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7/18/2019 Caught Up to God

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THEOPOLIS INSTITUTE

CAUGHT UP TO GOD AND TO HIS THRONE:RESTRUCTURING REVELATION 11—22

SUBMITTED TO THE THEOPOLIS INSTITUTE

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE COURSE

REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW TESTAMENT STUDIES (NT022)

BY

JONATHAN SEDLAK

4/02/15



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Introduction

The book of Revelation is acknowledged by many scholars to be a literary masterpiece, yet as

Richard Bauckham explains in The Climax of Prophecy, it is also “an extraordinarily complex literary

composition.”1 Consequently, there is very little agreement about the book’s literary structure both as a

whole and in its apparent parts.2 A significant reason for such disagreement is that John does not seem to

have used any singularly obvious structure, although many scholars have attempted to prove otherwise.3

Rather, John seems to have placed numerous and varied structural markers throughout the book, each of

which seem to have their own distinctive advantages for discerning the plot, but not necessarily the

structure. In light of its extraordinarily complex composition, James B. Jordan suggests in The Vindication

of Jesus Christ that it might be best to think of Revelation as a “polyphonic musical composition, in which

several melodies are moving simultaneously but with perfect harmony and interaction.”4

With Jordan’s suggestion in mind, the goal of this paper is to explore only one of Revelation’s

apparent “melodies.” After this introduction, we will survey the trajectory of this “melody,” including some

ways it will diverge from other reputable “melodies.” I will also explain briefly how that divergence affects

our perception of Revelation’s unfolding drama. After that, the literary structure of this “melody” will be

outlined, thereby illuminating some significant symmetry within it. Following the outline of its literary

structure, a list of textual details will be presented, illustrating further symmetry within the literary structure.

The final section will survey some of the themes found in each parallel section of the outline, followed by

some concluding remarks.

1 Bauckham, p. 2. Italics mine, for emphasis 2 Stephen Smalley [p. 19] says that “No scholarly consensus exists about the structural analysis of Revelation, and themany theories which have been advanced are often complex in character.” Beale [pp. 108] says that “There has been littleagreement about how the book as a whole is to be outlined.” And where there is some agreement among scholars (particularly inchapters 1—16), Beale says “there is disagreement about where the successive sections precisely end and begin.”

3 As Bauckham notes [p. 2], “There have been many divergent attempts to discern the structure of Revelation byidentifying its major divisions.” Beale [pp. 108--151] spends a great deal of time mapping out the most significant theoriespertaining to Revelation’s literary design, and a constant problem among them is how unbalanced (and arbitrary) some sectionsappear to be, especially when scholars insist that the macro and micro structures are arranged best in heptads.

4 Jordan, p. 23



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To the degree that this goal is accomplished and my audience is persuaded of its relevance, I also

hope that this work will spur further investigation into the polyphonic structure of the entire book, and

especially its first eleven chapters, which both time and space will not allow for further discussion in this

paper.

The Trajectory of Revelation 11—22

As numerous scholars have suggested,5 chapter twelve seems to be the beginning of an entirely

new section within the book of Revelation. Craig Koester has even proposed that the book has “two main

parts,”6

the second of which begins at chapter twelve and is arranged chiastically:

A) Satan is thrown from heaven to earth (12:1-17)B) Beast and false prophet conquer (13:1-18)C) Whore rides on the beast (17:1-12)C’) Whore destroyed by the beast (17:13-18)

B’) Beast and false prophet are conquered (19:11-21) A’) Satan is thrown from earth into the abyss and lake of fire (20:1-3, 7-10)7

Stephen Smalley offers a different structure to this second part of the book, which he describes as “Act

