Revelation

1
Revelation

• Setting and Props

2
Setting Definition

• Hugh Holman The physical, and sometimes
  spiritual background against which the action of
  a narrativetakes place
• May include
• Geological and topographical references
• Physical arrangement of props
• Occupations of characters
• Time of action
• Highlight the religious, mental, moral, social,
  and emotional environment of the characters
• Minor characters can sometimes be considered part
  of the setting

3
Setting of Revelation

• Physical props, spatial markers and temporal
  indicators
• To establish atmosphere
• To develop character and theme
• To symbolize epochal moments and events
• To interpret earthly events in terms of a
  heavenly perspective

4
Setting Purpose

• To contribute to the mood or atmosphere of a
  narrative
• Mood of narrator Can be tense, fearful,
  hopeful, lively, ironic, defiant, tragic or
  pathetic
• John establishes a mood of hopeful expectation in
  the face of terrifying and frightening events

5
Setting Purpose

• Serves as an interpretive framework to understand
  a characters actions and speech and to draw the
  readers attention to the theme of a narrative
• Character and theme are interwoven into a
  tapestry of spatial, temporal and physical
  settings
• Help identify the thematic variations, conflicts,
  and the central message of a narrative

6
Setting Physical Props

• Used to describe the emotional landscape of the
  characters
• Temple altar, censers, lampstands, scrolls,
  seals and ark
• Natural Phenomenon lightning, thunder,
  earthquakes, fire from heaven, hail, rainbows and
  clouds
• Human-made instruments swords, measuring rods,
  trumpets, bowls, wine-cups, crowns, bows, scales,
  breastplates, iron rods, and keys
• Mineral precious stones, gold and silver,
  marble, bronze
• Clothing robes, sashes and fine linen, silk,
  scarlet

7
Setting Spatial references

• Subdivided into topographical settings and
  architectural space
• Topographical
• mountains, rivers, deserts, a fiery lake, seas,
  heaven and earth, the abyss, cities, and trees
• Two cities
• Babylon and Jerusalem are prominent
• Sodom, Egypt, Gog and Magog, and Harmagedon
  contribute to the symbolism
• Architectural space artificial enclosures
• Temple, courtyard, walls, gates and foundations

8
Setting Temporal indicators

• Chronological Time when an event happens
• Johns vision takes place on the Lords day
  (110)
• Events are soon to take place (110)
• Four living creatures sing day and night (48)
• Typological (majority) refers to length of time
  within which an action transpires
• Time and times and a half a time refers to the
  limited period of intense persecutionnot an
  actual length of time
• Debate over where 1000 year reign in Rev. 20 is
  literal or figurative hinges on whether the
  author refers to chronological time or
  typological time.
• The hour, the day, the month, and the year
• Half an hour of silence
• In those days
• No more delay
• Hour of judgment or hour of reaping
• Great day of wrath

9
Spiritual settings

• Must be plotted on a spiritual map
• Three types
• Signifies chaos, threat and death
• Signifies order, promise and life
• Ambiguous spatial settings that represent
  either chaos/threat/death or order/promise/life

10
Chaos/Threat/Death

• Metaphorically the same placea place of evil in
  rebellion from God
• Abyss Abaddon or Apollyon comes from abyss
  (911)
• Sea beast arises from the sear or the abyss
  (131)
• Babylon
• Lake
• Sodom
• Egypt
• Gog and Magog

11
Sea 26 references in Rev. (91 in NT)

• One of the 4 parts of the created order4 being
  the number of the created order, the fourfold
  division emphasized the participation of the
  entire creation in the worship and God and the
  Lamb
• 147     Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and
  give glory to him for the hour of his judgment
  is come and worship him that made heaven, and
  earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
• At other times, a foreboding presence 131
  beast rises out of the sea to bring destruction
  upon the people of God. Sea is no longer in New
  Jerusalem
• Puzzling reference in 46  
• And before the throne there was a sea of glass
  like unto crystal
• G. B. Caird believes that the sea of glass is
  the reservoir of evil out of which arises the
  monster. It is the barrier which the redeemed
  must pass in a new Exodus, if they6 are to win
  access to the promised land
• The sea, a relic of the old order and a hostile
  threat to Gods creation, is made placid and
  smooth as glass in the presence of God
• Others see it as a symbol that signifies the vast
  distance between God and the creation, or a
  setting that reflects the splendor of God
• But in view of the hostile nature of the sea in
  131 and its absence in the new heaven and earth
  (211), it seems likely that John envisions the
  sea of glass as a threat, that although subdued
  in the presence of God, nevertheless remains
  until the new heaven and new earth arrive.

