Keith had a great idea about possible meeting every week but having every other week or so be more of a hang out and discuss life week over grilled food, sporting events, etc. I’m up for the possibility and would love to do such events, however, part of the five week time frame for the book is due to the fact that Rena and I purchased a home in Omaha last week and will be moving in the end of June barring any major changes to our contract. Thus part of the reason for getting through the book in 5 or so weeks, but I’m very up for any spontaneous changes to the schedule and other scheduled outside study meetings to hang out and enjoy the summer weather.

I’d like to start things up next week (tentatively Tuesday the 11th at 7 in the Geneva House) and discuss the first chapter of Creation Regained – “What is a Worldview”. For getting the book there are a couple of options, let me know by this Wednesday by 5pm and I can put in an order to Amazon for the group, let me know if you’d like to order it through Grace Chapel and I’ll work out with the office how to make sure there are enough stocked on the back table, or go grab it yourself at your local bookstore.

Here’s the amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Creation-Regained-Biblical-Reformational-Worldview/dp/0802829694

And if you can’t get a physical copy in time for study, Google books has the first chapter up for reading online:

http://books.google.com/books?id=i9XhLLRAxmUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=creation+regained+albert+wolters&source=bl&ots=JGsxV7pgcU&sig=ejp08w690Rn5pwLdS6V5WcCJi8o&hl=en&ei=7UneS8z3LpPkNa7Ezd4P&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBkQ6AEwAA#v=twopage&q&f=false

Looking forward to seeing everyone once again.

Revelation came to a close last week, we had a great time closing out the book with discussions on the all the “news” new heaven, new earth, new Jerusalem. It was pretty sweet – seeing all the effects of sin, brokenness, and pain being washed away and the glorious light of God shine for ever and ever. The closing segments were full of some beautiful and pretty wild descriptions of just how perfect everything will be upon the consummation of history.

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So now we have the task of deciding what we shall do for the summer. I proposed we take a break from studying a book of the Bible proper and study more of a book about the Bible so to speak. Vinay had the great idea of looking at a book about the Christian world-view (did I say it was a great idea? It was a great idea). This will allow us to have a bit more of a laid back summer program, there will still be reading, but maybe we’ll meet every other week or something to allow us more time to read at our leisure.

Here are some book ideas we’ve come up with, shoot me an email and cast your vote for one or the other. We also need to revisit when we meet – should we keep it on Wed at 7? or do a Tuesday or Thursday meeting? Every week or every other week? Send me your thoughts on this regard as well.

Books (Check links for more in-depth details)

Total Truth – Nancy Pearcey and Phillip Johnson

The book that started this idea, a bit longer, 512 pages, but is an easy read that shouldn’t be hard to get through quickly.

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Creation Regained – Albert Wolters

Recommended by Mike Hsu, shorter, 143 pages, but he says a bit more to chew through – 8 chapters could be easy to split up over the summer.

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The Integrated Life – Douglas Wilson

While not technically a book…(audio) I really enjoyed listening through this a year or so ago. Give it a listen regardless if we use it or not for our discussions.

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Tearing Down Strongholds – RC Sproul

Just found this poking around on the internet – while not necessarily a straight worldview book, it does discuss the Christian worldview in conflict with others and how to navigate discussions surrounding them.

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To Everyone an Answer: A Case for the Christian Worldview – Greg Koukl et al.

Another just perusing Amazon – more of a collection of essays than concise book, but has some intriguing sections.

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Let the voting, commenting, and general mayhem of decision making begin!

Last week we read chapters 19 and 20 out loud before discussing them, just how Revelation was meant to be read. We went over the marriage supper of the lamb and the rider on the white horse. We noticed the similarities between this final battle and the other accounts of the final battle previously described in Revelation. Where some other battles talk about the heavenly host as all fighting against the powers of darkness, this one has the rider as the only one doing the fighting, by a double-edged sword coming out of his mouth. We went into a discussion about the power of words (to create, shape opinions, etc.) and how here the words (gospel) are what is slaying all the powers of darkness.

We also discussed a lot of the different perspectives on the thousand years (the millennium) which Vern discusses in his commentary.

This week we’ll be closing up the book by discussing the new heavens, new earth, new Jerusalem, the river of life, and some closing exhortations. Here are a couple questions to ponder:

Why all the details in describing the new heavens, earth, and Jerusalem? Do these specific descriptions have any deeper spiritual meanings?

