Just as the heaven and earth which "were of old" (2 Peter 3:5-6) were the literal first "heaven" (the sky/atmosphere, in which the birds fly: Genesis 1:20), and the literal "earth" (the dry land) which God created in Genesis 1:7-10, and which "perished" in Noah's flood (2 Peter 3:5-6, Genesis 6:13-21), so the heaven and earth "which are now" (2 Peter 3:7), and which will perish in the future by fire instead of flood (2 Peter 3:7-12), are the earth's present atmosphere and surface. And so the new heaven and earth, which the church is still waiting for (2 Peter 3:13) -- because the new heaven and earth (Revelation 21:1) won't be made until after the never-fulfilled events of Revelation chapters 6 to 20 are over -- will be a new atmosphere and surface for the earth.
2 things here:
1)
The Material makeup of the Earths surface and atmosphere did not change after the Flood. They were the same as before.
and B)
What of Isaiah 51:16?
"And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people."
Clearly, without question, the creation of Covenant Israel constituted the creation of a type of "heaven and earth", in God's view, since material creation existed long before the Mosaic Covenant, yet God calls the establishment of that Covenant "the Planting of heaven and laying the foundation of Earth"
Israel is a type of "heaven and Earth"... we see this played out elsewhere in scripture as well:
In Leviticus 26:14-20, God warns Israel that she must listen and obey Him in the commandments that He has given them. God uses various terms and expressions in describing what it will be like if they despise His statutes, but notice particularly verse 19:
"and I will break the pride of your power, and I will make
your heaven as iron, and
your earth as brass."
Notice how the character of Israel's disposition in God's view is personalized, "
your heaven" and "
your earth." So the terms "heaven" and "earth" belong or relate to Israel, they evidently constitute a "heaven" and "earth."
Who is God speaking to in Isaiah 1:1-2, "
Hear, O
heavens, and give ear, O
earth." The physical creation? No, he is speaking to
Israel. And who is the witness in Deuteronomy 4:26, "I call
heaven and earth to witness against you this day"? Physical creation or Old Covenant Israel?
This idea is seen more clearly as we look at other passages where mention is made of the destruction of a state and government using language which seems to set forth the end of the world, as the collapse of heaven and earth. In Isaiah 13:1-13, this is not an oracle against the universe or world, but against the nation of Babylon. Notice verse 13, "Therefore I will shake the
heavens, And the
earth will move out of her place."
Now remember, he is speaking about the destruction of
Babylon, but it sounds like
world wide destruction. The terminology of a context cannot be expanded beyond the scope of the subject under discussion. The spectrum of language surely cannot go outside the land of Babylon. If you were a Babylonian and Babylon was destroyed would it seem like the world was destroyed? Yes! Your world would be destroyed.
This is an historical event that took place in 539 BC. When the Medes destroyed Babylon (Isaiah 13:17), the Babylonian world came to an end. This destruction is said in verse 6 to be from the Almighty, and the Medes constitute the means that God uses to accomplish this task. The physical heaven and earth were still in tact, but for Babylon they had collapsed. This is apocalyptic language. This is the way the scripture discusses the fall of a nation. This is obviously figurative language.
In Isaiah 24-27 we see the invasion of Israel by Nebuchadnezzar. He carries them away to captivity. Notice the language that he uses in Isaiah 24:3-6 and Isaiah 24:19-20. What I want you to see in these verses is how God refers to Israel as the
earth. He says the earth is "utterly broken down, the
earth is clean dissolved, the
earth is moved exceedingly...the
earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again" (Verses 1,3,4,19,20).
Notice how many times God referred to
Israel as the "
earth." This is apocalyptic language speaking of the destruction of the people of Israel.
In Isaiah 34:3-5, we have a description of the fall of Edom, notice the language that is used. "...and
the mountains shall be melted with their blood. And all the host of
heaven shall be dissolved, and the
heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down...For my sword shall be
bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment." This is Biblical language to describe the fall of a nation. It should be clear that it is not to be taken literally.
In Nahum 1:1-5, the subject of this judgment is
Nineveh, not the physical world. "The burden of Nineveh...the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and
the clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers...The
mountains quake at him, and the
hills melt, and
the earth is burned at his presence, yea,
the world, and all that dwell therein." This is the way God describes the fall of a nation.
If this language describes the judgment of God on nations, why, when we come to the New Testament, do we make it be the destruction of the universe? It is only because we do not understand how the scripture uses this apocalyptic language.
A further proof that "heaven and earth" refers to the covenants are the following verses. Everyone agrees that Hebrews 8:13 is speaking of the change from the old covenant to the new covenant. Now, compare the wording of this verse with two others. The wording is almost identical, except the term "covenant" is replaced with the terms "heaven and earth".
Hebrews 8:13, "In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away."
Hebrews 1:10-11, "And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;"
Isaiah 51:6, "Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment,"
Also, the term "heaven and earth" can be seen to refer to the religious and civil state of Israel in Revelation 12:1-5, which speaks about the birth of Jesus Christ in literal Israel.
Revelation 12:1-5: "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven (religious state of Israel); a woman (Mary)
and upon her head a crown of twelve stars (referring to the twelve tribes of Israel): And she being with child (Jesus) cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon
And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth (civil state of Israel): and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born (in Matthew 2:16, the civil government tried to slay baby Jesus). And she brought forth a man child (Jesus Christ), who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne (the ascension in Acts 1:2)."
A good verse to see that the New Heaven and Earth refers to the New Jerusalem (implying the Old Heaven and Earth refers to the Old Jerusalem) is by comparing these two verses:
Isaiah 65:17, "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth:"
Now, just substitute the word "Jerusalem" where "heaven and earth" appear!!
Isaiah 65:18, "...for, behold, I create Jerusalem."
Therefore, the New Jerusalem (Revelation 3:12; 21:2) is synonymous with the New Heaven and Earth!