THERE WILL BE A NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH

We understand the new heavens and the new earth to mean that the spiritual atmosphere over the earth and on the earth will be totally changed and made new.  The demonic forces that rule in the heavenly places and on earth (according to Paul in Ephesians 6:12) will be deposed at the Lord’s return. There will be a new heavens and a new earth. What a day that will be!

 “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.  But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Pt. 3:7 -13)

The present earth is oppressed by the presence of demonic forces that operate in the heavens above us and on the earth.

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but

(i)      Against the rulers

(ii)    Against the authorities,

(iii)    Against the cosmic powers over this present darkness,

(iv)    Against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Eph 6:12)

The demons (“cosmic powers over this present darkness and spiritual forces of evil”) that operate in the second heavens will be removed and the heavens will be cleansed and made new. Also the demonic rulers (forces) and authorities (powers) that operate on the earth to oppress us will be finally removed from the earth allowing the earth to be made new. Thus we will have  a new heavens and a new earth. The socio-political order, now dominated by anti-Christ forces will be cleansed and the earth will be filled with the benign, loving wise. kindly rule of Jesus and His followers. This will be the Messianic Kingdom. God’s New World Order will replace man’s New World Order.

“It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, he will teach us his ways and  we will walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isa. 2:2-4) 

WILL THE EARTH BE DESTROYED?

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.” (2 Peter 3:8)

There are some that teach that the earth will be totally destroyed and that God will then create a new heavens and a new earth with no relationship to the existing world. This explanation is not accurate as it takes Peter’s statement out of context from Paul’s’ teaching in Romans Chapter 8 which states that the creation is to be redeemed not destroyed.

“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope, that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” (Rom 8: 20 - 23)

Peter does say “the elements will melt” and this seems to imply a complete destruction of the planet. However, the word ‘elements‘ here is the Greek word ‘stoichieon’ means the elementary systems and principles that control the earth. It is not the same as the modern word ‘element’ used in chemistry. Paul uses the same word in Galatians 4:3,9 where he tells his readers not to be enslaved to the “elementary principles of the world” and urges them not return to worthless “elementary principles of the world.’  Clearly he is not talking about physical elements but the enslaving systems of this present world order that operate in political,  religious and economic systems.   Peter therefore is not talking about the ‘melting’ of the physical elements. He is predicting the dissolution of  the present world order. i.e. the present SYSTEMS that control and oppress the earth will melt and be replaced by the rule of Jesus.

There will be new political systems, economic systems, education systems, healthcare systems, cultural systems  that will all be in perfect harmony with God’ order. This will be the Kingdom of God.  Peter’s words are exactly in line with what David says in Psalm 68:1-2:

“God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered; and those who hate him shall flee before him! As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God! But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!”

 The present demonically manipulated world systems that have oppressed he earth will be replaced the Lord’s appearing! In that day “the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains” (Isaiah 2:2)