All Things New

Lesson 14

All Things New

(Revelation 21 & 22, Isaiah 25)

Copr. 2022, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail, but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you study.

Introduction: Do you think back to when you were growing up and remember the parents of your friends? I had a good relationship with all the parents of my closest friends. A few days ago the last parent of that group died. Normally, the older you get the smaller your funeral because you have outlived your friends. But this was not true for this “last parent.” Although he was in his 90's, hundreds of people were at his funeral. Why? He continued until the end to minister to the needs of others. His death would have been a tragic loss to his family and his community were it not for one thing - those at his funeral believed that they would soon be reunited with him in heaven. Aside from being united with friends and family, what will heaven be like? Let’s jump into our study of the Bible and learn more!

1. A Better Neighborhood
   
   1. Read Revelation 21:1-2. When we talk about “going to heaven,” where will we end up living? (In our last lesson (see Revelation 20:4) we found that the saints will go to heaven and live for a thousand years. After that we return with the New Jerusalem to the “new earth.”)
      1. What would you logically conclude from the statement that we will live on a new “earth” and “the sea was no more?” (The strong implication is that the geography of the new earth is like the old earth, except there is no sea. If geographic similarity were not true, why would the Bible mention the lack of a sea?)
         
         1. Does this mean that you can live in the same area as you do now? Do you think that your friends who are saved might also choose to live there?
         2. What if your ancestors lived in the same place?
   2. Read Revelation 21:3. Who will be living with us in the earth made new? (God!)
      1. Why? Why would God leave heaven? Why, of all the planets, would He live with us? (I think this celebrates the defeat of sin. It is a memorial to our planet being the battlefield, and our God the victor.)
2. A Better Atmosphere
   
   1. Perhaps some of you were thinking, “Do I want to live in my old neighborhood? I never liked the people.” Read Revelation 21:4. What will be the attitude of those around us? (No pain. No sorrow. No crying. The negative things in life are all gone. If you think back to all the good times you had growing up, that is how it will be for your future.)
   2. Read Isaiah 25:6. Will you have some great meals in heaven?
      1. Will we need to watch our weight and count our calories? (This text tells us that we are eating “rich” food!)
   3. Read Isaiah 25:7. What do you think this means?
      1. When do we wear a veil? (When we are grieving or when we do not want people to recognize us. The sense is that the negative things in life are gone.)
   4. Read Isaiah 25:8. Do some people make fun of you because you are a Christian? Would you like to live in a community where everyone thought well of you? What is the attitude in heaven? (This text tells us that any “reproach” we suffered because of our allegiance to God is gone.)
   5. Read Revelation 21:8. What else will be missing from your old neighborhood? (Those who would harm us.)
      1. I’ve long been intrigued by the fact that the first on the list of the missing are “the cowardly.” Next is the “faithless.” These are listed before those who are “detestable” and “murderers.” Why? Why is being spineless and faithless such a problem?
   6. Read Isaiah 25:9. What is the attitude of those who are saved? (They believe and wait. The NIV says that they “trusted.” These are not spineless or faithless people. They believe in Jesus and that He is coming to save them.)
      1. Do you enjoy being around people who are confident?
3. Better Homes
   
   1. Read Revelation 21:10-11. Does the New Jerusalem come out of heaven pre-assembled to land on the new earth? (That is what the Bible says.)
      1. What is your first impression of it? (It looks like a jewel. Certain cars have better paint than others. The exterior of the New Jerusalem is “radiant” like a very rare “jewel.” I have to mention cars because I know little about rare jewels.)
   2. Read Revelation 21:12 and Revelation 21:15-17. What is the shape of the New Jerusalem? Does it look like a normal city? (It is a cube which is 1,380 miles or 2220 kilometers on each side. This is a huge condominium!)
   3. Read John 14:2-3. The ESV translation says that in our “Father’s house” are “many rooms.” The KJV says that in our “Father’s house” are many “mansions.” Are you worried about being downgraded from an mansion to a room? (It makes no sense that a “house” would contain “mansions.” The KJV translators were stretching things to make your heavenly home appear better. Their misguided efforts resulted in part because they had no concept of modern condominiums.)
   4. Read Revelation 21:18-21. What kind of condominium will this be? (Fabulous!)
   5. Read Luke 13:29. What does this tell us about the nature of the New Jerusalem? (This tells us that people live outside the city. It is a gathering place. A place to celebrate. That means you have your New Jerusalem condo and your country home.)
      1. Notice “recline at table.” What does this say to people who are not sure of their next meal?
   6. Read Matthew 7:13-14. What percentage of those who have ever lived will have a home in the New Jerusalem? (A small number. It is “few” versus “many.”)
      1. The New Jerusalem is huge. What does that suggest about the size of your condo home in the New Jerusalem? (It is big!)
   7. Read Revelation 21:22. There are numerous references to a temple being in heaven. For example, see Revelation 11:19. Why would you have a temple in heaven and the old earth, but not one in the earth made new? (The temple on the old earth was a place to worship God. Revelation 4 & 5 discuss worship in heaven before the throne of God. In the new earth worship must be different.)
      1. Read Revelation 3:12. What does this say is the temple in the earth made new? (This explains that we are pillars in the temple of God. Do you see the picture that emerges? God the Father and Jesus are the temple (Revelation 21:22) and we are pillars in that temple (Revelation 3:12). Compare this to the teaching that we currently are temples for the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16).)
   8. Read Revelation 22:1-2. Which city is this talking about? (The New Jerusalem.)
      1. How can we have a “street” in a city that is a condominium?
      2. Where do you think the “throne of God and of the Lamb” is located in the New Jerusalem? (God has the penthouse. He is at the top of the condominium.)
      3. How then does the River of Life flow from God’s throne through the street of the city? (My mental picture is that the street descends from floor to floor, and so does the river. The condominium is what is known as an “open atrium,” meaning that it has an open area from the bottom to the top. In that open area are the street and the river.)
      4. How do you think the Tree of Life is positioned? The text says that it is “on either side of the river.” (The Tree of Life grows up through the open atrium. It is on both sides of the street and the river.)
      5. Now imagine that your home in the New Jerusalem condominium is on floor 200,000. (If the City is 1,380 miles high, that would equal 7,286,400 feet high. If each floor is 25 feet high, you have 291,456 floors in the New Jerusalem.) You are grateful that you can fly! What kind of a view would you have of the atrium (and the street, river, and tree), and what kind of views would you have outside the city? (Read 1 Corinthians 2:9. The whole thing boggles the imagination! What a glorious future city home!)
   1. Friend, do you want to live in the earth made new? Why not, right now, invite Jesus to be your Master now and forever?

4. Next week we start a new series about money, entitled “Managing for the Master - Until He Comes.”