the 511 new testament theology class ix: theology of revelation

THE 511 NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY

CLASS IX: THEOLOGY OF REVELATION

THEOLOGY OF REVELATION

1.1 Introduction to Revelation

• Some critical issues in Revelation

• Relationship to other John’s writings

• Genre: apocalypse, prophecy, epistles or combination

• Relationship to Jewish apocalypses

• Hermeneutical issues

• Correct interpretative framework

• Interpretation of apocalyptic symbols

• Eschatological controversies

• Issues concerning Millennium

• Issues concerning rapture, mark of the beast, etc.


1.2 Interpretative paradigms of Revelation

• Influence of interpretative paradigms

• Preterist

• First century fulfillment

• Historicist

• Correspondence to epochs in church history

• Idealist

• Timeless truths – victory of good over evil

• Futuristic

• Focus on the end times and final event

• Eclectic

• Mixture of above views


• What difference does it make? – Number 666 (13:18)

• Preterist/historical

• Reference to Nero or Domitian – ancient gematria

• Neron Caesar – numerical value in Hebrew equals 666 (or 616 w/o ‘n’)

• Domitian’s inscription on some coins equals 666 in Greek

• Idealist

• 666 is a symbol for anyone supremely evil (cf. no: 7)

• Futuristic

• Code name for the supremely evil person at the end of the age

• Recent suspects:

• Pope Benedict XI (13th century pope)

• Pope Benedict XVII (pope b/f current Pope Francis)

• Ronald Wilson Reagan (six letters in each name)

PRETERISM

1.) Preterism

Millennial Views*

PREMILLENIAL DISPENSATIONALISM 2.) Premillennial Dispensationalist View

HISTORICAL PREMILLENIALISM3.) Historic Premillenialism

AMILLENIALISM4.) Amillenialism

POSTMILLENIALISM 5.) Postmillenialism

PROPHETIC VISION


2.1 Theology of Revelation

• Situation and circumstances

• Relationship of the church to the Roman Empire

• Dates: c. AD 95* (Domitian) or right after Nero’s death (c. AD 68)

• Persecution OR focus on “high social boundaries”

Powerful and all-pervasive rule of the Roman empire

• Imagery and symbolism of the first century world

• OT & Jewish imagery

• Popular myths transformed(?) – e.g. Nero redivivus* (Rev 13:3)

1st century background as starting point


2.3 Theology of Revelation – themes4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and

peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and

from the seven Spirits* who are before His throne, 5 and from

Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and

the ruler of the kings of the earth. (1:4-5)

God centered “Trinitarian” salutation


Chiastic pattern in Revelation*

A1:8 (end of prologue)

B1:17 (Beginning vision of Christ)

B1

21:6 (end of vision)

A1

22:13 (beginning of epilogue)

God – alpha and omega

Christ – first and the last

God – alpha and omegaBeginning and end

Christ – Alpha and omega Beginning and end

Connection w/ parousia (1:7)

Connection w/ new life (1:18)

Connection w/ new life (21:5-6)



• God and His Victory

• Central conflict: Worship God or worship the beast

• Visionary experiences and polished literary working

• Theology and Christology developed in liturgical worship

And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes

around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, “HOLY, HOLY,

HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND

WHO IS TO COME.”9 And when the living creatures give glory and honor and

thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and

ever, 10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and

will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the

throne, saying, 11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and

honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed,

and were created.” (4:8-11)


• Description of throne room invites worship and awe

• “one seated on the throne…appearance of jasper and carnelian” (4:2-3)

• Trishagion – “Holy, holy, holy” (4:8)

• “was, is, is to come” (1:4, 8; 4:8; 11:17; 16:5)

• Creator to receive honor, glory, and power (4:11)

• Further descriptions of God

• Alpha and omega, beginning and the end (1:8; 21:6)

• The Lord God Almighty (1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 19:6; 21:22)

• One seated on the throne (4:2-3, 7; 5:1, 7, 13; 6:16; 7:10, 15; 19:4; 21:5)


• Revelation of Jesus Christ from Father (1:1)

• God hands the sealed scroll to Christ (5:7)

God can hardly be described*, only worshipped

Majesty, power, and otherness of God

• Further hymn material

• First interlude (b/w 6th and 7th seal) – nations b/f the throne

• Glory, wisdom, honor, power (7:12)

