SCRIPTURE PASSAGES
OVERVIEW
From the moment humanity encountered sin, God’s people have been waiting for the day when sin will be no more. In the interim, sin has wreaked extensive havoc on the earth and its people. Have you ever thought about what it would be like for sin to no longer exist? Have you ever wondered how your life would be different if you hadn’t been born with the inclination to sin? Well, today’s lesson is about the promise of an end to sin and the beginning of a new chapter for the universe.
OPENING ACTIVITY: GOING DEEPER
If you have a large group, divide them into smaller groups of 6 to 8.
Here is a list of questions for them to ask each other.
- What collection do you have that people would be surprised to know about?
- What is your most used emoji? Why?
- What emoji would you use to describe yourself at this moment?
- What emoji would you use to describe the person who brought you to Sabbath School today?
- Tell your group something that made you smile this week.
- Describe what you are going to do during Christmas break.
TRANSITION
It’s a week before Christmas, during which much of the world celebrates the birth of Christ. Leave out Santa Claus, Christmas trees, and presents under the tree; why is Christ’s birth important? Grab a hot beverage, settle in, and discover the end of the story.
BIBLE STUDY GUIDE
Read 2 Peter 3:10.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.
QUESTIONS
What is this passage is talking about?
How does this passage make you feel?
Read Revelation 20:1-3.
1And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
QUESTIONS
- Is this passage literal or figurative or both? Why do think that?
- Describe the events happening in this passage and their importance.
Read Revelation 20:4-6.
4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
QUESTIONS
- In this passage, what are the characteristics of those who are resurrected?
- Explain why you would want to be one of these people, or why you would rather not.
Read Revelation 20:7-10.
7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
QUESTIONS
- Describe the behavior of the serpent.
- Why would the people of the nations follow Satan?
- What happens to the wicked and Satan? Is their punishment fair?
Read Revelation 20:11-15.
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
QUESTIONS
- What is the most important event that happens in this passage and why?
- How does one’s name not end up in the Book of Life?
- What is the second death?
- How does the second death impact the Great Controversy?
APPLICATION
Waiting for Christmas Eve or Christmas morning is pretty difficult for some. The anticipation of opening presents, getting together with family, and all the good food is almost unbearable at times. Waiting for Jesus to come back for many is just like that. Our scripture passages that we looked at describe what the end of sin is going to be like. Waiting for the day when sin will be no more and the perfect universe will be restored parallels that Christmas experience. Someday soon, Jesus will make all things new. Death, dying, sadness, and sin will be a memory never to be experienced again. What a wonderful day that will be. Wouldn’t you want to experience this incredible moment as a loving follower of Christ? It’s your choice.
FOLLOW UP
Reflective reading: Pick two or three scripture passages to focus on this week.
- Day 1: Pray over the passages that you picked, asking God to show you the message(s) He is trying to tell you through these passages.
- Day 2: Paraphrase in your own words the passages you picked.
- Day 3: Pray over the passages again, asking God to show you what He wants you to learn from them.
- Day 4: Share with a friend, parent, or guardian the paraphrases you wrote and what you think God is telling you. Pray with your friend or parent.
LESSON PLAN 2: “Oh No, We’re Talking About Hell!
SCRIPTURE PASSAGE
LEADER’S NOTE
For a Relational Bible Study (RBS) you’ll want to get into the Scripture passage and encourage the youth to imagine participating in the story while it’s happening. Then you will be able to better apply it to your own situation today.
You will need to ask God for the Holy Spirit to be present as your small group discusses the questions (no more than 3-6 people in a group is recommended). Start with the opening question. It is a personal question and the answer is unique for each individual. There is no right answer and nobody is an expert here, so don’t be surprised when you hear different responses. You are depending on the Holy Spirit to be present and to speak through your group. Say what God prompts you to say, and listen to what others share.
