Many people over the years have so misinterpreted Scripture as to think that the Lord is actually going to set foot on the physical earth once again at his second coming even though there is not one passage that suggests such. Some brethren fell into this doctrinal mistake as well. But some are now reconsidering the nature of the promised “new heavens and a new earth” referenced by Peter. Is it possible that we have misconstrued the nature of the ultimate home of the human spirit? Some are suggesting that we have misunderstood what Scripture has been telling us about the nature of our final or “long home” (Eccl. 12:5). Some brethren recently have been toying with the idea that the “new heavens and new earth” that Peter mentioned (2 Pet. 3:13) will be at least partially, if not completely, physical or material. The idea is that the righteous man’s final home, rather than being a complete replacement of the physical or material order, will be a modified or somehow altered version of the completely physical universe that we now experience. The materiality of our current environment will not be completely terminated. According to this notion, our current universe will not be annihilated; it will be renovated. Is this a Scriptural position to take?
First, let us begin our inquiry by considering the nature of Paradise as being experienced right now by the righteous dead. Please recall that the Lord, while hanging on the cross, declared to the penitent thief the point that both of them were about to leave the flesh for Paradise (Luke 23:42). Following the Lord’s death, his physical body was buried in a physical or material tomb (John 19:38-42; 1 Cor. 15:1-3). His spirit (that immortal or non-flesh part of him) was made alive following its departure from and separation from his fleshly body (1 Pet. 3:18). Paradise is that part of Hades (the realm of the physically dead now beyond flesh) where the righteous go following physical death (Luke 16:19-23). The description of the human condition in Hades is described by Luke as though it were still physical. The lost man wanted water! He seemed to be in a physical flame (Luke 16:24). This is one way that the Holy Spirit presents the afterlife to us so that we can get a glimpse (by comparison) to what it is like over there. There is no physical flame over there for the wicked any more than there is need for physical water. The water of life is as spiritual as is the tree of life. There is no materiality to the tree of life; there is no materiality to the water of life. In non-figurative language John tells us that the righteous in glory do not get hungry or thirsty (Rev. 7:16).
On the cross Jesus was about to go to Paradise. There is no figurative language employed to describe his after death condition. He left his physical body behind; it was buried. He, himself was made alive in spirit and remained in Paradise until he was resurrected. The tomb in which his physical body was buried was physical or material; the location of his spirit was completely spiritual. It was a location completely suited to a spirit no longer encased in a physical body.
Second, from these considerations what do we conclude? (1) The “where” of the “new heavens and new earth” is decided by the “what.” That is, the location or nature of the environment for the unattached human spirit is decided by the nature of that unattached spirit. (2) If the inhabitant is completely “spiritual” (that is, without attachment to a physical body any longer), the environment suited to him cannot be physical. (3) When a spirit leaves a physical body, it is completely spiritual. (4) Unlike our current heavens and earth which are suited to our spirits within our flesh, our next stage of condition being purely non-physical allows only for a non-physical environment.
Third, let us notice a few words used in the New Testament that throw light our our exploration. In Hebrews 1:10-12 we have several words that will help us. The writer says that the Lord in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth and that the heavens are the works of his hands (v. 10). Then in contrast to the continuation of the Lord, the writer says that the earth and heavens shall perish (v. 11). The fact that the current heavens and earth shall perish in contrast to the fact that the Lord will continue proves that the current heavens and earth will not continue. The writer does not suggest that the present order will simply not continue in its present form. He is telling us that the present order will not continue in any form. While the word for “perish” (apoluntai) can in some contexts mean non-annihilation destruction (John 3:16), it cannot mean that here for the simple reason that the “perishing” here contemplated is the opposite in concept to the “continuation” attributed to the Lord. Too, the Hebrews writer says that the current heavens and earth “will wax old” or “become old” as a garment and that the Lord will “roll them up” as a mantle. The first picture is one of the universe getting old or wearing out. The second is as though at that point the Lord “rolls up” the universe as someone who rolls up a “mantle.” The Lord will “roll up” or “fold up” the universe as someone who rolls or folds clothes. The word “mantle” indicates “something that is thrown around any one, clothing, covering, vesture; a cloak, mantle…a covering…” (Harper, p. 318). The third image is of a person’s changing his garments (v. 12). Just as the Lord will fold up the universe, the situation could be described as someone who changes his clothes. “As a garment they (that is, the current heavens and earth) shall be changed. The picture is NOT that the current heavens and earth will be changed into something else. The picture is of a person putting off one garment or exchanging it for another. And then in contrast to these images, it is again declared that the Lord (who had laid the foundation of the heavens and earth) is characterized by years that shall not fail because he is the same (Heb. 13:8).
