Category: Book of Revelation

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The Lamb is the Lord, part 3: The Throne at the Centre of Everything

Three: The Throne at the Centre of Everything
Introduction and Questions

Artwork by Pat Marvenko Smith © 1982, 1992 https://revelationillustrated.com/

An artist’s impression of the awesome scene portrayed in Revelation 4:1-11.

Click the icon below to download
a 4-page PDF version of this page.

Click the icon below to download
a 12-page Reader’s Guide in PDF format.
This explores Revelation 4:1-5:14 in more detail.

 

“One seated on the throne”

John writes, “I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven!” (4:1). A voice―probably the voice of Jesus―says “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” (4:1). John, in the Spirit, sees “a throne . . . in heaven, with one seated on the throne” (4:2). In this vision, he sees the heavenly throne-room of the Lord God Almighty.

This description of God as “one seated on the throne” (with variations) is the name of God most often used in Revelation. And here in this vision, God’s throne is the centre and focus of everything that John sees. Look at verses 3 to 10 and count how many times “the throne” is mentioned. From now on, throughout the book, we’ll be seeing everything from the perspective of God’s throne. Continue reading “The Lamb is the Lord, part 3: The Throne at the Centre of Everything”

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The lamb is the Lord, Part 2: Lampstands in a Darkened World

Two: Lampstands in a Darkened World
Introduction and Questions

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a 4-page PDF version of this page.

Click the icon below to download
a 16-page Reader’s Guide
This introduces the Book of Revelation
and explores Revelation 2:1-3:22 in more detail.

Introduction

The year is probably around 90-95AD. The mighty Roman Empire is almost at its greatest power and extent. At this moment in history, Almighty God speaks to an old man in exile on a little island in the Mediterranean. That man is John the Apostle. John writes, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, ‘Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea’” (1:10-11).

Continue reading “The lamb is the Lord, Part 2: Lampstands in a Darkened World”

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The Lamb is the Lord, Part 1: Reality Unveiled

One: Reality Unveiled
Introduction and Questions

Click the icon below to download
a 4-page PDF of this page.

Click the icon below to download
a 16-page Reader’s Guide
This introduces the Book of Revelation
and explores Revelation 1:1-20 in more detail.

Introduction

This is the first of a seven-part series on the Book of Revelation. We’ll trace Revelation’s storyline and themes. We’ll explore its symbolism and imagery. And we’ll see what God is saying to us believers as we follow Jesus day by day.

The word ‘Revelation’ is apocalupsis in Greek―from which we get our word ‘apocalyptic’. This Greek word means ‘an uncovering’, ‘an unveiling’. In the Book of Revelation, Jesus unveils what’s really going on in Heaven and on Earth, and where human history is heading.

God’s perspective on history

There’s a famous photograph that’s entitled ‘Earthrise’ (see above). It was taken by an Apollo 8 crewmember in 1968, while in orbit around the Moon. These men were the very first humans who saw Earth as viewed from the Moon. It gave them―and all humanity―a completely new perspective on our planet.

Image courtesy of NASA/Bill Anders

‘Earthrise’―Earth above the lunar horizon. This image was taken by Apollo 8 crewmember Bill Anders on December 24, 1968, while in orbit around the Moon.

Likewise, in Revelation, God gives us a new perspective―a heavenly perspective, God’s perspective. Christ is seated “in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:20). We’re seated there with Him (Ephesians 2:6). We need to view everything from that viewpoint―a heavenly viewpoint. And that’s the perspective Revelation gives us.

Continue reading “The Lamb is the Lord, Part 1: Reality Unveiled”