The Book of Revelation Bible Study - Session 2

THE BOOK OF REVELATION
Summary: Session 2, Revelation 1:9-20

9I, John, your brother who share with you in Jesus the persecution and the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. ◙ 10I was in the spirit ◙ on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11saying, “Write in a book what you see and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamum, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
12Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13and in the midst of the lampstands I saw one like the Son of Man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash across his chest. 14His head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; his eyes were like a flame of fire, 15his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters. 16In his right hand he held seven stars, and from his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining with full force.
17When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he placed his right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, 18and the living one. I was dead, and see, I am alive forever and ever; and I have the keys of Death and of Hades. 19Now write what you have seen, what is, and what is to take place after this. 20As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Discussion Summary

This is a description of John’s vision of the Son of Man who commissions John to write to the seven churches. The first things John sees are seven lampstands which he will be told are the seven churches. A mysterious human figure (“one like the Son of Man” confronts John, standing in the mist of the lampstands. The details of the description of this figure are echoed in the letters to the seven churches. The dramatic appearance results in John’s prostration and the typical command not to fear. In v. 20 the different and yet intimate relationship between Christ, the angels and the churches is stressed. Christ stands in the midst of the lampstands (the churches) and holds the stars (the angels). John is commanded to write down what he has seen and what is to take place after this.

We also talked about symbols and their importance in this particular book of the bible. Also, we discussed how the first century Christians would interpret these symbols. If you missed this session, you can see the symbol explanations in the class hand out for session 2 below.

Readers Notes
(Taken from “Tales of the End” by David L. Barr pgs. 38-41)

Rev. 1:9
BROTHER Metaphor deriving from an understanding of the community as a new family, thus implying a rejection of traditional family relationships. Where leaders are brothers rather than fathers or elders, the community is more egalitarian than hierachical.

PERSECUTION Though in some ways a key concern of Revelation, this actual terms occurs only five times: 1:9, 2:9, 2:10, 2:22 and 7:14. (we will talk more about Roman persecution in a later session) Look at the passages. What do you think persecution means in Revelation? What does it mean now?

KINGDOM A very old, complex, and multiform idea. The underlying idea goes back to the time centuries before John when Israel was ruled by kings who were thought to be reigning for God or in God’s stead (see Psalms 2 and 72). Gradually the idea was variously interpreted to include any sense in which God could be said to rule the earth.
What is our understanding of God’s Kingdom. How do we see it present in today’s world?

PATIENT ENDURANCE A key concept for this work, best defined by its contexts, which are 1:9, 2:2, 2:19, 3:10, 13:10, 14:12. This latter verse sets it in parallel with keeping the commandments of God and holding fast the faith of Jesus. Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza (a theologian) suggests that it be understood as “consistent resistance” to the powers of evil which seek to undermine God’s rule. This most active sense seems to fit John’s message better than the passive sense of endurance. Do you see patience as active or passive? Think of a time where you had to practice patient endurance.

PATMOS An island off the coast of Asia Minor, probably in habited in John’s day but only sparely. There is no evidence that it was ever used as a Roman penal colony in spite of many assertions to the contrary. John’s allusive reason for being there (“because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus”) could be understood in three ways: he is there for retreat (perhaps to edit his visions for publication0; he is there to spread the gospel of Jesus; he is there as punishment (banished, or more technically relegated there by Roman authority). Why do you think John was in Patmos?

Rev. 1:10
IN THE SPIRIT Indicates either a trance-like state in which vision were received or a state of spiritual awareness. Have you ever been “in the Spirit’? What was that like?

THE LORD’S DAY An unusual expression which could be understood as either the Lord’s day (Sunday) or the Imperial day. The implied contrast between Jesus and emperor will become increasingly important as the story progresses. The expression could also be understood in three temporal senses; The Lord’s day as Sunday (present), as Easter (past), as as judgment day (future; compare the expression “day of the Lord” – Isaiah 13, Joel 2) What do you think of as the Lord’s day. How is it important to you?

Rev. 1:11-12
SEVEN CHURCHES The symbolic use of the number seven should be emphasized: the whole church is addressed. At the same time seven specific cities are mentioned: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Geographically, the list represents the cities one would come to if one left from Patmos and sailed to the coast of Asia Minor and then proceeded in a rough circle of about sizty miles in diameter, going first north then east. These are major centers, generally the dominant city of their regions. How do we speak of geographies today? Where do we say we are from when we are out of town?

SEVEN GOLDEN LAMPSTANDS the first echo is probably to the seven-branched lamp of the Temple in Jerusalem, representing the presence of God. There is also a sense of the lamp as witness, and seven for perfection. What symbols do we use today that help us think of the presence of God?

