Revelation, Part 6: Lions and Dragons and Bears, Oh My!

“Worship is our response to what we value most.” – Louie Giglio

“Worship is attention.” – Matt Chandler

Revelation 14:6-7
Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

The question of Revelation: ?

The war in heaven:

Revelation 12:7-9
Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

The war on earth:

Revelation 13:1-3
The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast.

Revelation 13:10
This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.

Revelation 13:11-12
Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.

Revelation 13:18b
Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.

Revelation 13:18a
This calls for wisdom. 

Revelation 14:4
They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. 

Small Group Questions

1. What’s your definition of worship? What are some of the main things competing with God for your worship?
2. Where do you see Jesus in these middle chapters of Revelation? Where do you see hope?
3. With so much deception in this story, how do we make sure we worship the right things instead of giving our attention to counterfeits?
4. Revelation 14:4 says that the people of God “follow the Lamb wherever he goes.” What does that look like practically? How can we encourage one another in that journey?
5. What’s a way you can give more of your worship to Jesus this week?
6. How can we pray for you right now and throughout the week?