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!
I. A Better Neighborhood
A. 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?)
a. 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?
b. What if your ancestors lived in the same
place?
B. 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.)
II. A Better Atmosphere
A. 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.)
B. 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!)
C. 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.)
D. 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.)
E. 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?
F. 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?
III. Better Homes
A. 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.)
B. 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!)
C. 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.)
D. Read Revelation 21:18-21. What kind of condominium
will this be? (Fabulous!)
E. 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?
F. 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!)
G. 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).)
H. 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!)
I. Friend, do you want to live in the earth made new?
Why not, right now, invite Jesus to be your Master
now and forever?
IV. Next week we start a new series about money, entitled
“Managing for the Master – Until He Comes.”
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.
