Today’s passage: Revelation 19:1-5

Helpful thoughts:

• Earlier in Revelation, the call from God’s people was “How long…?” (6:10), now the loud voice of a great multitude praises Him for the completion of the judgment that was due.
  • The multitude acknowledges that salvation, glory, and power belong to God and that His judgments are true and just.  They rejoice in the judgment against her (those) who sinned, corrupted, murdered God’s servants.
  • The twenty four elders and the four creatures (4:4-11) around the throne echo and affirm the praise coming from the multitude with their “Amen.”  The multitudes were right to praise and worship God for these attributes and His actions.
• God is and forever will be worthy of worship from all, whether they be considered “small” or “great” in this life.  Even the great of this world owe their worship and their very lives to their Creator, Savior, and Lord.

Questions to consider:

1. Who would possibly be comprising this great multitude?  Could this be God’s people whom He has redeemed?  Angels?  Both?
2. There will be those who are now considered “small” and “great” who are in heaven and who end up in the judgment.  What is the value of “greatness” in this life when compared to eternity and when compared to the Lord?  For what and for Whom are we to live this life?
3. In what ways to salvation, glory, and power belong to our God?  Why do they truly belong to no other?  How does this give us a clearer understanding of the gospel?  The resurrection?  The growth of the church?  The end times?

Today’s passage: Revelation 18

Helpful thoughts:

• Today, we read the proclamation of the fall of “Babylon”.
• As they have in all ages, the people of God are warned not to get integrated into (or yoked together) with the those who do not follow the Lord.  We (God’s people) have always been a people who are to be in the world, but not of the world (John 17:14-15, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
• As the great Babylon lies in ruins, all who selfishly benefitted from her mourn the loss of their means of exploitation.  They are not saddened for her, they are saddened at the end of their source of selfish pleasure.  They were caught up in her lusts and they will go down with her in the end.

Questions to consider:

1. How does “Babylon” (Her leaders, the heart of the city/power/populace as a whole) see herself in verse 7 even as she nears her judgment?  What does the world think of itself?  How does pride come before a fall?
2. When those who wail over the fall of “Babylon” do their lamenting, do they even show remorse for their sin?  What do they really care about?  What would repentance look like as opposed to what we see in these laments?
3. What are the things God’s people are called to do in this chapter?  How would these commands and examples be true of any age?  How could the first century church have applied these things and how can we still apply these things today?

Today’s passage: Revelation 17

Helpful thoughts:

• The beast of chapter 17 and chapter 13 are the same, likely the one who is called the Antichrist.
• First century Christians referred to Rome as “Babylon” symbolically.  Rome is a city set on seven hills.  The original audience of this letter certainly would have understood this chapter to be referring to Rome.
• What is depicted in this chapter is a world that is drawn to earthly pleasures and treasures (a wealthy economy and the pursuit of lustful passions), powers/governments that are devoted to providing those things over and above (even in opposition to) God, and those desires and powers combining to persecute those who appear to get in the way of their desires, namely Christians.

Questions to consider:

1. What are the pictures or allegories that are clearly explained in this chapter?  (Who is the woman?  Who are the many waters?, etc.)
2. What does it appear the woman (the prostitute) is alluring the people of the world toward?  How does it pull people away from the Lord?  How does “the beast” utilize the woman, the kings (authorities) to attack those who believe in Christ?  Therefore, what are the contrasts between the Bride of Christ and this prostitute and all who come to her for pleasure?
3. In what ways does the world depicted in today’s chapter compare with the way the world is right now?  When all the world wants is to pursue their own lustful selfish pleasures, who is safe from being “devoured” and “burned up”?  What is the lie and end result of everyone “following their hearts”?  Why is living for the glory of God better?

Today’s passage: Revelation 16

Helpful thoughts:

• Here is a chart for the seven bowls of God’s wrath.
  • The first four bowls correlate with the first four trumpet judgments.  The difference being that the trumpet judgments were restrained to the destruction one-third of their areas respectively.  The bowl judgments are total in nature.  Nothing is spared.
• In the description of the seal and trumpet judgments, there were breaks (interludes) between the sixth and seventh judgment.  This is not so with the bowl judgments.  The time for God’s wrath has come with no more delay.
• As striking as these judgments are, they are met with an equally striking reality.  The people who are under these judgments continually refuse to repent.
  • Verse 9 – “…and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.”
  • Verse 11 – “…and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.”
  • Verse 14 – “…who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.” (The kings and people rally to fight against God.)
  • Verse 21 – “…and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.”

