Plot

1
Plot

• The Book of Revelation

2
Plot

• Constituted by its events and actions, as those
  are rendered and ordered toward achieving
  particular emotional and artistic effects
• Unity of action beginning, middle, end
• Causality Why? And then?
• What is the relationship between the septets
  (seals, trumpets, bowls)?
• What is the relationship between the letters to
  the 7 churches?
• What is the relationship between the fall of
  Babylon and the arrival of the New Jerusalem?

3
Conflict

• Struggle between opposing forces man vs. man,
  man vs. nature, man vs. god
• Motivations
• Complications
• Dénouementhow is conflict solved
• Consequences of resolution
• Moment of recognition

4
Conflict in Revelation

• Between characters (the beast and Christ the
  whore and the inhabitants of the earth Michael
  and Satan the saints and Satans ministers of
  deception)
• Between characters and environment (the
  destructive plagues and the inhabitants of the
  earth)
• Within a character (to whom will the inhabitants
  of the earth give their loyalty? Will those who
  are sealed persevere? Will the churches repent?)

5
Suspense

• At the opening of the seventh seal when a
  half-hour of silence unexpectedly replaces the
  doom and gloom of the previous seal (81)
• When the kings and magnates and generals ask,
  who is able to stand? At the great day of God
  and the Lambs wrath (617)

6
Mystery and Dilemma

• Mystery Johns frustration at finding no one to
  open the scroll in Chapter 5 contributes to the
  pathos and mystery of the event and requires an
  explanation
• Dilemma occurs when a character must choose
  between two courses of action that are both
  undesirable. For example, Christians much choose
  between earthly salvation and heavenly salvation

7
Surprise

• When the story violates the readers expectations
  
• Surprise must be accounted for in an analysis of
  the plot
• Reader is surprised when those who follow the
  beast curse God and do not repent of their deeds
  or give God glory (169,11). Reader expects that
  calamity would lead to repentance. Instead they
  curse God.
• Why is Satan bound for a thousand years only to
  be released? Why not simply destroy him? Why is
  it important that Satan is not destroyed during
  the millennial period?

8
Defamiliarization

• Occurs when the familiar and the everyday are
  made to seem strange
• Seeks to impede the routine perception of the
  world
• Seeks to awaken the reader from the lethargy of
  the habitual
• Slows the readers facile assimilation of a
  story, forcing the reader to pay close attention
  to the narrative, to notice the plot, and to
  puzzle over its arresting images

9
Bizarre Images in Rev.

• Beasts and whores awaken the reader to evils
  monstrous and beguiling influence
• Mammoth numbers such as 200 million shock the
  reader into paying attention to evils
  overwhelming resources
• Inconceivable numbers demonstrate evils
  resilience and show it not simply disappear from
  the scene and requires a more potent force to
  destroy it
• Hellish locusts with human faces shock the reader
  into realizing that the world below has made a
  grim alliance with this world
• The heinous activities of the locusts and birds
  force the reader to view evil in a new light
• Grotesque images awaken the reader from the
  stupefaction caused by the familiar

10
Organization?

• Recapitulation Theorycircular
• Linear Progression Theorystraight line

11
Recapitulation Theory

• Repetition or retelling of the same events
  repeatedly with expanding and evolving variations
• Form goes back to the 3rd century
• Redundancy aims to make it harder for the reader
  to make a mistake

12
Recapitulated pattern
13
Organization of Pattern

• First four in series are events leading up to the
  end and are separated from the last three in the
  series by identifiable markers
• the four horsemen set-off the first four seals
  from the last three
• The eagles announcement of woe in 813 separates
  the last three trumpets form the initial four
• The first four bowls parallel the first four
  trumpets
• Sixth in the series represents events leading up
  to the Last Day
• Seventh is the end

14
Last Two Visions of the each Septet

• In the sixth seal, trumpet and bowl, judgments
  are shattering catastrophes that signal the
  arrival of the end of the age
• Sixth in series represents the imminence of the
  end
• Seventh signifies the end itself

