23. Revelation
23. Revelation
CONTENTS
The structure of Revelation is hotly debated, mainly because conclusions on this matter radically affect one’s understanding of the historical referents and eschatology of the book. There is general agreement that Rev. 1:1-20 (or 1:1-8) and 22:6-21 are, respectively, the prologue and epilogue, and that the letters to the seven churches in chapters 2-3 form a separate unit. There seems to be some basis for this division in 1:19, where it is plausible to think that "what you have seen” refers to the vision in chapter 1, "what is now” to the letters in chapters 2-3, and "what will take place later” to chapters 4 and following. 1 The material from Rev. 4:1 to 22:5 has been structured in many different ways. The simplest is to note the places where an interruption in the visionary mode occurs and where the seer is invited to "come and see.” This would result in a threefold division, 4:1-16:21; 17:1-21:8; 21:9-22:5. Others think that the section divides in half, chapters 12-22 repeating the material of chapters 1-11. 2The book of Revelation has been likened
to a seven-act play, with seven scenes in each act. 3Others find a chiastic structure. 4More often, the three series of sevens—seals (6:1-17; 8:1), trumpets (8:2-9:21; 11:1519), and bowls (15:1-16:21)—are used as the basis of the structure. Chapters 4-5 (or ch. 4 alone) are then viewed as an inaugural vision that sets the tone for what follows, with 17:1-22:5 giving the details of the eschatological denouement. Interrupting the sequence of events—that is, between the sixth and seventh seals (ch. 7), the sixth and seventh trumpet (10:1-11:14), and the seventh trumpet and the bowls (12:1-14:20)—are further visions that give the reader perspective on the unfolding of the septets of judgment. This last seems to provide the best approach to the structure, and we follow it in the outline of contents below. 5
Prologue (Rev. 1:1-20). The book opens with a brief introduction (1:1-3), address and salutation (1:4-8), and vision of the glorified Christ (1:9-20). (Some take this vision, with chs. 2-3, as an introduction to the letters to the seven churches.)
Messages to seven churches (Rev. 2:1-3:22). John is commanded by the risen Christ to address messages to seven churches in seven cities within the Roman province of Asia: Ephesus (2:1-7), Smyrna (2:8-11), Pergamum (2:12-17), Thyatira (2:18-29),
Sardis (3:1-6), Philadelphia (3:7-13), and Laodicea (3:14-22). Each letter contains (1) a greeting to the άγγελος, (angelos, "angel” or "messenger”, G34) of the church; (2) a description of the risen Christ, drawn from the vision in 1:9-20; (3) praise for the church (except in the letter to Laodicea); (4) criticism of the church (except in the letters to Smyrna and Philadelphia); (5) a warning; (6) an exhortation, beginning, "He who has an ear...”; and (7) a promise.
A vision of heaven (Rev. 4:1-5:14). John is taken up to heaven "in the Spirit,” where he sees the sovereign God seated on the throne and receiving worship. The transcendence of God depicted in this vision sets the stage for the drama that unfolds: John sees a sealed scroll in God’s hand, and only a "Lamb, looking as if it had been slain,” is accounted worthy to break the seven seals and open the scroll (5:1-14).
The seven seals (Rev. 6:1-8:5). John describes what he sees as each seal is opened by the Lamb: conquest (6:1-2), slaughter (6:3-4), famine (6:5-6), death (6:7-8), martyrs crying out for justice (6:9-11), and natural disasters, signifying the "wrath of the Lamb” (6:12-17). Then, before the seventh seal is described, John sees two visions, each of them depicting a great mass of people: 144,000 from the tribes of Israel who had been sealed by God (7:1-8), and an innumerable multitude who had "come out of the great tribulation” (7:9-17). The opening of the seventh seal brings silence in heaven and the introduction of the seven trumpets (8:1-5).
