Revelation: Blessed?

We are headed for an apocalypse. Science and religion both agree. So in the midst of what seems to be cursed, and all the voices claiming to have the answers, how do we find and know what is really BLESSED? God has John write the book of Revelation to answer the question of “BLESSED?”      #revelation #2022

STARTER

• The greek word for blessed means happy. God tells us to “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4, 1 Thessalonians 5:16). How did your PERSEVERANCE this past week help you be happy and rejoice?

PRAY

Father, we bow before You to ask You to help us have an eternal perspective on blessings and embrace the blessed life You laid out in Matthew 5:1-17 to be poor in spirit, mourners, gentle, hungry and thirsty for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, and persecuted for righteousness. May we remember that we will not know the times or seasons You have set by Your own authority, but we will be Your witnesses. As we go through the book of Revelation, help us to learn perseverance for your glory and honor. Amen.

STUDY QUESTIONS

"PERSEVERANCE”

As you read through Revelation, remember that John has been serving God faithfully for decades in the midst of persecution, death, and blessing. He has watched people leave the faith. He has seen faithful people, including his fellow apostles, be killed for claiming and proclaiming Jesus. John has been exiled to an island (Patmos) full of criminals and sick people because of his faithfulness in embracing the blessing of being a witness. In Revelation, John is writing down what he is seeing and trying to use his limited vocabulary to describe things that no earthly language can fully describe. Revelation is meant to be a blessing of both literal and symbolic meaning. It is meant to call us to the blessing of surrender to a God of pure love, justice, and sovereignty. In Chapter 14 of Revelation, we are reminded that following Jesus in this world “demands the PERSEVERANCE of the saints.”

READ Acts 1:6-8

Acts 1:6-8 are Jesus’ last words to His followers before He left the earth. What practically does it look like to PERSEVERE in living out Acts 1:6-8?

READ Revelation 13:16-14:5, James 1:18-26

1. A lot of disputes and arguments have happened over the mark of the beast, the number 666, and the 144,000. While those things are not insignificant, what are the MORE significant parts of the Revelation 14 passage in our relationship with Jesus?
2. James 1:18-26 can help understand what those in Revelation 14 are practicing to persevere. How does God’s word in James reveal for us Jesus part in our PERSEVERANCE and our part?
   1. How can we allow the body of Christ to help us in this PERSEVERANCE?

READ Revelation 14:6-7, Psalms 19:1-2, Romans 1:16-25

1. How do these passages very clearly tell us what it looks like to “fear God”, “give Him glory”, and “worship” Him?
2. How might a perseverance mentality keep us from repenting and possibly keep us persevering in the wrong things?
3. How can what we do when we fail in our perseverance show that we are still persevering?

READ Revelation 14:8-13, James 1:2-5, Ephesians 2:6-10

1. Babylon in scripture represents a powerful system of false belief and trust. Why do you think the fall of the great “Babylon”, sexual immorality, allegiance to the beast, and all that comes with those things “demands the PERSEVERANCE” of those who claim to be saints?