“The New Heavens and the New Earth”

Today we will consider the prophecies regarding the New Heavens and the New Earth and see so clearly revealed that these prophecies like many others have both a near and a far fulfillment.  The prophecies regarding the New Jerusalem and the new Temple found within it are important in that they more clearly than anything else show both of these.  There are New Jerusalem prophecies that specifically mention the presence of the Temple while others expressly deny its existence.  So there are very strong reasons to believe that there are two different New Jerusalems, both of which will come down to earth from heaven.  One is at the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom and the other is after the Great Throne Judgment had finished and the New Heavens and the New Earth have been established.  Equally clear is that there is a physical temple building in the first New Jerusalem and no building at all in the second where we see that the Lamb himself is the Temple.  So the principle of both near and far fulfillment of prophecy is established.  That one can conclude the same for the prophecies regarding the New Heavens and the New Earth, of which the New Jerusalem and the Temple are but a part is a reasonable conclusion as well.  Such wonders are found in the pages of scripture!