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 you take a STAND this week that made you rejoice and feel blessed?

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. As we go through the book of Revelation, help us to understand that we will not know the times or seasons You have set by Your own authority, but we are commanded to be Your witnesses as you were the faithful witness. (Acts 1:8, Revelation 1:5). I pray that you would show us, WHO IS ABLE TO STAND?

STUDY QUESTIONS

"Who Is Able to Satnd?”

As you read through Revelation, remember that John has been serving God faithfully for decades in the midst of persecution, death, and blessing as others make decisions about Jesus. He has watched 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 to be a witness. In Revelation, John is writing down what he is seeing and trying to use his limited vocabulary to describe things 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. This book shows us clearly WHO IS ABLE TO STAND?!

READ Acts 1:6-8

Acts 1:6-8 are Jesus last words to His followers before he left the earth. How does this passage remind us of our mission and purpose as we wonder WHO IS ABLE TO STAND in this life and the next?

READ Revelation 5:13-6:17

1. What patterns do you see with these first four seals? What are some of the judgements that people will not be able to STAND up to in the first 8 verses?
2. What is deceptive about the first rider? Why would a message of STANDING for peace be so appealing?
3. God doesn’t have to send destruction. He just needs to withdraw His protection from the judgement that is deserved and is planned. How does Romans 1:24-28 help us to understand what people STAND for and what will happen as a result?
4. READ Matthew 24:4-8, I Thessalonians 5:1-3, 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12, 2 Peter 3:3-9
   1. How do these passages help us understand Revelation and WHO IS ABLE TO STAND?
5. In Revelation 6:9-11, what is this fifth seal all about?
   1. What are these saints requesting and what answer were they given?
   2. How are we to deal with the tension of praying for justice to be done and praying for our enemies? (see Romans 12:17-19)
6. Is there anything that jumps out at you about this sixth seal? Why must God judge those who have not taken their STAND in Jesus but instead turned away from Him?
7. Revelation 6:16 gives an awful picture of those who realize that they cannot STAND. We see this a lot today in our culture. How should this motivate us to tell others WHO IS ABLE TO STAND?