Reading Revelation .. Chapter 5

April 21-27

Revelation 5:1-14

The Lamb Alone is Worthy to Open God’s Scroll (Revelation 5)

Dr. Robert Wall

Suggestions for Daily Readings

5:1-14, first time through – focus on the vision

(What does this scene look like?)

 

5:1-14, second time through – focus on the characters
(Who appears in this scene?)

5:1-14, third time through – focus on the message
(What are the characters saying?)

5:9-10    Meditate:

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.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
    and they will reign on the earth.”

5:12        Memorize

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!”

Intro

 

Fresh from Good Friday and Easter we encounter Jesus being described as the Lamb in Revelation chapter 5.  The Jesus of Revelation is the one whose sacrifice on the cross and victory over sin gives him the ability and authority to proclaim God's final work of salvation.  Dr. Wall reminds us that “Lamb” is the dominant metaphor for Jesus in this book – used 28 times in a variety of settings.  We also encounter a scroll, which “contains God’s complete and final plan for putting a broken and battered creation to rights.”  There’s only one problem.  The plan can’t be initiated until someone with divine authority opens the scroll.  Just when all hope seems lost, it's revealed that there is one worthy of opening it – “Worthy is the Lamb.”  Think of the resurrected Jesus carrying out God’s kingdom plan throughout the rest of Revelation.   As you encounter in Chapter 5 the Lamb worthy to open the scroll and begin God’s decisive saving work, here are some questions to reflect upon or discuss. 

The Scene

• What does the scene look like?  What stands out to you visually?

• Revelation contains a strange mix of vision elements – some readily understood and others quite mysterious.  What do you understand?  What remains mysterious?

 

The Characters

• Who are the living characters who appear in this scene?  What does the text tell you about them? 

 

• How do they interact with one another…what is the dramatic action? 

• What remains mysterious about them?

 

The Message

• What do the characters do or say or sing? If you were to summarize this in a word or phrase, how would you put it? 

• What remains unclear or mysterious with regard to a message in the text?

Question for Application

How is Jesus the center of your worship?  How do you express in worship that Jesus is worthy of honor and praise?

 

Memorize Revelation 5:12

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!”

 

Reading Revelation - Chapter 4

April 14-20 (week 3 of 12)
Revelation 4:1-11

 

Thanksgiving to our Triune God
Dr. Robert Wall

Suggestions for Daily Readings

4:1-11, first time through. 
Focus on the vision (What does this scene look like?

4:1-11, second time through.
Focus on the characters (Who appears in this scene?)

4:1-11, third time through.
Focus on the message (What are the characters saying?)

4:8b, memorize & meditate:
“Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come”

4:11, memorize & meditate:
“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.”


Introduction

Have you ever consulted a travel guide before taking a journey?  On my bookshelves at home are travel guides for the United Kingdom and Mexico – two places in the world my family has travelled – as well as a set of Rick Steves’ travel guides for Italy that we won in an elementary school fundraising auction bidding war that have been read but not used.  We haven’t been to Italy, but if we ever do, we're prepared!  In his commentary on Revelation chapter 4, Dr. Wall likens Revelation to “a travel guide for readers who are about to visit a very strange place built by a prophet’s visionary experiences.”  Be sure to read his commentary (see link above) for more on Revelation as a travel guide.  As you journey through the heavenly worship described in chapter 4, here are some questions to reflect upon or discuss:

The Scene

• What does the scene look like? 
• What stands out to you visually? 
• Revelation contains a strange mix of vision elements – some readily understood and others quite mysterious.  What do you understand?  What remains mysterious?

 

The Characters

• Who are the living characters who appear in this scene?
• What does the text tell you about them?  
• How do they interact with one another…what is the dramatic action? 
• What remains mysterious about them?

 

The Message
 

• What do the characters do or say or sing? 
• If you were to summarize this in a word or phrase, how would you put it?
• What remains unclear or mysterious with regard to a message in the text?

 

 

Questions for Application

• What is your current and past experience of worship? 

 

• How might the scene of heavenly worship in Revelation 4 inspire you in your worship of God?

 

 

Memorize & Mediate – Praise Songs!

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God the Almighty,

who was and is and is to come.”

- Revelation 4:8b

““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.”

- Revelation 4:11

Reading Revelation - Week 2

April 7-12
Revelation 1:9-3:22

Prophet John to the Sevenfold Church: Greetings! (Revelation 1:9–3:22)

By Dr. Rob Wall

Daily Readings Suggestion

1:9-20   A Vision of Jesus
2:1-11   Ephesus & Smyrna
2:12-17 Pergamum
2:18-29 Thyatira
3:1-6     Sardis
3:7-13   Philadelphia
3:14-22 Laodicea

Dr. Wall introduces us to this week’s section of Revelation by recounting a story from his youth – writing letters home from summer camp.  He shares that in the ancient world personal connections were maintained at a distance by writing letters.  Revelation begins with brief letters to seven churches in different cities of the region, written by John to communicate what he sees in his vision pertaining to them.

We’ve divided up the reading into seven daily readings, roughly one letter per day.  What a great way to dive into a fresh reading of Revelation!

 

As you read for understanding, consider these questions:

• What are the strengths of this church?

• What are the weaknesses of this church?

• What words of encouragement does John speak?

• What words of criticism or judgment does John speak?

For applying to your own life, consider these questions:

• Does my church share any of these ancient churches' strengths and/or weaknesses?  Explain.

• What word of encouragement is Prophet John speaking to me personally?  What word of criticism might have relevance for my life of faith?

Excerpt from Dr. Wall’s commentary:

What We Can Learn from the Seven Churches

 

...How one listens to Revelation, whether in terror at the warnings to repent from present sin or in shalom at the exhortations to hope for the Lord’s coming victory, depends in which congregation’s pew you sit! John’s seven oracles are precisely arranged so that the two congregations in gravest danger are those first and last mentioned (Ephesus and Laodicea), while the congregations in best shape (Smyrna and Philadelphia) are placed after and before these two in stark contrast. The other three congregations, noteworthy because of the description of their middling spiritual life, are appropriately found smack in the middle (Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis).

 

The centerpiece of John’s address to the sevenfold church is what the Lord has to say for the congregation at Thyatira (2:18–29), and we should read Revelation accordingly…