For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
I create
Isaiah 51:16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.
Isaiah 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
2 Peter 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
the former
Jeremiah 3:16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.
into mind.
The former things will not be remembered,
This phrase suggests a complete transformation where past sorrows, sins, and sufferings are erased from memory. In the context of Isaiah, this can be seen as a message of comfort to the Israelites who were experiencing exile and hardship. The "former things" likely refer to the trials and tribulations of the present world, which will be overshadowed by the glory of the new creation. This idea is consistent with the biblical theme of God making all things new, as seen in 2 Corinthians 5:17, where believers are described as new creations in Christ. The promise of forgetting the former things highlights the totality of God's redemption and the joy of the new existence.
nor will they come to mind.
This phrase reinforces the idea of a complete and total renewal. The troubles and pains of the past will not only be forgotten but will not even enter the consciousness of those who experience the new creation. This assurance is significant for believers, as it speaks to the depth of peace and joy that will characterize the new heavens and new earth. The absence of past memories of suffering aligns with the biblical promise of God wiping away every tear, as mentioned in Revelation 21:4. This future reality is one where the focus is entirely on the presence and glory of God, free from the burdens of the past.
• This opening “behold” signals that God Himself is speaking and wants our full attention. It is an invitation to look beyond present circumstances and fix our eyes on His promise, just as Isaiah 43:19 says, “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it springs forth—do you not perceive it?”
• The phrase underscores certainty. What follows is not hypothetical; it is as sure as the One who declares it (compare Revelation 21:5, “Behold, I make all things new”).
• The same creative power that spoke the universe into existence in Genesis 1 is pledged to act again. This is not mere symbolism but a literal re-creation of the cosmos (see 2 Peter 3:13, “in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells”).
• “Create” points to a fresh act, not merely a renovation. Revelation 21:1 confirms, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away.”
• The promise assures believers that the final chapter of history is written by God, not by human effort or decay.
• All that belongs to the fallen order—pain, sin, loss—will be so thoroughly dealt with that it will no longer register in our memory banks (compare Isaiah 43:18, “Do not remember the former things; do not dwell on the past”).
• God’s forgiveness is complete; the guilt and shame that now haunt us will be erased (Psalm 103:12).
• This is not selective amnesia but the fruit of perfect redemption: nothing unholy remains to cloud eternal joy.
• Even unintended recollections will be gone. The new creation will be so filled with God’s glory that the old cannot intrude (Revelation 21:4, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain”).
• Our sanctified minds will be wholly aligned with God’s goodness, incapable of being shadowed by former griefs (Jeremiah 31:34 affirms, “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more”).
• The emphasis is on unbroken, unspoiled fellowship with God, where everything that once separated us is forever gone.
Isaiah 65:17 assures us that the God who created all things will one day create anew, bringing a literal new heavens and new earth where the scars of the old order vanish completely. Because He promises, we can live today with confident hope, knowing that every sorrow, sin, and suffering will be forever eclipsed by His final, flawless renewal.
(17) Behold, I create new heavens . . .--The thought reappears in many forms in the New Testament--verbally in 2Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1, substantially in the "restitution of all things" (Acts 3:21), in the "manifestation of the sons of God" (Romans 8:19). The "former things," the sin and sorrow of the past, shall then fade away from the memory of God's people, absorbed in the abounding and everlasting joy.Verses 17-25. - A PROMISE OF NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH. The final answer of God to the complaint and prayer of his people (ch. 64.) is now given. The entire existing state of things is to pass away. God will create a new heaven and a new earth, and place his people therein; and the old conditions will be all changed, and the old grounds of complaint disappear. In the "new Jerusalem" there will be no sorrow, neither "weeping" nor "crying" (ver. 19); life will be greatly prolonged (ver. 20); men will always enjoy the fruit of their labours (vers. 21, 22), and see their children grow up (ver. 23). Prayer will be answered almost before it is uttered (ver. 24). Finally, there will be peace in the animal world, and between the animal world and man. No living thing will kill or hurt another in all God's "holy mountain" (ver. 25). Verse 17. - I create. The same verb is used as in Genesis 1:1; and the prophet's idea seems to be that the existing heaven and earth are to be entirely destroyed (see Isaiah 24:19, 20, and the comment ad loc.), and a fresh heaven and earth created in their place out of nothing. The "new Jerusalem" is not the old Jerusalem renovated, but is a veritable "new Jerusalem," "created a rejoicing" (ver. 18; scrap. Revelation 21:2). The germ of the teaching will be found in Isaiah 51:16. The former shall not be remembered. Some suppose "the former troubles" (see ver. 16) to be meant; but it is best (with Delitzsch) to understand "the former heavens and earth." The glory of the new heavens and earth would be such that the former ones would not only not be regretted, but would not even be had in remembrance. No one would so much as think of them.