The Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb, be praise and honour and glory and power, for ever and ever! 7 Bible Studies on the Book of Revelation plus an extra one 1

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STUDY 1: INTRODUCTION The book of Revelation could be said to be one of the most confusing and controversial books of the Bible. It s written in a style that most of us a not familiar with anymore filled with rich imagery, symbolism and code which require a little digging to get your head around. Written in a time of increasing persecution, and into a culture where worshipping the Roman Caesar was common, the writer, the apostle, John, hopes to encourage the Christians in Asia Minor to stand firm in the faith of Christ under the persecution and to remember and side with the power of Christ amidst the visible signs of the power of the Roman Empire. As such there s much for us to learn from Revelation as well. When it comes to understanding this book, which is part Apocalyptic (highly charged, deeply symbolic, pointing not just to the present reality but to the eternal reality of God s kingdom), part Prophecy and part Letter, Paul Barnett (in his book Revelation: Apocalypse Now and Then) offers some keys 1) Crack the code Revelation is clearly written in code which needs to be deciphered before it can be understood. Here s quick (but not exhaustive) cheat sheet! 2) Centre on Christ Revelation is focused firmly on what Jesus has already achieved in his life, death and resurrection for us. The whole book of Revelation spells out the implications of Jesus as Saviour and Lord in a world that appears to be falling apart. In the end, this key is the most important. We need to centre on the gospel of Jesus and avoid getting stuck in the details. For more information, I recommend Paul Barnett s book (he has more keys!). It is (relatively) simple and accessible and helps Revelation to make sense! 3

REVELATION 1 Think about this... 1. What excites you about the book of Revelation? What worries you? Background 2. An understanding of the Old Testament references can help us take in the finer details. Quickly through read these passages to get a feel for the images. Ezekiel 8:1-4 Daniel 7:13-14 Daniel 8:15-17 Daniel 10:4-6 Zechariah 4:1-6 Zechariah 12:10-14 Read Revelation 1:1-8 3. What do we learn about the book of Revelation (Author, Recipient, Type of book? What do we learn about the nature of God? What do we learn about the work of Jesus for us? List the different types of responses to Jesus and his Word in this passage. What is one possible response that particularly resonates with you? 4

Read Revelation 1:9-20 4. How would you broadly describe the vision John saw? Have a go at the meaning of some of the images. What can we make of the fact that the man appears among the lampstands (v. 13)? Is Revelation about the past, the present or the future? Discuss. How should John not respond? Why? How could you respond to the almighty, risen Jesus? Possible prayer points Use the words of Revelation 1 to praise God for who he is and what he has done. Ask God to help you hear his Word and take it to heart (v. 3). Pray that you would see and know the reality of Jesus. Choose one particular way of responding to Jesus and his Word and pray for God s help by his Spirit. 5

STUDY 2: THE 7 LETTERS - TO THE 7 CHURCHES REVELATION 2-3 John sent his book to seven Churches in Asia Minor but given that the number 7 means wholeness in revelation, the book of Revelation is for the whole church. That includes us. In chapter 2-3 John records the message of Jesus to the seven churches in Asia Minor with distinct pattern, which will become clear as we read the chapters together. In the letters, Jesus praises, challenges, rebukes and encourages the churches. What can we learn from them? Think about this... 1. If Jesus wrote a letter to the Christian Church today, what things do you think he d say? To the angel of the church in These are the words of I know But Challenge or warning To the one who overcomes 6

2. Read each letter and fill in the boxes on page 6. You might like to divide this up and then share what you find with the big group. Note any question below and have a go at answering them in the group! Questions: 3. What were the most challenging things you found? What were the most encouraging? Applying it to your life 4. How can we grow and develop in these areas both individually and as a church? 7

OPTIONAL STUDY: THE LAMB WHO WAS SLAIN REVELATION 4-5 Though we won t be covering chapters 4 and 5 in our preaching series, they give us a glimpse into the throne room of God. There s plenty of imagery to get your head around (you can use your cheat sheet!) all of which gives us an insight into the reality of God s authority and the (surprising) way he carries it out. Think about this... 1. Who is powerful in our society. How do you know and how do they exercise that power? Read Revelation 4 2. What impression does this chapter give you of God? Who do you think might be represented by: a. The 24 Elders b. The 4 Living Creatuures 3. What do the Elders and the Creatures do and what s so important about it? If you were living under intense persecution how would this vision of God s throne room help you? 8

