A New Heaven And A New Earth Revelation 21:1-27 - CCQ

Technical Report - 2007 - 012COMMON IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGYFOR THE WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE(2000/60/EC)Guidance Document No. 17Guidance on preventing or limiting direct and indirect inputsin the context of the Groundwater directive 2006/118/EC

picture of New Jerusalem. How wonderful it is to serve a God whois willing to create such a great place for us. God is preparing aspecial place for us.R EVEL AT I O N 21:1,2N o w I s aw a n e w h e av e n an d a n e w e ar t h , f o r t h e f i r s th e av e n an d t h e f i r s t e ar t h h ad p as s e d aw ay . Al s ot h e r e w as n o m o r e s e a.T h e n I , J o h n , s aw t h e h o l y c i t y , N e w J e r u s al e m ,c o m i n g d o w n o u t o f h e av e n f r o m G o d , p r e p ar e d as abr i d e ad o r n e d f o r h e r h u s ban d .In these opening verses John describes a new heaven and a newearth (which will be the dwelling place of all the saints foreternity). The time that all this will happen is after the rapture(the catching up of the believers in Jesus to heaven), the MarriageSupper of the Lamb, the 1,000 year reign of Jesus and the GreatWhite Throne Judgment. We have been studying these things overrecent weeks. After these things comes the new heaven and newearth.John doesn’t really give us much information about the newheaven and earth, but he does tell us that “there was no longer anysea.” That’s a big contrast to this present earth which has most ofits surface covered by water.John’s attention was then directed to a specific feature of the newheaven and earth. He calls it the “Holy City.” It’s interesting thatNew Jerusalem is called the “Holy City” in contrast with the earthlyJerusalem, which is spiritually compared to Sodom in chapter11:8. God’s Word says that He makes all things new including us.One day Jesus will set everything in order and the entire city ofJerusalem will be considered “holy.”

We also see that the city is described as a bride adorned for herhusband. A couple of lessons ago we learned that the church is thebride of Christ. This New Jerusalem will be the dwelling place of allof God’s people. God is preparing a special place for us.R EVEL AT I O N 21:3,4An d I h e ar d a l o u d v o i c e f r o m h e av e n s ay i n g," B e h o l d , t h e t abe r n ac l e o f G o d i s w i t h m e n , an d H ew i l l d w e l l w i t h t h e m , an d t h e y s h al l be H i s p e o p l e .G o d H i m s e l f w i l l be w i t h t h e m an d be t h e i r G o d ." An d G o d w i l l w i p e aw ay e v e r y t e ar f r o m t h e i r e y e s ;t h e r e s h al l be n o m o r e d e at h , n o r s o r r o w , n o r c r y i n g.T h e r e s h al l be n o m o r e p ai n , f o r t h e f o r m e r t h i n gsh av e p as s e d aw ay . "Following John’s initial revelation of the New Jerusalem Johnwrote, “I heard a loud voice from heaven” (this is the last of 20times that the expression “a loud voice” is used in the book ofRevelation). The final revelation from heaven stated that God willdwell with men, the saints will be His people and He will be theirGod.As we know throughout the Bible all of God’s promises are true andfaithful. One of the greatest promises in the entire Bible is found inverse 4. It says that there won’t be any more death, sorrow orcrying. God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. There won’tbe any more pain. What a wonderful promise for all of us who livein this world where there is a lot of death, sorrow and pain!Are there things that have happened in your life that has made yousad? In heaven God will take away all of our sorrow. God ispreparing a special place for us.

