A new heaven and new earth?

[placebofactor]

The last few verses in Revelation 20 speak of the last judgment, when the sea, death, and hell deliver up the dead, and when every man is judged according to their works. Then, those who are condemned are cast into the lake of fire. These events occur after the 1000-year reign.

Moving forward to Revelation 21, John sees the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven.

Now, 2 Peter 3:10-11 tells us, when the Lord returns, this obviously after the 1000-year reign, "The heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works (of men) that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved,"

Revelation 22:5 tells us there will be "no night there; neither light of the sun;" is the sun and moon also to be destroyed with the earth?

John in Revelation 21 tells us there will also be a new configuration of the earth, and there will be no more sea. Compare that with,
Isaiah 65:17, the LORD is speaking, "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered nor come into mind."

Question: Will the earth itself remain, and all that has been created and built by men destroyed by fire? Then will the "New Jerusalem that comes down from God rest upon the old earth?

Or will the New Jerusalem that is 1500 miles in height, 1500 miles in width, and 1500 miles in depth take the place of the old earth that no longer exists?

[Mr E]

[Replying to JehovahsWitness in post #140]

Yes, and I appreciate that. You said ...

Mr E wrote: ↑Thu Sep 24, 2026 2:29 pm
It becomes a state of disorder. Uninhabited.

and I replied...

... what I'm understanding from what you wrote that the planet remains, the seasons continue but its cycles (water cycle, perhaps weather patterns, etc) are disrupted .... and all humans are dead (or gone or transferred), leaving the planet earth empty of human (and I presume animal) life. Correct?
I just want to know if my understanding of what you said is correct, is it?

Scripture doesn't stipulate-- no survivors, so neither will I. As mentioned, there were eight survivors from the flood. Look at what was written in Isaiah concerning the devastation of the earth, where the earth is laid waste.

Behold, the LORD lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface, and scatters its inhabitants. And the people will be like the priest, the servant like his master, the maid like her mistress, the buyer like the seller, the lender like the borrower, the creditor like the debtor. The earth will be completely laid waste and completely despoiled, for the LORD has spoken this word. The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away. The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant. Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.

Uninhabited is just what it sounds like-- no inhabitants. No permanent residents. Which simply means, that if there is anyone left at all, they are scattered, left wandering a wasteland.

[JehovahsWitness]

Uninhabited is just what it sounds like-- no inhabitants. No permanent residents. Which simply means, that if there is anyone left at all, they are scattered, left wandering a wasteland.

AI Overview
"No inhabitants" means that a place has no people living in it. It is the same as saying a location is uninhabited or empty of human residents

Fair enough (you have a somewhat unconventional defintion of "uninhabitated" but now you have explained how you use the word I follow.

So, you hold that the literal planet earth will not be destroyed (and the seasons will continue) but there will be a cataclysmic event that will so devastate our literal planet earth that few people will survivors.

So far, so clear....but each time you answer you add a new element... you say, the few survivors will not be permanent residents of the earth.

No permanent residents.

So, the few survivors will live on the earth temporarily? After which they will ....? What ? die off ? be transferred off the planet? If so, won't that mean that ultimately the devastated planet end up empty of all human life in the end?

[Mr E]

[Replying to JehovahsWitness in post #142]

So far, so clear....but each time you answer you add a new element... you say, the few survivors will not be permanent residents of the earth.

Mr E wrote: ↑Fri Sep 25, 2026 6:58 am
No permanent residents.
So, the few survivors will live on the earth temporarily? After which they will ....? What ? die off ? be transferred off the planet? If so, won't that mean that ultimately the devastated planet end up empty of all human life in the end?

It seems I have to keep clarifying, because YOU keep adding new elements. I did not say that there will not be any permanent residents of the earth. You added that.

