Isa 65:21-24 | KingComments | STEP | The new heavens and the new earth concern this creation that will be renewed ( ; ) when the curse has been removed and the creation has been freed from corruption ( ). It is a renewed state of heavens and earth created by God ( ; ). It is a re-creation to the state of paradise. This old creation will become like new in the realm of peace. The new heavens and the new earth mentioned in the New Testament come after the old creation is burned with fire ( ; ). There it is about a material change, whereas here it is about a change of living conditions. There is also talk of a new heaven because satan will then have been cast out of heaven ( ) and his power will have been removed from it forever. He will still rage on earth for a brief time, but after three and a half years he will be locked up in the abyss for a thousand years ( ). Isaiah speaks of new heavens and a new earth as an area of unparalleled blessing. There will be no more reflection on the former oppressions, such as the great tribulation. For the creation of a clean heart ( ) the same word is used as for the creation of new heavens and a new earth. This clean heart must absolutely precede the new creation ( ; cf. ). When the LORD establishes His kingdom of peace and righteousness, He will fulfill what is written in the following verses. It is a section that perhaps more than any other part of Scripture describes the prosperity and blessing of that coming time. This description of the Messianic realm of peace is the fulfillment of all promises made to Israel. The LORD calls us to rejoice and rejoice forever in what He is about to create regarding Jerusalem on earth ( ). It will no longer be a mourning city, but a city of joy. This joy is also the own joy of the LORD in a situation established by Him ( ). Where His joy is heard, there is no room for sorrow or struggle. Though there will still be death and sin, evil will be under His absolute control and an immediate judgment will follow open sin ( ; ; ). This is also proof that the new heavens and the new earth of the realm of peace are not yet the perfect state of eternity. The longevity of the earliest times of human history will be back. “The youth … at the age of one hundred” indicates a slowing down of the aging process. If someone will die at that age, he should be considered to have been struck by the curse of God because of a sin. In any case, the born-again believers will complete the thousand years. They live longer than the people before the flood, of whom Methuselah – as far as Scripture tells us – was the longest living with 969 years ( ). The following promises, in , give the assurance that His people will rejoice in the results of their work. They will reap the fruits of their labor and enjoy them themselves. The harvest will not fall into the hands of plundering enemies. The duration of their lives will be the same as that of trees that grow centuries old. They will be an offspring blessed by the LORD and their children will share with them what they enjoy, without being taken away by a premature death (cf. ). The LORD declares that He will answer them before they call, and that He will hear them before they speak ( ). The prayers are answered directly because they are the expression of His thoughts (cf. ). They emerge from the fellowship with Him that will be there then. Now, often there is a certain time between the prayer and the answer given (cf. ), but this will no longer be the case. This provides a striking testimony of what will be the result of the personal presence of the LORD in their midst. There will also be a change in the nature of predatory animals ( ). The condition described here is not the result of evolution, but of the power of the Messiah. The conditions in nature are still in disarray now, but then the wolf and the lamb will graze together. The food of the cow will also be the food of the lion. This section recalls in a condensed form what the prophet said earlier ( ). This is another proof of the unity between the two main parts of the book which is disputed by liberal theologians. Exception in this section is the serpent that will have dust to food ( ). The serpent will continue to go on its belly. Not everything in the realm of peace participates in blessing. The serpent continues to refer to satan. But the serpent will no longer be able to do any harm, for everything is under the control of the ruling Messiah.

‏ Isaiah 65:21-24

Heaven and Earth Renewed

The new heavens and the new earth concern this creation that will be renewed (Isa 65:17; Psa 104:30b) when the curse has been removed and the creation has been freed from corruption (Rom 8:19-21). It is a renewed state of heavens and earth created by God (Gen 1:1; Isa 51:16). It is a re-creation to the state of paradise. This old creation will become like new in the realm of peace.

The new heavens and the new earth mentioned in the New Testament come after the old creation is burned with fire (2Pet 3:11-13; Rev 21:1). There it is about a material change, whereas here it is about a change of living conditions. There is also talk of a new heaven because satan will then have been cast out of heaven (Rev 12:7-12) and his power will have been removed from it forever. He will still rage on earth for a brief time, but after three and a half years he will be locked up in the abyss for a thousand years (Rev 20:1-3).

Isaiah speaks of new heavens and a new earth as an area of unparalleled blessing. There will be no more reflection on the former oppressions, such as the great tribulation. For the creation of a clean heart (Psa 51:10) the same word is used as for the creation of new heavens and a new earth. This clean heart must absolutely precede the new creation (2Cor 5:17; cf. Gal 6:15).

When the LORD establishes His kingdom of peace and righteousness, He will fulfill what is written in the following verses. It is a section that perhaps more than any other part of Scripture describes the prosperity and blessing of that coming time. This description of the Messianic realm of peace is the fulfillment of all promises made to Israel. The LORD calls us to rejoice and rejoice forever in what He is about to create regarding Jerusalem on earth (Isa 65:18). It will no longer be a mourning city, but a city of joy.

This joy is also the own joy of the LORD in a situation established by Him (Isa 65:19). Where His joy is heard, there is no room for sorrow or struggle. Though there will still be death and sin, evil will be under His absolute control and an immediate judgment will follow open sin (Isa 65:20; Psa 101:8; Zep 3:5). This is also proof that the new heavens and the new earth of the realm of peace are not yet the perfect state of eternity.

The longevity of the earliest times of human history will be back. “The youth … at the age of one hundred” indicates a slowing down of the aging process. If someone will die at that age, he should be considered to have been struck by the curse of God because of a sin. In any case, the born-again believers will complete the thousand years. They live longer than the people before the flood, of whom Methuselah – as far as Scripture tells us – was the longest living with 969 years (Gen 5:27).

The following promises, in Isa 65:21-23, give the assurance that His people will rejoice in the results of their work. They will reap the fruits of their labor and enjoy them themselves. The harvest will not fall into the hands of plundering enemies. The duration of their lives will be the same as that of trees that grow centuries old. They will be an offspring blessed by the LORD and their children will share with them what they enjoy, without being taken away by a premature death (cf. Job 21:8).

The LORD declares that He will answer them before they call, and that He will hear them before they speak (Isa 65:24). The prayers are answered directly because they are the expression of His thoughts (cf. Isa 30:19). They emerge from the fellowship with Him that will be there then. Now, often there is a certain time between the prayer and the answer given (cf. Dan 9:20-23), but this will no longer be the case. This provides a striking testimony of what will be the result of the personal presence of the LORD in their midst.

There will also be a change in the nature of predatory animals (Isa 65:25). The condition described here is not the result of evolution, but of the power of the Messiah. The conditions in nature are still in disarray now, but then the wolf and the lamb will graze together. The food of the cow will also be the food of the lion.

This section recalls in a condensed form what the prophet said earlier (Isa 11:6-9). This is another proof of the unity between the two main parts of the book which is disputed by liberal theologians.

Exception in this section is the serpent that will have dust to food (Gen 3:14). The serpent will continue to go on its belly. Not everything in the realm of peace participates in blessing. The serpent continues to refer to satan. But the serpent will no longer be able to do any harm, for everything is under the control of the ruling Messiah.