Single lesson

Revelation 21: A New Heaven and a New Earth

Revelation 21:1–8; Revelation 21:9–27

This vision shows God making everything new. It speaks about a new creation, God living with his people, the end of death and pain, and a serious warning about those whose place is in the second death. This lesson also brings together The New Jerusalem.

12–17 years40 minutes

Before you teach

In this part of Revelation, John reports what he saw and heard. The passage stays in the language of vision and proclamation: a new heaven and earth, a city coming from God, a loud voice, and words from the one seated on the throne.

Learning aim

Explain the central teaching of Revelation 21: A New Heaven and a New Earth, using two details from the reading. Revelation 21:1–8 presents a vision of God making all things new, living with his people, and separating this hope from the second death. This vision presents the New Jerusalem as a holy city filled with God’s glory, ordered in every detail, and open only to those written in the Lamb’s book of life.

1

Welcome: Revelation 21: A New Heaven and a New Earth

5 min

Introduce “A New Heaven and a New Earth”, “The New Jerusalem” and locate Revelation 21:1–8; Revelation 21:9–27. Revelation 21:1–8 presents a vision of God making all things new, living with his people, and separating this hope from the second death. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.

Revelation 21:1, Revelation 21:5, Revelation 21:8

2

Read and explain the passage

12 min

A New Heaven and a New Earth (Revelation 21:1–8): John first says, “I saw”, reminding us this is a vision. He sees a new heaven and a new earth because the first ones have passed away. He also says the sea is no more. The verse states the change plainly without explaining every image in detail.

The New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:9–27): The angel invites John to see “the bride, the Lamb’s wife”, and what John is shown is “the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God”. The image joins a people and a city in one vision. Its first defining feature is “the glory of God”, shining like a precious, crystal-clear stone.

Read the selected verses together, pausing at “A New Heaven and a New Earth”, “The New Jerusalem”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.

Revelation 21:1, Revelation 21:9, Revelation 21:10, Revelation 21:11

3

Discuss the details and their meaning

8 min

Use the three questions below. Begin with “What does the passage say has passed away, and what does God make new?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. This vision presents the New Jerusalem as a holy city filled with God’s glory, ordered in every detail, and open only to those written in the Lamb’s book of life. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.

Revelation 21:1, Revelation 21:5, Revelation 21:3, Revelation 21:7, Revelation 21:22, Revelation 21:23, Revelation 21:25, Revelation 21:27

4

Make and respond: Vision and message evidence map

12 min

Work on “Revelation 21: A New Heaven and a New Earth: Vision and message evidence map”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “A New Heaven and a New Earth”, “The New Jerusalem” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.

Revelation 21:1, Revelation 21:14, Revelation 21:27

5

Closing: return to The New Jerusalem

3 min

Revisit Revelation 21:9–27. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about The New Jerusalem and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.

Revelation 21:9, Revelation 21:18, Revelation 21:27

Questions to explore

What does the passage say has passed away, and what does God make new?

Look at the opening vision and the throne’s announcement to connect the passing of the first things with God making all things new.

Revelation 21:1, Revelation 21:5

How many ways does the passage describe God being close to his people?

Notice the repeated words about dwelling, being with them, and being their God.

Revelation 21:3, Revelation 21:7

What does the passage say is absent from the city, and what is present instead?

Compare the missing temple, sun, moon, night and profane things with the presence of God’s glory, the Lamb, open gates and the book of life.

Revelation 21:22, Revelation 21:23, Revelation 21:25, Revelation 21:27

Make, think or respond

Revelation 21: A New Heaven and a New Earth: Vision and message evidence map

What you’ll need

  • plain paper or card
  • pencils or pens
  • a Bible or the source reading on this page

Try it together

  1. Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “What the passage describes”, “What is explained in the text”, “What question remains”.
  2. Read Revelation 21:1–8; Revelation 21:9–27. Use “A New Heaven and a New Earth”, “The New Jerusalem” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
  3. Compare your notes with a partner. Check that every quotation is accurate and every conclusion has support in the passage.
  4. Circle an explanation the passage itself provides. Leave unexplained details as questions for further reading.

The finished sheet keeps the details of Revelation 21: A New Heaven and a New Earth connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.

Adapt for your group

  • For learners who need more support, prepare the reading headings “A New Heaven and a New Earth”, “The New Jerusalem” and let them match short quotations to the correct heading.
  • For confident readers, compare two sections of Revelation 21:1–8; Revelation 21:9–27. Ask for a written explanation with two supporting references and one question that the text leaves open.

An optional closing prayer

“God, help us listen carefully as we read Revelation 21:1–8; Revelation 21:9–27. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”

Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic

Revelation 21

1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more.

2 I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.

3 I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people; and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more. The first things have passed away.”

5 He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” He said, “Write, for these words of God are faithful and true.”

6 He said to me, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life.

7 He who overcomes, I will give him these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son.

8 But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls which were loaded with the seven last plagues came, and he spoke with me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”

10 He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,

11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

12 having a great and high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.

13 On the east were three gates, and on the north three gates, and on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.

14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

15 He who spoke with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city, its gates, and its walls.

16 The city is square. Its length is as great as its width. He measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand twelve stadia. Its length, width, and height are equal.

17 Its wall is one hundred forty-four cubits, by the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.

18 The construction of its wall was jasper. The city was pure gold, like pure glass.

19 The foundations of the city’s wall were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,

20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.

21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each one of the gates was made of one pearl. The street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

22 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

23 The city has no need for the sun or moon to shine, for the very glory of God illuminated it and its lamp is the Lamb.

24 The nations will walk in its light. The kings of the earth bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.

25 Its gates will in no way be shut by day (for there will be no night there),

26 and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it so that they may enter.

27 There will in no way enter into it anything profane, or one who causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

World English Bible Classic. Public domain.

Source passages

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