Revelation week of Feb. 27-March 3, 2006

Questions Only #23—The Seven Thunders

1. What is Rev. 10:1-11 about?
2. What are Isaiah 29, 30, & 37 about?
3. What is the difference between an angel fallen to earth in 9:1 & angel come down
from heaven in 10:1?
Rev. 9:1a--The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth.
Rev. 10:1a--And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven,
4. Who is the strong angel with the small book?
5. What 7 identifying attributes are given and what is the significance of each?
First=
Rev. 1:7--BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so. Amen.
Dan. 7:13--I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him.
Second=
Rev. 4:3— And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.
Ez. 1:28-- As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.
Third=
Rev. 1:16--And in His right hand He held seven stars; and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.
Matt. 17:2--And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.
Fourth=
Rev. 1:15-- and His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been caused to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.
Ez. 1:27--Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him.
e. fifth=
Rev. 5:1--And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.
Sixth=
Rev. 1:5--and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us, and released us from our sins by His blood,
Joshua 10:24--And it came about when they brought these kings out to Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, "Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings." So they came near and put their feet on their necks.
Seventh=
Rev. 5:5--and one of the elders *said to me, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals."
6. Give at least 3 other examples from scripture where term “angel of Lord” refers
to Christ.

7. What is significance of open book?

8. What does thunder represent in scripture?
9. What do the seven thunders represent and why were they sealed (not written)?
10. What does PS say time, times, and one half time represent? (discussed under
10:6b-7 “shall be delay no longer”)

11. What is the point of this passage?
12. What did PS mean when he asked the question: Are you a Sennacherib or an
Hezekiah?
13. What Psalm was sung after the message and why?
14. Anything else you would like to discuss?
15. What application did you make from this?

Revelation week of 2/20 to 2/24/06 (#22)

#22—Deception Protection
1. What is Rev.8:13-9:21 about?

2. What is Numbers 21:1-9 about?

3. What is John 3:11-21 about?

4. PS says 9:7-11 describes scorpion-locusts (first woe). What does he says 9:13-21 describes?


5. What is the significance of 9:13? “voice from the four horns of the golden altar”

*Four=
*Horns=

6. What is difference between commission given to scorpion-locusts (1st woe) and serpent-lions (2nd woe)?

7. What does Euphrates River symbolize in 9:14?


8. What do 4 angels in 9:14 symbolize?

9. What does number 2 million symbolize in 9:16?


10. What does PS say are the team colors of hell?

11. What does PS say serpent-lion represents?


12.Discuss the description of the serpent-lions?


NOTE: as the venom of a snake often immobilizes its victim the deadly bondage of idolatry & immorality immobilizes men
Ex. 20:1-2-- Then God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
Matt. 22:37-39-- And He said to him, "‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ "This is the great and foremost commandment. "The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’
13. What does PS say is the point of Rev. 9:1-21?


NOTE:
*Satan destroys by deception
*everyone not sealed by God is doomed to be deceived by Satan—i.e. they will be deceived by immobilizing venom
*Having God’s truth at forefront of my thinking is my seal of protection (If I don’t consciously think of doing right, I will fall into sin.)
*Psalm 91 has amazing parallels to Rev. 9
*Matt. 4:1-11—Jesus used God’s word to fight Satan’s deception
*I nedd to build my life on rock of truth before flood of deception comes in & sweeps me away (Luke 6:46-49)
*When (not if) I am snake-bit by devil, I need to look to Christ instead of being stubborn in sin and hardening myself to eternal destruction
14. What Psalm was sung after the sermon and why?