Read Revelation 5 4. What do we know about the scroll in God s hand (v1-5). What do you think might be on it? Why is John so upset that no one can open it. John is told about a lion. But then he sees a lamb. Use the cheat sheet to work out what the imagery of the lamb means. What makes the lamb worthy to open the scroll (v9-10)? What has the blood of the lamb achieved? What does this mean for us? The hero of Christian History is a slain lamb. Does this have anything to say about human ideas of power compared to God s Applying it to your life... 5. Write down 2 things that you can take from this passage to help you in your life. Share some of these things as a group. 9

STUDY 3: THE 7 SEALS REVELATION 6-7 In chapters 6-7 we ve seen the first of 3 cycles of 7 judgement with the opening of the 7 seals, which bring: the 4 horsemen, symbolising times of war, conquest, famine and death, then the cry of the martyrs who had lost their lives because of the word of God and the testimony they had, then the 6 th seal which brings the wrath of the lamb on those that have brought persecution and death on God s people. They try to hide from the lamb s judgement and ask who can stand? This question is answered in chapter 7: John hears about the 144,000 (symbolising all of God s people under the old covenant) but then sees a great multitude, not just from Israel, but from every nation, tribe, people and language, all gathered around the throne of the slain lamb. This is who will stand! God s multicultural people. All of the nations have been blessed! 1. Getting our bearings: a. Read Zechariah 1:7-17; 6:1-8: i. What was Israel s situation at the time? ii. What do the four horses find? iii. What s God s response? iv. What do you think the chariots set out to do? 2. John s vision: a. Revelation 6:1-8: i. What made the opening of these seals possible (remember chapter 5)? ii. What disasters do the first four seals bring? b. Revelation 6:9-11: i. Where else are white robes mentioned in this section? ii. How are Christians comforted here, then? 10

c. Revelation 6:12-7:8: i. Why does chapter 7 appear before the seventh seal is opened? ii. What is the significance of the numbers 144,000 and 12,000? iii. Who does this represent? d. Revelation 7:9-8:5: i. Who is the multitude? ii. What is John saying by describing them as a countless multitude? iii. What is the great tribulation (v.14)? iv. What is the noise that has stopped in 8:1? What does the silence suggest? v. How does God use our prayers? 3. Implications: a. What does God tell Christians who are suffering for their faith to do? b. What role does the cross play in this episode? What role does the cross play in our thinking? 11

STUDY 4: THE 7 TRUMPETS REVELATION 8-11 Chapters 8-11 begin the next cycle of 7; the next depiction of God s judgement the 7 trumpets. 1. Getting our bearings: a. Joel 1:2-6, 2:1-11 i. What do the beasts do? ii. Who is at their head? b. Isaiah 30:27-33: i. What is used to describe God s judgment? 2. John s vision: a. Revelation 8:2,5-9:21: i. What do the first four trumpets result in? ii. What does the loud proclamation suggest, then? iii. How is the fifth trumpet different from the Joel passages? iv. What is the Abyss? (cf. Ps 88:10-12; Job 26:5-6) v. Who is in charge of the locust army? vi. What does 9:15 tell us about the judgment of God? vii. How do the ungodly respond? 12

3. Getting our bearings: a. Ezekiel 2:3-3:11: i. Why was the scroll sweet? ii. How were the people going to respond? 4. John s vision: a. Revelation 10-11: i. Why is the scroll sweet in the mouth but bitter in the stomach? ii. Who are the two witnesses? What was their job? iii. What do the 42 months / 1260 days represent? (cf. Luke 4:25; Dan 7:23-27) iv. What does 11:5-6 & 7-10 say about the witnesses? v. Why the three and a half days in v.11? vi. What is the ark of the covenant doing in 11:19? 5. Implications: a. What struck you? b. How do the ungodly respond to the judgment of God (in chapters 9 & 11)? c. What is the Christian s response to be? What should we spend our time doing, and what should we expect? d. What makes the judgment of God an absolute certainty? 13

