1. Read through Revelation 4.
a. Compare Revelation 1:19 and Revelation 4:1. What does this show about the time period of Revelation 4 to Revelation 22?
b. Where does Revelation 4 take place?
c. Describe the One who sat on the throne. Compare with Ezekiel 1:25-28 and context. List the similarities and the differences. What is your conclusion?
“Since God dwells in ‘unapproachable light’ and is one ‘whom no one has seen or can see’ (1 Ti 6:16), he is described in terms of the reflected brilliance of precious stones…” NIV Study Bible
d. Describe the twenty-four elders and what they do (Revelation 4:9-11; 5:5-14; 7:11-17; 11:16-18; 14:3; 19:4). Who do you think the twenty-four elders are? (One view is that 24 Elders represent the Old and New Testament saints (Hebrews 12:23 2 Corinthians 5:8). In the new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:10-14) there are 12 gates of the 12 tribes of Israel and 12 foundations of the 12 apostles of the Lamb equaling 24 as a symbolic number combining OT and church believers.)
e. “…flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder…” What important event does lightning and thunder represent here?
“Symbolic of the awesome majesty and power of God…In Revelation, thunder and lightning always mark an important event connected with the heavenly temple (8:5; 11:19; 16:18).” NIV Study Bible
f. What are the seven lamps? Read Zechariah 4:2-10 Revelation 1:4; 3:1; 5:6-8 Isaiah 11:1-5. Where are they and what are they doing? What are the lampstands of Revelation 1:20 and how do they relate to the lamps?
g. Describe the four living creatures and what they do. Compare with Ezekiel 1.
“four living creatures. An exalted order of angelic beings whose task is to guard the heavenly throne and lead in worship and adoration of God. covered with eyes. Nothing escapes their attention.” NIV Study Bible
“lay their crowns. Acknowledgment that God alone is worthy of ultimate praise and worship.” NIV Study Bible
h. Where is the sea of glass?
“sea of glass. See 15:2. The source of the imagery may be Eze 1:22 (cf. Ex 24:10), but it is also possible that it is the basin of the heavenly temple (cf. 11:19; 14:15, 17, 15:5-6, 8; 16:1, 17), whose counterpart in the earthly temple was referred to as the Sea (1Ki 7:23-25 2 Ki 16:17 2 Ch 4:2, 4, 15, 39 Jer 27:19). Other features of the temple in heaven are: the lamps (v.5), the altar (6:9) the altar of incense (8:3) and the ark of the covenant (11:19).” NIV Study Bible
i. What do the four living creatures say? Put it in your own words. Why do you think they never stop saying this? Compare this with what the 24 elders say? “Holy, holy, holy. The repetition underscores God’s infinite holiness.” NIV Study Bible
“was…is…is to come. An expansion of the divine name in Ex. 3:14-15. God’s power and holiness extend from eternity past to eternity yet to come (cf. Isa 41:4).” NIV Study Bible
2. Read Revelation 5.
a. Describe the scroll.
“writing on both sides. Like the stone tablets of the OT covenant law (Ex 32:15 see Eze 2:9-10). The fibers of a papyrus scroll run horizontally on the inside, which makes writing easier on the reverse side (where the fibers are vertical).” NIV Study Bible
“sealed with seven seals. Indicating absolute inviolability (cf. Isa 29:11 Da 12:4).” NIV Study Bible
b. Who is worthy to open the scroll? Why is He worthy?
c. What are the golden bowls of incense? How are the saints rewarded according to Revelation 5:10 (See 2 Timothy 2:12 Revelation 2:26-27; 20:4, 6; 22:5)?
d. Why a “new song”?
“new song. Cf.14:4 Ps 33:3, 96:1, 144:9 Isaiah 42:10. In the OT a new song celebrated a new act of divine deliverance or blessing. That is also its sense here; notice the theme of the song.” NIV Study Bible
e. How many angels are there and what are they doing? How does their song compare with the songs of the living creatures and 24 elders in Revelation 4?
3. What in Revelation 4 and 5 pertains to the Father, to Jesus, to the Spirit? What does this show you about their relationship?
a. Read Daniel 7:9-14, 22, 26-27. Describe the Ancient of Day. What is His relationship to the Son of Man?
b. Read Daniel 10:5-6. Describe the Man that stood before Daniel. Compare with Revelation 1:12-18.
c. Read Revelation 1:1; 22:6. Who wrote the book of Revelation?
d. See Revelation 5:6. What is the significance of Jesus as the Lamb (Genesis 22:8 Exodus 12:21 Isaiah 23:7 Luke 22:7 John 1:29, 38 Acts 8:32 1 Corinthians 6:7 1 Peter 1:19 Revelation 5:6, 8, 12, 13; 6:1, 3, 5, 7, 16; 7:9, 10, 14, 17; 12:11; 13:8; 14:1, 4, 10; 15:3; 17:14; 21:14; 22, 23; 22:1, 3)?
“Lamb. Pictured as the sacrifice for sin (“slain”; cf. Is 53:7 Jn 1:29)and as the mighty conqueror (17:14). Revelation uses a special word for “lamb” (29 times in Revelation and only once elsewhere in the NT–Jn 21:15).” NIV Study Bible
“as if it had been slain. Bearing the marks of its slaughter–he had come to power through his death.” NIV Study Bible
e. Of what significance is being the Lion of the Tribe of Judah?
“Lion of the Tribe of Judah. A Messianic title taken from Gen 49:8-10 where Judah is named a ‘lion’s cub’ and promised the right to rule ‘until he comes to whom it belongs’ (see also Ez 21:27).” NIV Study Bible
f. Read Revelation 14:14; 9:11-16. What is the One “like a son of man” and the Rider on the white horse doing? (Acts 17:31) Explain your reasoning.
g. Read Revelation 21:22; 22:5. What are the Lord God and the Lamb?
h. How is Jesus Christ described in Revelation 1:5, 13-18; 2:18?
i. Read Revelation 22:7-20. What does Jesus say about Himself?
(1 Of what significance is being the Root of David (Isaiah 11:10 Romans 11:16; 15:12; Revelation 5:5)?
“Root of David. See Isa 11:1, 10, which looks forward to the ideal king in the line of David. The title is interpreted Messianically in Ro 15:12.” NIV Study Bible
(2 Of what significance is being the Offspring of David (Isaiah 11:1, 10 Romans 1:3)? God is talking to David in 2 Samuel 7:12-13 and 1 Chronicles 17:11-14.
(3 Of what significance is Jesus being described as the bright Morning Star?