The Reformed Presbyterian Church   154 City Line Road   Oswego, New York   13126-2905
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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 3 (21:18-27)               16 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: NEXT WEEK, May 23rd (surprise arrives!)
2. BIBLE STUDIES on May 31 (Thursday); then Wednesdays, June 13th, 20th & 27th
•	no study week of June 3rd but Psalm Tune Scholarship Award presentations and performance is on Tuesday evening, June 5th at the OHS Theater (time TBA, but around 7-7:30 p.m.)
C. NOTE: EQUIPPED TO SERVE (Ephesians 4:12; Hebrews 5:12)
D. READ: Revelation 21:1-22:5

 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 CHAPTERS 21 & 22 (& etc.)

REVIEW

1. How does this chapter relate to the previous one? (see 21:1,4)

2. What are the two complementary images in this chapter? (2,10)
a. What is their common point? (3,7)

3. What is the theme in 
a. vs.9-14?

b. vs.15-17?

THE MATERIAL OF THE NEW JERUSALEM (21:18-27)

1. What is the material and its significance in:

a. the wall (18a; see 19,11; 4:3; see Ezk.28:13; Gen.2:10-12; 3:24)

b. the city (18b; see 15,21; see 11,23f with 1Kng.6:20f; 8:11)

2. What is the material of the foundations? (19; see Is.54:12; see 1Pt.2:4f; Rev.3:12; Lam.4:1,2)

a. What is the common significance of foundations and gems? (1Kngs.7:9-11)

b. What image is merged here again? (19; see 2; 19:8; see Is.54:1f&11f; see 55:1f)

c. Walls adorned with or made out of gems? (19; see 1Kngs.7;10; 2Chr.3:4f; see Rev.21:21)

d. Foundation for what? (19; see 18,14)  significance?

e. What is the special significance of the first foundation? (19; se 18a; Ezk.28:13; Gen.2:10-12; 3:24)

f. What is significant about the number of the foundations? (19,20; see Ex.28:15f; 39:8f; see Ezk.28:13)

g. How does this support our understanding of vs.12 and 14?

h. What is significant about sapphire? (18; see Ex.24:10; Ezk.10:1)

i. What is significant about beryl? (20; see Ezk.1:16; (28:13); Dan.10:6)

j. What do the foundations represent? 18-20; see Ex.28:15f; 39:8f)

k. What is the summary of all this? (21:11,23; 22:5; see  4:3,9-11)

3. Where do we get the popular notion of “the pearly gates”? (21)

a. What contrast is again presented? (21; see 17:4; 18:12,16)

b. What’s similar betw. foundations & gates? (20,21; see 12,14; see Ex.28:17; 39:10; see 28:30) Significance?

c. What wraps up this section on the wall and its foundation? (21; see 18; see 11:8)

d. What is the point of the material here also? (21; see 15,21; see 11,23f with 1Kng.6:20f; 8:11)

4. What did John not see in the New Jerusalem? (22; Ezra 6:3-7; 2Chr.1:4; 5:2)

a. Why? (22; see 3)

b. How is this so? (see 1,4; Heb.8:13; 10:9)

c. What is the significance of God’s title here? (22; see 1:8; 4:8; etc.)

d. What is striking about the Lamb here? (22,23; see 5:6f; 7:9f; 14:1; 15:3; 22:1,3; see 1:4-6)

5. What does the New Jerusalem not need? (23a)

a. Why? (23b; see 22:5; Is.60:19,20; Ezk.43:2,5; see Jn.2:19-22; see Eph.2:20; Mt.21:42(Ps.118:22f); see Rev.3:12

b. What is the significance of the description of the Lamb here? (23b; see Jn.1:14; Heb.1:3)

c. What is the consequence of this? (24; see Is.60:3-5; 2:2-5; 49:6-8; 66:12)

d. What is a further consequence? (25a; see Is.60:11)

e. How can this be? (25b; see 22:5; Zech.14:7)

f. What is repeated for emphasis? (26; see 24; see Ps.72:10,11)

g. Who will not enter through the gates? (27a; see 1,8; 22:14,15; see Is.52:1; see Gal.5:21; 1Cor.6:9 with Rev.21:7,8)

h. Whom is not included in those that are excluded? (27b; see 3:5; 13:8; 20:12,15; see Is.4:3)

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

IV. CLOSING PRAYER

NEXT WEEK: PRAYER MEETING (surprise arrives!)
Pray for God’s Blessing on the Teaching & Preaching of His Word

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