15
Interludes in Narrative

• Close-up accounts that provide additional details
  of the septets
• Inserted between the seals, trumpets, and bowls
• Between sixth and seventh seals, an interlude
  describes the sealing of the faithful for
  protection in the time of trial (ch. 7)
• Between the sixth and seventh trumpet, an
  interlude describes the churchs role in the
  period of distress (ch 10-11)
• Before the pouring out of the bowls (ch 15-16),
  an interlude describes the conflict between the
  church and the powers of evil

16
Problems with Theory

• Silence after opening of the 7th seal
• Cannot represent the endfor the purpose of the
  silence is to provide a respite that allows the
  prayers of the saints to ascend through the
  ceaseless cacophony of voices in heaven (48).
  Then another series of judgments is set into
  motion
• Does not account for the progressive development
  of the narrative
• Requires that the major septets be seen as
  distinct, sequential series
• Although it appears that the end has come in the
  first two septets, each time it is
  postponedexception made in the last

17
Strongest Argument

• 1115 end occurs with the blowing of the seventh
  trumpet. Loud voices announce that the kingdom
  of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord
  and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and
  ever
• End has not comethe days of the end have come
  (107) which should not be confused with the end
  itself
• 7th trumpet introduces a series of events
  reaching to and including the End

18
Recapitulation Theory

• Based on the simultaneity of events
• Sixth sealsixth trumpetsixth bowl
• However John provides literary clues that suggest
  a linear progression

19
Audience

• In order to be cyclical, audience must be general
• Bowl series plagues are directed specifically
  against those who had the mark of the beast and
  who worshiped its image (162)
• Numbers of those affected by the plagues is
  different ¼ in seals, 1/3 in the trumpets, all
  in the bowls
• Each series allows the opportunity for
  repentance, but the prospect of salvation
  diminishes as the end approaches

20
Linear Progression

• Each series affects only a portion of
  humankindone-fourth, one-third, and then allso
  that every opportunity for repentance is
  exhausted before the end is ushered in
• Linear sequence of septets underscores the
  important theological point that God undertakes
  every measure, no matter how drastic, to persuade
  humankind to avoid the ultimate doom of the
  impenitent
• 151 1     And I saw another sign in heaven,
  great and marvellous, seven angels having the
  seven last plagues for in them is filled up the
  wrath of God.

21
Simplified overview

• Seventh seal ushers in the seven trumpets and the
  seventh trumpet expands into the subsequent
  visions and the septet of the bowls. At the
  pouring out of the seventh bowl the end arrives.
  The subsequent visions are an elaboration of
  end-time events.
• From a literary perspective this linear
  progression of events is required to explain the
  plot and structure of Rev.

22
Plot Analysis

• Plot is a U-shaped structure that begins with a
  stable condition, moves downward due to a series
  of threatening conditions and instabilities, and
  at the end moves upward to a new stable condition
• Standard shape of comedy

23
What is a comedy?

• in medieval and Renaissance use, the word comedy
  came to mean any play or narrative poem in which
  the main characters manage to avert an impending
  disaster and have a happy ending. The comedy did
  not necessarily have to be funny, and indeed,
  many comedies are serious in tone. It is only in
  the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that
  comedy's exclusive connotations of humor arose
• Is Revelation a comedy?

24
U-Shaped Plot
Stable Condition (Rev. 1, 4, 5)
New Stable Condition (Rev. 20-22)
Instabilities (Rev. 6-19)
25
Chapter Synopsis

• Chap 1 establishes the stable conditions here on
  earth
• Chap 2 3 reveal instabilities in the churches
  on earth
• Chap 4 5 establish the stable conditions in
  heaven
• Chap 6-19 reveal from a heavenly point of view
  instabilities that affect the earth
• Chap 10 establishes a new stable condition on
  earth
• The correct world order is instituted in the
  millennium with the saints reigning and the
  dragon dethroned
• Chap 21 22 reveal a new stable condition in
  heaven and on earth with the arrival of the new
  heaven and new earth

26
Chapter 1

• Sets the stage and establishes the stable
  conditions of the narrative
• John begins with order source of Rev. is God
  who passes it on to Jesus Christ who gives it to
  his angel who in turn gives it to John who gives
  it to the seven churches
• World above and world below are brought together
  in an orderly fashionthe link term is Jesus
  Christ who spans both worlds