Questions to consider:

1. If these bowl judgments are to be interpreted literally, they must be in the future (Nothing like this has happened in the history of the world).  What will the world look like, what will be left should these things happen just as they are recorded in this passage?
2. In the height of God’s judgment, what is sinful man’s response?  What does the heart/the will of man do in the face of God and under His just judgment?
3. Why then must it be by the grace of God that we are saved (Ephesians 2:1-9)?  Why have your and why will you (if you are a follower of Christ) respond differently to the reality of who God is?

Today’s passage: Revelation 15

Helpful thoughts:

• In today’s reading, the final series of seven is revealed (The seven seals, seven trumpets, and now the seven bowls).
• Those depicted singing in worship could be the 144,000, and/or others who believe and are martyred during the tribulation.
• The Song of Moses was sung after Israel safely went through the parted Red Sea (Exodus 15:1-21).

Questions to consider:

1. In what way would Christian martyrs be those who had conquered the “beast” during their life on earth?  How does martyrdom in Jesus name prove to be victory over our enemy?  How are all those who are in Christ ultimately victorious?
2. In what ways is the Song of Moses be so fitting for this choir to sing in Revelation 15?  What are the similarities?
3. What is the promise and expectation of the song lyrics in verse 4?  To what kind of future does this seem to point?

Today’s passage: Revelation 14:14-20

Helpful thoughts:

• Coming clouds often refer to looming judgment in prophetic Scriptures.  Christ is coming, riding on the clouds (Daniel 7:13-14).  When Jesus comes again, there will be a time of judgment.
• There are two harvests depicted in this passage:
  • The first is likened to a harvest of wheat or barley.
    • This may refer to the gathering of God’s people, the saints, those who’ve repented and believed (John 4:35-36).
    • Or, it could simply be a dual illustration for the same judgment depicted immediately after.
  • The second to that of grapes for trampling to make wine.
    • This harvest is specifically stated as the wrath of God.
    • This area (1,600 stadia) is about 184 miles.  A horse’s bridle would be about 4-5 feet or so off the ground.
    • This judgment is foretold in Isaiah 63:1-6.

Questions to consider:

1. This second harvest/judgment takes place “outside the city” as the people of Jerusalem were accustomed to seeing judgment take place (Hebrews 13:12).  If this passage depicts the battle of Armageddon as some believe, what could the amount of destruction and carnage be?
2. Does there appear to be any difficulty in the effort God must exert to bring about these harvests?  Is the task too difficult?  Does the world stand any more chance against the Lord than grapes do in time of harvest?
3. Why is Jesus wearing a crown in this passage (The victor’s crown!)?  Whose side are you on?  Why can you approach this day with confidence, even if the whole rest of the world doesn’t?

Today’s passage: Revelation 14:6-13

Helpful thoughts:

• Three major components of this passage:
  • The three angels’ announcements:
    • Fear God and give Him glory (The proclamation of good news/”gospel”) because judgment is coming.
    • The world’s powers are about to fall to God’s judgment.  God has won, the world has lost.
    • All those who were of the world will experience the eternal wrath of God.
  • The repeated call for Christians we see throughout the book of Revelation, “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints” (verse 12).
  • The promise to those who die before Christ returns.  Death for the Christian is blessing, freedom, and reward (“their deeds follow them” – 1 Corinthians 3:10-15).

Questions to consider:

1. In what ways does this passage typify the overall message of the book of Revelation?  What seems to be the purpose of the book?  How are Christians being encouraged to respond?
2. Why is the coming judgment of God good news?  There certainly will be judgment, death, wrath, etc.  But what will there also be?  And, what will cease to be when God makes everything new?
3. Are you glad and thankful that you are a Christian?  Why?  To whom should you give your thanks, your life, your all?

