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Bible Study Series: 1999-2001
The Revelation of Jesus Christ

The Final Salvation of the Church (21:1-22:21): Part 1 (21:1-8)                    3 May 2001

  I. PREPARATIONS
A. PRAISE & PRAYER (Please pray for the Lord’s Blessing on the Teaching & Preaching! see 2Th.1:11,12; 3:1; Eph.6:19,20; Col.4:2-4)
B. SCHEDULE
1. PRAYER MEETING: May 23rd
2. BIBLE STUDIES on May 9,16(all Wednesdays) and May 31(Thursday; hope to finish 6/27 (pray!)
C. NOTE: EQUIPPED TO SERVE (Ephesians 4:12; Hebrews 5:12)
D. READ: Revelation 21:1-27

 II. THE FINAL SALVATION OF THE CHURCH (21:1-22:21)
•	CHAPTER 21: NEW HEAVEN & NEW EARTH & NEW CITY (21:1-27)

YOUR OBSERVATIONS & QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER 21 (& etc.)

INTRODUCTION

1. What marks this as a new section? (21:1; see 10:1; 18:1; 21:2,10)

2. How is this passage tied in with the previous one? (21:1,4,27; see 20:11; see 2Pt.3:12,13)

3. What thematic connection is there with the previous section? (see 21:8,27; 22:15)

4. How does this passage, 21:1-8, divide itself?

THE SIGN (1-4)

1. What did John see? (1)

a. What is meant by “new”? (1a,2,5; see 1b,4b; see Heb.8:5,13; 9:8f,23f; see 1Cor.15:42f,47,51)

b. In what ways will it be different? (see 21:25; 22:5; see Gen.8:22)

c. When did this begin? (see 2Cor.5:14-17; Gal.6:15; Col.1:15-18(Rev.3:14); also Eph.1:20f; 2:6f; see Jn.20:1,19; Rev.1:10)

d. When will this end? (21:1-22:5; see Rom.8:18-23; see 2Pt.3:10)

2. What is the OT background for this? (1)

a. 1,2,5; see Is.65:17,18; 66:22(24 with Rev.21:8; 22:15))

b. 1,4; seeIs.65:16,17; see Is.43:18,19; 42:9,10f(Rev.5:9; 14:3)

3. What is the significance of the further description added in the second part of verse 1? (see 1a,4b)

a. 5:13; 7:1-3; 8:8-9; 10:2-8; 14:7; 16:3

b. 13:1,2; 15:2

c. 13:1,2; Is.57:20; see Rev.17:2,6

d. 18:10-19

e. 20:13 (see v.14); see 21:17; 22:15

f. Compare 21:1 and 4 (see Is.65:16,17 with 19,20)  Point?

g. How does Is.51:9-11 help to understand 1b?  (see Rev.16:12f; Jer.51:36)  What is this speaking of in Isaiah?  What is the further background of this?

4. What did John see next? (2)

a. 2a,10; 22:19; see Is.52:1f; see 48;2; Neh.11:1,18; Dan.9:24; Mt.4:5; 27:53; Rev.11:2  

b. In what sense is this description applied here?  (2a; see Is.62:2f(4); 63:16,19; 65:15; see Rev.3:12; 2:17)

1) see Rev.21:2b; 19:8; 12:1f; Is.61:10-62:5

2) see Eph.5:25-27; 2Cor.11:2; 1Cor.11:7

c. 2b,10; see Gal.4:26-31; Heb.12:22; Rev.20:4,6

THE WORD (3-8)

1. What declaration accompanied this vision? (3; see 16:17(21:6); 19:5)

a. What is the significance of this? (see Dan.8:15,etc.; Zech.1:9,etc.)

b. Where did it come from? (3,5; see 11,4; 5:1f)

c. What was said? (3,22)

d. What is the significance of this vision? (3b,7; see 19:7,8; see Ezk.43:7; 37:27(Rev.7:15); Lev.26:11,12; see 2Cor.6:16)

e. Who is included in this? (3b; see 12,14; see 5:9; 7:9; Zech.2:10,11; see Gen.12:1-3,etc.; see Ezk.47:14,22,23 with Gal.3:16; Eph.3:1f)

f. What is no longer involved with this? (22; see Heb.10:19)

g. What does this amount to? (3; see Heb.9:11f; 10:19f; Gen.3:24; yet! Gen.3:1 vs. Rev.20:10f!; i.e., Rev.1:6; 20:6; 22:3,4)

