New Earth – Fearless Living

The scripture highlighted in today calendar is from 2 Peter 3:8-15. In this passage Peter is speaking about the end times when Christ will return. The content can be scary if you are not grounded in Christ and can take the long view of historical events.

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. ⁹The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. ¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. ¹¹Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, ¹²waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! ¹³But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. ¹⁴Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. ¹⁵And count the patience of our Lord as salvation,

Things we know for certain: Christ came before and provided a way for our salvation. God’s character is unchanging and he is always faithful and keeps all his promises. God invented time for humans- night/day but He is not bound by time. God is patient and does not want anyone to miss the salvation Jesus provides. Christ’s return will come unexpectedly (in timing). God desires that we live holy lives waiting patiently for His plans to unfold.

Things we need to trust God with: The timing of future events, the future itself, the new heaven and new earth He promises, the return of Christ, the judgement of earth.

Here are some promises to encourage us as we read about the end times: John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” God keeps his promises and having faith in Jesus gives us eternal life and freedom from sin’s judgement which is death.

1Thessalonians 1:10 “and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” Paul was writing to the Thessalonian Christians and confirming for them, and us too, that faith in Jesus delivers us from God’s wrath over sin.

1Thessalonians 5:9-10 “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.” I love this assurance that believers will indeed not be subject to God’s anger over sin and our lives are meant to be lived in and with Jesus!

As we consider Christ’s first coming and the hope He brought through salvation, we can rest in Jesus as we read about the end times. Jesus is the key to hope in the past, present and future!

Linda

Chapter 65 of Isaiah begins with God’s answer to Isaiah’s prayerful answer of how long will you hold yourself back from us? 64:12 “After all this, Lord, will you hold yourself back?
    Will you keep silent and punish us beyond measure?” The Lord answers Isaiah by saying He has revealed himself to those who did not ask and to His people even in their obstinance. 65:1-2 ““I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me;   I was found by those who did not seek me.
To a nation that did not call on my name,     I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’
²All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good,
    pursuing their own imaginations—” The Lord continues His discussion through verse16. I am encouraged by verses 13-15 as the Lord explains how those who are His servants will be treated differently. “My servants will eat, but you will go hungry; my servants will drink, but you will go thirsty;
my servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame.¹⁴My servants will sing out of the joy of their hearts,
but you will cry out  from anguish of heart  and wail in brokenness of spirit.¹⁵You will leave your name
    for my chosen ones to use in their curses; the Sovereign Lord will put you to death,
    but to his servants he will give another name.” This shows a stark contrast in the way God will treat those who love and serve Him!

An exceptional portion filled with beautiful language begins in verses 17-25. Just as God had promised Isaiah to reveal new things (Isaiah 42:9 and 48:6), He does so here. He allows us a glimpse of what our world will be like in heaven. The New Heavens and New Earth are described here and reflect the similar message given in Revelation.

“See, I will create  new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered,
    nor will they come to mind.
¹⁸But be glad and rejoice forever  in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight
    and its people a joy.
¹⁹I will rejoice over Jerusalem  and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying
    will be heard in it no more. Revelation 7:17b ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes “

²⁰“Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed. Revelation 21:4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

²¹They will build houses and dwell in them;    they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
²²No longer will they build houses and others live in them,  or plant and others eat.
For as the days of a tree,  so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy
    the work of their hands. Revelation 21:7 “Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.”
²³They will not labor in vain,  nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord,  they and their descendants with them.
²⁴Before they call I will answer;  while they are still speaking I will hear.
²⁵The wolf and the lamb will feed together,  and the lion will eat straw like the ox,
    and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,”
says the Lord. Revelation 22:1-5 ” Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb ²down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. ³No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. ⁴They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”

I had not realized how similar this description given to Isaiah parallel the descriptions given to John in Revelation. God’s Word is consistent and reassuring beginning to end. We are His and He does not change His standards or rewards from generation to generation. Cling to our immutable God and claim Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” we can know He has a glorious future awaiting us and will treat us as ones He loves.

Linda