12
Desert

• 3 times in Rev. 126, 14 173
• Lay waste or desolate occurs 3 more times 1716
  1817, 19
• Ambivalent symbol
• Either a demonic realm in which foul birds and
  bests dwell (182)
• or for a place of divine protection (126)
• Two women of Rev reside in the desert
• woman clothed in the sun in 12 desert is a
  place of asylum and nourishment for the woman.
• whore in 17 woman is Babylon 175 and the
  desert symbolizes the desolate state that
  characterizes Babylons fate. Vision fulfilled
  in 18.
• Spiritual locale characterized by either Gods
  presence and favor or disfavor and absence.

13
Mountain 8 in Rev (63 in NT)

• Literally the earth reaching towards the heavens,
  a natural place of divine/human encounter
• 4 mountains in particular
• Zionplace of refuge and of end time salvation
  where Gods people are gathered together
• Harmagedongeographical location a mystery.
  Place of the end of the world.
• Har means mountain. If John meant Armageddon
  instead then it does not occur on a mountain.
• Spiritual setting stands for an event
• New Jerusalem
• Rev. 2110     And he carried me away in the
  spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed
  me that great city, the holy Jerusalem,
  descending out of heaven from God,
• Envisions the city sitting on a huge mountain
  that touches the heavens. The New Jerusalem
  comes down from heaven to rest on a
  mountainrepresenting God reaching mercifully
  downward.
• 7 mountains of Rev 17 parody of Gods mountain
• 179     And here is the mind which hath wisdom.
  The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the
  woman sitteth. 1710     And there are seven
  kings five are fallen, and one is, and the other
  is not yet come and when he cometh, he must
  continue a short space.
• Some argue that they represent Rome
• Symbolize the archetypal human city, the tower of
  Babel, lurching toward the heavensto be godlike
• 7completeness 7 mountains represent the whole
  civilized world reaching heavenward in parody to
  New Jerusalem reaching downward.

14
Ambiguous Mountain and Desert

• Order/Promise/Life
• Place of divine/human encounter may represent God
  mercifully reaching downward to protect Gods
  people, to destroy evil, and to being into
  existence a new creation
• Symbol of divine presence in a created order
• Desert place of refuge that is prepared by God
  to protect his people from evils destructive
  forces (126, 14).
• Chaos/Threat/Death
• Represent humankinds striving towards the
  heavens to achieve dominance over the created
  ordera type of tower of Babel lurching towards
  the heavens
• Desert represents death and destructiona region
  devoid of good and a dwelling place of the
  demonic (182)

15
River 8 in Rev. (16 in NT)

• Ambivalent
• Represents a threat to Gods people and humankind
• Symbolizes a source of life for Gods people
• Euphrates
• both times mentioned signifies a threat
• Flows through Babylon
• Parody of the river of water of life which flows
  through Jerusalem
• Boundary from which 4 angels are released to
  bring bloodcurdling destruction (Rev 914)
• Boundary from which kings of east cross to wage
  war on the earth and its inhabitants (1612)
• Usually drying up of a river represents a
  positive image (ex. Moses), here it represents an
  ominous threat
• Symbolize river of lies from comes out of Satans
  mouth, while others see the river as the food of
  persecutions upon the church.
• John intends fro the reader to make a comparison
  between what comes out of he serpents mouth with
  what comes out of the one-like-the-Son-of-Mans
  mouththe contrast is between the threat of evil
  and the promises of God.
• Death and destruction are associated with the
  serpents river, while Gods river is
  characterized by teeming life.

