Heaven and earth have passed away…so what?

Heaven and earth have passed away…so what?

So, based on our study of the Scriptures we see that heaven and earth have passed away.  Let’s take some time to explore some of the implications of that as well as some practical considerations for our worldview and daily life.

While there are a multitude of applications, I’d like to draw out just a few of them:

1.        Since heaven and earth have passed away, God’s covenant community is not under the Law (Matt 5:18-19)

2.      No fear of a coming judgment in which the earth is burned to a crisp.

3.      Greater appreciation of what we have here and now.

a.      Better stewards of that which we have been given on this planet.

b.      Appreciate glory of NC

c.       Enjoy being united as one with Christ (marriage)

4.      Political implications

5.      Recognize our true place in God’s story.

a.      Not plan B

b.      Are new Jerusalem

c.       Bring healing to the nations

Well, as I have said before, doctrine drives your actions; what you believe affects how you will behave.  Your interpretation of the passing away of heaven and earth will have profound effects on your worldview. 

First, if heaven and earth have not passed away, then God’s covenant community is still under every jot and tittle of the Law and whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom.  However, since heaven and earth have passed away, God’s covenant community is no longer Israel according to the flesh, but Israel according to the Spirit, the Law of Moses is no longer binding.

Second, if we interpret the prophecies of Matt 24:35, 2 Pet 3 and Rev 21 as being the literal destruction of the planet some time in our future, we will likely live in a state of perpetual anxiety and perhaps fear, tossed to and fro by the headlines in anticipation of a world-wide cataclysmic event, following the whims of Harold Camping and other so-called prophecy experts.  However, if we recognize that heaven and earth have already passed away, we will not fear a coming judgment in which the earth will be burned up, since that judgment already happened to the generation to whom it was promised, namely first century Jerusalem. 

The judgment of the Old Creation is passed. We belong to the new creation in Christ and we live free of the fear of that judgment.

Further, if the heavens and earth have passed and the new heavens and earth are a present reality, then the second application for us is that we should have a greater appreciation for what we have at the present time. 

I know a guy who worked at a great company, but wasn’t particularly happy in his position there.  He was promised another job making a lot of money doing something else.  He was strung along for a while and day by day he was less and less content with his current job.  He made a lot of money and actually had a great job, but the promise of something else that was painted out to be something grandiose made what he had less appealing and he became quite miserable in anticipation of the job to come.  Unfortunately, what he was promised was never delivered and he had to come to grips with the reality that what he had was actually really good.  But, looking forward to picture-perfect dream which isn’t going to happen has a tendency to render our present lot in life rather dull.

When these prophecies are interpreted through a strict literal lens, the expectation tends to be that one day soon God will destroy this planet by fire and that we will have a new planet where there is literally no wicked people, no cancer, no physical pain and no sin.  As a result, the tendency is that people have a hard time finding contentment at the present time on the present earth.  We look forward to a new planet on which grandparents don’t die of cancer and children don’t have CAH, and marriages aren’t marred by unfaithfulness and churches don’t divide over doctrine, and there are no short people.  That lends itself to a lack of an appreciation for what we have here and now.  It tends to focus in on the negative; a gloom and doom mentality follows, in which we tend to think that we have it terrible now and that it will all get better one day on the new planet.  Such misconceptions lead to a lack of true contentment here and now.

CONTENT IN CHRIST.  However, a covenantal or fulfilled understanding of these prophecies should lead to a greater appreciation for our present station in life…the one in which we have fellowship with God, the one in which our sins have been removed from us, the one in which we don’t have to sacrifice animals before God at an altar.  We should find our contentment in Christ, here, now.  Not only will we find contentment in our present station of life, but we will find abundant joy as we recognize the fullness of what we have in Christ as the new heavens and the new earth.

BEAUTY OF NC.  Understanding that the heavens and earth have passed away will lead to a greater recognition of the beauty of the NC especially in comparison to that of the Old.  You will understand that the letter kills but the Spirit gives life; you will see the OC as a covenant of death, but the NC as a covenant of life.  You will appreciate that we don’t live under stipulations that say if you fail to obey all of this you will be cursed.  You are free from the curses of: You will toil in vain because others will rape your wives, live in your houses, and eat the fruit of your vineyards. You will appreciate the fact that you belong to a people blessed by the Lord, not cursed. Spend some time reading the OT and you will see that what we have in the NC is amazing, it is the world that the saints of old were looking forward to, it is the heavenly city.

VIEW OF GOD, CHRIST, CHURCH. You should adopt a greater view of God as a covenant keeper as one who does what he says he will do when He says he will do it.  This will strengthen your faith in Christ as a true prophet and you will see him for who he is, namely God; you will see him in His father and His father in Him, you will see the fullness of the deity.  You will have a greater view of the church as the kingdom of God and the bride of Christ washed clean and adorned, precious in the sight of God as the apple of His eye, not as an afterthought or a plan B, but the center of His plan, the apex of his plan.

CAVEAT.  Let me touch on something before I move on.  Yes, it is possible to view the passing away of heaven and earth as being literal and in our future and to still have a grand view of God, the church, Jesus, a grand view of the NC and to have a contentment in Christ.  It is also possible to see that heaven and earth have passed and to still have a lack of contentment in Christ.  What I intend to convey with this point is the tendency of what follows such doctrines, not dogmatic absolutes, but generalizations.  There are exceptions. But these mentalities should be our natural response.

STEWARDSHIP.  There is a tendency in some believers to say: it’s all gonna burn one day, which leads to the mentality of why should we care, why should we recycle, why not just litter up this earth, God is going to replace it anyway.  There are a multitude of non-believers out there who outshine such believers in stewardship as they go green and take care of the planet God has given us to inhabit.  A paradigm shift with regards to the heavens and earth having passed away should cultivate a healthy attitude towards this precious planet that God has given us to dwell upon which drives us to become better stewards of that which we have been given.

Some might respond with the question, “So if all this has happened, then what do we have to look forward to?