I said- "No permanent residents" and in the context of there being no "inhabitants" which I further clarified to be referring to "wanderers." Why is that not clear enough? An inhabitant is a resident of a particular place. Think in terms of the beginning, where Adam and Eve were residents, or inhabitants of the garden of God. Then, they were sent out from it, to wander east and establish themselves somewhere new. Similarly, when their son Cain killed his brother, his punishment was that he was sent to wander... "you shall be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.” The KJV says "vagabond" --A vagabond is a person who wanders from place to place without a permanent home.

[JehovahsWitness]

I said- "No permanent residents" and in the context of there being no "inhabitants" which I further clarified to be referring to "wanderers."

Okay, so if we do focus exclusively on this our literal planet earth, my understanding is you hold our literal planet earth will not be destroyed (and the seasons will continue) but there will be a cataclysmic global event that will so devastate the planet that few people will survive. These "post apocalyptic" survivors that will continue to live (and presumably reproduce) on the earth but they will be "wanderers" (meaning the planet earth will be their "permanent" home, ie the earth will never be completely empty of human life) ... but they will not have any fixed locations (meaning they will not establish fixed settlements, towns or cities... but rather they will live a nomadic lifestyle).

Is that about right? If so, that's clear enough.

[Mr E]

[Replying to JehovahsWitness in post #144]

Okay, so if we do focus exclusively on this our literal planet earth, my understanding is you hold our literal planet earth will not be destroyed (and the seasons will continue) but there will be a cataclysmic global event that will so devastate the planet that few people will survive. These "post apocalyptic" survivors that will continue to live (and presumably reproduce) on the earth but they will be "wanderers" (meaning the planet earth will be their "permanent" home, ie the earth will never be completely empty of human life) ... but they will not have any fixed locations (meaning they will not establish fixed settlements, towns or cities... but rather they will live a nomadic lifestyle).

Is that about right? If so, that's clear enough.

Maybe this is hard because of your JW mindset. You are still adding your thoughts to my words as a result. If you want to summarize what I've said-- then do so by quoting what I actually said and stop adding your own biased ideas. Again, I'm stuck clarifying what I DIDN'T say, apparently for your sole benefit. I DIDN'T say that there would be no survivors and neither did I say that scripture says there will be survivors of some cataclysmic event. Nor did I say that the earth will never be completely empty of human life. (your words) Scripture doesn't say that, and neither did I. This is the last effort I'll make to set you straight, because at this point it's either dishonest or laziness that prevents you from simply reading what I wrote-- which was:

if there is anyone left at all, they are scattered, left wandering a wasteland.

---- see how that quote thingy works?

And I DIDN'T say that they will not establish fixed settlements, towns or cities-- YOUR words, not mine. I said any survivors (if any) would wander like Adam and Eve, and Cain as examples I referenced, all of whom went on to settle elsewhere, establishing towns or cities as scripture clearly details. To become a wanderer in the aftermath of a cataclysm would not neccessitate one remaining nomadic forever.

Please try your best to read the words and call it a day without adding anything to them-- a nasty habit.

[JehovahsWitness]

.... I DIDN'T say ... did I say that scripture says there will be survivors of some cataclysmic event

ok, but I understand you believe there will be something (even if its just the natural passing of time) that results in the earth coming to a state of disorder, uninhabited possibly (that's were the "if" comes in) with some survivors.

It becomes a state of disorder. Uninhabited.
I will point you to Genesis 8:22---While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

...

if there is anyone left at all, they are scattered, left wandering a wasteland.

okay, so let me fix my summary of my understanding* of what you have written

Focussing exclusively on this our literal planet earth, my understanding is you hold our that our literal planet earth will not be destroyed (and the seasons will continue) but it will eventually come to a state of disorder, uninhabited. There may be survivors of this eventuality, (ie the earths disordered state ) but if there are any, they will continue to live (and presumably reproduce, since that's what humans generally do...) on the earth but they will be "wanderers" they will not have any fixed locations (not establish fixed settlements, towns or cities... but rather they will live a nomadic lifestyle).

* The above is not a quotation from you, it is what I take from what you have written, it is my understanding in my brain and expressed in my own words, based on conclusions I personally have made from reading our posts. I apologise if my understanding is inaccurate but that is thus far what I have taken away from our exchange. Feel free to correct any errors if you feel so inclined.