R EVEL AT I O N 21:5,6T h e n H e w h o s at o n t h e t h r o n e s ai d , " B e h o l d , I m ak eal l t h i n gs n e w . " An d H e s ai d t o m e , " Wr i t e , f o r t h e s ew o r d s ar e t r u e an d f ai t h f u l . "An d H e s ai d t o m e , " I t i s d o n e ! I am t h e Al p h a an dt h e O m e ga, t h e B e gi n n i n g an d t h e En d . I w i l l gi v e o ft h e f o u n t ai n o f t h e w at e r o f l i f e f r e e l y t o h i m w h ot h i r s t s .John was told by Him who sat on the throne (Jesus) “I am makingeverything new.” Then He instructs John to write these thingsdown that they are trustworthy and true. Jesus calls Himself theFirst and the Last, the Beginning and the End.Those who are thirsty are promised that they will be able to drinkfrom the water of life freely. He isn’t referring to physical thirstbut a desire for spiritual blessings.What we learn from these verses is that only God has the ability todo what He has promised. If He is the Alpha and Omega, He is thebeginning and ending of everything. He has the power to give thewater of life freely and will certainly keep all of His promises to us.When we begin to see Jesus as He really is, suddenly our problemsdon’t seem to be as big as we thought they were.R EVEL AT I O N 21:7,8" H e w h o o v e r c o m e s s h al l i n h e r i t al l t h i n gs , an d I w i l lbe h i s G o d an d h e s h al l be M y s o n ." B u t t h e c o w ar d l y , u n be l i e v i n g, abo m i n abl e ,m u r d e r e r s , s e x u al l y i m m o r al , s o r c e r e r s , i d o l at e r s ,an d al l l i ar s s h al l h av e t h e i r p ar t i n t h e l ak e w h i c hbu r n s w i t h f i r e an d br i m s t o n e , w h i c h i s t h e s e c o n dd e at h . "

Jesus explains that those who overcome will inherit all things andthat He will be their God and they will be His children, His sons ordaughters. This really expresses the intimate relationship betweenbelievers and God. When we are saved, God becomes our Father.We are born into His family. He takes wonderful care of us, and oneday we will get to live with Him in heaven forever.As believers it is very exciting to know that we are sons anddaughters of the King, just like it says in verse 7 and that we havean inheritance through Him. Ephesians 1:11; Colossians 1:12; 1Peter 1:3-4; all these verses mention our inheritance as children ofthe King and the fact that it is an incorruptible inheritance. Notonly does God promise us an inheritance, but He also promises tomake all things new.Unfortunately, those who refuse to believe in Jesus and don’t wantto have a relationship with Him will be excluded from the NewJerusalem. This is so sad because it doesn’t have to be this way.The Bible describes those who refuse to turn to Jesus. Theypractice all kinds of different sins and they don’t want to give themup. These people will be thrown into the fiery lake of burningsulfur because they don’t want be in the presence of God. The onlyplace apart from God is a place of suffering, the lake of fire.Although John tells us of the contrast between believers andunbelievers in verse 8, it is not God’s desire for anyone to be castinto the lake of fire, because some will harden their hearts andreject Christ; they will have chosen the lake of fire for themselves.R EVEL AT I O N 21:9-11T h e n o n e o f t h e s e v e n an ge l s w h o h ad t h e s e v e nbo w l s f i l l e d w i t h t h e s e v e n l as t p l agu e s c am e t o m ean d t al k e d w i t h m e , s ay i n g, " C o m e , I w i l l s h o w y o ut h e br i d e , t h e L am b's w i f e . "

N o w t h e w al l o f t h e c i t y h ad t w e l v e f o u n d at i o n s , an do n t h e m w e r e t h e n am e s o f t h e t w e l v e ap o s t l e s o f t h eL am b.An d h e w h o t al k e d w i t h m e h ad a go l d r e e d t om e as u r e t h e c i t y , i t s gat e s , an d i t s w al l .T h e c i t y i s l ai d o u t as a s qu ar e ; i t s l e n gt h i s as gr e atas i t s br e ad t h . An d h e m e as u r e d t h e c i t y w i t h t h er e e d : t w e l v e t h o u s an d f u r l o n gs . I t s l e n gt h , br e ad t h ,an d h e i gh t ar e e qu al .T h e n h e m e as u r e d i t s w al l : o n e h u n d r e d an d f o r t y -f o u r c u bi t s , ac c o r d i n g t o t h e m e as u r e o f a m an , t h ati s , o f an an ge l .T h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f i t s w al l w as o f j as p e r ; an d t h ec i t y w as p u r e go l d , l i k e c l e ar gl as s .T h e f o u n d at i o n s o f t h e w al l o f t h e c i t y w e r e ad o r n e dw i t h al l k i n d s o f p r e c i o u s s t o n e s : t h e f i r s tf o u n d at i o n w as j as p e r , t h e s e c o n d s ap p h i r e , t h et h i r d c h al c e d o n y , t h e f o u r t h e m e r al d ,t h e f i f t h s ar d o n y x , t h e s i x t h s ar d i u s , t h e s e v e n t hc h r y s o l i t e , t h e e i gh t h be r y l , t h e n i n t h t o p az , t h et e n t h c h r y s o p r as e , t h e e l e v e n t h j ac i n t h , an d t h et w e l f t h am e t h y s t .T h e t w e l v e gat e s w e r e t w e l v e p e ar l s : e ac h i n d i v i d u algat e w as o f o n e p e ar l . An d t h e s t r e e t o f t h e c i t y w asp u r e go l d , l i k e t r an s p ar e n t gl as s .Next John saw the walls and gates of the city. It was square inshape and surrounded by a great, high wall with 12 gates and thegates had names written on them. John goes on to describe the