First consider the implications of that.  It implies that what we have now isn’t amazing.  That’s like the kid who finishes opening his toys on Christmas morning and then says, since this great event is now past, what do I have to look forward to now?  Ummm…how about playing with your toys, enjoying your presents?  For us, if this great event is past, how about enjoying God’s presence?

Consider the fact that the wedding of the Lamb with His bride is an event concurrent with the passing away of Heaven and earth.  If we are still waiting for heaven and earth to pass away, then we are still waiting to be married to Christ.  That would be an exciting event to anticipate.  Getting married is exciting.  When Breann and I got engaged, we would talk on the phone on my breaks at work about how excited we were to get married.  We would literally count down the days.  It was exciting to look forward to that big day, as it was a huge event that we eagerly anticipated.  On March 16, 2002 we finally got married. 

While the anticipation of the wedding is exciting, does that mean that once the great anticipated event is over, there is nothing to look forward to?  Imagine if on March 17^th Breann had a conversation with Kalan and Kalan said, can you believe you are finally married to David and Breann responded with, “Yeah, I know.  But since that long anticipated day has finally passed what do I have to look forward to now?”  Hello!!! How about doing life together, dwelling together, enjoying one another’s presence??? 

Yes, the big anticipated wedding has passed, but that doesn’t mean that I have nothing to look forward to.  It means that now I have the joy of living with Breann, intimately as one, doing life together and being fruitful and multiplying; expanding our family is a joy.  In the same way, now, I have the joy of living with Christ, intimately as one, doing life together and being fruitful and multiplying, expanding the family of God through the privilege of sharing the gospel and bringing forth new children of God.

Hello!!!  Every day is a journey with God.  Every day, we get to walk with Jesus, dwell with Him.  He is your God and we are His people.  Every day is exciting; every day with Jesus is something to look forward to.

POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS.  If the passing away of heaven and earth in Scripture means the dissolution of OC Israel, then today we have no sound Biblical basis upon which to say, “As Americans we need to support the political state of Israel so God will bless America because those who bless the Jews will be blessed, but those who curse them will be cursed.”  That stipulation was a part of the OC world and it passed away with the passing away of the old world.  In the new covenant world, that political state is no different in God’s sight than the political state of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yugoslavia, Tazmania, Haiti or Japan.  In the new creation there is no Jew or Gentile.  God no longer looks upon one ethnic group as His chosen race.  The chosen race includes all who believe regardless of ethnicity.  So our political decisions should not be based upon such guidelines.  If you want to vote somebody into office who longs to support Israel, there’s nothing wrong with that, but it should be done for political reasons, not theological reasons.  We are the Israel of God.

We will recognize our true place in God’s story.  We will operate with a full understanding of where we fit in history and our role in God’s plan. 

I was a fan of the television show LOST, right up to the last episode, then the ending was a bit of a fail.  But that show had a time travel element to it that made it fascinating.  It became necessary for the characters and the viewers to discern not only where they were but when they were.  The sooner they and we figured out when they were the better.  Understanding when you are determines how you think and live.  If this was 1987 I wouldn’t be wearing these clothes or have this hairdo.  I would be wearing a hot pink shirt, have about 200 holes in these pants and I’d be rocking a mullet.

Knowing when you are is important factor how you live.  Understanding that heaven and earth have passed and we live in the time of the new heavens and earth will dramatically affect the way we think and live.  Namely, we will see the elements of the new heavens and earth in Rev 21 & 22 as present realities and seek to live those out.

Rev 21:1-4  ¹ Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 

Let's practice the presence of God because His presence (parousia) is a reality; we really do have access to Him. Not only was the veil torn, the temple was completely destroyed and God has made Himself a new Temple in us.  He dwells in us.  We have His presence! 

For us to neglect his presence in our lives is like complaining about being too broke to pay our bills holding a lottery ticket in our hands watching the winning numbers being called, seeing that the numbers match those on our ticket and continuing to complain of our bankruptcy. We have what we need. We have what we want. We have more than we could ask for or imagine in Christ! We want joy. It is in Him. We want peace. He is the prince of peace. We want love. He is the very manifestation of love in setting aside himself for the sake of others coming not to be served but to serve. He embodied love; greater love has no one than thus that he lay down his life for his friends. In him we are loved more than any mind can imagine. We want acceptance? We are accepted by God.

1.       Reformed Church in Georgetown Texas.  Preterist church in Georgetown Texas.  New Covenant Fellowship Church in Georgetown Texas.  Pastor David Boone.preterism covenant eschatology.

Let's spend our days getting to know this Jesus with whom we dwell, with whom we have become one. His prayer was that he would be in us and we in him and the father in him, that we would be intimately woven together. Let's be intimate with this God of ours who has condescended so low as to become one of us and suffer in order to make a way for us to know him. Let's get to know him. The marriage has been consummated. Let's enjoy dwelling together in the same place. Let's commune with Him. Let's drink wine and break bread with him.

His presence is among us.  Recognizing Him for who he is, as a natural result of being in his presence, we should be more inclined to bow in worship.  Moses worshiped at the burning bush.  At the great catch of fish Peter bowed down to worship Jesus.  As we dwell in His presence we cannot help but see that He is worthy of our worship. As the angels in His presence, let us not become weary of crying out holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was and is and has come and has taken his place upon the throne. Let us bow down and worship him let's give him the glory due his name.

Rev 21:6-7 ⁶ He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. It is done.  We drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.  ⁷ Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.  We are among the victorious.  The inheritance has been given and we are partakers.  God is our God.  We are His children.  This is a present reality.

Rev 21:22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. We dwell in this city where Christ is the temple.  He is our locus of worship.  ²³The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.  In our dwelling, Christ is the light.  He is the light of our world.  ²⁴ The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. ²⁵ On no day will its gates ever be shut.  We don’t belong to a physical Jerusalem where the gates close.  We dwell in a spiritual Jerusalem and the light of our city is a light to the dark world around us; the nations walk by the light of this city.  This is a present reality.