5 Mounce [p. 229] says that “Chapter 12 marks a major division in the book of Revelation”. Beale [p. 147] contends thatalthough chapters 12 and following develop themes from the previous sections of book, “chapter 12 starts a new vision”. Alan F.Johnson, [p. 592] presents a clear demarcation at 12:1 in his outline of the book. Johnson even describes 12:1—14:20 as a“Book of Signs” that is significantly different than chapters 1—11 where no “signs” ( semeia) are previously found [p. 691]. CraigKeener [p. 45], Leon Morris [pp. 48-9], and John Paul Heil [ch. 1] all demarcate 12:1—14:20 as one unit distinct from those foundin chapters 1—11. Similarly, Yarbro Collins demarcates 12:1—15:4 as one unit [cited in Aune, p. xciv]. Bauckham offers aslightly different arrangement [p. 22]. He sees 12:1—14:20 and 15:2-4 as one unit which tells “the story of God’s people inconflict with evil”, yet he sees 15:1 and 15:5—16:21 as another unit. Even The Reformation Study [p. 2,296] treats Rev. 12:1 asthe beginning of a new section, claiming that “the main portion of the book (4:1—22:5) consists of seven cycles of judgments(4:1—8:1; 8:2—11:19; 12:1—14:20; 15:1—16:21; 17:1—19:10; 19:11-21; 20:1-15).” James M. Hamilton Jr. parts the literary

structure differently than most others, separating 12:1—13:10 as one distinctive unit [p. 544]. James Resseguie treats 12:1-18 asa separate unit [p. 169]. David Barr sees the book of Revelation as consisting of three different stories within one narrativeframework. The second story ends when the last trumpet sounds and we hear the announcement that God’s kingdom has come.The third story begins in 12:1 where “a majestic heavenly woman who is about to give birth is pursued by a heavenly dragon whoseeks to consume her child.” [Barr, p. 17]

6 Commenting on Rev. 1:19, Koester writes [p. 523]: “Revelation has two main parts. The first is now over, and thesecond is about to begin.”

7 Ibid. Koester repeatedly offers this chiastic arrangement throughout his extended commentary (c.f. pp. 114, 641,750). A similar, yet less-detailed structure is offered in his shorter commentary, Revelation and the End of All Things [GrandRapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2001], p. 116.



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Two” of Revelation’s drama:8

Seven signs (12:1—14:20)Interval: A New Exodus (15:1-8)

Seven Bowls (16:1-21)Interval: The Fall of Babylon (17:1—18:24)

Seven Visions (19:1—20:15)Interval: Prelude to the Final Scene (21:1)

Seven Prophecies (21:2—22:17)

The popularity of this dividing line (beginning at 12:1) is unfortunate because it assumes some kind

of decisive break from its preceding narrative (i.e. the sounding of the 7th trumpet in 11:15), a break which

introduces the possibility of a disjointed or unbalanced structure for the narrative that follows and,

potentially, sections in it being at odds with each other.9 Yet such speculations need not be the case if

there is no decisive break from the preceding narrative.

Although there is a dramatic introduction of a “great sign” in 12:1, as well as some new characters

in the verses that follow, it does not seem obvious within the narrative itself that an entirely new section

begins at 12:1. Rather, the contents of chapter twelve seem to result from the seventh trumpet blast

beginning at 11:15.10 Much like the walls of Jericho crashing down as a result from the seventh trumpet

blast on the seventh day, so the crashing down of the “holy city” described in Revelation 11:2 results from

its seventh and final trumpet blast. This pattern is even more obvious when compared with the seven seals

that preceded the trumpets. It is precisely because the seventh seal inaugurated the seven successive

trumpet blasts that it is also reasonable to expect the seventh trumpet to inaugurate the seven bowls of

chapter sixteen and the events leading up to them. Indeed, if this is the case, then one would naturally

expect the seven bowl judgments of chapters 15—16 to be the peak of this second “main part” or “act”

within Revelation’s narrative; and if chapters 15—16 are the peak , then a descending narrative “slope” can

also be anticipated on the other side. Moreover, if these ascending and descending slopes can be clearly

8 Smalley, p. 229 For a survey of critical literature that includes this suggestion, see Beale, pp. 108—151 10 I agree with James Resseguie [p. 169], who says that “despite what seems like the end at 11:15 the story goes on.”



