Category Archives: Revelation

Cross of Christ, Kingdom of God, Revelation, Suffering, Visions

REVELATION 4 AND 5 STUDY GUIDE – THE GREAT VISION OF HEAVEN

The basic message of this book is that even though Christians may be called upon to suffer terrible persecution in this life, they must remember that they will win in the end because Jesus, described as the Lamb that was slain, defeated evil on the cross and has prepared a place for his faithful people to be with him forever.

The way this message is conveyed is through pictures. All these pictures are from this world, reminding us that they are not to be taken literally. The reader has to look for the meaning behind the pictures.

Always remember, the reality which the word pictures represent will be far, far, greater than anything that can be imagined; like the very first scratchy black and white moving pictures of over a century ago have morphed into a big, smart, ultra-high-definition TV, able to tune in live to anything, anywhere in the world.

All that said; let’s look at the great vision of heaven which John described in Chapters 4 and 5 of the Revelation.

Revelation 4:1-6 [Read]

John sees an open door into heaven. Before him is someone, not described, on a throne. This represents God ruling over all things.

Surrounding the throne are 24 other thrones with 24 elders sitting on them. They represent all of God’s people gathered in the presence of God. They are decked-out in white, with crowns of gold on their head; these represent purity and honour.

From the throne comes flashes of lightning and peals of thunder, representing God’s awesome power and holiness. Before the throne is what looks like a sea of glass, clear as crystal, representing the tranquility and safety of that place.

Revelation 4:6-7 [Read]

Then there are the four living creatures, representing the whole heavenly realm, who know all that can be known about the one who sits upon the throne.

Revelation 4:8-11 [Read]

They never cease to say, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.’

And whenever the living creatures give glory and honour to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the 24 elders fall down before him seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever saying;

‘Worthy are you our Lord and God to receive glory and honour and power for you created all things and by your will they existed and where created.’

Here are the essential elements of heaven in worldly pictorial form. We don’t know what it will actually look like, but we know enough to be sure that it will be wonderful beyond description and much too marvelous for words.

All his people, purified from sin, will be in his presence. It will be a place of awe and wonder, and it will be beautiful and secure like a tranquil sea.

Notice also that the focus in this vision is on God as creator. In a sense it takes us back to Genesis.

Revelation 1:1-25 [Read]

The theme of God as creator permeates the whole Scripture.

Take as an example Psalm 8 as David gazed up to those very same heavens:

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. … When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him and the son of man that you care for him? … O Lord how majestic is your name in all the earth.

Back to Revelation 4, what do the people of God, gathered in his presence, say? Verse 11:

Worthy are you, our Lord and God to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things and by your will they existed and where created.

When faced with the challenges and mysteries of life in this world, we need to give more thought to our great, almighty Creator, who can do anything he wants to, and always does what is exactly right.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

  1. How would you explain to a new Christian the significance of God as creator when so many today live as if he doesn’t even exist?
  2. When faced with natural disasters such as the Covid -19, or terrible earthquakes, how do they fit into our world-view as Christians in ways that might lead us to worship God the way it is portrayed in this vision?

Revelation 5:1-5 [Read]

But even the picture of God as creator is not the complete story. For that we must go to the second part of this vision, Chapter 5:1:

Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break the seals?’

In all of heaven, no one was found worthy to open the scroll. John began to weep loudly because of this. Then, verse 5;

One of the elders said to me, ‘weep no more; behold, the Lion of Judah, the root of David has conquered so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.’

Is that familiar? Think of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3), Isaac (Genesis 26:1-5), Jacob (Genesis 34:9-15), Judah (Genesis 49:8-10), David (2 Samuel 7:8-17), and great David’s greater son, Jesus?

He is the one who has conquered Satan and all his works. … So he alone has the right to know what is written on the scroll and what is to come.

Revelation 5:6-7 [Read]

Having introduced us to the long promised conquering king, under the title ‘The Lion of Judah’, the imagery changes; verse 6;

And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a lamb standing as though it had been slain, with seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.

From now on in the Book of Revelation, Jesus is mainly referred to as ‘the Lamb that was slain’, who has redeemed us to God.

This reminds us that in heaven we will never be able to forget that we are there because he laid down his life for us and took upon himself the penalty for all our sins.

Revelation 5:8-10

And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying;

Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open the seals, for you were slain and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God and they shall reign on the earth.

Is this not what God promised to Abraham in the beginning? Is this not what God promised, Isaac, Jacob, Judah and David and is not Jesus the fulfilment of all those promises? That is what we will be affirming in heaven, that all the promises of God find their fulfilment in Jesus.

Exactly what it will be like in heaven, we cannot imagine, but the key point to remember is that whatever it turns out to be like, it will all be about our Lord Jesus Christ.

He will have gathered us to himself like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings and it will be wonderful beyond anything that has ever entered our minds.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

  1. In addition to God as Creator, how would you explain to a new Christian the significance of the phrases ‘the lamb that was slain’ and ‘The Lion of Judah of the root of David’?
  2. Why do you think it is important to state these descriptions of Jesus in the vision?
  3. How would you explain why the ‘Lamb’ is worshipped alongside the one who is seated on the throne?