Rev 22:1-3  ¹ Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb ² down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. ³ No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.  We are not cursed, but blessed.  God’s throne is among us and we, his servants serve Him.  We are at an exciting time in History where we have access to the Tree of Life once again, enjoying eternal life. We drink of the living water and find refreshment for our soul; we offer this water to all who are thirsty. 

We invite others into this kingdom to serve the king of kings and lord of lords, a king who doesn’t do his subjects wrong like the kings of the former kingdom, but a king who died for his people, one who it is a joy to serve.

The application is endless.  We have work to do as those who dwell in the new Jerusalem.

Rev 22:14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. ¹⁵ Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.  We have gone into the city while unrepentant sinners remain outside. There are hurting people outside the city gates of this heavenly Jerusalem who need healing. We have access to the tree of life and its leaves are for the healing of the nations. Remember the poetic symbolic nature of this text in Rev...in literal language, this means that we have the anecdote to heal them, namely Jesus Christ.

The pain they feel, the lack of love and acceptance, the empty worship of athletes, rock stars and self can be replaced with Him who is worthy of worship.

The fatherless have the ability through Christ to come to a Father who will never leave nor forsake them. There are those who are in need of healing. Let's heal them.

There are dead people who need to be raised. In the movie, 6th sense the kid says I see dead people all around me. They think they’re alive don't even know they're dead. That is fitting. There are spiritually dead people all around us. Let's raise them to life with the touch of Jesus.

Rev 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.  We enjoy this free gift of the water of life and it is our duty and privilege to say to others, if you are thirsty, come and drink freely of Jesus that you may thirst no more.

The passing away of heaven and earth in 2 Pet 3

The passing away of heaven and earth in 2 Pet 3

Turn in your Bibles to 2 Pet 3.  This morning we continue our study of the passing away of heaven and earth. Reformed Church in Georgetown Texas.  Preterist church in Georgetown Texas.  New Covenant Fellowship Church in Georgetown Texas.  Pastor David Boone.preterism covenant eschatology.

As you do, I want to point out 2 things that will help us to see this text for what it is:

1.       We have seen from the Scriptures that in the context of prophecy, heaven and earth often refer to rulers and people.  As far as people and rulers are concerned, the Bible’s focus is Israel; in the Scriptures the passing away of heaven and earth is the passing away of OC Israel.

2.       Peter’s prediction in this passage is of the same substance as Jesus’ words in the Olivet Discourse.  These are parallel passages that speak about the same events, the coming of the Son of Man, the judgment and destruction of OC Israel which was the passing away of heaven and earth; this occurred in 70 AD and was manifest in the destruction of OC Israel by the Romans.

This shouldn’t surprise us, since Peter was one of the few to whom Jesus spoke those prophetic words.

2 PET 3

¹ Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. ² I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

 ³ Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. ⁴ They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” By interpreting Scripture with Scripture we know that the last days were not the last days of human history, but last days of OC order.  The author of Hebrews identifies the first century as the last days, but James also identifies the first century as the last days in James 5:3.  Furthermore, our author of this letter, Peter identifies his day as the last days in Acts 2 when he quotes Joel and says that prophecy about the last days is being fulfilled now (in his day – not now in our day). So Peter isn’t saying, I’m writing to you guys in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, to let Americans know in 2000 years that scoffers will come in their day.  Peter is letting his contemporaries know that since they were living in the last days they shouldn’t be surprised at what they were already experiencing: scoffers saying, “where is this coming he promised?”  After all, Jesus told them time and again in various ways that he would come in their generation, that some who were standing there would not taste death before his coming.  After 20 years passed and everything was carrying on like normal, antagonistic Jews would no doubt scoff and say where is it?  After 30 years…where is it?  35 years…generation is almost passed away.  That heretical blasphemer Jesus who claimed to be God promised a coming.  Where is it?

⁵ But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.⁶ By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. Very briefly, let’s consider what happened in the flood.  Was the planet destroyed?  No.  What was destroyed in the flood?  People.  Wicked people were destroyed.  Peter calls the flood to mind, drawing from Jesus’ words in Matt 24.  Jesus likened His coming to the flood.  Matt 24:37-39  ³⁷ As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ³⁸ For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; ³⁹ and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

Peter and Jesus liken the coming day of judgment to the flood; Peter’s expectation of destruction was no doubt of a similar fashion: the destruction not of a planet, but of wicked people.  ⁷ By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.  So he says the present heavens and earth were reserved for judgment by fire; in the flood the wicked people were destroyed by water.  In the coming of Christ, wicked PEOPLE would be destroyed by fire, namely the fire set ablaze by Rome in 70 AD.  So again, the present heavens and earth would refer to unbelieving OC Israel and her rulers authorities and respective socio-political-religious order, which was the very thing destroyed in that generation.

 ⁸ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  So now Peter encourages them and says look, I know you are suffering reproach by these mockers who are making fun of you, kicking you out of the synagogue, acting like you’re crazy.  Hang in there.  He will come before this generation passes away, just like he said, but his delay is for the purpose of giving more people time to repent, since the kingdom is at hand.

 ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. Once again, Peter draws from Jesus’ words in Matt 24.  Matt 24:42-44 ⁴² “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. ⁴³ But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴ So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

Again, Peter shows that he is discussing the very thing that Jesus discussed in the Olivet Discourse, namely the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome in 70 AD.

 ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.   This is about the destruction of the temple and the people who took refuge in it.  Here Peter is drawing from the prophecy in Isaiah 66:5-6  ⁵ Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at his word: “Your own people who hate you, and exclude you because of my name, have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified, that we may see your joy!’ Yet they will be put to shame. ⁶ Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple! It is the sound of the LORD repaying his enemies all they deserve.

Remember the doctrine of the 2 Israels: Israel according to the flesh which made themselves God’s enemies by rejecting him and Israel according to the Spirit.  Isaiah, like Peter, is encouraging Israel according to the spirit that God’s enemies, these scoffers, will be repaid as they deserve.  They said let his blood be on our heads and our children’s heads…well, it would be. With a roar God executed judgment on unbelieving OC Israel in the destruction of the ungodly people, the city and the temple.  Isaiah is giving the same encouragement as Peter.  Your own people who call themselves Israel, yet exclude you because of the name of Jesus will be put to shame.  They try to shame you now, but THEY will be put to shame when all they trust in is destroyed with them, with a roar they will pass away.

