Revelation 21:1-27; 22:1-21
[8/28/11]
Review:
Revelation 20:13-15) (GW) The sea gave up its dead. Death and hell gave up their dead. People were judged based on what they had done.
14) (GW) Death and hell were thrown into the fiery lake. (The fiery lake is the second death.)
15) (GW) Those whose names were not found in the Book of Life were thrown into the fiery lake.
QUESTION: What’s the difference between Hell and the Lake of Fire?
ANSWER: Metaphorically speaking, hell is jail and the Lake of Fire is prison.
James 2:26) (GNB) So then, as the body without the spirit is dead, also faith without actions is dead.
QUESTION: Why is the Lake of Fire called “the second death”?
ANSWER: In Scripture death = separation. One is physically dead when the spirit separates itself from the body. One is spiritually dead when his/her sins separate him/her from God. One is eternally dead [the second death] when he/she is eternally separated from God.
On To This Week’s Lesson:
Revelation 21:1-27) (GW) I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and earth had disappeared, and the sea was gone.
2) (GW) Then I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, dressed like a bride ready for her husband.
3) (GW) I heard a loud voice from the throne say, “God lives with humans! God will make his home with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them and be their God.
QUESTION: What happened to the “first heaven and earth”?
ANSWER: They “had disappeared.”
II Peter 3:10-12) (GW) The day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day heaven will pass away with a roaring sound. Everything that makes up the universe will burn and be destroyed. The earth and everything that people have done on it will be exposed.
11) (GW) All these things will be destroyed in this way. So think of the kind of holy and godly lives you must live
12) (GW) as you look forward to the day of God and eagerly wait for it to come. When that day comes, heaven will be on fire and will be destroyed. Everything that makes up the universe will burn and melt.
Matthew 6:26) (KJV) Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Matthew 26:64) (KJV) Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
NOTE: The Greek word rendered “heaven” and “air” is the same word. The heaven that’s on fire is the earth’s upper atmosphere.
QUESTION: What happens next?
ANSWER: The New Jerusalem comes down from the real Heaven and settles on the New Earth. GOD LIVE WITH MAN!
4) (GW) He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There won’t be any more death. There won’t be any grief, crying, or pain, because the first things have disappeared.”
5) (GW) The one sitting on the throne said, “I am making everything new.” He said, “Write this: ‘These words are faithful and true.’”
6) (GW) He said to me, “It has happened! I am the A and the Z, the beginning and the end. I will give a drink from the fountain filled with the water of life to anyone who is thirsty. It won’t cost anything.
7) (GW) Everyone who wins the victory will inherit these things. I will be their God, and they will be my children.
8) (GW) But cowardly, unfaithful, and detestable people, murderers, sexual sinners, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
QUESTION: What happens next?
ANSWER: EVERYTHING BECOMES NEW! Our tears are wiped away! No more death!
Romans 8:18-22) (GW) I consider our present sufferings insignificant compared to the glory that will soon be revealed to us.
19) (GW) All creation is eagerly waiting for God to reveal who his children are.
20) (GW) Creation was subjected to frustration but not by its own choice. The one who subjected it to frustration did so in the hope
21) (GW) that it would also be set free from slavery to decay in order to share the glorious freedom that the children of God will have.
22) (GW) We know that all creation has been groaning with the pains of childbirth up to the present time.
NOTE: When God delivers His children from decay, and causes them to enter into glory, earth will have a similar experience.
9) (GW) One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the last seven plagues came to me and said, “Come! I will show you the bride, the wife of the lamb.”
10) (GW) He carried me by his power away to a large, high mountain. He showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven.
11) (GW) It had the glory of God. Its light was like a valuable gem, like gray quartz, as clear as crystal.
12) (GW) It had a large, high wall with 12 gates. Twelve angels were at the gates. The names of the 12 tribes of Israel were written on the gates.
13) (GW) There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.
14) (GW) The wall of the city had 12 foundations. The 12 names of the 12 apostles of the lamb were written on them.
15) (GW) The angel who was talking to me had a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.
16) (GW) The city was square. It was as wide as it was long. He measured the city with the stick. It was 12,000 stadia long. Its length, width, and height were the same.
(GNB) The city was perfectly square, as wide as it was long. The angel measured the city with his measuring stick: it was fifteen hundred miles long and was as wide and as high as it was long.
17) (GW) He measured its wall. According to human measurement, which the angel was using, it was 144 cubits.
18) (GW) Its wall was made of gray quartz. The city was made of pure gold, as clear as glass.