CONCLUSION

Imagine we are those Christians in Asia Minor being told to confess Caesar as Lord. Imagine you are a Christian in the Middle East or in Nigeria being ordered to renounce Jesus and embrace Islam, imagine you belong to a house church in China and the knock comes on the door and they take you away for re-education. What would we do?

If we have the hope of eternal life burning in our hearts, if we fix our eyes on Jesus, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God, we will stand but if we take our eyes off him …

That is the message behind is great heavenly vision which we must hold onto in good times and the bad.

Church, Revelation

Revelations 3 Study guide

The first thing to note is the distinct change in the pattern of Chapter 3.  3 of the past 4 churches were very ‘mixed reviews’… you do this, but I hold this against you. In chapter 3 we get more clear cut shades – bad, good, bad.

3 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.

4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Description of God (1): The one who holds the churches in his hand.  The emphasis is on God as owner and sustainer of the churches.

I know (1-2): Emphasis is on REPUTATION – they have a reputation of being vibrantly alive, but they have a REALITY of being dead.  Their deeds are unfinished – likely, they say the gospel but don’t live the gospel.  

Instruction (3-4): Verse 3 gives the rebuke and a warning. A rebuke to return to the gospel they have received – to turn back to Christ and to hold fast to scripture. A warning that if they do not, Christ will return in judgement.  Verse 4 talks of those few who have stood firm in the gospel and encourages others to join them (note: cool picture of sin as peeing on yourself)

The one who is victorious (5): A picture of being pure, the book of life and acknowledgement before GOD (as opposed to verse 1’s reputation).

Bringing it together (for us): Reputation doesn’t matter when God can see your heart.  Let your knowledge of the God through scripture profoundly shape your actions.  Don’t give pretences of faith while covertly living a life which denies it.

7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.

11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Description of God (7): Holy, Truth, empowering.  God is perfectly good; God is on the side of truth; God holds the key to heaven… and he opens and shuts the gate – not others.  This description matters in a place that is suffering.

I know… (8): You feel weak, You are keeping my word, you have not denied me.  And I think that there is something beautiful in this description.  The God who empowers sees them in their weakness and says I’m in charge, the door is open to you… don’t heed the words of those who are dominating you.

Instruction (9-11): God will make those who oppose them to be liars.  The opposition seems to be coming from Jews within the local synagogue.  Likely to be issues to do with the response to the Deuteronomic law and Christianity.  But it could be referring to Christians being reported by Jews to the local authorities.  Jews were a recognized religion and paid tax to Rome to not participate in the Emperor worship.  Some churches were covered by the local synagogues… some synagogues however, caused trouble for the Christians – instead reporting them to authorities for arrest.  This could be the trial that they are being spared from, in God’s mercy.

The one who is victorious (12): Beautiful picture – these people who feel weak will be made into a pillar of strength.  I would suggest it is drawing on some pictures from 1 Corinthians 3… of the temple of God which is built up being the church.  
“Never will they leave it” had significance for the people of this city who were often displaced due to earthquakes… God’s city, his chosen people, is firm to it’s foundations.

Bringing it all together (for us): In our moments where we feel weak and battered – turn to God for your strength.  Don’t listen to the words that mock your faith – whether it is your internal dialogue and your emotions, or if you are facing real pressure from others to abandon your faith.  But trust in the Holy, Truthful, empowering God who says – I will see you through this.

14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Description of God (14): The faithful; The true witness; The ruler over God’s creation; In whose words we all agree (Amen).  The last 3 images themselves lend themselves towards a picture of judgement – Where God sees, God is ruler and God’s judgement is final and agreeable.  And what is judged?  Faithfulness… which the Laodiceans lacked.

I know… (15-17): Neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm.  A specific reference to the hot springs right near Laodicea… which were … well, not particularly hot.  But particular reference is the taste – it’s volcanic water – it tastes foul… and that is Jesus’ response to this church.  He looks at them and he sees them as foul.  So what tastes foul to Jesus?  Self-reliance.
Particular emphasis is on the RESULT of wealth – that they do not need anything.  But instead Jesus reveals them as the spiritual pauper.

Instruction (18-20): The problem is that they need to receive from Christ – not from themselves.  True wealth, true appearance, true sight (19).  Jesus then calls for them to repent (20) – because he loves them and, in his discipline, he wants them to turn from their self-reliance and to depend on him.  Jesus’ desire is fellowship – to eat with them, to participate with them.  But it comes from relying on Jesus and not beginning from a position of self-reliance.

The one who is victorious (21): Is given authority with Christ… it loops around to the images from the beginning: as we participate in these with Christ.  Those who are faithful, are witnesses of the truth of God.  We stand with Christ and have a role as judge (cf. 1 Cor 6:2).

