds were 
evil," (John 3:19) 

   Isaiah speaks of "the face of the envelopment that is enveloping 
over all peoples, and the woven work that is interwoven upon all the 
nations,"(Isa. 25:7}

             WHAT IS THE OLD EARTH?

   The old earth is a condition of bondage, and slavery.

 "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery causing fear again, 
but you received the spirit of adoption as sons whereby we cry out: 
"Abba Father! " (Romans 8:15) But thanks to God that you were the 
slaves of sin but you became obedient from the heart to that form of 
teaching to which you were handed over." (Romans 6: 17,18)

   The old earth is constituted of the material things and 
philosophies, ways, pursuits, desires, and goals of the world, John 
says, 

"Do not love the world or the things in the world! If anyone loves 
the world, there is not the love of the Father in him. Because 
everything that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust 
of the eyes, pretension regarding the course of life is not out of 
the Father, but is out of the world; and the world is passing away, 
also its lust, but the one doing the will of God remains forever," 
(1 John 2:15,16 Lenski)

   This is mainly because of the way we view material things, and 
use them, slaving for the weak and beggarly elements of the world. 
Paul spoke to Christians who were being influenced by these things: 

" Nevertheless, when you did not know God, then it was that you 
slaved for those who by nature are not gods. But now that you have 
come to be known by God, how is it that you are turning back again 
to the weak and beggarly elementary things and want to slave for 
them over again (Gal. 4:8,9)

              THE ABRAHAMIC PROMISE

   What chance did faithful men of old have? It was the ABRAHAMIC 
Covenant, arranged for a people (along with the Law as guardian) to 
have a hope in the Messiah to come. A sort of a temporary shelter, 
until his arrival. His advent put the ABRAHAMIC Covenant into full 
effect.                       The sacrificial death of Christ did 
away with sin, and brought in the new covenant - ABRAHAMIC Covenant, 
and this was the basic one. His death renewed the ABRAHAMIC 
promises, making it a complete reality. The faithful men of old were 
heirs to this promise, but were minors looking ahead for the Messiah 
to bring it into force. (Gal. 4:1-5) . 

   Satan could charge all men with sin, (as in the case of Job) even 
those favored by God, his chosen nation - the Jewish people. God 
declared righteous these faithful men of old by reason of their 
faith in the sacrifice of the coming Messiah. (Rom. 3:21-26) About 
men in general, the bible says:

 "[God] made out of one man every nation of men, to dwell upon the 
entire surface of the earth, and he decreed the seasons and set the 
limits of the dwelling of men, for them to seek God, if they might 
grope for him and really find him, although, in fact, he is not far 
off from each one of us."  (Acts 17:26,27) 

           WHAT WAS THE HOPE FOR MANKIND?

   Satan conquered Adam, bringing all men under condemnation as 
sinners. (Rom. 5:12) There was no man who could conquer Satan, and 
by doing so, release his hold on them. It was similar in a way to 
the Jews, when Goliath stood before them, and braggingly called for 
a champion to come forth from the ranks of the Israelite to beat him 
in combat. The winner would show which army was stronger. 

   Who could be the great"champion " and defeat Satan? Rev. 5:1-5, 9 
shows:

 And I saw in the right hand of the one seated upon the throne a 
scroll written within and on the reverse side, sealed tight with 
seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice: 
"Who is worthy to open the scroll and loose its seals?" But neither 
in heaven nor upon earth nor underneath the earth was there a single 
one able to open the scroll or to look into it. But one of the older 
persons says to me : "Stop weeping. Look! The Lion that is of the 
tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered so as to open the 
scroll and its seven seals. And they sing a new song, saying: ' You 
are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were 
slaughtered and with your blood you bought persons for out of every 
tribe and tongue and people and nation 

   The one who would open the scroll would not only reveal the 
history of mankind to come, but would actually direct that history. 