eauty of the city in more detail and again tries to describe it withthings that are familiar to us.Could you imagine trying to put down on paper the vision you sawof heaven? It would just be too amazing for words. John used themost beautiful things he could to describe heaven. He talked abouthow that the walls and the gates would be adorned with preciousgems and jewels, with the city itself being pure gold. What anamazing place! God is preparing a special place for us.New JerusalemFor this craft you will need to have several sheets of whiteconstruction paper, glue, plastic jewels or beads and markers.Have the children draw a picture of a large city with walls andgates. Then decorate the walls and the gates with the plastic jewelsor beads by gluing them to the paper.Another fun idea for a game would be to do the following. Look upthe different jewels listed in Revelation 21 and give a description ofeach one to the children. On twelve 3” x 5” index cards write eachjewel. On an additional 12 cards write out the descriptions. Next,attach one card to the front of each child (only use the amount ofjewels that will work for the number of children in your class).Have the children then search for their match. The “jewels” willlook for the right “descriptions” and the “descriptions” will lookfor the right “jewels.” Have the children raise their hands whenthey have found their partner. Explain to the children that God ispreparing a special place for us.R EVEL AT I O N 21:22-27B u t I s aw n o t e m p l e i n i t , f o r t h e L o r d G o d Al m i gh t yan d t h e L am b ar e i t s t e m p l e .

T h e c i t y h ad n o n e e d o f t h e s u n o r o f t h e m o o n t os h i n e i n i t , f o r t h e gl o r y o f G o d i l l u m i n at e d i t . T h eL am b i s i t s l i gh t .An d t h e n at i o n s o f t h o s e w h o ar e s av e d s h al l w al k i ni t s l i gh t , an d t h e k i n gs o f t h e e ar t h br i n g t h e i r gl o r yan d h o n o r i n t o i t .I t s gat e s s h al l n o t be s h u t at al l by d ay (t h e r e s h al lbe n o n i gh t t h e r e ).An d t h e y s h al l br i n g t h e gl o r y an d t h e h o n o r o f t h en at i o n s i n t o i t .B u t t h e r e s h al l by n o m e an s e n t e r i t an y t h i n g t h atd e f i l e s , o r c au s e s an abo m i n at i o n o r a l i e , bu t o n l yt h o s e w h o ar e w r i t t e n i n t h e L am b's B o o k o f L i f e .John tells us that he did not see a temple in the city because God isthe temple. He tells us that there will be no need for light from thesun or moon because the glory of God will provide the light.The gates of the city will never be shut, and God’s glory will becontinually present so there will be no night. He will covereverything in His everlasting light. John tells us that everythingthat is impure, shameful or deceitful will be excluded and onlythose whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will dwellthere. God is preparing a special place for us.This revelation given to John by God describes a beautiful andglorious future for all that put their trust in the living God. Haveyou put your trust in Jesus? God has a wonderful life for you rightnow and well as a wonderful eternity. Just understand that youhave sinned and that Jesus came and died on the cross for yoursins and then rose again on the third day. Next, ask Him to come

inside of your heart to live forever. If you believe in Jesus you willbe saved and spend eternity with Him.Popcorn SunIn Revelation 21 we are told that there will not be any need of thesun or the moon to shine because God’s glory will fill heaven withlight. On a piece of cardboard or poster board draw an outline of asun or star. Glue kernels of un-popped popcorn inside the outlineto make a mosaic. If you want, have each child make their own sunor star.Explain to the children how that we won’t need the sun any morebecause we will all be walking in the light of God’s glory. Optional:write Revelation 21:23 under the sun.PRAYERLead the children in a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord for allthat He is preparing for us in heaven. If there are any children whohave not yet responded to the gospel, give them opportunity to doso.