The big theme which we’ve been discussing over and over is that God is in control of history and the future, with Christ as the ultimate triumphing lamb – the closing is full (I counted 4 references) of saying that Christ is coming again “soon.” How do we take this saying given that these words were written close to two centuries later?

Looking forward to being with you all again this Wednesday

Bryan

Looking forward to seeing everyone again this week.

Bryan

Since I’ll be gone until late Tuesday the 30th, don’t count on my posting any questions for preparation, but please take a read or two through the passage and check out what good ol’ Vern has to say.

See you all next week.

Last week we went over chapters 14-16, focused a lot of our discussion on the harvest passage and the cup of God’s wrath poured out upon unbelief and and unrepentant world. We looked at the totality of the seven bowls that cause destruction upon the entirety of creation.

This week we’re reading chapters 17-18 and are introduced to the Great Prostitute and see the fall of Babylon described. Here’s some questions as you mull over what you read / have read:

We talked about the counterfeit trinity (Dragon, Beast, Prophet), it seems like the Great Prostitute could be a false Bride (the Church) – in what ways is the prostitute imitating the Church? In what key ways is she different? How/Why are people seduced by her and how can that be a warning for us?

There are some poems from groups lamenting the downfall of the prostitute, who are they and why are the lamenting her demise? In what ways were they attached to her and what can we glean from the metaphorical principles she embodies to apply to our own walks and lives?

Hope to see you all tomorrow evening at 7pm in the Geneva House.

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Last week we discussed chapter 13 and looked at the two beast which the dragon raises out of the land and the sea. We spent a bit of time discussing all of the various imitations these creatures and their actions have in relation to the true trinity and to Christ (father, son, spirit – dragon, beast, prophet; christ rising from the dead – the beast’s seemingly “mortal” wound; etc.) We also spent some time on the beast’s mark that he imprints on all his followers and how there seem to be some clear lines being made between the followers of Christ and those of the beast. A great point that Keith brought up was the seeming ease and lack of questioning the masses undertook before following the beast and applied it to contemporary culture; the beast is pretty powerful and cool, seems to be able to do a lot, how could it be bad? Satan (the dragon/beasts) seems to do a very good job of being quite deceitful, we’d do well to heed the warnings toward perseverance and not be deceived by seemingly innocent, harmless, and “good and powerful” things that can easily distract us from true worship directed toward the true God.

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This week as we go through the next three chapters we’ll be reintroduced to the 14400, have three angels finish up the “symbolic histories” section, do some harvesting, and go through the seven plagues/seven bowls.

We see the aspect of “marking” once again this time with Christ’s followers being marked – what have we discussed so far as the importance of these markings and how would this have any implication on our current lives? The saints also proceed to sing a song which only they can learn, because they are pure/virgins – what does the concept of sexual purity have to do with these saints and with the song they sing?

The harvest metaphors are a pretty powerful story, based on what you know about harvests and based on other portions of scripture that use harvest stories, what’s going on here?

This week’s section has a lot of singing and praising God for his just wrath against evil, we are often very quick to praise God for all his good blessings and provisions, but as a culture we don’t usually praise God as a just, holy, and wrathful ruler. Why can these characters in Revelation bust out some powerful and heartfelt praise for the horrible calamities poured out upon evil and what can we learn and apply from these praises to our own life and culture?

We finish up our time with the seven bowls of God’s wrath – in many ways these are similar to the trumpets we’ve already seen (or heard if you will) but what ways are the different? How does this progress the narrative of Revelation toward completion?

Men’s Bible Study is back once again this week, March 3rd at 7:00pm in the Grace Chapel Geneva House – on the discussion docket for the evening we have Revelation chapter 13.

Last week we looked at chapters 11-12 and discussed the two witnesses, their proclamation of truth to an unbelieving and scorning world who end up killing them for their testimonies. However the Lord raises them from the dead and into heaven amidst a great earthquake. We did note a contrast with previous calamities, in those the peoples’ hearts were hardened, after the witnesses were raised up and the earthquake came, those remaining were terrified and gave glory to God.

The seventh trumpet once again ushers in Christ’s final return and reign on earth. The elders bust out a sweet song glorifying God’s righteous judgment and realignment of a crooked world.

We begin another set of stories, this time more akin to a telling of Lord of the Rings – we get the great dragon (or serpent if you prefer) waring against the seed of the woman (see Genesis ch3). A massive heavenly battle in which the dragon is defeated and “the salvation and the power and kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down”; the dragon is cast to earth and is a bit angry to say the least and sets of to make war even though he knows he’s ultimately already been defeated (think of Ben Loos’s wounded bear in an alley analogy).

