The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown (194 page)
Read The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown Online
Authors: Andreas J. Köstenberger,Charles L Quarles
3
Osborne,
Revelation,
302—3; Bauckham,
Climax of Prophecy,
216, 225—26; Craig L. Blomberg,
From Pentecost to Patmos: An Introduction Through Revelation
(Nashville: B&H, 2006), 529—30.
4
The term
doulos
occurs a total of 14 times (1:1; 2:20; 6:15; 7:3; 10:7; 11:18; 13:16; 15:3; 19:2,5,18; 22:3,6). The majority of uses specifically refer to prophets, but the term also denotes Christians in general.
5
The primary differences include: (1) Judah heads the list, rather than Reuben; (2) the combination of Joseph with Manasseh, rather than Ephraim; (3) the omission of Dan; and (4) the inclusion of Levi. See Bauckham,
Climax of Prophecy,
220—23; id., “The List of the Tribes in Revelation 7 Again,”
JSNT
42 (1991): 99-115.
6
E.g., in 5:5—6 John hears about the Lion of Judah, but he sees the Lamb who was slain.
Table 20.3: The Letters to the Seven Churches in Revelation
| Ephesus 2:1-7 | Smyrna 2:8-11 | Pergamum 2:12-17 | |
| Characteristic of Christ | Holding seven stars and walkingamong the lampstands | Sharp double- edged sword out of mouth | |
| Commendation | Works, labor, endur ance, examining false apostles, rejecting the teachings of the Nicolaitans | Faithfully endured tribulation, poverty, and slander | Holding on to his name and did not deny faith in Christ |
| Accusation | Abandoned first love | None | Some hold to the teachings of a false prophet and the Nicolaitans |
| Admonition | Repent, remember, and return to prior good works | Be faithful unto death | Repent |
| Warning | Remove lampstand | None | Quickly fights them with his sword from his mouth (i.e. words) |
| Promise to Overcoming Victors | Right to eat from the tree of life in God's Paradise | Never be harmed by the second death | Hidden manna and a white stone with new name |
| Thyatira 2:18-29 | Sardis 3:1-6 | Philadelphia 3:7-13 | Laodicea 3:14-22 |
| Eyes like fire and feet of burnished bronze | Holding the seven spirits and seven stars | The one who is holy and true and holds the keys of David | The “Amen,” “faithful and true witness,” and “the ruler of God's creation” (NIV) |
| Increasingly great works, love, faithfulness, service, and endurance | None | Works, little strength, not denied his name, obedient, and endurance | None |
| Some hold to the teachings of a false prophetess and commit sexual immorality | Reputation of being alive but spiritually dead | None | Lukewarm, selfsuffi cient, and self-deluded when in reality they are spiritually pitiful, poor, blind, and naked |
| Repent and do not hold to her teachings | Be alert, strengthen what remains, remember what you heard, and repent | Hold on to what they have | Receive from Christ refined gold, pure clothes, and eye ointment |
| Cast the prophetess and her followers unto a bed of suff erring | Come against them like a thief | None | Christ rebukes those he loves and will restore fellowship with them |
| Authority over the Nations | Dressed in white and name secure in the book of life | Made a pillar in God's sanctuary and the name of God and his city on them | The right to sit on the throne with the Father and Son |
The second unit focuses on the salvation of God's people from every nation, tribe, people, and language (7:9—17). The fact that this group is standing before God's throne answers the question of who can stand during the day of his wrath (see 6:17). This interlude offers two perspectives regarding the same group of people. Most likely, the 144,000 represent the entire new covenant community of God's people
about to enter
the tribulation, while the multitude from many nations represents the multitude of the redeemed
coming out of
the tribulation. God's people are assured that God will protect them during this time of distress.
F. Eschatological Investigative Judgments (8:1—9:21)
After the protective sealing of the servants of God from the coming divine judgments, John returned to the series of septets with the breaking of the seventh seal in 8:1. He used the device of interlocking to transition from the seals to the trumpets, but he also intimately connected the succeeding trumpet judgments with the preceding seals. The breaking of the seventh seal results in immediate silence followed by the introduction of the seven angels and their trumpets. The first four trumpets impact all of life on earth: a third of the earth's vegetation burns up; a third of the saltwater turns to blood; a third of the freshwater turns bitter; and a third of the sun, moon, and stars turns dark.
