In this eighth installment of the *Heaven* series, Garrett Bookout tackles the common theological question of whether the physical planet earth will be completely annihilated at the end of time. Reviewing the timeline of the series, Bookout reminds the class that just as our future resurrected bodies will be tangibly physical rather than ghostly or ethereal, our eternal destination will also be physical.

By analyzing the terminology of "destruction" and "newness" across Isaiah 65–66, 2 Peter 3, and Revelation 21, Bookout argues that "destruction" in the New Testament often means a radical, cleansing transformation rather than absolute annihilation into nothingness. He contrasts the original pre-Flood world with the post-Flood world to illustrate how a realm can "perish" and yet structurally remain the same planet. The class concludes with a look at Revelation 21, illustrating that eternity consists not of humans floating up to a disembodied heaven, but of God descending to dwell with humanity on a universally restored, uncursed earth.

Garrett Bookout delivers a meticulously structured textual study designed to reshape the traditional view of heaven as a disembodied, cloud-bound existence. He begins by reviewing the structural bookends of the New Testament—specifically the ascension of Jesus in Acts 1 and Peter’s subsequent temple sermon in Acts 3—re-establishing that Christ must remain in heaven until the promised era of a "universal restoration."

The absolute core of the class is spent unpacking the Greek word *Apolumi* (perished/destroyed) within 2 Peter 3. Bookout uses a custom visual chart to demonstrate that *Apolumi* occurs 90 times in the New Testament, frequently implying structural ruin, death, or being "lost," rather than total vaporization. He highlights Peter’s deliberate distinction between three unique worlds:

1. The original world created out of water that "perished" via the global Flood.
2. The current world that now exists, which is stored up to face a similar purging via fire.
3. The future "New Heavens and New Earth" where righteousness permanently dwells.

Bookout applies this linguistic rule to the Hebrew word *Hadash* in Isaiah and the Greek word *Kainos* in Revelation 21. He stresses that when God declares, *"Behold, I am making all things new,"* the syntax explicitly dictates making existing things new in quality, rather than creating "all new things" from scratch. The ultimate hope presented is a restored physical reality featuring homes, community, and face-to-face fellowship with God, completely wiped clean of sickness, decay, and the Genesis 3 curse.

I. Introduction & Series Review
* **Re-anchoring the Timeline:** Reviewing the first half of the quarter (*"What will we be?"*) which concluded that resurrected bodies will be restored, immortal flesh, rather than disembodied spirits.
* **The Parallel of Place:** Setting up the premise of the second half of the quarter (*"Where will we be?"*): our eternal home will match our resurrected bodies—a restored, tangible reality.
* **Reviewing Acts 1 & 3:** * Re-examining the angels' promise in Acts 1:11 that Jesus will return to the earth in the exact same physical manner in which he left it.
* Re-evaluating Peter's declaration in Acts 3:21 that Christ remains in heaven specifically until the time of a "universal restoration of all things."

II. The "New Heavens and New Earth" in the Old Testament (Isaiah 65–66)
* **Historical Context of Isaiah:** Written 700 years before Christ during the threat of Babylonian captivity; designed to comfort Israel with a promise of eventual homecoming.
* **Linguistic Breakdown of *Hadash*:** Exploring the Hebrew word for "new" (*Hadash*) in Isaiah 65:17, which carries the connotation of being "fresh" or "renewed."
* **The Harmony of Isaiah & Revelation:** Pointing out that Isaiah’s description of the New Jerusalem features the immediate cessation of weeping, distress, and premature death, matching John's vision in Revelation.
* **Jesus' Interpretation of Isaiah 66:** Proving the apocalyptic, end-times nature of Isaiah's final chapters by showing how Jesus directly quotes Isaiah 66:24 (*"where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched"*) in Mark 9 to define hell.

III. Textual Analysis of 2 Peter 3: The Three Worlds
* **Confronting the Scoffers:** Exposing the dark motives of last-days mockers who claim creation never changes, using that theology to justify living out their own sinful desires.
* **World 1: The World That Then Existed:** Explaining Peter's argument that the original world created out of water "perished" (*Apolumi*) during Noah's Flood.
* **The Definition of *Apolumi*:** Utilizing a data chart of the word's 90 New Testament occurrences to prove that "perishing" denotes being ruined, altered, or structurally broken, not vaporized into non-existence.
* **World 2: The World That Now Exists:** Noting that our current planet is the second iteration, currently being stored up to be purged by fire on the Day of Judgment.
* **World 3: The Promised World to Come:** Examining 2 Peter 3:13; Christians are actively waiting for a third world—a New Heaven and New Earth where righteousness dwells.

IV. The Macro-Restoration of Revelation 21
* **The True Purpose of Revelation:** Correcting the misconception that Revelation is an end-times timeline; it is an apocalyptic comfort letter to suffering 1st-century Christians that fast-forwards to the final victory at its conclusion.
* **The Direction of Eternity:** Highlighting that John does not see humans floating upward into space; he sees the New Jerusalem *descending down* out of heaven to rest upon the new earth.
* **The Inversion of Dwelling:** Emphasizing the cosmic shift in Revelation 21:3: eternity is defined not by man dwelling where God is, but by God coming down to permanently dwell where man is.
* **All Things New vs. All New Things:** Previewing the linguistic properties of the Greek word *Kainos* (new in quality) to show that God restores his broken creation rather than discarding it.

V. Conclusion & Closing Prayer
* **Final Summary:** The earth will experience a destructive, fiery cleansing that completely eradicates the curse of sin, acting as the ultimate stage for a physical, perfect eternity.
* **Closing Prayer:** Praying for clarity of mind, scriptural understanding, and eternal hope for the congregation.