16
Ambiguous River

• Threat
• Represent a threat to humankind
• 1215-16 river of water pours out of the
  serpents mouth bringing a destructive flood on
  the woman
• Boundary from which 4 angels are released to
  bring bloodcurdling destruction (Rev 914)
• Boundary from which kings of east cross to wage
  war at Harmagedon on the earth and its
  inhabitants (1612)
• Life
• The river of the water of life in New Jerusalem
  (221) is an endless stream of life-giving,
  life-sustaining water that flows out of the
  throne of God and the Lamb

17
Heaven 52 times (274 in NT)

• Two distinct heavens
• 211     And I saw a new heaven and a new
  earth for the first heaven and the first earth
  were passed away and there was no more sea.
• The first heaven and its correlative the first
  earth Good and evilGod and Satancoexist
• The new heaven and new earth Good alone remains

18
Heaven

• Several times signifies simply the skythe place
  where stars and hailstones come raining down to
  earth The stars of the sky fell to earth 613
• Other times signifies the dwelling place of God,
  the pace where Gods throne is found 41-2
• Sometimes events in heaven are descriptive of
  earthly events
• Sometimes events on earth are determined by
  heavenly events
• When Michael casts Satan out of heaven in 127-9,
  the death of Christ on the cross and the witness
  of Christians (1211) has actually determined
  that event
• Thus, John provides an above perspective that has
  been determined by events below
• Other times events in heaven determine events on
  earth
• Ch 4 God sits in heave on the throne and is
  determinative of all that happens on
  earthwhether plagues or cosmic destructionthat
  has not been permitted by heaver.
• May wait for earths response
• What is in the scroll has been determined in
  heaven yet, that scroll cannot be opened until
  the Lamb who has conquered by his death on earth
  opens it.

19
The New Heaven

• Marked by total absence of evil
• No seano beast from the sea or whore that sits
  on the sea
• No sea of glass
• The threat of evil is no more
• Heaven and earth united in perfect harmony
• God lives with mortals 213     And I heard a
  great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the
  tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell
  with them, and they shall be his people, and God
  himself shall be with them, and be their God.

20
Abyss/Bottomless Pit (7 in Rev. 9 in NT)

• Dungeon where Satan is kept in 201
• Represents the abode of evil
• The beast in 117 and 178 lives
• The angel of the underworld, Abaddon or Apollyon,
  comes from in 911
• Sealed pit unlocked
• 91     And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw
  a star fall from heaven unto the earth and to
  him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 92
      And he opened the bottomless pit and there
  arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a
  great furnace and the sun and the air were
  darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
• Angel unlocks pit, places the dragon in the pit
  for a thousand years, and locks it so Satan
  cannot deceive the nations
• John intends the reader to contrast the abyss
  with heaven, for the one is a foil to the other.
• Evil ascends from the pit, while good descends
  from heaven
• Temporary only binds and confines evil
• Replaced by a lake of fire (1929 2010, 14, 15
  218)the final resting place for evil

21
Tree

• Two trees
• Tree of life 27 and 22
• Grows along the banks of the river of the water
  of life
• Has 12 kinds of fruit, one for each month
• Leaves are for the healing of the nations
• Sustains life everlastingParadise Regained
• Two olive trees of 114 will discuss as a
  character later

22
Order/Promise/Life

• The throne preeminent symbol of Gods
  sovereignty in a turbulent world
• New Jerusalem, with its amazing tree, is a symbol
  of life. All elements of the old order
  associated with evildeath, mourning, cryingare
  banished eternally from this city.
• Temple and Altar represent promise of
  protection, justice and vindication for Gods
  people

23
Close of Apocalypse

• Ambiguity in Johns topographical settings
  disappears
• Spatially two places alone exist in his
  eschatological perspective
• The New Jerusalem same as spiritual reality of
  life
• Outside the eschatological city represents
  spiritual reality of death