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detected, as I hope to show below, then there is no need to perceive any of the scenes before and after the

seven bowls (chapters 12—14 & 17—22) as unbalanced or disjointed interludes.

Although Koester, Smalley, and many others have offered a neat arrangement of this second “act”,

some times by omitting important portions11 and other times by insisting upon an obviously unbalanced

section,12 the structure offered in this paper diverges from their trajectories. Below I will be presenting a

case that this second “act” is consistently coherent and balanced in its narrative as long as the seven bowl

judgments within it are viewed as central to its structure, at the peak of the drama’s trajectory.

One other aspect about this second “act” that needs to be addressed is its telos.13 Even after a

cursory glance through the last few chapters of Revelation, it is very apparent that John intended 21:9—

22:5 to be a distinctive section of its own. Revelation 21:9 begins with John carried away in the Spirit to

another visionary location in which he describes the new Temple-City of God and its measurements in

tremendous detail. Such detail should also cause us to pause and recall the last time any temple was

measured in Revelation. The last time this occurred was back in 11:1-14, after the sixth trumpet blast had

completed its damage in 9:13-21 and just before the seventh trumpet sounded to inaugurate the second

11 Although Koester repeatedly offers the same chiastic arrangement of the book’s second half in his extendedcommentary on Revelation [pp. 114, 523, 641, 750], he also repeatedly omits chapters 14—16, 18:1—19:10, 20:4-6, and 20:11-15, treating them as unbalanced sections within the chiastically arranged narrative. Even the newly released Reformation StudyBible (p. 2,296) makes similar omissions as Koester:

A) 12:1, 2B) 12:3-6

C) 13:1-18D) 14:1-5

E) 17:1-6E’) 17:15—18:24

D’) 19:1-10C’) 19:11-21

B’) 20:1-10

A’) 21:1—22:5 As the reader will notice, the chiastic outline I offer in this paper not only includes those pericopes in balance with theircorresponding symmetrical parts, but also I extend the structure to include the seventh trumpet and the vision of the NewJerusalem descending from heaven to earth. Another part of my reasoning for doing so is because these are the sections whichimmediately follow or precede the two temple measurements in the book (Rev. 11 & 22), which clearly serve as bracketingdevices for the contents between (11:15—21:8).

12 This is what Smalley does with the third interval (the prelude to the final scene). According to the way he reads thenarrative, the third interval (the sixth section) consists of only one verse (21:1). He also parallels the seven bowls (16:1-21) withseven alleged visions (19:1—20:15) that have been thoroughly disputed among scholars as being an intentional heptad.

13 I am thinking of telos in its broader sense of a “goal” or “aim,” and not simply as the “end” of a thing.



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“act.” Therefore, although the two scenes about measuring the temple could appear to be bookends of “act

two,” upon further inspection it is probably more accurate to view each temple-measuring scene as the

telos of each “act.”

In the first “act” the first six seals bring judgment from God, but the people try to hide from God

instead of repenting; then the seventh seal opens, which inaugurates six trumpet blasts with even greater

judgments upon the land; but still, the people don’t repent (9:20-21). At this juncture, after traveling the full

trajectory of this first “act,” we are brought to its telos. Since the people will not repent, the “holy city” must

be destroyed and replaced with a new city. John is then told to measure the temple and the people of its

“holy city” which we are told for the first time here will eventually be trampled by the beast that arises out of

the “abyss” (11:7; c.f. 17:8). In Revelation 21:9—22:5 we see this new city which replaces the old

Jerusalem that John measured in “act one.” Given the similarities between these two pericopes (11:1-14 &

21:9—22:5), it seems best to view each “act” as ending with a temple-measuring scene. This means that

the main body of narrative in “act two” consists of Rev. 11:15 through Rev. 21:8, with a separate closing

vision, 21:9—22:5, functioning as its ultimate goal. This is even more apparent given the symmetry

presented in the literary structure below.