 xxx

             Jesus Christ, the Lamb, came to earth as 100% man, born 
of a women, a perfect sacrifice to redeem from the hold Satan has on 
them. He was the one who conquered Satan, defeating him in the 40 
day temptation in the wilderness. As he said before his final trial 
and death:

 "The ruler of this world is coming [to put Jesus to the extreme 
test by having him crucified as a wrongdoer] , and he has nothing in 
me." (John 14:30) Now, there is something in every one of us, 
because of our having inherited sin and death from  Adam, that the 
Devil can get hold of and ruin us. Without Christ no one could stand 
against the Devil. But Jesus did, and at the same time gave the 
ransom sacrifice for mankind- anyone who wishes can get free. So the 
statement is true: 

"O Death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The 
sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But 
thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus 
Christ." ( 1 Cor. 15:55-57)

             Christ lifted from mankind their disability so that 
Satan's dominion was broken. This was foreshadowed ages ago in the 
scapegoat that was the part of Atonement Day procedure. There were 
two goats led before the High Priest. One was sacrificed- a blood 
offering. The other goat had the sins of Israel confessed over his 
head, and he was led into the wilderness, to die there at the hands 
of wild beasts. He was called the goat for Azazel, which word means 
or has reference to the Devil. The goat for Azazel had all Israel's 
sins confessed over his head and was sent out, there to encounter 
the Devil. Symbolically, it pictured, the work of Jesus Christ in 
taking upon himself all the sins of humankind and taking them back 
to the one who was responsible for all this bad situation of 
mankind- the Devil- showing that the Devil's work was all ruined, 
that all men, if they desired, were relieved of their sins. It was 
what is called in the bible the reconciliation. When Christ was on 
the earth he explained concerning binding the strong man. After 
freeing a demon - possessed man he explained: 

No man can enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods, 
except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his 
house." (Mark 3:27) 

             Jesus went about undoing the work of the Devil wherever 
he went, Proving that what he said was true. He said at another 
place:

 "If I cast out devils by the spirit of God, then know that the 
kingdom of God is come unto you." To show that he had conquered the 
Devil, he said: I beheld Satan as lightening fall from heaven." 
(Luke 10:18

             Now, Satan was not in the heaven of God-where God has 
his throne. Satan had been cast out from there at the time of 
angelic rebellion centuries before, as Jude says: "The angels which 
kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hathe 
reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of 
the great day." (Jude 5) Peter also said: "God spared not the angels 
that sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus, and delivered them into 
chains of darkness, to be reserved unto Judgment." (Peter 2:4]

             So the wicked angels were not in the heavens above, 
where God sits on his throne. God would not allow the wicked angels 
to remain there. They were not yet put to death, but are in a judged 
condition. The heavens that they were cast out from later on (in 
Revelation chapter 12) was the high spiritual place they occupied 
along with Satan, with great power over humankind through sin. Here 
they lost that power, because those on earth who wanted to break 
away and do what is right could now do so, and find peace with God. 
The apostle Paul tells us:

 "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against 
principalities, against powers, again the rulers of the darkness of 
this world, against spiritual wickedness [margin, "wicked spirits"] 
in high places (Ephesians 6:12}

             Satan had been cast out from there at the time of 
angelic rebellion. It might be said here that the heaven out of 
which Satan was cast, as in (Revelation, chapter 12) and which is 
often referred to , is the spiritual heaven which has its influence 
over humankind. The old heaven is a spiritual condition over the 
people, a materialistic, "I will do as I please" spirit, a realm of 
darkness. Pride is one of the strong features of this attitude. The 
Devil was caused to fall because he possessed this very bad 
attitude. (1 Tim. 1:6

             WHAT IS THE NEW HEAVENS

             The new heaven is the new spiritual condition brought 
about by the reconciliation. A few scriptures will help us see this. 
This new heaven was announced by the angels when they said: "Glory 
to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." 
(Luke 2:14) The new heaven was fully established when Christ gave 
his sacrifice and was resurrected to heaven. The motive of God's 
part for the reconciliation is spoken of at John 3:16:

 "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that 
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting 
life.

