The New Heavens and New Earth, Part 2
Note: This is Part 2 of a blog I posted last week. To read Part 1, go to: https://www.kendallpres.org/pastors-blog/the-new-heavens-and-new-earth-revelation-211-5.
**********
One more application, and this may surprise some of you, delight many of you, or even anger some of you:
Animals: Will there be animals in the new heaven and earth? I may surprise you by what I’m about to say. Yes, I believe there will be. Why? One – I really want to believe it’s true. I’m an animal lover, especially a dog lover.
But I would never say something like this just because I want it to be true. We take the Bible seriously here. So I’m engaging in a little sanctified speculation here, but – it’s well-grounded sanctified speculation. Consider:
The Bible does not say animals have souls. It does not say they are created in God’s image; only human beings have that honor and distinction. The Bible is clear that Jesus died for the sins of people – women, men, young people, and children – but people. I don’t know if animals are capable of sin – except cats. (Just kidding! Sort of …)
So the Bible does not say animals have souls or that they are created in God’s image. It does not say Jesus died for the sins of animals. But there is a beautiful symmetry between the first book of the Bible, Genesis, and the last book, the Revelation. What God begins in Genesis he brings to completion and fulfillment in Revelation.
William Hendriksen: Genesis tells us that God created heaven and earth. Revelation describes the new heaven and earth (21:1). In Genesis the luminaries are called into being; sun, moon, and stars. In Revelation we read: “And the city has no need of the sun, nor of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God lightened it, and its lamp is the Lamb” (21:23). Genesis describes a paradise which was lost. Revelation pictures a paradise restored (Rev. 2:7; 22:2). Genesis describes the cunning and power of the devil. The Apocalypse tells us that the devil was bound and hurled into the lake of fire and brimstone. Genesis pictures that awful scene of man fleeing away from God and hiding himself from the presence of the Almighty. Revelation shows us the most wonderful and intimate communion between God and redeemed man: “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall tabernacle with them” (21:3).
Finally whereas Genesis shows us the tree of life, with an angel to keep the way to the tree of life, “lest man put for his hand and take of its fruit”, the Apocalypse restores to man his right to have access to it: “that they may have the right to come to the tree of life” (22:!4).
So again, we ask what is the theme of this book? It is this: Not the devil but Christ is victorious; God’s plan, though for a while seemingly defeated, is in the end seen to triumph completely. We are conquerors. No; more than conquerors, for not only are we delivered from the greatest curse, indeed from every curse, but we obtain the most glorious blessing besides (Rev. 21:3) (More than Conquerors, 197).
And it teaches that in Eden, which was earth exactly as God intended it to be – perfect, beautiful, unspoiled, sinless; without violence, hatred, cruelty, injustice etc. – God put animals in that Paradise. And he told that man and woman to exercise dominion over them, to care for them, and to fill the earth with other little two-legged creatures who would do the same. That was Plan A – and it was perfect.
And then we ruined it. Why would it be inconsistent at all for God to populate the new heaven and earth with more of his majestic creatures, creatures that crawl, swim and fly?
Isaiah 65:17, 25:
17 “For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth,
and the former things shall not be remembered
or come into mind. …
25 The wolf and the lamb shall graze together;
the lion shall eat straw like the ox,
and dust shall be the serpent's food.
They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain,” says the Lord.
I like to think that all the noble beasts of the Earth, the ones who have served their Creator by serving their masters, will be able to communicate w/ us in that new-and-improved Eden, coming to us to say, “Thank you for being good servants of the Lord Most High. Thank you for being a kind and benevolent master. You were a good reflection of your Master.”
Romans 8 teaches that all of creation was subjected to futility, placed under the curse of Genesis 3, and it awaits redemption just as we do:
Romans 8:18-21: 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
Back to Revelation 21:3: And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
Fellowshipping w/ God forever …
Just as our present, earthly bodies will one day wear out, die, and then be resurrected in a glorified state – like Jesus after the resurrection – the same thing will happen with this earth and heaven.
God has planted clues to this all over creation:
Caterpillars turn into butterflies
Carbon turns into diamonds
A grain of wheat falls into the ground and produces other grains of wheat
A fire destroys a forest … then the rains fall and soon new, green growth emerges from the charred and blackened soil
God’s ultimate purpose in all this is that all of creation – the new-and-improved one – would reflect back to him all of his glory, in all of his attributes. And every single person, every creature, has a role to play, a purpose to fulfill in this new heaven and new earth.
The new Jerusalem comes down out of heaven … heaven and earth are transformed … God is not only the architect and builder of the new city, he dwells in it. Injustice and unrighteousness are no more; night and day give way to eternal light; time and eternity merge; the distinction between work and Sabbath disappears – because all work, all play, all recreation – everything is worship.
Revelation 21:22-27: 22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day – and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Death is a reality, not a finality;
Heaven is a way station, not our final destination;
Earth shall be perfected, not rejected.
Kent
I want to acknowledge the following in helping shape this post: Randy Alcorn; Herman Bavinck; C.S. Lewis; William Hendriksen; John Calvin; numerous theologians at Thirdmill.org; and Reggie Kidd.