Word I

“«And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. And I, John, saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven, saying: behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them; they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God, and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall be no more death; neither shall there be any more sorrow, nor crying, nor pain; for the former things have passed away. And He who sat upon the throne declared: behold, I make all things new. And He says to me: write, for these words are true and faithful. And He said to me: it is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end; to him who thirsts I will give freely of the fountain of the water of life; he who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be My son»” (Apok 21:1-7).

I greet you, brothers and sisters, with an unusual, new greeting: with a new heaven and a new earth. Do not be surprised, and do not say it is too soon to be greeted with what does not yet exist. For the word of God is true, and John the Seer proclaims the new heaven and the new earth as things already present; for the former heaven and the former earth have passed away; and there is no longer any sea (Apok 21:1). Heaven and earth shall pass away, says the Lord, but My words shall not pass away (Mt 24:35). Look how the world draws near its end; see what is being done in the world: unbelief everywhere, insult offered everywhere to the infinite, all-good Being; blasphemy against the Creator everywhere, everywhere brazen doubt and unbelief, disobedience; everywhere in the world armaments and threats of war; in many places in Russia and other lands, bitter famine; everywhere threats of death, everywhere murders, everywhere plunder of the treasury and of private property; everywhere the loss of any striving toward high, spiritual interests, for almost the whole educated world has lost faith in the immortality of the soul and its eternal ideals, or the striving toward God-like perfection, of which the Lord says: be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect (Mt 5:48); everywhere but one striving—to satisfy the animal passions; greed for gain and for enrichment by rapacious means; rampant drunkenness, disrespect for the bonds of marriage. Look and judge for yourselves: the world has finally rotted through and stands in need of a decisive renewal, as it once did through the universal flood.

The last times have come, of which the Apostle Peter says: there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying: where is the promise of His coming? (that is, as though there would be no coming of God at all). For since the fathers began to die, from the beginning of creation, all things continue as they were. Those who think this way do not know,—the same Apostle continues, — that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water: by which the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. But the heavens and the earth that now are, kept in store by the same word, are reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But of this one thing be not ignorant, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the burning elements shall melt. Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth, wherein righteousness dwells. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you may be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and account the longsuffering of our Lord as salvation. Wherefore, beloved, seeing you know these things before, take heed lest you be led away with the error of the wicked and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and to the everlasting day. Amen. (2Pet 3:1-18).