15. Anything else you want to discuss?

16. What application did you make?

Ancient Literature week of 2/13-1/17/06

These are discussion questions for 2/22/06. Please look at them, jot down notes, and bring to class. Nothing has to be turned in.
Sophocles Discussion Questions
1. Who or what does the chorus represent in this play?
2. Oedipus means “swollen foot”. Leithart says there are many puns in the play related to this. Do you know what any of them are?
3. The Greek Title is Oedipus the Tyrant; the Latin is Oedipus the King. Do tyrant and king mean the same thing? If not, why the discrepancy? Oedipus was certainly a king. Was he also a tyrant?
4. Was Oedipus a religious man?
5. What would you say this play is primarily about?
6. What do you think of Laius’s and Jocasta’s original decision to get rid of Oedipus? Was that an accepted practice in Greece? In the U.S. today? Biblically?
7. Do you detect any improbabilities in the play?
8. In the Eumenides we discussed the political message of the city replacing the
House, contract replacing blood. Do you see a political message in Oedipus Rex?
9. Leviticus 16 speaks of sending out a scapegoat from the camp on the Day of
Atonement. There was a similar Greek religious rite called pharmakos. Do you see any connections between Oedipus and a scapegoat?
10. The Greek view of life as stated by Protagoras was that “Man is the measure of all
things.” Is that the message of this play?
11. Can you name any sin on Oedipus’s part?
12. In this play the truth leads to despair. Does the Bible verse “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32) have any relevance to this play?
13. In about lines 122-125 Creon says there were several robbers and Oedipus speaks of one. Do you see any significance to this?
14. What two crimes did Oedipus commit and how was each an attack on the city.
15. Contrast Creon and Oedipus in lines 532-633.
16.Why doesn’t Oedipus realize that Teiresias is speaking truth in line 353, “you are
the land’s pollution.
17. In lines 435-440 Teiresias says the Oedipus needs to solve a riddle, but the answer
will destroy Oedipus. What is the riddle? Who bred Oedipus?
18. What does Oedipus mean when he says, “O generations of men, how I count you
as equal with those who live not at all!”?
19. How is Oedipus like Teiresias at the end of the play?
20. Do you see a connection between “mountain bull” in 478 and Oedipus’s actions in 1253-1271?
21. What is significance of Creon saying in line 1522, “Do not seek to be master in everything.” 22. Do the concluding lines of the chorus (1524-1530) remind you of any scripture?
23. Does this play teach truth or untruth?

Revelation week of 2/13-12/17

v#21—Touched by an Angel

1. What is Rev. 8:13-9:12 about?
2. What are Joel 1:1-7 & 2:1-11 about?
3. PS says the 7 seals authorize judgment. What does he say the 7 trumpets & the 7 bowls do?
4. What do the 7 trumpets announce and where in scripture do we need to look to understand these?
5. What was the plague from the 5th trumpet (1st woe) & where do we look in OT for explanation?

6. What is the comparison between the 1st 4 trumpets and the last 3 (the 3 woes)?
7. Rev. 9:1-12 is the first woe. What do each of the following represent in this woe?
(a) falling star (1a) =
Note: in Bible falling star represents a ruler thrown out of his place of rule
(stars were placed in sky to rule night)
Luke 10:18--And He said to them, "I was watching Satan fall from heaven
like lightning.
Note: abyss is where God keeps demons confined when he doesn’t send
them out; beast (11:7) comes from same place; demons didn’t want to go to
abyss (Luke 8:30-31--And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" And he said,
"Legion"; for many demons had entered him. And they were entreating Him not to
command them to depart into the abyss.)
Note: Abaddon & Apollyon = destroyer or bringer of destruction
John 8:44--"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires
of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the
truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from
his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.
1 Peter 5:8-- Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil,
prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
(b)Key to bottomless pit (1b) =
(c)The shaft of the abyss =
Note: bottomless in Greek is literally shaft (i.e. this is not an open pit—there is a shaft leading to it)
d. darkening smoke of fire (9:2; 17, 18)=
e. scorpion-locusts (9:3-And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.) = ?
7. The scorpion-locusts are described in great detail. What is significance of each of the following descriptive phrases?
a. “scorpion” (3):
b. “like war horses” (7a):
c. “crowns of gold” (7b):
d. “like faces of men” & “like hair of women”:
e. “like teeth of lions” (8b):
f. “like breastplates of iron” (9a):
g. “like sound of chariots” (9b; Joel 2:5)
h. “like tails of scorpions” (10, 3, 5):
but remember Luke 10:19--"Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you.
8. What is the symbol of the authority of the angel of the abyss (Satan) that was given by God?
9. What is the symbol of the authority of the locusts that was given by God?
10. What commission did God give Satan & the locusts?
Note: here the torment was 5 months but there will be torment forever (Rev. 14:11--"And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.")
Note: God uses evil for His own purposes and then destroys it!!
11. What does PS say is created by the actions of the locusts?

