Elective: Revelation
Facilitated by Harry Strauss
Room: Lounge
March 2 – June 15, 2025 (no elective April 20, May18)
Class Description
This class will interpret Revelation from the perspective of the seven churches (Rev. 2-3), written against the backdrop of end times. Key emphases will include the centrality of Christ, persecution, the security of the believer, perseverance, the throne of God, Satan, judgment, return of Christ, the rendering of justice, the New Jerusalem, and commitment over compromise. This is an opportunity to gain a good grasp of the book of Revelation…and its clarion call to discipleship.
Revelation Reading
It would be profitable to always read (and reread) the biblical content for the Sunday before the class. The schedule is as follows:
- March 2: Revelation 1, Vision of Christ
- March 9: Revelation 2 and 3, Seven Churches
- For these chapter see the note below about watching YouTube videos by Dr. Joe Stowell
- March 16: Revelation 4 and 5, Throne; God Reigns
- March 23: Revelation 6 and 7, Seven Seals/Sealing of Believers
- March 30: Revelation 6 and 7, Seven Seals/Sealing of Believers (cont’d)
- April 6. Revelation 8 and 9, Seven Trumpets
- April 13. Revelation 10-11, Witness of John and the church
- April 20. No class, Easter Sunday
- April 27: Revelation 12 to 14, Theological Center
- May 4: Revelation 12 to 14, Theological Center (cont’d)
- May 11. Revelation 15 to 19:10, Seven Bowls of Wrath.
- May 18. No class, Victorria Day long weekend
- May 25: Revelation 15 to 19:10, Seven Bowls of Wrath (cont’d)
- June 1. Revelation 19:11 to 20:15, Return, Judgments, Reign
- June 8. Revelation 21-22, The New Jerusalem/Epilogue
- June 15. Revelation 1-22. Seven Summary Themes
YouTube Resource for Revelation 2-3
An excellent video series on Revelation 2-3 is that of Dr. Joe Stowell, made onsite where the seven churches were located. Ideally, some or all of them would be watched. All of them can be found on YouTube. If there was time to only watch one, view the first one “The 7 Churches of Revelation”.
- The 7 Churches of Revelation, 27 minutes long
- Ephesus: The 7 Churches of Revelation, 26 minutes long
- Smyrna: The 7 Churches of Revelation, 26 minutes long
- Pergamum: The 7 Churches of Revelation, 26 minutes long
- Sardis: The 7 Churches of Revelation, 26 minutes long
- Thyatira and Philadelphia: The 7 Churches of Revelation, 26 minutes long
- Laodicea: The 7 Churches of Revelation, 26 minutes long
Textbook Reading
For those who might wish to read a commentary that will parallel the Forest Grove classes, the recommendation is Gordon Fee’s Revelation. New Covenant Commentary Series, 2010. The book is available on Amazon for $59 for paperback; $9.99 for Kindle.
Video Recordings
Lord willing, the sessions at Forest Grove will be recorded and uploaded on YouTube. Look under “Harry Strauss and Revelation”. (Don’t confuse the search with presentations entitled NGMC Revelation Class 2020, made at a different church.)
Contact
For questions, comments, resources, etc., contact can be made with Harry Strauss via email: strauss.harry@gmail.com
Small Group Resource
For those interested in potentially doing a 10-session small group study of Revelation via a thematic approach (as opposed to verse by verse, chapter by chapter), please contact Harry Strauss for a copy of the resource. It might work best as a resource used after the March to June classes. Equally it could be used during the Forest Grove classes, though there wouldn’t be alignment with the classes. The classes will follow a chapter-by-chapter approach; the small group resource works with seven summary themes.
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