24
Primary Setting Throne of God

• Begins 14     John to the seven churches which
  are in Asia Grace be unto you, and peace, from
  him which is, and which was, and which is to
  come and from the seven Spirits which are before
  his throne
• Ends 223 3     And there shall be no more
  curse but the throne of God and of the Lamb
  shall be in it and his servants shall serve him
  
• ???no?
• occurs 47 times in Rev. (total of 62 in New
  Testament) as a stalwart reminder of order in an
  turbulent world
• In all but 4 chapter of Revelation
• 19 time in Rev. 4 and 5 alone
• Always designated with a definite article The
  Throne
• a great white throne (2011)
• a stark image of Gods supremacy, holiness and
  righteous judgments
• From the throne comes flashes of lightening, and
  rumblings and peals of thunder (45)
• In front of the throne is something like a seal
  of glass, like crystal (46).
• Around the throne is a rainbow that looks like
  an emerald (43)
• Impressive display of light and sound is a
  reminder of Gods power and majesty
• The tranquil seal suggests a pristine order that
  God brings to a chaotic world

25
What John sees as he ascends

• Throne
• Extending outward are ever widening concentric
  circles of creation
• The innermost consists of the four living
  creatures (46b-8) and the 24 elders (44)
• Around this circle are many angels round about
  the throne and the beasts and the elders and the
  number of them was ten thousand times ten
  thousand, and thousands of thousands (511)
• Outermost circle encompasses every creature
  which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under
  the earth, and such as are in the sea, (513)

26
A second, competing throne

• The throne of the dragon and the beast parodies
  Gods throne
• The church in Pergamum resides where Satans
  throne is (213)
• Beast that rises out of the sea receives power
  and authority from the dragons throne (132)
• The fifth angel pours his bowl on the throne of
  the beat (1610)
• Dantes Divine Comedy, Inferno
• Virtual Tour http//web.eku.edu/flash/inferno/

27
Gods Throne at Conclusion

• After the first heaven and earth have passed
  away, the focal point of the new creation is the
  throne of God and of the Lamb (223)
• Out of which flows the river of the water of
  life (223)
• Final image is as a source of life-giving water
• Underscores fundamental difference between Gods
  rule and the rule of earthly rulers
• Earthly rule is
• directed towards itself
• Represented by the beasts reign is life-denying
  and self-fulfilling
• Gods rule is
• directed outward, towards Gods creation
• Life-sustaining, life-giving

28
Cities Ambiguous

• Babylon (181-24),
• city of this world
• Bunyans Vanity Fair, represents an ignominious
  city of oppression and self-deification
• http//www.stirbitch.com/cantab/resources/vanity_f
  air_bunyan.html
• Jerusalem (211-225) the heavenly city,
  represents everything pure

29
Contrast of Two Cities

• Style of narration is distant for Babylon
  whereas for Jerusalem it is personal and intimate
• Negative language describes what is not present
  in each city
• Demonic and Edenic imagery describe what is
  present in each city
• Laments describe the language associated with
  Babylon whereas the celebratory language of the
  wedding banquet describes the heavenly city

30
Style of NarrationBabylon

• 3rd Person Observation Uses off-stage narration
  to describe Babylons fatereported through the
  voice of the angels and of those who lament its
  fall
• then I heard another voice from heaven saying
  (184)
• And the kings of the earth say (1811)
• The merchants of these wares were weeping and
  mourning aloud (1815)
• And every shipmaster, and all the company in
  ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea,
  stood afar off, And cried when they saw the
  smoke of her burning, saying (1816-17)
• Distances himself from Babylon
• Heightens the tragic plight of the city
• Only those who benefited from its grandeur mourn
  the lost splendor of the city
• Offstage allows reader to distance himself from
  Babylon and its plight

31
Style of NarrationNew Jerusalem

• 1st person participant who sees firsthand its
  splendor
• 211     And I saw a new heaven and a new
  earth for the first heaven and the first earth
  were passed away and there was no more sea.
• 212     And I John saw the holy city, new
  Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,
  prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
• 2122     And I saw no temple therein for the
  Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of
  it.
• Onstage encourages the reader to identify with
  the New Jerusalem

