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Bible Study Series: 1999-2001
The Revelation of Jesus Christ

The Bowl Plagues: Part 1 (15:1-6;11)                                               17 January 2001

  I. PREPARATIONS
A. PRAISE & PRAYER (Please pray for the Lord’s Blessing on the Teaching & Preaching! see 2Th.1:11,12; 3:1; Eph.6:19,20; Col.4:2-4)

B. SCHEDULE: Prayer Meeting on 1/24; Bible studies on 1/31; 2/7,14; 3/1(Thursday); 3/6 (Tuesday)

C. NOTE: Ephesians 4:12; Hebrews 5:12

D. READ: Revelation 15:1-16:21

E. YOUR IMPRESSIONS & QUESTIONS

 II. THE BOWL PLAGUES: PART 1 (15:1,5-8; 16:1-11)

REVIEW & INTRODUCTION

1. Review the basic outline of Revelation so far, by chapters.

2. Review comparison charts (see photocopies)

INTRODUCTION TO THE BOWL PLAGUES, BEGUN (15:1)

1. How is this new section marked off? (see 12:1; 18:1)

2. How is this another sign? 
a. see 6:1f; 9:11f; also 12:1f

b. see 41f; 8:2f(9:1f; 10:1f; 11:1f); 12:1f(14:1f,6f,14f)

3. How is this a new sign? 
a. 1; see 13:3,12,14

b.1, see 7,8; 17; see Lev.26:21,18,24,28; see Ps.79:4; Dan.3:19

4. How is the new section related to the former beyond the literary overlap? (15:1,5 and 15:3)

INTRODUCTION TO THE BOWL PLAGUES, COMPLETED (15:5-8)

1. What did John see? (5; see 11:19)
a. When did he see it? (5)

b. What is the significance of this event? (5; see chp.4ff)

c. What is the significance of “testimony”? (5; see 1:5; 3:14; 19:11; also see Lev.9,10; 1Kngs.18; Heb.12:22f,29)

2. What is the significance of the appearance of the angels? (6; see 1:13)
a. What is the significance of who gives them the bowls? (7; see 4:6f; see 15:1; 5,6; 7b; see Ezk.1:15f; 10:2f(9:2f!),7! with 1Kngs.7:33,27f; see Hos.5:10)

b. Compare 5:8; 6:9-11; 8:3-5 and 15:6

c. Compare 15:7 with 14:10; 16:19; Is.51:17,22

d. What is the significance of how God is described? (7; see 14:11)

3. What was the effect of this? (8)
a. What is the significance of this? (8; see Ex.40:34; 1Kngs.8:10f; Ezk.10:3(44:4); Is.6:4; see Rev.19:11f; see Rev.14:11!)

b. Compare 15:1&8.  What is the significance of this? (see 15:17)

THE FIRST FIVE BOWL PLAGUES (16:1-11)

1. How does 16:1f complement 15:1,5-8? (see 12:1&10; see 15:17)

2. What is the message? (1; see Ps.79:6,12; Is.66:6)
a. What is the significance of where it comes from? (1; see 15:1,5)

b. What is the object of the action? (1,2(14:3,4); see 8,9; see 14:16,18; 13:12,14,14; see charts)

3. What is the first bowl plague? (2; see Ex.9:9-11; Dt.28:27,35)

4. What is the second bowl plague? (3; see 2nd trumpet, 8:8,9 with 13:16,17; 18:17,19 (16:19); see Ex.7:17-21

5. What is the third bowl plague? (4; see 3rd trumpet, 8:8,11; Ex.7:17-21; Ps.78:44; see Is.14:12,4f; see Rev.18:8,10-19; see 16:6//18:24)

6. What is striking about the excursus occurring here? (5-7; see 14:12,13)
a. What is the general character of this excursus? (5-7; see 15:3,4; chps.4,5)

b. What is the theme? (5a,7b)

c. How is this theme manifested? (5b,7b)

d. How is this theme proved? (6; see 19)

e. What is the significance of the second voice? (7; 14:13; see Dt.19:15; see see 6:9,10; 8:3-5; 9:13; 11:1; 14:18)

f. What is the significance of the Names of God here? (5b,7a; see 9b,11b)

7. What is the fourth bowl plague? (8,9)
a. see 6th angel in 9:17,18; also 11:5-7

b. see 14:10,18; 15:2; 17:16; 18:8; 19:12,20; 20:9,10,14,15; 21:8)

c. see Ex.19:18; Heb.12:18,29

d. see 7:16; Is.49:10; see Dt.32:24

8. What is the fifth bowl plague (10,11; see Ex.10:22; Rev.2:13; 13:1-7; see Mt.8:12; 22:13; 25:30; 2Pt.2:17=Jude 13)

9. How do men, left to themselves, respond to God’s judgments?
a. see 6th trumpet, 9:20,21

b. see 13:5,6; 8,16,17; see 2:20-22

c. contrast 7:1-4; 14:1,2; Ezk.9,10

III. DISCUSSION including suggestions for sermon focus, theme or topic

IV. CLOSING PRAYER

FOR NEXT WEEK: Prepare your items for praise, confession, thanksgiving and request