For as the new heavens, and the new earth, which I will
make,
&c.] Not "have made"; for this is not to be understood of the
heavens and the earth made new in the beginning, and which
continue so without any change or alteration; though sometimes
the perpetuity of the church, which is here predicted, is set
forth by the duration of those, ( Psalms 89:36
Psalms
89:37 ) (
Jeremiah 31:35-37 ) ( Jeremiah
33:25 Jeremiah
33:26 ) but either of the new state of things under the
Gospel dispensation, which still continues, promised ( Isaiah 65:15
Isaiah
65:17 ) , or rather, since that would be an illustration of
it by the same thing in different words, it may be interpreted
literally of the new heavens and the new earth, which will be
made when the present ones shall wax old and perish, and be no
more, as in the New Jerusalem state, ( 2
Peter 3:10-13 ) ( Revelation
21:1 ) : shall remain before me, saith the
Lord;
these shall continue, not only throughout the Millennium, or
thousand years' reign, but for ever: so shall your seed and
your name remain;
not the natural seed of believers; all have not such seed, and
they that have, they are not all converted persons; but the
spiritual "seed" of the church, born in her, and brought up by
her; which shall continue in successive generations to the end of
time, notwithstanding the persecutions of men, and the craft of
false teachers, and the reproaches and banters of a vain world, (
Psalms
22:30 ) ( Isaiah 59:21
) , and their "name" also; the name of Christ they name and
confess, and that is called upon them, and from whence they are
called Christians; this shall endure as long as the sun, (
Psalms
72:17 ) or the new name of sons and daughters of the
Almighty; or their fame and glory, the memory of them; they shall
be had in everlasting remembrance, ( Psalms 112:6
) .