Free Bible lesson for kids · Revelation

Behold, I Come Quickly

John saw the river of the water of life and the tree of life. The Bible ends with Jesus’ promise that He is coming quickly, and John’s answer: “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

Teach this lesson: film, sheets and guide Print the coloring page

Bible passage: Revelation 22:1–21
Big idea: Jesus is coming again, and we can be ready.
Memory verse: He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Revelation 22:20 (KJV)
Ages: Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
Time: About 45 minutes
Included, free: Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game

The story

An angel showed John “a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal,” flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Revelation 22:1). Beside the river grew the tree of life, with twelve kinds of fruit, and its leaves were for healing the nations (Revelation 22:2). There will be no more curse, and God’s servants will see His face (Revelation 22:3–4). There will be no night there, for the Lord God gives them light (Revelation 22:5).

Jesus said, “Behold, I come quickly” (Revelation 22:7, 12). He is “the first and the last” and “the bright and morning star” (Revelation 22:13, 16). The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Whoever will may take the water of life freely (Revelation 22:17). At the very end of the Bible, Jesus promised, “Surely I come quickly.” And John answered, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).

Read it in the Bible: Revelation 22:1–21 (KJV)

¹And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. ²In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. ³And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: ⁴And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. ⁵And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. ⁶And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. ⁷Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. ⁸And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. ⁹Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. ¹⁰And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. ¹¹He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. ¹²And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. ¹³I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. ¹⁴Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. ¹⁵For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. ¹⁶I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. ¹⁷And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. ¹⁸For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: ¹⁹And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. ²⁰He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. ²¹The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Questions to ask

What river did John see?
A pure river of water of life.
What tree grows by the river?
The tree of life.
What is Jesus’ promise at the end of the Bible?
“Surely I come quickly.”

What this story teaches

Life flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Revelation 22:1).
In God’s city there will be no more curse (Revelation 22:3).
God’s people will see His face (Revelation 22:4).
Whoever will may come and take the water of life freely (Revelation 22:17).
Jesus is coming again, just as He promised (Revelation 22:20).

Jesus Will Come Again

Jesus is preparing a place for His people. He promised to come again and take them to be with Him.

John 14:3

A 45-minute lesson plan

5 min	Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Thank Jesus that He is coming again.
10 min	The story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next.
10 min	Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “Jesus is coming again, and we can be ready.” What does that mean for us?
5 min	Memory verse. Say Revelation 22:20 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone.
10 min	Activity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions).
5 min	Pray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week.

Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.

Game time

For kids · game · indoors · about 8 minutes

Ready When He Comes

You need: Music

While the music plays, kids pretend to do good jobs: sweeping, helping, reading their Bibles.
When the music stops and the leader says “He’s coming!”, everyone freezes in a “ready” pose, arms up and smiling.
Anyone still moving helps watch the next round.

Jesus said, “Behold, I come quickly.” We want to be ready, living for Him every day.

For youth group · activity · indoors · about 25 minutes

Time Capsule

You need: A box, paper, pens, a few small items

Each person writes a letter about their life and faith right now, and a prayer for the future.
Add a few small items from this year.
Seal it to open in five years, and talk: how do we live while we wait for Jesus?

We don’t know the day, but we know He is coming. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

Pray

Thank Jesus that He is coming again.