19) (GW) The foundations of the city wall were beautifully decorated with all kinds of gems: The first foundation was gray quartz, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,
20) (GW) the fifth onyx, the sixth red quartz, the seventh yellow quartz, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth green quartz, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
21) (GW) The 12 gates were 12 pearls. Each gate was made of one pearl. The street of the city was made of pure gold, as clear as glass.
22) (GW) I did not see any temple in it, because the Lord God Almighty and the lamb are its temple.
23) (GW) The city doesn’t need any sun or moon to give it light because the glory of God gave it light. The lamb was its lamp.
24) (GW) The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.
25) (GW) Its gates will be open all day. They will never close because there won’t be any night there.
26) (GW) They will bring the glory and wealth of the nations into the holy city.
27) (GW) Nothing unclean, no one who does anything detestable, and no liars will ever enter it. Only those whose names are written in the lamb’s Book of Life will enter it.
QUESTION: Who is the Bride of Christ?
ANSWER: The Bride of Christ is comprised of the multitudes who will live in New Jerusalem.
QUESTION: Why isn’t there a temple in the New Jerusalem?
ANSWER: God Almighty and the Lord Jesus live there; there is no need therefore for a temple
QUESTION: Why doesn’t this city need the light of the sun or the moon?
ANSWER: The glory of the Lord Jesus will light this city. All the nations of the new earth will walk in His light.
Revelation 22:1-21) (GW) The angel showed me a river filled with the water of life, as clear as crystal. It was flowing from the throne of God and the lamb.
2) (GW) Between the street of the city and the river there was a tree of life visible from both sides. It produced 12 kinds of fruit. Each month had its own fruit. The leaves of the tree will heal the nations.
3) (GW) There will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and the lamb will be in the city. His servants will worship him
4) (GW) and see his face. His name will be on their foreheads.
5) (GW) There will be no more night, and they will not need any light from lamps or the sun because the Lord God will shine on them. They will rule as kings forever and ever.
QUESTION: Why does this city where the redeemed will live need a “river of life” and a “tree of life”?
ANSWER: The natural people who live outside of the city will walk in health because of the leaves of this tree.
QUESTION: What will eternity offer?
ANSWER: There will be no more curse, no more night, and there will be no more need of the sun because the Light of the glory of God will light the city, and the nations will walk in that light as well.
NOTE: I believe this speaks of a higher dimensional realm. God exists in far more than the three dimensions we experience, and when we see Him we will be like Him; i.e., we will enter this greater dimension. Consequently, there are no words we could speak that will describe what we will experience.
6) (GW) He said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord God of the spirits of the prophets has sent his angel to show his servants the things that must happen soon.
7) (GW) I’m coming soon! Blessed is the one who follows the words of the prophecy in this book.”
8) (GW) I, John, heard and saw these things. When I had heard and seen them, I bowed to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing me these things.
9) (GW) He told me, “Don’t do that! I am your coworker. I work with other Christians, the prophets, and those who follow the words in this book. Worship God!”
10) (GW) Then the angel said to me, “Don’t seal up the words of the prophecy in this book because the time is near.
11) (GW) Let those who don’t have God’s approval go without it, and let filthy people continue to be filthy. Let those who have God’s approval continue to have it, and let holy people continue to be holy.”
12) (GW) “I’m coming soon! I will bring my reward with me to pay all people based on what they have done.
13) (GW) I am the A and the Z, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
14) (GW) “Blessed are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.
15) (GW) Outside are dogs, sorcerers, sexual sinners, murderers, idolaters, and all who lie in what they say and what they do.
16) (GW) “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give this testimony to you for the churches. I am the root and descendant of David. I am the bright morning star.”
QUESTION: What are these verses doing?
ANSWER: They are confirming that this prophecy comes directly from the Lord Jesus.
17) (GW) The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let those who hear this say, “Come!” Let those who are thirsty come! Let those who want the water of life take it as a gift.
QUESTION: What’s the Good News in this verse?
ANSWER: The Spirit invites all to come! The bride invites all to come! All who hear this prophecy invite all to come! God places this verse at the end of Revelation so that all will no that there is an open invitation to “whosoever will” to come.
18) (GW) I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy in this book: If anyone adds anything to this, God will strike him with the plagues that are written in this book.
19) (GW) If anyone takes away any words from this book of prophecy, God will take away his portion of the tree of life and the holy city that are described in this book.
20) (GW) The one who is testifying to these things says, “Yes, I’m coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
21) (GW) The good will of the Lord Jesus be with all of you. Amen!
QUESTION: What’s the warning given here?
ANSWER: No one should add or subtract from this prophecy lest they suffer more in this life and miss Heaven in the next.
QUESTION: What’s the closing thought from the Lord Jesus?
ANSWER: He reminds us that He’s coming soon.