" The angel had said, "fear not, for, behold, I bring you good 
tidings of great joy, which will be to all people, for unto you is 
born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the 
Lord." (Luke 2:10,11

             The living Bible, although it is very free, gives an 
accurate understanding of the reconciliation when it says, at Romans 
5:6-11

 "When we were utterly helpless with no way of escape, Christ came 
at just the right time and died for us sinners who had no use for 
him. Even if  we were good, we really wouldn't expect anyone to die 
for us, though, of course, that might be barely possible. But God 
showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while 
we were still sinners. And since by his blood he did all this for us 
sinners, how much more will he do for us now that he has declared us 
not guilty: Now he will save us from all of God's wrath to come. And 
since, when we were enemies, we were brought back to God by the 
death of his Son, what blessings he must have for us now that we are 
his friends, and he is living within us!"

             It world be good for us to read this text in other 
translations, making a comparison to be sure that we understand it 
rightly.

             Regarding this, Paul also says at 2 Cor. 5:18-20 " All 
things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus 
Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their 
trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of 
reconciliation. Now then we [the apostles] are ambassadors of 
Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in 
Christ's. Be ye reconciled to God."

             Anyone can enter into the New Heavens for mankind by 
faith in Jesus Christ. And enjoy the spiritual blessings of freedom, 
peace, love and eternal life. This peace is not the peace that the 
old world looks for- peace between nations- but peace with God [Rom. 
5:1] and with other people as far as they will be peaceable. 

             This reconciliation opened up the time of regeneration, 
which word also means rebirth. Jesus spoke of this at Matt.19:28 
"Jesus said to [his apostles], Verily I say unto you, that ye which 
have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit 
in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit in the throne of his 
glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve 
tribes of Israel."

             The twelve tribes of Israel spoken about in this verse 
would refer to spiritual Israel. And the thrones of the apostles 
were not be literal. It was the privilege, and authority to write 
nearly all the New Testament , in which the Judgments and 
instructions of God are written for the Christian congregation. 
Ruling and judging our actions, and guiding us all.

             The regeneration, spirit begetting, or rebirth started 
with Pentecost. This is what Jesus meant when he said:

 "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ... 
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter 
into the kingdom of God... Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must 
be born again." (John 3:3, 5, 7,)

 A New Heaven and New Earth is the spiritual condition of the New 
Creation in Christ.

 "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are 
passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Cor. 5:17) 

"In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, now 
uncircumcision, but a new creature." 

The new creation must keep his mind fixed, not on earthly things, 
but on things above: 

" Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth." 
(Col. 3:2)

             Christians are under the new covenant. This entails 
many things, all of which are blessings. They can have a new 
personality, as shown at Ephesians 4:22-24

 "Put away from yourselves once for all, as concerning your former 
mode of life, the old man which is in process of corruption in 
accord with the lusts of the deceit, and continue to be renewed in 
regard to the spirit of your minds; and that you put on once for all 
the new man which, in accord with God, is created in the truth's 
righteousness and holiness." (Lensk) They no longer abide in 
darkness. (John 12:46)

             Christians have a totally new life:

"Having therefore, brethren, assurance in regard to the entrance of 
the sanctuary in connection with the blood of Jesus, which 
[entrance] he inaugurated for us as a new way newly made and living 
by means of the veil that is of his flesh; and (having) a great 
Priest over the house of God, let us continue to draw near with a 
true heart in full assurance of faith, having been sprinkled as to 
our hearts [to free them] from a wicked conscience, and having been 
washed as to body with pure water; let us continue to hold fast the 
confession of the hope unbent, for faithful is the one who made the 
promise." (Heb.10.19-23 Lenski's translation.) As the king James 
Version puts it, it is a new and living way.

