The Lion and the Lamb Read Revelation 5:1-14 Written about 96AD Does Revelation bother you?

How does it all end? Rapture sequence The cross Ascension Age of grace (now) Rapture, Christ returns like a thief in the night Tribulation Christ returns all can see Millenium Revolt Cast into lake of fire Earth destroyed New 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 time Different views on what is to happen Chapter 6 only, 6-8, 6-11, 6- end (most acceptable) No hint that scroll was actually read, given as images to John Scene borrowed from Ezekiel 2:9-10 Plagues 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 53:7 Probably from Passover lamb of Exodus Saved 1 st born from death Saved 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 place Not 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