The last three trumpets are directed specifically against the inhabitants of the earth. The fifth trumpet releases a horde of locust demons to scourge the inhabitants of the earth, and the sixth trumpet releases a demonic cavalry that inflicts even more terror. Believers are exempt from the last three judgments, as the locusts are commanded not to harm those with God's seal on their foreheads (9:4). Although each successive trumpet blast has dire consequences on the earth's inhabitants, they refuse to repent (9:20—21). The last trumpet comprises the consummation of God's wrath in that it contains the seven bowl judgments that destroy life on earth (see 16:1—21).
G. Second Interlude: God's People as Prophetic Witnesses (10:1—11:19)
The second interlude appears between the sixth and seventh trumpet blasts (10:1—11:13). It depicts the role of the people of God on earth during the time of the corresponding trumpet judgments. The interlude divides into two separate but interrelated sections. The first unit contains John's second prophetic commission in which he receives a message pertaining to the nations (10:1—11). The second unit describes the ministry of the two prophetic witnesses before the nations (11:1—13). These sections are inextricably bound together because they pertain to the fulfillment of a prophetic ministry to the nations. John's prophetic commission is ultimately completed in the ministry of the faithful witnesses.
When the Spirit-inspired prophetic testimony of the witnesses reaches completion, they are murdered (11:7—10). John stated that the beast from the abyss will wage war against
the two witnesses (11:7). This anticipates the war against believers instigated by the beast (13:1—18). The inhabitants of the earth revile these two witnesses to such an extent that a global celebration ensues once they have been violently murdered in the streets. That their corpses remain exposed where they lie indicates the level of umbrage and hatred expressed by humanity toward Christ's faithful representatives. After three and a half days, at a time corresponding with the seventh trumpet, God vindicates his witnesses through an awesome public display of resurrection and ascension (11:11—12). The time of testimony is completed, and the time for judgment has arrived.
H. Third Interlude: The Signs Narrative/God's People in Holy War (12:1—15:1)
A third interlude appears between the sounding of the seventh trumpet (11:15—19) and the introduction of the seven bowls containing the final judgments (15:5—8). The narrative falls into three natural divisions of holy war in heaven (chap. 12); holy war on earth (chap. 13); and the vindication of the believers followed by the judgment of the wicked (chap. 14). Amid the scenes of this cosmic spiritual warfare, John made the purpose of this interlude explicit by interjecting calls for encouragement (12:10—12), patient endurance (13:9-10), and the ultimate vindication of the believers (14:6—13).
The dragon (Satan) enlists the aid of two beasts in order to execute his war against believers (13:1—18). The beast from the sea represents the brute force of the political and military power of Rome (13:1—8). The beast from the land represents the religious institution that enforces the worship of the first beast (i.e., the imperial cult; 13:11—17). Together these three form an unholy trio, whereby the dragon, the sea beast, and the land beast function in a capacity similar to the three persons of the Godhead. Thus 12:1—15:4 provides the basis and justification for the severity and finality of the judgments rendered upon the inhabitants of the earth.
The seventh trumpet, comprising the third woe, signals the final consummation of God's judgment (11:15—19) by introducing the angels with the seven bowls filled with his wrath (15:5-8).
I. Final Investigative Judgments: The Seven Bowls (16:1—21)
The seven bowls contain the wine of God's wrath poured out on the inhabitants of the earth. The objects of this wrath are specifically identified as everyone with the mark of the beast that worshipped his image (16:2). The seal judgments impacted a fourth of the earth and its population, the trumpets a third, but the bowls release the full fury of God's wrath in its entirety.
The first bowl inflicts all unbelievers (i.e., those with the mark of the beast) with ugly and painful sores. The second and third bowls transform all the oceans and fresh waters of the earth into putrid blood. The fourth bowl intensifies the power of the sun scorching all flesh. The fifth and sixth are direct assaults against the beast's kingdom with a plague of darkness and preparation for the final battle of Armageddon. When the last bowl empties, God's retribution is complete (16:19) as affirmed in the judgment doxology (16:5—7).
