Why All the Weird Images?

Breaking the Code
Why All the Weird Images?

I. Introduction

A. “What kind of am I reading?”

1. “ Literature”

2. Apocalyptic Literature was written back in John’s day to give oppressed people .

3. John was seeking to communicate truth—but he was doing it by using the tools of human language.

4. “What did the Apostle John—the pastor who loved these churches—want to understand about what he’s writing?”

II. Key Images from the Seven Trumpets

A. An burner

1. Revelation 8:1-5 (NLT)

2. “Incense” – – the “ of God’s people”

3. Our matter!

4. Prayer things!

B. imagery

1. Revelation 8:6-12 (NLT)

2. The judgment of God is —but God is still limiting it!

3. Just as judgment came upon Egypt, so judgment will come upon !

4. God’s desire in sending judgment is to bring people to .

5. Revelation 9:20a (NLT) But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God.

6. “God whispers to us in our pleasures, but He shouts to us in our pain.” (C.S. Lewis)

7. This does not mean the Bible teaches that any time a person is in pain, it’s because God is them.

C. The small

1. Revelation 10:8-11 (NLT)

D. Two

1. Revelation 11:1 (NLT) Then I was given a measuring stick, and I was told, “Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers.”

2. “I’m going to keep track of of My people. Measure the Temple. Measure the altar. Count the number of worshipers. I keep track of every one of them.”

3. Revelation 11:3-6 (NLT)

4. John is talking—in a symbolic way—about the witness of the —the witness of the people of God throughout history.

5. Revelation 11:7-10 (NLT)

6. Revelation 11:11 (NLT) But after three and a half days, God breathed life into them, and they stood up! Terror struck all who were staring at them.

7. 3 ½ is of the people of God being overrun by those who oppose God.

8. Revelation 11:12 (NLT) Then a loud voice from heaven called to the two prophets, “Come up here!” And they rose to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched.

9. “ itself cannot touch the Church! Death itself cannot touch you! The witnesses will have the last word.”

10. Revelation 11:15-17 (NLT) ¹⁵Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven: “The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.” ¹⁶The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones before God fell with their faces to the ground and worshiped him. ¹⁷And they said, “We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who always was, for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign.”

11. Wouldn’t it be great if you had a whole bunch of people to bring with you to heaven—people who had met Jesus because of to them?

III. Conclusion