Opening Question

What would your ideal life look like if you could script it yourself?

Introduction

The promises of God for a new life begin now and culminate when Christ returns and makes everything new. The quarterly focuses on many of the present realities of the new life: Joy, No Guilt, and New Love. But it also takes on the Eternal as well.

The Hopeful Future

Throughout the Old Testament, new covenant restoration was promised in passages like Isaiah 65-66. Read through these chapters and answer the following questions:

What did the “new world” look like for Israel? How would they have envisioned the new covenant changing their world?

Which part would have meant the most to you then?

But the New Testament takes on these promises and expands them. Read 2 Peter 3 and consider the following questions as well:

What event(s) must take place for God’s recreation to become a reality?

What role do people play in bringing about those events? Take note of the word “hasten” in verse 12. Is Peter suggesting we can actually make a difference in God’s timing?!?

Finally, consider Revelation 21-22. As you read those chapters, take note of the many promises there.

Where is the temple/sanctuary, that has played such a tremendously meaningful part in the covenant to this point? Why would God not include it in the New Jerusalem?

When you consider life forever without death, mourning or pain, does it excite you, terrify you, or something else? Why?

Closing Comments

The book of Revelation concludes with the promise “behold I am coming soon” three different times, and an invitation to “come.” God invites all of us into His covenant by faith that He might pour out on us the blessings promised in Revelation. What would hinder you from accepting His offer?