Jwfacts,
A new earth simply means that, not a new planet. Look again at the verses you used. Does it take a new planet to do what is documented in them? If so where?
2 Peter 3:10-13 "Yet Jehovah's day will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a hissing noise, but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be discovered. [BURNED UP] 11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought YOU to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, 12 awaiting and keeping close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah, through which [the] heavens being on fire will be dissolved and [the] elements being intensely hot will melt! 13 But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell."
The new heavens described here is simply the Biblical term for governments that rule it as in Col 1:16 and the new earth simply describes its new population mix all of which results in righteousness on this planet. After all what are we awaiting biblically? The same thing that Martha was awaiting, the resurrection on the last day, not a translation to somewhere else as non humans that will not be on this planet.
You said: Even the men of old, including Abraham, Isaac and Jacob believed they were going to heaven.
Hebrews
11:13-16 "In faith all these died, although they did not get the [fulfillment of the] promises,
but they saw them afar off and welcomed them and publicly declared that they were strangers and temporary residents in the land. 14 For those who say such things give evidence that they are earnestly seeking a place of their own. 15 And yet, if they had indeed kept remembering that [place] from which they had gone forth, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they are reaching out for a better [place], that is, one belonging to heaven. Hence God is not ashamed of them, to be called upon as their God, for he has made a city ready for them."
This is a simply look into the future not a hope for living somewhere else in non-human form. Their hope was not in the here and now or in their ability to make it so but in that future time when this city would be ready for them. Nothing here saying Abraham, Isaac or Jacob believed they were going to someplace else called heaven. People simply keep saying what is not there.
You also said: 1 Cor makes it sound like a literal hope in heaven.
1 Corinthians
15:42-50 'So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised up in incorruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised up in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised up in power. 44 It is sown a physical body, it is raised up a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual one. 45 It is even so written: "The first man Adam became a living soul." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 Nevertheless, the first is, not that which is spiritual, but that which is physical, afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is out of the earth and made of dust; the second man is out of heaven. 48 As the one made of dust [is], so those made of dust [are] also; and as the heavenly one [is], so those who are heavenly [are] also. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the one made of dust, we shall bear also the image of the heavenly one. 50 However, this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit God's kingdom, neither does corruption inherit incorruption."
This is about the resurrection of the dead, that is all. Adam was human as will be the second Adam when He returns. This heavenly one and still human one by the way is immortal and all humans resurrected by Him will be immortal as well. It is really very simple. The comparisons are to human beings made of dust not to non-human beings that never were dust. This is our heavenly or Godly hope and this simple statement that "flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom" proves that no mortal ones like the JW’s can simply walk in and live on and inherit it as they teach. Christ must choose them to be in it and either change or resurrect them for this purpose. That is one of the main points made in the text. I have yet to see the texts that teach something other than this.
Joseph