Isaiah says: ⁶ Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple! It is the sound of the LORD repaying his enemies all they deserve.

Likewise, Peter says: The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.  In 70 AD, the fire and sword of Rome brought God’s judgment on the heavens and earth of OC Israel.

 ¹¹ Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives ¹² as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. Peter is speaking of things his contemporaries were looking forward to in their day. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.  He says: The elements will melt in the heat.  If I come to this with a literal interpretation and my presupposition is that this is the destruction of the physical planet, then I naturally understand that elements here refers to the elements of the periodic table, the subatomic particles of the planet, carbon and nitrogen and gold, etc.  As we have already demonstrated, this is not referring to the burning up of the planet by fire, but the judgment and destruction of ungodly people by fire.

So what is meant by elements?  This is the second time in this chapter that Peter has used that word translated as elements.  The Greek word here is stoicheia which should be familiar to those of you who were here for our study of Galatians.  It is the same word Paul used to identify the elementary principles of the world, namely Judaism: how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable stoichea - elements?  Paul also uses it 2 times in Colossians 2 and both times there it refers to the same: elementary principles of religion.  So the melting of the elements here, contextually, refers to the burning and destruction of the elements of the OC order.

I’d like to share with you a quote from Josephus, a Jewish historian with regards to the Jewish religion.  Antiquities of the Jews Book 3, Chapter 7, section 7.

“Now here one may wonder at the ill-will which men bear to us, and which they profess to bear on account of our despising that Deity which they pretend to honor; for if any one do but consider the fabric of the tabernacle, and take a view of the garments of the high priest, and of those vessels which we make use of in our sacred ministration, he will find that our legislator was a divine man, and that we are unjustly reproached by others; for if any one do without prejudice, and with judgment, look upon these things, he will find they were every one made in way of imitation and representation of the universe. When Moses distinguished the tabernacle into three parts, (15) and allowed two of them to the priests, as a place accessible and common, he denoted the land and the sea, these being of general access to all; but he set apart the third division for God, because heaven is inaccessible to men. And when he ordered twelve loaves to be set on the table, he denoted the year, as distinguished into so many months. By branching out the candlestick into seventy parts, he secretly intimated the Decani, or seventy divisions of the planets; and as to the seven lamps upon the candlesticks, they referred to the course of the planets, of which that is the number. The veils, too, which were composed of four things, they declared the four elements; for the fine linen was proper to signify the earth, because the flax grows out of the earth; the purple signified the sea, because that color is dyed by the blood of a sea shell-fish; the blue is fit to signify the air; and the scarlet will naturally be an indication of fire. Now the vestment of the high priest being made of linen, signified the earth; the blue denoted the sky, being like lightning in its pomegranates, and in the noise of the bells resembling thunder. And for the ephod, it showed that God had made the universe of four elements; and as for the gold interwoven, I suppose it related to the splendor by which all things are enlightened. He also appointed the breastplate to be placed in the middle of the ephod, to resemble the earth, for that has the very middle place of the world. And the girdle which encompassed the high priest round, signified the ocean, for that goes round about and includes the universe. Each of the sardonyxes declares to us the sun and the moon; those, I mean, that were in the nature of buttons on the high priest's shoulders. And for the twelve stones, whether we understand by them the months, or whether we understand the like number of the signs of that circle which the Greeks call the Zodiac, we shall not be mistaken in their meaning. And for the mitre, which was of a blue color, it seems to me to mean heaven; for how otherwise could the name of God be inscribed upon it?”

So according to Josephus, we have represented in the temple and the priesthood heavens, earth and elements.  So the destruction of Peter’s present heavens and earth could be rightly understood simply as the destruction of the Temple, which was the literal epicenter of worship for the Old Covenant people of God.

¹³ But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.  Where did God promise a new heaven and earth?  Isaiah 65 & 66. Peter knew that he was living in the last days and was living out those prophecies about being rejected by his own people and saw in his day the coming destruction of the temple in God’s repayment of his enemies.  This is in conjunction with the establishment of a new heaven and earth.  They were looking forward to the full consummation of the New Covenant order with a new people of God characterized by righteousness.  Just as we read in 2 Cor 3.  The OC was a ministry of condemnation, whereas the New is a ministry of righteousness.  In the new covenant we aren’t righteous because we do stuff, but because Jesus did stuff.  We are declared righteous before God based on the meritorious work of Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice.  As our great High Priest, he shed the blood of the lamb –himself.  He went into the real Most Holy Place in heaven presented the blood before the Father.  In Peter’s day they were awaiting his return from behind the heavenly curtain to announce that God had accepted the sacrifice.  In his return in 70 AD he came out of the Most Holy Place to declare atonement is complete, you are righteous.

This new heavens and earth is where righteousness dwells.  In the first century they were awaiting this righteousness; you may recall Gal 5:5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.

So as you can see, to interpret these passages with the understanding that heavens and earth refers to OC Israel along with her rulers authorities and socio political religious order is extremely contextual and consistent and virtually free of contradiction.

Before we close, I’d like to read you a quote from John Owen.  Who is John Owen?  Only one of the most brilliant theologians of all time.

J.I. Packer says, “I owe more to John Owen than to any other theologian, ancient or modern.

John Owen preached a sermon on 2 Pet 3 in 1721.  In that sermon he says:

On this foundation I affirm that the heavens and earth here intended in this prophecy of Peter, the coming of the Lord, the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men, mentioned in the destruction of that heaven and earth, do all of them relate, not to the last and final judgment of the world, but to that utter desolation and destruction that was to be made of the Judaical church and state; for which I shall offer these two reasons, of many that might be insisted on from the text:-

'(1.) Because whatever is here mentioned was to have its peculiar influence on the men of that generation. He speaks of that wherein both the profane scoffers and those scoffed at were concerned, and that asJews, some of them believing, others opposing, the faith. Now there was no particular concernment of that generation, nor in that sin, nor in that scoffing, as to the day of judgment in general ; but there was a peculiar relief for the one and a peculiar dread for the other at hand, in the destruction of the Jewish nation ; and, besides, an ample testimony both to the one and the other of the power and dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ, which was the thing in question between them.