The Literary Structure of “Act Two”

A) 11:15—12:17 (War in Heaven: Woman gives birth to a Son, Son ascends, Michael vs. Dragon, Dragon

is cast down to the land, Dragon makes war on the rest of the Woman’s children)

B) 13:1—18 (War on Earth: Sea Beast and Land Beast arise. Deception to worship the image of the

Beast and receive its mark)

C) 14:1—5 (Victorious Lamb with his holy army on Mount Zion)

D) 14:6—13 (Three angelic/heavenly pronouncements to those who dwell on the land: Fallen!

Fallen is Babylon!)

E) 14:14—20 (Reaping & Harvesting)

F) 15:1—8 (Prelude to the seven bowls)



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F’) 16:1—21 (Pouring out the seven bowls)

E’) 17:1—18 (Mystery of the Great Whore & the beast that carries her)

D’) 18:1—24 (Three human/earthly pronouncements to those who dwell on the land: Fallen!

Fallen is Babylon!)

C’) 19:1—10 (Victory celebration from heavenly Zion)

B’) 19:11—21 (Victory on Earth: the [Sea] Beast and False Prophet [Land Beast] are captured and

thrown into the lake of fire, for they had deceived those who received the mark of the beast and

worshiped its image)

A’) 20:1—21:8 (Victory in Heaven: The Dragon is cast down into the pit, Saints ascend thrones and reign

with Christ for 1,000 years, Saints vs. Dragon, New Jerusalem descends from Heaven, Dwelling place

of God is with man)

Textual Parallels of “Act Two”14

14 The English translation and versification I am using comes from the English Standard Version. The Greek textcomes from the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament 28 th Edition.

Section Atormented ()*)+,-./0+1 12:2devour 2)3)4567 12:4the rest 8.,9:+ 12:17day and night ;/0<)= 2)> +?23@= 12:10

conquered A+B21*)+ 12:11

dwelling/tabernacling *21+.C+3D= 12:12son ?E@= 12:5fled F4?6D+ 12:6

loved G6591*)+ 12:11face(s) 9<.*H9.? I9<@*J9)K 11:16(12:14)that ancient serpent who is the devil and satanL M4,= L N<O)P.=Q L 2)8.R/D+.= S,5(.8.=2)> L T)3)+U= 12:9the sand of the sea 3V+ W//.+ 3X= Y)85**1= 12:18prepared ;3.,/)*/0+.+ 12:6

lives Z?OV+ 12:11Jesus [1*.C= 12:17

Section A’agony ()*)+,*Y\*.+3), 20:10consumed 2)304)6D+ 20:9the rest 8.,9.> 20:5day and night ;/0<)= 2)> +?23]= 20:10

conquers +,2:+ 21:7

dwell/tabernacle *21+H*D, 21:3son ?E@= 21:7fled F4?6D+ 20:11

beloved G6)91/0+1+ 20:9presence 9<.*H9.? 20:11that ancient serpent, who is called the devil andsatan L M4,= L N<O)P.=Q ^= A*3,+ S,5(.8.=2)> L T)3)+U= 20:2the sand of the sea ; W//.= 3X= Y)85**1=20:8prepared ;3.,/)*/0+1+ 21:2

souls Z?O_= 20:4Jesus [1*.C= 20:4



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Section B

diadems a,)a\/)3) 13:1free A8D?Y0<J+ 13:16slave a.R8.?= 13:16

small /,2<.b= 13:16wage-war (verb) 9.8D/X*), 13:4

warfare (noun) 9@8D/.+ 13:7deceives 98)+c 13:14

Section C

like the sound of great thunder 2)> d= 4J+V+(<.+3X= /D6581= 14:2like the sound of many waters d= 4J+V+ea53J+ 9.88:+ 14:2women 6?+),2:+ 14:4the four living creatures 3_ 30**)<) -f) 14:3elders 9<D*(R3D<., 14:3