2. What is the consequence of this new reality? (4)

a. 4a; see 7:17; see Is.25:8

b. 4b; see Is.35:10; 51:11; 60:20 (see Rev.21:1b; with Is.51:10,11; Ps.114:3)

c. Why is this? (4c; see 1b,c; 22:3; 22:5; see Is.65:19,20; 17f; 43:18)

3. What does John hear next? (5f; 3f)

a. What summary statement is made? (5)

1) 1; see Is.65:17; 66:22

2) 4b; see Is.65:17; 43:18

3) 5; see Ps.43:19

4) see 2Cor.5:17 (Is.43:18,19; 65:17

4. What command is given to John as a commissioned witness? (5b; see 1:11,19; 2:1,etc.; (10:4); 14:13; 19:9)

a. Why is John to write these words? (5b; see 19:9,11; see 22:6 (see Dan.2:45b); see 3:7,14; 14:13; see Is.65:16,17)

b. What is the point of this declaration? (5b; see 2Pt.3:5f,9f,13f; Is.55:11)

5. How is the declaration of v.5 elaborated in v.6?

a. 6a; see 16:17; Jn.19:30

b. 6b; see 1:8,17; 22:13; see Is.41:4; 43:10; 44:6; 48:12f

1) What is the significance of this description in Revelation and its OT background in Isaiah?

2) What is uniquely similar between 1:8(17) and 21:6(22:13)?  Significance? (see Phil.1:6; Gen.3:15)

(a) 2:7 & 22:2

(b) 3:12 & 21:22f

(c) 3:12 & 21:2,10

(d) 3:12 & 22:4

(e) 3:5 & 21:27

(f) 3:5 & 21:2,9f; see 19:7,8

(g) 2:17,28 & 21:11,18-21,23; 22:5,16

(h) 2:26,27; 3:21 & 22:5

(i) 2:11 & 21:7,8

c. In what respect is this title applied? (6c)

1) see 22:1f(Ezk.47:1f); 17; 7:17; see Is.49:10; 12:3 (see Jn.4:14; 6:35; 7:37)

2) Compare 21:6b & 22:13,12; then also 21:6 & 22:17 and 21:8 & 22:15

3) What are the arrangements for this? (6; see see 22:17; see Is.55:1)

4) Who may participate in this? (6; see 22:17; see Is.49:10; 55:1)

6. From v.7, who will participate in these things? (7,1f)

a. 7a; see 2:7,etc; see 5:5; 17:14; (Jn.16:33); [see 11:7; 13:7; Dan.7:22] with 12:11

b. What is the means and nature of this participation? (7b,c; 3c; see Is.55:1-3(2Sam.7:14; Ps.89:26-29); see Rev.2:26f; 3:21; see 1:9)

7. What are we reminded of again? (8; see 27; 22:15 (Is.66:24); see 20:14; 5,6; 2:11)

a. Why? (see 2:5,16,21f; 3:3; 19; note 22:11; 9:20,21; 16:9,11)

b. What is the first characteristic and its significance in Revelation? (8a & 7; see 2:4f&7; 2:10&11; etc.)

c. How does this fit with the characteristic that follows? (8b; see Mt.13:21; see Mt.8:26; Mk.4:40; see Jn.14:27-29)

d. What is common among the next five characteristics? (8c; see 2:14,20

e. What concludes the list? (8d; see 2:2; 3:9; see 1Jn.2:4,22; 4:20; 5:10; see Tt.1:16)

f. Why is this so serious? (8d; see 3:9; 13:12f; see Jn.8:44; Gen.3:13; Rev.12:9; 20:2f,8)

g. How does this last element parallel the first two?

h. What is the destiny of these? (8e; see 20:6,14; 2:11)

i. What is this in contrast to? (8e; see 20:6)

III. DISCUSSION including suggestions for sermon focus, theme or topic

IV. CLOSING PRAYER

FOR NEXT WEEK: READ & MEDITATE ON REVELATION 21