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?
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?
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