The Book of Revelation Bible Study - Session 5

THE BOOK OF REVELATION
Revelation 5
Session 5, August 22, 2007

Agenda

I. Opening Prayer

II. Theology of Power
A. Rome
B. Rev. 5 Power of the Lamb

III. Power in our own lives


Opening Prayer

O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness during the day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Power
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source
pow·er [pou-er] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. ability to do or act; capability of doing or accomplishing something.
2. political or national strength: the balance of power in Europe.
3. great or marked ability to do or act; strength; might; force.
4. the possession of control or command over others; authority; ascendancy: power over men's minds.
5. political ascendancy or control in the government of a country, state, etc.: They attained power by overthrowing the legal government.
6. legal ability, capacity, or authority: the power of attorney.
7. delegated authority; authority granted to a person or persons in a particular office or capacity: the powers of the president.
8. a document or written statement conferring legal authority.
9. a person or thing that possesses or exercises authority or influence.
10. a state or nation having international authority or influence: The great powers held an international conference.
11. a military or naval force: The Spanish Armada was a mighty power.
12. Often, powers. a deity; divinity: the heavenly powers.
13. powers, Theology. an order of angels. angel
14. Dialect. a large number or amount: There's a power of good eatin' at the church social.
15. Physics.
a. work done or energy transferred per unit of time. Symbol: P
b. the time rate of doing work.
16. mechanical energy as distinguished from hand labor: a loom driven by power.
17. a particular form of mechanical or physical energy: hydroelectric power.
18. energy, force, or momentum: The door slammed shut, seemingly under its own power.
19. Mathematics.
a. the product obtained by multiplying a quantity by itself one or more times: The third power of 2 is 8.
b. (of a number x) a number whose logarithm is a times the logarithm of x (and is called the ath power of x). Symbolically, y =xa is a number that satisfies the equation log y = a log x.
c. the exponent of an expression, as a in xa.
d. cardinal number (def. 2).
20. Optics.
a. the magnifying capacity of a microscope, telescope, etc., expressed as the ratio of the diameter of the image to the diameter of the object. Compare magnification (def. 2).
b. the reciprocal of the focal length of a lens.
–verb (used with object)
21. to supply with electricity or other means of power: Atomic energy powers the new submarines.
22. to give power to; make powerful: An outstanding quarterback powered the team in its upset victory.
23. to inspire; spur; sustain: A strong faith in divine goodness powers his life.
24. (of a fuel, engine, or any source able to do work) to supply force to operate (a machine): An electric motor powers this drill.
25. to drive or push by applying power: She powered the car expertly up the winding mountain road.
–adjective
26. operated or driven by a motor or electricity: a power mower; power tools.
27. power-assisted: His new car has power brakes and power windows.
28. conducting electricity: a power cable.
29. Informal. expressing or exerting power; characteristic of those having authority or influence: to host a power lunch.
—Verb phrases
30. power down, Computers. to shut off.
31. power up, Computers. to turn on.
—Idiom
32. the powers that be, those in supreme command; the authorities: The decision is in the hands of the powers that be.

[Origin: 1250–1300; ME pouer(e), poer(e) < AF poueir, poer, n. use of inf.: to be able < VL *potére (r. L posse to be able, have power). See potent1]






Revelation 5
1Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals; 2and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. 4And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne. 8When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9They sing a new song:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God
saints from every tribe and language and people and nation;
10 you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God,
and they will reign on earth.”
11Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12singing with full voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,
“To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might
forever and ever!”
14And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshiped.


Theology of Revelation: The Theology of Power

Two Kinds of Power

1. Power of oppressive systems of domination (Rome)
2. Power of God’s lamb to bring life and healing (Jesus)


Rome’s Worship of Victory

Empire’s entire ideology is based on the worship of victory.

Goddess of military victory: Nike (Greek), Victoria (Latin), portrayed as a winged goddess.

Victory was personified and emblazoned everywhere in the Roman Empire.
- symbols on flags and trophies
- Senators burned incense to Victory when they entered the senate
- Cities erected statues of Victory with her foot on the globe (symbolizing Rome’s conquest of the world)
- Coins portrayed her standing next to the emperor
- Slogans: I came, I saw, I conquered

71 AD Jewish revolt
The first Jewish-Roman War (years 66–73 AD, sometimes called The Great Revolt) (Hebrew: המרד הגדול‎, ha-Mered Ha-Gadol), was the first of three major rebellions by the Jews of Judaea Province against the Roman Empire (the second was the Kitos War in 115–117 AD, the third was Bar Kokhba's revolt, 132–135 AD). It began in the year 66, stemming from Greek and Jewish religious tension.[1] It ended when legions under Titus besieged and destroyed Jerusalem, looted and burned Herod's Temple (in the year 70) and Jewish strongholds (notably Gamla in 67 and Masada in 73), and enslaved or massacred a large part of the Jewish population.
The defeat of the Jewish revolts by the Roman Empire contributed substantially to the numbers and geography of the Jewish diaspora, as many Jews were scattered or sold into slavery after losing their state.


