Good morning!
I thought I would be quiet and give you girls a few days to get into your study this week, and thinking of what your reaction would be when you saw the homework! You've been quiet too! Probably shaking your heads at the repetition that I have made you go through... but that is all a part of thorough Bible Study - one thing is for sure... you will never be able to view the Coming of Jesus in the same way again!
How are you doing with naming the themes of each chapter in Revelation 19? Don't skip this step, it is necessary in causing us to slow down and really take a close look and gain understanding of each paragraph separately, in order to understand the whole.
Were you able to determine the people group mentioned in 19:7-8; 19:14 and 17:14? Here again, it is important to understand who they are so that we get a correct interpretation of what occurs when Jesus returns.
If you have not been creating a timeline during your study so far - I would suggest that you begin one now, beginning with Rev. 19:1 "after these things". You can always go back later and draw out a timeline consistent with your studies which will highlight what happens before chapter 19.
I would highly suggest that this week you answer every question in the Questions for Discussion or Individual Study. It will help to solidify all that you have learned about the returning of Jesus.
And by all means... don't forget to enter into the invitation, given on Day Six in your study guide.... HAVE FUN!
Just a quick update. My mother will be having open heart surgery early this morning. I thank you for your prayers and will let you know how she is doing later on this evening.
Love you!
15 comments:
Welcome to your Study Room! I'll be dropping by as often as I can over the next few days... hope to see you here!
Cathie...you are amazing. After all that is on your plate you continue to give guidance encourage and support to "the home girls". Please know that all our prayers and thoughts have been with you and your family today.
We continue to pray for you as you continue in the care of your mom.
Blessings and prayers...XXX
OK sisters!!! who was the scribe at todays' study and where are all the questions we had?????
Hi Cathie,
As far as I can remember a few of the questions that arose from the study were:
Who is left after the Tribulation to populate the earth?
Why is Jesus's sword satiated in heaven?
Is the sword of His mouth and the wine press the same thing?
Thanks Cathie look forward to hearing from you.
Hope all is going well with your Mom, which hospital is she in?
Love
Margaret
Thanks Margaret,
Those are the questions and you said them so well. Cathie this was quite the study on Thursday. I was so confused because I thought that during the tribulation all unbelievers were killed and then all of a sudden I realized that couldn't be correct because Jesus comes for a 1000 year reign. We king of muddled through it but I can hardly wait for your help.
Cathie we miss you so much but are sure praying for you and your mom. I can't believe that you can find the time to put the booklet together for Takako and we are all so grateful for you doing this.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!
Hi Girls! I could just feel my insides go all relaxed when I saw you all here, I sure miss you... thank you for your prayers!
I have just spent the better portion of the morning with Home Health Care Services and the Client Coordinator from the Royal Columbian.
My mom will continue to be assessed daily and before her release there will be a Care Plan set in place for her according to her needs. This care is primarily in regards to her washing and dressing and continued assessment of her medications and her ability to re-adjust her physical movements to aid her healing.
Her daily meals, laundry, grocery shopping, and housecleaning is something that will have to be worked out between her and myself so that there is a good balance between what she can do and what I can do for her.
By the way... good questions in regards to the study! I'll answer them below...
So... I am assuming from Edna's question and Margaret's response, that Margaret was your appointed 'scribe' during Bible Study!
Debbie, your query is all a part of Inductive Study and has led you into understanding... whether you even realize it or not! If you only knew the times I have squeezed my face together while pushing on my temples and mumbled through clenched teeth... "I just don't get it!" But God is faithful, and through study of His Word and the leading of the Spirit of God into all Truth, we are given just what we need at the time that we need it.
So here are the questions, so far...
1. Who is left after the Tribulation to populate the earth?
2. Why is Jesus's sword satiated in heaven?
3. Is the sword of His mouth and the wine press the same thing?
Let's first look at why the sword of Jesus is satiated (Isaiah 34:5) in heaven...
My short answer references us back to Matthew 6 and to what is commonly referred to as 'The Lord's Prayer'... specifically v. 10... "YOUR KINGDOM COME, YOUR WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN"
Just as we were 'chosen in Him before the foundation of the world', so too, God's Kingdom calendar has ALREADY been accomplished in heaven...it is simply having its outworking here on earth according to God's perfect time and plan.
The word 'satiated' means 'complete satisfaction' but there is an underlying 'root meaning' in the Hebrew that I find deepens my understanding... 'satiated' suggests 'satisfaction that has completed any interest or desire'.
For instance... you might be craving and desiring chocolate for months... then you sit down and eat an entire meal of chocolate, 20 pounds of it, until you cannot force yourself to swallow one more bite. You are done... you now have no interest or desire for chocolate.
Just as there is a moment on God's Kingdom calendar when the fullness of the Gentiles is completed (that last little Gentile enters the Kingdom before the Door is Closed), so to, there is a moment on God's Kingdom calendar, a calendar that is already fulfilled in heaven, when His satiated sword will swing upon the earth.
I'll post this now and go on to the next question so that if you are checking in you don't have to wait for me to complete all of the questions.
Hope this helps and not hinders!
(no time to proof!)
With love,
Cathie
I just know that some of you, while reading my last comment, were thinking of Jesus, while on the cross, declaring, "IT IS FINISHED!" It gives us such great perspective in what most would consider to be 'an uncertain world'!
OK, let's take the 3rd question now...
Is the sword of His mouth and the wine press the same thing?
Short answer... no. Long answer... kind of.