12. How do people without God’s seal react to actions of locusts?
Rev. 6:16-- and they *said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb;
Rev. 16:9-11--And men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues; and they did not repent, so as to give Him glory. And the fifth angel poured out his bowl upon the throne of the beast; and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain, and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds.
Amos 4:6-11--Yet you have not returned to Me," declares the LORD.
(refrain repeated 5x)

NOTE: 1st woe is only the beginning
Rev. 9:12--The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.
Mark 13:8--"For nation will arise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
13. What does PS say is the problem when interpreters look at the locusts in Rev. 9 and see things like helicopters in Vietnam?
14. Anything else in this message that you would like to discuss?
15. Tape cut off early. Ending Psalm not mentioned.
16. What application did you make?

Blood Avenger

Blood Avenger (Please read definitions of Hebrew words at the end of this post)

Numbers 35:9--Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
10 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan,
11 then you shall select for yourselves cities to be your cities of refuge, that the manslayer who has killed any person unintentionally may flee there.
12 ‘And the cities shall be to you as a refuge from the avenger, so that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for trial.
13 ‘And the cities which you are to give shall be your six cities of refuge.
14 ‘You shall give three cities across the Jordan and three cities in the land of Canaan; they are to be cities of refuge.
15 ‘These six cities shall be for refuge for the sons of Israel, and for the alien and for the sojourner among them; that anyone who kills a person unintentionally may flee there.
16 ‘But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.
17 ‘And if he struck him down with a stone in the hand, by which he may die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.
18 ‘Or if he struck him with a wooden object in the hand, by which he may die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death.
19 ‘The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he shall put him to death when he meets him.
20 ‘And if he pushed him of hatred, or threw something at him lying in wait and as a result he died,
21 or if he struck him down with his hand in enmity, and as a result he died, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death, he is a murderer; the blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him. ‘But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge to which he may flee,
27 and the blood avenger finds him outside the border of his city of refuge, and the blood avenger kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood
22 ‘But if he pushed him suddenly without enmity, or threw something at him without lying in wait,
23 or with any deadly object of stone, and without seeing it dropped on him so that he died, while he was not his enemy nor seeking his injury,
24 then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the blood avenger according to these ordinances.
25 ‘And the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the blood avenger, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he fled; and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. [My note—must have been moved from city of refuge to home area for trial—tried by jury of peers]
26 ‘But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge to which he may flee,
27 and the blood avenger finds him outside the border of his city of refuge, and the blood avenger kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood
28 because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest. But after the death of the high priest the manslayer shall return to the land of his possession.
29 ‘And these things shall be for a statutory ordinance to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
30 ‘If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death at the evidence of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness.
31 ‘Moreover, you shall not take ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death.
32 ‘And you shall not take ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to live in the land before the death of the priest.
33 ‘So you shall not pollute the land in which you are; for blood pollutes the land and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it.
34 ‘And you shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the LORD am dwelling in the midst of the sons of Israel.’"

Deut. 19:1-13--"When the LORD your God cuts off the nations, whose land the LORD your God gives you, and you dispossess them and settle in their cities and in their houses,
2 you shall set aside three cities for yourself in the midst of your land, which the LORD your God gives you to possess.
3 "You shall prepare the roads for yourself, and divide into three parts the territory of your land, which the LORD your God will give you as a possession, so that any manslayer may flee there.
4 "Now this is the case of the manslayer who may flee there and live: when he kills his friend unintentionally, not hating him previously—
5 as when a man goes into the forest with his friend to cut wood, and his hand swings the axe to cut down the tree, and the iron head slips off the handle and strikes his friend so that he dies—he may flee to one of these cities and live;
6 lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer in the heat of his anger, and overtake him, because the way is long, and take his life, though he was not deserving of death, since he had not hated him previously.
7 "Therefore, I command you, saying, ‘You shall set aside three cities for yourself.’
8 "And if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, just as He has sworn to your fathers, and gives you all the land which He promised to give your fathers—
9 if you carefully observe all this commandment, which I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in His ways always—then you shall add three more cities for yourself, besides these three.
10 "So innocent blood will not be shed in the midst of your land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance, and bloodguiltiness be on you.
11 "But if there is a man who hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and rises up against him and strikes him so that he dies, and he flees to one of these cities,
12 then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.
13 "You shall not pity him, but you shall purge the blood of the innocent from Israel, that it may go well with you.

