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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 2 (21:9-17)                  9 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 16 (Wednesday) 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 similarities do you see between the beginning and end of this book?
a. How is this hinted at in the title in 21:6? (6b; see 1:8,17; 22:13; see Is.41:4; 43:10; 44:6; 48:12f

b. What are the similarities?
1) 2:7 & 22:2

2) 3:12 & 21:22f

3) 3:12 & 21:2,10

4) 3:12 & 22:4

5) 3:5 & 21:27

6) 3:5 & 21:2,9f; see 19:7,8

7) 2:17,28 & 21:11,18-21,23; 22:5,16

8) 2:26,27; 3:21 & 22:5

9) 2:11 & 21:7,8

c. What is the significance of these comparisons?

2. What is the connection between 21:1-8 and 21:9-22:5 (see 21:2 & 21:10)

3. What is the outline of the section on The New Jerusalem? (21:9-22:5)

a. 21:9-14 

b. 21:15-17

c. 21:18-21

d. 21:22-27

e. 22:1-5

4. Compare: 

a. 21:2 & 9-11

b. 21:3 & 22-24; 22:3

c. 21:6 & 22:1

d. 21:8 & 21:27a; 22:15

e. Significance?

5. What is the obvious OT source for the images of the end of chp.21?

a. What does this tell us about the interpretation of that OT reference?

b. How does the broad theme of Rev.21 fit in with the broad theme of this OT reference?

6. What indicates that the city is figurative and not literal? (see 21:9&10; see Is.54:1f&11f)

7. Some see part (or even all) of chps.21&22 as describing the millennial kingdom of 20:1-10.  Why is this clearly not the case?

THE NEW JERUSALEM, PART 1

A. Initial View and Appearance (21:9-14)

1. Compare 21:9,10 and 17:1,3.  

a. What is the significance of this comparison?
1) literarily: the structure of the book

2) thematically: the topics presented

b. compare 21:9f,2; 19:7-8 (1Cor.3:5-15)  and  17:4; 18:12,16; 21:18-21

c. How does this comparison instruct us regarding a literal or figurative interpretation of the city?

2. Where was John taken? (10)

a. see Ezk.43:5 (also 2:2; 3:12,14,24; 1:1)

b. What is the significance of this for John? (1:3; see 1;10; 4:2; esp.17:3)

c. What is the significance of the destination? (10; see Ezk.40:1,2; Is.40:9 (Is.2:2,3; 4:1f; 25:6-26:2; Mic.4:1f; Ps.48:2)see Mt.4:8?!)

3. What earlier theme is being developed? (10; see 3f)

a. Compare 11 and Is.58:8; 60:1,2,19 (see Is.40-66 in Rev.21:1-5; 19-26; 22:5)

b. How is this pictured? (11; see Ezk.43:2; 43:4,5; Is.58:8; 60:1-3,19,20; Dan.12:3; Phil.2:15; Rev.4:3; also see Rev.22:16=2:28(2Pt.1:19))

c. Note: Greek word for “tabernacle” and “dwell” (3; “skaenae”; “skaenowsae”) is very close in sound to Hebrew word for “glory” (“shekinah”; see v.11; Lev.26:1; Ezk.37:27)

d. What is the point of the stone in v.11?

4. What is the next feature of the city that John is shown? (12,13)

a. What is the significance of this? (see 21:27; 22:14,15; see Is.26:1(26:2 & 21:24-27); Zech.2:5; see Song)

b. see Ezk.40:5,6 + 48:31-34 (42:15-19)

c. see Is.62:6 (see Gen.3:24; Ezk.41:25)

d. see Rev.3:12; Ex.28:21; 39:14; 

5. What is the next feature of the city that John is shown? (14)

a. What is significant about the number? (14; see 4:3,4; see 1Chr.24:3-19; 25:6-31; 26:17-19; see Qumran interpretation of Is.54:11,12)

b. see 7:1-9; 11:1,2 with 21:2,3 (see Eph.2:21,22; 1Pt.2:5; also 1Cor.3:16,17; 6:19; 2Cor.6:16)

c. see Heb.11:10; 12:22,23

d. see Rev.3:12; Ex.28:21; 39:14

B. Measurements (21:15-17)

1. What is the significance of the description of the angel? (15; see 9; 17:1; Ezk.3:24; Zech.1:9,etc.)

a. What was he holding? (15; see 18,21 with Heb.9:4)

b. Why was he holding this? (15; see Ezk.40:3-5; see Zech.1:16; 2:2)

c. What is the significance of this action? (15; see 11:1,2; see 7:3f)

2. What was shown to John next? (16)

a. What is the significance of the shape? (16; see Ezk.45:1-5; 48:8-13; see 1Kngs.6:20; see Ex.28:16)

b. What is the significance of the numbers? (16,17)
1) 16; see 12,14; 20,21

2) 17; see 7:4-9; 14:1,3

3) see Ezk.40:5; 42:20

c. What is the significance of the magnitude? (16,17; see Dt.3:5; 28:52; see Song; see Is.54:2; Ezk.41:7)

3. What is the significance of human and angelic measurement being the same? (17b; see 1-3,10)

4. How is the New Jerusalem different from the old Babylon? (compare 21:2,10 and Gen.11:4; Rev.18:5; 2Th.2:4)

5. What was the main wall in the old city-temple?  

a. What is the main wall in the new city-temple?

b. How are these very much the same?

c. How are these very different

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

IV. CLOSING PRAYER

NEXT WEEK: READ & MEDITATE ON REVELATION 21 & 22
Pray for God’s Blessing on the Teaching & Preaching of His Word

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