Isaiah 65 is a discussion of first century AD Israel. The chapter starts with two groups of people, future Christians (both Jew and Greek) and unbelieving Jews and the fates of each group. The pending 70 AD destruction of Apostate Israel is then discussed along with the promise to His servants. His servants will eat and be without want while apostate Israel is starving behind their walls in the Roman siege.
Isaiah describes the “new heavens and a new earth” God would create (Isa. 65:17–25). His description occurs in a prophecy of the 1st century as it is transitioning to the Messianic Age. Isaiah 65:1–16 describes Messianic salvation.God says, “I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not calledby my name” (Isa. 65:1). The Apostle Paul says Christ’s first coming fulfilled this prophecy (Rom. 10:20–21). In his generation, Gentiles were finding salvation in the kingdom of God. Apostate Israel was rejecting it. Isaiah’s prophecy contains several statements incompatible with the eternal state.
Death
Human death exists in Isaiah’s new heavens and new earth. He says, “the child shall die an hundred years old; butthe sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed” (Isa. 65:20). This creates a problem for prophetic frameworks.
Sinners
Isaiah 65:20 also declares sinners exist in the new heavens and earth. But, unrighteous persons cannot exist inheaven during the eternal state. All prophetic frameworks teach that God will separate the righteous from the wicked at (or before) the end of history. They base this teaching on Rev. 20:13-15 and similar passages. Thus, the new heaven and earth is not thee ternal state. Sinners and saints will not live and die together forever.
Offspring
Childbearing exists in Isaiah’saccount of the new heavens and new earth. He says, “They shall not labour invain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of theLORD, and their offspring with them.” Child birth will not happen afterthe resurrection. So, this cannot describe the post-resurrection, eternal state.
Other Possible Problems
In his introduction to Isaiah 66,John Gill says “this chapter treats of the same things as the former.” And,near the end of the chapter, God again mentions “the new heavens and the newearth, which I will make” (Isa. 66:22). If this chapter is a continueddescription of this state, more problems appear. Then, animal death exists inthe “new heavens and new earth.” Isaiah says, “He that killeth an ox is as ifhe slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; hethat offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood” (Isa. 66:3). The prophet uses present-tense verbs. These sacrifices are realities for the time he is describing.
Delusion exists. God says, “they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. I also will choose their delusions” (Isa. 66:3–4).
Evangelization will occur. In the new heavens and earth, some islands havenot heard of the fame of the Lord. God sends missionaries to them. “They shalldeclare my glory among the Gentiles. And they shall bring all your brethren foran offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, andin litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountainJerusalem, saith the LORD” (Isa. 66:19–20).
An eternal state where such thingsoccur is difficult if not impossible to visualize. Since the Mosaic Age and the Law were coming to an end ("old heaven and earth"), and a new age would begin we get the phrase "New Heaven and Earth" to depict the new Messianic Age to come. It is really important to learn and understand the way the OT and NT prophets spoke especially when they are using figurative language. Not everything is literal. We speak in colorful figurative language in our times and tongues too and if taken literally by a foreigner thousands of years later, the meaning to them would also likely be quite different. A casual reader of the Bible will always misunderstand most of prophesy. This is why it is important to really study and live in the Word.