Rev 1:13-16
THE SON OF MAN Literally, son of humanity, this phrase is rich in contextual meanings. In Ezekiel it refers to the prophet; in Daniel it refers to a heavenly archetype of Israel; in early Christianity it refers to Jesus. It is difficult to translate the sene into English, for it is built on a Semitic notion that “son of” indicates likeness to (as the “sons of thunder” in Mark 3:17). Thus in the Daniel vision the contrast is between the beastly figures of the previous visions with the one like a “a son of humanity” (i.e., a human being). The significance, then, is an exalted figure who is truly human. What do you think of when you hear this term?

ROBE Such a long robe would be a sign of status, perhaps royal or priestly; see Isa 6:1. What are signs of status today?

GIRT BENEATH THE ARMS Again a sign of status, ordinary folk girded their robes at the waist or hips to facilitate movement. What fashions are signs of status today?

EYES…FIRE Certainly penetrating, discerning, perhaps also with a suggestion of judgment or even anger. The enraged Agamemnon is described as having “two eyes that showed like fire in their blazing” (Iliad 1:104) How often are you aware of people’s expressions. Could you describe them? What is it about someone’s expression that signifies anger or judgment?

SEVEN STARS The connection of lamps and stars would be natural for people who thought in terms of a two-leveled reality, with a correspondence between the above and the below. Stars above and lamps below both give light. In a Jewish interpretive work, called the Targum on Exodus, the seven branched lamp in the tabernacle is equated with the seven planets and also with “the just that shine unto eternity in their righteousness.” How do we equate planets with our lives today? What is the connection?
TWO EDGED SWORD Outside Revelation this peculiar word for sword occurs only at Luke 2:35, of the sword that will pierce Mary’s heart. Within Revelation it is used of the sword of Jesus’ mouth at 1:16, 2:12, 2:16, 19:15, and 19:21; and once of the sword of Death (6:8). “Two-edged” is literally “two mouthed,” apparently from an ancient metaphor for the biting power of the weapon. The symbolism here suggests that it be understood as the word of Jesus, but this is capable of several constructions. Jesus may be thought to pronounce the Word of God (see Heb 4:12, which however uses the more common word for sword) or to speak his own testimony (see the two paired in 1:2 and 1:9). Jesus’ testimony is itself two-edged, both what he said and what he did, which in Revelation focuses on his death. What do we mean my this expression. How might that apply to this scripture?

REV 1:17-20
THE FIRST AND THE LAST Compare the Alpha and Omega of 1:8. The one pictured here may be like a human being (1:13), but these are divine attributes. See Isa 41:4, 44:6, and 48:12 where this senence is attributed to Yahweh, God of Israel. What do you associate this expression with today? Where are we located within the expression.?

LIVING ONE the middle term between the First and the Last; compare “the one who is” in 1:8. How do we make sense of this in our own concept of how time works?

I WAS DEAD, AND SEE I AM ALIVE FOREVER AND EVER Literally, I became dead…I am living. The wording makes it more surprising that the living one should have become dead than such a one should be living. What do we believe about life after death? How do we become living?

KEYS OF DEATH AND OF HADES The key is the natural symbol of authority. Revelation will mention two other keys: that of David (3:7) and that of the bottomless pit (9:1, 20:1) What do keys mean to us today? How do we use the expression “key”.

MYSTERY The primary sense is that of a secret or hidden knowledge, often something known only to God (see 10:7). In revelation it carries the sense of a symbolic significance to some physical sign (see also 17:5-7) What mysteries do we celebrate as a Church?

ANGELS Messengers of any kind, but by John’s day there had developed a rather elaborate set of beliefs about the messengers/angels of the divine court. Many people believed that there were guardian angels, not only for individuals but also for corporate groups. Also, many people identified the angels with the GrecoRoman deities and with the rulers of the stars and planets known from astrology. In John’s two-tiered world angels probably represent a heavenly reality corresponding to the messengers of God one earth. What do we believe about angels?



More on Symbols (Barr, pgs. 8-10)

Numbers

Three the spiritual order
Four the created order
Seven Perfection
Ten Totality
Twelve Israel (God’s people)
Three & one half The number of evil
Multiples & repetitions Intensification


Colors

White Victory
Black Suffering (not evil)
Red Strife and war
Pale (yellowish gray) Death


Animals

Horse Conquest
Lamb Animal of sacrifice
Eagle Head of the air
Lion Head of the wilderness
Ox Head of the cultivated land
Multiple heads Multiple rulers
Multiple horns Multiple rulers or measure of
Power.

A symbol does not so much mean something as it doe imply, so deciphering symbols is less a rational act than an imaginative act. So we should read the book or Revelation with our imaginations engaged.

Symbols allow us to express what cannot be expressed ordinary words. Thus our most cherished convictions – be they religious, political, national, or existential – find their expression in symbols: the cross, the yin-yang, Gettysburg, the flag, a bouquet of flowers.

