“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just about a future renovation of the cosmos; the prophecy emphasizes God's active, creative power in establishing a completely new reality. The former state won't just fade away; it will be so thoroughly eclipsed by the new that it will be utterly forgotten, even "not come into mind."
“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.
English Standard Version (ESV)
In the verses leading up to this, God is responding to His people's cry for justice and deliverance, acknowledging their suffering while also pointing out their deep-seated rebellion and idolatry. He promises a future restoration, not just a return from exile, but a complete transformation that will far surpass anything experienced before. This promise is the climax of His answer, offering a vision of a perfected reality that will eclipse all past sorrows.
Ever feel like things are so broken, they can't be fixed? Isaiah points to a God who doesn't just repair—He creates something entirely new.
The phrase 'I create new heavens and a new earth' isn't just a poetic flourish; it echoes the very beginning of creation in Genesis. God isn't limited to fixing what's broken; He has the power to bring into being something entirely fresh and perfect.
This points to a fundamental truth about God's redemptive plan:
What if the pain, the failures, the regrets of the past could simply... vanish? Isaiah offers a glimpse into a future where former troubles lose their power.
The second part of the verse states that 'the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind.' This isn't about a forced amnesia or denial of history. Instead, it speaks to the overwhelming perfection and joy of the new creation.
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Consider what this means:
Understand the original words
shamayim / erets · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the totality of the created order. In prophecy, the "new heavens and new earth" represent the complete restoration and renewal of creation, free from the corruption of the fall.
This prophecy of a 'new heavens and new earth' offers profound hope amidst the trauma of exile and the challenges of rebuilding. It speaks to a future restoration so complete that the hardships of the past will fade, pointing not just to the return from Babylon, but ultimately to God's ultimate redemption through Christ.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar deports Jewish nobility, including Daniel, to Babylon, marking the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and the First Temple, leading to a second, larger deportation of Judeans into exile.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
The Persian Empire under Cyrus conquers Babylon, opening the door for the exiled Jews to return to Judah.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus Allows Return
Cyrus issues a decree permitting the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland and rebuild their Temple.
c. 537-516 BC— this verse
Rebuilding of the Second Temple
Under leaders like Zerubbabel, the returned exiles begin and eventually complete the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, a significant step in national restoration.
c. 458 BC
Ezra's Reforms
The priest and scribe Ezra leads a group of exiles back to Jerusalem and institutes religious reforms to restore the Law.
c. 445 BC
Nehemiah Rebuilds Jerusalem's Walls
Nehemiah oversees the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls, strengthening the city's defenses and restoring civic order.
This passage directly echoes Isaiah's vision, speaking of a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells, highlighting the eschatological fulfillment of God's promise of renewal.
Revelation 21:1This New Testament vision of a new heaven and a new earth, where death and sorrow are no more, provides a powerful parallel to Isaiah's prophecy, showing the ultimate culmination of God's redemptive work.
Isaiah 11:6-9This earlier passage in Isaiah describes a restored kingdom characterized by peace and harmony, foreshadowing the transformed creation described in Isaiah 65:17, where the former violence is forgotten.
Romans 8:19-22Paul speaks of the creation groaning in eager expectation of its future liberation from corruption, which aligns with Isaiah's promise of a new creation where the former woes are no longer remembered.
barnesIsaiah 65:17: "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind."
For behold - The idea in this verse is, that there should be a state of glory as great as if a new heaven and a new earth were to be made. I create new heavens - Calamity and punishment in the Bible are often represented by the heavens growing dark, and being rolled up like as a scroll, or passing away (see the notes at Isaiah 13:10; Isaiah 34:4). On the contrary, prosp…
clarkeIsaiah 65:17: "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind."
I create new heavens and a new earth - This has been variously understood. Some Jews and some Christians understand it literally. God shall change the state of the atmosphere, and render the earth more fruitful. Some refer it to what they call the Millennium; others, to a glorious state of religion; others, to the re-creation of the earth after it shall have been destro…
This isn't just about a future renovation of the cosmos; the prophecy emphasizes God's active, creative power in establishing a completely new reality. The former state won't just fade away; it will be so thoroughly eclipsed by the new that it will be utterly forgotten, even "not come into mind."
In the verses leading up to this, God is responding to His people's cry for justice and deliverance, acknowledging their suffering while also pointing out their deep-seated rebellion and idolatry. He promises a future restoration, not just a return from exile, but a complete transformation that will far surpass anything experienced before. This promise is the climax of His answer, offering a vision of a perfected reality that will eclipse all past sorrows.
In the verses leading up to this, God is responding to His people's cry for justice and deliverance, acknowledging their suffering while also pointing out their deep-seated rebellion and idolatry. He promises a future restoration, not just a return from exile, but a complete transformation that will far surpass anything experienced before. This promise is the climax of His answer, offering a vision of a perfected reality that will eclipse all past sorrows.
"“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind." — This isn't just about a future renovation of the cosmos; the prophecy emphasizes God's active, creative power in establishing a completely new reality. The former state won't just fade away; it will…
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Last reviewed October 2026