If not, have an excellent day and thank you for your patience.


Kind Regards,

JEHOVAH'S WITNESS

[OneJack]

To Mr. E and Jehovah's Witnesses:

Take note of the following verses and revelation of the Lord today, to wit:

[2Peter 3:10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Rev. 21:1. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away;and there was no more sea.

Thus saith the Lord Jesus Chrsit:

The events of Judgment will be terrifying. Everything we see in the universe will be destroyed and melt like ice. All planets, including the Earth, will explode and collapse. Nothing will remain standing, and everything will be destroyed. All creatures that have died, whether human, animal, or any living thing, will be resurrected. Those who are alive when Judgment comes will witness the terrifying fate of all. After a few seconds of resurrection, everyone will die again, including those who were brought back to life from their graves. And everyone will die! Then, all will be judged. Those who are not saved will be cast into a sea of fire, while those who are saved will be in eternal paradise, enjoying peace with God.
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The planet of Paradise will come down from heaven, but the new planet to emerge will be from the union of all exploded heavenly bodies into one planet, the planet of Hell for those who are not saved.

[OneJack]

To Mr. E and Jehovah's Witnesses:

Take note of the following verses and revelation of the Lord today, to wit:

[2Peter 3:10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Rev. 21:1. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away;and there was no more sea.

Thus saith the Lord Jesus Chrsit:

The events of Judgment will be terrifying. Everything we see in the universe will be destroyed and melt like ice. All planets, including the Earth, will explode and collapse. Nothing will remain standing, and everything will be destroyed. All creatures that have died, whether human, animal, or any living thing, will be resurrected. Those who are alive when Judgment comes will witness the terrifying fate of all. After a few seconds of resurrection, everyone will die again, including those who were brought back to life from their graves. And everyone will die! Then, all will be judged. Those who are not saved will be cast into a sea of fire, while those who are saved will be in eternal paradise, enjoying peace with God.
[/color]

The planet of Paradise will come down from heaven, but the new planet to emerge will be from the union of all exploded heavenly bodies into one planet, the planet of Hell for those who are not saved.

[RBD]

I don't care about JW [teaching about] man's immortality on this earth.

Jehovah's Witnesses do not teach that man (humans) will have immortality on this earth. We teach that humans were created to live forever on this our planet earth and that since that was God's original purpose that is what must eventually come to be.

JW's don't preach 'Adam's Hope'?

So, unless you're doing double speak, you guys beleive mortal people will iinhabit this immortal planet...

In any case, both resurrected immortal saints and natural nations will live in the New Jerusalem and inhabit the eternal new earth forever.

The natural nations can also live immortally, as Adam and Eve were at one time by eating of the tree of life, so long as they are obedient to God and Lamb. The transgressors will not be allowed into the city of God to eat of the leaves of the tree, except they repent.

But, all that said, there has to be some big reason for inisisting this must be the earth to live on. So long as Im walking with the Lord and He is there, then it doesn't matter if he wants to do so on this earth, or the new one as He's promised.

[JehovahsWitness]

Jehovah's Witnesses do not teach that man (humans) will have immortality on this earth. We teach that humans were created to live forever on this our planet earth and that since that was God's original purpose that is what must eventually come to be.

JW's don't preach 'Adam's Hope'?

I don't know what you mean by "Adam's hope" it is not a term we use and I would not like to guess as to your meaning.

IMMORTALITY means "not subject to death" (ie that will CANNOT die because its life is self perpetuating , not dependent on anything or anyone"). Since humans will forever be dependent on God as the source of life and subject to death (if they fall from a great height or are deprived of oxygen, food or water for a period of time or violate God's moral code...) they can never be considered immortal .

That doesn't however mean that God cannot maintain the conditions needed for them to live forever. So when we say, Jehovah will grant certain humans "everlasting life" we mean God will guarantee for them the conditions they need to live forever. We do not mean grant them "immortality".