In 2 Peter 3, Peter gives us a striking picture of the last day of the universe. Before he says, “But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness,” Peter informs us that the last day of the current universe will arrive as a thief. And that day will be the one on which “the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”
As to the point that the Lord’s final coming (which entails the end of the universe) will arrive as a thief, see also 1 Thessalonians 5:2 where the apostle Paul makes the same point. For the words “will pass away” we have a Greek word (pareleusontai) that indicates such things as “to pass beside, pass along, pass by… to pass, elapse, as time…to pass away, be removed… met. To pass away, disappear, vanish, perish….” (Harper, p. 308). And the heavens will pass away “with a great noise.” Please notice that the Lord’s final coming will be signified by sound (1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thess. 4:16). His coming initiates the resurrection. That is then followed by the destruction of the universe, also signified by sound. This sound is “a great noise.” As the Holy Spirit’s coming on Pentecost of Acts 2 had been accompanied by a sound likened unto “the rushing of a mighty wind” (Acts 2:2), the termination of the natural creation is accompanied by the sound of its own collapse.
Peter says the “elements shall be dissolved.” The word for “elements” indicates a rudiment of something or the fundamental feature or characteristic of something. And these rudimentary features of our universe will be dissolved with fervent heat. They will be loosened or unbound, unfastened, untied, disengaged as it were. Remember, the Lord right now is upholding all things by the word of his power (Heb. 1:3). All things currently “hold together” in Christ (Col. 1:17). That will stop. The words “fervent heat” constitute a present participle. The elements are dissolved by burning.
At the end of verse 10, Peter says that “the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” The Greek word for “burned up” is eurethasetai and indicates that everything that is a part of the universe itself and anything material produced by any man on earth will be located for destruction.
Then in verse 12 Peter reiterates the destruction of the universe. Marshall’s Interlinear Greek-English New Testament translates the last part of verse 12 with “heavens being set on fire will be dissolved and elements burning melts.” It is very interesting that the verb “melts” is singular in number rather than plural. The heavens and the elements are all considered as one thing to melt! “Heavens” is plural in number. “Elements” is plural in number. If we said, “The heavens were made by God,” you can see that “heavens” is plural and that the verb “were” is plural. If we say, “The elements are that out of which is composed the universe,” you can see that “elements” is plural and that the verb “are” is plural. But Peter gives us a plural subject for a singular verb. All that God has created will melt as a singular item!
Now, in Revelation, John views the judgment of the physically dead. At the point of judgment, the earth and the heaven have already “fled away.” There was found no place for them. The first heaven or heavens and earth have run their course; they have served their purpose. And in chapter 21:1, John sees a new heaven and a new earth because, he says, “the first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more.” The word translated “are passed away” is the word apalthan. It is not the same word used in 2 Peter 3:10 for “will pass away.” This word means that when John saw the new heavens and the new earth, the first set had already gone away or departed. Notice that in verse 4, when describing the new condition of the righteous in glory, John says that the first things, including tears, death, mourning, crying, pain are “passed away,” and he uses the same word that he had just used for the first heaven and the first earth’s passing! In glory the righteous do not have a modified or altered pain or death, etc. That is completely finished. Just so with the old heaven and earth. They are finished!
Four, in conclusion, please consider these arguments presented as two hypothetical syllogisms. The first argument is based on the fact that the final environment for saved man must be suited to his new condition. The second argument has to do with the superior state of heaven to the inferior state of earth. Heaven has always been what earth is about. And the nature of it is greatly superior to what is experienced by man on earth.
Argument #1
1. If the final condition of righteous man is completely spiritual (without any physical characteristic), then the eternal environment suited to his condition must be completely spiritual.
2. The final condition of righteous man is completely spiritual (without any physical characteristic) [2 Cor. 5:1-10; 1 Cor. 15:50].
3. Then, the eternal environment suited to his condition must be completely spiritual.
Argument #2
1. If the transition from Judaism (a religion that combined the physical with the spiritual) to Christianity was an advancement in concept, and if Christianity is a religion of pure spirituality, then what follows Christianity as reward for its faithful practice could not possibly entail retrogression to anything even partly physical.
2. The transition from Judaism (a religion that combined the physical with the spiritual) to Christianity was an advancement in concept (2 Cor. 3:1-11; Jas. 1:27; Heb. 7:16; Heb. 8), and Christianity is a religion of pure spirituality (Rom. 8:1-17).
3. Then what follows Christianity as reward for its faithful practice could not possibly entail retrogression to anything even partly physical.
Biblical Notes 