John sees seven angels with the last seven plagues (15.1) John sees the victors at the sea of glass (15.2-4) John sees the sea (15.2a) John sees the victors (15.2-4) They were victorious over the beast (15.2b) They hold harps (15.2c) They sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb (15.3-4) [...] Read more »
The structure of Revelation 8.2-9.21
TuesdayFeb 23,2010
by Dave Gifford
The first six trumpets (8.1-9.21) Prelude to the blowing of the trumpets (8.2-6) John sees seven angels given seven trumpets (8.2) John sees another angel with a golden censer (8.3-6) The angel approaches the altar (8.3a) The angel is given incense to offer with the prayers of the saints (8.3b) The smoke of the incense [...] Read more »
Three verses in Revelation 3.14-22 that allude to the Old Testament
SundayFeb 21,2010
by Dave Gifford
In Revelation 3.14, Jesus calls himself the “ruler of God’s creation.” Proverbs 8.22 speaks of wisdom as the first or chief of God’s works. In Revelation 3.17 Jesus quotes the church in Laodicea as saying “I am rich; I [...] Read more »
Four verses in Revelation 2.12-17 that allude to the Old Testament
SundayFeb 21,2010
by Dave Gifford
Revelation 2.12 and 2.16 allude to Isaiah 49.2, in which the Servant of the Lord has a mouth like a sharpened sword. Revelation 2.14 alludes to the story of Balaam’s enticing the Israelites to commit sexual immorality and eat food sacrificed to idols. [...] Read more »
An “inventory” of Revelation 4
SundayFeb 21,2010
by Dave Gifford
Imagery and symbols (‘this is that’ or ‘this is like that’) Voice like a trumpet (4.1) appearance of jasper and carnelian (4.3) A rainbow, resembling an emerald (4.3) seven lamps were blazing. These are [...] Read more »
Several parallels between Revelation, Acts and the General Epistles
SundayFeb 21,2010
by Dave Gifford
There is one parallel between Revelation and Acts: in Revelation 2.20-24, a prophetess whom John names Jezebel entices the church in Thyatira to engage in sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. In Acts [...] Read more »
Six parallels between Revelation and Paul’s letters
SundayFeb 21,2010
by Dave Gifford
Revelation 1.5 and Colossians 1.18 both refer to Jesus as the “firstborn from the dead” in contexts that speak of his rule. Revelation 3.3 and 16.15 say that Jesus will come like a thief. Paul in 1 [...] Read more »
Eleven parallels between Revelation and the Synoptic Gospels
SundayFeb 21,2010
by Dave Gifford
Both Revelation 1.3 and Luke 11.28 pronounce a beatitude on those who hear and obey God’s word. Both Revelation 1.7 and Matthew 24.30 say that Jesus will come on the clouds and that the [...] Read more »
Ten interesting facts about the imperial cult (worship of Rome or the Roman emperor as gods)
MondayFeb 15,2010
by Dave Gifford
Verses in Revelation that speak of the worship of the beast and the receiving of his mark show the influence of the imperial cult: 13.4, 13.14-17, 14.9, 15.2, 16.2, 19.20, 20.4 The worship of the city of Rome was a goddess began early in Asia: starting from the second century before Christ – in [...] Read more »
Five things about Rome other than persecution and the emperor cult that Revelation criticizes
MondayFeb 15,2010
by Dave Gifford
The book of Revelation focuses on the pressures to engage in emperor worship and the persecution that resulted when Christians resisted those pressures. But we should not overlook the serious prophetic denunciations raised in chapters 17-18 against Rome. A number of commentators refer to Revelation as an example – the most notable example, in fact [...] Read more »