Reasoning with Jehovah's Witnesses

27. The New Heaven and New Earth

 

 
Introduction 
Preface 
Part 1: The Nature of God 
1. The Deity of Christ 
2. The Personality of the Holy Spirit 
3. The Trinity 
Part 2: The Nature of Man 
4. The Spirit of Man 
5. The Soul of Man 
6. The Nature of Death 
7. Resurrection 
8. The Nature of Hell 
Part 3: God's People 
9. Israel 
10. The 144,000 
11. God's Organization 
12. The Great Crowd 
13. The Faithful and Discreet Slave 
14. Persecution 
Part 4: Man's Salvation 
15. The Gospel 
16. Being Born Again 
17. Salvation 
18. Justification 
19. Sufficiency of Christ's Redemption 
20. Relationship with Christ 
21. Christian Freedom 
22. Witnessing 
Part 5: The Last Days 
23. The Return of Christ 
24. Watchtower Chronology -- The Year 1914 
25. The Rapture 
26. The Kingdom 
27. The New Heaven and New Earth 
Bibliography 
Appendix A: Disassociation Letter 
Appendix B: The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures 
Scripture Index 
Subject Index 

27. The New Heaven and New Earth

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that:

a. The present heaven and the present earth will remain forever.18

b. A new heaven and a new earth will not be created. 19

 

* * *

 

Q1. Will the present heaven and the present earth remain forever?

Ps 102:25-26-"Of old Thou didst found the earth; and the heavens are the work of Thy hands. Even they will perish, but Thou dost endure; and all of them will wear out like a garment..."

Is 51:6-"Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies."

Matt 5:18-"For truly I say to you, UNTIL heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished."

Matt 24:35, Mark 13:31, Luke 21:33-"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away."

Heb 1:10-12-He also says, "In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed."

2 Pet 3:7-But the present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire

2 Pet 3:10-11-But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

2 Pet 3:12-the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat

Rev 20:11-And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.

 

Q2. Will a new heaven and a new earth be created?

Is 65:17-Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth

2 Pet 3:13-But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

Rev 21:1-And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away

 

* * *

 

Summary:

a. The present heaven and earth will be destroyed by fire (at the end of the 1000-yr. reign of Christ).

b. A new heaven and a new earth will be created.

 

* * *

 

Scriptures commonly used by Jehovah's Witnesses:

Gen 8:22-WHILE THE EARTH REMAINS, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Ps 104:5-Who laid the foundations of the earth [Heb. erez; as in vss. 9,13,14,24,32; not as in vs. 30], that it should not be removed for ever

Ps 119:90-Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth [standeth, as in vs. 91] this day [[to] this day, or to-day]

Eccl 1:4-the earth abides forever [Heb. olam-for ages]

Is 45:18-earth...He created it not in vain [Heb. tohu-without form; cp. Gen 1:2-the earth was without form], He formed it to be inhabited

 

Endnotes:

18. Reasoning from the Scriptures, p. 436; Make Sure of All Things, p. 166

19. Ibid.

Next->