The Lion is the Lamb
A Study of the Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is one of the most misunderstood books in the Bible. Too often it’s treated like a code to be cracked or a roadmap of the end times. But at its heart, Revelation is resistance literature saturated in what we might now call liberation theology. It was written to and from marginalized communities living under the shadow of Roman oppression. It’s not about predicting the future so much as giving courage in the present.
In this four-week study, we’ll approach Revelation as a word of hope for communities under pressure. The book calls its readers to “endure” in the face of empire, showing that true victory comes not through force but through faithful witness, even when it leads to suffering. At the center is the great paradox of Christian faith: the Lion who conquers is revealed as a slain Lamb, whose self-giving love unmasks the powers of violence and redefines what it means to overcome.
Together, we’ll explore Revelation’s reversal of power, its call to resistance, and its vision of a new creation where God dwells with humanity and the nations are healed. Join us as we discover how this strange and beautiful book still speaks a word of courage, endurance, and hope today.
Week 1 — Endurance (Rev. 1–3)
Focus: Context of Domitian’s rule; apocalyptic literature as resistance literature and liberation theology.
Theologian Spotlight: Gustavo Gutierrez
Key Texts: Revelation 1 (vision of Christ), Revelation 2–3 (letters to the seven churches).
Themes: “Remain faithful,” “endure,” “to the one who conquers…”
Interpretive Move: Martyrdom = endurance = victory.
Takeaway Question: What does endurance look like for communities under pressure today? What is liberation theology?
Week 2 — The Slain Lamb (Rev. 4–7)
Focus: Throne room vision (Rev. 4–5), the scroll, the slain Lamb revealed as the true conqueror.
Theologian Spotlight: Elsa Tamez
Key Texts: Revelation 5 (lion/lamb paradox), Revelation 6–7 (seals and the washing of robes).
Themes: Irony of apocalyptic dualism — the apparent winners (Rome) are losers, and the slain are victorious.
Interpretive Move: Victory does not come through killing but through suffering love and fidelity to Christ.
Takeaway Question: How might the Lamb’s way of power reshape our understanding of resistance?
Week 3 — The Beasts and Babylon: Unmasking Empire (Rev. 12–18)
Focus: Dragon, beasts, and the whore of Babylon as images of Roman power.
Theologian Spotlight: James Cone
Key Texts: Revelation 13 (the beast and the false prophet), Revelation 17–18 (Babylon’s downfall).
Themes: The Emperor (first beast), Roman propaganda/imperial cult (second beast), economic exploitation (Babylon).
Interpretive Move: To “endure” is to resist and to “come out of her” — disengaging from systems of idolatry, violence, and greed.
Takeaway Question: What does it mean to resist the beasts of our own time? What systems of oppression do we need to “come out of”?
Week 4 — Victory of the Lamb: Healing of the Nations (Rev. 19–22)
Focus: Final victory of the Lamb, the New Jerusalem, God’s dwelling with humanity.
Theologian Spotlight: Jurgen Moltmann
Key Texts: Revelation 19:11–16 (the rider on the white horse), Revelation 21–22 (new creation, healing of the nations).
Themes: God’s victory is restorative, not destructive — the nations are healed, the curse is lifted.
Interpretive Move: The apocalypse ends not in escape but in God’s descent, dwelling with humanity.
Takeaway Question: How do we live today as citizens of the New Jerusalem, resisting evil while anticipating healing?