Today’s passage: Revelation 14:1-5

Helpful thoughts:

• Those who were gathered in 7:1-8 join Christ on Mount Zion.
  • If these 144,000 were a figurative representation of all God’s people gathered by grace, it wouldn’t make sense that this group are the “firstfruits for God and the Lamb.”  It has to be a portion of all God’s redeemed.  There are more to come.
  • These who had been redeemed are counted as pure in every way.  Christ’s righteousness has been imputed to them.
• Some believe this Mount Zion to be a heavenly one (Hebrews 12:22).  Others believe it to be at Jerusalem.
• This occasion elicits a “new song” from heaven kept especially for the worship from the 144,000!

Questions to consider:

1. How does the context of this passage indicate that the righteous record of these 144,000 is a gift of God’s grace?  If they are redeemed (verse 3), from what would they have been redeemed?  How does this inform our understanding of how God sees us in Christ?  What is our righteous record (Romans 4:3, 2 Corinthians 5:21)?
2. What must be the content of this “new song?”  We may not know the lyrics, but we can assume from all that we are reading.  What has “the Lamb” done to bring about this ingathering of firstfruits who have a righteous record before God?  Why is He worthy of such praise?

Today’s passage: Revelation 13:11-18

Helpful thoughts:

• A second beast appears on the scene.  This beast is later called “the false prophet” (16:13, 19:20).
  • As the Holy Spirit does for Christ, the false prophet will point people to worship the beast (The antichrist).  In some ways, it appears the devil has put together a false trinity (Satan, the antichrist, the false prophet).
• The threat of death for refusing to worship is not new.  This was the threat of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 3) and that of Roman emperors during the time the first Christians read this letter of revelation.
• God commanded the people of Israel to “bind” the Word of God (the law) to their foreheads and on their hands (Deuteronomy 6:8).  This was not a literal physically natured command, but an illustration for having the Word around them, in front of their eyes and in their hearts and minds, consistently.  It would not be wild to consider this depiction of the mark of the beast in the same way (figuratively).  It could be a literal marking, it could be figurative.
  • The number “666” has been interpreted to mean different things, such as: The number of man (meaning, he is inferior to God…as if God would be “777”), the word “beast” in numbers, the name for “Nero Caesar” in numbers.  There is no consensus as to its meaning.
  • People do not need to fear every new technology that comes on the scene because of this passage.  For a computer chip (even an implant) to be the mark of the beast (if we want to take this passage literally) the tribulation would already need to have begun, the antichrist and his false prophet would need to be on the scene and doing the things described in Revelation, and the whole world would have to be required to take the “mark” to buy or sell anything, anywhere.  If all those conditions haven’t been met, it’s not the mark.

Questions to consider:

1. What is most shocking from what you read today?  In what ways does your mind try to make sense of it all, to imagine it?  Why should we be careful in putting (with our imagination) things in that aren’t in the text?
2. How does the Holy Spirit point people to Jesus Christ (John 16:5-15 – esp. verse 14)?
3. Many have feared and stirred up fear in others through what we read in this passage.  What is truly the answer we need for our rest and security?  Do we need to be specialists in potential marks of the beast, or do we need to know Jesus as our Lord and Savior (John 10:27-28)?

Today’s passage: Revelation 13:1-10

Helpful thoughts:

• The beast bears resemblance to a leopard, bear and lion; these are the creatures referenced in the vision of Daniel 7.  This beast could refer to the nations raised up against God’s people, or to the coming Antichrist or to both.
• The ten horns and seven heads of the beast are the same as the vision of the dragon in 12:3.  The beast is with the dragon, the dragon gives authority to the beast.  They are identified together.
• The worship the dragon and beast are given, and the “mortal wound” from which the beast recovers, give this dragon and beast an appearance like a false God and false Christ.  This pair is considered to be the depiction of Satan and the Antichrist.

Questions to consider:

1. Who will worship the dragon and the beast, and who will not (verse 8)?  What does this verse teach God’s people concerning their part in God’s gracious sovereign and eternal plan?
2. What is the call for God’s people in verse 10?  Why are endurance and faith so critical to the life of the Christian in all ages?  In what way could the book of Revelation be summarized by this final sentence in verse 10?