NEW HEAVENS AND EARTH 

OLD TESTAMENT AND ANCIENT JEWISH WRITINGS 

• the creation of a new heavens and earth was first revealed to Isaiah around 700 B.C. (Isa 65:17)
• the verb bara' ("create") in Isaiah 65:17 suggests the new heavens and earth will be created out of nothing (ex nihilo)—
like the first heavens and earth (Gen 1:1; Isa 42:5; 45:18)
• present heavens and earth are wearing out and will be changed and discarded like clothing (Psa 102:25–26; ca. 598–587 B.C.)
• the new heavens and earth is a popular theme in Jewish Pseudepigrapha
(1 Enoch 45:4; 72:1; 91:16; Jubilees 1:29; 2 Baruch 32:6; 44:12; 57:2; 4 Ezra 7:75)

GOSPELS 

• Jesus said the present "heaven and earth will pass away" (Matt 24:35=Mark 13:31=Luke 21:33; cf. Matt 5:18; Luke 16:17) 

EPISTLES 

• the present heavens and earth will be destroyed with fire and intense heat (2 Peter 3:7, 10–12; cf. 1 John 2:17)
• the present heavens and earth will not be renovated, but a new heavens and earth will be created with new materials
• this destruction excludes the lake of fire because it exists now and is eternal (Matt 25:41, 46; Rev 19:20; 20:10, 14–15)
• this destruction also excludes the third heaven (2 Cor 12:2) because the New Jerusalem exists now (John 14:2; Heb 11:10, 16;
12:22–24; 13:14) and will apparently come down out of the third heaven to the new earth (Rev 21:2, 10)

APOCALYPSE 

• the first heavens and earth will pass away (Rev 21:1)
• a new heavens and earth will be created by God the Father (21:5)—this is the first time the Father speaks in Revelation
• nothing much is said about the size, shape, or appearance of the new earth
• things present on the new earth: (1) New Jerusalem (21:2, 10), (2) a great and high mountain (21:10), (3) foundation stones,
city walls and gates (21:12–21), (4) precious stones (21:18–20), (5) pearls (21:21), (6) transparent gold (21:18, 21),
(7) streets (21:21; 22:2), (8) daylight provided by the glory of God and the Lamb (21:10–11, 23–25; 22:5),
(9) mathematics (21:12–14, 19–21), (10) geometric shapes (21:16), (11) linear measure and a gold measuring rod (21:15–17),
(12) compass points (21:13), (13) time measure (22:2), (14) writing (21:12, 14, 27; 22:4), (15) names (21:12, 14), (16) kings (21:24),
(17) nations (21:12, 24, 26; 22:2), (18) angels (21:12), (19) presence of God the Father (21:3), (20) thrones of the Father
and Jesus (22:1, 3–4), (21) believers (21:7, 27; 22:3–4), (22) Lamb's book of life (21:27), (23) a river of water
flowing from God's throne (22:1–2), (24) the tree of life with leaves and monthly fruit (22:2), (25) serving God (22:3)
• things not present on the new earth: (1) death, mourning, weeping, and pain (21:4), (2) the curse (22:3), (3) night (21:25; 22:5),
(4) seas (21:1), (5) the temple (21:22), (6) lamps (22:5), (7) unbelievers and wickedness (21:8, 27)
• things not present in the new heavens: the sun and moon (21:23)
• the New Jerusalem will be the capital of the new earth (22:1–5)
• overcomers will inherit the new heavens and earth (21:7):
(1) to inherit is to own or possess "these things"—the new heavens and earth, (2) our inheritance is a reward
for faithful service (Col 3:24), (3) the reward for overcoming is to rule with Christ over the nations in the millennium
and on the new earth forever (2 Tim 2:12; Rev 2:26–27; 3:21; 20:4, 6; 22:5) 
• overcomers (21:7) will be kings (21:24) and will rule over nations (21:24, 26) forever and ever on the new earth (22:5)