Joshua 20:1-Then the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,
2 "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘Designate the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,
3 that the manslayer who kills any person unintentionally, without premeditation, may flee there, and they shall become your refuge from the avenger of blood.
4 ‘And he shall flee to one of these cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and state his case in the hearing of the elders of that city; and they shall take him into the city to them and give him a place, so that he may dwell among them.
5 ‘Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver the manslayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor without premeditation and did not hate him beforehand.
6 ‘And he shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the one who is high priest in those days. Then the manslayer shall return to his own city and to his own house, to the city from which he fled.’" [Note: NIV puts “and” instead of first comma in this verse; NKJV has comma and “and”]
7 ¶ So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.
8 And beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they designated Bezer in the wilderness on the plain from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh.
9 These were the appointed cities for all the sons of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them, that whoever kills any person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the congregation.

Avenger is #1350
Definition from Baker & Carpenter OT Word Study: “A verb meaning to redeem or act as a kinsman-redeemer. The word means to act as a redeemer for a deceased kinsman (Ruth 3:13); to redeem or buy back from bondage (Lev. 25:48); to redeem or buy back a kinsman’s possessions (Lev. 25:26); to avenge a kinsman’s murder (Numbers 35:19); to redeem an object through a payment (Lev. 27:13). Theologically, this word is used to convey God’s redemption of individuals from spiritual death and His redemption redemption of the nation of Israel from Egyptian bondage and also from exile (see Ex. 6:6)”
A different Hebrew word (#5358) is used in Ps. 8:2 & 44:16 but translated avenger in KJV; According to Baker & Carpenter’s Word Study this means, “A verb meaning to avenge, to take revenge, to be avenged, to suffer vengeance, to take one’s revenge. In actual usuage the following ideas come out: in the simple, intensive, and reflexive stems, the word can mean to take vengeance, to avenge. The Lord instructed His people not to seek revenge against each other, for to do so was unworthy of them (Lev. 19:18); the Lord took vengeance on His enemies and the enemies of His people (Nah. 1:2); but He would also take vengeance on His own people if necessary (Lev. 26:25); and He would avenge the death of His servants, the prophets (2 Kings 9:7); and His city, Jerusalem (Jer. 51:36). The reflexive idea of taking one’s vengeance is found in the Lord’s avenging Himself on Judah (Jer. 5:9)

Ancient Literature for rest of February

My plan as of Feb. 6 is to begin discussing Sophocles’ trilogy on Feb. 22. I would like for you to read and ENJOY all 3 plays!!!!!! Feb. 15 we will only discuss Revelation. Feb. 22 we will only discuss Sophocles’ trilogy. We will review on Feb. 8 the questions from Hamilton’s book that you should have already handed in. On Feb. 8 we will primarily be finishing up the Eumenides.
There is nothing for ancient literature that you need to hand in on Feb. 12. I may add more discussion questions to think about from the last two plays. The questions below all relate to Oedipus Tyrannus.
Feb. 8—finish Eumenides and begin Sophocles
Feb. 15—Revelation only
Feb. 22—Sophocles only

