Revelation Week 2

Guys Small Groups March 1, 2023

GAME:

1. Please Explain:

Goal is to ask questions without ever giving answers.

First team to

A. Hesistate or

B. fail to ask a question loses.

2. Steel the Bacon

Cloth/shirt material in the middle. Something that you can’t throw.

When I call numbers you can choose bacon or weapon.

Can’t choose both.

Go steal the bacon and get it back to your corner without getting tagged.

A “Tag” is not a touch with the hand, but being hit with a ball or dart.

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ASK:

Any questions on this week’s reading?

Any questions from what we discussed last week?

QUICK REVIEW:

How to Correctly Interpret All Scripture.

1. What does the text say.

2. What did it mean to the original audience.

3. How can I build a bridge from what it mean’t to them to modern day.

4. What does it mean to me?

Now, having said all that.

Why is it important that vs. 4 says, “John, to the seven churches that are in Asia.” ?

Because this is whom the book is written too.

What does that mean?

It means, that there are no doubt things in Revelation that would apply to all of these 7 churches that we may not necessarily understand today.

I can speak a lot about this in Revelation 3.

But for now let’s think about that broadly.

So for all 22 chapters of Revelation:

A. It is certainly prophecy (tells of things to come) according to 1:3

B. It is for these 7 churches and was likely understood by the 7 churches.

Now with that in mind, Let’s dive deep into these seven churches.

Divide into groups, study one or two churches in your group.

Then present your findings!

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Chapters 4-5

Read Chapter 4.

Open your copy of God’s word with me and let’s read this together.

Ask: What is the point of what we just read?

What are some images we see in this passage?

How many times is God implied or mentioned?

“The Throne” mentioned - 13 times in chapter 4. There’s only 11 chapters and the throne is mentioned 13 times.

Is that significant?

Yes it is.

So what is the focus of chapter 4?

What is chapter 4 about?

It’s about the throne and what’s around the throne.

At the end of the chapter too who do we see is on the throne?

God.

Revelation 4:9 “9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever,”

What do all of these creatures and beings around the throne do?

Revelation 4:10 “10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,”

We can get very caught up on who or what the 24 elders are and the four living creatures.... but if we do, we may miss out on what the chapter is about. The chapter is about the 13 times the Throne of God is mentioned!

It’s not about what’s around the throne, but what those things around the throne are pointing too!

God!

CHAPTER 5:

Read Chapter 5

What is this chapter about?

The big question comes in verse 2.

“Who can open the scroll and break the scrolls?”

IS there anyone worthy?

What does it mean for someone to be worthy to do this act?

vs. 3, “No one in heaven, on earth, or under earth could open it...”

ok… so let’s think through this.

Nobody on earth. Nothing in creation.

Nothing under the earth… Interesting wording there. I think this is alluding back to chapter 4.

No creature, no elder, no angel… nothing in heaven, under the earth, or on the earth can open this scroll.

Except for one person.

Vs. 5, “the lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Ok… so who is that and what does all of that mean?

Is there significance to those names?

Genesis 49:8-12 “8 “Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you. 9 Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him? 10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. 11 Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes. 12 His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.”

Isaiah 11:1 “1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.”

Revelation 22:16 “16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.””

Mark 12:35-37 “35 And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, “How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ 37 David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.”

Romans 15:12 “12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.””

Also explain the imagery. The Juxtaposition of what he is told to see versus what he actually sees.

“The lion, the root of david.”

versus

“I saw a lamb standing, as though it had been slain...”

The rest of the chapter now is about the worship of this person.

The worship of Jesus.

Revelation 5:13 “13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!””

Now look at this verse.

Every creature in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and in the sea…

There is nothing lacking here.

Everything that exists in the universe will worship God on the throne and the Lamb. forever and ever.

This is what Revelation is about.

The Victory of the Lamb.

AMen.