Revelation 2

Revelation 4-7

Objective: 

• VisionThe ofThrone in Heaven

• The Lamb Takes the SonScroll

  of Man

• The Seven7 ChurchesSeals

Resources:

• Fr Tadros Y Malaty Commentary
• Catena Bible Commentary
• Fr Dawoud Lamie Bible study (Arabic)

Reading:

• Revelation 14
• Revelation 25
• Revelation 36
• Revelation 7

Key verse(s):

"Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works" Revelation 5:2

Comments:

• The word translated “Revelation” means “unveiling.
• The verb simply means “to uncover, to reveal, to make manifest.”
• Apocalypse = Revelation = unveiling = uncover = to make manifest
• The author is St. John the Beloved

• Author	St. John the Beloved
  Place	Patmos during exile
  Date	96 AD
  Theme	The things which are things which you have seen the things which will take place after this
  Key verse	Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this-1:19

• St. John was exiled to Patmos when God revealed to him His mysteries
• It is the only writing that St. John mentioned his name in
• Ch. 14
  • V.1:The throne of God Himselfis revealedalso mentioned in Ezekiel 1,10 and Isiah 6
  • The Church planned for this scene to usbe in the Sanctuary so wethat canwhen livethe andPeople benefitare praying, they are always seeing the Heaven
  • V.3:This Achapter specialwith blessingall ofits thisdetails book.describes "Keep"the - know, memorize, and do what is in this BookLiturgy
  • V.5: Testifying

    

    the death and resurrection of our Lord. We too shall believe and have faith in His Kingdom
  • V.6: He gave us a new nature and the old man is dead. We all became like priests, kings, and prophets of the OT who revived the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit even dwells in us now!
  • V.7: Confirmation of the Second coming and Judgment day. Everyone "Every eye" will see Him and be judged
  • V.8: He is the beginning and end and everything to us!
  • V.9: He did not say that he was exiled in Patmos. This shows that he does not complain about enduring hardships for Christ
  • V.10: "The Lord's Day" = Sunday. St. John was filled with the Spirit on Sunday. We too shall seek this by filling ourselves with the Spirit in Liturgy.
  • V.11: Confirming the reality of this Book that these Churches existed at that time. The messages can also be understood about the Church through the years
  • V.18: God wants to assure us that He is in control of everything and that He is taking care of everything and everyone "Pantocrator"
  • V.19: Asked St. John to write so we too can enjoy this with St. John and increase our faith
• Ch. 2-35
  • UseSeals mean: things hidden from humans
  • 7 = complete number
  • In the tableold belowtimes, they used to summarizeseal each churchscroll with a seal for privacy and security
  • GodThis knowsscroll had 7 seals for the workscomplete ofhiding
  everyone.
  • The Thispriest shouldtold giveSt. usJohn comfortto and warninglook at the sameLion time!from the tribe of Judah, but St. John saw a lamb
    • Our Lord is strong like a lion and simple like a lamb
  • "HeThe whostanding haslamb anas ear,though letit himhad hearbeen whatslain applies only on the SpiritCross
  says"
  • V.8:
    • CriticalIncense reminder= thatthe weprayers needof tothe listensaints. andWe analyze what God wants us to do/hear. Everyone has two ears, but only a few people differentiate God's voice and apply it in their lives. This is very importantbelieve that the Churchsaints arrangedare always present with us and praying with us and for us
    • V.9-12: the words of this partheavenly praise were taken by the Church and the words and concepts are used often - "worthy, slain, redeemed us, Lamb, strength and honor and glory and blessing"
  • V.6-7
    • Church fathers mention that these are 7 periods that will come on the Church

    • 

    • First Seal: White horse = First Church of the Apostles. Very strong and conquered
    • Second Seal: Red horse = Era of martyrdom
    • Third Seal: Black horse = Era of heresies
    • Fourth Seal: Pale/Green = Era of a big heresy or a strong person who will give the Church very hard time and a quarter of the earth followed it/him
    • Fifth Seal: A joyful seal for encouragement

      • All the NT martyrs are linked to bethe chantedAltar duringand Brightwere Saturdayready to give up their lives to Christ

      • V.10: Cried because they are still alive

      • Each one was given a white robe as a symbol of victory. And after they asked God about his judgment and vengeance, God asked them to "rest a little while longer". Why the wait? God is waiting for many other believers to join them

      • V.11: the martyrs and the saints under the altar are "fellow servants and their brethren"

    • Ephesus:

      Sixth Seal: Cosmic Disturbances

      • GodThe mentionedsame signs that Christ gave his disciples that will happen before the goodsecond things first. He then explained to him his faults, then ended with other good things
      • He left the days when his zeal for God and service was at their peak before lukewarmness hits
      • "the deeds of the Nicolaitans" = They were doing sexually immoral acts. This means the bishop of Ephesus resisted sexual immorality
    • Smyrna:
      • May appear poor in earthly things, but RICH in faith and Spirit
      • "Ten days" A period of time, not necessary 10 of 24hr days
        • Some scholars applied this to the 10 Roman emperors who persecuted the Church
    • Pergamos:
      • Allowed wrong teachings and heresies
        • "Doctrine of Balaam" = Sin of adultery (As Balaam suggested in Numbers 22–24)
          
