New Earth Honor

Missionary Activities - Bible Studies

Requirements

1. Know what the great hope of the children of God is regarding the destiny of humanity. (2 Peter 3:13; Matthew 5:5; Revelation 21:1)

   Answer: The great hope is the New Earth, where righteousness will dwell (2 Peter 3:13). The meek will inherit the Earth (Matthew 5:5) and there will be a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1). It is the eternal kingdom, without pain, death, or sin, promised by God to the saved. — The hope of the New Earth is different from the ethereal paradise of other religions — Adventists believe in a restored physical earth. 2 Peter 3:13 speaks of new heavens 'in which righteousness dwells', and Revelation 21:1 shows that the old order (with the sea symbolizing chaos) will be replaced.

2. Describe what will happen to the holy city, the New Jerusalem. (Revelation 21:2-3)

   Answer: Revelation 21:2-3 describes that the New Jerusalem will come down from heaven from God, adorned as a bride for her husband. It will be where God will dwell with men, they will be His people, and He will be their God, ending the separation caused by sin. — Revelation 21:16 details that the city is 12,000 stadia (about 2,200 km) on each side, a cubic shape — the same proportion as the Holy of Holies of the temple. The pure gold like transparent glass (21:21) and the 12 foundations with precious stones symbolize perfection and glory.

3. Identify who the inhabitants of the new Earth will be, according to the Bible. (Revelation 22:3-4; 21:7)

   Answer: The inhabitants will be the servants of God who will see His face and bear His name on their foreheads (Revelation 22:3-4). The one who overcomes will inherit all things (Revelation 21:7). They are those saved by faith in Christ, who persevered in obedience and were faithful to the end. — Revelation 22:4 ('they will see his face') is a unique privilege — Moses could not see God's face in Exodus 33:20. Adventists understand that this promise marks the total restoration of the relationship with God, lost in the fall of Adam and Eve in Eden.

4. Identify who will not be part of the new Earth. (Revelation 21:8; 22:15; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21)

   Answer: Those who will not be part: the cowardly, the unbelieving, the abominable, murderers, adulterers, idolaters, liars (Revelation 21:8); dogs, sorcerers, the sexually immoral (Revelation 22:15); the unrighteous, the greedy (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). — These texts do not condemn the occasional act but the persistent lifestyle without repentance. 1 Corinthians 6:11 adds: 'but you were washed, but you were sanctified' — showing that repentance and faith in Christ transform those who previously lived in these sins.

5. Reflect on what it will be like to live with Jesus for all eternity. (Revelation 5:13; 11:15; 21:4)

   Answer: It will be a life of continuous and joyful worship (Revelation 5:13), under the eternal reign of Christ (Revelation 11:15), without tears, pain, death, or mourning (Revelation 21:4). Reflect on the direct relationship with God, total peace, and eternal growth in knowledge and love. — Revelation 21:4 is one of the most comforting texts in the Bible, promising the end of all causes of human suffering. C.S. Lewis wrote that 'all the present world is only the cover page of the real book that will never end'. Eternity will not be boredom but continuous growth.

6. Memorize and recite Matthew 5:5.

   Answer: Matthew 5:5: 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.' It is the third beatitude of the Sermon on the Mount. Memorize the exact phrase and recite it by heart, ideally in the Almeida Revised and Updated version, the standard of Brazilian Adventist churches. — Matthew 5:5 is a quotation of Psalm 37:11. 'Meek' (from the Greek praus) means people with strength under control, not weak people. The promise of inheriting the Earth points to the New Earth (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1) — not simply this present order.

7. Share with a friend what life will be like on the new Earth, according to the biblical promises. (Psalm 16:11; Isaiah 65:17-25)

   Answer: Share that on the New Earth there will be fullness of joy at God's right hand (Psalm 16:11), the building of houses, the planting of vineyards, extreme longevity without premature death, the wolf and the lamb together (Isaiah 65:17-25). — Isaiah 65:25 ('the wolf and the lamb will feed together') portrays harmony between predators and prey — the restoration of pre-fall peace. Isaiah 65:21-22 shows that the saved will have productive activities (building, planting), discarding the idea of a merely passive or contemplative eternity.