'(2.) Peter tells them, that after the destruction and judgment that he speaks of (vers. 7-13), " We, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth,' etc. They had this expectation. But what is that promise? Where may we find it? Why, we have it in the very words and letter, Isa. 65:17. Now, when shall this be that God shall create these new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness? Saith Peter, " It shall be after the coming of the Lord, after that judgment and destruction of ungodly men, who obey not the gospel, that I foretell." But now it is evident from this place of Isaiah, with chap. 66:21, 22, that this is a prophecy of Gospel times only; and that the planting of these new heavens is nothing but the creation of Gospel ordinances to endure for ever. The same thing is so expressed Heb 12:26-28.

' This being the design of the place, I shall not insist longer on the context, but briefly open the words proposed, and fix upon the truth continued in them.

'First, There is the foundation of the apostle's inference and exhortation, seeing that all these things, however precious they seem, or what value soever any put upon them, shall be dissolved, that is, destroyed; and that in that dreadful and fearful manner before mentioned, in a day of judgment, wrath, and vengeance, by fire and sword; let others mock at the threats of Christ's coming: He will come- He will not tarry; and then the heavens and earth that God Himself planted, -the sun, moon, and stars of the Judaical polity and church, -the whole old world of worship and worshippers, that stand out in their obstinancy against the Lord Christ, shall be sensibly dissolved and destroyed: this we know shall be the end of these things, and that shortly.

Well done, John Owen.  It’s no wonder this man is respected by so many.

As John Owen expressed the first heavens and earth passed away in the destruction of unrepentant OC Israel in 70 AD by the Romans at which point God fully established the new heavens and earth, his gospel kingdom, his new people under a new covenant: his church.  Thus, we are a part of this new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells. 

Heaven and earth have passed away…Isaiah 65 & 66

Heaven and earth have passed away…Isaiah 65 & 66

Open your bibles to Isaish 65.

A couple things about tonight:

1.        Covering a lot of ground, so my commentary will be brief and to the point.  I won’t address every single element in the text as I did with Matt 5 and Rev 21, I simply want to examine this passage in light of the new heavens and new earth.

2.       Feel free to ask questions in the middle of this.  Raise hands.  I may or may not address the questions.  If you feel lost or confused, I don’t want you to get left behind, so please ask.  If I feel like we can address that through email or after group, I may defer your question for the time being.

3.      Reformed Church in Georgetown Texas.  Preterist church in Georgetown Texas.  New Covenant Fellowship Church in Georgetown Texas.  Pastor David Boone.preterism covenant eschatology.

As you do so, I’d like to draw your attention to 3 things that will help us in our understanding of this passage.

1.        Prophetic nature and time of fulfillment

2.       Apocalyptic, metaphoric, symbolic nature

3.       Recall the doctrine of the 2 Israels (indicated by red and blue)

Isaish 65

¹ “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; 
   I was found by those who did not seek me. 
To a nation that did not call on my name, 
   I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’ 

The “I” here is God.  God is speaking past tense, though this is a vision of things to come (not to come for us, but for Isaiah).  We are reading this as history.  Isaiah spoke it as prophecy.  Paul quotes this in Romans 10 and seems to say that it applies to his ministry to the gentiles as God has revealed himself to them due to Israel’s collective rejection.

² All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, 
   pursuing their own imaginations— ³ a people who continually provoke me to my very face, 
offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick; ⁴ who sit among the graves and spend their nights keeping secret vigil; who eat the flesh of pigs, and whose pots hold broth of impure meat; ⁵ who say, ‘Keep away; don’t come near me, for I am too sacred for you!’ Such people are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that keeps burning all day.

Notice here that God is speaking about how he held out his hands to Israel but they were unwilling and obstinate.  We see this in the words of Jesus Matt 23…

Look at the accusations God brings against them: they are doing evil things breaking covenant with God and all the while propping themselves up as being righteous.  In other words, they are being hypocrites, the very thing that Jesus accuses the rulers of OC Israel of throughout the gospels.  God says these people are smoke in his nostrils.  In other words, he’s not digging it.

 ⁶ “See, it stands written before me: I will not keep silent but will pay back in full; I will pay it back into their laps— ⁷ both your sins and the sins of your ancestors,” says the LORD. 
“Because they burned sacrifices on the mountains and defied me on the hills, I will measure into their laps the full payment for their former deeds.”

After calling them hypocrites and pronouncing woe upon woe to them he says this in Matt 23

Now this wasn’t true of the entire house of Israel, for there were some who believed and followed Jesus.  Here again we have the distinction between the 2 Israels: Israel according to the flesh and true Israel according to the spirit.  Israel according to the flesh who rejected Jesus would be the ones who were paid back in full and have full payment measured into their laps.

However, in the midst of this group who had collectively become God’s enemies, there is a believing remnant whom he designates as his servants.

 ⁸ This is what the LORD says: “As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes and people say, ‘Don’t destroy it, there is still a blessing in it,’ so will I do in behalf of my servants; I will not destroy them all. ⁹ I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah those who will possess my mountains; my chosen people will inherit them, and there will my servants live. ¹⁰ Sharon will become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds, for my people who seek me.

So in vv 8-10, the text speaks of the remnant, true Israel according to the spirit.  You have this cluster of grapes that represents the entire house of OC Israel, both the righteous and the wicked.  This is an appropriate designation for Israel, since Israel is called God’s vineyard.  See Isaiah 5.  See also Deut 32 (the first passage we looked at designating Israel as heavens and earth).  God says just like when someone is about to destroy an entire cluster of grapes and someone sees a few good grapes on it they say, save the good grapes, don’t destroy the whole cluster, so also he will do with Israel.  The few good grapes will be spared.  This refers to the believing remnant, true Israel, spiritual Israel.