Bringing it all together (for us): Do not be self-reliant!!  As talented or well off as we may be – we are foolish to think that we are any less needy of Christ.  I think one litmus test is our prayer life: do we actually pray, genuinely asking God to work in our life, or do we just think that we have it under control in our own power?

Self-reliance is a big deal – and it is a problem encultured in our society – to not be dependant on anybody else.  As a recommendation, I would spend more time here in application than in the previous 2.

Revelation

INTRODUCTION TO SERMONS ON REVELATION FOR GROWTH GROUP DISCUSSION

The Book of the Revelation was written around 96AD by the apostle John on the Island of Patmos, not far from Ephesus in the then Roman Province of Asia.

The reason for writing was to encourage the seven churches in that province in the face of cruel persecution by the Roman authorities who were forcing all citizens to swear loyalty to the Empire by publicly affirming that Caesar, in this case Domitian, was a god. The penalty for refusal was death.

The book really is a letter to be read out in the seven churches and includes a short letter to each of the churches dealing with their particular problems. It is, by definition, a pastoral letter, not some puzzle book offering secret insights into various future events.

It is best known for the fantastic imagery, the strange use of numbers and various multiples of them, as a means of conveying its message.

The first point to make is that these images are not to be taken literally. They are a kind of security code for other things that the readers understood but which outsiders could not.

The task of the reader is to understand the reality behind the images.

Much of the imagery is taken from the Old Testament. Some of the rest is able to be understood with a little cross referencing. The meaning of some of what is left has been lost and we just have accept that. That is not a serious problem because no vital doctrine or message is lost by our not knowing what all the images mean. Often similar points are made by using other images from other parts of the letter or elsewhere in the Bible.

Another important principle of interpretation is to see that the main burden of this letter is about the past, namely Christ’s victory over evil in his death and resurrection, and that he is ruling in honour and glory in heaven now. The titles, The Lamb that was Slain and The Lion of Judah of the Root of David, encapsulates this reality.

The letter is about the pastoral and personal challenges facing the members of the seven churches, mostly from the threat of persecution. That is to say, it is more concerned about helping the readers cope with their troubles than revealing to curious readers, far removed from their predicament, secrets about when and how the world will end.

There are of course several references to the return of Christ to judge the world, to put down evil once and for all and to elevate his faithful people to the place of honour around the throne of God and of the Lamb. These promises are also clothed in dramatic imagery, most of which can be worked out. Their meanings accord with other parts of the New Testament.

An important feature of The Revelation is the way it is structured. For example:

Chapters 1 – 3 contain a fearsome vision of Christ, and a about their various letter to each of the seven churches problems.

Chapters 4 – 5 contain a vision of heaven, focusing in turn on God as creator, and on Jesus as saviour, portrayed as the one who was slain and now lives and as the Lion of Judah, the long promised king who rules the world.

Chapters 6 – 7 speaks of the Seven Seals, depicting the war upon people.

Chapters 7 – 11 speaks of Seven Trumpets, depicting chaos in creation.

Chapters 12 – 14 speaks of Seven Signs of persecution of the people of the Lamb.

Chapters 15 – 16 speaks of seven plagues depicting destruction of the cosmos.

Chapters 17 – 20 speaks of the destruction of Babylon (ancient Rome), the Beast, false prophet and the Dragon.

It is very important to understand these events are not one after another but concurrent. In other words, they depict events that have been occurring in one way or another ever since the fall in Genesis 3 and will continue up until when Christ returns.

It is this realization which makes The Revelation so relevant to us today. Christians of every age have had to deal with satanic opposition and with the inherent physical weaknesses of this fallen world. We need to know that the return of Jesus will bring all this to an end.

Chapters 21 – 22 speaks of the new age of peace and tranquility which Christians will enjoy when our Lord returns. They are depicted as the New Jerusalem coming out from God.

Bishop Paul Barnett has written a brilliant book called Revelation Apocalypse Now and Then. He gives the key points to understanding this wonderful book as follows:

  1. Recognise its pastoral intention to encourage believers to keep following the Lamb.
  2. Acknowledge that John has intimate knowledge of the churches and their cities.
  3. The ability to decode the symbols of the book – numbers, colours and animals.
  4. The cycle (war, chaos, persecution) each depict the 1,000 years, [the period between Christ’s earthly life and his return] concluding with his people triumphant in heaven.
  5.  The letter combines the Preterist (present), fururist (future) and Historicist (past).

QUESTIONS FOR GROWTH GROUP DISCUSSION

  1. Looking at what is said about Jesus in Chapter 1, and comparing it to what is written in Daniel 7:9-14 for the Jews suffering in exile, what promises are available to us that surpass what the exiles had in their day?
  2. When looking at the description of Jesus in the vision in 1:12 to 16, what meaning do you think would be conveyed to the members of the seven churches as they heard it read to them?
  3. The churches who received the Revelation were experiencing persecution. Observing how things are going in our day, what kinds of suffering do you think Christians in Australia could be called upon to experience in the coming years?
  4. How might we prepare for times of trial?