        • "The Doctrine of the Nicolaitans" = Liberal sexual immorality
        • This Church suffered from adultery and sexual immorality
        • "The hidden manna to eat" = Eternal union with Christcoming
        • "WhiteThe stonepeople awho neware namenot written"ready =for Newthe puresecond naturecoming withwant Christto hide from His face
    • Thyatira:
      • ThyatiraV.15: =All Theaterpeople
        • Thiswill churchbe shows the looksjudged and worksif they were sinful and prideful will be scared of faith, but inside is empty and sinfulHim
      • "eyesCh. like7: a
        • Telling flameus of fire" = God knowsabout the truthsaints andwho realitywere behindsaved everyfrom workthe fifth seal
        • "Jezebel"144,000: 12 of OT x 12 of NT x 1000 (great complete unlimited number) = Someresembling scholarsthe saygreat sheunlimited number of saints and believers
        • V.3: The seal = Sacrament of Chrismation that gives us the "seal"
        • The tribes of Israel refer to the Church
        • The tribe of Judah was mentioned first because it is the tribe of our Lord
        • Mentioning every tribe ensures that every saint is counted and not forgotten by God
        • V.9: The saints in heaven will be from everywhere and not set for a realcertain personnumber
        or
        • V.12: refersOur topraise Ahab'sin wifePascha
        • V.14: The great tribulation is the world with all its tribulations. All the saints had tribulations in their lives (1poverty, Kings)sickness, loss of a beloved, persecution, etc.).
          • SheNormally isblood will stain. But the oneBlood behindof sexualChrist immorality, worshipping Baal,purifies and adulterymakes things white
        • GodV.17: is giving time to the people to repent before His judgment on them. This should give us comfort and warning to keep our lives pure and to repent or to act on our sinful acts and repent.
      • Sardis:
        • "you are alive, but you are dead" = Life of hypocrisy
        • We shall "hold fast and repent" because we do not know the hour "I will come upon you as a thief"
        • The righteous:reward
          • walkawaiting with Me in white
          • they are worthy
          • "will be clothed in white garments"
          • "will not blot out his name from the Book of Life"
          • "will confess his name before My Father and before His angels"
            • Many good promises forall those who keepcame theirfrom lives pure and are steadfast in the faithtribulation.
      • Philadelphia:
        • Philadelphia = brotherly love
        • The strength of the Church is in the love of her members
        • This Church is very strong in faith and received many promises
        • V. 3:10: The time of great tribulation and Antichirst
      • Laodicea:
        • Lukewarmness and hypocrisy
        • Christians can be of three types:
          • Cold = Away from church. Can be visited and brought back
          • Hot = In Church and faithful in his life
          • Lukewarm = Neither. Worst type. Thinks he is with God, but really far away from Him. Easy to fall and leave God
          • "I will vomit you out of My mouth" = Not being in His kingdom
        • V.18: He is poor. But Christ gives freely
          • Gold = purity
          • "Buy from Me gold refined in the fire" Get a pure repentant life from God Himself
            • Ask and you will receive!

    

    Review/recap questions:
    **Servant may add more questions

    1. How1. What is seen in the Lordmidst Jesusand Christaround describedthe bythrone? How are they described?
    2. Whenever the four creatures offer glory, honor, and thanks to God, what happens?
    3. Why did St. John inweep thisand greeting?what comforted him?
    4. Why did they deem the Lamb worthy?
    5. What is saidseen aboutwhen the comingfourth ofseal theis Lordopened? JesusWhat Christ?
    6. For what does the Lord commend the Church in Ephesus?
    7. List the promiseswas given in this chapter to those who overcome.
    8. Which of the seven churches pleased the Lord and were not rebuked by Him?them?
    9. What doesis seen when the Lordfifth counselseal theis Laodiceansopened? toWhat do?are they saying?
    10. Why does God rejectsdid the lukewarm?tribes' order start with the Tribe of Judah?
    11. What future blessings the great multitude in white are promised to receive? 

    Homework:
    **Servant may add more questions

     
    1. "I am the _______ and the Omega, the __________ and the End,"Who says thewithout Lord,rest "whoday isor andnight who“Holy, wasHoly and who ____ to come, the __________."
    2. How does St. John describe the Son of Man? 
    3. The seven stars are:Holy”?
       a) the churchesangels b) the angelsfour living creatures c) the messages24 elders d) St. John
    4. The third living creature was like a:
       a) lion b) calf c) man d) eagle
    5. What was in the hand of Him who sat on the throne?
       a) a golden lamp standsb) a golden bowl c) a scroll d) a harp
    6. "HeWho took the scroll from Him who hassat an ______ let him hear whaton the _______throne? says
       a) the elders b) a living creatures b) St. John d) a lamb
    7. What colors were the horses seen in the vision?
    8. What was given to the __________."
    one
    9. To which church didon the Lordred promise the crown of life?horse?
       a) Ephesusa crown b) Smyrnaa bow c) Pergamosa sword d) Thyatiraa pair of scales
    10. What was the number of those who were sealed?
        a) 40 b) 140 c) 14,000 d) 144,000
    11. "They shall neither _______ anymore nor thirst anymore; the ________ shall not strike them, nor any _______; "for the ______ who is in the midst of the throne will ________ them and lead them to living _______of waters. And God will wipe away every ______ from their _____."