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This week some questions as we consider the two beasts which the dragon calls out of the sea and the earth:

The first beast is a crazy conglomeration of beasts with wacky horns and crowns, a real ugly and powerful beast who can at best imitate the power of Christ. As always, Vern has a great bullet point list with some of the imitations:

http://www.frame-poythress.org/Poythress_books/Returning_King/BRvCom12.htm (almost halfway down the page)

What do you think is the point of all these imitations?  What do the actions of the beast and its followers tell us about the beast’s goals and desires for the earth?

Verse 8 contains a very reassuring and powerful passage granting confidence to believers – stating that all will worship the beast except those whose names have been written in the book of life since before the foundation of the world – how can this be a reassurance for us?

The second beast is an imitation of the Holy Spirit completing the mock trinity (dragon, beast, prophet/beast 2). What is the significance of a mark? In what ways are Christians marked?

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See you all Wednesday.

This Wednesday we will once again meet in the Grace Chapel Geneva House at 7 pm to discuss Revelation 11-12.

Last week we discussed chapters 7-12 and thought through the implications of what it means to be sealed, the great multitude, the seventh seal, and looked at the first six trumpet blasts. We discussed the symbolic significance of the 144,000 as a number of completion, not necessarily a specific number – which corresponds with the great multitude – and their sealing saving them from the wrath of God poured out upon unbelief. We also looked at the first six trumpets and discussed their devastation of the Earth.

This week we’re reading chapters 11-12 about the two witnesses and the woman and the dragon. There are a lot of dates and numbers, especially in chapter 11, which we can see as 42 months, 1260 days, or time time and half a time (all meaning 3 1/2 years – half of the perfect number 7). Don’t get too caught up in all the numerology, it’s important but important in that it expresses completeness or incompleteness, nothing specific.

Here are some questions to ponder:

What does it mean to “witness?” – the two witnesses are obviously a very important part of the narrative John is telling us. Why spend half a chapter talking about these two words going out into the world and the world rejecting their words and killing their bodies?

How are these two witnesses vindicated? They’re killed, not buried, and left out to rot and are open to men’s despising – what happens and why would that be an important part of the narrative?

What does it mean for the “kingdom of the world to becoem the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever”? In this last half of 11 we get another perspective on the second coming, think about the song of the elders and what it means for the return of Christ.

Chapter 12 is almost something straight out of the pages of Lord or the Rings or the Hobbit – a dragon and a woman and a child. I don’t know if I have a whole lot of questions about his chapter as I’d like us to simply read it as the narrative John gives us – full of its own intrigue and plot.

Look forward to seeing everyone Wednesday,

Bryan

Also sorry for the tardyness of this email as well, I think I need to set up some type of reminders to get these out much earlier in the week.

For tomorrow we’ll be looking over chapters 7-10, this is covering a lot of ground so if there is something you’d like to discuss please bring it up during group as I won’t be focusing on all of the text but rather portions of the total reading.

Here are some questions to think about as your reading/re-reading/mulling over the text tonight and tomorrow before group:

What’s the sealing of the 144,000 have to do with the flow of the story? There’s also some funny business going on with the tribes John lists (Manasseh was a son of Joseph not Israel, Joseph’s other son Ephraim wasn’t mentioned, nor was Dan an actual son of Israel) – seems like the list isn’t meant to be taken literally (i.e. 12000 no more, no less from these specific tribes) but to express a literary device expressing the faithfulness and fullness of God’s sealing his people. So again, what’s with the “sealing” and why Israel, not Gentiles?

As the seventh seal is opened, there is silence in heaven, a bit anticlimactic huh? Why silence, why not lots of bells and whistles, thunder and lightning?

Note: after the seven seals we get taken back to the beginning with another set of seven (trumpets) here’s some of the odd time changing stuff I mentioned could easily trip us up.

There’s a lot of overlap between the seven trumpets and some of the plagues on Egypt, and both are aimed at an unrepentant people. Think over the various judgments and read through the plagues in Exodus if you get some time (7-12.5)

As with the seals, we get an interlude before the blowing of the final trumpet in chapter 10, why is John commanded to keep secret the words of the thunder (he’s shared a lot already, why not some more details) and what’s with the tasting like honey but being bitter in the stomach, even more, why eat the scroll?

I’m excited to rejoin you all tomorrow, hope these questions can get some thoughts going in our minds before we get together and open God’s word.

Bryan