Will the New Earth Be Like the Garden of Eden?

Hi, Aven! Thanks for your question. Let’s look to God’s Word for answers.

The Bible teaches that Jesus’ followers will spend eternity in heaven, but it doesn’t give a lot of details about this amazing place. We do know that, after Jesus returns, the current heavens and earth will be judged by fire (2 Peter 3:7, 10). 2 Peter 3:13 says that “we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” God will remove the curse he put on creation after Adam and Eve sinned (Revelation 22:3). There will be no more suffering or death (Revelation 21:4). How wonderful!

Everything will be perfect again. But in answer to your question, it’s hard to say because the new heavens and earth will be, well, new! It will be perfect like the garden of Eden was, without sin or the curse. We will be living on a perfect new earth in perfect new bodies (2 Corinthians 5:1).

Similar to the garden of Eden, there will again be a tree of life yielding fruit (Revelation 22:2), and it sounds like animals will be there (Isaiah 65:25). But unlike Eden or today’s world, people will need “no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light” (Revelation 22:5).

Revelation 21:4 tells us, “The former things have passed away.” And 1 Corinthians 2:9 says, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.” Based on these verses, it sounds like the new heavens and earth will be unlike anything any human—even Adam and Eve—has ever experienced!

According to 1 Corinthians 13:9–12, we can’t imagine how wonderful heaven will be: “For we know in part, . . . but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. . . For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”

Not even the garden of Eden can compare to all that. Now that’s something for believers to look forward to!