Queen's Road Cell

 The Hebrew only has 2 words •        “You shall not murder.” (Ex 20:13, Dt 5:17) •        ‎ רצח (r-ṣ-ḥ, transliterated retzach, ratzákh, ratsakh) does not prohibit all killing, but unlawful killing. •        Not all killing is murder   (= 'unauthorized, intentional or hostile killing of one human being by another‘). Self-defense, capital punishment, just war •        The commandment protects innocent life.  The Bible tells us that God highly values human life because man is made in God’s image. And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. 6  “Whoever sheds the blood of man,      by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.(Gen 9:5-6)   Even animals are called to acc...

 5th trumpet : the star fallen from heaven to earh given the key to the bottomless pit, opens it and releases locusts. 6th trumpet : the release of the 4 angels bound at the Euphrates, leading mounted troops. 1/3 of mankind die   Interlude 7th trumpet only in 11:15       2. The first four seals were limited judgment: oil and wine were spared from the famine (6:6); only a fourth of humanity died (6:8). How do the first four trumpets compare (8:7-12)? A third of earth, sea and waters were destroyed. A third of humanity dies (9:18) For Further Study: God sent plagues on Egypt to deliver His people from slavery, reveal His power, judge the Egyptians for idolatry, and prove that the gods of Egypt were false. Compare the plagues In Exodus 7:14-11:10 to the judgments of trumpets and bowls In Revelation. What echoes of Exodus do you observe In Revelation? What do you think God is saying by planning these echoes?       Trumpets ...

12. What happens when the Lamb opens the seventh seal (8:1-5)?   How would you feel In John's place, seeing this?   The silence stops the praises of the angels and the redeemed. This highlights the drama and suspense for what is to come - God's judgment (Zep 1:7-10, Zec 2:13). It is not an awkward pause of something gone wrong. John would be full of expectancy and awe (even fear). Once we know the capacity of God to act, His silence becomes even more signiicant. Silence in worship (Heb 2:20) is legitimate. We are content to hear him and to stop speaking ourselves. We are struck dumb before him, contented in His presence (Ps 131:2) The heavenly alter unites the roles of sacrifice (6:3) and offering (8:3) (cf. Ex 27:1-8, 30:1-10).    13. When the seventh seal is opened, there is first silence, then prayer. How do you interpret the heavenly response to the saints' prayers (8:5)? John has a vision of the heavenly altar and judgment in response to the pray...

 9. What happens in ... 7:1-8 The 144000 are sealed  7:9-17 The great multitude worships    The 144000 have been identified with Believing Jews, perhaps saved out of the great tribulation (while Gentile believers have been raptured before the tribulation) All believers during the tribulation All believers for all time   144000 = 12x 12 for completeness, 10x10x10 to represent the presence of God, like the new Jerusalem and the Holy of Holies.    Note that the lists of the tribes of Israel differ markedly throughout the Bible. The tribes of Dan and Ephraim are omitted here whereas Joseph is mentioned together with his son Manasseh. The promoaion of tribes descended from Bilhah and ZIlpah (Gad, Asher, Napthali) suggest those once excluded from privilegare are now included. The southern tribes begin and end the list with the symmetrical "were sealed".   John first 'heard' the number of the sealed (v.7) then he sees (v.9) The 'great multitu...

 1. What happens when the Lamb opens each of the first six seals? 1 A white horse 2 A red horse 3 A black horse 4 A pale horse 5 The martyrs under the altar demand justice 6 A great earthquake, sun is darkened, moon red, stars fall, sky vanishes, mountains and islands removed. Earthly peoples know that the wrath of God and the Lamb has come on them.   2. From the descriptions in 6:2-8, what do you think each of  the four horsemen represents? white = militarism, conquest, ambition. possibly leading to the other 3, or false religion Unlikely to be Christ and the conquering gospel, because of  - parallels with seals and trumpets - similarity to the other 3 riders - holding of a bow, not a sword   red = war and violence black = famine and inflated (8-10x normal) grain prices, but limited. Perhaps the rich will not suffer. pale [' chloros ') = Death and Hades, given power over 1/4 of the earth. The riders are "given" and "permitted" - they remain under God's ...