'Kind of', because it is only by the Word of God that all things are accomplished. 19:13 tells us the Jesus IS 'THE WORD OF GOD', so that would mean that the 'winepress' that is trodden outside the city (Rev.14:20) could only be accomplished through the Word of God and so this links the 'sword of His mouth' and the 'winepress' in this way.
From my study so far, and in the context of Rev. 19:15, I am more inclined to align the 'sword of His mouth' with His actual Word.. Who He Is.
My reasoning for this actually lies in our earlier studies in Rev.1:16 and 2:12,15-16. The sharp sword that He spoke of that would 'make war' is also found in Rev.11:6 and Isaiah 11:4... taking into consideration the Greek tense, mood and voice it is clear that it carries with it the meaning of 'judicial condemnation'.
I believe, at this point in my own study, that this reference to the 'sword of His mouth' is more in alignment with His 1,000 year rule and reign than it is with the 'winepress'.
OK, I'm sending this out and on to the next question!
Who is left after the Tribulation to populate the earth?
This is a question that comes up so frequently, and I can almost guarantee, that even AFTER you see it for yourself through study, you will be likely to ask it again and again... it seems to be one of those things that needs to be constantly refreshed in our minds from time to time.
We learn so much about this time from Rev.20:1-7 and also from the last chapters of Zechariah.
There is so much going on when Christ returns (the stone crushing the statue, the court sitting for judgement, the dominion of the horn taken and destroyed) that we forget that the Kingdom is given to the saints (there is your first clue); that any that are left of the nations (that's your second clue Zech.14:16) are to go to Jerusalem from year to year, to worship the King and to celebrate the Feast of Booths.
I'm going to leave that with you (remember to read the references) because I want you to discover this by yourself... if you have any more questions, I'll be dropping into the Study Room later on this evening.
Love you!
Hi Cathie,
Actually I did'nt think I was the scribe, but after a few days silence I thought I would ask the questions
that had been raised.
Thankyou so much for your very clear answers, I especially like the text in Zechariah 14:16, I've marked it in my Bible.
You are going to be one busy girl in the next few weeks I pray you will have energy and good health.
Lots of Love
Margaret
Hi Cathie,
It sounds like you have quite a bit to do to help your mother adjust and I pray that it will all come into place naturally. Isn't it great that eventually we are able to help our parents after all the years that they helped us?
Of course I am still confused about who will be left after the tribulation. I understand that all of the people in heaven will come down and rule with Christ for the 1000 years but who are they ruling? Has every non believer died in the tribulation? In Zechariah 14:16 are all those who are left of all the nations christians? I remember that at the end all will bow down to God but am really confused. I feel like I have missed something really important in my understanding and can hardly wait for you to set me straight!
Hi Margaret and Debbie! You both bless me so much, you have no idea... thank you for your prayers AND for your encouragement... I finished Takako's memory book earlier this evening and was touched again by just how much you all mean to me and the effect that you have had upon my life... I love you.
OK Deb... your question is... who are the saints ruling? They are ruling the nations. It might help to think of how God views the people groups today... Christians, Jews, Gentiles (nations). Think about this and then apply it to your study so far. Remember in Rev.21:1 where we saw that there will no longer be any 'sea' after the new heaven and new earth are established? The 'sea' is descriptive of 'the nations'.
No, not every non-believer died in the tribulation, we know from Zechariah 14:16 that not all those that are left are Christians, because provision has been made to withhold rain from those nations (it is a plague) that do not go up and celebrate the Feast of Booths. Many of those that go up and celebrate the Feast of Booths will be going up simply so that rain is not withheld... their hearts being more like Cain's than Able's... remember, that without faith it is impossible to please God, no matter how may trips you make to His Feast!
Something that is different though is this... the devil has been thrown into the abyss and cannot deceive the nations any longer. Remember that rebellion and being deceived are two different things. The devil himself was never deceived... he just out and out rebelled! This is what will be seen during the 1,000 year reign.
Yet at the end of this reign, satan will be released and will go out to deceive the nations... and you just know that those that already have a propensity towards a rebellious heart will be standing in line with their hands up, signing up for being deceived!
It is at the end of Rev. 20 that we finally see the unbelievers dealt with... ushering in the new heaven and new earth.
I hope this helps sweetheart, even just a little. Understanding comes with the more questions that we ask... that is one of the reasons that you inspire me so!
Love you!
Hi all! We had a great discussion today. Miss you, Cathie and Angie, and as always, Marnie. We love you.
We had several questions that we came up with answers for, but we're not sure. So I wrote them down to get your take on them, Cathie. I'll put them in a separate post.
I hope you're healthy and doing well, taking good care of yourself even as you take care of your mom. You give so much, we just love you.
Ch. 20 Questions:
1. Who are "they" in verse 4?
I went back in Rev to the last references to groups of people and came up with the great multitude in Rev 19:1,3. This would also be the overcomers of 3:21
Typing this right now, I realized we overlooked one option, which to me at this point makes the most sense -- the twenty four elders from Rev. 4:4, and mentioned again in 19:4.
Another option that was posed was the apostles, referenced in Matt. 19:28 as sitting on twelve thrones and judging Israel.
2. Who is sitting on the great white throne, and how do we know this? Obviously it's God, but is it Father, Son, the whole Trinity?
3. Is the first resurrection kind of in two parts? Those raised in the rapture, and then those who were martyred during the tribulation?
We had two more points we would like clarification on, but I'm having difficulty articulating, so I'm going to bed and I'll post the rest later. Unless someone beats me to it.
God bless.
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