Question from a reader:

Will there be different time periods, with different cultures throughout Earth’s history, on the New Earth? Or will we all start over in the garden of Eden? Will people in our era go back to wearing robes and sandals? If modern man went back in time, wouldn’t that be disappointing? And if people from hundreds or even thousands of years ago started eternity in our time period, wouldn’t that be shocking?

Answer from Stephanie Anderson, EPM staff:

That’s a fascinating question to ponder. Randy has said this about technology on the New Earth:

“Some people expect the New Earth to be a return to Eden, with no technology or the accomplishments of civilization. But that doesn’t fit the biblical picture of the great city, the New Jerusalem. Nor is it logical. Would we expect on the New Earth a literal reinvention of the wheel?”

And: “Even under the Curse, we’ve been able to explore the moon, and we have the technology to land on Mars. What will we be able to accomplish for God’s glory when we have resurrected minds, unlimited resources, complete scientific coopera­tion, and no more death?”

Randy also writes this about different cultures on the New Earth (which could, perhaps, include different time periods):

In the sweeping breadth of his redemptive work, I believe that God will resurrect not only modern nations but also ancient ones, including, for instance, Babylon and Rome. I think it’s likely we’ll not merely meet the redeemed people of ancient civilizations but also walk among redeemed civilizations. Are ancient Assyrians, Sumerians, Phoenicians, Babylonians, and Greeks among God’s redeemed? We know they are, for no nation, past or present, is excluded from “every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 7:9). In Heaven, God has determined to have representatives from every tribe, people group, and culture.

Because Scripture explicitly tells us that resurrected nations will be part of the New Earth, I think there’s every reason to believe we’ll see a resurrected Egypt, Rome, India, and China, as well as resurrected cultures of every part of ancient Africa, South America, North America, Australia, Asia, and Europe, including small cultures about which we presently know very little.

About clothing, he’s written, “At the time of Jesus’s return to Earth, people are already described as wearing clothes—white robes that show purity, thanks to Jesus (Revelation 3:4; 6:11). Even the risen Jesus is described as wearing a robe in Heaven. So it appears we’ll wear clothes—not because there will be shame or temptation, but maybe because they will improve our appearance and comfort. Wearing robes might seem kind of funny to us, unless we’re in a Christmas play. But to first-century people, anything but robes would seem strange, because that’s what they wore most of the time. So that’s probably what they’ll wear in Heaven. We can imagine ourselves dressed in Heaven the way people in our culture dress on Earth. Does that mean some people will wear jeans and T-shirts, while others will wear dressier clothes? Why not? Just as we wear different clothes for different occasions here, we may do the same on the New Earth.”

For sure, no one will be disappointed with life on the New Earth! It will be wonderful to find out just what God has in store for us.

Photo: Unsplash