A new Earth - of Righteousness!

[marie glen]

The idea, I guess, is that the notorious place of afterlife torment is at the center of the Earth. When i first realized that, I thought how how crazy is that! So the idea is, that while the blessed state of the blessed is going on.  The saved ones living in perfect peace, tranquility and bliss.. and in perfect never ending joy, breaking forth into song and dance.. Yet beneath will be forgotten loved ones forever suffering unimaginable torment?

I can't think of that as an earth wherein righteousness will dwell.

Like having a banquet in a great house but in the basement horrible torturings are going on.. Would we call that a house wherein righteousness dwells?

Here's the verses - in context, 2 Peter 3,

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Just more biblical proof of God's Great and Victorious Works.
:Peace2:

[eaglesway]

Reading that portion in an interlinear with a dictionary yields a lot of interesting stuff. Especially the Greek words for destroy, dissolve etc.

The word for "elements" is "stoicheon". Paul writes in Colossians "according to the elementary principles(stoicheion) of the world". In Heb 5, " to teach you the elementary principles" It is not neccessarily speaking of the physical planet. For instance Peter says, of the flood

5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

So the world "of that time" was destroyed....not the physical planet, but the governments, the principalities, the systems and associations that had grown into such wickedness, violence and oppression.

The world "of this time" is reserved for fire, but, imo, not physical flames, but rather the fire of Gods overwhelming presence at the removal of the veil at the "epiphaneia" of Jesus Christ.

It is interesting that Paul uses "epiphaneia"...

Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance(epiphaneia) of His coming; 2Thess 2:8

not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 10but now has been revealed by the appearing(epiphanea) of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 2 Tim 1:19

We all know what an epiphany is. My salvation came as an epiphany. It was like a bubble burst within my soul and every fiber of my being knew that Jesus Christ was Lord and had been crucified for me. It was a powerful experience and I think of a universal epiphany when "the heavens are rolled back like a scroll". Is this really speaking of the physical sky? "Every eye shall see Him, even those who pierced Him" How? Will this be a physical sight? Will it be broadcast on TV? I think it will be much more than that. "If anyone has not believed our gospel it is because the god of this age has blinded(veiled) their eyes so they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of God in the face of Christ"

In Isaiah... "On this mountain I will remove the covering that veils all the people".

The New heavens and New earth are "renewed" in the "restoration of all things".

"whom the heavens must receive until the period of the restoration of all things spoken of by all the prophets of old"(Peter in Acts 3)

"Behold, I am making all things new". Our God is a consuming fire and He will restore everything that decayed through the fall into "newness of life", which imo is the quality of eternal life. "Death is swallowed up by immortality".

[marie glen]

Amen.. but don't forget when Israel was at the mountain with Moses they had to stay back lest they be consumed..

Also it seems highly coincidental to me that unlike when the prophecies were written (in Rev and by the prophets) mankind did not have the capability to self implode the planet into a fiery mass - which no I do not think will happen. But I do believes will manage to make a very fiery lof at Armageddon. Past prophecies judgments (OT) actually came about. And since I think of the "wrath/passion of God" as results and consequences.. And think of 13:13 as having occurred in 1945 (by an office not individual) and as the Opening of the 6th seal, but veiled by being described as a blend of what it is at Opening., and what it is at full blown progression/gallop (tho this one's not on a horse, lol)

Yep, I believe that particular lake of fire the tares gather to "at His returning when He gathers His wheat" will be a smoke that forever rises in the memories and psyche of all.. like Sodom and Gomorrah Jude said, is "the" example of fiery judgment (aionian, not the mythical 'forever').

All just my own opinion and perceptions of course..

Whether it will be a new heavens and new earth or the present ones made new at the all in all event(?) we will find out in due time.. And either way :banana: :dsunny: Glory! :gsmile: