Prophets II Catholic Bible study Lesson 23

Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks
Through His Servants the Prophets

Volume II: Restoration & Redemption

Lesson 23 A Revelation: Jesus Christ, King of Kings & Lord of Lords
the book of Revelation 10:1–11
the book of Revelation 11:1–6
the book of Revelation 11:19—12:5
the book of Revelation 12:7–8
the book of Revelation 13:1–8
the book of Revelation 17:1–6
the book of Revelation 19:6–9
the book of Revelation 19:11–16
the book of Revelation 21:9–15
the book of Revelation 21:22–23
the book of Revelation 22:1–5

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for Thus Says the LORD—Volume II
cross references in Thus Says the LORD—Volume II

This online supplemental material coordinates with the lesson on pages 166–173 of Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption.

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I intend
and prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
—the Book of Isaiah 55:10–11 (RSVCE)**

welcome to Volume II of our in-depth study of the biblical prophets
We invite you to check out the sample first lesson and video from Volume II of this Turning to God’s Word two-part Catholic Bible study. Our online pages link to the free related lesson videos, a glossary, and cross references in the biblical text, and include maps, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption contains 23 lessons and has been granted an imprimatur. It may be purchased from our website shop. The companion 28-lesson Volume I: A Kingdom Divided also is available for purchase. If you have a Bible-study question or comment, click on the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” button on any study page.

open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:

Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.

let’s review—the book of Revelation 1:9–18, the book of Revelation 4:1–8, the book of Revelation 5:1–10, the book of Revelation 6:1–8, the book of Revelation 7:1-4, the book of Revelation 7:9–10, the book of Revelation 8:1–5, and the book of Revelation 9:1–6
Lesson 22 An Apocalyptic Vision of Christian Tribulation looks at previous Old Testament apocalyptic visions of heaven—especially those found in the Books of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, and Zechariah—describing them in the new light of Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension. The final book of the New Testament foretells challenging times for Christians and encourages followers of Jesus to persevere in their faith. Without a solid background in the diverse images used in the prophecies of the Old Testament, however, it can be difficult to make sense of what the author of this apocalyptic biblical work is writing. The first half of the book of Revelation primarily is concerned with describing the scroll with seven seals that’s being opened in heaven in anticipation of the end of time. A strong case can be made that the scroll represents fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies, whose words were too mysterious for humanity to begin to understand prior to the Second Coming of Jesus.

what’s going on with these complicated images? (48:24)
In the video for this lesson, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps begins by looking at the complex middle of the book of Revelation. This lesson doesn’t attempt to comprehensively explain everything in the final book of the Bible, but it does pick up on key images borrowed from the Old Testament prophets to gain a sense of where the Church is headed. The book of Revelation is relevant for Christians because all prophecy can be interpreted as having multiple fulfillment at multiple times. It makes sense when looked at in conjunction with the Old Testament prophets because the biblical text ties in and points back to earlier prophetic images examined in this study. The book of Revelation then looks ahead to where the present-day Church is headed.

The Scripture ranges for the videos that accompany this Catholic Bible study match the ranges for the sets of questions in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption. You can follow along as author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 23, “A Revelation: Jesus Christ, King of Kings & Lord of Lords,” on pages 166–173 in the study book.

what’s going on in the last half of the book of Revelation
It appears that the book of Revelation was written to help the Church established by Jesus Christ to brace for a long period of off-and-on persecution and tribulation—a period that in the early days of the Church would continue at least until the time of the Roman emperor Constantine (the Great). While it’s fitting that God would give his Church an inspired book to help people through this period, there’s no indication that details of the apocalyptic prophecies of the book of Revelation were expected to be fulfilled around the time that the final book of the New Testament was written.

a parallel to the Book of Zechariah
The Old Testament Book of Zechariah was written to encourage the descendants of Jacob who returned to Judah after the Babylonian Exile to continue work on rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem, which had been destroyed in 587–586 B.C. Nevertheless, details of the end times and final salvation to come during the reign of the Messiah were included in Zechariah’s prophecy. That the prophet failed to completely understand these details is hardly surprising. The concept of the monotheistic God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob appearing on earth in human form as a savior is an idea that would have been well beyond anything a devout Jew of the time would be able to imagine.

think of the book of Revelation in a similar way
Like Zechariah’s prophecy, the book of Revelation records details of a final tribulation yet to come. Because these images are describing events that won’t be realized until some unknown date, they’re extremely confusing for men and women who read them in the present day. Because of its multifaceted nature, prophecy can be relevant in a variety of different ways at different times in history. The rise of an antichrist and Jesus’ return to earth to reign with his saints could have been relevant in the time when the book of Revelation was written, could be relevant in the present day, and could still refer to more complete fulfillment in the distant future. Because the author’s original audience probably was more familiar with the images borrowed from the Old Testament, the meaning of those images in the book of Revelation may have been considerably more accessible to Christians when the book was written. That doesn’t negate the relevance of the book for Christians now.

illustration note—the rider on the white horse returns
In the book of Revelation 19:11–16, the rider on the white horse makes a repeat appearance to show up at Final Judgment. How many details point to the idea that the rider of this horse is Jesus? How might his previous mission recorded in the book of Revelation 6:2 fit with what the rider in the book of Revelation 19 is described as doing? Compare this rider with the angel described in the book of Revelation 10:1. Consider how this rider might be considered a prophet. What argues against that interpretation? Click on the illustration (right) by Turning to God’s Word co-founder Tami Palladino to enlarge it. Tami’s original illustration is on page 172 of Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption and also is on page 123 in Lesson 20 The Mighty Voice of a Great Multitude in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness.

chiasm as a rhetorical or literary device
The word “chiasm” is from the Greek letter chi, shaped like an ‘X’. In chiastic structure, key words or ideas are repeated in an inverse pattern. Chiastic structure appears in the twelfth chapter in the book of Revelation, where the child taken to God’s throne is the central intersecting point toward which John’s vision leads—and the point from which John’s vision expands outward. Jesus Christ is located as the central figure in all of salvation history. This is shown figuratively in Turning to God’s Word co-founder Tami Palladino’s illustration (left), which can be enlarged by clicking on it. Tami’s illustration is in Lesson 13 A Great Sign Appeared in Heaven in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness. Learn more in The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about this mighty angel?
The book of Revelation 10:1–3 introduces an extremely interesting figure who’s described as an angel. There are many details recorded about this angel in these three verses, but there’s one that’s easy to read over without giving it a lot of thought: When this mighty angel comes down from heaven, he seems to be wearing a rainbow over his head.

? What reason might have the author of the book of Revelation had for including this detail?
? What’s significant about a rainbow in the Old Testament? If necessary, refer to the book of Genesis 9:8–17.
? How can God’s words to Noah in that passage be interpreted?
? Under what circumstances has a rainbow previously appeared in the book of Revelation 4:1–3?
? How might these two appearances of a rainbow in the book of Revelation be related?
? Which of the other intriguing details about the mighty angel in the tenth chapter in the book of Revelation might be significant, and why?
? How might the angel’s stance suggest that he’s Jesus? If necessary, refer to the Gospel According to Matthew 14:22–27.

what Matthew says—archetypes abound in the book of Revelation
Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps explains that the word “archetype” derives from the Greek words arche, meaning “beginning” or “origin,” and tupos, meaning “pattern,” “model,” or “type.” An archetype can be seen as a universal symbolic pattern. In literature, archetypes are a fixture of nearly all stories and narrative writing dating back to ancient myths. Applying the concept of archetypes to key elements in the twelfth chapter in the book of Revelation allows for combining, containing, and summing up multiple religious images in order to express a broad spiritual reality.

the need for writing seems to be passing away
In the book of Revelation 10:4, the author John is told not to write anything down, which can seem like an odd instruction. How do you think it is that this instruction might relate to the eternal nature of God and to the change that’s about to take place in the relationship between humanity and divinity?

prophecy shapes reality, not the other way around
The Book of Ezekiel 3:1–11 records details of the prophet Ezekiel’s call to speak for God, a time in which he’s told to consume words on a scroll. In the New Testament, the author of the book of Revelation 10:8–11 is given a similar instruction. It appears that the prophets are less involved in predicting and foretelling the future than they are in bringing it about through their words. This fascinating idea means that prophecy shapes reality. When the author of the book of Revelation is asked to consume part of thescroll, he’s given the role of a prophet to bring about the end of time.

ex libris—learn more about performative speech
Performative speech is one theme Pope Benedict XVI focuses on in his monumental three-part Jesus of Nazareth series. To find out more about how the former pope connects performative speech with Creation and other divine acts, and what the voice of God speaking in the world means to Christians, visit ex libris—main bookshelf to read excerpts from each of these volumes and to find other recommended books related to Scripture study.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about how you measure up in terms of your faith?
The theme of measuring is a repetition of prophecies found in the Books of Ezekiel and Zechariah, and the author of the book of Revelation 11:1–2 borrows this idea to make a point about what needs to occur before the end of events described in the final book of the New Testament.

? Read the Book of Zechariah 2:1–5. For what purpose does measuring usually occur?
? For what purpose is the man in that prophetic passage being told to measure Jerusalem?
? For what purpose is that the author of the book of Revelation being asked to measure the Temple?
? What’s the author of the book of Revelation asked not to measure, and what might explain why this area is being excluded?
? What do present-day Christians consider to have replaced the Temple at Jerusalem as the dwelling place of God?
? In what ways might might Christians measure up to requirements as a place for God to dwell?
? In what ways might Christians fail to measure up, and what can be done to change that?

what’s with these identical time periods?
In the book of Revelation 11:2–3, the author is told that the nations will trample outside the Temple for 42 months, and that two witnesses will be given power to prophesy for 1,260 days—identical time periods in the ancient world. Consider whether these numbers might represent the same period. The introduction of witnesses indicates that a trial is about to occur. Read the book of Deuteronomy 19:15. Consider how this verse reinforces viewing the eleventh chapter in the book of Revelation in a legal context.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about this battle in heaven?
The book of Revelation 12:7 describes Michael and other angels fighting in heaven against the great red dragon, who first appears in the book of Revelation 12:3–4. The dragon is described as having a contingent of angels fighting on his side as well, which strongly suggests that the dragon at least began his existence as an angel. That he’s defeated and cast out of heaven is in keeping with the understanding that Satan is a fallen angel. Consider whether it’s significant that God isn’t mentioned as participating directly in the battle between Michael and the dragon.

? These passages bring up a number of questions about timing in the book of Revelation. What’s your understanding about when in salvation history this battle in heaven occurred?
? Refer to the biblical text to determine whether Scripture suggests that the scroll already had been opened.
? Does the biblical text suggest that Jesus’ birth already has taken place?
? Consider what these passages about the battle in heaven suggest about the nature of prophecy.

the book of Revelation isn’t literature as we’re used to it
If we think of the final book of the New Testament as spanning all of time, it becomes slightly easier to deal with the weird timing that we encounter. The first thing to let go of is the idea that the timing in the book of Revelation is linear and can be plotted on a straight line in two dimensions. Things are built on top of each other to create a picture of the fullness of time. The book of Revelation touches on the beginning of time and carries that thread through as an apocalyptic vision of the end of time. Because the biblical text is trying to explain something mysterious to humanity, it can be extremely difficult to track what’s happening when. Most readers find it helpful to try to step outside of our understanding of time and remember that eternity is timeless. God exists outside of time—and outside of space, but for some reason thinking about that doesn’t pose the same problems for humanity.

read the Catechism—keep in mind the senses of Scripture
The two senses Scripture are the literal and the spiritual. The Catechism of the Catholic Church subdivides the spiritual sense into allegorical, moral, and anagogical. Bible study is enriched if we keep all four categories in mind and remember that they work together to aid our understanding of God’s Word. Paragraphs 116 through 118 in the Catechism explain how the senses differ.

116 The literal sense is the meaning conveyed by the words of Scripture and discovered by exegesis, following the rules of sound interpretation: “All other senses of Sacred Scripture are based on the literal.”

117 The spiritual sense. Thanks to the unity of God’s plan, not only the text of Scripture but also the realities and events about which it speaks can be signs.

1. The allegorical sense. We can acquire a more profound understanding of events by recognizing their significance in Christ; thus the crossing of the Red Sea is a sign or type of Christ’s victory and also of Christian Baptism.
2. The moral sense. The events reported in Scripture ought to lead us to act justly. As St. Paul says, they were written “for our instruction.”
3. The anagogical sense (Greek: anagoge, “leading”). We can view realities and events in terms of their eternal significance, leading us toward our true homeland: thus the Church on earth is a sign of the heavenly Jerusalem.

118 A medieval couplet summarizes the significance of the four senses:
The Letter speaks of deeds; Allegory to faith;
The Moral how to act; Anagogy our destiny.

biblical vocabulary—diadem
A diadem is a headband or crown that signifies power and authority. In the twelfth chapter in the book of Revelation, the dragon sports seven diadems, while the woman clothed with the sun wears a single crown of 12 stars. This suggests that the dragon’s opposition to the woman and her child, the royal heir of David, is a power struggle to rule humanity.

another link to the Old Testament
The reference to the book of life in the book of Revelation 13:7–8 is consistent with the reference to the book of life found in the book of Exodus 32:31–33: “So Moses returned to the LORD and said, ‘Alas, this people have sinned a great sin; they have made for themselves gods of gold. But now, if you will forgive their sin—if not, blot me, I beg you, out of your book which you have written.’ But the LORD said to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.’” This isn’t the first time that the author of the book of Revelation has appropriated Old Testament imagery.

what Matthew says—a name of mystery
On the video for this lesson, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps points out that the great harlot’s “name of mystery” described in the book of Revelation 17:4–5 doesn’t refer to the kind of mystery Sherlock Holmes might be called to solve. Instead, the biblical author immediately discloses the harlot’s complete “name of mystery,” and a helpful angel goes on to explain its meaning in the book of Revelation 17:7–14. Our English idea of mystery is related to the Greek word mysterion, which describes secret rites connected with cultic religious practices of the ancient world. The harlot’s name of mystery associates her with the beast from the sea that was introduced in the book of Revelation 13:1. That beast’s purpose was to serve Satan and to draw humanity away from worship of God. Much the same way that the 144,000 bear the name of the Lamb on their foreheads in the book of Revelation 14:1, the harlot is marked as belonging to the beast and Satan.

read the Catechism—another connection to mystery
Paragraph 774 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church connects the Greek mysterion with sacramentum, the Latin word for sacrament.

774 The Greek word mysterion was translated into Latin by two terms: mysterium and sacramentum. In later usage the term sacramentum emphasizes the visible sign of the hidden reality of salvation which was indicated by the term mysterium. In this sense, Christ himself is the mystery of salvation: “For there is no other mystery of God, except Christ.” The saving work of his holy and sanctifying humanity is the sacrament of salvation, which is revealed and active in the Church’s sacraments (which the Eastern Churches also call “the holy mysteries”). The seven sacraments are the signs and instruments by which the Holy Spirit spreads the grace of Christ the head throughout the Church which is his Body. The Church, then, both contains and communicates the invisible grace she signifies. It is in this analogical sense, that the Church is called a “sacrament.”

prophecy—you could look it up in our archives
The last lesson in our two-volume study of the prophets looks at Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the way he’s described in the book of Revelation. How would you define “prophecy”? In Lost in Translation, an online column that can help readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps looks at the meaning behind this often-misunderstood word. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.

the rider on the white horse is a king & he represents the truth
The book of Revelation 19:9–11 highlights a key attribute of the rider on the white horse, who’s described in the book of Revelation 19:12 as wearing many diadems or crowns on his head. The diadems identify this rider as a powerful king ruling a vast territory, and it doesn’t take a lot of imagination (a word derived from the word image) to recognize the rider as Jesus Christ. In the book of Revelation, Jesus shows up under a number of guises. He’s a Lamb. He’s an angel. He’s the Son of man. He’s a king, and he’s riding a white horse. The angel highlights his own role as a messenger of God when in the book of Revelation 19:9 he says: “These are true words of God.” They aren’t the angel’s words. As a prophet of God, John and the angel share the same mission, as John himself explains in the book of Revelation 19:10: “… for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