27
Ch. 1 Major Stability

• God initiates what happens and
• A chain of command is set up so that the
  revelation is not somehow misplaced
• Chain of command is reflected in the order that
  the characters appear
• After epistolary intro (11-7), God appear first
  and speaks (18)
• Christ appears second and speaks (112-20)
• Then John is commanded to write what you have
  seen, what is, and what is to take place after
  this (119)
• Finally revelation communicated to the 7 churches

28
3-fold source (14-6)

• 4     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 5     And from Jesus Christ, who is the
  faithful witness, and the first begotten of the
  dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.
  Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our
  sins in his own blood, 6     And hath made us
  kings and priests unto God and his Father to him
  be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
• God, seven spirits, Jesus Christ
• Christ has a 3-fold description faithful
  witness, firstborn of the dead, ruler of kings on
  earth
• 3-fold effect on believers who loves us, has
  freed us from our sins, has made us to be a
  kingdom
• 3 is the number of God who is also described at
  the outset with threefold tenses (18)
• Repetition of 3 accentuates that God orders this
  world despite the appearance of a disorderly world

29
Spatial arrangement

• Christ at center of the vision and 7 golden
  lampstandsthe churchare around him
• Gradations of light reflect order brightest
  light at center which is the source of light for
  those at perimeter
• Description of 7 stars which are the angels of
  the 7 churches Held in the palm of Christs
  right handan image of protection, stability and
  order
• Gods speech reflects an order that God provides
  to the universe I am the Alpha and the Omega
  (18)universe has a beginning and an end that is
  grounded in God

30
New Order

• Not a reordering of the old but represents a new
  order
• Occurs on the Lords day (110)Sunday, the 8th
  day of the week, the resurrection day, a new day
  that marks the beginning of a new week
• Emphasis on new day, new week, new creation

31
Chapters 2 3

• Plot of chapter 2 3 is U-shaped structure that
  parallels the plot of the entire book
• Stability established by Christ who exercises
  authority over the churches
• Threats to the churchs faithfulness are seeds of
  instabilities
• Upward movement to a new stable order depends
  upon the churchs repentance or
  perseverancereward to faithful conquerors, which
  is a share in Paradise, the New Jerusalem

32
Format of letters

• Reflects stability, orderliness and symmetry
• Each addressed to the angel of the church with
  represents either the inner character or
  prevailing spirit of the church
• Jesus makes a self-disclosure to each church
  using one or more of the descriptive phrases from
  chap 1
• Each church has an I know section in which
  Jesus reveals his knowledge of the churchs
  faithfulness or infidelity
• Each concludes with a call to hear what the
  Spirit has to say
• Finally each contains a promise, with images from
  chapters 21 and 22, that they will be rewarded if
  they conquer

33
Christs Self-declarations

• Orderliness and symmetry of letters parallel the
  stability and oversight that Christ give his
  churches
• Self-declarations should be taken as a groupnot
  as addressed to specific individual churchesbut
  as addressed to all churches

34
Instabilities within churches

• Little to do with individual churches and far
  more to do with the instabilities of the
  church-at-large
• Christ warns of
• Infidelity (Major dilemma in the Apocalypse)
• Danger
• Falsehood and threat of compromise idolatry and
  fornication
• Complacency
• Somnolence, of being lulled into sleep
• Need to persevere Hold fast
• Lukewarmnessself-deception

35
New Order

• Churches warned to overcome the instabilities and
  gain a new stable condition
• Repent
• Remain faithful
• Hold fast
• New stability
• eat from tree of life
• will not be harmed by second death
• hidden manna and new name
• rule nations with iron rod and morning star
• white robes, name in book of life
• make you a pillar in the temple, give name of God
  and name of the city of God
• place on throne

36
Chapters 4 5

• Scene shifts to heavenafter this I looked, and
  there in heaven a door stood open (41)
• Establishes the stable conditions in heaven
  before developing the threats to stability in
  Chapters 6-19