32
Negative Language

• Accentuates the depravation of all good and
  greatness in Babylon
• no one, never, lost, laid waste, and no
  more
• Describe the loss of all that made the earthly
  city a great metropolis (18)
• Embodies the depravation of all evil in New
  Jerusalem
• No more, never, not and nothing
• Highlight the absence of evil
• All unclear and accursed things are banished
  forever
• The sea is no more 211
• Death will be no more and mourning, crying and
  pain will be no more 124
• No more intentionally echoes the six fold refrain
  of the dirge over Babylon
• What made Babylon great is no more to be found in
  that city, and what makes human cities evil is no
  more to be found in the New Jerusalem.
• 2125     And the gates of it shall not be shut
  at all by day for there shall be no night there.
  
• 2127     And there shall in no wise enter into
  it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever
  worketh abomination, or maketh a lie but they
  which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

33
Demonic and Edenic Imagery

• Uses demonic imagery to depict Babylons forsaken
  state
• 182     And he cried mightily with a strong
  voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is
  fallen, and is become the habitation of devils,
  and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of
  every unclean and hateful bird.
• Uses Edenic imagery to characterize Jerusalem as
  Paradise regained
• 221     And he shewed me a pure river of water
  of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the
  throne of God and of the Lamb. 22 2     In the
  midst of the street of it, and on either side of
  the river, was there the tree of life, which bare
  twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit
  every month and the leaves of the tree were for
  the healing of the nations.
• Adam and Even were banned from the Garden and
  Eden and could not eat of the tree. In Paradise
  regained, the tree of life is a plentiful source
  from which all eat freely. Nothing accursed is
  found in the cityAdams disobedience has been
  abrogated

34
Lamentations and Celebrations

• Mourning and weeping characterize Babylon
• 4 times emphasizes that the kings, merchants,
  shipmasters, seafarers, sailors, and all whose
  trade is on the sea wept and mourned over
  Babylon
• Uses past, present and future tenses to
  underscore that no period is free from mourning
  
• 189     And the kings of the earth, who have
  committed fornication and lived deliciously with
  her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when
  they shall see the smoke of her burning
• 1811     And the merchants of the earth shall
  weep and mourn over her for no man buyeth their
  merchandise any more
• 1815     The merchants of these things, which
  were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for
  the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
• 1819     And they cast dust on their heads, and
  cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas,
  that great city, wherein were made rich all that
  had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness!
  for in one hour is she made desolate.
• Dirges associated with Babylon 3 times the
  kings, merchants and sailors lament alas, alas,
  the great city of Babylon (18, 9, 16,19
• The only celebratory language associated with
  Babylon occurs in heaven and among those
  associated with heaven 1820     Rejoice over
  her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and
  prophets for God hath avenged you on her.

35
Lamentations and Celebrations

• The absence of sorrow and tears characterizes
  Jerusalem
• Nouns, not verbs, describe these activities, for
  like death they are alien objects that are
  eternally abolished from the heavenly city.
• 214     And God shall wipe away all tears from
  their eyes and there shall be no more death,
  neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there
  be any more pain for the former things are
  passed away.
• Joyous language of wedding feast
• 197     Let us be glad and rejoice, and give
  honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is
  come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 198
      And to her was granted that she should be
  arrayed in fine linen, clean and white for the
  fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

36
Archetypal Human City vs. the Ideal City

• Two cities represent two alternatives for
  humankind
• Babylon, the satanic parody of the ideal city,
  the earthly counterpart to Jerusalem,
• strives to be like the heavenly city by falls far
  short
• Symbolizes humankinds lust for deification
• An idolatrous city opposed to God, consumed with
  itself and a brothel for kings and merchants
• Its luxurious lifestyle, insatiable greed, and
  use of human life as merchandise are symptomatic
  of its worship of power and wealth