Symbols communicate on a different level than ordinary speech. They affect us deep down (by which language we suggest there is a depth to us beyond intellectual understanding). Symbols do not simply carry inforation; they reach out and take hold of us, demand our attention.

Bible Study - Summary of Session I Rev. 1:1-8

The Book of Revelation
Summary Session 1
Rev. 1:1-8

1The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place; he made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.
3Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it; for the time is near.
4John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, 6and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7 Look! He is coming with the clouds;
every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.
So it is to be. Amen.
8“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

Discussion Summary
Rev. 1:1-2
The book of Revelation is a story about Jesus Christ.

The word Revelation comes from the Greek word “apokalypsis” from the root “kalupto” (to cover, hide) and the preposition “apo” (off, from) and therefore means to unveil, remove the covering. The author is uncovering something about Jesus that the author wants us to know.

The audience is told that they will hear a story where the owner and subject of the story is Jesus, the content is the word of God, the author is John who hears the story from a messenger of Jesus and the story is called a revelation.

Rev. 1: 3
The readers are blessed. By speaking John’s words out loud, the reader once again empowers the words. The Greek word translated “to read” is “anaginosko” from the roots that mean to come into being once again. By reading, we cause the words to live again.

Rev. 1:4-8
The words in these verses would have been immediately recognized as a letter by the original audience. We learn that God is the one who is, who was and who is coming.
We see the first number symbol : 7.

The number 7
The Greeks said that numbers 1-5 beget or generates another number between 1 and 10 by being doubled or tripled. The numbers that are begotten or generated are six, eight, nine or ten. If 7 were doubled or tripled, the answer would lie outside the number 10. None of the lower numbers if doubled or tripled would equal 7. Therefore, 7 is like God since it remains ungenerated and ungenerating. Seven is a qualitative symbol not a quantitative symbol.

John is writing to 7 Churches but there are more than 7 Churches.

Rev. 1:5
We learn some things about Jesus: Jesus is the witness (he bore testimony to God’s truth), Faithful (devoted to the Divine mission), The first born among the dead (reference to the resurrection of Jesus), and the ruler of the kings of the earth (Jesus has been exalted to heaven where he now rules).

The focus of the second part of verse 5 and verse 6 on the redemptive work of Christ brings us to the expectation of the glorious day when Christ will return.

Rev. 1:8
As the divine response to what has been said about Christ, God speaks. God declares that God is the Alpha and the Omega. God only speaks twice in the entire book. Here and in verse 21:6.

What begins as a normal greeting in a letter switches to a hymn of praise to Christ. Christ is the one who will come on the clouds of glory and the entire human race will witness that triumphal return. God indicates his approval so this section prepares the reader for the exalted vision about to occur.


Introduction to The Book of Revelation
Session 1
Date: The Book of Revelation is dated somewhere between the reign of Claudius (A.D. 41-54) and the reign of Trajan (A.D. 98-117). The majority of scholars think the book was written between A.D. 81-96 (reign of Domitian).
During the reign if Domitian there was active persecution of Christians.

Authorship: Tradition has attributed the authorship of the Book of Revelation to John the apostle. The majority of modern scholars are unwilling to assign the work to John the apostle for the following reasons:
1. The Author of The Book of Revelation never mentions that he is an apostle, which would have given his work more authority.
2. There is nothing in the Book of Revelation that indicates the author knew the historical Jesus.
3. There is a tradition that John the apostle suffered an early martyrdom.
4. The language for this book is very different than the language used in the Gospel of John.
So who wrote the book? We will never really know. However, according to one commentary, “Since internal evidence is not entirely unfavorable to apostolic authorship and external evidence is unanimous in its support, the wisest course of action is to accept as a reasonable hypothesis that the Apocalypse was written by John the apostle, son of Zebedee and disciple of Jesus. (pg. 15, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Book of Revelation, by Robert Mounce)

Apocalyptic Literature: This genre of literature flourished in the biblical world between 200 BC and 100 AD. People of that time would have been as familiar with this genre as we are with the genre of science fiction or romance.
The word apocalypse means unveiling.

Elements of Apocalyptic Literature:

1. Divine disclosure of some deep truth
2. Usually about a visionary journey
3. Journeys can involve both time travel and space travel
4. Traveling visionary returns with an urgent message for the audience
5. Always eschatological (the part of theology concerned with death, judgment and final destiny of the soul and of humankind)
6. Dualistic. There are two opposing supernatural powers, God and Satan. There are also two distinct ages: The present one (temporal and evil) and the one to come (timeless and perfectly righteous)
7. Symbolic in language
8. Vision is the major instrument of revelation
9. Contemporary examples: Wizard of Oz and The Christmas Carol