WEEK 21: Revelation 1-11
AUTHENTIC WORSHIP | Axiom 5
Most people think of Revelation as a book about the end of the world. And it’s certainly that. However, in the opening chapters of the book we see the greatest worship service in the history of the world break out as God is worshiped in his throne room.
WEEK 22: Revelation 12-22
GOD’S LOVE WINS | Axiom 3
God gives us the end of the story before we experience it. That’s what we read about in the second part of Revelation. But notice what happens in the story. The love and power of God triumphs over the forces of evil. Jesus vanquishes death, sin and Satan forever. God’s justice crushes his enemies. As a result, Christians experience God’s love, joy and peace for all eternity.
Weeks 21-22 | Questions for Discussion
1. Draw and label the circles of worship around God’s throne in Revelation 4-5. What do you notice about the worship described in these chapters?
2. How is the description of heaven at the end of Revelation similar or different than what you thought heaven would be like?
3. What are several things that you most look forward to about heaven? Why?
COMMENTARY
Revelation 1:18
I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
John’s first vision is of the resurrected Jesus. We see early on that the Jesus is portrayed in the Revelation as the victorious king. He is the one returning to earth as the conquering Lion of Judah. The first time he came to earth he came in humility. This time he comes to gather his people and to vanquish his enemies. His victory over death holds a prominent place in John’s vision. It’s also important to note that the outcome of Jesus’ return is very clear. He is coming as the victorious king. The war is not in doubt. Jesus has won!
Revelation 3:14-22
The letter to the church at Laodicia is one of the most memorable passages in Revelation. Jesus uses very strong language to describe His disgust with the spiritual state of this church. The letter is even more powerful when you understand the background of this city. They were known for and took pride in several unique aspects of their city, such as their banking wealth, their medicinal eye ointment and their large clothing industry. So it is very ironic when Jesus calls them “poor, blind and naked.” This things they took most pride in, Jesus tells them are worthless because they lack the most important thing, which is a zeal for Him. Jesus also picks up on one of their problems as a city which was their water supply that was notoriously lukewarm. Just like they wanted to spit out their tepid water, Jesus says their lukewarmness makes Him want to spit them out of His mouth. Jesus finally pictures Himself standing on the outside of their church, knocking on the door wanting to be let in. They were so proud in themselves, and lukewarm in their faith that they forgot all about Jesus, even in their church!
Revelation 5
What an amazing picture of the glory of the Savior of the world Jesus Christ. He is able to “open the book,” the book of the story of redemption which points to the saving work of Jesus. Because He is the Savior, He is worthy to receive all worship and glory, as exemplified by the angels of Heaven.
Revelation 6
Jesus, the Lamb, now begins to open the seals on the scroll. As the first four are opened: terrible horsemen representing conquest (6:1–2), devastating warfare (vv. 3–4), famine (vv. 5–6), and plague (vv. 7–8). These bear a striking resemblance to signs spoken of by Christ in Matthew 24:1–35, Mark 13:1–37, and Luke 21:5–33. The fifth seal reveals martyrs, crying out for God to judge and avenge them (6:9–11).
When the sixth seal is opened earth and even the heavens are shaken, as if by a great earthquake (vv. 12–14). Humanity then realizes that this is divine judgment. Rather than repent, king and peasant alike seek to hide from God’s wrath (vv. 15–17). (Richards)
Revelation 7
Two interpretations. The premillennialist takes the Jewish identity of the 144,000 literally and understands them to be Jewish converts who serve as missionaries during the Tribulation period (cf. Dan. 12:3). The multitude are understood, as the Rev. text states, as those saved through faith in Christ during the Great Tribulation spoken of by Jesus and the Old Testament prophets. Amillennialists see the number as symbolic, a “perfect” number, and thus representing the church throughout all history. The careful specification of tribes is dismissed on the basis of Gal. 3:28: that in Christ there “is neither Jew, nor Greek.” The multitude are the whole company of the saved in heaven. (Richards)
Revelation 9:20-21
The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood– idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. As we read Revelation we should be appalled at the attitude of humanity. You would think that after all the plagues and judgments people would turn to God in repentance. But they do not. Instead, we see just how dark and sinful our human hearts are apart from Jesus. The people do not repent, but continue to worship false gods that are not real and give in to their lusts. But for the grace of God we would be like the people John describes.
Revelation 10
“As with the seals, the sequence of the 6th and 7th trumpets is interrupted to provide additional information bearing on the precious events and to prepare the reader for further developments…The author sees a mighty angel who he describes in dazzling terms…The angel has a small scroll in his hand…It should be connected with the symbolic scroll of Ezekiel…The prophet was told to eat the scroll just as John was told to eat the scroll given to him. Such an action symbolized the reception of the Word of God into the innermost being as a necessary prerequisite to proclaim it with confidence…The angel standing on both land and sea symbolizes that the prophetic message is for the whole world.”
The Expositors Bible Commentary: Revelation by Alan Johnson.
Revelation 11
“Some have considered this chapter one of the most difficult to interpret in the Book of Revelation…Does John intend all this to be understood simply as it is given, literally?….Or does he intend all or part of these as symbols representing something?…Most commentators take at least part of these things as symbolic…While details of interpretation vary, there are but two main approaches to this chapter: (1) the temple, alter, worshipers, and the Holy City have something to do with the Jewish people and their place in the plan of God; or (2) John is here referring to the Christian church…Does he use these references in a plain, one-to-one sense, or does he use them representatively or symbolically?”