The seven trumpets (Rev. 8:6-11:19). In his vision, John now observes the disasters that come upon the earth as angels blow each of the trumpets: hail and fire from heaven (8:7), a mountain thrown into the sea (8:8-9), a great star falling from the sky (8:10-11), astronomical changes (8:12-13), destructive locusts (9:1-12), and a huge conquering army (9:13-21). As was the case with the seals, John interjects two visions before he narrates the events connected with the seventh trumpet. John sees an angel with a little scroll that he is instructed to eat (10:1-11) and two witnesses, who prophesy, are killed, and are raised again (11:1-14). The seventh trumpet contains no specific event but inaugurates hymns that praise God for his triumph and judgments (11:15-19).
Seven significant signs (Rev. 12:1-14:20). John interrupts his numbered septets to give a series of visions. But the number seven, so obviously basic to Revelation, is not abandoned, since the events narrated in these visions are seven in number: a woman who gives birth to a son (12:1-6); a war in heaven between Michael and his angels and a dragon, identified with Satan, who is cast out of heaven (12:7-12); a war on earth between Satan and the woman and her child (12:13-13:1a); the worldwide worship of a beast who comes out of the sea (13:1b-10); the worldwide domination of a beast who comes out of the earth (13:11-18); the praise of the Lamb from the 144,000 (14:1-5); and the harvesting of the earth, done by "one ‘like a son of man’” and angels (14:14-20). As with the first two septets (seals and trumpets), there is a vision inserted between the sixth and the seventh in this series (see 14:6-13).
The seven bowls (Rev. 15:1-16:21). John now sees "in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues” (15:1). Those who had triumphed over the beast sing praises to God (15:2-4) as the angels come out of the temple with the plagues (15:5-8). These plagues are then described with the imagery of bowls that the angels pour out on the earth (16:1). The pouring out of the bowls brings, successively, painful sores "on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image” (16:2), a turning of the sea into blood (16:3), a turning of the rivers and springs of water into blood (16:3-7), scorching heat from the sun (16:8-9), destruction of the beast’s dominion (16:10-11), the drying up of the Euphrates River and the coming of evil spirits in preparation for "the battle on the great day of God Almighty” at "Armageddon” (16:12-16), and, climactically, the "it is done” of utter earthly destruction (16:17-21).
The triumph of Almighty God (Rev. 17:1-20:15). These visions describe and celebrate the triumph of God in the world, as his sovereignty, seen by John in heaven in chapter
4, is now manifested in the world. John depicts both the judgment of the wicked and the reward of the righteous. His first vision reveals the evil and destiny of "the great prostitute,” "the great city that rules over the kings of the earth” (17:1-18). This great city, named Babylon to suggest an ungodly suppressor of God’s people, is now condemned and destroyed, as those who profited from her mourn her (18:1-19:5). In the midst of judgment, however, is salvation, as John hears the praise of a great multitude who had been invited to share in the wedding supper of the Lamb (19:6-10). John next portrays the victory over the beasts and the assembled nations won by the rider on a white horse (19:11-21). There follows John’s famous description of the "thousand years” (hence the "millennium”), during which Satan is bound, and which separates the "first” resurrection from the second (20:1-6). John then depicts the final rebellion and destruction of Satan (20:7-10) and God’s judgment of all the dead before the great white throne (20:11-15).
A new heaven and a new earth (Rev. 21:1-22:5). The passing of the first earth leads to John’s vision of "a new heaven and a new earth.” Here God resides with his people (21:2-5), and the righteous are separated from the wicked (21:6-8). In his vision, John sees the "bride, the wife of the Lamb,” in the image of a new Jerusalem, whose features and dimensions are described in considerable detail (21:9-21). There will be no need for temple or sun or moon in this city, for God and the Lamb are there, and there will be no wickedness (21:22-22:5).
Epilogue (Rev. 22:6-21). John is promised that the message contained in the visions he has seen is "trustworthy and reliable” and that there will be reward for those who are faithful and true. This reward is brought by Jesus himself, who is "coming quickly.”