37
Babylon Defined

• Bruce Metzger allegorical of the idolatry that
  any nation commits when it elevates material
  abundance, military prowess, technological
  sophistication, imperial grandeur, racial pride,
  and any other glorification of the creature over
  the Creator.
• Represents humanity in its entirely and its
  attempt at self-deificationto live life apart
  from the one true God
• Is the tower of Babel, the preeminent
  antichristian city where the beast is enthroned
  and Christ is dethroned
• Symbol for death

38
Archetypal Human City vs. the Ideal City

• Two cities represent two alternatives for
  humankind
• New JerusalemIdeal City
• An unknown entitycan only be defined by what it
  is not (negativity)
• Jurgen Roloff The new creation cannot be
  described positivelybecause that which it will
  bring will not be an improvement and an
  enhancement of what is experienced in this world,
  but rather something altogether new
• No night and no sun because God is the light
• Gates are never shut because there are no enemies
• Death, pain and mourning are banished
• Nothing unclean
• Symbol for life

39
Temple

• The heavenly temple where God is worshipped day
  and night (715), and where the ark of the
  covenant is located (1110)
• One reference to a temple outside of heaven
  (111-2)
• Not in New Jerusalem
• Not physical temple and the earthly Jerusalem
  which has been destroyed
• Symbolic the measuring of the temple is a sign
  of protection and preservation
• 111     And there was given me a reed like
  unto a rod and the angel stood, saying, Rise,
  and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and
  them that worship therein. This group is
  protected during a period of distress of 42
  montha symbolical period of limited persecution
• The court outside is not measured therefore, it
  is left unprotected
• Refers to unbelievers
• A portion of the church, faithless Christians,
  who have compromised with the world
• The outward reality of the churchprotected
  inwardly but will be prosecuted from without
• The external church is given over to persecution
  in the last days, but the inner spiritual reality
  of the church is preserved (144,000)
• Both temple and court are images of the church
  the one representing spiritual reality of the
  church, which is inviolable the other
  representing the physical reality of the church,
  which is persecuted

40
Altar (8 times)

• 69     And when he had opened the fifth seal,
  I saw under the altar the souls of them that were
  slain for the word of God, and for the testimony
  which they held
• Place of refuge where the saints gather who have
  lost their lives
• It is from the altar that directives are given to
  angels to bring about the end
• At the altar, prayers of the saints (for justice
  and vengeance) mingles with the smoke of the
  incense offered to God.
• Smoke of altar contrasts with smoke of torment
  for those who worship at the altar of the beast
• 1411     And the smoke of their torment
  ascendeth up for ever and ever and they have no
  rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his
  image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his
  name.
• Antithetical images of futility and hope are
  expressed in the metaphor of smoke
• Smoke of torment is futile, endless and tortuous
• Smoke of the incense is fragrant, hopeful,
  pleasing and acceptable to God

41
TempleThroneAltar

• Temple
• Symbol of divine order and inviolable holiness in
  a turbulent, chaotic world
• Represents divine presence but also separation
• Both in heaven and on earth God has complete
  control over the temple
• By taking the dimensions of the temple in the
  holy city (111,2), John indicates that the
  temple on earth, i.e., the church, as the temple
  in heaven, is totally within Gods power.
• Different from throne
• Temple only used when John speaks about the
  relations of God to a world that disobeys Gods
  will
• The throne is a royal symbol, whereas the temple
  is a symbol of a worshiping community of faith
• Throne is a symbol of divine power and authority,
  while the temple is a symbol of divine holiness
  and justice
• Altar represents accessibility of God and a place
  of privileged security where saints live until
  the first resurrection. Represents God acting in
  conjunction with Gos people their sacrifices
  and prayers influence God and the events of human
  history in dramatic ways

42
Props are Symbolic

• 4 Scrolls
• The book that John is writing
• The book of life
• The scroll the Lamb unseals (ch. 5)
• The little scroll tha the mighty angel of ch.
  10 holds

43
The Book of Life

• 2012     And I saw the dead, small and great,
  stand before God and the books were opened and
  another book was opened, which is the book of
  life and the dead were judged out of those
  things which were written in the books, according
  to their works.
• Names of redeemed
• May be blotted out
• Signifies that divine grace and human
  responsibility are inexplicably joined together