• Worship God and the Lamb (7:12-17)

• God’s care and shelter (7:17)

Worship of God and Christ due to experience of God’s victory


• 7th trumpet – loud voice proclaims

• “kingdom of the world…[now] kingdom of our Lord” (11:15-18)

• “One who was and is” (11:17; 16:5)

complete victory

• Salvation, power, kingdom of our God (12:10)

Expulsion of Satan is victory of the Lamb

• Lord Almighty…just, holy…all nations worship (15:4)

• God’s victory is proclaimed in

• Justice and punishment over the rebelling nations (11:18);

dragon/Satan (12:10-12), great whore (19:1-6)

Lord God reigns victoriously in power and justice


• Significance of the titles of God (and Christ)

• Alpha and omega, first and the last, beginning and the end

• Alpha and omega – first and last of Greek alphabets

Interchangeable titles used for both God and Christ

• Seven occurrences in self-declaration by God and Christ

Seven as symbol for completeness*

• “I am the first and the last, beside there is no god” (Isa 44:6; 48:12)

• YHWH as the sole God and Creator against Babylonian deities

God precedes all things, Creator & brings eschatological conclusion

First word in creation and last word in new creation**


• “One who was, is, [is to come]” (1:4, 8; 4:8; 11:17; 16:5)

• Interpretation of the divine name YHWH (Ex 3:14)

• Divine eternity and/or past, present, future aspects of God

• 11:17 & 16:5 “present-future”* coming as eschatological fulfillment

• The role of “coming” has begun

Eternal God chooses to be involved w/ Creation by His coming

• Lord God Almighty x7 – Pantokrator (1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 19:6; 21:22)

• Associated w/ divine name – YHWH elohe hassebaot**

God’s unrivalled power and supremacy in history


• One who sits on the throne x7 (4:9; 5:1, 7, 13; 6:16; 7:15; 21:5)

• Glorious heaven and throne room vs. situation on earth

• God’s sovereignty acknowledged in heaven – true reality of things

• God’s rule will be established on earth, despite opposition

• “One who sits on the throne” surrounded by…

• Constant adoration of strange angelic creatures (4:6-8, 11)

• Everything depends on Creator God (4:11)

13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the

earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits

on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and

dominion forever and ever.” (5:13)

• God worshiped by the “heavenly kings” (4:4)

God alone to be worshipped as source of all power and authority


• Christ and His victory

• God and Christ intimately connected, yet distinct

Christ always belonged to the reality of God

Chiastic pattern in Revelation*

A1:8 (end of prologue)

B1:17 (Beginning vision of Christ)

B1

21:6 (end of vision)

A1

22:13 (beginning of epilogue)

God – alpha and omega

Christ – first & the last

God – alpha and omegaBeginning and end

Christ – Alpha and omega Beginning and end


Connection w/ new life (1:18)

Connection w/ new life (21:5-6)



• Worship and throne visions of God and Christ

• Worship of God (4:8, 11)

“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power”

(4:11) – God Almighty Creator

• Worship of the Lamb (5:9-10, 12-13)

“Worthy…receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory

and blessing” (5:12) – Slaughtered Lamb as Redeemer

• Worship of God and the Lamb (5:13)

And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth

and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the

throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever

and ever.” And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell

down and worshiped. (5:13)

God and Christ connected, yet distinct


• God’s victory and Christ’s victory

• Christ’s victory over death and Hades (2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14)

• “faithful witness, first-born from the dead, ruler of the kings of the

earth” “freed us from sins…made us kingdom”(1:5-6)

• Son of Man: lampstands, stars*, sword, keys of death and Hades

(1:12-18)

• Salvation belongs to God and the Lamb (7:10)

• Kingdom of the world now kingdom of God and Messiah (11:15)

• Salvation, power, kingdom of God & authority of Messiah (12:10)

• New Jerusalem – God and Christ its Temple and light (21:22, 23)

Christ has won the victory and he will share it w/ the faithful


• Victory through the cross - slaughtered Lamb & Lion of Judah

• Lamb – expression of victory by crucified Messiah through cross

• Lion of Judah identified as slaughtered Lamb (5:5-6)

