The Bible begins with the generations of the heavens and the earth; but the Christian revelation ends with the regeneration or new creation of the heavens and the earth. This is the ancient promise of God, confirmed to us by the Christian Apostles. The present elements are to be changed by fire. The old or antediluvian earth was purified by water; but the present earth is reserved for fire, with all the works of man that are upon it. It shall be converted into a lake of liquid fire. But the dead in Christ will have been regenerated in body before the old earth is regenerated by fire. The bodies of the saints will be as homogeneous with the new earth and heavens as their present bodies are with the present heavens and earth. God re-creates, regenerates, but annihilates nothing; and therefore the present earth is not to be annihilated. The best description which we can give of this regeneration, is in the words of one who had a vision of it on the island of Patmos. He describes it as far as is connected with the New Jerusalem, which is to stand upon the new earth, under the canopy of the new heaven. As the natural close of our essay on regeneration, we shall transcribe the picture of this new earth and the New Jerusalem, drawn by the direction of that Spirit to whom the future is as intelligible as the past:--

      "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth were passed away; and the sea was no more. And I, John, saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, descending from God out of heaven, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall pitch his tent among them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be among them--their God. And he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, nor grief, nor crying; nor shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." . . .

      "And he brought me in the Spirit to a great and high mountain; and he showed me the city, the holy Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God; (its lustre was like to that of a precious gem, even as a jasper stone, clear as crystal;) having a great and high wall; having also twelve gates, and over the gates twelve angels, and names written upon them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel: on the east, three gates; on the north, three gates; on the south, three gates; and on the west, three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations; and on them the names of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb. And he that spoke with me had a golden reed that he might measure the city, and its gates, and wall. And the city is square, and its length is equal to its breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs; and its length, and its breadth, and its height are equal. And he measured its wall, one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. And the wall was built of jasper, and the city was pure gold, like refined [483] glass. And the foundations of the walls of the city were adorned with every precious stone. The first foundation is jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, crysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprasus; the eleventh, hyacinth; and the twelfth, amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: each of the gates was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. And I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it; for the glory of the Lord enlightened it, and the Lamb is the light of it. And the nations of the saved shall walk in its light; and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and their honor into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut by day, (for there shall be no night there.) And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. And nothing unclean shall enter into it, nor any thing which practices abomination and falsehood; but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life." . . .

      "And he showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, issuing out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb. In the midst of the broad street, and on each side of the river, was the tree of life, producing twelve kinds of fruit--producing its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. And every curse shall cease. And the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him. And they shall see his face; and his name shall be borne upon their foreheads. And there shall be no more night; and they have no need of a lamp, nor of the light of the sun; because the Lord God shall enlighten them; and they shall reign for ever and ever."

[A. C.]      

Source:

Alexander Campbell. "Regeneration of the Heavens and the Earth." The Millennial Harbinger Extra 4 (August 1833): 377-378.

[MHA1 483-484]