Thursday, February 22, 2018

Study of Revelation: Revelation 7

Prayer and Bible Expo
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Brief Summary of Revelation 1–6

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.

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).

Revelation 6 Seven Seal Judgments
Scene: Earth. Time: Future (Chronology moves forward.)
The seven seals contain the judgments of the Great Tribulation, concluding with the return of Jesus. The seventh Seal contains the seven Trumpet judgments, and the seventh Trumpet judgment contains the final seven Bowl judgments. The Trumpet and Bowl judgments are all contained within the seventh Seal, unfolding consecutively through the seven-year Tribulation Period. Through judgment, Jesus becomes King of all the nations.

Revelation 6 records John’s vision of the Lamb breaking the first 6 of 7 Seals:
§  Seal #1:     First Apocalyptic Horseman (White Horse): Conqueror
§  Seal #2:     Second Apocalyptic Horseman (Red Horse): Removes Peace
§  Seal #3:     Third Apocalyptic Horseman (Black Horse): Famine
§  Seal #4:     Fourth Apocalyptic Horseman (Ashen Horse): Death and Hades (over ¼ of earth killed)
§  Seal #5:     Cries of the Martyrs for Judgment and Vengeance
§  Seal #6:     Earthquake, Blackened Sun, Blood-like Moon, Falling Stars, Split Sky, Moving Mountains and Islands, Hiding Men, Great Day of Wrath

The seventh seal remains unbroken at the end of Revelation 6. Before the Lamb breaks the seventh seal (Rev 8), the foreheads of 144,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel are sealed.


Introduction to Revelation 7

Rev 7:1-8 Sealing of 144,000 from 12 Tribes of Israel: Scene: Earth. Time: Future.
The angels are commanded to refrain from harming the earth, sea, or trees until the bond-servants of God are sealed on their foreheads with the seal of the Living God. The 144,000 include 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Rev 7:9-17 Prelude of Praise by Multitude in Heaven: Scene: Heaven. Time: Future.
Before the Lamb breaks the 7th Seal, containing the 7 Trumpets and 7 Bowls, there is a prelude of praise in heaven by a great, countless multitude from every nation, tribes, peoples, and tongues. The multitude, clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands, stands before the throne and before the Lamb as they cry, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” (7:10). The heavenly court responds in worship. One of the elders explains to John that the multitude came out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes, made white in the blood of the Lamb.

STUDY QUESTIONS

Revelation 7:1-3 — Interlude: Angels Await Sealing of 144,000 Servants from 12 Tribes of Israel

Rev. 7:1   After this I saw four angels standing at the  four corners of the earth, holding back  the four winds of the earth,  so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree.  2 And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the  four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea,  3 saying, “ Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their  foreheads.”

1. After seeing the vision of the Lamb breaking the first six seals (Rev. 6), what does John see? (7:1-2)

2.  Describe the angels (how many, their location, activity, command).

3.  What must happen before the four angels can do harm to the earth, sea, or trees?

4.  What do you learn about God from Rev. 7:1-3?  How could this transform your life?


Rev. 7:4   And I heard the  number of those who were sealed,  one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:
5          from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,
6          from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,
7          from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,
8          from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.

1.  What does John hear? How many are sealed? Who are they?

2.  How many tribes of Israel are listed? What is the total number to be sealed? (D) Why do you think that the tribes of Ephraim (Joseph’s second son) and Dan are not included in the list?

3.  What do you learn about God from Rev. 7:4-8? How could this transform your life?


Rev. 7:9   After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from  every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing  before the throne and  before the Lamb, clothed in  white robes, and  palm branches were in their hands;  10 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying,
 “ Salvation to our God  who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”  11 And all the angels were standing  around the throne and around  the elders and the  four living creatures; and they  fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,  12 saying,
 “ Amen,  blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever.  Amen.”

1.  After seeing the 144,000 sealed bond-servants of God, what does John see?

2.  Describe the great multitude (7:9-10).  Where are they (heaven or earth)?

3.  What is the multitude saying with a loud voice?

4.  Describe the worship scene in Rev. 7:11-12.  What seven things are ascribed to God ?

5.  What do you learn about God from Rev. 7:9-12? How could this transform your life?


Rev. 7:13   Then one of the elders  answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the  white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?”  14 I  said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the  great tribulation, and they have  washed their robes and made them  white in the  blood of the Lamb.  15 “For this reason, they are  before the throne of God; and they  serve Him day and night in His   temple; and  He who sits on the throne will spread His  tabernacle over them.  16  They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun  beat down on them, nor any heat;  17 for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their  shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the   water of life; and  God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

1.  What does one of the elders ask John? How does the elder describe the great multitiude?

2.  For what reason is the multitude before the throne of God (7:15)?

3.  What is the future of the great multitude of martyrs? (7:16-17)

4.  Who will shepherd the multitude? Where will He guide them? Who will wipe their tears?

5.  What do you learn about God from Rev. 7:13-17? How could this transform your life?

Write a prayer response to Revelation 7.

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