Former Things, Things of Old, and a New Thing

In this word, God tells us not to remember “the former things” and not to consider “the things of old,” because He will do “a new thing.” In other words, the former things and the things of old must be completely distinguished from the new thing. If the former things and the things of old are not clearly distinguished from the new thing, then it cannot be called “new” at all.

Therefore, through the prophet Isaiah, God again clearly distinguished “the new” from “the former,” saying that He would create new heavens and a new earth, and that the former things would not be remembered or come into mind.

Isaiah 65:17 “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”

We can see that this prophetic word is fulfilled in the following word.

Revelation 21:1, 4 “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more. 4And he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away.”

Thus, “the new” and “the first things” — the former things, the old things — must be clearly distinguished. In other words, they cannot be mixed together. Jesus spoke of this in a parable as follows:

Mark 2:21-22 “21No man seweth a piece of undressed cloth on an old garment: else that which should fill it up taketh from it, the new from the old, and a worse rent is made. 22And no man putteth new wine into old wine-skins; else the wine will burst the skins, and the wine perisheth, and the skins: but they put new wine into fresh wine-skins.”

Therefore, from then on, people could live according to “the gospel,” not according to “the law.”

Hebrews 9:9-10 “9Which (=Heb. 9:6 the first tabernacle) is a figure for the time present; according to which are offered both gifts and sacrifices that cannot, as touching the conscience, make the worshipper perfect, 10being only, with meats and drinks and divers washings, carnal ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation.”

Hebrews 10:1, 9 “1For the law having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect them that draw nigh. 9then hath he said, Lo, I am come to do thy will. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.”

As these words testify, “the law” is the first, entrusted only until the time of reformation. Therefore, it is only natural that people should follow the good things to come, that is, “the second,” the gospel, which is the word of Jesus. This is precisely the new thing of God that God promised through the prophet Isaiah. Therefore, those who believe and follow the gospel, that is, those who are in Christ Jesus, can be called “a new creature” and “new.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new.”

Therefore, those who have become new creatures in Jesus must now live a life of faith, being completely born anew by the truth and forgetting all things of the past, just as we have seen that the former things and the things of old must be completely distinguished from the new thing.

Philippians 3:13-14 “13Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, 14I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 4:22-24 “22that ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit; 23and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24and put on the new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.”

These words can also be considered in connection with what Jesus said to a man named Nicodemus: “Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:1-7). This is because the kingdom of God which Jesus has prepared for us is the holy city, the new Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2). Therefore, unless we become “new creatures,” born again by the word of Jesus, we cannot enter that city of the new Jerusalem. As mentioned earlier, the heaven and earth there are also “a new heaven” and “a new earth” (Rev. 21:1).

2 Peter 3:13 “But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

Therefore, now while the grace of God is still upon us, all of us must surely live the life of a new creature, born again through Jesus, that is, a life in which whatever we do, in word or in deed, we do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.

2 Corinthians 6:1-2 “1And working together with him we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain 2(for he saith, At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee, And in a day of salvation did I succor thee: behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation).”

Colossians 3:16-17 “16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God. 17And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Amen.