Title: New Heaven and New Earth
Contents
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17. Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; the former will not be remembered or come to mind.
18. You shall rejoice and be glad forever in what I create. Behold, I create joy in Jerusalem, and make her people a joy;
19. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, I will rejoice in my people, and the voices of weeping and crying will be heard in her midst no more.
20. There will never again be there infants who die because they are too few to fly, nor the old men whose days are not fulfilled. Whoever dies at 100 years old will be a child, and whoever dies at 100 years old will be cursed.
21. They will build houses and dwell in them, and plant vineyards and eat fruit.
22. No man shall dwell in their building, and no man shall eat what they plant; for the days of my people shall be as the days of a tree, and my chosen one shall enjoy the work of their hands.
23. Their labor will not be in vain, and their produce shall not be in trouble; for they are the offspring of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring shall be with them.
24. Before they call, I will answer; before they finish, I will listen.
25. The wolf and the lamb shall eat together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and the serpent shall feed on the ground, and there shall be no harm or no harm in my holy mountain, saith the LORD.
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1. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, and the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
2. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and God dwells with them, and they shall be God's people, and God Himself is with them.
4. He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death; there will be no more mourning or crying or pain, for the first things have passed away.
5. And he who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And he said, "Write down these words, for they are faithful and true."
6. And he said to me, It is done; I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last; I will give them freely of the fountain of the water of life to those who thirst.
7. He who overcomes will inherit these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son.
8. But the fearful and the unbeliever and the atrocious and the murderers and the fornicators and the sorcerers and the idolaters and all the liars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, and this is the second death.
Content
Title: New Heaven and New Earth
Text: Isaiah 65:17-25, Revelation 21:1-8
God’s “re-creation” is reminiscent of the first creation. It is not a change or development of this world, but a whole new creation. Therefore, the verb ‘create’ (bara) used in Genesis 1 is used three times in verses 17 and 18. In the new heavens and new earth that are created in this way, there is nothing old, only new things (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:22-24). These are the blessings you will enjoy in Shincheonji. 1) The former things that were sinful are not remembered (verse 17). 2) There is no sighing or weeping, only joy (18,19). 3) They live long and eat the fruits of their hard work (20-22). 4) The road is blessed with children and grandchildren (verse 23). 5) God answers prayers immediately (verse 24). 6) Perfect peace without any harm to the entire creation will be established (verse 25). It is the achievement of true happiness through the realization of perfect justice and love that mankind longed for.
This is a revelation received by Isaiah around 700 B.C. The end of this world is inevitable for Shincheonji to come. Therefore, the saints never have to fear death or the end of history. Rather, we must wait for that day in hope. For the saints, the new heavens and new earth are spiritual Canaan. The hometown that the ancestors of faith longed for is not on earth. The experience of the people of Israel was only a model for this (Hebrews 11:13-16). There are graces that we taste in advance as we read the words of the new heavens and new earth. First, it is overflowing joy (Isaiah 65:17-19). Because we are living under the curse that all mankind received through the sin of the first man, Adam (Genesis 3:17-24), we sometimes experience sorrow and discouragement. They misunderstand, hate, and distrust each other unintentionally. Because people are deceived by corrupted information.
But there is another dimension to life. It is a life that begins for the saints who have been forgiven of their sins and justified through the blood of Jesus Christ. It is the life of new creations that takes place ‘in Christ’ (2 Corinthians 5:17-19; Ephesians 4:22-24). The wonderful energy of peace that our spirits sometimes sense is because of the influence of this grace (Luke 17:21). It is to live while enjoying the joys and joys of heaven. Second, it is a life of abundance (Isaiah 65:20-23). You get a lot of reward along with a long lifespan. As much as you sweat, you get as much reward as your hard work. In the world we live in, lawlessness, injustice and inequality exist. But in Shincheonji, there are no such things. Third, it is a life full of peace (Isaiah 65:24,25). It is a ‘living together’ in which heaven and earth coexist without the need for the survival of the fittest.