Journal: Reformed Presbyterian Theological Journal
Volume: RPTJ 11:1 (Fall 2024)
Article: John Owen On The New Heavens And The New Earth: To The Eschaton And Beyond!
Author: Barry J. York

RPTJ 11:1 (Fall 2024) p. 20

John Owen On The New Heavens And The New Earth: To The Eschaton And Beyond!

Barry J. York

President and Professor of Pastoral Theology and Homiletics
Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Introduction

It goes without saying that there is little that connects John Owen—often called the greatest British theologian of all time—and Buzz Lightyear. Yet, hear me out. When the Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear activates and declares boldly, “To infinity and beyond!”, we all know that an adventure is about to take place. We typically do not scrutinize his motto; we just go with it. Yet the mathematician in me kicks in when I hear it. For, how can you even go to infinity? Then, if you miraculously did reach infinity, how do you go beyond it? It’s a nonsensical statement. It truly is cartoonish.

Sadly, Biblical concept of immense importance can also get tossed around without understanding its true meaning. One such concept is the “new heavens and the new earth,” found in Isaiah, Peter, and Revelation.1 In preaching these books over the years, I wrestled with the sense of what this phrase was truly communicating. I found that schools of interpretation regarding the new heavens and the new earth, as we will see briefly, can make this concept confusing and nonsensical. John Owen provides us not only with crystalline exegesis to help us understand the new heavens and the new earth, but in the process provides us with a beautiful eschatology of creation—what the created order redeemed by Christ is headed toward.

Though “To infinity and beyond!” is just a childish motto, Owen would teach us to say, “To the eschaton and beyond!” with a depth of meaning expressed in great faith and expectation.

John Owen To The Rescue In Clarifying Terminology

In Isaiah 65:17–19, we read the Lord declaring the following:

¹⁷ For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.
¹⁸ But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;
For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing,
And her people a joy.
¹⁹ I will rejoice in Jerusalem,

RPTJ 11:1 (Fall 2024) p. 21

And joy in My people;
The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her,
Nor the voice of crying (NKJV).

“I create new heavens and a new earth.” What are the new heavens and new earth the Lord is creating? Different schools of interpretation seek to answer that question.

The ancient Jews thought th...