January 17, 2019

Rev 4:11, 5:9-10,12: Praise the Lamb Who Makes Us a Kingdom and Priests

In tonight's study, we look at a canticle of praise comprised of several verses in Revelation 4 and 5 used as the last of the psalms in the Evening Office for the Solemnity of All Saints.  We also examine the verses in between to gain context.  This leads us primarily to a discussion of how great Jesus is, how He is the bridge between the Creator and creation, the Mediator, the Way, how He Himself is the Gospel, and why we would burst into such praise of Him.  We explore some of the Old Testament images and themes used by John in Revelation.  We digress a bit about how our prayers and lives can be a pleasing aroma to God as well as on the Millennium and possible answers to the question of over whom the Saints reign in the Kingdom.  We then stopped the cameras and prayed the Evening Office together.

September 13, 2018

Rev 19:1-8 - The Bride Has Made Herself Ready

Tonight's study started with the background of the pictured destruction of Rome and the harlot upon the beast that set the stage for Revelation 19.  We briefly discuss the word "Hallelujah" and its evolution into "Alleluia".  We spend some time examining the idea of eternal punishment and what the earliest Church believed about it.  We conclude with an exploration of the bride making herself ready.

August 23, 2018

Rev 11:17-12:12 God and His People Victorious and The Song of Simeon - A Light to the Gentiles

Our first session tonight briefly introduced the Book of Revelation and explored a hymn of praise used in the Week I Thursday Evening Office created from Rev 11:17-18 and Rev 12:10-12.  We highlighted the conflict with the power of the State and Gnosticism, discuss the return of Jesus and the resurrection of the dead, the reward or the Saints, and asked if we love God with parts of our lives like these martyrs loved God with all of their lives.

Our second session explored the Nunc Dimittis or the Song of Simeon in Luke 2:29-32.  We presented the background and the "Consolation of Israel" Simeon was awaiting, the dramatic change in scope from the previous canticles in Luke to include salvation for all people, and the need for us to present the same light to the nations.

After that, we turned off the cameras and prayed the Week I Thursday Evening Office together.