the king’s mission is to conquer—but what is he conquering?
It’s apparent that the rider on the white horse who appears in the nineteenth chapter in the book of Revelation is the same as the rider on the white horse who showed up in the sixth chapter in the book of Revelation when the first seal on the scroll was opened. In his first appearance, the rider not only is on a white horse—marking him as the ultimate good guy—he has a bow (the original language of the book of Revelation 6:2 makes it clear that this is a rainbow), and he’s given a crown. This dude in heaven clearly is a king. What’s interesting is his mission, also described in the book of Revelation 6:2: “and he went out conquering and to conquer.” What might it be that this rider has been tasked with conquering? In his First Letter to the Corinthians 15:26, Paul explains the mission of Jesus when he writes: “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”

what’s the significance of Jesus’ victory over death?
The story of salvation history told in the Bible is the story of humanity’s journey from Creation to the end of time. The purpose of this journey is to unite humanity and divinity. If human beings are going to become one with God, then we’re going to have to become eternal. Death is incompatible with God and cannot coexist with the Holy Trinity. Human mortality has got to go.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about this Catholic Bible study?
Send us an email to share your experience studying Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption. We’d love to hear from you.

? Which passage from the writings of the prophets or about one of the prophets who was the focus of this study did you find to be the most relevant in your life, and why?
? How have your ideas about the Catholic faith changed as a result of studying Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption?
? What’s one unexpected way that this Bible study has touched your life?
? What’s something you’ve learned from studying the Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption that you’d like to share with others?
? To whom would you like to recommend Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption?
? What book of the Bible would you most like to study, and why?

the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic Bible study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however, including the following passages from this lesson: the book of Revelation 10:1–11, the book of Revelation 11:1–6, the book of Revelation 17:1–6, and the book of Revelation 19:11–16.

ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing extra information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out persons and places mentioned in the biblical text under multiple names or spellings. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun that appears in the primary biblical text for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption.

to learn more, read more Scripture
It can help to check out the cross references listed in Scripture, but looking them up is time-consuming. To make that part easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. That list can be found at the top of every online study page accompanying this study, and it includes links to each of the cross references in the primary biblical text for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption.

don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.

ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.

wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following links are to readings from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, open one of the links and click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV readings provide an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical texts. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

the book of Revelation 10:1–11 (NIV)
the book of Revelation 11:1–6 (NIV)
the book of Revelation 11:19—12:5 (NIV)
the book of Revelation 12:7–8 (NIV)
the book of Revelation 13:1–8 (NIV)
the book of Revelation 17:1–6 (NIV)
the book of Revelation 19:6–9 (NIV)
the book of Revelation 19:11–16 (NIV)
the book of Revelation 21:9–15 (NIV)
the book of Revelation 21:22–23 (NIV)
the book of Revelation 22:1–5 (NIV)

close with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers you can follow our four easy steps, or you can use the following prayer based on this lesson’s biblical texts.

God in heaven,
you revealed to John that your Son is the Lamb of God.
Inspire in us a desire to know and to follow Jesus
as the first disciples did,
even though we may not fully understand
all that we’ave learned about Jesus from others.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ,
upon whom we hope to see the vision of angels ascending
and descending when heaven is opened to us. Amen.

Lesson 22 An Apocalyptic Vision of Christian Tribulation—the book of Revelation 1:9–18, the book of Revelation 4:1–8, the book of Revelation 5:1–10, the book of Revelation 6:1–8, the book of Revelation 7:1-4, the book of Revelation 7:9–10, the book of Revelation 8:1–5, and the book of Revelation 9:1–6

you also may like our study of the book of Revelation
The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness, a 23-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, examines ways in which our traditional Christian view of heaven is built on Hebrew apocalyptic visions recorded in the Old Testament. This recently revised study includes maps and additional commentary and takes a close look at the role of the prophets in present-day Christianity. Illustrations by Tami Palladino depict the often-misunderstood images in the book of Revelation. Click on the book’s cover to view a sample lesson.

start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption. You can find information on this website about beginning a Turning to God’s Word Bible study at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I are available to answer your questions and address any of your concerns. Contact us if you’d like to start one of our studies or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer

*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus—but the same books aren’t found in existing Hebrew manuscripts, which aren’t as old as the oldest version of the Septuagint. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?

Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). All Scripture links for the online study pages of Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume II: Restoration & Redemption are to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) translation. The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.

The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces those with more accessible English. A handful of more significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.

Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSVCE and RSV2CE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.

You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.

**The Book of Isaiah 55:10-11 (RSV2CE) reads: “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I intend, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”