He now turns his words back to the unrighteous unbelieving OC Israel, aka his enemies:

 ¹¹ “But as for you who forsake the LORD and forget my holy mountain, who spread a table for Fortune and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny, ¹² I will destine you for the sword, and all of you will fall in the slaughter; 

In other words, you who reject the words of my son Jesus, your destiny will be slaughter by the sword.  I will exact upon you covenantal wrath prescribed in Deut 28.  You break covenant and forsake me, I will bring a nation against you to destroy you, namely the Romans and this is manifest in 70 AD.

for I called but you did not answer,  I spoke but you did not listen. 

More specifically, I sent not just any old prophet to you but I spoke through my son, but you did not listen.

You did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.”

You chose rather than listening to him, to put him to death, siding with the Romans.

 ¹³ Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: He is saying this to the unbelieving OC Israelites:

   “My servants will eat, but you will go hungry; my servants will drink, but you will go thirsty; this is reminiscent of Jesus’ words in the SOM.  Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled.  While there is a spiritual reality to this for sure, I think there may also be a physical reality.  When Rome seiged Jerusalem, there was such a severe famine that they cooked and ate their children.
my servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame. ¹⁴ My servants will sing out of the joy of their hearts, but you will cry out from anguish of heart and wail in brokenness of spirit. 

So true Israel, believers will rejoice while the unbelieving are put to shame and destroyed; there will be mourning and crying and pain, wailing, weeping and gnashing of teeth.  They are the ones on whom will come covenantal wrath for being covenant breakers.

¹⁵ You (unbelieving Israel according to the flesh) will leave your name for my chosen ones to use in their curses; the Sovereign LORD will put you to death, but to his servants he will give another name. So true Israel will inherit the name Israel, but not only that, they will be given another name: Christians.  His true servants have the privilege of being called Christians, meaning little Christs or follower of Christ.  Peter shows that this is indeed the name given to God’s new covenant people.  1 Peter 4:16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

¹⁶ Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the one true God; whoever takes an oath in the land will swear by the one true God. For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes.  ¹⁷ “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. 

Here, in the midst of the destruction of unbelieving OC Israel by the sword and their wailing, the rejoicing of true Israel in triumph, we have the creation of a new heavens and a new earth.  So the context and timeframe of the creation of the new heavens  and earth is the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD by the Romans.

¹⁷ “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. 

CH SPURGEON preached a sermon on this verse back in (1865)
"Did you ever regret the absence of the burnt-offering, or the red heifer, of any one of the sacrifices and rites of the Jews? Did you ever pine for the feast of tabernacle, or the dedication? No, because, though these were like the old heavens and earth to the Jewish believers, they have passed away, and we now live under a new heavens and a new earth, so far as the dispensation of divine teaching is concerned. The substance is come, and the shadow has gone: and we do not remember it." (Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, vol. xxxvii, p. 354).

Spurgeon identifies the new heavens and earth as a new people under a new covenant and the things that are remembered no more as being the things of the old covenant world of types and shadows.  Scripture confirms the same.

Jer 3:14-17  ¹⁴ “Return, faithless people,” declares the LORD, “for I am your husband. I will choose you—one from a town and two from a clan—and bring you to Zion. ¹⁵ Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. ¹⁶ In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land,” declares the LORD, “people will no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the LORD.’ It will never enter their minds or be remembered; it will not be missed, nor will another one be made. ¹⁷ At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the LORD, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the LORD. No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts.

This is clearly a prophecy about the new covenant.  New shepherds, new rulers, aka new heavens.  The people will be righteous, not following stubbornness of evil hearts, the nations, or Gentiles will be gathered into Jerusalem – new Jerusalem, made up not only of ethnic Jews but also gentiles.  New covenant.  Look what he says in verse 16 No longer will people be about the ark of the covenant.  Under the OC, this was a huge deal.  To say that the ark of the covenant won’t enter people’s minds; the ark of the covenant contained the tablets of the OC.  That was everything to them; it represented God’s presence and went before them in battle.  To say that it won’t enter their minds or be remembered is clearly a reference to a new covenant.  When was the last time you said, “Hey, about that ark of the covenant”?  How often does that come to your mind?  It doesn’t.  Because the new heavens and earth is a reality now in which the former things don’t come to mind, nor are they remembered.  This doesn’t mean that you forget all about them and can’t remember them, just as god remembering our sins no more doesn’t mean that he has selective alzheimers; it means it isn’t the focus.

¹⁷ “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. 

In other words, I will create a new people under a new covenant and OC Israel along with her socio political religious system is no longer the focus.

¹⁸ But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. New Jerusalem characterized by joy in whom God delights. ¹⁹ I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. This is essentially the same thing that Rev 21:1-4 says. 

Now what he is about to say in the next portion of the text indicates the removal of the socio political religious system of old, namely the OC.  In other words, the new earth is accompanied by a new heavens, a new religious order.  The old religious order, the OC was characterized by curses for disobedience to the Law of Moses.  The new religious order ,the NC is void of such curses.

Let’s read just a little from these covenant curses.

Deut 28:15-35   ¹⁵ However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you: ¹⁶ You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country. ¹⁷ Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed. ¹⁸ The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. ¹⁹ You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out. ²⁰ The LORD will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking him.^[a] 21The LORD will plague you with diseases until he has destroyed you from the land you are entering to possess. ²² The LORD will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew, which will plague you until you perish. ²³ The sky over your head will be bronze, the ground beneath you iron. ²⁴ The LORD will turn the rain of your country into dust and powder; it will come down from the skies until you are destroyed.

 ²⁵ The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will come at them from one direction but flee from them in seven, and you will become a thing of horror to all the kingdoms on earth. ²⁶ Your carcasses will be food for all the birds and the wild animals, and there will be no one to frighten them away. ²⁷ The LORD will afflict you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors, festering sores and the itch, from which you cannot be cured. ²⁸ The LORD will afflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of mind. ²⁹ At midday you will grope about like a blind person in the dark. You will be unsuccessful in everything you do; day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you.

