REVELATION ITS GRAND CLIMAX AT HAND!/Chapter Forty Two - A New Heaven and a New Earth - Continue

 Hundreds of years before John's day,  Jehovah had said to Isaiah; "For here I am creating new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be called to mind, neither will they come up into the heart."  (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22) This prophecy was initially fulfilled when faithful Jews returned to  Jerusalem in 537 B.C.E. after their 70-year exile in Babylon.  In that restoration, they formed a cleansed society, "a new earth," under a new governmental system, "new heavens." The apostle Peter, however, pointed to a further appication of the prophecy saying: "But there are new heavens and a new earth that were awaiting according to his promise,  and in these  righteousness is to dwell. (2 Peter 3:13)  John now shows that this promies  is fulfilled during the Lord's day.  "The former heaven and the former earth," Satan's organized system of things with its governmental structure influenced by Satan and his demons, will pass away. The turbulent "sea" of wicked, rebellious mankind will cease to exist.  In its place will be "a new heaven and a new earth"-a new earthly society under a new government, God's Kingdom. - Compare REVELATION 20:11.

Next time: REVELATION ITS GRAND CLIMAX AT HAND!?Chapter Forty Two - A New Heaven and a New Earth - Continue

From the jw.org publications