Faith Baptist Church
4258 Botetourt Road
Fincastle, Virginia 24090
(540) 473-2325
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea.”
John beheld a new heaven and a new earth. Two major Greek words define our word, new; they are neos, which means new in existence, or new as in time and the other major Greek word for new is kainos, which is used in our text today is defined as that which is new in quality as compared to that which is worn or decayed. This word, kainos is used in II Cor.5:17 as the Bible says we are a new, kainos, creation in Christ Jesus, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new, kainos. I am still John after salvation, but now I am the old John made new. Christ has effected a change in me that will never end.
The first heaven and the first earth have been tainted and cursed by the fall of Satan and the sin of mankind. The Bible speaks of three heavens. There is the immediate heaven where the birds fly and the clouds sweep across the land. There is the celestial heaven where we gaze at the stars and distant planets, and there is the glorious heaven where the throne of God abides, II Cor.12:2. The two lower heavens have been cursed by sin twice.
First: The celestial heaven as well as the original earth was cursed by the fall of Satan, Gen.1:2, Isa.14:12-15; Ezek.28:11-19.
Some read Gen.1:2 to be the description of the original earth, but Gen.1:1 and Isa.45:18 say the original earth was spoken into existence by God. The Hebrew word used here for create is bara, meaning to be created out of non-existent materials, that this earth was not created in vain, or void such as the earth is said to become in Gen.1:2. The original earth was created as a place of habitation for God’s angels, Job 38:4-7. But then Lucifer in a jealous fit plotted to overthrow the throne of God in the third heaven, Isa.14:12-15. Satan convinced 1/3 of all angels, Rev.12:4 to worship and follow him. God cursed Lucifer’s place of habitation, the earth and lower heavens, and since then Lucifer, now called Satan, has been called the prince and power of the air, the prince of darkness, and the chief arch enemy of God. This was the beginning of the angelic conflict that is still going on.
God cursed the earth by withholding light from it. The original earth froze and all things upon it and then the Spirit of God moved across the face of the deep frozen waters. God then recreated in six literal twenty-hour days the earth we have today. Except this time God gave dominion to mankind, a dominion which Satan is also jealous of.
Second: And the lower heaven, associated with the six day recreated earth’s atmosphere was cursed again by the fall of man into sin, Gen.3:17-18.
These two lower heavens are prophesied to one day be lifted from their cursed state.
Rom.8:18-22 speaks to us concerning the saints who continue to remain faithful to the Lord in spite of their undeserved suffering for the Lord; that a great glory awaits these saints. But Paul goes on to say the whole creation was made subject to groaning due to the curse.
Paul says through the inspiration of Scriptures that the earth, as is our bodies; that we are subject to corruption. We both await redemption, that is, our bodies and God’s cursed creation.
Since that time the earth has reeled from earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes, cyclones, lightning bolts, freezing temperatures, baked barren deserts, raging ocean surfs, floods; pestilence, disease, wild ferocious beasts and the like. Sin has definitely left its mark upon mankind and our planet.
And even though a partial lifting of the curse upon the earth is evident during the thousand year reign of Christ, the earth will still be under the curse as long a Satan and sinful man still exist. However, after the end of time and after all judgments is passed upon man and devil, then a new day will dawn.
The continuation of eternity will resume. Time will be no more.
As John says, “for the first [protos] heaven and the first [protos] earth were passed away,
parelthen, [aorist active indicative verb from parerchomai]. The aorist tense of this verb [were passed away] speaks of the immediate passing away of the present heavens and earth.
And with this passing away also go all the seas and oceans.
The indicative mood shows the certainty of this event, and the active voice signifies an outside act on the part of God producing this event. The heavens and the earth do not dissolve of themselves through some act or acts of mankind. This passing away is produced by the will of God. II Pet.3:13; Heb.1:10-12.
II Pet.3:1-10
Men scoff at the words of our Lord saying God will not judge mankind or the earth. They said this as they scoffed at the preaching of Noah as they watched him build that great salvation vessel, a vessel portraying man’s only salvation in Jesus Christ. But then the rains came and all unbelievers perished in the universal flood. They said then that all things will continue as they were and God said they will not. The same will occur in the future. First the church will be raptured, the terrible tribulation period will ensue and then the second coming of the Lord will take place; men scoff at this as well, but it will happen.
And then at the end of the millennial reign of Jesus Christ he will cause another universal change to take place.
The day of the Lord speaks of the final day of God’s judgment. The last judgment will come as the Lord causes the heavens and earth to pass away with a great noise; a great whizzing sound of rapid motion and the elements of God’s creation shall melt with fervent heat causing all things to be dissolved or melted, [ Fut. Present Passive Indicative verb ] from the Greek word, teko, meaning to make liquid.
John also sees in his vision this new earth having no more sea. Sea is used as a common term for salt water bodies. The word ocean is not found in the Bible.
This certainly makes this a new kind of earth. The oceans and seas make up 3/4 of the earth’s surface. The new earth will be formed without oceans and seas.
John is seeing the eternal state as a physical geographical place and this is very significant to all believers. We are comforted that our eternal home will be a physical place, and we will be physically there forever. I Cor.2:9 says God has wonderful things planned for his children.
Heaven is a real place and the new kind of earth will be a real place. The heavens will be new in kind as well and that aspect of the future eternal state excites me as well. I don’t want to read into the text but I will have to admit it is hard to resist imagining all sorts of beautiful galactic worlds God will create to manifest his beauty to his children who have received Jesus Christ as their Savior. Think of all those people who look into the heavens and doubt the existence of God. Think of all those who explore space and the constellations that can only image vain things like horoscopes and the big bang theory. Think of those who desire space exploration seeking only to prove God’s word is a lie.
When all unbelievers are in judgment and this cursed earth is made new think of all the wonderful ways our Savior and our Heavenly Father will show us their remarkable abilities. There will be no sin or demonic influence to stain God’s creation any longer in the eternal state.
In our glorified bodies our sensory perception will be so much more acute than it is now. We will hear sounds so beautiful, and see sights so beautiful and smell aromas so fine and rejoice so exceedingly then. Until then God says we must wait.
Are you saved and ready for this. I pray that you are. You don’t want to miss it.
Note: Additional information is available on the exegesis of Gen.1:1-2; Isa.45:18. (Contact the Pastor if you are interested.)