The Expositors Bible Commentary: Revelation by Alan Johnson.
While there is no easy answer to this interpretive dilemma, the overall message is clear. This is a picture of the coming of the full glory of God. It is a terrorizing threat to God’s enemies, while at the same time an encouraging promise to God’s people.
Revelation 12
This chapter details the struggle of Christ and God’s people against Satan and his forces. We see here that Satan tries to attack and kill God’s people, and specifically Jesus (the son of Rev. 12:5), but God overpowers him. Many see in this chapter a retelling of God’s people, Israel and the church, fighting against Satan before, during, and after the time of Christ.
Revelation 13
This chapter tells us about the appearance of two important figures: the Beast out of the sea and the Beast out of the earth. In the Beast out of the sea, we see the figure of the antichrist. He sets himself up to oppose Christ and his people and is accepted by the world. In the figure of the Beast out of the earth, we see the figure of the antichrist’s false prophet (Rev. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10) who is able to work miracles to deceive the world.
Revelation 14
Chapter 14 briefly answers two pressing questions: What becomes of those who refuse to receive the mark of the beast and are killed? What happens to the beast and his servants? Ultimately we discover that the 144,000 are redeemed and that the beast and his followers are condemned.
Much of the confusion regarding the 144,000 is a result of the false doctrine of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. They claim that 144,000 is a limit to the number of people who will reign with Christ in heaven and spend eternity with God. The 144,000 have what the Jehovah’s Witnesses call the heavenly hope. Those who are not among the 144,000 will enjoy what they call the earthly hope—a paradise on earth ruled by Christ and the 144,000. Clearly, we can see that Jehovah’s Witness teaching sets up a caste society in the afterlife with a ruling class (the 144,000) and those who are ruled. The Bible teaches no such “dual class” doctrine.
Revelation 17
Two interpretations. Premillennialists see “mystery Babylon,” the “great prostitute,” as the religious dimension of future human society. They expect a “one world” religion in the West will accompany political unification under the Antichrist and will support his drive toward power. But when the Antichrist has achieved power, he will overthrow the state church and insist that the world worship him. Amillennialists have identified the woman with false religions in the world throughout history and today. (Richards)
Revelation 18
Two interpretations. Many premillennialists see Babylon as representative of the political and economic powers of the world’s nations consolidated under the Antichrist at history’s end. This union and all its power is to be destroyed by divine judgment. Amillennialists and some premillennialists see Babylon as representative of all past, present, and future centers of materialistic human society. Christians must not allow themselves to be seduced. (Richards)
Revelation 19:11
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. The rider on the white horse is Jesus. He has returned to vanquish his enemies for all time. This is the picture of the conquering Jesus that we see in the OT. It is the picture of Jesus as a lion. This is how Jesus will be when he returns to the world.
Revelation 20
Revelation 20 is one of the most debated chapters in the Bible among Christians. It depicts the following events: Satan is bound for a thousand years after which time he will be set free, Christians are resurrected and reign with Christ for 1000 years, following the 1000 years Satan and his forces mount one last battle against God which ends before it begins (Rev. 20:9), and then everyone else is resurrected. Christians disagree over what this will look like, and how this will play out. But all Christians agree that in the end Jesus will overcome Satan (quite easily) and all believers will reign with Christ forever and ever.
Revelation 21-22
These concluding chapters of the Book of Revelation not only conclude John’s revelation, but also bring the whole story of the Bible full circle. In the opening verses of the Bible, God creates the Heavens and the Earth, and He calls His creation good. But by chapter 3 of Genesis, humans have allowed sin into God’s creation and it starts to deteriorate. By God’s grace, He sends His Son to redeem the broken world and hope is restored. And as the Bible concludes, we see the promise of redemption fully realized as God re-creates a New Heaven and a New Earth.
Revelation 22:18-19
This passage gives us a warning not to add to or take away from this book. Some have used this as an admonition against any new Scripture. Some have said it only applies to the Book of Revelation. While it is true that God’s revelation of Himself in the Bible is complete, this warning is given specifically to those who distort the message of the Book of Revelation. Jesus Himself is the Author of Revelation and the giver of the vision to the apostle John (Revelation 1:1). As such, He concludes the book with a confirmation of His testimony to the finality of the prophecies contained in Revelation. These are His words, and He warns against distorting them in any way, whether through additions, subtractions, falsifications, alterations, or intentional misinterpretations. The warning is explicit and dire. The plagues of Revelation will be visited upon anyone guilty of tampering in any way with the revelations in the book, and those who dare to do so will have no part in eternal life in heaven.
Although the warning in Revelation 22:18-19 is specific to the Book of Revelation, the principle applies to anyone who seeks to intentionally distort God’s Word. Moses gave a similar warning in Deuteronomy 4:1-2, where he cautioned the Israelites that they must listen to and obey the commandments of the Lord, neither adding to nor taking away from His revealed Word. Proverbs 30:5-6 contains a similar admonition to anyone who would add to God’s words: he will be rebuked and proven to be a liar. Although the warning in Revelation 22:18-19 applies specifically to the Book of Revelation, its principle must be applied to the entire revealed Word of God. We must be careful to handle the Bible with care and reverence so as to not distort its message.
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