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Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

NEW HEAVENS AND NEW EARTH

Concept of a new or renewed universe first found in the book of Isaiah. God declares, “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. . . . For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before me . . . so shall your descendants and your name remain” (Is 65:17 (RV · LV · Read together); 66:22 (RV · LV · Read together), rsv).

ISA 65:17: RV ISA 65:17 · LV ISA 65:17 · Read together ISA 65:17

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OET-RV ISA 65:17

17 Listen, I’m about to create new skies and a new earth,
⇔ and then the previous things won’t be remembered or thought about

OET-LV ISA 65:17

17 If/because HERE_I am_about _to _create heavens new and_an _earth new and_not the _former_things they _will _be _remembered and_not they _will _come _up on a _heart.

ISA 66:22: RV ISA 66:22 · LV ISA 66:22 · Read together ISA 66:22

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OET-RV ISA 66:22

22 Just as the new skies and the new earth will stand in front of me,
⇔ so your descendants and your name will endure.
§ That’s what Yahweh declares.

OET-LV ISA 66:22

22 If/because just_as the_heavens (the)_new and_the_earth (the)_new which I am_about _to _make will_endure to/for_my_face/front the _utterance _of YHWH so offspring _of_your(pl) and_name _of_your(pl) it _will _endure.

Some scholars think that long before Isaiah’s time there existed among many ancient peoples the belief that the end of human history would correspond to its beginning and therefore some sort of universal restoration would take place. The world renewal taught in Scripture regards the event as supernatural and as taking place in a different and higher sphere.

That God is Creator of the heavens and earth is basic to all biblical theology. “In ages past you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands” (Ps 102:25 (RV · LV PSA 102:26 · Read together), NLT). If God created the heavens and earth, then it is entirely appropriate that, once they have served their purpose, God may do with them what he wishes. “Even they will perish, but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment, and they will fade away” (v 26 (RV · LV PSA 102:27 · Read together), NLT). The same metaphor is found in Isaiah 51:6 (RV · LV · Read together), which speaks of the earth wearing out like a garment.

PSA 102:25: RV PSA 102:25 · LV PSA 102:26 · Read together PSA 102:25

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OET-RV PSA 102:25

25 You founded this planet right at the beginning.
⇔ You made the skies with your own hands.

OET-LV PSA 102:26

26  Formerly_beginning the_earth/land you _founded and_were_the _work _of your _two’s _hands _of_your the_heavens.

PSA 102:26: RV PSA 102:26 · LV PSA 102:27 · Read together PSA 102:26

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OET-RV PSA 102:26

26 You’ll remain even when they perish.
⇔ They’ll wear out like an old shirt—
⇔ like clothes you’ll change them and they’ll disappear.

OET-LV PSA 102:27

27  They they _will _perish and_you(ms) you _will _endure and_all _of_of _them like_garment they _will _wear _out like_clothing you_will _change _them and_they _will _pass _away.

ISA 51:6: RV ISA 51:6 · LV ISA 51:6 · Read together ISA 51:6

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OET-RV ISA 51:6

6 Look upwards to the skies
⇔ ^ and down to the earth below,
⇔ because the skies will be dispersed like smoke,
⇔ ≈ and the earth will wear out like a piece of clothing
⇔ and its inhabitants will die like gnats.
⇔ However, when I save you, you’ll be free forever,
⇔ ≈ and I’ll only ever do what is right.

OET-LV ISA 51:6

6 Lift _up to_heavens your(pl)_eyes and_look to the_earth/land from_under if/because the_heavens like_smoke they _will _be _dispersed and_the_earth like_garment it _will _wear _out and_inhabitants _of_its like gnat[s] they_will _die and_salvation _of_my forever_perpetuity it _will _be and_righteousness _of_my not it _will _be _broken.