37
Divine Throneroom

• Model of symmetry and order in the universe
• Center-God surrounded by heavenly hosts
• Around the throne and on each side are the four
  living creatures
• Around the living creatures are 24 thrones with
  24 elders seated on them

38
Speech of 4 creatures 24 elders

• Reflects order and symmetry
• 4 creatures sing a 3-fold accolade to God
  Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God the Almighty, who
  was and is and is to come (48)
• Elders join in with their own 3-fold praise for
  the one seated on the throne You are worthy,
  our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and
  power, for you created all things and by your
  will they existed and were created (411)

39
Symmetry

• Nothing disrupts the symmetry of heaven
• Sea of glass is tranquil, smooth and brilliant as
  crystals
• Elders cast their crowns in silent obeisance
  before the throne
• Out of throne comes a 3-fold demonstration of
  power flashes of lightning, and rumblings and
  peals of thunder (45)
• In front are 7 flaming torches which are the
  seven spirits of Godthe source of light for the
  world

40
Chap 5 Suspense

• Momentary disruption when John weeps bitterly
  because no one is found worthy to open the scroll
  and to look into it (54)
• Focus on one worthy beingLamb that has the marks
  of omnipotence (7 horns) and omniscience (7 eyes)
  and yet bears evidence of death in his body

41
Praise to the Lamb

• Entire cosmos bursts forth in unrestrained
  adoration that is caught up and wafted throughout
  the cosmos
• 4 living creatures 24 elders sing an anthem of
  redemption
• 59     And they sung a new song, saying, Thou
  art worthy to take the book, and to open the
  seals thereof for thou wast slain, and hast
  redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every
  kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation
• 4-fold delineation of peoples emphasizes the
  inclusiveness of redemption
• Joined my myriads of angels who offer a 7-fold
  adoration
• 512     Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the
  Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches,
  and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory,
  and blessing.
• Every creature in cosmos 513 Blessing, and
  honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that
  sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for
  ever and ever.
• 4 living creatures and 24 elders end the worship
  service creatures say Amen and elders
  prostate themselves

42
Primacy/Recency Effect

• Determines the way the reader reads the
  subsequent chapters
• Primacy effect order and coherence rules the
  universe. Unsurpassable unity among all
  creatures which binds them to the creator in an
  endless display of worship and praise
• Recency effect gloom and doom found in the
  subsequent chapters cannot overturn this
  ebullient and marvelous primacy experience of
  splendor

43
Chapter 6 opens first 4 seals

• A protracted and suspenseful event
• As first four seals are opened,
• a thunderous voice calls out, Come!
• 4 horsemen arrive one by one, bring pestilence,
  famine, war and death but their destruction is
  limited to a fourth of the earth
• Catastrophic events of the horsemen are overtures
  to Christs parousia

44
Ch. 6 5th seal

• Accompanied by a call of how long? voiced by
  the martyrs under the altar who were slaughtered
  for the word of God and their testimony
• they are given white robes and told to wait a
  while longer
• White robes reflect their inner state, unstained
  and Christlike
• Restless, without peace, for their death is not
  yet vindicated
• Delay of the end is not slackness, nor is the
  progress of evil in the world a sign of
  callousness. Delay simply means the numbers on
  the roll of martyrs is not complete

45
Ch. 6 6th seal

• Marks a radical departure from the events of the
  other seals
• Great earthquake
• Sun becomes black as sackcloth
• Full moon becomes like blood
• Stars of the sky fall to earth
• The luminaries darken the earth and the earth
  splits open in travail
• Day of the wrath of the Lamb (616)not the Day
  of the Lord, the Last Day but a forerunner to
  this Last Day
• New Instability Day of chaosa return to
  disorder, an undoing of the creation event that
  brought order out of chaos
• Related to humankinds rebellion from God
• Sevenfold description of humankind kings,
  magnates, generals, rich, powerful, slave,
  freeaccentuates the culpability of all humanity
• Necessary prelude to the coming of a new order

