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Let’s pray together:
Father,
Your Word has shown us that, after the Last Judgment, Your faithful people will inherit a magnificent dwelling place, the New Jerusalem.
May this lesson help us to learn more about this wonderful city, and cause us to work more ardently in Your harvest.
In the name of Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen.
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Genesis 1:31
And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.
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When God created the earth, it was perfect.
And on this perfect earth, in the garden of Eden, He placed the newly created man and woman, so that they might enjoy all the wonders surrounding them.
Unfortunately, because they chose to disobey their Creator, they were no longer allowed to stay in Eden.
But, in His infinite love, God set up His plan of salvation in Jesus Christ, so that they might, one day, return to paradise.
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John 14:2,3
In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.
I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
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Jesus repeated that promise: there really is a place prepared for those who follow God; a place where they will spend eternity.
It is, therefore, reasonable to study one lesson simply to have a better knowledge of the place where we could spend eternity!
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Hebrews 11:9,10
By faith [Abraham] sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.
For he looked for a City which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
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Abraham knew that the real Promised Land was more than a piece of land in Canaan.
He was waiting for an infinitely superior heritage: the city prepared by God Himself, the New Jerusalem.
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Hebrews 11:13,14,16
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. (...)
But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly.
Why God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He has prepared for them a City.
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Those faithful men and women knew that, one day, the Lord would replace this sin-polluted earth with a New Earth, especially for His people.
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2 Peter 3:10,13
The heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (...)
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.
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Revelation 21:1
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
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The message is clear: a New Earth will soon replace this one!
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Isaiah 35:1,2,6,7
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing. (...)
For in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
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A new, totally restored Earth, in all its beauty, similar to the Garden of Eden, out of which man was driven because of his disobedience.
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Isaiah 11:6-8
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatted calf together; and a little child shall lead them.
And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’s den.
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A New Earth in which all the inhabitants, both men and animals, will live in perfect harmony with Nature, which won’t present any danger to them.
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Isaiah 29:19-21
The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
For the terrible one is brought to nothing, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off: that make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproves in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nothing.
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But there’s still more: on this New Earth, God’s people will live in an environment from which all kinds of evil will have been completely banished forever!
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Revelation 21:4
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
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Isaiah 25:8
He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth: for the Lord has spoken it.
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A New Earth in which death, that is «the wages of sin» (Romans 6:23), will be no more!
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Isaiah 35:5,6
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing.
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Isaiah 33:24
And the inhabitant shall not say, «I am sick.»
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A New Earth without any sickness: God will have destroyed all diseases forever, so His people will enjoy perfect physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
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Isaiah 60:18,21
Violence shall no more be heard in your land, wasting nor destruction within your borders. (...)
Your people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever.
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Isaiah 11:9
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain.
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
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A New Earth in which words like «hunger», «terrorism», «crime», «disaster», «war», «disease», «suffering», «despair», will no longer exist.
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Isaiah 65:17-19
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
But be you glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
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A New Earth in which love, righteousness and peace dwell forever.
The people of God will thus «be glad and rejoice for ever».
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Isaiah 32:16-18
Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
And My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
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2 Peter 3:13
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.
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A New Earth filled with righteousness: locks on doors won’t be necessary!
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Revelation 21:3; 22:3,4
Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. (...)
His servants shall serve Him: and they shall see His face.
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1 John 3:2
We shall be like [God]; for we shall see Him as He is.
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So many people wished to see God’s face, but the presence of sin would not allow it, as we saw in the lesson «God: Could He Be Dead?».
On the New Earth, where sin will be no more, this desire will be satisfied at last.
God’s people will not only be allowed to see His face, but they will also live with Him forever!
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John 20:14,16
[Mary] turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. (...)
Jesus said to her, «Mary!»
She turned herself, and said to Him, «Rabboni!», which is to say, Master.
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Risen and glorified, Jesus was not immediately recognized by Mary.
However, when He spoke to her, she knew at once who He was.
Likewise, although made incorruptible and immortal at Jesus’ return, God’s redeemed people will be able to recognize each other on the New Earth.
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Luke 24:39,42,43
[Jesus said,]
«Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones, as you see Me have.» (...)
And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. And He took it, and did eat before them.
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What will men be like on the New Earth? In what form will they exist?
In order to dispel our desire to spend eternity with God, Satan tries to make us believe that the elect will be like floating spirits, playing harps on the clouds...
The truth is that they will have real bodies, just like Jesus after His resurrection.
And what will they be doing?
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Isaiah 65:21,22
They shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat.
For as the days of a tree are the days of My people, and My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
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Bursting with energy, never tired, with no fear of sickness or death, God’s people will be able to accomplish extraordinary things.
Building houses and planting vineyards will be only two of all the innumerable activities!
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Matthew 8:11
And I say to you, that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
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Luke 14:15
Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!
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The redeemed people will also have the privilege of sitting at the same table as God, eating in the company of the great figures of the Bible, and listening to their stories!
And even more, the elect will have the incomparable pleasure of receiving the precious teachings of Jesus Himself, and will then be able to ask Him all the questions that went unanswered here on earth!
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Hebrews 12:22
But you are come to Mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.
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Revelation 21:10,11,18
And [the angel] showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God.
And her light was like to a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. (...)
And the city was pure gold, like to clear glass.
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And the Capital of the New Earth will be the New Jerusalem, City of God.
Our imagination can’t possibly conceive the sublime beauties this city will display for the happiness of God’s people living there.
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Revelation 22:1,2,5
And [the angel] showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
In the middle of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bore twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (...)
And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God gives them light.
And they shall reign for ever and ever.
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God’s people will be allowed to drink at the pure river of water of life, which will flow through the New Jerusalem.
Also, access to the tree of life will be restored, as in the Garden of Eden.
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Isaiah 51:3
[The Lord] will make [Zion’s] wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.
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1 Corinthians 2:9
Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him.
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In spite of our best efforts in this lesson, we can’t perfectly describe, nor even begin to imagine all the wonders awaiting God’s people on the New Earth.
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Revelation 21:27
And there shall in no wise enter into [the New Jerusalem] any thing that defiles, neither whatever works abomination, or makes a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
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If we sincerely desire it, God will reserve a place for us in His City: all we have to do is to make sure that our name is «written in the Lamb’s Book of Life».
But how can we register our name in this Book?
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John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
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Galatians 3:29
And if you be Christ’s, then are you Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
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We must recognize that we are sinners, and accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, for the forgiveness of our sins.
Then we must remain faithful to God until the end.
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Revelation 7:14,15
[They] washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God.
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Revelation 3:5
He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life.
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To wash one’s robe in the blood of the Lamb means to accept the sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God, for the forgiveness of our sins and the purification of our heart, and then to follow Him until the end.
There is no other way to be saved.
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Revelation 2:7; 3:5,12; 21:7
To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life. (...)
He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life. (...)
Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. (...)
He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son.
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If we put our trust in Christ, He will help each one of us to overcome.
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Let’s pray together:
Our Father in heaven,
Your promise is so wonderful that we may find it difficult to believe! Yet Your Word says, «Behold, I make all things new. Write, for these words are true and faithful.» (Revelation 21:5).
We truly desire that our names may be written in Your Book of Life.
Please help us to faithfully follow You with perseverance until the end, until the day when You give Your people the New Jerusalem for their inheritance.
In Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen.
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