New Heavens and a New Earth

November 14, 2025

What is the fate of this present world? One day, this world and all of its works will pass away. As Peter writes, “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 Peter 3:10 NASB95). God is going to bring the present order of things to an end. Just as He destroyed the earth in the days of Noah by water, so also one day He will destroy the heavens and the earth with fire.

While we weep at the certain fate of those who have rejected Christ on that day, you and I who are in Christ can also look forward with anticipation to that day. Why? Because God has promised that He will create new heavens and a new earth. “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).

What will the new heavens and earth be like? Revelation chapters 21 and 22 give us some insights into this:

  • It will be a place where God Himself will live among us (21:3)
  • There will be no death there (21:4)
  • There will be no mourning, crying, or pain (21:4)
  • There will be no need of the sun or the moon there because God will illumine it, and Jesus will be its lamp (21:23)
  • There will be no night there (21:25)
  • There will be no sin there (21:27)
  • The river of the water of life will be there (22:1)
  • The tree of life will be there (22:2)
  • We will see God’s face there (22:4)
  • We will reign forever with God there (22:5)

In short, the new heavens and new earth will be a place of great beauty. It will be like Eden once again, where man walked and talked with God in unbroken fellowship.

Don’t you want to go to that land? How can we dwell there forever?  We must have our names written in Jesus’ book of life (Revelation 21:27). Have you come to Jesus, in faith, in the way He has commanded, so that your name will be written there?  And if you have come to Him, let us continue in Him. As Peter wrote, “Therefore, beloved since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless…” (2 Peter 3:14). Are you being diligent in your walk with Him? May God help us to continue in faith so that we can see that land He has promised to His children.

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Scott Colvin

The Day of the Lord

August 9, 2022

The day of the Lord is coming! The things that will occur on that day are so far outside of the realm of our natural experiences that we can hardly imagine them, and because of that, perhaps we don’t take the reality of it seriously enough. The coming day of the Lord is a reality that should mold and shape how we are living our lives today.

What will happen on the day of the Lord? “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 Peter 3:10 NAS95) Can you picture it? Everything in this world is going to be destroyed by fire. The earth and all its works will be burned up. Can you hear it in your mind? The heavens will pass away with a roar. What words could we even use to describe a sound such as that?

Such a monumental truth should have monumental consequences for our lives. Knowing that this day will come should deeply affect us! Peter continues, “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!” (2 Peter 3:11-12 NAS95) Isn’t that a great question? What sort of people ought we be, knowing these things to be true? What difference should it make in our lives to know that everything in this world is going to burn up? We need to keep the day of the Lord firmly fixed in our minds and hearts and let the reality of that day motivate us toward holy, godly living.

Jesus is coming soon! He will come like a thief in the night. Whether we are alive or dead when Jesus comes again, we will all experience that day. Does the thought of it fill you with dread? Faithful Christians should not be filled with dread but with longing! If you are striving to live in holiness and godliness, you can have confidence on that day! You can look forward to that day, for you can be assured that He is yours, and you are His, and that you will be going home to your loving Father, to be with Him always. Are you ready for that day to come?

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Posted by Russell Holden