Discussion Questions on Sophocles (don’t need to hand in answers but please think about & take notes)
1. Who or what does the chorus represent in this play?
2. Oedipus means “swollen foot”. Leithart says there are many puns in the play related to this. Do you know what any of them are?
3. The Greek Title is Oedipus the Tyrant; the Latin is Oedipus the King. Do tyrant and king mean the same thing? If not, why the discrepancy? Oedipus was certainly a king. Was he also a tyrant?
4. Was Oedipus a religious man?
5. What would you say this play is primarily about?
6. What do you think of Laius’s and Jocasta’s original decision to get rid of Oedipus? Was that an accepted practice in Greece?
7. Do you detect any improbabilities in the play?
8. In the Eumenides we discussed the political message of the city replacing the
House, contract replacing blood. Do you see a political message in Oedipus Rex?
9. Leviticus 16 speaks of sending out a scapegoat from the camp on the Day of
Atonement. There was a similar Greek religious rite called pharmakos. Do you see any connections between Oedipus and a scapegoat?
10. The Greek view of life as stated by Protagoras was that “Man is the measure of all
things.” Is that the message of this play?
11. Can you name any sin on Oedipus’s part?
12. In this play the truth leads to despair. Does the Bible verse “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32) have any relevance to this play?
13. In about lines 122-125 Creon says there were several robbers and Oedipus speaks of one. Do you see any significance to this?
14. What two crimes did Oedipus commit and how was each an attack on the city?
15. Contrast Creon and Oedipus in lines 532-633.
16. Why doesn’t Oedipus realize that Teiresias is speaking truth in line 353, “you are
the land’s pollution?
17. In lines 435-440 Teiresias says the Oedipus needs to solve a riddle, but the answer
will destroy Oedipus. What is the riddle?
18. What does Oedipus mean when he says, “O generations of men, how I count you
as equal with those who live not at all!”?
19. How is Oedipus like Teiresias at the end of the play?
20. Do you see a connection between “mountain bull” in 478 and Oedipus’s actions in 1253-1271?
21. What is significance of Creon saying in line 1522, “Do not seek to be master in everything.”
22. Do the concluding lines of the chorus (1524-1530) remind you of any scripture?
23. Does this play teach truth or untruth?

Special Revelation Assignment for week of Feb. 6-Feb. 10 (to be discussed Feb. 15)

Note: I want to spend all of 2/15/06 talking about Revelation. This means Melanie gets the day off. We will review highlights of all that we have covered so far. Below are some of the questions I gave you earlier that I would like you to work on for this day. You don’t have to hand these in but I will be checking on 2/15/06 to see if everyone has notes on these questions so that they can participate in the discussion. I have given you some helps on some of the questions. This means you will only have to hand in the questions on Revelation 20 next Sunday (Feb.12)—there will be no ancient literature to hand in.
1. Who are the beings in the heavenly scene in Rev. 4? Name each and who you thing they represent.
(a) One sitting on the throne=
(b) Twenty-four elders=
(c) Four living creatures=
2. What beings are added to the scene in Rev. 5 (verses 6 & 11)?
(a) First:
(b) Second:
3. What beings are added to heavenly scene in Rev. 6 (verses 2-8 and 9) and what do each represent?
(a) First: verses 2-8-- (Note: these don’t stay in heaven)
(b) Second: verse 9--
4. What beings are added to heavenly scene in Rev. 7 and who do they represent?
(a) Verse 9:
5. Who are the 144,000 who are sealed in Rev. 7? Are they part of the heavenly scene?
*144,000=12x12x1000 OR 12x12x10x10x10
12x12 could be 12 tribes squared or 12 tribes x 12 apostles
2nd more likely [cf. chapter 21 where names of 12 tribes and 12 apostles
form part of figurative new Jerusalem (21:12-14)] [also cf. 22:2 “on
either side of the river the tree of life bearing 12 kinds of fruit—thus 12
used 2x here also]
*each 12,000 is a “remnant”—“out of” or “from”—and not the whole
What evidence is there that the 144,000 includes both Jews and Gentiles?
(a) Judah is seldom first in OT listings—prominence here is because
Messianic king came from Judah
(b) Does Rev. 14:1-4 give any support for this?
(c) Can you think of any other reasons for thinking this is both
Jews and Gentiles in NT church instead of OT Israel?
6. Do you think the great multitude in 7:9-12 includes both Jews and Gentiles? Why?
7. What is difference between 144,000 [heard] in 7:4-8 and great multitude
[saw] in 7{9-12)?
8. Is there any difference between souls under altar in Rev. 6 and the great multitude in white robes and with palm branches?
9. John saw the vision in chapter 6 before he saw the vision in chapter 7 (7:1 says “after this”). What do you think their chronological order is in history? Why? We’ve discussed this before—I just wondered what your opinion is.
10. What is the significance of the 30 minutes of silence in Rev. 8:1?
11. Is there anything from Rev. 1:1 through Rev. 8:1 that you don’t understand? If so write it down. As the “expert” I will try to answer your questions. If I can’t I will turn to my panel of experts (the class) for answers. (To answer this you will need to reread Rev. 1:1-8:1 in its entirety—PLEASE DO IT!!!!!!)

