“we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Pet 3:13, NKJV)
In the fulfilling of the Scripture from 2 Pet 3:10-12, which is traditionally used to explain the end of the world through fire – we need to now get to the last verse in this pericope, which we have quoted at the beginning of this teaching. If one then has to speak about the passing of the first heaven and the first earth (Rev 21:1), we have to know what exactly is meant by it.
The previous teaching discussed Satan falling from heaven, and which explained how it points to the reign of the followers of Jesus who practice his authority in reconciling all things in heaven with all things on earth, “the complete restoration of all” (Acts 3:11, Ampl). Jesus sits at the right hand of God, says Heb 10:13, ”from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool”. This process is also part of releasing His followers who can send fire to earth (Luke 12:49), servants who become flames of fire (Heb 1:7). Rev 11:15 does after all promise – “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ …”
Rev 21 is the chapter in the Bible about the Bride of Christ’s manifestation on earth. When John receives this “revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev 1:1), it is obviously especially a revelation of “Jesus the Christ” (Matt 16:20; John 20:31; Acts 5:42; 9:22; 18:5 & 28; 1 John 2:22; 5:1). When we then read the history of the symbolic battle between the Woman (= Church) and the Dragon (= Satan), in Rev 12, and how he tries to destroy her Man-child (= the Bride), it is not something which lies in either the past nor in the distant future – it is a description of the process which started when Jesus received all power in heaven and on earth (Matt 28:18) through his crucifixion, and through being raised from the dead (Phil 2:8-11).
In this cosmic-allegorical story Rev 12:20 spells out the process of how the kingdoms of the earth that are under Satan’s control (1 John 5:19) can be made to be kingdoms of God, in very clear terms: “Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.’”
Rev 21:1-3 explains to us the spiritual concept of the Bride. Take note of how the chapter begins: “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.’” Notice a few core elements surrounding the Bride’s manifestation on earth:
- The first heaven and earth needs to pass away. From previous teachings we now understand that this is not a concrete heaven and earth, but that the “old creation” which had been corrupted by the Fall (Rom 5:12), has to be made to a “new creation” (2 Cor 5:17). Jesus’ promises this in Rom 21:5: “Behold, I make all things” He does this by testing it through his characteristic nature of Fire.
- The ocean is the most consistent symbol of the unrighteousness which covers the world (Isa 57:20; Rev 17:15). We do however know that the Scripture prophesies in Hab 2:14 – “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea,” and that this will happen through the distribution (by fire) of the gospel of glory (2 Cor 4:4). In the Old Testament prophecy of Amos 7:4 it is already predicted: “Thus the Lord GOD showed me: Behold, the Lord GOD called for conflict by fire, and it consumed the great deep and devoured the territory”!
- Like there is a new heaven and a new earth, there is also a new The Old Jerusalem has also passed – even though the city may still exist today! This is clearly a spiritual Jerusalem, as it descends from heaven to earth. This city is no longer one of physical stones, cement and streets, but rather a grouping of people that is depicted as a city, of living stones (1 Pet 2:5)! Therefore this revelation of who Jesus the Christ is, is shown to John – “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God …” (Rev 21:9b-10). The Bride of Christ is the building construct of God (1 Cor 3:9).
- 21:3 “And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” This tabernacle is no longer a temporary place to pitch a tent, no – it is a Person, and his Name is Yeshua. And although He still reigns with God in the spiritual realm, He dresses His Bride with power from on high (Acts 1:8) to make his enemies his footstool. We concluded the previous teaching with the ark of the covenant which was no longer in the Jewish temple when it was destroyed, but which is now in “the temple of God in heaven” (Rev 11:19). The fulness of the temple, Jesus and his Christ, descend and bring forth the Bride. Then 2 Cor 5:1-2 makes perfect sense: “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven …” Although Paul here speaks in the context of mortality which needs to be clothed with immortality, and clearly points to the mortality of the physical man, there is an alternative process through which the authority of the spiritual man is established: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory …” (2 Cor 4:16-17).
- Take note – the Bride, the New Jerusalem, reigns on earth. It is the unbelievers and ungodly who will be removed, not the believers who will be raptured! Dan 7:27a makes it very clear: “Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.” And read Rev 5:10 along with this – “And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.”
It is very interesting to see how Isa 26:1-9 is a prophetic pendant of this new Testament reality. Verse 1-2 begins with: “In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
We have a strong city; God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks. Open the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in.” Remember that Judah can be read typologically as something which points to the Bride of Christ. Here the corporate Bride can similarly be seen as a city which is built (also see Ps 147:2 – “The LORD builds up Jerusalem …” The nation who were called to enter, are righteous (in the Amplified: “the uncompromisingly righteous”). This is repeated twice in verse 7, and again highlighted: “The way of the just is uprightness; o Most Upright, You weigh the path of the just.” And then in verses 8-9 this great truth is spelled out: “Yes, in the way of Your judgments, o LORD, we have waited for You; the desire of our soul is for Your name and for the remembrance of You. With my soul I have desired You in the night, yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; for when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.”
All who are called to reign as part of the Bride, MUST move from disobedience to the attitude of the righteous (Luke 1:17). If the judgment of God and fire of God starts with the house of God (1 Pet 4:17), the rest of the world’s inhabitants will learn righteousness. Selah.
See how beautifully this then bring us to the Scripture we’ve been discussing, 2 Pet 3:13 – “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”
We know that Jesus is our Righteousness (1 Cor 1:30), but according to 2 Cor 5:21 we MUST “become the righteousness of God in Him”. Remember the assignment which the Old Covenant presented the impetus of the entire New Covenant: “He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness.” (Mal 3:3).
The word righteousness means “right standing with God”. But according to Renn’s Expository Dictionary of Bible Words it also means “the state of being acceptable to God in every way”, to literally look like God, or be restored in God’s image. Jesus is after all the Priestly king of Melchizedek (Heb 7:2), which in its root meaning points to Righteousness. Unfortunately most believers are “unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe” (Heb 5:13). We need the Holy Spirit to convince us what righteousness really is (John 16:8-9).
In Dan 9:24, in the time line which maps out how the Anointed will be established, there are two elements that are mentioned which will happen to Christ – “To make reconciliation for iniquity”, and “to bring in everlasting righteousness”. It is not strange that when Jesus announced the kingdom of God in Matt 6:33, He did so categorically: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” It is not only the kingdom which needs to be sought, but also the righteousness of God, because “the kingdom of God is … righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17).
The whole book of Romans explains the scope of the term righteousness, but it is important to remember that it is always dependent on faith. (The first time the word is found in the Bible, it is about Abraham’s faith, which was accounted to him for righteousness – Gen 15:6. Also see Rom 4:22 and Gal 3:6.) Righteousness is a seed which is planted in a person who believes (2 Cor 9:10) and THUS we become “the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph 4:24). Take note: true righteousness recreates us in the Image of God, that which we had lost in the garden of Eden! Col 3:10 states it as follows: “and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.” Please ponder this truth.
For this reason Rom 10:6-8 is so important: “But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach).” The word word in these verses is in both cases the word rhema, your unique identity in Christ, you who have been restored in the Image of God. It is at the same time also a restoration “of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Cor 4:4)! Selah.
2 Pet 3:13’s “new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells”, is YOU.
- Selah: Prayerfully contemplate 2 Cor 4:4.
- Read: Matt 4-12
- Examine the OT-typology: Matt 4:4 (Tip: Deut 8:3)
