The Lion and the Lamb

Read Revelation 5:1-14

Written about 96ADDoes Revelation bother you?

How does it all end?

Rapture sequenceThe crossAscensionAge of grace (now)Rapture, Christ returns like a thief in the nightTribulationChrist returns all can seeMilleniumRevoltCast into lake of fireEarth destroyedNew earth

Fundamental security in faith in God’s reign

Inner security no matter what happens in this life

 What would you do differently if you knew the exact time of the rapture?

Seals probably on the end, each holding a number of turns of the scroll

Unleashed one at a timeDifferent views on what is to happenChapter 6 only, 6-8, 6-11, 6- end (most acceptable)No hint that scroll was actually read, given as images to

JohnScene borrowed from Ezekiel 2:9-10Plagues similar to Exodus, ends Satan’s reign

Root of David is familiar term of lineage

Lion of Judah is rare term

V. 6 Lion to Lamb

7 horns = perfect power omnipotent, used a lot in OT

7 eyes = perfect knowledge, sees all, omniscient John uses lamb 29 times, favorite imagery

May have come from Isaiah 53:7Probably from Passover lamb of Exodus

Saved 1st born from deathSaved Jews from Egyptian oppression after a series of plagues

New Christians from Romans

v. 9 indicative of the early church, no longer just Jewish converts v. 11 # of angels Daniel 7:10 We have a reflection of the worship services (used in Heaven here) of Christian churches in Asia Minor toward the end of the first century

Liturgy appealed to readers

Worship directed toward Christ the Redeemer and God the Creator

What would these visions have meant to the early persecuted church?

What do the visions mean to us in today’s world?

Much preaching on revelation centers on the horror

We look for power in the wrong placeNot in the lion but in the lamb

The way of the lamb is to give not receive, serve not be served

Frances of Assisi, Mother Theresa

Knowing what you know about the Book of Revelation, how can you see it as a book of hope and not as a book of horror?

Systems of Interpretation for Revelation

Spiritual System – deals only with great principles, a poetic and prophetic depiction of the eternal struggle between good and evil

Preterist System – Revelation has largely been fulfilled and has reference in particular to John’s time and the Roman state

Historical System – embraces the whole history of the Church and its foes from the time of its writing to the end of time

Futurist System – the whole book following Chapter 4 takes place sometime in the future