46
Chapter 7 Who is able to stand?

• Tension built to an almost unbearable intensity
• John turns attention to 4 angels who restrain the
  4 winds of the earthdestruction is stayed until
  the seal of the living God can be implanted on
  foreheads of servants
• Hearing interprets seeing
• John hears the number who are sealed---144,000 or
  12,000 form each of the 12 tribes of Israel
• John sees a countless multitude form every
  nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages
  (79) robed in white, standing before the throne
• The sealing itself is a play on the unsealing of
  Chapter 6

47
Deformation of Language

• 13     And one of the elders answered, saying
  unto me, What are these which are arrayed in
  white robes? and whence came they? 14     And I
  said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to
  me, These are they which came out of great
  tribulation, and have washed their robes, and
  made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
• How can robes be made white by blood?
• Outer robes represent inner nature
• White robes symbolize a spotless inner nature,
  which is a result of Christs victory on the
  cross

48
Theme The Sealing

• The two marks signify different loyalties,
  different destinations and differing rewards or
  curses
• One is either marked, sealed, impressed with an
  imprint of the living God or the mark of the
  beast
• One the mark of eternal life the other provides
  earthly salvation
• One allows freedom of movement here on earth the
  other invites persecution and death
• Sealing or marking symbolizes the central dilemma
  of the Apocalypseyou cannot have both marks
  therefore, you must choose one.

49
Chapters 8 9

• Dramatic pause or silence in heaven for half an
  hour--serves as a practical as well as
  theological purpose in narrative
• End is postponed
• The total number of servants who will be killed
  for the word of god and for their testimony is
  still incomplete
• Narrative has not provided an answer as to why
  the saints are sealed
• Opponents of the church are alluded
  toinhabitants of the earth in 610but not
  developed
• Heaven pauses for half an hour from its ceaseless
  singing (48) to permit the intercessions of the
  saints to rise before God with the smoke of he
  incense
• Same vessel (once full of prayers) is filled with
  fire from the altar and thrown down to earth
• Point prayers do make a difference
• God waits upon the prayers of his people to bring
  the end to fulfillment

50
7 trumpets

• Not a reworking or recapitulation of the 7 seals
  but represent additional signs
• Trumpets are warning blasts that summon the world
  to repentance, which represents a development in
  the plot line
• The death of the plagues (1/3) does not bring
  about repentance
• As end approaches the disasters become more
  pronounced and affect a greater percentage of
  people (1/4)opportunity for repentance
  diminishes
• Sole purpose give those who escape them
  warnings of so forcible a character that no
  vestige of excuse for refusal to repent would be
  left.

51
New element of plot

• 5th and 6th trumpet unleash demonic plagues of
  frightening and immense proportions that describe
  the nature of evil
• Locusts ascend from the bottomless pit
• Evil is neither totally demonic nor totally
  humanit is a frightening blend of the two
• Evil is seemingly endless making apparent the
  need for heavenly intervention
• Reader is under no delusion that the approach of
  the end will be a blissful eventit will be a
  chaotic process that leads to a new creation

52
Chapter 10 Church as effective witness

• 7th angelic trumpet is stilled until John tells
  the story of the little scroll and the two
  witnesses
• Angel of the little scroll sets his right foot on
  the sea, his left foot on earth, and lets out a
  roar like a lion
• In response, the 7 thunders speak
• John is told to not write down what they sayit
  is to be sealed up
• After the sealing, the delay is ended
• Sealing signifies the cancelation of the thunders
  perhaps because they reveal nothing new
• 7 thunders add nothing to our understandingsealed
  because the number of martyrs on the roll is
  nearing completion
• delay has served its purpose (611)

53
Little Scroll

• John is told to devour the scroll which is bitter
  to his stomach but sweet as honey in his mouth
• The scrolla scaled down model of the Lambs
  sealed scrollis sweet because it is the word of
  God and Gods plan for the world
• Also bitter because of the inevitable persecution
  John faces in the proclamation of this message

54
Johns Role

• Chapter 10 marks a transition
• Chapters 1-9, John is a seer, privy to the
  mysteries of heavenrelates what he sees and
  hears from his perspective in heaven
• Now back on earth, John is in his role as prophet
  (1011)Gods revelation in heaven requires
  assimilation here on earth, and that assimilation
  is the commission of prophets who have digested
  Gods word.
• Subsquent chapters reveal the role of the church
  as prophetic witness and the forces that assault
  the church

