Revelation – Lesson 28 (Various Scriptures)

 

God’s Promises of Heaven

Heaven is often portrayed as people floating on clouds with lots of leisure time with no worries or cares and with angels all around for our every need.  The Scriptures tell us what heaven is really like...

John 14:1-4 – in God’s house there are many rooms.

1 Corinthians 13:12 – we will see God face to face and know Him in person and His ways.

Revelation 21:1-5 – God will live with us. He will wipe very tear, no more death, morning, crying or pain.

Genesis 3 and Romans 8:18-23 describe the world’s fall into sin and its impact.  The serpent deceived Adam and Eve causing them to sin.  God then banished them from the garden and they were forced to live lives of hardship.  He made Eve have the pain of childbirth and her husband to rule over her.  He cursed Adam to work the ground to produce food.  

Sin has many consequences.  It damages relationships between people running marriages, friendships, and families.  Some words to describe sin in the world are transgression, wickedness, trouble, wrong, error, fraud, crime, mischief, iniquity, crime, immorality, lust, trespass, ungodliness, backslide, cheating, misbehavior, misconduct.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 tell us that we cannot fathom what God has done from the beginning.  He is the author of our time and the seasons we go through.  God is beyond our comprehension.  We can’t explain Him, but we have a desire to know Him.  Without Him our hearts are restless.  We can trust God knows everything and has a beautiful plan for us.

God promises believers eternal life which give us hope...

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 – We will have an imperishable spiritual body raised in glory, and power.

1 John 3:2 – We will be like Jesus and see Him as He is.

Revelation 22:1-5 – In heaven there will be no longer any curse, the throne of God and the Lamb will be in the city, we will see His face and His name will be on our foreheads, there will be no more night or sun because the God will give us light.

These Scriptures tell us where believers who have died while awaiting for God’s new heaven and new earth will be...

Luke 23:39-43 – Believers with be awaiting in paradise – meaning their spirits until they receive their resurrected bodies.

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 – Believers will be at home with Jesus.

Philippians 1:21-23 – Believers will be with Christ.

We can share the truth about eternal life by telling others that Jesus was in the world and through Him the world was made.  Those who receive Him are given the right to become children of God.  When you receive and believe in Him, you are given eternal life.  (John 1:9-13)

 

God’s Calling

These passages tell us what God’s people are called to think, believe and do while awaiting Jesus’ return...

Matthew 28:19-20 – We are to go into the world and make disciples, baptize, and teach them to obey.

John 13:34-36 – We are to love one another as He loves us.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – We are to always be joyful, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances.

Hebrews 12:28 – We are to be thankful and worship God with reverence and awe.

1 Peter 1:13-16; 2 Peter 3:10-14 – We are to prepare our minds for action, be self-controlled, set our hope on grace given to us, be holy, live holy and godly lives looking forward to His coming.

Waiting for heaven can be a challenge, but we can do it in the right way.  We can stop arguments on things that are not really important.  We can set our mind on things above, not on earthly things.  We can find a church and Christian community who encourage and support us.  We can tell others about the hope we have.  We can speak the truth and let the Holy Spirit work in their hearts.  We can believe God, watch with expectancy, and be prepared.  We can put our hope in His Word and trust in Him and not in our own understanding.     

Principle:  The certainty of heaven gives believers strength for today and hope for eternity.

Next time we will continue our study of Revelation 22.  – I encourage you to trust in Jesus and pray for each other.

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