43.

Looking for a city whose builder is God

Revelation 22: 11-21

  • Session: 43
  • Week: 7
  • Day: 1
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Introduction

In this session, Revelation 22: 11-21, we focus on understanding people’s responses and reactions to the invitation given. Those who choose to be vile should continue; those who choose to be righteous should continue. God honors our choices and will. We also understand the threefold promises concerning the river of the waters of life, the tree of life, and his soon coming. A challenge in the book of Hebrews was that Abraham was looking for a city with an eternal foundation. Jesus presents this city to those looking for it and those who are thirsty for it.

Objectives

By the end of this session, the learner will have:

  • Understood the final crystal-clear picture of the anticipated heavenly Home by analyzing the new Created heaven and earth, the city or the new community, the throne, the river, the water in the river, the tree of life along the river and people’s responses in thirsting and drinking the water and hungering for the fruit 🍓🍉🍊 from the tree 🎄🌴🎄 of life.
  • Appreciated Jesus’ promise of His coming, His invitation to His Bride, and His warning ⚠ to those who reject the invitation and his promise.

Outline

  • Seeing the future through the lenses of Alpha and Omega
  • Anticipate his soon coming
  • The river of life revealed
  • The throne of the soon-coming King
  • Worship, the criterion of being allowed into the city

Group Study Time

Revelation 22: 11-21

Connecting

  • Gather with two or more people for a community discovery bible study session.
  • Start with a heartfelt prayer, inviting God to guide and bless your understanding.
  • Explore the passage by reading it at least twice, using different Bible versions if available, then retell the story together as a group.
  • Reflect and share the challenges and blessings you experienced from the previous study.

Comprehending

  • Read Rev 22: 7, 12-13. 20, What do you understand by Jesus’ promise, I am coming soon “? Why is he coming? How soon is he coming? What has prevented his coming? How is he coming? What is your response to this Grand promise?
  • Read Rev 22: 11, 14-16. What sobering Truth about people’s will is revealed here? What is the invitation and warning ⚠ given by the Lamb 🐑? Who will be allowed into the city? Why? Who will be disallowed into the city? Why?
  • Read Rev 22: 17-21. The Lamb repeats three times, I am coming soon! What is the Spirit’s and the Bride’s Response (what to say, what to do, and what to be)
  • What is revealed about the tree of life 22: 2, 14 and the river of water of life 22: 1-2.

Committing

  • Engage with the Bible—read, study, memorize, meditate, pray, listen, and live it out.
  • List three lessons you have learnt as an agent of change that you would like to put into practice and teach others about.
  • Take time and worship Jesus with the attributes revealed about Christ.
  • Use the SPACEPETS model, to assist you in putting God’s word into practice. Look for:
    • Sin to confess
    • Promise to claim
    • Attitude to change
    • Command to keep
    • Error to change
    • Prayer to make
    • Example to copy
    • Truth to obey and
    • Something praiseworthy

Communicating

  • Identify one person you can connect with and share the valuable insights and lessons you gained from this session.
  • Reach out to a new believer—either in person or by phone—and pray with them to support them through their challenges, including any concerns about attending church.
  • Create a new group and guide others through this study to help them grow in their understanding.

Post Lesson Teaching Summary

Great job completing the study! Take a moment to listen to this summary to reinforce your group’s understanding of the text and ensure you’re all on the same page. We’re here to support your learning journey!

Looking for a city whose builder is God

Revelation 22: 11-21

Revelation 22:11-21

Context

  • Revelation 22:11-21 concludes the Book of Revelation, focusing on humanity’s response to the invitation to enter the New Jerusalem, the city built by God, and the urgency of Jesus’ imminent return.
  • It emphasizes free will, divine promises, and the call to prepare for the eternal city while warning against altering the prophecy.

Responding to the Invitation of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 22:11-21)

  • Human Free Will: God allows people to choose their path: the wicked may continue in evil, the vile in vileness, but the righteous and holy are urged to persist in godliness, reflecting the freedom to respond to God’s invitation.
  • Jesus’ Imminent Return: Jesus declares three times, “I am coming soon,” emphasizing urgency and certainty. He brings rewards based on deeds, identifying Himself as the Alpha and Omega, the Root and Offspring of David, and the Bright Morning Star.
  • Invitation to the City: The Spirit and the bride (New Jerusalem) invite all who are thirsty to take the free gift of the water of life, echoing the promise of eternal communion with God in the city.
  • Call to Obedience: Blessed are those who wash their robes, gaining access to the tree of life and entry through the city’s gates. The unrighteous—practitioners of magic, immorality, murder, idolatry, and falsehood—are excluded, destined for the lake of fire.
  • Preserving the Prophecy: A stern warning is given: adding to the scroll brings plagues, while removing words forfeits a share in the tree of life and the holy city. The prophecy must remain intact as God’s true word.
  • Final Prayer: Jesus’ testimony, “Yes, I am coming soon,” prompts the response, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus,” with a blessing of His grace upon His people, urging readiness for His return.
  • Pilgrimage to the City: Speaker 1 frames believers as pilgrims, like Abraham, seeking the city whose builder is God, urging a proper response to the divine invitation through faith and obedience.

Application

  • Choose to live righteously, responding to Jesus’ invitation with faith and obedience. Prepare for His soon return by ensuring your name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life, embracing the free gift of the water of life, and preserving the truth of God’s word.