Join us on Tuesday mornings in May for a Bible study on some the key Apocalyptic/End Times texts in the Old and New Testament.
- May 5th – Revelation 1:9-20 [show]Revelation 1:9-20
[9]I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. [10]I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet [11]saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea."
[12]Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, [13]and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. [14]The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, [15]his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. [16]In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
[17]When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, [18]and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. [19]Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. [20]As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. (ESV)
& Revelation 8:6-12 [show]Revelation 8:6-12
[6]Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.
[7]The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
[8]The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. [9]A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
[10]The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. [11]The name of the star is Wormwood.(1) A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter.
[12]The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night. (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [8:11] 'Wormwood' is the name of a plant and of the bitter-tasting extract derived from it
- May 12th – Daniel 7:1-14 [show]Daniel 7:1-14
[7:1]In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter. [2]Daniel declared,(1) "I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. [3]And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. [4]The first was like a lion and had eagles' wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it. [5]And behold, another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, 'Arise, devour much flesh.' [6]After this I looked, and behold, another, like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it. [7]After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. [8]I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.
[9]"As I looked,
thrones were placed,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat;
his clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames;
its wheels were burning fire.
[10]A stream of fire issued
and came out from before him;
a thousand thousands served him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;
the court sat in judgment,
and the books were opened.
[11]"I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. [12]As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
[13]"I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
[14]And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.
Footnotes
1. [7:2] Aramaic 'answered and said'
Daniel 9:20-27 [show]Daniel 9:20-27
[20]While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the LORD my God for the holy hill of my God, [21]while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. [22]He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, "O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. [23]At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision.
[24]"Seventy weeks(1) are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.(2) [25]Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. [26]And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its(3) end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. [27]And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week,(4) and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator." (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [9:24] Or 'sevens'; also twice in verse 25 and once in verse 26
2. [9:24] Or 'thing', or 'one'
3. [9:26] Or 'His'
4. [9:27] Or 'seven'; twice in this verse
- May 19th – Revelation 12:1-6 [show]Revelation 12:1-6
[12:1]And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. [2]She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. [3]And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. [4]His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. [5]She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, [6]and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days. (ESV) & Revelation 19:11-21 [show]Revelation 19:11-21
[11]Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. [12]His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. [13]He is clothed in a robe dipped in(1) blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. [14]And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. [15]From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. [16]On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
[17]Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, "Come, gather for the great supper of God, [18]to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave,(2) both small and great." [19]And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. [20]And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence(3) had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. [21]And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh. (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [19:13] Some manuscripts 'sprinkled with'
2. [19:18] Greek 'bondservant'
3. [19:20] Or 'on its behalf'
- May 26th – 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 [show]2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
[2:1]Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,(1) [2]not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. [3]Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness(2) is revealed, the son of destruction,(3) [4]who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. [5]Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? [6]And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. [7]For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. [8]And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. [9]The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, [10]and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. [11]Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, [12]in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (ESV)
Footnotes
1. [2:1] Or 'brothers and sisters'; also verses 13, 15
2. [2:3] Some manuscripts 'sin'
3. [2:3] Greek 'the son of perdition' (a Hebrew idiom)
& Zechariah 9:1-13 [show]Zechariah 9:1-13
[9:1]The burden of the word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrach
and Damascus is its resting place.
For the LORD has an eye on mankind
and on all the tribes of Israel,(1)
[2]and on Hamath also, which borders on it,
Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.
[3]Tyre has built herself a rampart
and heaped up silver like dust,
and fine gold like the mud of the streets.
[4]But behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions
and strike down her power on the sea,
and she shall be devoured by fire.
[5]Ashkelon shall see it, and be afraid;
Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish;
Ekron also, because its hopes are confounded.
The king shall perish from Gaza;
Ashkelon shall be uninhabited;
[6]a mixed people(2) shall dwell in Ashdod,
and I will cut off the pride of Philistia.
[7]I will take away its blood from its mouth,
and its abominations from between its teeth;
it too shall be a remnant for our God;
it shall be like a clan in Judah,
and Ekron shall be like the Jebusites.
[8]Then I will encamp at my house as a guard,
so that none shall march to and fro;
no oppressor shall again march over them,
for now I see with my own eyes.
[9]Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
[10]I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim
and the war horse from Jerusalem;
and the battle bow shall be cut off,
and he shall speak peace to the nations;
his rule shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
[11]As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.
[12]Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;
today I declare that I will restore to you double.
[13]For I have bent Judah as my bow;
I have made Ephraim its arrow.
I will stir up your sons, O Zion,
against your sons, O Greece,
and wield you like a warrior's sword.
Footnotes
1. [9:1] A slight emendation yields 'For to the LORD belongs the capital of Syria and all the tribes of Israel'
2. [9:6] Or 'a foreign people'; Hebrew 'a bastard'
The texts we will study are ones that I must study as a part of the annual preaching workshop held at College Church in Wheaton, IL from May 13 to 15. The promotional material for the 2009 workshop says it well… “Whether in the movies, television or popular music, the idea of Apocalyptic Literature is everywhere. It’s filled with spectacular drama, striking imagery and end-times relevance.” God willing we will learn a great deal about what it means trust in Christ and serve other’s in his name in these last days.
You can read more about the preaching worship by clicking HERE.
As a part of this workshop I must prepare two sermon outlines that I will share with a small group of extremely conservative Presbyterian (PCA), Free Church, and Reformed Baptists (Calvinists) who will gladly offer up a critique. Its challenging ..and really fun. I was particularly excited to attend this year because two of the speakers, Dr. D.A. Carson and Dr. Greg Beale, are noted New Testament scholars whose works have inspired me a great deal over the years.