55
Chapter 11

• Ch. 7 revealed the purpose of the sealing of the
  church to protect it from harmhowever the plot
  has not offered a reason why they were sealedch.
  11 addresses this purpose

56
Measuring the temple

• John told to measure the temple and the altar but
  not the courtyard of the temple
• Outside courtyard will be given over to the
  nations who will trample it for 42 months
• Measuringsimilar to sealingthe temple (symbol
  of the church) is protected
• Unmeasuringsimilar to unsealingremains
  unprotected
• In one sense the church is sealed, inaccessible
  to harm
• In another sense the church is unsealed,
  unprotected and accessible to harm

57
Measuring

• Captures the central dilemma of the church
  although its inner character, spiritual nature,
  is protected from harm, this alone does not
  exempt the church from persecution as it fulfills
  its role in the world
• Church can forsake its mission and avoid physical
  harm, but then it would cease to be the church
• On the other hand, it can embrace its mission and
  the inevitable persecution, confident that ti
  will be invulnerable to spiritual attack

58
2 witness church

• Draped in sackcloth, the garment of penitence and
  mourning
• Could imply that the church is to repent
  (Christs call to repentance chaps. 2 3)
• Could imply that the church is to summon the
  world to repent
• Perhaps both meanings are intended

59
3 and ½ years (42 Months)

• By synchronizing all events around 3 ½ years
  the plat introduces anew instabilityevils free
  reign is given a definite though limited, period
  of time in Gods plan
• Holy city trampled (112)
• 2 witnesses prophesy 1260 days (113)
• Bodies of 2 witnesses lie in the street for 3 and
  ½ days (119)
• Beast from the sea exercises authority for 42
  months (135)
• Woman escapes to her place of nourishment in the
  wilderness for 1260 days (126) or times and
  times and half a time (1214)
• But evil is not left uncheckedrestricted and
  counteracted by the church, if the church
  fulfills it calling as faithful witness

60
Churchs Mission

• To witness prophetically to the worlda mission
  that corresponds to the period of the beasts
  autarchy
• Results in conflict
• Christians lose their lives (117) Martyrdom
  becomes the costly price to be paid for standing
  with Christ and against the beast
• The churchs passion and resurrection becomes a
  powerful testimony which when combined with signs
  effectively converts the inhabitants of the
  symbolic city (1113)
• Beasts influence is countered by the tormenting
  presence of the church
• Suffering of the church tests not only the
  resolve of Christians but also is a testimony to
  the world of an alternative way to the beasts
  mystic aura

61
Major conflict of the Apocalypse Chs 11-13

• The message of the book is that Christians are
  faithful to their calling to bear witness to the
  truth against the claims of the beast, they will
  provoke a conflict with the beast so critical as
  to be a struggle to the death
• Church cannot sit by passively as evil runs
  rampant in the world
• The beasts victory is from a heaven bound
  perspective of defeat the real victory is
  achieved by the victims
• Churchs role witness, remain faithful, repel
  evil, come out of Babylon, and to dissociate with
  evil

62
Seventh Trumpet

• Two woes have passed
• Announces the days when the mystery of God will
  be fulfilled
• During these days the third woe occurs

63
Chaps 12 13

• Identify the principal opponents of the church
  a dragon and two beasts
• In the cosmic battle between Michael and the
  dragon, Satan is thrown down to earth, which
  initiates the third and last woe
• But woe to the earth and the sea, for the devil
  has come down to you with great wrath, because he
  knows that his time is short (1212)
• Church represented by the image of the woman
  clothed in heavenly garments is protected in the
  desert for a time, and times, and half a time
  (1214)
• No escape is provided for the churchmust pass
  through this exodus of distress on it way to the
  new promised land
• Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and
  went off to make war on the rest of her children,
  those who keep the commandment of God and hold
  the testimony of Jesus (1217)