 ³⁰ You will be pledged to be married to a woman, but another will take her and rape her. You will build a house, but you will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you will not even begin to enjoy its fruit. ³¹ Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will eat none of it. Your donkey will be forcibly taken from you and will not be returned. Your sheep will be given to your enemies, and no one will rescue them. ³² Your sons and daughters will be given to another nation, and you will wear out your eyes watching for them day after day, powerless to lift a hand. ³³ A people that you do not know will eat what your land and labor produce, and you will have nothing but cruel oppression all your days. ³⁴ The sights you see will drive you mad. ³⁵ The LORD will afflict your knees and legs with painful boils that cannot be cured, spreading from the soles of your feet to the top of your head.

That is a description of life in the Old Order, the old heavens.  Now back in Isaiah, let’s read a description of the new order under the new covenant.

 ²⁰ “Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach^[a] a hundred will be considered accursed. ²¹ They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. ²² No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. 

Compare this with Deut 28:30 You will be pledged to be married to a woman, but another will take her and rape her. You will build a house, but you will not live in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you will not even begin to enjoy its fruit.

For the old heavens and earth, disobedience to the Law resulted in building and planting in vain because God would give them to others.  For the new heavens and earth, the new people under the new covenant, ²¹ They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. ²² No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. 

Again, the context is clearly covenantal, not cosmological.  The new heavens and new earth have everything to do with a change in covenant worlds not a change in planets.

For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. ²³ They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; 
for they will be a people blessed by the LORD, they and their descendants with them. ²⁴ Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. ²⁵ The wolf and the lamb will feed together, 
and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD.

These are removals of the covenant curses.  Everything from the terms of the covenant that would curse OC Israel has been removed.

Something fascinating to note is the connection between these curses of the OC and the curses in the garden.  I don’t want to go too far down this road, but I will briefly mention

·         The man’s curse: toil in vain as he works the ground

·         The woman’s curse: bringing forth children in pain

·         The serpent’s curse: eating dust (note the serpent’s curse isn’t removed but remains the same).

In verse 25 we read: ²⁵ The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox

Now remember, this is prophetic language steeped in metaphor and imagery.  Just as the heavens and earth does not represent the literal solar system and planet, but people and rulers and political religious order, the wolf and lamb are not literal.  The reconciliation between wolf and lamb is representative of the reconciliation between Jew and Gentile and their joining together to become one people of God together.  There is no longer hostility between these 2 groups that used to be completely distinct.  There is peace and unity as they dwell together on Mt Zion.  It’s like a longhorn and an Aggie sitting together in peace at the Red River rival game.

Now ignore the chapter division.  Isaiah’s prophecy about the new heavens and earth continues uninterrupted; he didn’t put the 66 there.

¹ This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me?  Where will my resting place be? ² Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD.

Remember the distinction between the 2 Israels: his enemies and his servants.  He has been speaking of his servants, true Israel.  Of them, he says:

   “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word. 

So he looks with favor upon true Israel…

³ But (contrast, now he speaks of Israel according to the flesh) whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a person, and whoever offers a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig’s blood, and whoever burns memorial incense is like one who worships an idol. 

Here, once again, we see the covenantal context.  God is saying that once the new heavens and earth is established, the new people under the new covenant, for anyone to continue making animal sacrifices or grain offerings or burning incense is like a murderer and idolater.  This is about a change in covenant.  During the days of OC, God looked with favor upon sacrifices of bulls and grain offerings and incense burned to him.  But in the days of the New Covenant, not so much.  Just as Paul said that circumcision doesn’t matter or New moons, Sabbaths, special days months, seasons and years, in the new covenant, such sacrifices mean nothing, in fact God despises them because they are all fulfilled in Christ and to choose to do them is not to obey God, but to choose their own ways, since God has established a new covenant and that Covenant is bound up in Christ, not the Law of Moses.

They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations; ⁴ so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring on them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.”

This is pretty much the same thing God said in Is 65:12  He called them through Christ, but they did not listen, but did evil in his sight, chose what displeased him, crucifying His son and siding with Rome.  For that, he chooses harsh treatment for them.  Namely, he brings Rome against them to destroy them.

So he was just speaking about Israel according to the flesh.  Now, he makes True Israel his audience:

 ⁵ Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at his word: “Your own people who hate you, and exclude you because of my name, have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified, that we may see your joy!’ Yet they will be put to shame. 

This is a word of comfort to believing Israel whose kinsman according to the flesh hated them and kicked them out of the synagogue because of the name of Jesus.  They were mocking believers and putting them to shame, but God says it is the unbelieving Jews who will actually be put to shame.  How?  When they revolt against Rome and start a war, thinking God will protect us, we are God’s chosen people.  As the prophets say, he will give us victory over our enemies.  Let’s all gather into the city and take refuge in the Temple.  God will protect us.  Yet, they didn’t realize that it was they who had become God’s enemies and the prophecies were actually about God protecting his True people who were believers.  So the believers have victory as they flee the city per Jesus’ instructions while the unbelievers are put to shame in their destruction by the hands of the Romans.

⁶ Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple! It is the sound of the LORD 
   repaying his enemies all they deserve.It doesn’t get any clearer than that.  The unbelieving Jews who made themselves God’s enemies are being repaid as they deserve as their city and temple are destroyed.

 ⁷ “Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son. 
⁸ Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children. ⁹ Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?” says the LORD. “Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?” says your God. ¹⁰ “Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her. ¹¹ For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance.”

Once again, poetic words to describe the birth of a new people of God who find favor and abundance in the new covenant.

 ¹² For this is what the LORD says: “I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees. ¹³ As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” ¹⁴ When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like grass; When you see this.  When you see the destruction and judgment of OC Israel and the establishment of NC Israel.  When you see that your heart will rejoice.

the hand of the LORD will be made known to his servants, but his fury will be shown to his foes. 