I WILL BE DISAPPOINTED IF EVERYONE DOESN’T GET THIS FAR!!!!!!!!!
If you have time go on.

The above questions are all over chapters that we have already covered on Pastor Swartz’s tapes. The following are questions covering coming attractions. We have already skipped ahead to some of this.
Who is the harlot in Rev. 17?
.(a) Barry York thinks that it is the apostate Israel. Why? God in OT repeatedly calls apostate Israel a harlot; Rev. 18:16 sounds like a description of the tabernacle furnishings
(b) Swartz thinks harlot in Rev. 17=the ungodly world (not the earthly
Jerusalem)=great city of 11:8 [compare 17:18; 18:10, 16, 18, 19, 21;
14:8; 16:19]
How can this be? Beale’s answer: OT prophets generally speak of Babylon as “region in which God’s people lived as aliens in exile under ungodly regimes” where “they were tempted to compromise their faith with pagan state religion and were persecuted if they did not compromise.” Note: Babylon is spiritually like Sodom because it is wicked and spiritually like Egypt because it persecutes the saints. It was in the world that Jesus was crucified.
Rev. 11:8--And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
Rev. 14:8-- And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality."
Rev. 16:19-- And the great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath.
Rev. 17:18--"And the woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth."
Rev. 18:10--standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’
Rev. 18:16-- saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls;
17 for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!’ And every shipmaster and every passenger and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea, stood at a distance,
18 and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What city is like the great city?’
19 "And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!’
20 "Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her."
21 And a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer.



(c) Rev. 17:18 makes no sense to me if the harlot (great city) is apostate Israel. When did it rule over the kings of the earth? Swartz’s view makes sense to me if structure VIII that I gave you in the handout “Structures in Revelation” is correct. It shows the following concentric rings from 12:3-20:10.
I. Reversal of Fortunes
A. Dragon Introduced—12:3f
B. Beasts Introduced—13:1f & 13:11f
C. Harlot Introduced—17:1f
C’. Harlot Fallen—18:2f
B’. Beasts thrown into lake of fire—19:19-20
A’. Dragon thrown into lake of fire—20:10
Read through these chapters with this structure in mind and see if Swartz’ view of the Harlot doesn’t make sense; don’t get bogged down in the stuff you don’t understand---focus mainly on the 6 main points in the structure—we will pick up the detail later.
(d) What do you think? Who do you agree with? Who is the Harlot?

2. Who are the two witnesses in Rev. 11:3?
Beale, p. 573: “they represent the whole community of faith whose primary function is to be a prophetic witness.” York & Swartz agree on this. Does it make sense to you? Why or why not?
What other metaphors for the church are found in Revelation? The most obvious is the bride of Christ in Rev. 19:7. Can you think of others?

Revelation #20--week of Feb. 6-Feb.10

Questions only on #20 —The Trumpets of God
1.What is Rev. 8:1-13 about?
2.What is Joshua 6:1-27 about?

3.What is the parallelism that PS mentions in Rev. 8:3-5?