• Victory and redemption through shedding blood (5:9-10)

Victory through death, not by might and power

Worthy to open seven-sealed scroll – whole plan of God

• Call to part-take into Lamb’s victory by remaining faithful unto

death

• Victory through mighty parousia

• Son of Man on the cloud w/ sharp sickle (14:16)*

• “Faithful and True” & “King of kings” conquers the beast and the

kings of the earth (19:11-21)


• God’s people and their victory

Remain faithful to the end

People of God in Revelation

Rev 1-3 Message to 7 churches (local community)

Specific message to churches: remain faithful OR repent

Rev 4-22 Message to all people of God (universal church)

Ultimate victory certain: remain faithful

Perspective of the risen Son of Man and the heavenly throne


• Presence of the risen Christ w/ his people

Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and

the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released

us from our sins by His blood— 6 and He has made us to be a

kingdom, priests to His God and Father (1:5-6)

• Son of Man walks among the lampstands (1:12-13, 20)

• Delivers warning, consolation, encouragement (2-3)

Assurance of abiding presence & faithfulness

Following visions: victory guaranteed, remain faithful


• Victory is guaranteed – remain faithful unto death

• 5th seal: martyred believers in heaven (6:9-11)

• Victorious BUT “number not yet complete” – persevere

• 144,000 & “great multitude…no one can count” b/f the throne (7:1-

9)

• Seal of God and “those from the great ordeal” (7:14)

• The two witnesses (11:1-14)

• God’s authority & timing; beast kills them but God raises to life

Parable of church’s witness or specific end-time figures(?)

• Woman and the dragon (12:1-7)

• Glorious woman gives birth, is chased by red dragon; boy caught up to

God and woman protected in “place prepared by God”

Satan not able to conquer the woman – or the people of God


• Another vision of 144,000 – w/ Lamb on Mt. Zion (14:1-5)

• New song of the conquered to the Lamb b/f the throne

• “chaste” “blameless” “follow Lamb” “purchased among men” “first fruit”

• New heaven and new earth (21:1-27)

• Dwelling place of God, Christ, and His people (21:3, 9)

Destiny of God’s people

• Victory is the victory of the Lamb

• Final victory guaranteed – to those who remain faithful

• Compromise not possible with the world


• God’s enemies and their defeat

• Holy “trinity” vs. Satanic “trinity”*

• God, the Lamb, people of God

• Red dragon (12:3), beast from the sea (13:1), beast from the earth (13:11)

• Dragon = Satan; beast from the sea = imperial power of Rome; beast

from the earth = imperial cult

• Dragon unable to defeat God’s people (Woman and child, 12:1-7)

• Dragon cast out of heaven – already defeated (12:9-17)

• Dragon gives power to the beast out of the sea (13:2)

• Defeats God’s people – has authority over every nation (13:7)


• Comparison of the Lamb and the beast(s)

• Slain lamb w/ all power and authority (5:9) – “Who is worthy…”

• Lion of Judah (5:5) & Slain Lamb (5:9)

• Lamb who has conquered – power and authority over nations (5:9)

• Worship and honor (5:11-14) – “Who is worthy to open…” (5:2)

• 1st beast (from the sea*) w/ all power authority – “Who is like…”

• Leopard, bear, lion & “head slain…mortal wound healed” (13:2-3)

• Victory; all power and authority over the nations (13:2-4)

• Worship and honor (13:4) – “Who is like the beast…”

• 2nd beast (from the earth) – enforces the authority of the first (13:12)

• Mark of the beast (13:16-18)

• Mark of God and Lamb – 144,000, name written on foreheads (14:1)


• Who will be victorious?

• The Lamb already conquered, overcame death & hades (1:4-8)

…who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who

are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness,

the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him

who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood, 6 and He has made

us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father - to Him be the glory and

the dominion forever and ever.

