The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 1

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.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 2

Genesis 1:31

Comments

And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.

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.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 3

John 14:2,3	Comments
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.	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!

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 4

Hebrews 11:9,10	Comments
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.	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.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 5

Hebrews 11:13,14,16

Comments

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.

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.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 6

2 Peter 3:10,13	Comments
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.	The message is clear: a New Earth will soon replace this one!
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.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 7

Isaiah 35:1,2,6,7

Comments

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.

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.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 8

Isaiah 11:6-8

Comments

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.

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.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 9

Isaiah 29:19-21	Comments
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.	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!

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 10

Revelation 21:4	Comments
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.	A New Earth in which death, that is «the wages of sin» (Romans 6:23), will be no more!
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.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 11

Isaiah 35:5,6	Comments
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.	A New Earth without any sickness: God will have destroyed all diseases forever, so His people will enjoy perfect physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
Isaiah 33:24
And the inhabitant shall not say, «I am sick.»

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 12

Isaiah 60:18,21	Comments
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.	A New Earth in which words like «hunger», «terrorism», «crime», «disaster», «war», «disease», «suffering», «despair», will no longer exist.
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.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 13

Isaiah 65:17-19	Comments
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.	A New Earth in which love, righteousness and peace dwell forever. The people of God will thus «be glad and rejoice for ever».

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 14

Isaiah 32:16-18	Comments
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.	A New Earth filled with righteousness: locks on doors won’t be necessary!
2 Peter 3:13
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 15

Revelation 21:3; 22:3,4	Comments
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.	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!
1 John 3:2
We shall be like [God]; for we shall see Him as He is.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 16

John 20:14,16	Comments
[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.	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.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 17

Luke 24:39,42,43	Comments
[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.	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?

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 18

Isaiah 65:21,22	Comments
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.	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!

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 19

Matthew 8:11	Comments
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.	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!
Luke 14:15
Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 20

Hebrews 12:22	Comments
But you are come to Mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.	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.
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.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 21

Revelation 22:1,2,5

Comments

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.

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.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 22

Isaiah 51:3	Comments
[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.	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.
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.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 23

Revelation 21:27	Comments
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.	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?

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 24

John 3:16	Comments
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.	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.
Galatians 3:29
And if you be Christ’s, then are you Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 25

Revelation 7:14,15	Comments
[They] washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God.	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.
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.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 26

Revelation 2:7; 3:5,12; 21:7

Comments

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.

If we put our trust in Christ, He will help each one of us to overcome.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 27
	New Heavens, New Earth
	Screen 27

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.

 The test of Lesson 27 is waiting for you!

Source of the Pictures of this Lesson

Screen 1: In: «Photo Gallery 25,000» by Media Graphics International, CD #4, HAWI1075.JPG. Screen 2: MANISCALCO, Joe. In: «Images from the Bible and Sacred History CD», Chosen Works, MLI Software, JM006.BMP. Screen 3: In: «Egermeier’s Bible Story Book» (EGERMEIER, Elsie E.), The Warner Press, 1963, p.426. Screen 4: In: «The Bible for Children - Retold by Bridget Hadaway & Jean Atcheson», London, Octopus Books Limited, 1973, p.25. Screen 5: ANDERSON, Harry. In: «Uncle Arthur’s Bible Book» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), p.93. Used by permission. Copyright ©1945, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1968, 1996 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 6: ANDERSON, Harry. In: «The Bible Story, volume 6» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), p.65. Used by permission. Copyright ©1955, 1983 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 7: In: «The Bible Story, volume 10» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), p.207. Used by permission. Copyright ©1957, 1985 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 8: In: «The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes» (TAYLOR, Kenneth N.), Moody Press, Chicago, 1956, p.107. Screen 9: GREENE, Nathan. «The Lion and the Lamb». In: «Inspirational Fine Art», Hart Classic Editions (www.hartclassics.com), p.4. Screen 10: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (August 1, 1986), Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.7. Screen 11: GREENE, Nathan. «Johnny Made Whole». In: «Inspirational Fine Art», Hart Classic Editions (www.hartclassics.com), p.6. Screen 12: STEEL, John. In: «God Cares, volume 2» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1985, p.522. Screen 13: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (March 1, 1987), Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.31. Screen 14: ZINGARO, Charles. In: «The Bible Story, volume 5» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), p.152. Used by permission. Copyright ©1955, 1983 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 15: In: «La Révélation - le grand dénouement est proche», New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1988, p.317. Screen 16: COLEMAN, Ralph Pallen. In: «The Way, the Truth, and the Life», Philadelphia, The John C. Winston Company, 1958, p.113. Screen 17: RUDEEN, Herbert. In: «The Bible Story, volume 9» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), p.164. Used by permission. Copyright ©1957, 1985 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 18: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (February 15, 1990), Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.7. Screen 19: CONVERSE, James. In: «God Cares, volume 2» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1985, p.469. Screen 20: PROVONSHA, Clyde. In: «God Cares, volume 2» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1985, p.506. Screen 21: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (December 15, 1988), Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.18. Screen 22: In: «Réveillez-Vous» magazine (July 22, 1991), Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.32. Screen 23: ANDERSON, Harry. In: «The Bible Story, volume 6» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), p.65. Used by permission. Copyright ©1955, 1983 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 24: ANDERSON, Harry. In: «La Sentinelle» magazine (September 1980), p.11. Used by permission. Copyright ©1962, 1990 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 25: In: «Questionnaire Adulte de l’Ecole du Sabbat», Pacific Press Publishing Association, First Quarter, 2000, front cover. Screen 26: JUSTINEN, Lars. In: «Questionnaire Adulte de l’Ecole du Sabbat», Pacific Press Publishing Association, Second Quarter, 1997, front cover. Screen 27: In: «Photo Gallery 25,000» by Media Graphics International, CD #4, HAWI1064.JPG.

Any copyrighted images not bearing a statement of permission, are used for the purpose of non-commercial scholarly commentary or criticism in accordance with section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law, and with article 29 of Canada Copyright Act (Chapter C-42), which by law can be without the consent or endorsement of the copyright holder. Images lacking attribution are either known or assumed to be in the public domain, or have an as yet undetermined status. Anyone having knowledge of proper attribution for an image is requested to contact us via email below so that it can be correctly noted. It is our intent to comply fully with applicable laws regarding intellectual property rights.

 The test of Lesson 27 is waiting for you!