A NEW EARTH by G.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 19, 1901

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 25.

A NEW EARTH.

By G.

WHEN any essential article becomes seriously damaged or destroyed, it is necessary to replace it with a new one. The earth is not an exception to this rule. A clean, pure earth, inhabited by a righteous people, is essential to the eternal purpose of God. In accordance with this purpose, He made the earth “good” in the first place, and made the first man and woman “upright.” His purpose has not yet changed; for altho the first pair fell from their high estate, entailing sin and death upon the race and a curse upon the earth, He still promises an earth wherein dwelleth righteousness, an earth that abideth forever, an earth whose foundations shall not be removed, an earth filled with the glory of the Lord, an earth peopled with the saints of the Most High, and upon which there shall be no more curse.

In contrast with this eternal purpose and these infallible promises, let us note some of the things that are said of the present earth, and of its inhabitants. Because of the fall, death passed upon all men, because all have sinned. Rom. 5:12. The earth was cursed three times because of sin; first, because of Adam’s sin, and again because of Cain’s conduct, and a third time by the action of the flood, which greatly marred its beauty and depreciated its fertility. Before the flood, because of sin, “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Gen. 6:5. And that under the present conditions there can be no better state of affairs, is seen by the fact that Satan holds the dominion, being the “prince of this world,” even of the “power of the air.” John 14:30; Eph. 2:2. Job’s testimony is that “the earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?” Job 9:24. A further proof is found in the prophecy of Christ, that as it was in the days of Noah, so it would be at His coming again to earth. Matt. 24:37–39.

Isaiah prophecies of the present earth, that “the land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled; for the Lord hath spoken this word. The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.” Isa. 24:3–6. He further says: “The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.” Verses 19, 20.

Again Isaiah prophecies: “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner; but My salvation shall be forever, and My righteousness shall not be abolished.” Ch. 51:6. “Heaven and the earth shall pass away,” says Christ; “but My words shall not pass away.” Luke 21:33.

In view of all these conditions and prophecies and promises, a new earth is a foregone conclusion, an absolute necessity. And this is contemplated in the plan of redemption. When the Lord redeems a man, He makes of him a “new creature.” While in this life he retains the same appearance, but he is a new creature by virtue of having the Spirit of Christ in him. “Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Cor. 5:17. But in the resurrection he comes up with a new, glorified body by virtue of the same Spirit. Rom. 8:11. “Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we [the living] shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” 1 Cor. 15:51–53. This is how the righteous are finally and fully prepared for their everlasting inheritance. The process, from conversion to the full fruition of their hope, is a new creation—the passing of the old and the creation of the new.

As with the sinner, so it is with the old sin-cursed, decaying earth: in its present marred and polluted condition it must pass away. It must be renovated and cleansed of every sign that sin ever reigned upon it, and be recreated, or made “very good,” as in the original creation. The terrible consequences of disobedience of the law of God, and of Satanic opposition to all righteousness, will then have been fully demonstrated before all the universe, and the whole drama of wickedness will be closed. The justice and the love of God will have been fully vindicated and appreciated, and never again will there be a dissenting voice from His absolute rule. All will realize that His “yoke is easy” and “His burden is light,” and that “His commandments are not grievous.” “And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.” Rev. 5:13.

The purpose of God was hindered but not defeated by sin. Satan, who rebelled and made war, and was cast out of heaven (Rev. 12:7–10), obtained by deceit the dominion of earth for a time. He was allowed to run a short race, that his true character might be revealed to all the universe. But his time is short (verse 12), and his utter overthrow is assured by the unfailing Word. The time is set; this even his angels know. Matt. 8:28, 29; Mark 1:23, 24. Then the second Adam will take the dominion which the first Adam lost. Micah 4:8. This was the declaration of God to the serpent in Eden (Gen. 3:15), and it was repeated to the church at Rome by Paul (Rom. 16:20).

The few thousand years necessary to allow Satan’s character to be fully exposed, and to gather a faithful people to populate the new earth—out of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people on this sin-stricken earth—is a very short period in the eternity of God’s great plan. Thru the sure word of prophecy the Lord has said: “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.” Not only is the earth new, but the inhabitants are a new creation, and the Jerusalem capital is new, created in heaven and brought down bodily. This is the house of “many mansions” which Jesus told His disciples He was going away to prepare.

Peter tells us very plainly that the world before the flood, “being overflowed with water, perished.” The people all perished but faithful Noah and his family, and the earth never appeared again in its former condition. Then he adds: “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same Word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” Passing on, he tells when and how: It will be “in the day of the Lord,” and the “heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. . . . Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” See 2 Peter 3:5–13.

Peter also reminds us that “there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming?” Verses 3, 4. They will be scoffing at this very doctrine, which is so essential to the work of the Gospel. But his solemn advice to the church, in view of God’s plain instruction on the subject, is: “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation.” Verses 14, 15.