Children in the New Heaven and New Earth

I was surprised when reading Isaiah to see children in the new heaven and new earth.

I had been brought up hearing pseudo-Roman Catholic theology. So, I always assumed the eternal state was super-spiritual and lacked physicality. For years, I have been coming to grips with the idea of resurrected bodies and a new earth to live on. A return to Eden.


To show my research. I first go to Isaiah 11. Predation by animals has ended, which would seem to indicate the new earth, not the millennial reign. This passage shows that there will be nursing children in the new earth in verse 8, because the language used does not appear figurative. Otherwise, we may assume that the end of predation by animals is figurative language. Verse 6 also mentions children leading animals. This could be argued to be figurative, but when combined with verse 8 it does not appear so.

Isaiah 11:6-9
And the wolf will dwell with the lamb,
And the leopard will lie down with the young goat,
And the calf and the young lion [a]and the fatling together;
And a little boy will lead them.
7 Also the cow and the bear will graze,
Their young will lie down together,
And the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra,
And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.
9 They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah 60 is clearly the eternal state for God is our light, as mentioned in Revelation. The interesting thing is the promise in verse 22. Children appear to be born for we are promised that the least will produce a clan and a mighty nation.

Isaiah 60:19-22
“No longer will you have the sun for light by day,
Nor for brightness will the moon give you light;
But you will have the Lord for an everlasting light,
And your God for your [g]glory.
20 “Your sun will no longer set,
Nor will your moon wane;
For you will have the Lord for an everlasting light,
And the days of your mourning will be over.
21 “Then all your people will be righteous;
They will possess the land forever,
The branch of [h]My planting,
The work of My hands,
That I may be glorified.
22 “The smallest one will become a clan,
And the least one a mighty nation.
I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time.”

This passage identifies itself as referring to the new heaven and new earth. In verse 23 we are told we will not labor in vain, since work, but not toil, still exists in eternity as it did for Adam in Eden. Then, we are told we will not bear children for calamity, and this is not figurative looking at the rest of the verse. We are told our offspring and descendants will be blessed as an explanation of no children being born for calamity. Again, we are told predation ends, and this is clearly in the eternal state because this passage speaks of the new heaven and new earth.

Isaiah 65:17-18; 23-25
“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former things will not be remembered or come to [n]mind.
18 “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;
For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing
And her people for gladness...
23 ...“They will not labor in vain,
Or bear children for calamity;
For they are the offspring of those blessed by the Lord,
And their descendants with them.
24 It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain,” says the Lord.

Most interestingly, marriage is not discussed, since of course it ends at the resurrection (Matthew 22:30). That leaves the quandary of where the children are coming from. Theories could be offered, but given the design in Eden, and the return to Eden in the eternal state, it appears something far greater than marriage on earth may await us. Something not marred by sin.

What are your thoughts?

 

Great observation. I finally notice something, though. Verse 19 of Isaiah 65 states that there will be no weeping or crying. So, how could there be death in this description of the redeemed world? Thinking about it, how would the Hebrews interpret this in that context?

Is verse 20 possibly using wordplay to indicate the things it mentions will not exist? Also, verse 22 says our lifetime will be as a tree...what would that mean to the Hebrews back then? Rather than being descriptive of actual realities in the new heaven and new earth, such as aging and death. Could it be using veiled points referencing examples of things that won't ultimately be in the eternal state? The death of youths, dying of old age, and being accursed by premature death. The true reality being something that God will not fully reveal until the NT church?

19I will rejoice in Jerusalem
and take delight in My people.
The sounds of weeping and crying
will no longer be heard in her.
20No longer will a nursing infant live but a few days,
or an old man not live out his years.
For the youth will die at a hundred years,
and he who fails to reach a hundred
will be considered accursed.21They will build houses and dwell in them;
they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22No longer will they build houses for others to inhabit,
nor plant for others to eat.
For as is the lifetime of a tree,
so will be the days of My people,
and My chosen ones will fully enjoy
the work of their hands.

 

I forgot to reply to you directly. I work through your excellent point in post #3.

 

Why do you argue that? I'm surprised. I believe Ezekiel's temple describes the millennial kingdom, which seems distinct from these prophecies.

 

Yeah, by "that" I meant your post's contents. I get it. You have good points. I will say that Isaiah 11 could refer to the judgment upon the nations deceived by Satan and the Final Judgment before the new heaven and new earth. Verses 1 to 5 could be prologue to verse 6, on. Followed by endless peace. I want to offer that.

I guess the thing that gets me is that if you are older and have no children, not by choice, then you know that your hearts desire is to have children of your own. That's why promises like Isaiah 60:22 and Matthew 19:29 matter so much. When children are super special to you, then you take comfort in the promise of a hundredfold and making a mighty nation.