The new heaven and the new earth

If the Rapture occurs in this age, the period of human existence on Earth will be 7,000 years. Six thousand years have passed, and the Millennial Kingdom will last for 1,000 years. Throughout these 7,000 years, much has happened, and we are not even familiar with 99% of the historical narratives! Yet, this 7,000 years pales in comparison to the duration of the new heaven and new Earth. This time will last forever, meaning that nothing will follow after it. We will remain on the new Earth eternally. The Bible doesn't provide many details about this time, and neither I nor John, who wrote about it, can adequately describe how it will be. One thing I do know: it will be better than we can imagine! Let's read the key verses about this time.

"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.' Then He who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' And He said to me, 'Write, for these words are true and faithful. ... He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.'" (Revelation 21:1-8)

John received this revelation and saw a new heaven and a new earth. God will make everything new. Today, we live in a world that is perishable (mortal). Grass dies, trees die, flowers die, and its inhabitants pass away. This applies not only to the Earth but also to the sky and the universe—the blue sky and the cosmos. Even the stars are slowly dying and are perishable. God will remove everything and start with a new heaven and a new earth.

"But the heavens and the earth which now exist are kept in store by the same word, reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. ... But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. ... Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells." (2 Peter 3:7-13)

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." (Matthew 24:35)

Now, let's explore what will or will not be present in the new heaven and new earth.

The Sea Disappears

The sea will no longer exist. The sea is tumultuous, and waves constantly crash onto the shore. I find the sea and the beach beautiful to behold, especially during sunsets as the sun disappears into the sea. On one hand, I feel a sense of loss that I won't get to see the sea after the Millennial Kingdom. On the other hand, I know that God has something even more beautiful in store. The reason why the sea no longer exists is explained in the book of Isaiah.

"But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt." (Isaiah 57:20)

The sea symbolizes the wicked and unrest. In the new Earth, there will only be the righteous, and there will be eternal peace. In this image, there is no place for the sea. Furthermore, the sea is a remnant of judgment and the flood (Genesis 6-9). While Noah and his family entered the ark, it began to rain. The water from the sky poured down onto the Earth, and water from beneath the Earth surged upward. This caused all the mountains and land to be submerged. Eventually, the water receded, allowing Noah to leave the ark, but much water remained and formed our seas and oceans.

"In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights." (Genesis 7:11-12)

God Dwells Among People

In this time, God will continue to dwell among people. We will never again be separated from God! We are called the sons and daughters of God. This signifies that we can call God our Father and that we have an intimate relationship with Him. This applies not only to the future but also to today (1 John 3:1-2). Unfortunately, earthly fathers may not always be good. Whether you had a good or bad father during your upbringing makes a significant difference. We can know that God is the best Father who exists. When it's stated that God will wipe away all our tears, it demonstrates that God is a loving Father who cares for us. We can establish a relationship with our loving Father and with all righteous brothers and sisters around us. This applies to both the future and today, even though brothers and sisters today still make mistakes. It will be a good and just family.

No Discomfort

Can you imagine a world with no death, sorrow, crying, or pain? Yet, this time will come! This is a significant difference between the new Earth and the Millennial Kingdom. In the Kingdom, there is mortality, but in the new Earth, there is immortality. Everything will be made right! The sorrow of the current Earth will pass away, and everything will be made new.

God's Righteousness

Everything in the new Earth reflects God's righteousness. No war, no pain, no oppression, no wickedness, and no liars. All injustice is gone, and anyone who has practiced injustice will not enter the new Earth. Only the righteous (those made righteous by the Lord Jesus) will enter the new Earth.

The City of Jerusalem

In the new heaven and on the new Earth, there will be a city. Not just an ordinary city as we know it today, but a holy city that comes from God. This is the New Jerusalem and bears characteristics of both the Church of Christ and the people of Israel. John attempted to describe this city in Revelation 21 and 22, but it was very challenging for him because how do you compare this city to anything? The city shows that God dwells within it and that God is its light. God's righteousness shines over the city, and there is no place for anything vile or anyone engaged in abominations and lies.

I'd like to conclude this section with a comparison made by Paul. I can never describe how the new heaven and Earth will look, and in this section, we've only covered the main points from Revelation 21:1-8. Paul compares the heavenly like this:

"But someone will say, 'How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?' Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body. All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power." (1 Corinthians 15:35-43)

In this life, we may appear as a "mere grain," but when we are resurrected, we will be raised in glory and power. Just as you can't compare a grain to the wheat it produces, you can't compare our current life and world to what's to come. One thing I do know: It will be more beautiful than we can ever imagine.

Summary

God has established a timeline for events on Earth. Today, we live in the age of grace, and soon, we anticipate the Rapture of the Church. After the Rapture, the Great Tribulation will occur, culminating in the Second Coming of Christ. Jesus will rule as King during the Millennial Kingdom, and afterward, the new heaven and new Earth will come into existence.

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