Consider the following references: Isaiah 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. Isaiah 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. 2 Peter 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Revelation 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. Revelation 21:1 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. Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Revelation 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Isaiah 52:1 Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Now, Isaiah 65:17 could be talking about the Eternal State. However, the adjacent verses 18 to 25 do not: for example, verse 20 talks of "the youth dying 100 years old". Death will not exist in the eternal state, see Revelation 21:4. I have always linked verse 25 with the Millennial Kingdom. Isaiah 66:22 talks of "new heavens and earth" as something distinct from Israel, because Jehovah goes on to say it will "remain before [Him]". 2 Peter 3:13 certainly appears to speak of the Eternal State, because it is in the context of "the heavens being dissolved", which will not happen until the end of the earth. The heaven and earth will not be dissolved prior to Christ reigning 1,000 years in the Millennial Kingdom. Revelation 3:12, Revelation 21:1 & 2, Revelation 22:19: Each of these references mention things which can only be applied to the eternal state. Revelation 3:12 and Revelation 21:2 mention "new Jerusalem...coming down from God out of Heaven". Now, the Millennial kingdom is never mentioned as "coming down from God out of Heaven", instead it will be brought about by Christ returning at the end of the 7 year tribulation time. Isaiah 52:1 is a more difficult reference to be sure about. The mention of "for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean" suggests that it is the eternal state, because only then can Revelation 21:27 apply: "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life". To be concluded |
