Death is Gain: New Heavens and New Earth
Why did Jesus, the Son of God, come to earth? To save sinners...yes...but more! To take us to heaven...yes...but more! How about this?...Jesus came to fully restore the earth and universe to the original paradise intended by God!!! Yes, a New Heaven and a New Earth is the ultimate reason Jesus came and what a wonder and glory that will be!!
Are we to spend eternity somewhere off in space, wearing white robes, plucking harps, singing songs, and flitting from cloud to cloud while doing so? On the contrary, the Bible assures us that God will create a new earth on which we shall live to God’s praise in glorified, resurrected bodies. On that new earth, therefore, we hope to spend eternity, enjoying its beauties, exploring its resources, and using its treasures to the glory of God. Since God will make the new earth His dwelling place, and since where God dwells there heaven is, we shall then continue to be in heaven while we are on the new earth. For heaven and earth will then no longer be separated, as they are now, but will be one (see Revelation 21:1-3). But to leave the new earth out of consideration when we think of the final state of believers is greatly to impoverish biblical teaching about the life to come. Anthony A. Hoekema, The Bible and the Future
