Apocalyptic Insight: The Eternal State
Revelation 21 – 22
November 26, 2023
Jay Haugh
The recreation of planet earth.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. —Revelation 21:1 ESV
The heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. —2 Peter 3:7 ESV
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. —Revelation 21:2 ESV
God is fully present.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” —Revelation 21:3 ESV
Faith will be sight and hope will be present.
Complete sanctification is present.
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” —Revelation 21:4 ESV
God’s faithful promise.
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” —Revelation 21:5 ESV
God’s work is finished!
And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.” —Revelation 21:6 ESV
To the man or woman who comes to God in faith, they will drink and have life!
“The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.“ —Revelation 21:7 ESV
The mark of a Christian’s conversion is perseverance.
The faithful are changed and we’re changed to the end.
The inheritance of the unbelieving.
“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” —Revelation 21:8 ESV
They will inherit the lake of fire because they refused to go to their creator.
The first of our eternal inheritance is God’s presence.
Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” —Revelation 21:9 ESV
The second of our inheritance is God’s holy city.
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. —Revelation 21:10 ESV
And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. 16 The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. —Revelation 21:15-16 ESV
He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement. —Revelation 21:17 ESV
And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. —Revelation 21:22 ESV
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. —Revelation 21:23 ESV
We are eternally secure!
The curse is reversed.
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. —Revelation 22:1 ESV
God reverses the Genesis curse.
(1) The Genesis curse is gone.
No longer will there be anything accursed. —Revelation 22:3 ESV
(2) We have the permanent presence of God.
but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, —Revelation 22:3 ESV
They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. —Ephesians 4:18 ESV
(3) We will freely worship God.
and his servants will worship him. —Revelation 22:3 ESV
(4) We will fully see God.
They will see his face, —Revelation 22:4 ESV
(5) We are forever sealed by God.
and his name will be on their foreheads. —Revelation 22:4 ESV
(6) We have the perfect peace of God.
And night will be no more. —Revelation 22:5 ESV
(7) We have the permanent provision of God.
They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light. —Revelation 22:5 ESV
(8) We are victors.
…and they will reign forever and ever. —Revelation 22:5 ESV
The Bible begins with “In the beginning…” and ends with “We will reign with Him forever and ever.”
Big Idea:
God is our perfect inheritance that provides permanent provision and perfect peace.
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Memory Verse: Revelation 4:11 NIV
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
The goal of these questions is to foster meaningful discussion and to encourage participants to reflect on God’s Word to lead to heart transformation. Feel free to modify or expand upon these questions based on the dynamics and needs of your Small Group.
The prologue of Revelation mentions that the chapters that follow are a blessing to those who read it; this blessing is reiterated at the end of Revelation as well. How has this sermon series on Revelation been a blessing to you? What impact has it had? What are some things you will remember and take with you from this series?
Read Revelation 21
Why isn’t there a temple in the New Jerusalem? Considering the constant presence of God and the Lamb in the New Jerusalem, how do you envision your relationship with God being transformed in this new reality?
When the new earth arrives, God wipes away every tear. What grief, emotional trauma, or pain are you presently dealing with? Have you felt God’s presence as you’ve walked through those challenges? Is the future hope for a place without these things encouraging to you? How can you share this hope of the new heaven and new earth with others who are struggling?
It is a joyous declaration that “death will not exist.” How much does the fear of death weigh on you? Why do you think this can be a heavy issue for some? On which Scriptures can we meditate to lessen the fear associated with death?
Have you ever had an emotionally difficult goodbye because you were not sure if you would ever meet again? We’re reminded that in heaven, there will never be goodbye. Imagine you are talking with an unbeliever, sharing how Jesus removed the penalty of the second death. With whom are you most looking forward to reconnecting in heaven and why? With whom are you most looking forward to meeting for the first time and why?
Read Revelation 22
How can you champion the values and characteristics of the New Jerusalem today, in the midst of a broken world? In which spaces are you trying to be a light in a dark world? What are some baby steps you can take to grow your confidence in being evangelistic?
Practically speaking, what does it mean for you to be a servant of God and of the Lamb? Do you currently serve in some capacity at New Covenant? If so, describe the joy you find in serving others. If you’re not serving right now, what are some areas where your passions and skills align with a need? How can you use your talents to serve the body of Christ?
What does it mean for Jesus to be the Alpha and the Omega? In what ways has Jesus been the first/the beginning and in what ways is He the last/the end? How does this concept provide hope and excitement to your faith journey?
How secure do you feel about your name being written in the Book of Life? If very secure, why? If not secure, why not? Is there any area of complacency in your spiritual walk because of your assurance of your heavenly destination? How do you see your spiritual walk advancing the kingdom of God?
In what ways may people be tempted to add to or subtract from the prophecy found in Revelation? Why do you think such a strict warning is given for this book but not others? Speaking in broader terms, where do you see people adding or subtracting from God’s Word today?