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2. A New World Comes Into Being (Revelation 21:1)

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REVELATION 21:1
1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more.

The aged patriarch spoke as if in trance, when he said, “I saw …!” This word had already passed his lips in Revelation 20:11; when he saw Jesus in his glory as judge of all men in the Last Judgment. John described with a few words what he saw. His visions are beyond any question. They enlighten the actions of God and His Lamb yesterday, now and forever.

What did the seer saw? He saw the dawning of a new world. (Here, I omitted a citation of a song from a German Hymn Book). He recognized a holy eternal world where all things were new, faultless, and perfect. The future existence lighted up before him in its complete glory.

The New Heaven and the New Earth: At first the patriarch saw a new heaven – whereby he did not distinguish between the starry firmament with its innumerable stars and the spiritual heaven which is invisible for us. John recognized that our sinful earth will not at first be renewed, but the holy heaven. The spirit of Satan, of the rebel, of the liar and of the accuser was evoked in the presence of God and his Lamb still a bad memory. Thousands of angels had been inspired and deceived by the Evil One (Revelation 12:4.10-12). But in the new heaven the smell of uncleanness and disobedience will not exist.

Afterwards John saw how our small earth was replaced by a divine new creation. The seer does not speak of re-education or world improvement (Psalm 51:12-13), but he bears witness of completely new world! In doing so, he does not explain whether this new earth consists of dust and stones and other known materials or whether it will exist in a spiritual body likewise as Jesus Christ had been risen from the dead. John only wrote what he saw: a new earth.

PRAYER: Our Father in heaven, You still have abilities where we see no solution. Your knowledge is mighty. You do not reform Your creation which is falling into corruption, but You create a new heaven and a new earth. We worship You for the great power of Your love and believe that You preserve us, children of Your Holy Spirit, in this essential change. Amen.

QUESTION:

256. Why will God not reform the old world, but will create a new universe?

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