YEA Lesson Library
Bright and Beautiful
About This Lesson
This lesson teaches that the Eighth Day/Last Great Day pictures God’s establishment of a new heavens and a new earth.
Scriptures
Leviticus 23:36
Isaiah 65:20
John 7:38-39
Revelation 20:13-14
Revelation 21:1-27
Revelation 21:3
Revelation 22:1-21
Words to Know
FOUNDATION - the bottom of a building that supports it
The Lesson
Have you seen places in your town that are old and ugly? Houses with windows broken and boards falling off are not pretty. A front porch with a lot of junk on it is not pretty either. Banged-up cars with wheels off are ugly too. God likes pretty things. When you see something that is ugly, it is because man, not God, has made it that way. Sin makes things ugly too.
When God created the earth, He made it beautiful. He planted the fields and put beautiful streams of water on the earth. He made flowers bloom and look beautiful. He told Adam and Eve to work the ground and take care of it. He wants us to take care of our houses and yards too.
Our Friend Jesus will return to this earth and set up His Kingdom. The world will become a wonderful place to live for 1000 years. Then God, Jesus’ Father, our Heavenly Father, will come down from heaven and bring a new heaven and a new earth. A beautiful river will flow from God's throne that will never run dry. No one will get sick. No one will fight. No one will cry. Everyone will love God, and they will love each other. What a wonderful place it will be!
The streets will be pure gold. The New Jerusalem will have 12 gates made of pearls. God, sitting on His throne, will give off so much light that we won't need the sun or moon. We won't need street lights. You won't need a lamp in your room. God will fix everything that is broken. Everything will be Bright and Beautiful.
God will bring your reward from heaven with Him. If you have been really good, kept God's commandments, and helped a lot of people, then God will give you your reward. Do you want Him to give you a city to rule over? On the Last Great Day, think about how Bright and Beautiful the new heaven and new earth will be.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Revelation 22:3
Monday - Leviticus 23:36
Tuesday - John 7:38
Wednesday - John 7:39
Thursday - Revelation 20:13
Friday - Revelation 20:14
Saturday - Isaiah 65:20
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, children will be able to:
1. Explain that God likes beautiful things and wants us to make things look pretty.
2. Tell that 1000 years after Jesus returns, God, His Father, our Heavenly Father, will come to earth and bring a new heaven and new earth.
3. Tell that the New Jerusalem will have 12 gates made of pearls.
4. Explain that God will give off so much light that there will be no need for the sun or moon.
5. Discuss that the Last Great Day is a holy day to show us a new heaven and earth will come.
Topics & Themes
Eighth Day
God’s Kingdom
God’s Presence
Holy Days, Eighth Day
Light
New Heavens/New Earth
River
Sin
Tabernacle
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA Students' and Teacher's books, music player, CD or tape, magazine pictures of slums - houses with windows out and about to fall down, beautiful scenic pictures with a river, trees, and flowers, poster paper, glue, green and gold foil paper, 12 pearly pieces of white tissue paper cut in squares to fit the gates, a mixture of "jewels" from a craft store, rewards
Preparation
Impact the lives of the little children as you lead them on the greatest adventure of all that is to come at the end of this age. Visualization can be gained and lasting, valuable lessons learned as little children build the "city" with 12 gates, streets of gold, and no need for a sun or moon. Teach Bible truths while building, doing this hands-on Lesson/Activity. Make this Bible lesson fun as well as memorable by involving little kids in the learning process.
While teaching today's lesson you and your students will build the "New Jerusalem." Their involvement will eliminate boredom and keep their attention focused. They may not appear to be listening, but you can count on them learning more than you might think.
Before class, make posters of old houses in poor repair and a beautiful scenic poster and attach at the children's eye level on the wall of the classroom. Cut 12 gates (three in each side) in a square cardboard box. The gates can be six or eight inches high. Make them so they will open and close. Cover the walls of the "city" with green foil paper and the inside of the"city" with gold foil paper. Write the 12 Apostles' names around the base of your box. In class, work on this "city" on the floor or on a table low enough that little children can stand as they help you.
Review Questions
Give each child a reward after answering these questions.
1. Does God like beautiful things?
2. When will our Heavenly Father bring a new heaven and new earth to this earth?
3. How many gates will the New Jerusalem have? What will they be made of?
4. What will be missing from the new heaven and new earth?
5. What holy day tells us about the new heaven and the new earth?
REACH Activity
Letter: E (long E sound /EE/)
Words: even, eternity, each, eager, easy, east, eagle, equal
Sentence: EACH OF US ARE EAGER TO LIVE WITH GOD FOR ETERNITY.
Song
"Come Bless The Lord" is on page 85 of the Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Lead the children in prayer thanking God for the new heaven and new earth that is coming.
Printable Pages