44
Lambs Scroll

• 51     And I saw in the right hand of him that
  sat on the throne a book written within and on
  the backside, sealed with seven seals. 56    
  And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne
  and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the
  elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having
  seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven
  Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
  57     And he came and took the book out of the
  right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
• The only one found worthy to open it is the slain
  yet resurrected Lambtherefore, related to
  redemptive act of Christs death and
  resurrection.
• Written on the inside and the backcompletely
  fullno aspect of Gods inscrutable decisions is
  left out of this scroll, and there will be no
  addendum to Gods plan
• Sealed with seven seals
• Sevennumber of completeness therefore,
  completely sealed
• Remains a mystery until opens
• Seven seals may imply that upon the breaking of
  the seventh seal the contents of the scroll have
  been completely revealed
• The opening of the seals does not merely disclose
  the contents of this book, but it also puts the
  contents into operation

45
The Little Scroll (3 references in ch. 10

• Unsealed and opened, and is delivered by a
  mighty angel who descends from heaven, wrapped
  in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head his
  face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars
  of fire (101)
• The angel who stands on the sea and the land has
  a voice like a lion roaring, like 7 thunders
  sounding at once
• 104     And when the seven thunders had uttered
  their voices, I was about to write and I heard a
  voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those
  things which the seven thunders uttered, and
  write them not.
• Later a voice commands John to eat the scroll and
  it is bitter in his stomach but sweet as honey in
  his mouth (109-10)
• In eating the seer is filled with prophetic
  revelation that is both sweet and bitter
• SweetGods word and divine plan of salvation
• Bitterbrings wrath and sorrow
• Sweetno more delay in the fulfillment of Gods
  plan
• Bitterchurch will face intense persecution
• Angel similar to God and Christsuggests that he
  guides the new Israel, the Christian community,
  as it travels through the darkness of its Exodus
  to the new promised land

46
Trumpet (6 in Rev. 11 in NT)

• Voices sound like trumpets and seven angels blow
  seven trumpets
• In the OT, trumpets are a frequent and colorful
  symbol used to announce special events and
  persons
• 1st four trumpets are directed toward the
  elementsland, sea, rivers, sky
• Last 3 are directed to only those men which have
  not the seal of God in their foreheads 94.
  Call the unsealed part of humankind to repentance
• Summon the faithful to the resurrection for the
  dead

47
BowlIn NT found exclusively in Revelations

• A broad shallow saucer used in worship to carry
  offerings or for drinking and libations
• 58 golden bowls carry incense, which are the
  prayers of saints
• 157 the 7 golden bowls contain the wrath of God
  that is poured out from the temple and the altar
  on the earth (161)
• Bowl plagues John makes the connection explicit
  between heavenly worship, the prayer of the
  saints, and the earthly plagues that are poured
  from the bowlsthe one influences the other

48
Symbolism Seals

• In ancient Near East, a seal was a stamping
  device that validated a document in place of a
  signature
• Since the scroll of the Ch. 5 is sealed with 7
  seals, the seer suggests that he book is
  perfectly sealed by divine authority and can only
  be opened by Gods worthy representativethe
  Lamb.
• Emphasis on one who is worthy to open
• Seal plagues destroy a quarter

49
Symbolism Trumpets and Bowls

• Accentuate a different aspect of the plague
  series
• Since trumpets announce the end-time Day of the
  Lord and the approach of divine judgment upon the
  earth, they summon people to repent, which
  account for the limited destructionone thirdin
  this series.
• The bowls are used in the context of heavenly
  worship in which the saints through their prayers
  ask God to intervene
• Same golden bowls that offer prayers to God are
  filled with the wrath of God and poured out on
  the earth
• Emphasizes that God vindicates Gods people and
  brings about justice in response to prayers
• Plagues are Gods judgment on Gods adversaries
  with unlimited destruction 162     And the
  first went, and poured out his vial upon the
  earth and there fell a noisome and grievous sore
  upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and
  upon them which worshipped his image.