Take turns reading the chapter out loud. Follow that with giving the students some time to individually mark their responses to the questions (a PDF version of the handout is available as a download). This gives each person a starting point for responding when you start to share as a group. Next, begin the discussion by asking the students to share what they marked and why on each question as you work your way through. Feel free to take more time on some questions than others as discussion warrants.
Encourage each person in the group to apply what is discussed to their personal lives and to share with the group what they believe God wants them to do. Then ask them to pray that God will help each of them to follow through in doing so. Remind them to expect that God will show them ways to live out the message of this passage in the coming week, and that they are free to ask others in the group to help hold them accountable.
OVERVIEW
“Hellfire” is a very taboo topic in society. Some people refuse to say the word, other people in the church are wary about even speaking about the topic and, in the past, the concept was used as a method to instill fear. However, half the time people aren’t even saying the correct things about hell, and take it so far out of context that it’s hard to know what’s true and what’s not. Revelation 20 is where most of the information regarding hell is concentrated, and it also includes a detailed timeline of both resurrections and the 1,000 years in heaven.
Unlike how mainstream society presents it, one does not go to hell (or heaven) immediately upon death. Nor is hell burning under our feet as we speak, waiting to consume us all. Revelation 20:10 makes it clear that the first person that will be thrown into the lake of fire is Satan and, joining him, will be the beast and the false prophet. These are the ones hell was originally intended for; in fact, hell fire is not made with the sole purpose of destroying people, it is merely used to cleanse the earth. Unfortunately, there are many who will not accept the Lamb and will wage war along with Satan and his angels right when the “promised city” is descending from heaven (v. 8-9). Their attempt at war proves unsuccessful, and the fire comes down to consume them and cleanse the earth.
Another misconception about hell is that people are tormented in it forever. Hellfire originally rains down from heaven to squelch the uprising, and the devil is thrown in as “the final judgment.” Then, the earth and seas give up their dead, and they are judged according to their actions. This is the second resurrection, the final judgment, and the final death. Verse 15 states that all those whose names were not found in the Book of Life will be thrown into the lake of fire. As the fire burns, it cleanses the earth from evil and the New Jerusalem becomes the New Earth, reinstating Godliness and purity into the earth. The moment the New Jerusalem comes down, evil has already been eradicated, and the fire is not alight with the screams of people being tortured. Just like with Sodom and Gomorrah, fire is simply a way to cleanse evil and, unfortunately, there are people who have closed their hearts and gone past the point of no return. God doesn’t want anyone to end up in hell, and He gives us so many chances to repent and change our ways. We must pray and be vigilantly waiting, ready, for the first resurrection to meet our Lord in the air.
Oh No, We’re Talking About Hell!
What are some things you’ve learned about hell?
Read Revelation 20:1-15.
1And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
The Judgment of Satan
7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
The Judgment of the Dead
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
- What are some common myths about hell?
- You go there right after you die.
- Only the devil goes.
- It burns forever.
- It’s already burning now.
- The devil is the “king of hell.”
- God wants to see people suffer.
- Purgatory is a mini-hell until you enter heaven.
- Other.
- Who was hell originally intended for?
- Only the devil.
- Everyone who sins.
- The people whose names is not in the Book of Life.
- The demons.
- The beast.
- The False Prophet.
- The entire race of humanity.
- Other.
- Who are the people on the thrones?
- Martyrs.
- People waiting to be judged.
- The judges.
- Angels.
- People whose name is in the Book of Life.
- People who were resurrected in the first resurrection.
- Those going to hell.
- Other.
- What does the devil do after the thousand years?
- Burn in hell for eternity.
- Try to wage war against God.
- Gets chained to a pit forever.
- Makes an enormous army of all who are evil.
- Roams the earth aimlessly.
- Receives his final judgment.
- Successfully overthrows God.
- Other.
- Who is resurrected/judged in the second resurrection?
- The evil people.
- Fallen angels.
- The devil.
- Those who accepted the mark of the beast.
- Those who waged war against the Holy City.
- The Beast and False Prophet.
