The New Heaven And The New Earth

Towards the end of Isaiah's prophecy, God declares, "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: ... be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying." Isaiah 65 v.17-19.

The expression `New Heaven' is a figurative one and refers to the rulers of the world in which we are involved.

The First Heaven And Earth

God began his creative work for this fair earth with one human pair who multiplied down the ages and now number after six thousand years many billions. This population was generally disobedient to God's laws hence God's decision to create a new constitution in which his laws will be obeyed. This will be accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ, God's son, who will reign on earth as King in Jerusalem for 1,000 years. His reign on earth will complete a prophetic week of 7,000 years of human history overruled by God and his son the Lord Jesus. The great change in the religious character of the reign of the Lord Jesus is likened to a Sabbath by the apostle Paul when he wrote, "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God." Hebrews 4 v.9.

This is also referred to in the Book of Revelation, "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." Rev.20 v.4. This verse describes in symbolic language the rule of Jesus and his immortal saints for one thousand years over the whole world.

This rulership constitutes in brief terms what is meant by the term, `The New Heavens'. Jesus and the saints are to be the new rulers in the age to come.

New Principles for Rulers

From the experience of the last six thousand years of human history it is necessary for these new rulers to be guided by divine principles. This is bound to follow since all will have been made immortal. For instance it is testified of both the Lord Jesus and the Saints that they shall rule with a rod of iron. God has appointed His son, the Lord Jesus, to be the great king for the new age as described in Psalm 2.v.6 "Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion. Thou art my son this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel" (Psalm 2v. 6-9). And in Revelation we read, "He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers; even as I received of my Father" (Rev. 2 v.26-27).

Provision has already been made prophetically for Jesus to be guided by God's Holy Spirit as described in Isaiah chapter 11, "And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD... but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked". Isaiah 11 v.2-4.

The New Earth

Having rulers fully guided by the spirit of God it is understandable that those who are ruled over will reflect the righteousness exhibited by the rulers. This can be seen in Isaiah chapter 2, "And shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us

of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more". (Isaiah 2 v.2-4)

Wild Animals To Become Tame

Another wonderful change is that all wild animals will become tame: "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."

Jesus, during the thousand years of his reign, will fulfil the wonderful purposes of God for this fair earth when everyone will be happy.

To use the words of scripture, "And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." (Rev.19 v.6-9)

Bro. Ralph Green (Devon, UK.)