Page 165 - Eschatology - Masters revised

Chapter 17: A New Heaven and Earth

Connect…

Mankind has lived on God’s beautiful creation, the earth, for over 6,000 years. But the curses that came
from sin has scared out planet. Romans 6:22 says it this way, “We know that the whole creation has
been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” The earth has been scared by
man’s sin. Animals eat other animals. Insects destroy crops. Weeds and thistles overgrow our gardens.
Drought causes massive famine. The earthquakes destroy buildings and lives. Tornadoes abolish
everything in their paths. Hurricanes cause billions of dollars of destruction and loss of thousands of
lives. The earth experiences the curse of sin just as mankind.

A day is coming when God will destroy the current earth and heaven and make a brand new one that is
not under any curse. All these destroying powers will be absent. The beauty of God will be revealed to
all his saints and angels as He created anew the heavens and the earth and brings down a heavenly city
to hover over the earth. Sounds exciting? Let’s see what is going to happen…

Objectives…

1. The student should be able to describe the New Heaven and Earth.

2. The student should be able to reconstruct the End Times chart presented in the lesson.

3. The student should be able to answer the question, “Are we living in the last days?”

The Lesson ...

A New Heaven and Earth

II Peter 3:10 says that the earth and heaven known to us will be destroyed by intense heat and the earth
and all the work therein will be burned up.

The current heavens and earth have long been subject to God’s curse because of mankind’s sin. All
creation “has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth” (Romans 8:22) as it awaits the fulfillment of
God’s plan and “the children of God to be revealed” (verse 19). Heaven and earth will pass away (Mark
13:31), and they will be replaced by the new heavens and the new earth. At that time, the Lord, seated
on His throne, says, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:5). In the new creation, sin will be
totally eradicated, and “there shall be no more curse” (Revelation 22:3, NKJV).

The new heaven and new earth are also mentioned in Isaiah 65:17, Isaiah 66:22, and 2 Peter 3:13. Peter
tells us that the new heaven and new earth will be “where righteousness dwells.” Isaiah says that “the

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