The siege of Jerusalem, the capital city, had begun early in the war, but had turned into a nasty stalemate. Unable to breach the city's defenses, the Roman armies established a permanent camp just outside the city, digging a trench around the circumference of its walls and building a wall as high as the city walls themselves around Jerusalem. Anyone caught in the trench attempting to flee the city would be captured, crucified, and placed in lines on top of the dirt wall facing into Jerusalem.The two Zealot leaders, John of Gischala and Simon bar Giora only ceased hostilities and joined forces to defend the city when the Romans began to construct ramparts for the siege. Tens of thousands of crucified bodies encircled Jerusalem by the end of the siege

The treasures of Jerusalem (detail from the Arch of Titus).
By the summer of 70, the Romans had breached the walls of Jerusalem, ransacking and burning nearly the entire city. The Romans began by attacking the weakest spot which was the third wall. It was built shortly before the siege so it did not have as much time invested in its protection. They succeeded towards the end of May and shortly afterwards broke through the more important second wall. The Second Temple was destroyed on Tisha B'Av (August 29 or August 30), 70. Tacitus, a historian of the time notes that those who were besieged in Jerusalem amounted to no fewer than six hundred thousand, that men and women alike and every age engaged in armed resistance, everyone who could pick up a weapon did, both sexes showed equal determination, preferring death to a life that involved expulsion from their country. All three walls were destroyed and in turn so was the Temple. According to the “rule of war” in antiquity, temples were not to be molested, but this temple had become a fortress and therefore was a fair military target. The famous Arch of Titus still stands in Rome: it depicts Roman legionaries carrying off the Temple of Jerusalem's treasuries, including the menorah.


A coin issued by the rebels in 68, note Paleo-Hebrew alphabet. Obverse: "Shekel, Israel. Year 3". Reverse: "Jerusalem the Holy"
Josephus claims that 1,100,000 people were killed during the siege, of which a majority were Jewish.[5] 97,000 were captured and enslaved.[6] Many fled to areas around the Mediterranean.
The Romans hunted down and slaughtered entire clans, such as descendants of the House of David. On one occasion, Titus condemned 2,500 Jews to fight with wild beasts in the amphitheatre of Caesarea in celebration of his brother Domitian's birthday.


An ancient Roman coin. The inscription reads IVDAEA CAPTA
The coins inscribed Ivdaea Capta (Judea Captured) were issued throughout the Empire in order to demonstrate the futility of possible future rebellions. Judea was represented by a crying woman.

Lamb Power

Exercise

Choose a scripture verse from the basket and read it silently. Answer any or all of the following questions.

1. What kind of power is displayed in this Gospel reading?


2. Where does the power come from?


3. Who does the power effect?


4. How would you define this kind of power?


5. What is the result of this kind of power?


Questions for you

1. List what kinds of power you have.


2. Who do you perceive that you have power over and why?


3. Who have you given power to?


4. How have you seen power used for good?


5. How have you seen power abused?


6. What is your understanding of power from a Christian perspective?


7. What is your understanding of power from a cultural perspective?


Lamb Power

Power of God’s Lamb to bring Life and Healing
The Lamb
- Nonviolent power
- Greek word in Revelation is arnion which is the diminutive form meaning lamby or little lamb.
- Shown as a victim who is slaughtered but standing
- Power manifest in weakness
- Evil is defeated not by force or violence but by the Lamb’s suffering love on the cross. Lamb as the victim becomes the victor.
- Lamb power calls people to conquer not by fighting but by testifying to God’s victory in self-giving love
- Christian community are those who follow the lamb
- Lifestyle oriented around Jesus’ self-giving love.
- Power of nonviolent resistance
- Courage in opposition to injustice
- Power of solidarity and forgiveness
- A power of vulnerable love that brings healing
- Accept the cross as the ultimate expression of love
- Vulnerability is the prime characteristic
- Includes the possibility of suffering

“The Lamb is an amazing and yet wonderfully disarming vision. In the face of Rome’s ideology of Victory, the victorious Lamb of Revelation looks almost incongruous. In place of overwhelming military strength, we are given the image of the Lamb’s nonviolent power. In place of Rome’s image of inflicting slaughter on the world, Revelation tells the story of the Lamb who has been slaughtered-and who still bears the scars of that slaughter. This reversal of images must have come as a big surprise to first-century Christians accustomed as they were to Rome’s images of power and victory. (p. 109-110 in The Rapture Exposed by Barbara Rossing)

“…John writing only one generation after Rome’s brutal crushing of the Jewish Revolt, was a prophet who dared to declare that Romans do not always win. John dared to oppose Rome’s dominance and Victory with the vision of the victory of God’s Lamb, Jesus. In his apocalypse John characterized Roman power and conquest not as the goddess Victory but as a demonic whore riding on a multiheaded beast, greedily seducing and destroying the entire world. John’s apocalypses gives one of the most scathing critiques of the Roman Empire ever written by anyone in the ancient world.” (Rossing, pg. 105-106)

Summary Bible Study: Revelation session 4

THE BOOK OF REVELATION
Revelation 4:1-11
Session 4, August 8, 2007

Opening Hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy!”

