Chapter # 1 Paragraph # 2 Study # 4
May 21, 2023
Broadlands, Louisiana
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Thesis: John's "to Him the glory and dominion forever and ever" is a desire rooted in the things Jesus has accomplished for us.
Introduction: In our last study we considered the "sources" of the "Grace and Peace" that John desired for his readers. We saw that "Grace" and "Peace" are the two things that we need above all others. And we saw that they are to be ours by the working of the Triune God.
This evening we are going to jump ahead of the declarations of what Jesus has done for us to the desire of John that, because of His works on our behalf, He should get the "Glory" and "Dominion" involved in those activities.
- I. John's Ascription Of Glory And Dominion To Jesus.
- A. The issues involved.
- 1. To Him the "Glory".
- a. "Glory" is a multifaceted concept.
- 1) At its roots is the concept of "essence".
- a) 15:8 -- the "glory" generates "smoke" that fills the temple in heaven.
- b) 18:1 -- the earth was "lightened" by the "glory" of this angel.
- c) 21:11 -- the city is "brilliant" because it contains the "glory" of God.
- d) 21:23 -- the city has no need of the sun because of the presence of the "glory" of God and the Lamb.
- e) 21:24 -- the earth gets its "light" from this same "glory" and the kings of the earth bring their "glory" into it (i.e., the results of their labors).
- f) 21:26 -- repeats 21:24.
- 2) Out of essence comes the concept of "credit".
- a) 4:9 -- the living creatures around the throne (4:6) are described in terms of "verbal recognition of The One Who sits upon the heavenly throne".
- b) 4:11 -- the twenty-four elders fall down and worship ... saying, "You are worthy O Lord to receive "glory"... .
- c) 5:12 -- an innumerable number of angels, the living creatures, and the twenty-four elders acknowledge the worthiness of the Lamb to receive recognition in regard to seven aspects of the results of His being slain, one of which is "glory".
- d) 5:13 -- all creatures agree with the legitimacy of this "acknowledgement".
- e) 7:12 -- the same groups that are in 5:13 again ascribe seven aspects of the underlying "salvation to God" (7:10) cry of the innumerable multitude that comes out of "The Great Tribulation" (7:14).
- f) 11:13 -- those not killed by the great earthquake "give glory to the God of heaven": this is "recognition", not "worship".
- g) 14:7 -- the summons of "the everlasting gospel" includes "giving glory to God".
- h) 16:9 -- the depravity of men under judgment for their wickedness add this to it: they did not "repent", nor "give Him glory" (admit God's reality and essence).
- i) 19:1 -- a vast multitude gives "glory" to God for the destruction of The Harlot.
- j) 19:7 -- the call is to give "glory" to The Almighty God because it is time for the marriage of the Lamb.
- 3) Out of "credit" comes the human/angelic responses of "worship".
- a) There are multiple references in this book to "worship" springing out of the recognition of the "glory" of God.
- b) This "worship" takes many forms, but mostly it is exuberant verbal outbursts.
- b. "Dominion" is a precise reality of "wisely applied strength" to produce the intended outcome.
- 1) There are only two uses of "dominion" as kratos in The Revelation: 1:6 and 5:13.
- 2) The word focuses upon the organizational structure of "strength" that makes the outcome sure.
- B. The roots of this expressed outcome.
