Lesson 12: Be Courageous (2)
Read Revelation 22:21 - https://www.bible.com/bible/59/rev.22

We read about walls and streets of our new home in the last lesson. Walls, to the people when this book was written, were a symbol of safety. We have much more courage when we know we have a place of complete safety where we can find refuge.

Let us read more now in Revelation 22 where we are given a few more details about what is in the city. There is the throne of God in the center, surrounded by an emerald rainbow. I've never seen one of those and I cannot imagine how beautiful it will be. There is a Crystal River coming out from the throne of God and it runs down Main Street, and on each side of the river grows the tree of life which has 12 fruits. Even the leaves of this tree have healing properties.

We are now told we shall see God's face and His name will be written on our foreheads. There will never be night again in this city because it does not need a sun to provide such light – God is its light.

We have much more courage when we know all we need is near at hand.

John now warns his readers to prepare for this place. Preparation, of course, begins with accepting Jesus as our Savior, but there is also a faithfulness requirement. We must remain faithful to the words of this book, and we must always be prepared for the coming-again of the builder of this city.

So what has a look at the back of the book shown us? It has shown us that not one single circumstance here in this world can alter the life we will have in the city which comes from God. No disease here will be carried into those walls. No sadness here will enter through those gates.


But let us take a look at His promise. John tells us in 1 John 3:2 that when Jesus comes we will be like Him. What does it mean to be like Him? What was Jesus like after His resurrection? Well, on the road to Emmaus He suddenly appeared but they didn't recognize Him. He sat down to eat with them, and then He disappeared (Mark 16). He could be touched (John 20:17), He could walk through walls (John 20:19), and He could rise into the air without the benefit of airplane wings or rocket boosters (Acts 1: 10). We are also told, in Jesus' story about the poor man who died and went to Abraham's bosom, that people are recognizable in heaven. We are not told, however, whether such recognition is because we "know as we are known" (1 Corinthians 13) or whether our bodies will look like they do now but without imperfections. In any case we will be unique individuals there just as we are here, but we will be perfected. This means there will be no canes, crutches, wheelchairs, prosthetic devices, hearing aids, eyeglasses, memory enhancers, pills, heart stents, or any other device needed to maintain a body or its life in heaven.

*Memorize: Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”