Introducing our new Bible Study series for Drexel’s Winter Term 2024. The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John: Interpreting the New Testament through the Lens of the Old Testament. Staring on Sunday (1/7/2024)at 5 PM in the JEMIC, PEACE & POWER Christian Fellowship’s Sunday Conversation will start a 10 lesson series on Revelation. Each lesson will be repeated on Mondays at 7 PM via Zoom and posted on YouTube and WordPress. All are welcomed from the lifelong follower of Jesus to the curious first-time visitor.

Tentative Series Schedule:

Main Idea

John connects specific images of Christ from chapter 1 with the relevant needs of each of the churches. Then he encourages each church with a unique aspect of the reward that awaits them in heaven. John sees internal compromises within Christians as more threatening than external persecution.

Review

Revelation is a chain letter meant to be read aloud to the congregations of several specific churches in the Roman province of Asia Minor during a public worship gathering.

Thyatira (16:25)

Revelation 2:18-28

18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.

19 “‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. 24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. 25 Only hold fast what you have until I come. 26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule[a] them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Compare:

Revelation 2:18b … The words of the Son of God (Ps. 2:7), who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.

Revelation 1:14b- 15 His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace

The eyes like a flame of fire suggests that Jesus can search the minds and hearts.

Who is Jezebel?

  • Jezebel incited King Ahab and Israel to compromise and “fornicate” by worshiping Baal (cf. 1 Kings 16:31–32; 21:25–26; 2 Kings 8:18; 9:22).
  • Jezebel and Ahab’s seventy sons were killed because of his sin against Naboth at Jezebel’s instigation (cf. 1 Kings 21:17–29; 2 Kings 9:30–37; 10:1–11).
  • Although Baal worship, and some pagan worship in John’s day, included literal fornication, the emphasis is on spiritual fornication.
  • Similarly, the false teachers in the church were arguing that some degree of participation in idolatrous aspects of Thyatiran culture was permissible.
  • G. K. Beale and Sean M McDonough, “Revelation,” in Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, UK: Baker Academic; Apollos, 2007), 1095.

Sexuality and Baal Worship

  • Baal was the thunder/weather God.
  • It was a mostly arid climate that required two distinct rainy season to grow crops.
  • They worshipped Baal and Asherah (Baal’s wife) to bring rain in the proper season.
  • That worship tried coax Baal to have sex with Asherah which then provided rain and brought new life.
  • Baal was enticed to have sex with Asherah by a worshipper having sex with one of the priestesses or temple prostitutes.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Was Jezebel part of the church at Thyatira?
  2. What was so wrong with Baal worship?
  3. What parts of current Christian culture could we compare to Baal worship?

Tracing The Messiah (12:15)

Compare:

Revelation 2:26-28 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule (shepherd) them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces (Ps 2:9), even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star.

Revelation 19:15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule (shepherd) them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

Revelation 20:4a Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed.

Revelation 22:16 I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.

As we have consistently seen, the promised blessings to those who conquer are all images repeated later in Revelation

Messianic Development

Genesis 49:10 (Jacob’s Blessing)
The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until tribute comes to him;
and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

Numbers 24:17 (Balaam)
I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near:
a star shall come out of Jacob,
and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall crush the forehead of Moab
and break down all the sons of Sheth.

Psalm 2:7-9
I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

Revelation 2:26-28
The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule (shepherd) them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces (Ps 2:9), even as I myself have received authority from my Father. And I will give him the morning star.

  • Jacob prophetically blesses Judah saying that he (through a descendant) will rule over the other tribes and all peoples.
  • Balaam’s prophecy which started with the intent to be a curse echoed this and listed specific nations.
  • The Psalmist built on this messianic expectation, labelling this future ruler as the son of God.
  • Jesus claims these prophecy’s to be about him and extends his authority to his followers.

More Complexity

From Old Testament Use of Old Testament by Gary Edward Schnittjer page 879

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you feel that throughout time more details were added to the idea of the coming Messiah through Scripture?
  2. How do you feel that some of these details specifically come from the non-Christian, non-Israelite prophet Balaam?
  3. What does this mean for our understanding of how God chooses to reveal his truth to us?

Sardis (16:24)

Revelation 3:1-6

1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

“‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. 4 Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Compare

Revelation 3:1bThe words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

Revelation 1:20 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.

Reputation versus Reality

  • Sardis was a famous city and had a reputation for being impregnable.
  • King Midas and his golden touch was connected to Sardis.
  • King Croesus of Lydia (546 BCE) challenged Cyrus of Persia at the siege of Sardis.
  • Sardis suffered a major earthquake in 17 AD.
  • It was probably 1/3 the size it once was.

Sardis was known to be an impregnable city that had fallen several times for various reasons.

“Like a Thief”

This threat, that Jesus will come against them like a thief, indicates that the church in Sardis would be surprised by it. It suggests that dead and dying churches are often oblivious to their condition and the imminent threat of Christ judging their condition.

Compare

Revelation 3:5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

Revelation 19:7-8 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

Revelation 20:15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 22:4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How should we react to the idea that a church could be dead and not realize it?
  2. Do you think that the church in America has a reputation that is different than reality?
  3. Have you experienced a church not living up to its reputation? How?
  4. Does this have personal/individual application?

PEACE&POWER Sunday Night Conversation
Starting 1/7/20243 5:00 – 6:30 PM in the JEMIC
Also Mondays 7:00 – 8:30 on ZOOM
http://www.peaceandpoweratdrexel.wordpress.com

Check out the Calendar for up-to-date information: CALENDAR

Sundays 5 PM, In-Person at the JEMIC
Mondays 7 PM, Live on ZOOM https://drexel.zoom.us/j/91207685063

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