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Sunday School Lesson
New Place, New Beginning:
Don’t Be Left Out (Revelation 21:1-8)
The New Testament has two different Greek words trans- lated new (four times in our text). One is “chronos,” which refers to something new in time. The other is “kairos,” which refers to something new in quality. John uses the latter when describing Heaven. Our next four lessons describe Heaven in terms of a social re- ality that is brand new.
New Place Revelation 21:1-4
In this text heaven is a place filled with sights, sounds, and words. And they are all new.
John saw a new heaven and a new earth.
In fact, Revelation is a series of things that John saw (an ex- pression that appears in Rev- elation 5:1; 7:1; 10:1; 13:1; 15:1; 18:1; 20:1). The fact that the new heaven and new earth could be recognized is because they resembled the old heaven and earth enough to see the similarities. Also there is no sea—a symbol that refers to the source of evils (Revelation 13:1).
Inside or alongside of the new heaven and new earth is a
new city. It looks familiar too. It favors Jerusalem, but it also is new—and holy (Isaiah 48:2; 52:1; Matthew 4:5). This city stands for the pres- ence of God because it comes down out of heaven. Its main description is delayed until next week’s lesson, but here it is described as a bride beauti- fully dressed (where the Eng- lish word “cosmetic” comes from) for her husband.
John not only saw beautiful things. He also heard wonder- ful words. He heard an angel announce two things: 1—That God is dwelling (Greek word for “tabernacle”) intimately with his people again. 2—That God will remove the old order with all of its pain and suffer- ing. So we see that this new place is totally holy, splendidly beautiful, perfectly sorrow- free, and infinitely filled with the presence of God.
New Beginning Revelation 21:5-8
There is such a thing as a do-
over with God. People get sec- ond chances, and the whole world gets rebooted. The news of this new beginning is so im- portant that God does not leave the announcement to someone else. The one who sits on the throne (God him- self—Revelation 1:10-20; 4:1-3) makes the announce- ment. Much of our lesson is summed up in the words, “I am making everything new!” Earlier John was asked to look. Here he was asked to write— an imperative that appears several times in Revelation. The reason for this writing is because the words aretrust- worthy and true. These words have positive effects and nega- tive effects.
Positively this new begin- ning is based on God’s nature. He is the Alpha and the Omega (which is like saying the “A” and the “Z”). This new begin- ning is also based on God’s in- vitation. People who are thirsty (a metaphor referring
to having a parched throat for the things of God—Isaiah 55:1; John 4:14) are offered free water. This new beginning is also based on a powerful promise. The victorious people (overcomers) will inherit all the wonders of this brand-new city. For a second time in our text God promises to be our God (see also Ruth 1:16).
Negatively (which is an- other way to appreciate the beauty of this city) God lists seven groups of people who won’t be in this city. Most of us can understand why the mur- derers, sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, and idolaters would be left out. But cowardly, unbelievers, and liars? Are all sins equal? They are not equal in effect, but they are in results. They will be con- signed to the lake of fire (like what will happen to the trinity of evil—Revelation 19:20; 20:10). This is not just physi- cal death. It is eternal (second) death.
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