Lesson 467 - Junior

Memory Verse

"Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely"  (Revelation 22:17).

Notes

The Millennium

We who take advantage of the experiences God has to give of salvation, sanctification and the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and continue to live for Jesus every day, sometime soon shall see this earth very much more beautiful than it is today. All the growing things -- the trees, the flowers the vegetables -- will be prettier, bigger and better. All the animals, even the snakes, the lions and the bears will be tame, and we will not be afraid for Jesus will be King for a thousand years.

New Heaven and New Earth

There is still more to look forward to, and that is when God creates a new Heaven and a new earth. On this new earth will be new people, people who have been made new by being saved right here upon this earth. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" [2CO:5:17]). God will send down from Heaven a city called the New Jerusalem. Down through the street of this City will flow the river of the Water of Life.

Tree of Life

The tree that grows on both sides of the River of Life is the Tree of Life. This tree has not only one kind of fruit, but it bears twelve different kinds of fruit. Every month the tree buds, blossoms and the fruit matures on the Tree of Life. The nations, the great multitudes of people who inhabit the new earth, go in and out of the gates of the New Jerusalem, for the gates are always open. There is no night there. The people will eat of the fruit of the Tree of Life and live forever.

God provided this Tree for Adam and Eve in the very beginning of time. They could have eaten of it and lived forever then, but instead they disobeyed and were driven out of the Garden. Through all the centuries since the time of Adam and Eve until the creation of the new earth, man has never had access to the Tree of Life. Now again in the New Jerusalem is the Tree of Life, and all the nations of people take of the leaves and are always well and strong. They will eat of the fruit of the Tree and never die.

The devil never comes to this new earth, for he is bound in hell forever with all people who would not repent of their wickedness on this present earth. Those who were afraid to follow Christ because of what people would say or do, and those who told lies, even little "white lies," as well as those who did really bad things, are all bound in hell with the devil. They cannot get out. The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever.

New Jerusalem

Let us imagine that we are in the New Jerusalem just now. We do not have to turn on a light to light our way, neither do we have to wait until the sun shines, because God Himself is the light of that city. Every one in that city has the Lord's name in his forehead. As we watch we see them going here and there on errands for God and for Jesus. They remind us of the Jewish servants in the time of Moses. After six years of service they were free to leave their master, but anyone who said plainly that he loved his master and wanted to stay would stand by the doorpost and the master would bore a hole in the lobe of his ear. Ever afterward he carried the mark that showed he wanted to serve his master forever [EXO:21:5-6]).

The Christian today is free to go away from God and serve the devil, but he plainly shows that he loves God and wants to serve Him forever. He carries the mark of a servant of God. It is not a visible mark in the ear or in the forehead, but the things he says, the things he does, the places he goes mark him as a follower of Jesus.

In our imagination we see those who served God on earth, now walking the streets of transparent gold, continually in the presence of the God whom they chose to serve forever. First, they chose to serve God while here upon earth, they served God during the thousand years of peace; and now in the New Heaven and new earth they are still doing the very things that brought them the greatest happiness.

Coming Quickly

In the 6th verse the angel who had shown John these many things says that God had sent him to show the things that must shortly be done. That means the things that are to be done in this age in which we live, as well as the things that will come later. To you who are reading these words, Jesus is saying, "Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book." Jesus' coming will be a surprise to multitudes of the people living upon the earth now, but His coming need not catch you unawares for you have read all the Book of Revelation and you know that Jesus may come any moment. If you are obeying and receiving all that you know of God's Word you will be one of the blessed ones who will be caught up when Jesus comes.

The Reward

"The time is at hand," the Book says. The time of Jesus' coming is near, and when the trumpet sounds there will be no time for sinners to get saved nor for saved people to get sanctified (verse 11). Jesus will come suddenly and will reward those who have followed him faithfully with a place at His side at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, then with place in His Kingdom of a thousand years of peace, and the privilege to enter in through the gates of the New Jerusalem and have access to the Tree of Life.

Jesus prepared all this especially for the people who love and serve Him [JHN:14:1-3]). But the sinner, where will he be? He has no right to the Tree of Life; he will be in hell forever, a place of torment burning with fire and brimstone. He will be reaping the reward of his own bad doings.

Come

Jesus sent the angel to tell John to write the Book of Revelation so we might know what is going to come to pass and be prepared. And now as the sands of time are running low, and Jesus is about to come back to earth, the whole of God's Kingdom unites in the invitation to all to come to take of the Water of Life and be saved. "The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."

"Surely I come quickly," Jesus says. Does your heart respond, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus"?

Questions

1. What is the Water of Life?

2. Where is the Tree of Life first mentioned'

3. What kind of people have a right to the Tree of Life?

4. What is the mark that Jesus' followers have now?

5. What is one of the things that must shortly be done?

6. Will there be time to get saved when Jesus comes?

7. What will happen to those who have a right to the Tree of Life?

8. Where will sinners be bound? .

9. What invitation is being sent out now by the Spirit of God and all God's people?

10. When Jesus says, "Surely I come quickly," what is your response?