Scripture (quoted below from the NLT) gives considerable attention to the passing away of the old order, speaking of a future time when heaven and earth will disappear (Is 34:4 (RV · LV · Read together); 51:6 (RV · LV · Read together); Mt 24:35 (RV · LV · Read together); Rv 21:1 (RV · LV · Read together)). A number of related phrases portray the same idea: “And this world is fading away” (1 Jn 2:17 (RV · LV · Read together)); “They [the heavens and earth] will wear out like old clothing” (Heb 1:11 (RV · LV · Read together); cf. Ps 102:26 (RV · LV PSA 102:27 · Read together); Is 51:6 (RV · LV · Read together)); “But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment” (2 Pt 3:10 (RV · LV · Read together)). This consummation by fire will take place at the time of final judgment. It will be “the day when God will set the heavens on fire and the elements will melt away in the flames” (v 12 (RV · LV · Read together)).

ISA 34:4: RV ISA 34:4 · LV ISA 34:4 · Read together ISA 34:4

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OET-RV ISA 34:4

4 All the stars in the sky will rot away,
⇔ and the skies will be rolled up like a scroll.
⇔ All their objects will wither like leaves falling off a grapevine,
⇔ ≈ and like withered fruit dropping off a fig tree.

OET-LV ISA 34:4

4 And_ all _of the _soldier/messenger _of the_heavens _they _will _rot _away and_they _will _be _rolled _up like_scroll the_heavens and_all their_group/army/objects it _will _wither as_ leafage _withers from_a _vine and_like_withered _fruit from_a _fig _tree.

MAT 24:35: RV MAT 24:35 · LV MAT 24:35 · Read together MAT 24:35

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OET-RV MAT 24:35

35 The sky and the earth will pass away, but my messages will certainly not pass away.

OET-LV MAT 24:35

35 The heaven and the earth will _be _passing _away, but the the_messages of _me by _no _means may_ not _pass _away.

REV 21:1: RV REV 21:1 · LV REV 21:1 · Read together REV 21:1

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OET-RV REV 21:1

21 Then I saw a new sky and a new earth, because the first sky and the first earth had gone away, and there weren’t any more oceans.

OET-LV REV 21:1

21 And I _saw a_heaven new and an_earth new, because/for the the_first heaven and the first earth went _away, and the sea not is anymore.

JN1 2:17: RV JN1 2:17 · LV JN1 2:17 · Read together JN1 2:17

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OET-RV JN1 2:17

17 And the world will come to an end along with the desire for it, but the person obeying God’s desires will continue to live.

OET-LV JN1 2:17

17 And the world and the desire of _it is _being _passed _away, but the one doing the will of_ the _god is _remaining for the age.

HEB 1:11: RV HEB 1:11 · LV HEB 1:11 · Read together HEB 1:11

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OET-RV HEB 1:11

11 They will perish but you will continue;
⇔ They will wear out like clothes do.

OET-LV HEB 1:11

11 They will _be _perishing, but you are _continuing, and all like a_garment will _be _being _grown _old,

PE2 3:10: RV PE2 3:10 · LV PE2 3:10 · Read together PE2 3:10

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OET-RV PE2 3:10

10 But the day of the master will come like a thief, when the universe will suddenly pass away, its components will burn up and be destroyed, and the earth and what happened on it will be examined.

OET-LV PE2 3:10

10 But the_day of_the_master will _be _coming like a_thief, in which the heavens will _be _passing _away vociferously, and elements being _burned will _be _being _destroyed, and the_earth and the works in it will _be _being _found.

PE2 3:12: RV PE2 3:12 · LV PE2 3:12 · Read together PE2 3:12

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OET-RV PE2 3:12

12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God when the universe will be set alight and destroyed and its components will melt as they burn up.

OET-LV PE2 3:12

12 expecting and hurrying the coming of _the day of_ the _god, because _of which the_heavens being _burned, will _be _being _destroyed, and the_elements being _burned, is _being _melted.

This judgment, which brings to a close the old order, clears the way for new heavens and a new earth. Peter continues, “But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world where everyone is right with God” (2 Pt 3:13 (RV · LV · Read together)). It will be so wonderful that no one will even remember the old (Is 65:17 (RV · LV · Read together)). Peter, preaching in Solomon’s Colonnade, says that Jesus will remain in heaven until the time comes for establishing all that God spoke by his holy prophets (Acts 3:21 (RV · LV · Read together)). This recovery or renewal is eagerly awaited by the created order. Paul writes, “For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are” (Rom 8:19 (RV · LV · Read together)) because “all creation anticipates the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay” (v 21 (RV · LV · Read together)).

