May 11 2025, Sunday School Lesson

The Holy New Jerusalem

Lesson Text: Revelation 21:9-14, 22-27

Related Scriptures: Hebrews 11:8-16; 12:22-29; I John 1:5-7

TIME: A.D. 96

PLACE: from Patmos

Golden Text: “I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 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” (Rev. 21:22-23)

Introduction

Bus tours of modern cities are a thriving business. For a price, tourists are treated to a dazzling array of sites over a day or two. These include of course major shopping areas and well-known eating places, as well as theaters and other cultural centers.

In addition, tourists visit famous historical sites, spend time in museums, and see well-known churches.

Tours do not normally take people to the slum districts, high-crime areas, or otherwise blighted sectors. Cities would rather not publicize these unpleasant realities.

What would a tour of the new heavenly Jerusalem be like? The apostle John actually had such a tour in an apocalyptic vision, and he reported what he saw in Revelation 21. As this week’s lesson reveals, some features of present-day cities will not be there. But what the eternal city will have is spectacular, flawless, and perfectly suited to the needs of its redeemed residents. It will be all the good things modern cities aspire to be but can never achieve in this sinful world.

LESSON OUTLINE

I. AN OVERALL VIEW OF THE CITY – Rev. 21:9-14

II. UNIQUE FEATURES OF THE CITY – Rev. 21:22-27

QUESTIONS

1. Who showed John the heavenly city? What duties did this guide have earlier?

2. What figure of speech is used to describe the heavenly city?

3. The New Jerusalem displays God’s glory. How else has He displayed His glory before this?

4. How many gates will the city have? For whom are they named?

5. For whom are the foundation stones of the city named?

6. Why will there be no temple in the New Jerusalem?

7. How will light for the heavenly city be provided.

8. What spiritual truth is symbolized by the open gates of the holy city?

9. Why is God so insistent that liars cannot enter the holy city?

10. What is the prerequisite for entering the New Jerusalem?

ANSWERS

1. These angels will bring to completion God’s wrath against sinners. The actual plagues they introduced were enumerated in chapter 16, and one of them then introduced the harlot city of Babylon to John (17:1)

2. Since the words “bride” and “wife” are sometimes used to describe the spiritual relationship between the Lord and His people (cf. Isa. 62:5; Hos 2:19; Eph. 5:25-27), it is tempting to see the city here as a mere symbol of the redeemed. But this figure of speech is used in Revelation 21 to describe the city of New Jerusalem (vs. 2).

3. At times it has broken forth in brilliant display, as in the pillar of cloud and fire (Ex. 16:10), as well as His presence in the tabernacle (40:34-35) and temple (I Kings 8:10-11). It was seen in Jesus Christ (John 1:14), and though veiled, it blazed forth in His transfiguration (II Peter 1:16-18).

4. The city wall will have twelve gates, three on each side (Rev. 21:12-13), later said to be pearls (vs. 21). An angel will be stationed at each gate. The gates will never be shut (vs. 25), which may signify that God will never turn away those who come to Him through Christ. Yet the presence of the angels as guards may symbolize the exclusion of the unqualified. As angels barred sinners from Eden (Gen. 3:24), so they will keep the eternal city pure. There gates are noteworthy also because they will have the names of the twelve tribes of Israel written on them.

5. The city John saw had “twelve foundations” bearing “the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

6. The reason for this is that the Lord God Almighty and Jesus the Lamb are its temple.

7. God’s presence will also make unnecessary any additional illumination.

8. The open gates symbolize God’s welcome to all who receive Christ’s salvation by faith.

9. To make a lie is to practice any kind of deceit, whether by word or action. It includes pretense and hypocrisy. It is significant that three times in the last two chapters of Revelation, lying is said to be excluded from the heavenly city (21:8, 27; 22:15). God, who is light, cannot abide anything that falls short of His transparency (I John 1:5-10).

10. To have one’s name written in this book does not require sinless perfection in this present life, for all of us are sinners. Sinners will enter this city, but only those who have trusted the Lamb of God to remove their sin.