Millennium Superworld
Chapter 14: “Behold, A New Earth”
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make
all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these
words are true and faithful. —Revelation 21:5
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth:
and the former shall not be remembered, nor
come into mind.
And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people:
and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in
her, nor the voice of crying. —Isaiah 65:17, 19
And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful
and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent
his angel to show unto his servants the things which
must shortly be done. —Revelation 22:6
| “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth” (Isa. 65:17). The promise is from heaven; spoken many centuries ago by the messenger of the Lord, it has been preserved to arouse the expectation of generation upon generation. “Behold, I create”—the Lord is working. He is doing something. He is fashioning, developing, shaping. The process of creation takes time; but the work is destined to be completed. There shall be new heavens and a new earth. First will come the “new heavens.” Christ is returning to be “king over all the earth” (Zech. 14:9), and soon after His arrival He and the saints shall take over the jurisdiction of earth’s affairs, and their righteous rule shall displace the faulty human systems. For “the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him” (Dan. 7:27). Christ and His saints will compose the “new heavens,” the new ruling authority upon earth. “Behold, I create new heavens”—this process of creating requires six thousand years before they are finally selected, developed and exalted to positions of honor, seated with Christ upon His throne of glory (Rev. 3:21). But what a glorious day when all shall “behold” these “new heavens” who shall “judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness” (Ps. 9:8). In their hands will be the glorious task of making “all things new” from “sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth” (Rev. 21:5; Ps. 72:8). After the creating of the “new heavens” will follow the task of creating a “new earth.” A whole new populace must be developed to fill the earth with the glory of the Lord. But they will not be accepted as the laws of nature produce them, rough and untried. They must be brought “through the fire,” refined “as silver is refined” and tried “as gold is tried” (Zech. 13:9). The Lord will have no inferior material in His finished creation; all must have proved themselves under trial. When this creating task is complete and the glorious Millennium belongs to history, the words of Revelation 21:5 will be fulfilled: “And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.” All things new! A splendid promise. But what does it mean to an ordinary man or woman living in the old world of today? First of all, if you are there to behold it, you yourself will be new. You will be a radiant, glorious immortal being with the life and vigor of the angels of heaven. Pulsing in your veins will be the lifeblood of immortality. You will be all new! Picture yourself in the flush of eternal youth, with eternal vitality, eternal strength, eternal energy. You will have new muscles which cannot strain, weaken or tire. You will be able to “mount up” with power that can defy the laws of gravity, to “run, and not be weary,” and “walk, and not faint” (Isa. 40:31). You will be able to come and go with the freedom of the summer breeze. Then, you will have a new intellect, an intellect that will grow and expand with the endless cycles of the eternity before you. Imagine what it will be like to never forget what you want to remember. You will have a mind capable of retaining and relating limitless impressions as you are exposed to more and more of the wonderments of heavenly wisdom and knowledge. Then, you will have new eyes, eyes which can behold the transcendent beauties of that bright new world, eyes that can rejoice in the exceeding brightness that accompanies immortals everywhere they go. You will need these new eyes even to live with yourself, for as an immortal being, you will be shining, too! What will it be to have eyes that can view all the unfoldings of God’s magnificent plan through ages upon ages of fruitful, immortal activity! Then, you will have new ears, ears that can perceive sounds surpassing the finest mortal imagination. Music? You have never yet heard anything that merits the title. Immortal beings know music beyond our fondest finite fathomings. You will need your new ears to hear it, and a new mind to comprehend it. You will have a totally new body, composed of new substance, a substance superior to flesh and blood, a substance that can never age or decay. As well as perfect physical and mental capacities, you will also have a perfect spiritual capacity and an appreciation of the workings of God which is beyond imagining now. New dimensions of holiness will continue to thrill you through all eternity. The majestic holiness and grandeur of Jehovah is inexhaustible. Only immortals can begin to comprehend it. “Behold, I make all things new.” First, the new “you,” and then— Everyone you meet everywhere and anywhere you go throughout the wide world will be just like you—another happy, glorious, immortal being. Everyone everywhere will be rejoicing in the marvelous salvation of our God. Go where you will, you will find people everywhere with whom you can share a new immortal experience, or a new gem of heavenly knowledge, or a new insight into the workings of Omnipotence. Everyone everywhere will be interested in the same goals that are yours—indeed, your goals will be the universal goals of the world, for everyone will worship and praise and serve and adore the same Eternal God. You will all be members of one family, an eternal family that will never know a sorrow or a parting or a care. There will be no sickness, no old age, no suffering in that family. Every member will be continually challenged by new horizons of knowledge as they advance from “glory to glory.” Do you think that you will grow tired of your family on earth, after you have lived with them for a few billion years? Don’t fear, you will continually be making new acquaintances after earth is accepted into the family of the “Lord God of hosts.” Indeed, you will need Eternity to get acquainted with all the glorified immortals from other worlds who will be your own brothers and sisters. Earth will no more be an island alone, for God’s will shall be done here as in heaven; and when it is, earth shall become a part of heaven! “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth.” If you are there, you will experience firsthand the fullest meaning of perfect love, perfect peace, perfect beauty, perfect harmony, perfect joy, perfect contentment. You will be heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, when He has come to dwell forever among men (Rev. 21:3) in that glorious, bright new world. The former shall “not be remembered, nor come into mind.” all things shall be new forever! |
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A scene in Kingdom fair I see, Oh, sight of joy and gladness Beyond earth’s pain and anguish; A scene within the pearly gate When Christ His foes hath vanquished. |
With pleasure in full measure My heart wells up unmixed with fears, At wreath of golden letters; My happy eyes o’erflow with tears As there I read, “A thousand years.” |
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I see the work of Jesus Christ Whose coming was so long fortold By prophets through the ages. He reigns in majesty and might; All people sing His praises. |
I forward gaze through earth’s dark maze And see beyond this dreary night, Beyond the sowing, reaping, Beyond where age shall dim our sight, Beyond the sorrow, weeping, |
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At last the age of peace has come The age when righteousness shall stand To rule earth’s conquered nations; I see them humly bow before The God of all creation. |
Beyond the watching, waiting, Beyond the time when wars shall cease, Beyond death, chill and icy, Beyond the thousand years of peace— Beyond it all—Eternity. |
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No sight of battle horror there, No deadly feud, no jealous hate, Is seen the wide world over; No need of wall or bar or gate, Each trustful of the other. |
I see it dimly; mortal eyes May not behold the radiant light Of that fair golden City; It’s brilliancy dispels all night And fills the earth with glory. |
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I hear the happy shepherd’s song, And see the fields spread wide and long Where flocks and herds are feeding. No sepent bite, no beast by night, No fear of thieves molesting. |
O joyous Day when Christ shall come And take his Kingdom and his throne And reign in power and glory! A thousand years from sorrow free, And—after all—ETERNITY! |
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At peace are all the tribes of earth, Such peace as never was before; The Lord of Hosts hath spoken, And men shall study war no more, His oath cannot be broken. |