How does 2 Peter 3:13 connect with Revelation 21:1-4? The Promise Restated: 2 Peter 3:13 “But in keeping with His promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.” Seeing the Fulfillment: Revelation 21:1-4 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.’” Threads That Tie Them Together • Same sweep of language—“a new heaven and a new earth” appears verbatim in both texts, echoing Isaiah 65:17; 66:22. • Promise vs. performance—2 Peter looks ahead; Revelation shows the promise realized. • Righteousness dwells—Peter highlights the moral atmosphere; John shows how God’s immediate presence guarantees that righteousness. • Passing away of the old—2 Peter 3:10-12 describes the dissolution; Revelation 21:1 states the first creation has “passed away.” • Removal of sorrow—Peter stresses righteousness; John supplies the emotional result: no death, mourning, crying, or pain. • God with His people—implicit in Peter (righteousness implies God’s rule) and explicit in Revelation (“He will dwell with them”). • Certainty grounded in God’s character—Peter calls it “His promise”; Revelation records the throne-voice affirming its completion (21:5-6). Living in Light of the Coming Reality • Hope shapes holiness (2 Peter 3:11)—because this world will be replaced, believers pursue “holy and godly lives.” • Endurance in suffering—knowing tears will be wiped away (Revelation 21:4) sustains perseverance (Romans 8:18-25). • Evangelistic urgency—the coming renewal highlights the need for all to be found “at peace with Him” (2 Peter 3:14). • Stewardship without idolatry—creation is good but transient; believers care for it yet set hearts on the permanent city (Hebrews 13:14). Supporting Passages to Meditate On • Isaiah 65:17—promise of new heavens and earth. • Romans 8:19-23—creation’s longing for liberation. • Hebrews 12:26-28—kingdom that cannot be shaken. • Revelation 22:1-5—the full picture of life in the renewed world. |
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