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