the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Commentaries
The Bible Study New Testament Bible Study NT
Vision of the Risen Christ; Message to Churches.Chapter 2
Messages to the Seven Churches.Chapter 3
Messages to the Remaining Churches; Laodicea.Chapter 4
Vision of Heaven's Throne; Worship.Chapter 5
The Lamb Worthy to Open the Scroll.Chapter 6
The First Six Seals; Disasters and Judgments.Chapter 7
Sealing of 144,000; Great Multitude in Heaven.Chapter 8
Seventh Seal Opened; Trumpet Judgments.Chapter 9
Fifth and Sixth Trumpet Judgments; Woes.Chapter 10
Mighty Angel; Little Scroll; John's Mission.Chapter 11
Two Witnesses; Seventh Trumpet; Worship.Chapter 12
Woman and Dragon; War in Heaven.Chapter 13
Beasts from the Sea and Earth; Mark of the Beast.Chapter 14
144,000 on Mount Zion; Messages of Judgment.Chapter 15
Seven Angels with Seven Plagues; Song of Victory.Chapter 16
Seven Bowl Judgments; Final Plagues.Chapter 17
Babylon the Great; Fall of the Great Harlot.Chapter 18
Fall of Babylon; Mourning for Its Destruction.Chapter 19
Marriage Supper of the Lamb; Christ's Return.Chapter 20
Satan's Binding and Release; Final Judgment.Chapter 21
New Heaven and New Earth; New Jerusalem.Chapter 22
The River of Life; Final Exhortations.
- Revelation
by Rhoderick D. Ice
INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION
It is 96 A.D., the church is in what seems to be a “death-struggle” with the forces of evil, and the Christians seem to be losing! But things are not always what they seem to be outwardly. “Write, then, the things you see, both the things that are now, and the things that will happen afterward” (Revelation 1:19).
To understand this book, we must first begin at the fact that it was intended for the believers in John’s day and age (Revelation 1:1-3). It is God’s answer to the prayers and tears of severely persecuted Christians who were scattered through the cities of Asia Minor. It must be studied in the light of the conditions that existed in the last ten years of the First Century A.D. It shows Jesus as the EXPEDITER (one who puts into effect an order or decree in the shortest possible time) of God’s Plan (Revelation 5:0). The Trumpets of chapter 9 answer the question: “How can a loving God allow pain and suffering?” To the Christian who suffers pain, this is a Seal (compare Revelation 7:2-3 note); but to the unbeliever, this pain and suffering is a Trumpet of warning!
The theme of this book is stated very well in the words of Revelation 17:14. “They will fight against the Lamb; but the Lamb, and his called, chosen, and faithful followers with him, will defeat them, for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings.”
Chapters 1 Timothy 3:0; 1 Timothy 3:01 Timothy 3:0 form the basic foundation of this entire book. Revelation is made up of “picture-symbols,” which, like “modern art,” are intended to express an idea. Each of these picture-symbols presents one central idea.
It seems normal to us to write an account by “beginning at the beginning, going on to the end, and then stopping.” But there are other ways of looking at things. The Jewish mind often arranged things according to their importance, rather than by the order in which they happened. And sometimes they would record one event out of sequence just because it seemed to them worthy of stress. Still another method is to work like a farmer plowing his field: make one pass across the field, go back, move over slightly, and make another pass, and continue until the whole field has been covered.
Revelation uses this third method. We find seven (the Divine number) parallel sections in the book. All sections begin with the First Coming of Christ, and all continue to, or past, the Second Coming.
(1)
The Church in the World. chapters 1–3.
(Matthew 28:20)
(2)
Trial and Persecution of the Church. chapters 4–7.
(John 16:33)
(3)
The Church VICTORIOUS! chapters 8–11.
(Luke 18:7)
(4)
Christ versus the Dragon. chapters 12–14.
(Genesis 3:15)
(5)
Christ’s final wrath. chapters 15–16.
(Romans 2:5)
(6)
The fall of Babylon. chapters 15–16, 17–19.
(2 Peter 3:13)
(7)
Christ and his Church VICTORIOUS! chapters 20–22.
(Romans 8:37)
INTO ETERNITY FOREVER!
In Revelation, the curtain of both the present and the future is lifted, so that we may know what is being worked out here and now, and the GUARANTEED CERTAINTY that those who win the victory through faith, will receive everything God has promised them!
