Revelation One

 (Starting a study of Revelation where we try to use all the connections that John uses from the Law, the prophets and the writings.  Using books by Michael Heiser and G.K. Beale)

“Though it is filled with signs, the Book of Revelation is accessible to those who have an understanding of the first 65 books of the Bible, and especially an understanding of the first 39 books of the Bible, the Old Testament. The Book of Revelation is rooted in the Old Testament. It contains more than 500 allusions to the Old Testament, and 278 of the 404 verses in Revelation (that is almost 70%) make some reference to the Old Testament.” “Prophecy in this letter has as one of its purposes divine disclosure demanding an ethical response.”

 

Chapter 1

1 -Daniel 2:28-30, 45-47  (“quickly” is John’s substitute for “in the latter days”)

4 -Exodus 3:14, Isaiah 41:4, 44:6.  Zech. 4:2-7, Revelation 3:1,  4:5 and 5:6 

5 -Psalm 89:27-29, 37

6 -Exodus 19:6, Isaiah 43:10-13, 1 Peter 2:5-10, Rev. 2:13

7 -Daniel 7:13,14, Zechariah 12:10, Matthew 24:30, 

9 -Luke 24:46, Acts 14:22, Philippians 1:29,

10,11 -Ezekiel 2:2, 3:12,14,24, 11:1, 43:5 Exodus 19:16,19,20, Isaiah 30:8, Jer. 37:2

12 -Zechariah 4:2,10, Rev. 1:20,  “seeing the voice” Exodus 19:16,19, Dan. 7:11

13-15 -Isaiah 22:21,22, Daniel 7:9-13,10:5,6, Exodus 25:7, 28:4,31, 29:5, Zech.3:5, Ezekiel 1:24, 43:2

16 -Daniel 12:3,6,7, Zech 4:2, Isaiah 11:4, 49:2, Judges 5:31, Psalm 149:6, Zeph. 2:12,

17a -Daniel chapter 8 and 10 pattern “the prophet observes a vision, falls on his face in fear, is strengthened by a heavenly being, and then receives further revelation from that being”

17b-18 -Isaiah 48:12, Deut. 32:40, Dan. 4:34, Isaiah 22:22, 

19-20a -Joel 3:1, Dan. 2:29,45

20b -Daniel 10:20,21, Matthew 18:10, Acts 12:15,

Daniel's Grateful Hymn of Praise

 Daniel 2:20-23 YLT

^20" Daniel hath answered and said, `Let the name of God be blessed from age even unto age, for wisdom and might -- for they are His.

²¹ And He is changing times and seasons, He is causing kings to pass away, and He is raising up kings; He is giving wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those possessing understanding.

²² He is revealing deep and hidden things; He hath known what [is] in darkness, and light with Him hath dwelt.

²³ Thee, O God of my fathers, I am thanking and praising, for wisdom and might Thou hast given to me; and now, Thou hast caused me to know that which we have sought from Thee, for the king's matter Thou hast caused us to know.'"

This is a very relieved, very grateful Daniel and his friends exulting in the faithfulness of God.  There are some examples on the internet of people who have made this into a song, but it is asking a lot for anyone to recreate what would have been in the heart of a man who was going to be killed if God did not come through and do what had never been done, reveal another person's dream without that person giving even one clue as to what the dream was.  And just to add to it, Daniel also fearlessly gives the interpretation of the dream and although it acknowledged that God had made the current king of Babylon great, it also pointed to the very temporary nature of any and all of man's kingdoms.  Ultimately it belittled such kingdoms and reserved praise only for the Kingdom that would come from God to the chosen people  (Daniel 2:44) and here I must mention that "the Message" paraphrase is "clear as mud" on a very important point.   

NASB "And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever."Daniel 2:44

The Message “But throughout the history of these kingdoms, the God of heaven will be building a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will this kingdom ever fall under the domination of another. In the end it will crush the other kingdoms and finish them off and come through it all standing strong and eternal. It will be like the stone cut from the mountain by the invisible hand that crushed the iron, the bronze, the ceramic, the silver, and the gold. “The great God has let the king know what will happen in the years to come. This is an accurate telling of the dream, and the interpretation is also accurate.”

The Kingdom that God establishes is given to the chosen people, the Jews, the people of Daniel's race. Only Daniel and Ezra use the word in this verse translated "people". (this section of Daniel is in Aramaic in the original, one of the rare times the writings are not in Hebrew) Each time it is translated "people", but for some reason that is very muddled and not at all clear in the Message.  We can use and enjoy the Message as a supplement to our Bible reading but it is not adequate for true, deep study of God's word to us.  IMO

Stop and Remember, Communion

 The power of remembering.  When God remembers amazing things happen, a nation is brought out of bondage, a people is returned to their homeland, a Messiah is sent at the appointed time.

Yeshua commanded His disciples to remember.  His love is unequivocally demonstrated by His willing sacrifice on the cross.  His body broken for us is the unshakeable, undeniable proof of how far He is willing to go to demonstrate His love for us. There is a power given to us, a strong reminder of His love that will help to carry us through all the shaking that is ever increasing in this evil age.  His command to remember is a command of love and mercy, we need to remember.

Yeshua commanded His disciples to remember His blood, His Life, sealing the New Covenant.  The power that we need to walk in the Spirit, to live by the Spirit is found in His Life and His Life is in the blood.  We remember and we partake of that blood and a very real impartation of His life takes place as we drink.

That is the reality of communion, whether as part of a larger community meal or as a standalone event. 

We remember!