IV. Vision Three (in the Desert): The Destruction of Babylon and the Return of Christ (17:1-21:8)
A. Transition: “Come, I Will Show You the Judgment of the Notorious Prostitute” (17:1—2)
The last bowl completed the total outpouring of God's wrath, so that the third vision comprises an expanded and more detailed look at the final trial and sentencing of the prostitute city of Babylon. Thus the third vision represents a different perspective on the final events briefly described during the trumpets and bowls. John metaphorically presented Rome as a prostitute seducing kings and nations into committing fornication with her, and he contrasted the destiny of the prostitute city Babylon with the bride city of the new Jerusalem.
The third vision exhibits five distinct movements: (1) Babylon introduced (17:3—18); (2) Babylon judged as the eschatological judgment of the nations (18:1—19:10); (3) the return of Christ as a divine warrior (19:11—21); and (4) the first and second resurrections as the eschatological judgment of individuals (20:1—15). After the final judgment, (5) the believers are introduced to their eternal reward (21:1—8).
B. The Prostitute City Babylon Described (17:3—6)
John, once again, was carried away “in the Spirit” to a desert where he saw a great prostitute sitting astride the seven-headed beast and drunk on the blood of believers (17:3—6).
C.
The Prostitute City Babylon as Rome (17:7—18)
The woman personifies the city of Rome with her military might, opulence, and allurement, and in a broader sense the world system represented by all great earthly civilizations. By depicting her on the back of the beast, John demonstrated her dependence on and relationship with Satan's kingdom. He also underscored her political power, economic extravagance, and religious devotion. She enticed the earth's inhabitants to forsake truth, righteousness, and justice to indulge in her flagrant adulteries consisting of idolatry, greed, and murder. For all of this she deserves judgment.
D. The Trial and Sentencing of Babylon (18:1—24)
Having identified Babylon with Rome, the tour of Babylon's judgment promised by the angel in 17:1 now comes into sharp focus. One salient feature of this entire scene is that John saturated this section with material drawn from OT prophetic oracles pertaining to the judgment of the historical Babylon. This interweaving of allusions creates the effect that Babylon's judgment represents the culmination of God's judgment against all pagan nations by way of military, political, and economic devastation. The verdict against Babylon is pronounced by an angel with great authority (18:1—3). The angel expresses the verdict in terms conveying the certainty of Babylon's destruction although the judgment is still a future event from John's vantage point.
God holds Babylon responsible for indulging in sins pertaining to wine, wealth, and political power, thereby leading the nations astray from the true God and obedience to his righteous decrees. Once the verdict is announced, another voice from heaven commences with Babylon's sentencing, which is characterized by a series of imperatives that
God has decreed for Babylon based on her sins and crimes (18:6—7). God administers justice through rendering judgment warranted by the crimes committed.
As the angels announce heavenly judgment and its causes, the kings, merchants, and mariners express an earthly response. Although Babylon seemed so strong, wealthy, and powerful, God easily brought about her collapse with his judicial verdict. Babylon's sentencing concludes with a symbolic act depicting her complete destruction along with a final reassertion of her indictment (18:21-24).
E. Heavenly Celebration of Babylon's Destruction (19:1—10)
Now that God has declared his verdict, believers duly acknowledge him with the appropriate praise for his avenging justice (19:1-10; see 6:10; Deut 32:43).
F. The Divine Warrior and Final Tribunal (19:11—20:15)
In 19:11—21 Jesus returns to earth to prosecute the sentence against Babylon. He returns as the rightful king and divine warrior in this Christological culmination of the book. Accompanied by his army of redeemed believers whom he has made to be his kingdom (see 1:6), he comes as the divine warrior king to dispense justice through judgment and salvation as made explicit by the white horse, multiple diadems, a scepter of iron, his blazing eyes, and the sword protruding from his mouth. One of the most graphic images depicting Jesus as the divine warrior is his blood-soaked robe (19:13) from treading the winepress of the fury of God's wrath (19:15).
