Maadi Women's Bible Study

6. The Book of Revelation: So Much More (ch.7 It is worse than you think better imagine)

Questions

As you reflect on past 2 weeks can you think of a situation where you consciously gave thought to the “Way of the Lamb” and chose to walk in it? Share with the group how you and maybe others benefited.

John is writing to churches that are enduring persecution and suffering and he is not promising them ease or safety. We know from other NT passages that being a follower of Jesus will involve suffering. The deepest and truest promises John is offering is for protection from the second death. How do you feel about this? Do you feel it is a satisfying promise?

A favorite image for many of us is that of Revelation 7:17: “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” What pain do you carry that you are eager to have “wiped away”? How does this image of God affect how you pray?

5. The Book of Revelation: So Much More (ch. 6 saints under the altar)

Questions

• As you read and listen to this text what feelings arise in you? Do you feel fearful or emboldened? Does the passage raise questions or doubts?
• Have you experienced a situation where you longed for vindication and justice? Did you receive it? If not how have you handled that? If so how did it change you?
• Are there areas of your life that tempt you to want to run from God in fear rather than run to him in faith?

4. The Book of Revelation: So Much More (ch.5)

Helpful Context: This lesson was taught 2 days after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel and a day after another devastating earthquake in Afghanistan that killed 2400. 

Questions

1. What do we learn about God’s sovereignty from this passage?  How does His sovereignty encourage you and/or challenge you?
2. Why is it right and loving for God to judge sin and exact justice? Why is it important to acknowledge and understand that God is both merciful and wrathful and not emphasize one over the other?
3. How might you be more intentional about praying and living out a “Thy Kingdom Come…” mentality?

3. The Book of Revelation: So Much More (ch. 4 He Who Has Ears to Hear)

1. As you look at these 7 churches and their struggles where do you see that you share some of these faulty ideas and similar struggles.
2. In ch. 4 The heavenly liturgy calls God the “ruler of everything,” and emphasizes God’s glory, honor, and power. How is this vision of God similar to the way you most often think about God, how is it different? What effect does this vision have on you? Why?

2. The Book of Revelation: So Much More ( ch.2)

Questions

1. What is something that stood out to you that you were not aware of before?

2. How could this awesome (in literal sense of inspiring awe and terror) picture of Jesus be an encouragement to the 7 Churches suffering at that time?

1. The Book of Revelation: So Much More (ch.1 Introduction)

Questions

1. What is your knowledge, background or initial thoughts concerning the book of Revelation?
2. Read 1:6. What do you think this means? What other Bible texts inform your thinking about this verse?
3. What verses in ch. 1 are portraying the authority and power and overall rule and domain of Jesus. When you read these what feelings do they inspire in you?

12. The Power of Story: Esther and Ruth (ch. 4)

Questions

1. In what ways can you see that Ruth rejected or resisted the philosophy of caution?
2. What have you learned from Ruth’s bold example that you could apply in your life?
3. Why do you think years (hundreds) later the genealogy was added to this story? What feelings do you have about the ending of the book? Satisfying…still wanting answers…too good to be true…

11. The Power of Story: Esther and Ruth (ch. 3:8-ch.4)

Questions

1. What do you think are differences between why Naomi’s apparently self concocted solution to her situation (Ruth to present herself to Boaz at the threshing floor) was blessed by God and positively furthered his story while Abraham and Sara’s self concocted plan to further their family line through Hagar was NOT?

2. How does Ruth and Boaz’s generous interpretation of the law

foreshadow Jesus’ teaching of the Beatitudes?

3. In what ways does this kind of rule breaking help you imagine the endless possibilities to the greatest command to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself”?

10. The Power of Story: Esther and Ruth (ch.3)

Questions

1. Can you recall a time of emerging from a deep spiritual darkness? Was it a sudden awareness or gradual? To whom and how did you express that you saw that God was still at work?
2. What do you think are some of the lessons we are intended to learn from this story? Does aspects of the story make you uncomfortable? Why or why not?
3. What are areas of my life where I need to be bolder, more of a risk taker?

9. The Power of Story: Esther and Ruth (ch.1:8 Hesed God’s relentless tenderness)

Questions

1. What made Ruth’s decision (1:16-17) so radical? 

2.   Read Ps. 13 where is hesed present and how does it change David’s perspective?

3.   Describe a time in your own life that spoke God’s hesed for you.