Can you imagine what it would be like to live with God in the celestial kingdom? In the final scenes of his great revelation, John saw “a new heaven and a new earth” and a holy city descending from heaven (see Revelation 21:1–2). He testified that God “will dwell with them, and they shall be his people” (Revelation 21:3). This lesson is intended to help you understand that the opportunity to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the celestial kingdom is worth all your efforts.
Helping students recognize the Lord’s power, mercy, and influence. Help students see the Lord’s hand in blessing people in the scriptures. As they see this, they will be better able to feel the Lord’s love, power, and mercy in their personal circumstances.
Student preparation: Invite students to ponder what the celestial kingdom might be like and why they would want to inherit it.
Possible Learning Activities
The final outcome
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The next would be the team celebrating the goal.
Imagine that you are a member of a sports team and you know in advance that your team is going to win the championship title at the end of the season. However, you don’t know how long the season will last, and the coach expects all the players to give their best efforts in order to remain on the team.
How might this knowledge influence how you prepare for and perform in each game? Why?
How would you react if your team lost a few games in a row? How might you encourage your teammates after these losses?
Now take some time to think about the last days and the Second Coming.
Give students time to ponder the following questions. Follow the promptings of the Spirit to determine if it would be helpful to discuss the questions aloud.
How confident are you that righteousness will ultimately triumph over evil? What could help you increase your confidence?
Do you feel that following the Savior is worth your consistent best efforts? Why or why not?
The final outcome of the battle between good and evil has been revealed by God through His prophets: the Lord’s side will be victorious. During the Millennium, Satan will be bound and Jesus Christ will rule on the earth in peace for a thousand years (see Revelation 20:1–4). After this thousand years, Satan will be “cast into the lake of fire and brimstone” forever, and the Final Judgment will take place (see Revelation 20:7–15). After the Final Judgment, the righteous and faithful will inherit eternal life in the celestial kingdom.
As you study Revelation 21–22, seek Heavenly Father’s help to increase your desire to give your best efforts in striving for eternal life and celestial glory.
The beginning and the end
One of the important events John saw in his vision was Jesus Christ’s triumph over Satan at the end of the world. In Revelation 21–22, John described the destiny of those who had fought alongside the Savior to defeat wickedness.
Read Revelation 21:1–7, looking for blessings God will give the faithful. You may want to mark those that are meaningful to you.
If you want to learn more about the New Jerusalem mentioned in verse 2, consider looking it up in the Guide to the Scriptures.
Note that in verse 2, the husband is a symbol of the Savior, and the bride is a symbol of the Church, or those who faithfully follow Him.
In verse 7, a son or daughter of Christ is someone who has kept their covenants with Him.
Consider displaying the following questions on the board. Invite willing students to share their insights with the class.
What blessings that God will give the faithful are most meaningful to you? Why?
What did you learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ from these verses? Why would it be important for you to understand these things about Them?
As students respond, consider asking questions like the following: In what ways does the Savior “make all things new”? (Revelation 21:5). How is He “the beginning and the end”? (Revelation 21:6). What does it mean that through Jesus Christ, we can overcome and “inherit all things”? (Revelation 21:7).
Inheriting the celestial kingdom
Invite students to share truths about the celestial kingdom that they find in Revelation 21:1–7. Students may identify several principles. Consider writing the truths they share on the board. Feel free to take time to discuss one or more of these truths.
Some of the many truths taught in these verses include the following: In the celestial kingdom, God will dwell with and comfort His people, and they will no longer experience death, sorrow, or pain; and those who faithfully overcome the tests of mortal life will inherit eternal blessings in the celestial kingdom.
Consider displaying the following resources and questions or providing them as a handout. As students study the resources and answer the questions, be aware of those who might need additional assistance or direction.
Imagine that one of your friends does not think that striving for the celestial kingdom is worth all that it requires.
Prepare a short response you could share with your friend that could help them understand that the celestial kingdom is worth any effort required to live the gospel. You might want to use some of the following resources and answer the following questions to help you prepare your response:
Elder L. Tom Perry (1922–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:
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Final official portrait of Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, 2004. Passed away 30 May 2015.
I believe that if we could create in our minds a clear and true picture of eternal life, we would start behaving differently. We would not need to be prodded to do the many things involved with enduring to the end, like [ministering], attending our meetings, going to the temple, living moral lives, saying our prayers, or reading the scriptures. We would want to do all these things and more because we realize they will prepare us to go somewhere we yearn to go.
In four to five sentences, write what you would say to your friend.
Allow students to share with a small group or with the class what they have written. It may be helpful to ask follow-up questions such as “Why is that blessing important to you?” “Why do you think that might encourage your friend to strive for the celestial kingdom?” and “What did you hear from a classmate that was meaningful to you?”
Reflect for a few minutes on the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and Their desire for you to receive eternal life. Think about how you could show your gratitude for Their mercy and grace.
As time permits, invite students to share their thoughts. Consider sharing a personal witness of the truths taught in this lesson.
Commentary and Background Information
Has Heavenly Father really made it possible for me to be in the celestial kingdom?
The short and true answer is absolutely yes! But if you want to learn more, consider reading “You Can Make It!” by Eric B. Murdock in the July 2021 issue of the For the Strength of Youth magazine (pages 24–26).
How can I learn more about what the celestial kingdom is like?
You may want to look up the Gospel Topics article “Celestial Kingdom” (topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). You could also read “What Is the Celestial Kingdom Like?” in the July 2021 issue of the For the Strength of Youth magazine (page 31).
Revelation 21:6 . What does it mean when Jesus calls Himself “Alpha and Omega”?
Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet. Alpha means “the first” or “the beginning.” Omega means “the last of any series,” or “the end.” When you put the two words, Alpha and Omega, together, they mean “from the beginning to the end,” or “from the first to the last.” When Jesus is referred to as Alpha and Omega, it means he was from the beginning and will be at the end in all things; he is eternal.
Does Revelation 22:18–19 mean that there cannot be any additional scripture besides the Bible?
Some people have cited Revelation 22:18–19 as a reason to reject the Book of Mormon and other latter-day scripture. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained why this reasoning is incorrect in his message “My Words … Never Cease” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2008, 91–94).
Supplemental Learning Activities
What will it be like in the city of God?
Consider inviting students to read Revelation 21:10–11, 23–27. After reading the descriptions of the city and people who will be there, discuss questions like “What stood out most to you in these verses?” or “What do you think it will be like to live in that city?”
Consider inviting students to read Revelation 22:12–14, thinking about how these words could apply to them.
In response to the Savior’s final declaration “Surely I come quickly,” John responded with this invitation: “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” ( Revelation 22:20). John was pleading for the Lord to return quickly to the earth. Invite students to think about why they might want the Savior to “come quickly.”
Alternate lesson beginning
Consider showing the video of President Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s message “Your Happily Ever After” (20:47), available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org, from time code 2:27 to 3:40. After the video, invite students to discuss what is required of them to receive Heavenly Father’s greatest gift.