STUDY 5: THE 7 PLAGUES REVELATION 15-16 What have we done so far? 1. 2. 3. a) b) c) Prologue (1) Church on Earth (2-3) Church in Heaven (4-5) Seals (6-7) Trumpets (8-14) Bowls (15-22:6) Epilogue (22:7-21) Getting our bearings: (If you want to get a solid grounding in the major Old Testament allusions in Revelation 15 & 16, then you need to look at Ex 7-11; 15:11-18; Deut 28:20-29; 32:3-4, 34-43; Is 40:1-5; 46:8-47:15; Jer 25:15-33; Zech 10-14. For the moment, we ll just take a few of them.) 1. Exodus 7:14-10:29. Just glance at the headings note what plagues there are. 2. Jeremiah 25:15-17, 27-33. What does it mean for people to drink this cup? 3. Zechariah 12:1-14. a. Note the Messianic (Jesus) hints (v.10). b. v.11 mentions Megiddo what s this section about? John s vision: 4. Read Revelation 15: How did Moses get into this part of the Bible?! What else is happening in this chapter? 14

5. Read Revelation 16, then discuss these ideas from the chapter: a. The complete judgment of God. b. The complete lack of repentance by God s enemies. c. The complete purity of God s people. d. Where s the cross hiding? Find the relationship to Jesus and the cross in these verse and phrases: e. The Lamb s song (15:3)? f. The opened temple (15:5)? g. Armageddon (16:16)? h. The loud voice (16:17)? i. The earthquake (16:18)? 15

STUDY 6: THE FINAL VICTORY REVELATION 17-20 (You might like to have a look over chapters 17-18 if you have time. Pre-read these chapters before you meet together. Otherwise, move forward to the section on Revelation 19 from question 3) 1. In Revelation 17: a. Who or what is Babylon? b. How does the beast mimic Jesus? 2. In Revelation 18: a. How does this expand on Rev 16? b. How do the nations respond to Babylon s destruction? c. How does heaven respond? Implications: [In some ways it seems that Revelation is just the book of Isaiah squashed through a cross-shaped mould. The major sections of Isaiah that are covered in Revelation 15-22 that we won t be looking at today are: Isaiah 23-27; 65-66. Read them sometime you ll be amazed at the similarity between them and this part of Revelation.] 3. Meal No. 1: Revelation 19:1-10. a. What does a passage like this do for the significance of human weddings? 4. Meal No. 2: Getting our bearings comment on these passages in relation to Revelation: 16

a. Isaiah 63:1-6. b. Ezekiel 38-39 (particularly 38:14-39:8; 39:17-20). 5. John s vision: a. Revelation 9:11-16. 1. Who is the rider? 2. What is he coming to do? b. Revelation 19:17-21. 1. What kind of banquet is on offer here? c. Revelation 20:7-10. 1. How is this different from the last passage? 2. What makes this such a bad block-buster? 3. What does that suggest? The Last Judgment: 6. Revelation 20:11-15. i. What do verses 12 and 13 imply? ii. What determines whether someone goes to hell? 17

STUDY 7: THE NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH REVELATION 21-22 (PLUS SOME OF CHAPTER 20 ) God s Christian Victory: 1. Now Read Revelation 20:4-6. i. To whom does each of these descriptions refer: a. thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge (see also 2:26-27; 3:21)? b. They had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands (see also 13:15 note 13:8)? c. the second death has no power over them (see also 20:14-15)? d. they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years (see also 5:10)? e. Those who hold to the testimony [of] Jesus and the word of God (see also 1:2,9; 12:17; 17:6; 19:10)? f. Those who are killed because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God (see also 2:10; 12:10-11; 13:15; 17:6)? ii. So who are these people? iii. What, then, is the first resurrection (i.e. where else in Revelation have we heard of a resurrection)? iv. What is at the end of the 1000 years? v. What is this passage teaching? (See Col 3:1-4; Rom 6:3-5) 18

2. Getting our bearings: a. Ezekiel 47:1-12; 48:30-35. 3. One day a. Revelation 21:1-7. i. Is the New Creation too big to be friendly? Why/why not? b. Revelation 21:9:27. (Chapter 18 showed us City No. 1. This is City No. 2.) i. What shape is this city? Why is that significant? (cf. 1 Kings 6:19-20; also Numbers 2 for the gates) ii. What do the precious stones remind you of? (cf. Rev 4:3) iii. Why is the bride described as a city? iv. What does the size of the city indicate? v. Why is there no temple? vi. What does this say about the church? c. Revelation 22:1-6. (compare Ezekiel 47:1-12) How does this passage neatly round off the Bible? 19

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