PE2 3:13: RV PE2 3:13 · LV PE2 3:13 · Read together PE2 3:13

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OET-RV PE2 3:13

13 But we await a new universe and a new earth filled with righteousness according to his promise.

OET-LV PE2 3:13

13 But we _are _waiting for _new heavens and a_new earth, according _to the promise of _him, in which righteousness is _dwelling.

ACT 3:21: RV ACT 3:21 · LV ACT 3:21 · Read together ACT 3:21

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OET-RV ACT 3:21

21 For now it is appropriate for heaven to receive him, until the times of restoration of everything, which again God has had written by the faithful prophets.

OET-LV ACT 3:21

21 whom indeed it _is _fitting heaven to _receive, until the_times of _restoration of _all things, which the god spoke from the_age by the_mouth of _the holy prophets of _him.

ROM 8:19: RV ROM 8:19 · LV ROM 8:19 · Read together ROM 8:19

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OET-RV ROM 8:19

19 because all of creation is eagerly expecting and waiting for God’s children to be revealed.

OET-LV ROM 8:19

19 For/Because the eager _expectation of _the creation, the revelation of _the sons of_ the _god is _eagerly _waiting.

ROM 8:21: RV ROM 8:21 · LV ROM 8:21 · Read together ROM 8:21

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OET-RV ROM 8:21

21 that it too will be freed from the slavery of corruption, and then released into the freedom of the splendour of God’s children,

OET-LV ROM 8:21

21 that also itself the creation will _be _being _freed from the slavery of_ the _corruption, into the freedom of _the glory of _the children of_ the _god.

The heaven that will be renewed is not the heaven of God’s presence, but the heaven of human existence, the starry expanse that constitutes the universe. In the book of Revelation we learn that the new Jerusalem comes down from heaven to earth (Rv 21:2, 10 (RV REV 21:2 · RV REV 21:10 · LV REV 21:2 · LV REV 21:10 · Read together REV 21:2 · Read together REV 21:10)) and forms the eternal dwelling place of God and his people. The new earth will be a place of perfect righteousness (Is 51:6 (RV · LV · Read together)), divine kindness (54:10 (RV · LV · Read together)), eternal relationship to God (66:22 (RV · LV · Read together)), and total freedom from sin (Rom 8:21 (RV · LV · Read together)).

REV 21:2; REV 21:10: RV REV 21:2 · RV REV 21:10 · LV REV 21:2 · LV REV 21:10 · Read together REV 21:2 · Read together REV 21:10

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OET-RV REV 21:2

2 Then I saw the chosen city—the new Yerushalem (Jerusalem)—coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride all dressed up for her husband,

OET-RV REV 21:10

10 Then in the spirit, he carried me away to a very large, high mountain and he showed me the HOLY city, Yerushalem (Jerusalem), coming down from God out of heaven,

OET-LV REV 21:2

2 And the city the holy, Hierousalaʸm/(Yərūshālayim) the_new, I _saw coming _down out _of the heaven from the god, having _been _prepared as a_bride, having _been _adorned for _the husband of _her.

OET-LV REV 21:10

10 And he _carried _away me in the_spirit to a_mountain great and high, and he _showed to _me the city the holy Hierousalaʸm/(Yərūshālayim), coming _down out _of the heaven from the god,

ISA 54:10: RV ISA 54:10 · LV ISA 54:10 · Read together ISA 54:10

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OET-RV ISA 54:10

10 Even if the mountains disappear and the hills shake,
⇔ my loyal commitment to you won’t disappear and my agreement for peace won’t be shaken,
⇔ says Yahweh, the one who has compassion for you.

OET-LV ISA 54:10

10 If/because the_mountains they _will _be _removed and_the_hills they _will _shake and_my _covenant _of_loyalty from_with_you not it _will _be _removed and_the _covenant _of my _peace _of_my not it _will _shake one _of_who_has _compassion _on _you YHWH he _says.