64
Satanic Trinity

• Enlists help of incarnate ministers of evil,
  monsters like himself to seduce the world to
  worship the beast and its lies
• Must win a war over the saints who stand in his
  way of complete dominion over the earth
• Saints can follow the beast and gain their lives
  or the can remain steadfast and endure (1310)
  but incur the wrath of the beast and certain
  death
• Appearance of beast requires the appearance of
  Christ as victor

65
Chapter 14

• Portrays the distant future as a triumphant
  victory for the saints and a future of ceaseless
  torment for those who worship the beast
• Whole section is pastoral in purpose its moral
  is stated outrightlet no Christian shrink from
  the destined battlethe final issue is assured,
  and the fruits of victory are shown to be
  ineffably sweet but the penalties of the
  insincerity, compromise, feebleness and cowardice
  are horrible, almost beyond contemplation

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144,000 Virgins

• Standing on Mount Zion, singing a new song
  (141-5)
• Reject the overtures of evil and remained
  faithful, following the Lamb wherever he goes
• Words are pure, spotless, unblemished by deceit
  and the compromise of lies
• Vision anticipates the bride of chapter 19

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Second Vision

• A counterpoint to the virgins
• Pictures Babylon the great, the personified whore
  of evil, fallen with the nations lapping up the
  wrath of her fornication
• Those who follow the beast experience unrelenting
  torment day and night (1411)
• Vision anticipates chaps. 17-18
• The only instability that would upset the
  pristine picture of the Christians triumph is
  their failure to endure this dour period of
  distress Here is a call for the endurance of
  the saints, those who keep the commandment of God
  and hold fast to the faith of Jesus (1412).

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Binarydestinies of humanity

• Image of inexpressible bliss
• Message to endure

• Image of unimaginable horror that characterizes
  rejection of God
• Message to repent while there is yet
  opportunity to avert disaster

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Chaps. 15 16

• Introduce the last of the 7 plagues poured out of
  the seven bowls upon those who had the mark of
  the beast and who worshiped it image (162)
• Anticipates the destruction of Babylon, the whore
  that is found not only outside the church but
  also within the church in the form of Jezebel
• Babylon is a cipher for misplaced loyalties
  represented by those that either oppose God or
  compromise the claims of the world and the claims
  of Christ

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Exodus imagery

• Before the dispensing of the seven bowls, John
  sees a glorious vision of saints who have
  conquered the beast standing beside a sea of
  glass and singing the song of Moses and the song
  of the Lamb
• Reminder that the outcome is assured and the
  promised land is within view
• But there remains an exodus journey of
  tribulation a sea ingles with fire (152) with
  the saints must pass through

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Seven Bowls

• Total destruction
• Time for repentance is coming to an end
• Earth remains impenitent (169, 11)
• Hardened in their opposition to God
• Blaspheme Gods name three times
• Counterposition of the repentance and conversion
  of the inhabitants in Ch. 11

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Bowl series

• Are not only for those who are recalcitrant
  outside the church
• Serve as a warning to the impenitent within the
  church
• 6th bowlreminder for the churches See, I am
  coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who
  stays awake and is clothed, not going about naked
  and exposed to shame (1615)
• Recalls warning to church at Sardis to wake up
• John breaks into the stream of consciousness in
  order to jolt his readers into becoming mentally
  alert as the beatitude itself demands
• Functions to call the church to examine itself

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7th Bowl

• Seventh angel pours out the seventh bowl into the
  air and a loud voice of the temple proclaims, It
  is done! (1617)
• Babylon is split into 3 parts, every island fees
  away mountains disappear huge hailstones within
  about a talent (one hundred pounds) drop from
  heaven on people
• Inhabitants of the earth blaspheme God for the
  third and last time in this chapter, confirming
  their obduracy and their resolve to stand with
  the beast in the final battle

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Ch. 17New Stable Condition

• Requires the removal of instabilities in the plot
  and the annihilation of evil
• Dramatic battle at Harmagedon is the beginning of
  the new stable condition (1616)
• Ch. 17 reveals the mystery of the great whore,
  Babylon, who must be completely dismantled before
  the bride can come