4.If seals authorize actions, what do trumpets & bowls do?
Note: in Rev. 5:8 bowls were full of prayers & in the bowl judgments they were full of plagues in answer to prayers
Note: it would be more logical to have 1st seal, then 1st trumpet, then 1st bowl, followed by 2nd, etc. The fact that it’s 7, 7, 7 shows that essentially same thing is being said 3 times
5.Where do we see 7 trumpets in the OT?
6.Why when there are 10 plagues in Ex. 7-11 do Ps. 78:43-52, Ps. 105:27-36; and Amos 4:6-13 only list 7?
7. Why were the seal judgments broken into 4 + 3. PS says he told us earlier
NOTE: the trumpets, like the seals are divided into 4 + 3
8.Who gave the trumpets to the angels (8:2)
9. How much of the earth was involved in the seal judgments?
10. How much of the earth was involved in the trumpet judgments?
11. How much of the earth is involved in the bowl judgments?
NOTE: this shows an increase in intensity from seals to trumpets to bowls.
12. What was affected in each of the first 4 trumpet judgments and what was the consequence?
NOTE: trumpet judgments began with throwing of coals to the ground—first 3
clearly involve burning
NOTE: arrangement of heaven & earth on outside & sea & rivers inside is typical
Hebrew arrangement to represent all of creation.
NOTE: God is saying He will judge all of creation in the same way He judged
Egypt
13. What is the significance of burning mountain in 2nd trumpet?
Jer. 51:24-25--"But I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all their evil that they have done in Zion before your eyes," declares the LORD.
"Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, Who destroys the whole earth," declares the LORD, "And I will stretch out My hand against you, And roll you down from the crags And I will make you a burnt out mountain.
Jer. 51:27--Lift up a signal in the land, Blow a trumpet among the nations! Consecrate the nations against her, Summon against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni and Ashkenaz; Appoint a marshal against her, Bring up the horses like bristly locusts.
14. In 3rd judgment what is significance of star, lamp (torch), and wormwood
(a) Star:
Is. 14:12--"How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to
the earth, You who have weakened the nations! (this is taunt against king of Babylon)
(b) lamp:
1 Kings 11:36--‘But to his son I will give one tribe, that My servant David may have a lamp always before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen for Myself to put My name.
John 5:35--"He was the lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. (talking of John the Baptist)
(c)wormwood:
Jer. 9:15-- therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, "behold, I will feed them, this people, with wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink. (cf to water of life Rev. 7:17)
Deut. 29:17-18--"Moreover, you have seen their abominations and their idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold, which they had with them);
lest there shall be among you a man or woman, or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of those nations; lest there shall be among you a root bearing poisonous fruit and wormwood.
15. The first lesson PS gets from Rev. 8 is that God destroys His & our enemies (because of the covenant is identification with each other and our enemies are common). Why does He destroy these enemies? (4 reasons)
(a) first:
Rom 9:17--For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH."
John 20:30-31--Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
(b) Second:
(c)third:
(d) Fourth:
Acts 2:23-- this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.
16. Discuss the other 5 applications PS gives from Rev. 8.
(a) First:
Rev. 7:3--saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads." (This is clearly talking of protecting before the trumpet judgments)
(b) Second:
Ez. 5:7-8--"Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Because you have more turmoil than the nations which surround you, and have not walked in My statutes, nor observed My ordinances, nor observed the ordinances of the nations which surround you,’
Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I, even I, am against you, and I will execute judgments among you in the sight of the nations.
If idols worshipped & immorality clung too a person will not be sealed
God leveled Jerusalem just like He did Egypt & Jericho
(c) third:
*Pharaoh rebelled against God (Ex. 5:2--But Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go.";); then whole creation rebelled against Pharaoh (plagues)
*Adam &Eve rebelled against God—whole creation rebelled against them (more difficult to cultivate)
Gen. 1:28--And God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
Rom. 8:20--For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope
*Homosexuality is judgment for idolatry (in addition to being a sin)
Rom. 1:25-26--For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the
Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their
women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,
*If something I should have dominion over is rebelling against me perhaps it’s because of my rebellion (this isn’t always the case (remember Job) but often is
(d) fourth:
*Judgments harden you where you are: if a believer you become hardened in your faith; if you are an unbeliever you become harden in your unbelief
Pharaoh was hardened in unbelief
Job was hardened in belief
We need to be sealed infaith before the trials come
*Signs & miracles have the same effect—confirm or harden where one
already is
(e) fifth:
17. Anything else you want to discuss from this message?
18. What application did you make?
19. What Psalm did they sing at the end? Why?