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NEW HEAVENS AND NEW EARTH (ISAIAH 65:17-25)

REFLECTION

New heavens and new earth is the theme for our reflection. New heavens and new earth is a figurative language for the restoration or recreation of a society by God. Israel had returned from exile in Babylon as a result of their disobedience. They needed hope and an assurance of God’s sovereignty and glory in their affairs as a nation. The prophet delivers the prophetic message of hope and restoration to assure Israel that God has not forsaken them. In other words, if they turn to God, He will re-establish His covenant relationship with them and they will experience new heavens and new earth as a people called or set apart by God. It is important to note that, with genuine repentance and desire to have a covenant relationship with God a nation, society or family shall also experience restoration in the form of new heavens and earth.

Isaiah identifies four essential features of God’s restoration in the form of new heavens and earth in the lives of repentant people who seek holistic restoration. These four features are:

1. Joy. Indeed, sin creates a universe of guilt and separation from God. Israel had experienced exile, oppression, separation and hardship as a result of sin or disobedience but in the new heavens and earth experience God promises through Prophet Isaiah that there will “be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress.” (Isaiah 65:18-19). We will also remember that when the prodigal son disobeyed the father he experienced hardship or suffering but immediately he repented and returned home to the father he once again experienced joy and gladness. (Luke 15:11-32). Let us repent and return to Jesus for in Him God has created a new heaven and earth of joy and gladness for our benefit here on earth and the everlasting life.
2. Longevity of life and Prosperity. Another important feature of the new heavens and earth blessings and experience God promises the Israelites is long life and property on their own land. It is God’s desire for His children to be prosperous and live long to enjoy the fruits of their labour. Again, it is every human being’s hope and prayer to live as long as it is possible to enjoy the gains of his or her toil and to see his or her children grow to become blessings in society. It is for this reason God assures the Israelites that in the new heavens and earth experience, “No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed. They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the LORD, and their descendants with them.” (Isaiah 65:20-23). Dear friend we are not immune to death and poverty but God promises long life and prosperity for those who through repentance and faithfulness will experience restoration.
3. God will listen to our prayers. Life can be very frustrating if our prayers go unanswered by God. Truly, unrepentance makes it impossible for our prayers to be answered but God assures us through His promise to the Israelites in the new heavens and earth experience that “Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. (Isaiah 65:24) It is refreshing and empowering to know that anytime we pray as believers and disciples of Jesus, God already knows our heart desires and hears our prayer. Beloved in the Lord, why won’t you remain or become a citizen of the restoration or the new heavens and earth we find ourselves in as a result of our faith and salvation in Jesus Christ?
4. Peace. Another remarkable feature of the new heavens and earth reality or experience God promises the Israelites is peace. Peace in this context should be understood as the total well-being, safety and cordial relationship among people and other creatures. No one will live in fear or feel insecure because we shall live at peace with one another devoid of any malice, mischief or sinister intentions against one another. “The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,”
   says the LORD.” (Isaiah 65:25) Ordinarily, wolf, lion and serpent are predators that feed on lamb and ox as prey, metaphorically, this means that enemies and people of unequal classes and power shall leave peaceably in the society. There will be total trust and harmony among neighbours, family and church members. This is the kind of society, nation and church we pray for even as we yearn to experience the new heavens and earth.

In summary beloved in the Lord, God has promised an experience of new heavens and earth to those who will be obedient and have a covenant relationship with Him. In these existential new heavens and earth, we shall experience joy and gladness, the longevity of life and prosperity, our prayers will be answered and last but not least, peace shall prevail among God’s people. May we live a transformed life to continually be beneficiaries of God’s new heavens and new earth.

PRAYER

Almighty God, deliver us from sin, restore us and make us beneficiaries of the new heavens and earth. Amen.

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