- The entire race of humanity.
- Other.
- What blessing do those who are faithful receive?
- They don’t participate in judgment.
- They will be priests of God.
- They’ll become judges.
- They aren’t part of the second resurrection.
- They will reign with God for 1000 years.
- They will decide who goes to hell.
- They will sit on thrones.
- Other.
- Do you live in fear of hell or in expectance of heaven?
- How can we help others to learn about hell in a way that doesn’t bring fear?
SUMMARY
There are so many misconceptions regarding hell, and this usually instills fear and wariness around conversations about hell. However, Revelation 20 debunks many of these myths and details the exact timeline of both resurrections, the judgment, and “hell.” If we read closely, we see that hell is something that can be avoided, originally not intended for any of God’s creatures, and simply a way to cleanse the earth. It hurts God to have to hurt any of His beloved children. Therefore, hell is not a method of torture, it is simply the only way to eradicate sin. As we move about our lives, our goal should not be to avoid hell, but rather to enjoy the love of God in heaven and have our names in the Book of Life. The resurrection is a time of glory and joy, so let’s take active steps to make sure that our names remain in that Book, and we can celebrate with Jesus for millennia to come.
APPLICATIONS
The topic of hell might be a taboo one, but it is a conversation we need to have, especially as last-day youth. It is always a necessary part of studying to sit back and meditate on how a story or lesson applies to us today as youth. Below you will find three applications that can benefit the youth in your group and help them meditate on the Word shared today. These applications work both individually and in a group.
- INFORMED.
There are so many misconceptions about hell in today’s world. Before you can go out and begin to debunk them, you need to make sure you have a clear idea of it yourself!
- Take some time to study the timeline of the resurrections, the 1000 years, and hell.
- Start with Revelation 20 , and then try to find other verses in the Bible where hell is mentioned.
- Then, journal or meditate on how the events of second coming and new earth impact your life here, and what you can do to have a positive outlook on these events, instead of a negative and fearful one.
- MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS.
Having a conversation about hell can be hard. Sure, we throw the word around a lot in pop culture, but we never really talk about it, and if you do, people give you weird looks. It’s unreasonable to think that you are going to go out and begin preaching about hell, but it is a good idea to have these conversations with people within the faith, such as parents, church members, and other youth friends.
- In your youth group, this could be a discussion!
- Think about your definitions of hell and heaven, what it takes to get there, and how you view the second coming.
- These conversations can ease the fear and wariness around talking about hell, especially when paired with the glorious advent of the Second Coming and resurrection.
- GETTING TO HEAVEN .
Contrary to popular belief, one doesn’t get to heaven based on how pious or holy they are or how many philanthropic works they’ve completed. What’s in your heart is what’s most important. There are hard times coming ahead, some of which will test your faith. Your primary goal shouldn’t be proving your faith to everyone else, but rather having a foundation of faith strong enough to withhold during times of turmoil. The Bible and history hold many accounts of people whose faith was so strong they sang in the face of lions and fire.
- Going away from the well-known stories of the Bible, try and read some of the stories of historical martyrs such as the Waldenses and many early Reformers. (Most of these stories can be found in The Great Controversy ).
- Reflect on how these martyrs’ faith influences you today, and try to make it more relatable. Sure, you might not be faced with a burning stake, but social pressure and ridicule are things that can make your faith waver.
- Ask God to help you have the faith of the martyrs, so you can join the heavenly kingdom for eternity.
#OneTeam Challenge
By Vandeon Griffin, Tracy Wood, and Armando Miranda
The #ONETEAM CHALLENGE is a 21-day devotional written by leaders for leaders. As co-laborers in the Seventh-day Adventist Church commissioned to lead and serve the youth and young adult generation, we share the burdens and triumphs of ministry.
In this devotional, we will walk together through scripture and journey through the lessons of life and ministry. Daily, you will be challenged with reflective questions and to share your affirmations on social media to encourage and inspire others. We are #ONETEAM!