We are therefore counseled: 

"If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above , 
where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections 
on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and 
your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, 
shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Col. 
3:1-4)

             Christians are, as Ephesians 2: 6 says, 'raised up 
together, and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ 
Jesus.' We can rejoice, since Dethrone and his old heavens and earth 
have lost out, as stated at Revelation 12:12 : 

Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them, Woe to the 
inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down 
unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a 
short time," 

             The New Heavens does not refer to the angels, but to 
Christians in the new spiritual heavens created by Christ's 
sacrifice, and victory over Satan. The "inhibitors of the earth that 
is soon too be destroyed to whom woe is spoken--those who are 
satisfied with the old heaven and earth and do not accept God's 
reconciliation; the earth and the sea are really their home. 
Christians are said to be  "strangers and refugees in this world.? 
(Padre 2:11 TEV}

             Christians, though being in the new covenant, and in 
this favorable position with God through Christ enjoy the new heaven 
and earth. But this does not mean they have it easy. While their 
sins are forgiven, they still have their fleshly bodies, which they 
know they will not keep, because they are promised a spiritual body 
in the heavens 1 Cor. 15: 22,23 , 35-38 1 Cor. 6:13: 2 Cor.5: 1-6

             As the apostle Paul explained, Christians have a fight, 
or according to another comparison, they are in a race, not to be 
ahead of someone else, but to endure to the finish. The tendency of 
their imperfect fleshly bodies is to sin. But they have access to 
Christ's sacrifice, and his Mediatorship. They can pray and receive 
forgiveness from sin day by day. 

             Paul describes this fight, and the present situation of 
Christian at Romans 7:21-25 . Further encouragement is also given at 
Romans 8:9-11 . It is very profitable for us to read Romans chapters 
7 and 8 in order to know how to conduct this fight or contest.

             We can therefore more readily see why the "new song" at 
Revelation 5; 9,10 to Christ: "you are worthy, "etc. These "bought 
ones" are kings and priest to God, and are reigning [note the 
present tense of the Greek word in the Interlinear reading] On [not 
over] the earth." (most versions and Interliners read upon .) Paul 
explains how they are kings. He says:

"Let no man glory in men: for all things are yours; whether Paul, or 
Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things 
present, or things to come, all are your; and ye are Christ's and 
Christ is God's (1 Cor. 3:21-23;  Rom.8:37-39   

            THE CONCLUSION OF REVELATION

             The new heaven and new earth are described at 
Revelation chapters 21 and 22. To understand the book of Revelation 
we need to see it as it is, namely, a spiritual history of the 
Christian congregation in the world, not only the facts or events, 
but also the nature of the history.

             Revelation is a complete book, as it says to John: 
"Write the things you saw, "etc. It is not written in Chronological 
order. In fact, it sometimes shows us the same event from several 
viewpoints. It also shows that many events run in cycles. Basically, 
this history starts from the birth of Christ (chapter 12) and ends 
with the final conclusion, in this case a conclusion, first, of 
recapitulation, then of exhortation. This is contained in chapters 
21 and 22.

                  Some brief Points on Revelation 21.

In Revelation 21:1 it says "The sea is no more." In John's vision in 
Revelation 4:6 It talks of a sea, transparent, similar to crystal ( 
a glassy sea) is seen. To quote a comment from Lenski: "Not as we 
here on earth see what is 'as a sea' did John see, full of darkness 
and unsearchable mysteries, but as it is before the throne of God in 
heaven, transparent, similar to crystal. God in heaven can see clear 
to its bottom. Can we now not understand 15:2 where it is stated 
that it is mingled with fire? Does divine providence not contain the 
fire of many a dire judgment? May we not explain how the conquering 
ones stand upon what is as a transparent sea? [Rev.15:2,3] Do they 
not stand upon God's providence as though what is as a sea is 
actually solid ground for the Christian? The fire in it does not 
burn them. What seems to be liquid solidly bears them up." ( Jesus 
walking on the sea.)

