Thursday, February 8, 2018

Study of Revelation: Revelation 4–5

Prayer and Bible Expo
https://prayerandbibleexpo.blogspot.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jXc833Dw8Y


Brief Summary of Revelation 1–3
Revelation 1 The Introduction: ­Scene: Earth.  Time: Past (ca. 95 AD).
John introduces the book of prophecy with an explanation of the circumstances surrounding the Revelation. John was exiled on the island of Patmos when Jesus sent and communicated the vision of things which must soon take place. John is commanded to write and send the book to the seven churches in Asia.

Revelation 2-3  Messages to the Angels of the Seven Churches in Asia: 
Scene: Earth. Time: Present (to original readers in Asia).
Jesus sends a unique message to each of the seven churches in the western part of the Roman province of Asia: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.  The cities are listed in the order of the geographical circuit that the messenger of the book would naturally travel as he delivered the letters.

Introduction to Revelation 4–5
Revelation 4–5 Prelude of Praise:
Scene: Heaven. Time: Future (Onset of the Great Seven-Year Tribulation which will complete the present age, conclude with Jesus’ return, and usher in the Millennium).
Revelation 4-22 records events that will take place in the future. Three consecutive periods of judgment lead to the second return of Jesus Christ: 7 Seals; 7 Trumpets; and, 7 Bowls. A prelude of praise in heaven precedes the onset of each three sets of 7 consecutive judgments. Revelation 4-5 records the initial heavenly prelude of praise that will precede the opening of the 7 Seals of judgment in Revelation 6, ushering in “a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will” (Matt 24:21).

STUDY QUESTIONS

Rev. 4:1   After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”  2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.  3 And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. 

1.   What does John see after receiving the messages to the seven churches? Where is the door standing open? Who is speaking? What does the speaker say that he will show John? (4:1)

2.  How quickly is John in the Spirit? What does John behold? Who is sitting on the throne?  (4:2)

3.  Describe the One Who was sitting. Describe what is around the throne. (4:3)

4.  What do you learn about God from Rev 4:1-3?  How could this truth transform your life?



Rev 4:4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.  5 Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God;  6 and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind.  7 The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle.

1.  What is around the throne? Who is sitting on the twenty-four thrones? Describe them. (4:4)

2.  What comes out from the throne? What are burning before the throne? What are they? (4:5)

3.  (Context) List the seven attributes of the Spirit listed in Isaiah 11:2.

4.  What is before the throne? (4:6a) What is in the center and around the throne? (4:6b)

5.  Describe each of the four living creatures. (4:7)

6. What do you learn about God in Rev 4:4-7?  How could this truth transform your life?


Rev 4:8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say,
            “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME.”
9 And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever,  10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11  “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

1.  Describe the four living creatures. How often do they praise? What do they not cease to say? (4:8)

2.  To whom do the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks? (4:9) How long does He live? (4:9)

3.  How will the twenty-four elders respond when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever? (4:9-10)

4.  What do the twenty-four elders say when they worship Him who sits on the throne? (4:11)

5.  What is their Lord and their God worthy to receive? Why is He worthy to receive glory, honor, and power? Why do all things exist and why were they created? (4:11)

6.  What do you learn about God in  Rev 4:8-11?  How could this truth transform your life?


 Rev. 5:1   I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.  2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?”  3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it.  4 Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it;  5 and one of the elders  said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”

1.  What does John see in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne? Describe it. (5:1)

2.  What does the strong angel that John sees proclaim with a loud voice? (5:2)

3.  Who in heaven, on earth, or under the earth was able to open or look into the book? (5:3)

4.  Why does John begin to weep? (5:4)

5.  Why does one of the elders tell John to stop weeping? (5:5)

6.  What do you learn about God in Rev 5:5:1-5? How could this truth transform your life?


Rev. 5:6   And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.  7 And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.  8 When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  9 And they  sang a new song, saying,
            “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
10        “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

1.  Describe the Lamb standing between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders. (5:6) Who is the Lamb?

2.  Who is holding the book? Who takes the book out of His hand? (5:7)

3.  What is the response of the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders when He had taken the book? What are each of the twenty-four elders holding? What are they? 5:8)

4.  What is the new song  that they sang? (5:9)

5.  Why is He worthy to take the book and to break its seals? What did He purchase for God with His blood? What has He made them to be? Where will they reign? (5:9-10)

6.  What do you learn about God in Rev 5:6-10? How could this truth transform your life?


Rev. 5:11   Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,  12 saying with a loud voice,
            “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”
13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying,
            “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”
14 And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

1.  What does John hear? How many angels does John see?  (5:11)

2.  What are the many angels saying with a loud voice? (5:12)

3.  What does John hear every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, saying? (5:13)

4.  Who is being praised by every created thing? (5:13)

5.  What do the four living creatures keep saying? How do the elders respond? (5:14)

6.  What do you learn about God in Rev 5:11-14?  How could this truth transform your life?

Write a prayer response to Revelation 4-5:

Prayer and Bible Expo

https://prayerandbibleexpo.blogspot.com/

No comments:

Post a Comment