Revelation 1 Q&A
Here are some brief answers to our questions from our Sunday evening service. If you would like to discuss more, please call me or email at bruces@stphils.org.au.
Some answers will just be a very brief reiteration of the answers given on Sunday.
1. How can someone lose Jesus if Jesus is holding onto them? How do we know that Jesus is holding on to us?
Sorry for my poor wording at the end of the sermon on this. We cannot "lose Jesus" but can, as we will see in the next few chapters, lose our heart, and choose to walk away decisively. God does not let us go without a fight and he does not give us up, but the book of Hebrews warns about being complacent in faith and walking away from God with our own determination. You will not wake up one day and suddenly realise "Oh, I've lost my faith!" it cannot happen like that. And God does not let us just slip through his fingers. But stay tuned for chapters 2-3 and the warnings to churches! "Losing Jesus" can be a determined path we decisively may choose to take when we don't take his word to heart.
Hebrews 2:1
1We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
2a. Why doesn’t God reveal himself in a more obvious manner so that everyone can clearly see him and get to know him?
2b. My earlier question should have said ‘why doesn’t reveal himself in a more obvious manner ‘IN TODAY’s TIMES’ so that everyone can see him and get to know him?
Thanks for the clarification. I personally believe he does, but people are often so distracted by the world that they do not see or hear him. The Bible is the most printed and readily available book in the world and written in the most languages. This is significant! The church has entered the digital age and the gospel is going throughout the world every day on a large scale. So what is lacking? I think what is often lacking is a renewed heart for each of us to personally witness about Jesus. God chooses to use us as his servants to bring his gospel to the world. We need to pray for renewed hearts for evangelism and missions. In short, I think the best answer to this is "because of us". WE are the witnesses needed to make clear the gospel that God has revealed to us.
1 Corinthians 5:20
20We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
3. The images & language used are confusing. Would these & other literary devices be more impactful if read in the original language? Does translation lose something?
God is at work in our Bible translations. He carries his word by his Holy Spirit to people's hearts so they may read and understand. even the most perfect translation will not be understood if His Spirit is not at work. For example, the Ethiopian Eunuch reading Isaiah - Acts 8 - God still provided the apostle Philip, through the Spirit, to explain it to him. Plus, the Bible helps us to interpret the Bible. Passages that are clear help us to understand passages that are not clear. Daniel, for example, is difficult to interpret (as much is written in Aramaic), but other books like Revelation help us to understand the Apocalyptic aspects.
4. I think a lot of our ideas about Satan/Judgement Day come from pop culture. How do we wade through the world’s false ideas vs what the Bible actually says?
Yes there is so much of this! It's good, I think, that media and pop culture is engaging with spirituality. Much of it is confusing and full of human constructs, but I think as Christians, we have a great opportunity to provide the answers that people need. The Bible actually does provide a full and coherent picture of the spiritual world, and Satan, and judgment. It makes sense. People may not believe it, but I think they can be shown how what the Bible teaches us on these things actually makes sense, unlike pop culture's false ideas. In short, it's a great opportunity to engage with people today. Read your Bible, know what it says, know what you believe, and be ready to give an answer.
5. Who is the 12th apostle in the 24 elders?
I would say that this is representative of the number of New Testament apostles/elders. But if they were actual people, then I would say it would be that the apostle Judas was replaced with Matthias. See Acts 1:24-26.
6. Should we look at the book of Revelation through the eye of a child ( eg simple pictures)?
I think that can be a helpful way to look at Revelation. But once we see the pictures, especially the big picture - Jesus is Supreme, Jesus has won, etc - then the smaller details enable us to have a greater and more mature depth of insight into God's word.
7. Is it important for us to be people who "have insight" (v18) - why is it important for wise people to "calculate the number of the beast"?
Wisdom is a word encouraged for God's people often. In other words, we are to think with our understanding of God in mind. Calculating the number of the beast can also be a way of saying: be aware of this. Some believe that John may have been writing in code for his Christian brothers and sisters and points to "gematria" - a practice of assigning numbers to letters of the alphabet in Greek - and certain rulers' names, like Nero, "added up to 666. Perhaps one particular Emporer's name "added up" to 666", but either way, they are long dead and gone now! But the truth continues - human rulers are imperfect and they will not endure. They are imperfect, imperfect, imperfect - 6. 6. 6.
8. If these are details that are less important than the big picture, why has God allowed some people to see evil spirits?
Some people have seen angels. Some have seen evil spirits. Some have seen visions of the Lord Jesus. Some have experienced miracles. I have no doubt that God knows the best way to reach the people of this world, and anything he does or allows to happen is for his greater glory. When things point us to Jesus, this is from God. When things distract us from Jesus, this is the work of the evil one. When we do see evil, in a spiritual or physical way, we are reminded of the world we live in and the need for Jesus, who is the big picture.
9. The approach to study Revelation, is to think of it as as a ‘picture book’ as said in the study guide. What is the picture painted by God?
Jesus is supreme. Jesus has won. Despite all that is happening - past present and future - Jesus is already crowned King over all. Revelation shows us how... and why.
10. How should we discern who to trust when teaching on this book? Are there any ways to work out who teaches this book faithfully and not?
Trust people who point you to Jesus and not to themselves. Trust people who speak from God's word. Know your Bible, pray for the work of the Spirit in discerning, and trust God's direction. Bible teaching should be consistent within itself and across the Bible. The Bible does not contradict itself in matters of faith. Trust teachers who you know to have godly character and commitment to God's word as truth.
11. Is revelation ever a good book to use for non-Christians to help them get a sense of the harsh reality when Jesus isn’t supreme in their lives?
If it's from the Bible, it's good for anyone! I would say that God has used every book of the Bible to bring people to saving faith. Revelation may not be your first choice to share the gospel, but it is one that people in our world like to engage with and it does have a lot to say about the need for repentance before Jesus returns. That;'s a pretty good message to share with non-believers.
12. From the reading of today, can it be said that God’s saving grace is universal and throughout time dimension?
Since God is universal and throughout time, then his Word is also. So is his character, and so is his grace. Those from the Old Testament were not saved by the law. They were still saved by grace. Grace from a God who told his people they had sinned, needed to repent, and that he would save them - by grace.
13. Can we pair up the two books Genesis and Revelation to study so to understand God more?
That's a great idea and worth considering next time. This time around, we paired up Danel and Revelation to help us gain deeper insight into apocalyptic writing. Genesis is also a good choice to pair up with Revelation!
Q and A is from 1:18:30