Revelation 4-5

Group Questions:

Read Revelation 5:8-14

1. What is most striking to you about worship in heaven?

2. Why do you think the elders are holding bowls that are full of prayers? (5:8)

3. What is “new” about this song compared to the song in 4:11?

The song in 4 praised him as powerful creator.

This new song worships him as the sacrificial king.

4. What makes Jesus worthy to open the seals? (Rev. 5:9)

5. The church is a priesthood. (5:10) It’s not that we have priest. We are priests. How are the people of Jesus’ church like priest?

6. The song says that we will reign on the earth. Do you think that means this earth or the new earth? (Don’t say both) (5:10)

7. Have someone in the group describe Revelation 5 acting it out.

Theology:

1. Revelation presents God’s judgments as a positive thing. We tend to think of judgment as negative. How is the judgment carried out by Jesus positive?

2. What new things do you learn about Jesus in this passage?

3. Why do you think the Holy Spirit is symbolized as a torch? He’s not actually a torch!

4. How does the drama cause you to think differently about the cross?

Application:

1.How does this passage teach us to live today?

2. How does the worship in heaven teach us to worship now?

–Thanksgiving.

–Music.

–Theology.

3. The prayers are seen as burning incense in heaven. It’s a picture of our prayers making it before God. (And they’re on fire!) Why do you think God used this imagery of prayer?