• Enemies of God and God’s people

• Babylon the great whore

• Beast, dragon, false prophet, “kings of the nations”


• Babylon the great city [“great whore”] vs. New Jerusalem the city of God

• 7th bowl announces the fall of Babylon (16:17-21)

“Babylon…to giver her the cup of…His fierce wrath” (16:19)

• Woman sitting on a scarlet beast…great city…reigns over kings (17:3-18)

• “great whore…sit on many waters” (17:1-2)*

• Babylon – human arrogance, oppression, violence – to celebrate luxury

• Babylon vs. New Jerusalem

• “dwelling place of demons” (18:2) vs. “dwelling place of God” (21:3)

• Unclean and sinful (18:2-3) vs. holy, “no unclean shall enter” (21:7-8, 27)

• Self-glorification and murder (18:7-8, 24) vs. God-glory and life (21:4, 6)

• Luxury by extorting nations (18:12-17) vs. nations bring glory (21:26)

• Mourning and destruction (18:9-24) vs. peace and life (22:1-5)

• Riches through exploitation (18:10-24) vs. God’s holy “treasury” (21:11-21)

• Thrown down…be no longer (18:21) vs. eternal dwelling (21:22-23)

• Ideal city: security and prosperity under divine blessing

• Splendor of Rome or New Jerusalem?


• Saints conquer: “come out of her…not participate in her sins” (18:4)

Symbolical separation from Babylon (Rome/world) and spiritual

allegiance to New Jerusalem – splendor of both cities compared

• Final battle(s) and defeat of Satan (Rev 19-20)

• Parousia: “Faithful and True” defeats the beasts and kings (19:11-20)

• Beast and the false prophet into Lake of fire (19:20-21; 20:7-10)

• Christ’s reign for 1000 yrs. (20:1-6)

• Satan bound

• Dragon released and final battle – defeat and Lake of fire (20:7-10)

• Defeat by “fire came down from heaven and devoured them”


• Faithful endurance of the churches before final victory (Rev 2-3)

• Those who conquer (w/ Christ) receive…

• “eat from the tree of life” (2:7)

• “not harmed by second death” (2:11)

• “hidden manna…white stone with new name” (2:17)

• “authority over nations…morning star” (2:27-28)

• “clothed with white robes” (3:5)

• “be pillar in the temple of God” (3:12) & “place of his throne” (3:21)

Metaphors for participating in the life of heavenly Jerusalem

• What and how to conquer…?

• What: dragon, the beast, and Babylon

• How: by witnessing to God and the Lamb; come out of her (Babylon)

Task of God’s people: Be separated from the evil world system. Actively

resist, through faithful witness, dragon and beast, which is concretely

manifested in the imperial power of Rome and its practices


• Eschatology and parousia

• Myriad of views – depend largely on

• Interpretative paradigm

• Interpretation of the rest of the NT (esp. Mk 13/Mt 24/Lk 21; John

14; 1 Cor 15; Phil 3; 1 Thess 4; 2 Thess 1-2)

• Place and interpretation of the 7 seals, trumpets, and bowl

• Interpretation of the Millennium (Rev 20)

• Revelation focuses on the futuristic eschatology

• Realized eschatology present also (1:5-6; 12:10; 13:10; 14:13)


• Interpretation follows the moderately futuristic model*

• Rev 1-5:14 strictly in the time of Revelation

• Rev 6-22 about the future – language & imagery of 1st century world

• E.g. “Babylon the Great”

• Great ordeal (7-19) & Millennium and eternal state (20-22)

• Some exceptions to the above scheme

• First five seals (6:1-11) – lead to 6th seal and “Day of the Lord” (7:14)

• Flashbacks (e.g. Rev 12 “Woman and the Dragon”)


• Seals (6:1-8:1), trumpets (8:6-11:15), and bowls (15:5-16:21)

• Parallel, successive (chronological) or telescopic*?

Present age Great tribulation Consummation**

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Seals

Trumpets

Bowls

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Time Intensity

Suspense

Silence 8:1 Interlude I

Interlude II; Rev 12-14

Interlude III; Rev 17-18


• Number 7 – complete and final judgment

• Progressive nature of judgments: 1/4, 1/3, 100% (6:8; 8:7-12; 9:18)

• Parousia or manifestation of Christ depicted in Rev 19:1-21

• Marriage supper of the Lamb and gory carnage (19:7-10, 17-18)

• For the purpose of judgment

• Destruction of the existing world order

• Christ’s reign

• Millennium (20:4-6)

• Satan’s release and doom (20:7-10)

• Judgment (20:11-15)

• New heaven and earth, heavenly Jerusalem (21-22)


• S

the 511 new testament theology class ix: theology of revelation

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