Page 132 - Eschatology - Student Ebook

Study Section 15: A New Heaven and Earth

15.1 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. Animal’s 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…

15.2 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?”

15.3 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
former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” Things will be completely new, and
the old order of things, with the accompanying sorrow and tragedy, will be gone.

The new earth will be free from sin, evil, sickness, suffering, and death. It will be similar to our current

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