“Very perceptive. Dr. Hugh Ross asserts this is one of two arguments for inferring that in the New Creation God changes the laws of physics, as they are no longer needed for His eradication of evil. Along with the cessation of Gravity, he cites the elimination of Electromagnetism, as evidenced by God himself providing the necessary illumination (Rev.22:5: “There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.”).”
Yes. With the new heavens and new earth, ‘behold I make ALL things new’—emphasis mine. The sky’s the limit. No speed of light limitation? Fixed planets and stars? Different gravitation properties? Different material properties? Try imagining the practicality of golden streets—very soft with today’s physics.
The text implies the earth itself will be much larger. Not only is the 1400 mile cube of New Jerusalem comfortably sitting on top of a high mountain, I suspect it’s not even lopsided. Perhaps the earth is a million miles in diameter, like the sun? On our present planet with our present physics, it would quickly sink into the Earth’s mantle amid violent, cataclysmic volcanism.
Another issue is air. Those from four miles high and up would be without air. Those above a hundred miles would be in a vacuum. God doesn’t explain anything, as usual. I assume our spiritual bodies don’t need air, yet it would be nice to hear singing and music. More likely, there is air all through the cosmos.
But what do I know? Nothing. This is just stimulating speculation.
Thank you Dan for your service in creating these threads.
As always, Jeff, it is my immense pleasure.
Regarding our speculations, He is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” When Hugh’s and Kathy’s sons were young, they were encouraged to imagine freely what heaven would be like. One said, “There will be a slide from every window into the pool.”