notes • Verses 4-8 God’s people are sealed... • Is this meant to be in reference to actual Israel, or has John used this as a way of referring to the Church, and people of the church... • Did he purposefully disguise this letter to avoid it being confiscated as Christian when it was sent? verses 9-17 • • This is just a beautiful description of those ones who were crying out from the alter for justice. They who were killed in the great persecution (under Domitian?) • They are all together and praising God along with the rest of the creation, the 4 creatures, and the elders. • They have gotten their reward and are in the presence of the Almighty God and the Lamb. • Their reward is that they will never face the hardship that they faced in the persecution, or in life. They are now apart from all of that. • Chapter 8... Foreboding silence... • v1. The seventh seal is broken. There is only silence. • The book is now able to be opened. The book filled with the Judgments of God upon his enemies. • Everything reacts with a silent gasp... • The Lamb has opened the book....
Additional Reading:
Lowery, Robert A. Revelation’s Rhapsody: Listening to the Lyrics of the Lamb. Joplin, Missouri: College Press Publishing Company, 2006
The Apocalypse of John
Revelation Ch. 5-8:1 Dealing with the imagery of the 7 seals: • We left off last week in the throne room of God. Admiring along with the 4 creatures surrounding his power and holiness. We see this image of God sitting on the throne, ruling over all of the world, overflowing with his incomprehensible power. He alone rules the world, and all in it, not Caesar. • Revelation 5: Defining the scroll/book and its meaning • John sees a book written on the inside and even on the back in the right hand of God sealed up with seven seals. • Our temptation is to ascribe meaning to this book right away, but let’s wait a little bit. John hears a mighty angel calling out: “Who is worthy to open the • scroll?” • No one in heaven, earth, or under the earth was worthy to open it or even look into it. • John then began to weep because no one was able to open the book. Why? Why is John weeping because no one was opening the book? Helpful OT references so we can understand how the scroll is being • used in Revelation. • Daniel 12:4ff • Ezekiel 2:9-10; 3 • In these passages, there seems to be a great deal of reference to the concept of punishment or judgment associated with the scroll/book. What if the scroll of God represents the idea of God’s judgment on • the wicked who are persecuting and killing God’s people. • This could mean (in the immediate situation) punishment on Rome, especially Domitian for his glorification of himself and persecution of God’s people. • In a greater degree, this could point to any persecution involving Christians, and point to God’s ultimate justice.
The Apocalypse of John: Ch 5-8:1
Αποκαλυψις Ιησου Χπιστου
• Let’s move on to v.5-6 • In verse 5 we hear one of the “elders” which surround the throne of God tell John to stop with his weeping. The reason being that someone has come forward who can open the book. It is the LION from the tribe of Judah. The Root of David has overcome and is able to open the seals, and ultimately the scroll/book. • Genesis 49:8ff Check this section out... We’re more familiar with the root of David imagery... Check out Isaiah for more of that. But when he turns, he sees something very different. A lamb that looks like it has been slain, standing there. Seven horns and seven eyes, • the seven spirits of God sent out to the earth. • Remember, 7 holds the idea of completion or perfection, this means that it probably represents the idea of perfected sight (knowledge) and perfected strength (rule). Verses 7-14 • • The Lamb/Lion comes straight up and takes the scroll out of God’s right hand (He is symbolically empowered by God to perform judgments). Notice also that God willfully gives it to him. • When the Lamb takes it (successfully) its as if the tension of the room, which was waiting in expectation was broken, and the whole place bursts out in a song of praise as they had earlier done for God. • He is praised because he is worthy of praise (and only God is worthy of praise). • He is the ruler, the judge, the King, the anointed one, the Messiah. • Revelation 6: The seals are broken... • Verses 1-8 the 4 horsemen of the Apocalypse. • Here we see immediate reference to the OT in the prophet Zechariah 1 and 6. Here, they are identified as those whom the Lord sends out to patrol the earth. • They represent: war, killing, famine/disease, and Death. • White here could be a parody of the idea of purity, because this is obviously one geared toward conquering and war. • Red carries with it the idea of violence, doom, and bloodshed. • Black carries the idea of wickedness, death, disease, famine, hopelessness. • Green, Ashen, Pale etc (since they are sometimes differently represented) carries the idea of death. • These are part of the first 4 seals that the Lamb opens, and they represent judgments against God’s enemies. • Verses 9-11, the fifth seal • When Jesus breaks the fifth seal we see something quite different. • Here we see the saints crying out from beneath the alter who were slain because of the word of God crying out for vindication or vengeance. • They were given something that signifies purity and told to wait a little longer. • Verses 12-17 the sixth seal is broken • Here we see a lot of language being used to describe a very bleak situation indeed. But should we literally expect this, or is this pointing to something else. • Look at Joel 2 and Acts 2. The Apostles claim that this has happened at that very moment, what do we see, what don’t we see. • This kind of language carries with it the idea of judgment more-so than anything else. Again, big brush strokes are important, not some of the littler things. • Revelation 7: Hope, beautifully demonstrated... • Verses 1-3, the furry of heaven is held back... • Here we see Christ’s judgments being made fully ready. And it is as the calm before the storm. The wind is even held back. The 4 horsemen are poised and ready to exercise their power. But everything is told to wait. • Look at this as a story more than worrying about the little details. Look at this. God’s vengeance is held back... why? • Everything is held back until all of God’s people have been sealed. • This comes with the idea of God possessing the person, or having ownership over them. That person is joined to God.