Last session we were celebrating the greatest and most joyous event in all of history.
     The resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus marks the end of His first coming and the beginning of our eternal life.
     It was that new beginning that makes the happy ending of Revelation possible.
     Christ has come to earth once again. This time as a conquering King. He has restored the planet and dealt with Satan and his followers.
     Now God is presenting His children (us) with their eternal home, a city called New Jerusalem.
     It will be a place without pain, sorrow, tears, or death. No more evil. Only joy, peace, and satisfaction.
     Made from jewels and the purest gold, its beauty will be beyond anything our human eyes have ever beheld.
     It will be absolute perfection.
     This week we will continue to look at our future home by taking a look inside.
     Enjoy!

Opening Discussion

     -How does life during the day differ from life at night?

Read

Here is this week’s study passage.
Please pray before you begin.

Revelation 21:22-27 (NIV)

22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.

24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.

25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.

26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.

27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

   Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Study

Please read Revelation 19:11-21; 20:1-15; 21:1-21.

Revelation 21:22-27 (KJV)

22  And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

23  And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

24  And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

25  And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

26  And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

27  And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. 

Verse 22: 
-What did the author not see in the city?         
-Why was this? 
-Read John 1:29; Revelation 5:6.     
-Who is the Lamb?

Verse 23: 
-Of what things did the city have no need?  
-Why was this?  
-From where does the light come?

Verse 24: 
-Who will walk in this light? 
-How are the nations described?   
-What do the kings bring to it?

Verse 25: 
-How long will the 12 gates be open?  
-When will the day end?  
-Why? 

Verse 26: 
-Who are ‘they’ that will come in the gates? (verse 24, 27)        
-What will they bring with them?

Verse 27: 
-What will not enter into the city?    
-Who will enter?  
-How are they described?
-Read Revelation 20:11-15.          
-What is the Lamb’s book of life?

-What do we learn about God?
-Christ?
-The Spirit?
-The author?
-His readers?
-His purpose?
-What do we learn about our eternal home?            
-What is the significance of God and the Lamb being the temple and the light source of the city?
-What is the significance of gates that never close?
-What is the significance of the lack of night?
-How should that affect your walk with Christ?
-What has God shown you through this passage of Scripture?
-With whom can you share what you learned this week?

This Week’s Challenges

Challenge A-Reading

Continue reading the book of Revelation.
Read at your own pace.
Take notes as you go.

Challenge B-The Text

Read some or all of the verses below.
Note any similarities with this week’s passage.

1 Kings 8:27;
Psalm 72:10; 101:8;
Isaiah 2:5; 24:23; 35:8; 49:23; 52:1; 60:3, 5, 16, 11, 19, 20; 66:1;
Ezekiel 44:9;
Joel 3:17;
Zechariah 14:7, 21;
Matthew 16:22; 24:2;
Luke 2:32;
John 1:1-18; 2:19-21; 4:21-23;
1 Corinthians 6:9-10;
Ephesians 5:5;
Philippians 4:3;
Revelation 1:8; 3:5; 5:6; 7:17; 13:8; 14:4; 20:12, 15; 21:11, 12, 15; 22:2, 5, 14-15;

Challenge C-Strand Challenge

Read:
Genesis 24;
Psalm 24;
Romans 11:13-24.

Note any similarities between each and with this week’s passage.