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Babylon

• Not Rome
• An emblem for the earthly city, the tower of
  Babel, the city of this world order and the
  allurements of this world order
• Babylons power lies in getting the inhabitants
  of the earth drunk on the wine of her fornication
  (172)
• In this state of stupor the earth is deceived by
  her sorceries
• The allurement of the great city is her
  marvelous splendor which is used for her own
  ends to claim divinity, to dethrone God and
  enthrone herself to get the world drunk on the
  splendor of her power

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BinaryCities

• Babylon
• given one last chance to flee for the earthly
  city before its doom (184)
• Given one last change to cover their nakedness
  with the garment so Christ

• New Jerusalem

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Ch. 18 Destruction of Whore

• Language reminiscent of Ezekiel's dirge over Tyre
• Babylons demise not only portrays the ultimate
  downfall f evil, but also is a warning to the
  church to wake up before it is too late to leave
  the attachments of the earth city
• Voice from heaven calls the Christian to flee
  Babylon just as Lot was called to flee Sodom so
  that she or he does not share in her destiny
  Come out of her, my people, so that you do not
  take part in her sins, and so that you do not
  share in her plagues (184)
• Bablylon stripped of her allurements so true
  nature is exposed
• Woman of ch. 17 adorned with purple, scarlet, god
  and jewels is dethroned and reduced to nakedness
  in one hour

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New stability

• World is brought to chaos so that it can be
  created anew
• Evil is annihilated before the new city arrives
• Urgent plea to flee the earthly city before its
  fateful destruction is offered one last time

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Chapter 19

• Two banquets symbolize the resolution of the
  plot
• Marriage supper of the Lamb and the bride, the
  new city of God, represents the messianic banquet
  to which all Gods people gather (197)
• The other supper The great supper of God, is
  a parody of the Lambs upper (1917) Birds of
  heaven are invited to gorge on the carcasses of
  kings, captains, the mighty, free and slavethose
  who are slain by the warrior Faithful and True
• Unmistakable contrast
• Christ gives his body
• Humankinds flesh is devoured
• Conclusion beast for the seal and the beast
  form the land are thrown alive into the sulfurous
  lake of fire (1920)only the dragon remains to
  be destroyed after a 1000 year reprieve

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Chapter 20

• Final instabilities are removed
• Stable condition established on earth
• Reigning with Christ for 1000 years vindicates
  the martyrs (201-6)
• Satans resolve to destroy the saints is
  demonstrated, and thus he is justly thrown in to
  the lake of fire and sulfur where he joins the
  beast and the false prophet (207-10)
• The dead are judged according to their works
• Death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire
  which is the second death, a spiritual death
  (2014)
• All whose names are not written in the book of
  life are thrown into the lake of fire (2015)

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Chapters 21 22

• Ushers in a new stable condition, a wonderful
  resolution not only to the end of the book but of
  the end of history as well
• Encompasses both heaven and earth
• New heaven and a new earth descends from heaven,
  replacing the first
• New signifies a new kind of heaven and earth
• Whereas Babylon symbolizes mans attempt to
  create a new heaven, the New Jerusalem descends
  wholly from God
• All instabilities removed
• sea, sorrow, death, mourning, crying and pain
  (213-4)
• The cowardly, faithless, polluted, murderers,
  fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and liars
  banished to the lake of fire and sulfur (218)
• Everything unclean abolished from city (2127)
• Nothing accursed dwells therein (223)
• The night, which characterizes the previous
  creation, is no longer a part of the new creation
  (225)

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New Stable Condition Paradise Lost Regained

• Pristine order and stability
• At center throne of Lamb and God, the source of
  life for the city (221)
• Flowing out of throne is the river of water of
  life that sustains the inhabitants (221)
• On either side of river is the tree of life
  (222)

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Perfect Dimensions

• 12 gates allow total access to cityunrestricted
  fellowship with God
• City itself is a perfect cube of 12,000 stadia,
  reflecting the sublime harmony and symmetry in
  the new creation (2116)
• Wall has perfect dimensions of 144 cubits,
  symbolizing eternal security for the inhabitants
  (2117)
• Precious gems and gold clothe the city with
  magnificence
• In every way, New Jerusalem is the ideal city,
  the perfect community, which was unattainable on
  earth because of humankinds sin

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