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning, our songs shall rise to thee:
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity.

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea.
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
Which wert, and art, and evermore more shall be.

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
Though the sinful human eye thy glory may not see,
Only thou are holy; there is none beside thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty.
All they works shall praise thy Name, in earth and sky and sea;
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty,
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity.


Opening Prayer

Blessed Lord, who caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them. That we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Opening Exercise


Group Prayer
Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated to you; and then use we pray, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people: through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.


Revelation 4
1After this I looked, and there in heaven a door stood open! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2At once I was in the spirit, and there in heaven stood a throne, with one seated on the throne! 3And the one seated there looks like jasper and carnelian, and around the throne is a rainbow that looks like an emerald. 4Around the throne are twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones are twenty-four elders, dressed in white robes, with golden crowns on their heads. 5Coming from the throne are flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and in front of the throne burn seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God; 6and in front of the throne there is something like a sea of glass, like crystal.
Around the throne, and on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with a face like a human face, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. 8And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing,
“Holy, holy, holy,
the Lord God the Almighty,
who was and is and is to come.”
9And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, singing,
11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created.”

Group Bible Study

1. Make a list of everything around the throne of God
2. Draw a picture diagram of where you envision all these things to be
3. If this image was your primary understanding of God, what would you conclude about God? What would you imagine God to be like?
4. Find other passages in the Bible that describe God. Do these passages support your conclusions from question 3 or do they describe a different image. If you don’t know where to start, try the Gospel of John and the letters from John in the NT.
5. What is your own current image of God. Where did this image come from? How has it changed through time.
Reader’s notes on Chapter 4

Open Door – Enoch is shown ascending into heaven where he enter a great house through an open door. John may be playing with motifs from the first section, where both a closed and an open door figure in the action (see 3;20 and 3:8)

Come up here – John expresses his experience in terms of the “three story” universe of his day.

Throne – A frequent and central symbol in this story, signaling the political significance of these actions.

Stone of Jasper – While we can no longer be certain just what gems John was referring to, we can be startled that he chooses mineral metaphors for God.

Rainbow – Since ancient times a promise of Divine protection.

White Clothing – denote Victory

Crowns of Gold - Greek: stephanos, crown or wreath. The kind of crown given to victors in the athletic contests, though this one is made of gold. Such crowns were worn by the high priest, by companions of Gods in Greco-Roman festivals, and even by the king. It is a sign of status and honor rather than of power. Jesus wears both this type and the kingly crown.

Lightning….voices….thunders – The usual elements marking a manifestation of the divine presence for which the technical word is theophany.

Seven lamps…spirits – Lamps is literally “torches of fire” and here represent the Holy Spirit.

Four Animals – four because they represent the earth

Holy, Holy, Holy – this acclamation was built on Isa 6.3 and used as a tradition part of worship in both Jewish and Christian context.

Who was and is and is to come – John’s unique characterization of God

Summary Bible Study: Revelation session 3

THE BOOK OF REVELATION
Summary: Session 3, Revelation 2:1-3:22

This section details the instructions given to John for the seven churches. Each church was in a different geography and had a different set of gifts and challenges. The format of each letter is the same. The group outlined each letter according to the following format.

1. Identify the church.

2. How is Jesus described in the passage to the church?

3. What are the strengths of the church?

4. What needs improvement in the church?

5. What was promised to those who are faithful?

Here is a summary of what the groups discovered about the 7 churches.

1. Ephesus – Jesus is described as holding 7 stars and walking among 7 lampstands, the strengths of the church is their works, their patient endurance, and that they don’t tolerate evil does. They need to rekindle the love that they new at first. They were promised to eat at the tree of life.

2. Smyrna – Jesus is described as the First and Last, who was dead and came to life. The strengths of the church were their rich spirituality. Nothing really needed improvement and they were promised the crown of life.

3. Pergamum – Jesus was described as a sharp two edge sword. The strength of this church was that they did not deny their faith. However, they had problems with fornication, eating food sacrificed to Idols and they sometimes held to the teachings of the Nicolaitans. They were promised Mana and a white stone.

4. Thyatira – Jesus is described as having eyes like a flame of fire and feet that are burnished bronze. The strengths of the church are love, faith, service, and patient endurance. They need to improve by not tolerating the Jezebel in their midst. They were promised authority over nations and the morning star.

5. Sardis – Jesus is described as the 7 Spirits of God and the 7 Stars of God. The strength of the church is a few good people and they are told that they need to improve because they are DEAD! The reward they are promised is never having their name blotted out from the book of life.
6. Philadelphia – Jesus is described as the Holy One, True one, and he has the key of David. The strengths of the church is that they kept their word and did not deny the name of Jesus. Nothing needs improvement and the reward would be to make them a pillar.

7. Laodicea – Jesus is described as the Amen, the faithful true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. There were no strengths found at this Church! What needs improvement is the fact that the church doesn’t think it needs anything. The fact that the church is wishy washy. Their reward would be to sit with Jesus on his throne.