REVELATION - PART 3
LEADERS NOTES:
- If your group has been finding the Bible project videos Helpful. Watch the next section of the following video prior to reading the passage. (3:45 - 5:30)
READ REVELATION 4
4 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’[b]
who was, and is, and is to come.”
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
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 were created
and have their being.”
REFLECT AND DISCUSS:
1.How does the vision in Revelation 4:1–11 highlight the beauty, character, and power of God?
2. In the two sections of praise (Verses 8 & 11) what aspects of God’s character/ Identity are focused on?
3. Why should knowing God as Holy and as creator move us to a posture of Worship?
READ REVELATION 5
5 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits[a] of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
REFLECT AND DISCUSS:
1. The scroll introduced in Revelation 5 symbolises God’s sovereign plan to restore humanity and end evil. John begins weeping, since no one is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals. Why would the thought of a world with no final restoration and reconciliation be enough to move John to tears?
2. Verse 5 paints a picture of Jesus as a powerful conquerer. What does the description that follows in verse 6 tell us about what Jesus’ conquest looks like?
3. In the sections of praise, what do we see is actually achieved by the spilling of Jesus’ blood?
APPLY:
1. The passage ends in verse 13 with BOTH the one on the throne and the Lamb being praised together.
Which of these qualties, transcendent creator, or sacrifical redeemer, is most dominant in the way you think and feel about God? Why is it important to be able to hold to both of aspects of God’s nature simultaneously?
2. In these visions we see the worthiness of God to be worshiped, to what extent are you aware of God’s qualities of both being Creator and Redeemer, and how does that affect your worship? Is there anything ways that you as an individual or us as a group could seek to be more aware of God’s glory and to be moved to worship accordingly?
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