Men's Bible Study - RLC

Revelation - We examine the breaking of the 5th and 6th seals on the scroll and narrow down who the 144,000 are.

Revelation  - Jesus broke the first four seals of the scroll and we examined the meaning and purpose of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Revelation - We examine the correlations and allusions between the plagues in Egypt (the first redemption) and the upcoming tribulation (the second redemption).

Revelation - In chapter 5, we are allowed to see Jesus' death and resurrection from the other side of the veil. Genesis 34:26-31 - Killing all the men wasn't enough - they plundered the remaining property, flocks, women, and children. Jacob was miffed.

Revelation - In chapter 4, we join into a heavenly worship - specifically the kedusha . WE also see some interesting connections to visions that Isaiah and Ezekiel had. Genesis 34:21-25 - Hamor and Shechem convince the townspeople to 'merge' with Jacob's clan (and being circumcised). Simeon and Levi leverage their weakened state and kill all the men.

Revelation - We review the letter to Laodicea. We examine the meaning of hot, cold, and lukewarm. We also dig a little deeper into some connections to Proverbs 8.

Revelation - We review the letter to Philadelphia. These believers are praised for holding fast to what they'd been taught. Their encouragement is to keep it up (lest they lose their crown???)!

Revelation - We review the letter to Sardis. Even in the midst of serious persecution there were those who only 'played church'. The call was to conquer evil through acts of righteousness and, though it sounds very strange to us, to be worthy.

Revelation - We review the letter to Thyatira - what they did right and what they tolerated. We looked more deeply at 'Jezebel' and 'the deep things of Satan'.

Revelation - We looked into the hidden manna and the white stone with a name on it (from the letter to Pergamum). Genesis 34:11-20 - Shechem adds to what his father had proposed with his own personal plea. Jacob's sons answer deceitfully.

Revelation - We take a closer look at the letter to Pergamum (where Satan's throne is). Genesis 34.1-10 - We begin the story of Dinah at Shechem. We cover the violent assault and Hamor's attempt to 'make a deal'.

Revelation - We examined the 'epistle' to Smyrna and tried to define what a 'Synagogue of Satan' actually is. Genesis 33:17-20 - After Jacob reunites with Esau, he immediately heads in the opposite direction and sets up a home in Succoth and then moves to the outskirts of Shechem.

Revelation - We take a closer look at the Nicolaitans - who were they and why were their deeds and teaching hated? Genesis 33:1-16 - Jacob and Esau finally meet and to everyone's surprise, it goes very well!

Revelation - We examined the first 'letter' to the assemblies, the letter to Ephesus in 2:1-7.

Revelation - We look closely at 'the seven Spirits' who are before the throne. They will play an important part in the upcoming story. Genesis 32:24-32 - We examine Jacob's encounter with a man (angel? God?) - with whom Jacob wrestles until dawn.

Revelation - We look at John's intentional connections back to Daniel's apocalypse (and why John was making them) and some important points concerning angels. Genesis 32:10-23 - We examine Jacob's prayer and Jacob's approach to his brother Esau - waves of gifts.

Revelation - Intro to the book, the genre, the historical context, interpretive approach, etc... (Part 3) Genesis 32:1-9 - Jacob now prepares for meeting Esau. He encounters God, sends messengers to Esau, gets word Esau appears to be prepared for war, splits his camp, and goes to God in prayer.

Revelation - Intro to the book, the genre, the historical context, etc... (Part 2) Genesis 31:43-55 - Laban and Jacob cut a covenant to do each other no harm. Laban disappears from the story after this, but the relationship ends in peace.

Revelation  - Intro to the book, the genre, the historical context, etc... Genesis 31:33-42  - We continue the saga of Jacob's departure from Laban with a look at the showdown over the stolen idols. It seemed there was plenty of right and wrong to go around.

Genesis 31:11-32 - We continue the saga of Jacob's departure from Laban and his seeming 'race' across the land. We've got people behaving badly and lots of hurt because of it. We even question if Jacob inadvertently spelled Rachel's doom.

Genesis 30:29-31:10 - We continued our study of Jacob and his relationship with Laban. Things are getting worse between them. It appears that God has been preparing Jacob and Laban for Jacob's return to the promised land.

Genesis 30:10-28 - We continue to look at Jacob's children that are being born and the disintegrating family dynamic that continues to brew - now including Laban. In fact, Jacob wants to leave and Laban wants him to stay - why each one wants what he wants is the interesting part...

Genesis 29:28-30:9 - Jacob finally has Rachel for a wife (along with Leah) and we examine the family dynamics during the birth of the first six sons. (Jacob even obtained an extra "wife".)

Genesis 29:9-27 - We continue looking at Jacob's introduction to his family in Haran, Jacob's bargain for Rachel, and Laban's behavior at the conclusion of that agreement.

Genesis 28:13-29:8 - Jacob recognizes that the place of his dream is important - possibly even the temple mount! (tradition). Jacob makes Abraham and Isaac's God his God as God also makes Jacob His chosen continuation of the covenant with Abraham. Additionally, Jacob makes it to Haran.