             At this present time the "sea" prevents mankind in 
general from crossing over to God. They are like Peter when he 
weakened momentarily in faith when trying to walk on the water. But 
in Rev.15:2 those who are Christ's true follower's stand upon this 
sea, with God's judgment or judicial decisions represented by the 
fire bearing them up. No others can stand upon this sea, nor cross 
over to God's throne. They have no standing with God. Those who are 
Christ's since his coming to earth, are now in the sphere of the New 
Heaven, and can stand on the sea. They stand before God, have a 
standing with him , before the angels (compare Rev 7:9, 15)

             Incidentally, it is a mistake to think that Revelation 
is saying there was no more literal sea. A literal earth could not 
do without a sea, for not only is it a great part of God's creation 
for the existence for life on earth, but also, why should anyone 
think that an earth without a sea would be desirable at all? 

             Some say that it is the wicked who compose the sea. But 
actually there is no place for the wicked in God's New Earth. They 
are on the literal earth yet, to be sure, but they are not in 
Christ's sphere. Read Isaiah Chapter 35 along with what Christ said 
at Matt.11:2-6. He showed that he was fulfilling this very prophecy 
of Isaiah, which says (verses 8-10) 

" and there will certainly come to be a highway there, even a way; 
and the Way of Holiness it will be called. The unclean one will not 
pass over it. And it will be for the one walking on the way, and 
foolish ones will wander about [on it] . No lion will prove to be 
there, and the rapacious sort of wild beasts will not come up on it. 
None will be found there; and the repurchased ones must walk [there] 
. And the very ones redeemed by Jehovah will return and certainly 
come to Zion with a joyful cry; and rejoicing to time indefinite 
will be upon their head. To exultation and rejoicing they will 
attain, and grief and sighing must flee away. (NW)              
Christ sees that none of these foolish or bad things are part of his 
people, even though there are many bad people around who are of the 
old heaven and earth.' (Rev. 22:14,15)

             The earnest reader of the Bible can look at the other 
things stated in Revelation 21, and can look at cross references on 
the various verses, and can see that they do not apply to some world 
in the future, but apply to those who serve Christ now. The 1000 
years is, like the other things in Revelation, symbolic of the time 
from Christ's first coming until the second. God has been as 
interested in every generation since Christ as he is in the present 
one, and so the blessings described have been, and are now enjoyed 
by Christ's people in all generations up to the time of his second 
coming.

             Among these many texts that have fulfillment during all 
this time is Rev. 22:2. For who can deny that Christ himself is the 
tree of life? And that he provides the water of life? (Rev. 22:17; 
John 7:37, 38; John 4:10-15) These are only a few of the many 
references that show the truth about what is the New Heaven and 
Earth, and the condition of God's people in respect to it. Using 
your cross-references and your concordance, look these up. To study 
these things out for yourself is the only way that you can really 
understand and believe, and with the help of God's spirit can know 
and enjoy the wonderful promises of God. And not only his promises, 
but the actuality of what God is doing for his people today.

             These things provide a glimpse of the wonderful, 
favored position of the person who reads and believes God's Word. 
While living in this world has its joys and sorrows, this world is 
merely transient, and the only durable things are the things God 
provides through his King and Redeemer Jesus Christ. "The form 
(fashion) of this world is passing away." (1 Cor. 7:31) The 
wonderful thing about it is that he will help us eventually to enter 
into the heaven of God, where life is eternal. This is no dream, but 
is actually the purpose of God from the beginning of the creation of 
earth.. As the reader continues prayerfully to study the Bible, he 
will see much more and will receive a far broader vision of his 
purpose toward us. As the apostle says: 

"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the 
heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love 
him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the 
Spirit searcheth all things, yea. the deep things of God." (1 Cor. 
2:9,10).