Hear

Revelation 13:9-12 - If anyone has an ear, let him hear: If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.

Revelation 2:7 - He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

Hebrews 6:11-12 - And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Application:

·         I am challenged to overcome..

·         I am called to faithfulness.

·         Satan, secular power and religious compromise will join against the cause of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

All Scripture verses taken from ESV

Slain From The Creation Of The World

Revelation 13:5-8,12 - And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain…It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.

Daniel 11:36 - “And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done.

Revelation 5:9-10 - And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

John 1:29 - The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Isaiah 53:7 - He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

Application:

·         The beast will be the antichrist and will be subordinate to the dragon (Satan).

·         The sacrificial death of Christ is central to New Testament teaching.

·         The beast from the earth is under the authority of the beast from the sea.

·         John was saying that Jesus would be the sacrifice that would atone for the sin of the world.

·         John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God.

All Scripture verses taken from ESV

Name

Revelation 13:1-4,12 - And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”… It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.

Daniel 11:36 - “And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done.

Exodus 15:11 - “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

Application:

·         The beast may symbolize the deification of secular authority and/or the antichrist.

·         Satan, secular power and religious compromise will join against the cause of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

·         The Lord, who tolerates no rivals, will defeat all gods and their worshipers.

All Scripture verses taken from ESV

By Your Blood You Ransomed People

Revelation 5:7-10 - And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Mark 10:45 - For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Application:

·         The sacrificial death of Christ is central to New Testament teaching.

·         I have been bought at a price.

·         Jesus gave His life to release me from bondage to sin and death.

All Scripture verses taken from ESV

Jasper...Carnelian...Emerald

Revelation 4:3-4,9-11 - And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads…And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

Ezekiel 1:28 - Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Revelation 5:5-6,9-10 - And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth…And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

Revelation 7:11-12 - And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Application:

·         When God’s glory was symbolically revealed, it took the form of brilliant light.

·         Lay their crowns is acknowledgment that God alone is worthy of ultimate praise and worship.

·         Bearing the marks of its slaughter—the Lamb has come to power through His death.

·         The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Jesus Christ, has triumphed.

·         In the Old Testament a new song celebrated a new act of divine deliverance or blessing.

·         The sevenfold list of attributes (praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power, strength) expresses complete or perfect praise.

All Scripture verses taken from ESV

Throne In Heaven

Revelation 3:22-4:2,9-11 - He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne…And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

Revelation 2:7 - He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

1 Kings 22:19-20 - And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left; and the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another.

Ezekiel 1:28 - Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Psalm 47:8 - God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.

Application:

·         God and man will be restored to the perfect fellowship that existed before sin entered the world.

·         Lay their crowns is acknowledgment that God alone is worthy of ultimate praise and worship.

·         A true prophet was one who had, as it were, been made privy to what had transpired in God’s heavenly throne room and so could truthfully declare what God intended to do.

·         When God’s glory was symbolically revealed, it took the form of brilliant light. In His vision of the restored Jerusalem the prophet saw the glory of the Lord returning.

·         Seated on His holy throne is in the Most Holy Place of the temple, where He takes the reins of world rule into His hands.

All Scripture verses taken from ESV

Conquers

Revelation 3:20-21 - Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.

James 5:9 - Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.

Revelation 5:5 - And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Revelation 2:7 - He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

2 Timothy 2:11-13 - The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.

Application:

·         The Judge is standing at the door is a reference to Christ’s second coming and the judgment associated with it.

·         The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, will triumph.

·         The challenge to overcome occurs in each letter to each of the seven churches in Revelation.

·         Faithfully bearing up under suffering and trial will result in reward when Christ returns.

All Scripture verses taken from ESV