Once again, the contrast between the 2 Israels.  One is his servants the other his enemies or foes.  Hand made known to servants, fury shown to foes.  How is that fury manifest?  Fire and sword – namely the fire and sword of the Romans.

¹⁵ See, the LORD is coming with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind; he will bring down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. ¹⁶ For with fire and with his sword the LORD will execute judgment on all people, and many will be those slain by the LORD.

Here we see the LORD coming in judgment on his people.  Jesus on the scene was nearly stoned a few times.  Remember why?  Blasphemy.  He claimed to be God.  So when Jesus said that He would come in the glory of His father, he was essentially saying that He would fulfill the coming of God to judge his enemies.  So here in Is 66:15, we have a prophecy about the second coming of Christ which is manifest in the fire and sword of Rome in the destruction of the city and the temple.

 ¹⁷ “Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs, rats and other unclean things—they will meet their end together with the one they follow,” declares the LORD.

 ¹⁸ “And I, because of what they have planned and done, am about to come and gather the people of all nations and languages, and they will come and see my glory.

Here we have, I believe the gathering of God’s elect.

 ¹⁹ “I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations—to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations. ²⁰ And they will bring all your people, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the LORD—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,” says the LORD. “They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the LORD in ceremonially clean vessels.

Here we have the Gentiles being brought into the commonwealth of Israel.  That word nations refers to the gentiles.  Once again, the context is covenantal not cosmological.  Gentiles are brought into God’s covenant community in the New Covenant, it’s not a new planet reality, but a new covenant reality.

 ²¹ And I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites,” says the LORD.

Now this is clearly a reference to new covenant realities.  Under the Old covenant, only those who descended from Levi were levites and only they could serve as priests.  However, God speaks of selecting some from the Gentiles to BE priests and Levites.  How do you select someone to become a Levite?  You can’t unless you break the Law of Moses.  Yet this is the very thing God says he will do.  He will make some of the Gentiles to be Levites and priests.  Because in the NC, there is a new order, a new priesthood.  In other words all believers are priests.  The priests represent the people before God, they do the ministry of representing the people before God and bringing people to God.  That is exactly what we Gentiles do in the new covenant.  This is a new covenant reality, not a new planet reality.

 ²² “As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the LORD, “so will your name and descendants endure. Once again, new people under a new covenant.  Not one that will pass away, but one that will endure.

²³ From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,” says the LORD. Here the context defines the all mankind.  It doesn’t mean that every human being period will bow down before God any more than salvation is a reality for all human beings but only those in Christ.  So the all mankind here is to be understood in light of the context.  He just finished saying that many will come from the nations.  In other words, Gentiles are included in this new people under a new covenant.  So the all mankind means men from all nations, not just ethnic Israelites.  Men from all nations will come and bow down before God as King.

²⁴ “And they (the all mankind who bow before God) will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”

Once again, remember the context.  The context here has been clearly the judgment of unbelieving OC Israel and establishment of a new people under a new covenant beginning with believing Jews and extending to believing Gentiles.  This is a first century context.  More specifically, the context is the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD by Rome.  The context begins long before we started reading.

Is 63:18 For a little while your people possessed your holy place, but now our enemies have trampled down your sanctuary.  Jerusalem being trampled on by the Gentiles for 3.5 years.

Is 64:11-12 Our holy and glorious temple, where our ancestors praised you, has been burned with fire, and all that we treasured lies in ruins.  After all this, LORD, will you hold yourself back?  Will you keep silent and punish us beyond measure?  Once again, destruction of the temple and all that the Jews treasured burned with fire in their punishment.

Is 65:6-7 ⁶ “See, it stands written before me: I will not keep silent but will pay back in full; I will pay it back into their laps— ⁷ both your sins and the sins of your ancestors,” says the LORD. “Because they burned sacrifices on the mountains and defied me on the hills, I will measure into their laps the full payment for their former deeds.”

Is 65:12 I will destine you for the sword, and all of you will fall in the slaughter

Is 66:4 so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring on them what they dread

Is 66:6 Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple!  It is the sound of the LORD repaying his enemies all they deserve.

Is 66:15-16 ¹⁵ See, the LORD is coming with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind; he will bring down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. ¹⁶ For with fire and with his sword the LORD will execute judgment on all people, and many will be those slain by the LORD.

So the context is the judgment of unbelieving OC Israel and their temple by the fire and sword of Rome in 70 AD.  So when we come to the last verse here in Isaiah, a prophetic book filled with poetic and apocalyptic language, we rest in the context and understand the verse accordingly:

²⁴ “And they (the all mankind who bow before God) will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”

Compare this with Jesus’ words in Mark 9:42-48.  This refers to the dead bodies in Gehenna – the Valley of Ben Hinnom, one of the valleys that surrounds Jerusalem, where there was a perpetual burning.  Jeremiah prophesied about the days when the city of Jerusalem would be made like Topheth (Gehenna).  I believe this coincides perfectly with Isaiah 66:24.  The destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD by the Romans did make the city of Jerusalem like Gehenna.  In v24, the dead bodies of those who rebelled against God are the bodies of those slain by the Romans in the Jewish war.  The language indicates that this is a permanent judgment and OC Israel is permanently under the wrath of God, put to death, never to rise again.

In conclusion, when you consider Isaiah’s prophecy about the new heavens and earth you see that it clearly has a first century context, not one in our future.  You also see that the context is covenantal, not cosmological.  Isaiah is not discussing a new planet and solar system, but the establishment of a new people of God under a new covenant.  This new people starts with a believing remnant of ethnic Israelites (the few good grapes on the cluster – the rest come from the vine of Sodom and their grapes are from Gomorrah) and then extends to believing Gentiles.  God rejoices over this new people who will never fall under the curses of the old order.  Christ became a curse for them when he hung upon the tree.  God does not see them in their sin, but sees Christ and his righteousness.  Their sins have been removed from them and God remembers them no more.  God delights in this new people under a new covenant, this new heavens and new earth.