Section Dgive a@3D 14:7

glory a@g)+ 14:7dwell 2)Y1/0+.?= 14:6

fornication 9.<+DB)= 14:8cup 9.31<Bh 14:10

torment ()*)+,*/.C 14:11fire 9?<> 14:10Fallen Fallen is Babylon the Great F9D*D+F9D*D+ i)(?8j+ ; /D6581 14:8

Section E

golden O<?*.C+ 14:14hand OD,<> 14:14

city 9@8DJ= 14:20blood )k/) 14:20authority Ag.?*B)+ 14:18

Section FLord God the Almighty 2R<,D L YD]= L9)+3.2<53J< 15:3

just and true aB2),), 2)> N81Y,+)> 15:3holy ^*,.= 15:4bowls !"#$%& 15:7

Section B’

diadems a,)a\/)3) 19:12free A8D?Y0<J+ 19:18slave a.R8J+ 19:18

small /,2<:+ 19:18wage-war (verb) 9.8D/DP 19:11

warfare (noun) 9@8D/.+ 19:19deceives A985+1*D+ 19:20

Section C’

like the sound of strong thunders 2)> d= 4J+V+(<.+3:+ l*O?<:+ 19:6like the sound of many waters d= 4J+V+ea53J+ 9.88:+ 19:6bride 6?+V 19:7the four living creatures 3_ 30**)<) -f) 19:4elders 9<D*(R3D<., 19:4

Section D’give a@3D 18:7

glorified Aa@g)*D+ 18:7sit m5Y1/), 18:7

fornication 9.<+DB)= 18:3cup 9.31<Bh 18:6

torment ()*)+,*/]+ 18:7,10,15fire 9?<> 18:8Fallen Fallen is Babylon the Great F9D*D+F9D*D+ i)(?8j+ ; /D6581 18:2

Section E’

golden O<?*.C+ 17:4hand OD,<> 17:4

city 9@8,= 17:18blood )n/)3.= 17:6authority Ag.?*B)+ 17:12,13

Section F’Lord God the Almighty 2R<,D L YD]= L9)+3.2<53J< 16:7

true and just N81Y,+)> 2)> aB2),), 16:7holy ^*,.= 16:5bowls 4,58)= 16:1



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Thematic Parallels of “Act Two”

Sections A and A’

Revelation 11:15 begins with a blast from the seventh and final trumpet. Loud voices in heaven

then proclaim clearly: “The Kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,

and he shall reign forever and ever!” The twenty-four presbyters who sit on their thrones before God are

suddenly seen again (the last time being when John was carried away in the Spirit to the heavenly Temple

and its throne room; chs. 4-5); there John describes them as falling on their faces and worshipping God—

the God from whose “face” heaven and earth flee (F4?6D+) because of God’s victorious reign (20:11). This

won’t be the last time we hear about these characters again either, for they will appear two more times in

John’s vision, in two sections which parallel each other (C & C’).

What is significant, however, is that John not only parallels the posture of the presbyters “faces”

before the “face” of the victorious God (whose victory is visualized in 20:1—21:8), but this posture of

worship is juxtaposed with the “face” of the Serpent, whose posture is anything but worshipful toward the

God of heaven and earth. This posture of the Serpent is seen clearly, not only from the war in heaven

which ensues shortly after the seventh trumpet blast, but also after he is defeated in heaven and thrown

down to the land. There, on the land, the woman is given “wings of the great eagle” to fly away from the

Serpent’s “face” into the wilderness (12:14).15 This imagery clearly echoes Israel’s exodus, when they were

delivered from that ancient serpent—Pharaoh—on eagles’ wings and brought to YHWH himself (Ex. 19:4).

The woman of Rev. 12 flees (F4?6D+) into the wilderness (12:6), where she has a place prepared by God;

but the face of the Serpent is set on devouring (2)3)4567) her offspring because he refuses to worship

the God of heaven and earth. When the Serpent is cast down from heaven to the land, he is described as

“the accuser of our brothers…who accuses them day and night before our God” (12:10). In the last battle of

15 This is more obvious in the Greek text. Some English translations omit the word “face” to simplify the meaning of the

Greek idiom. In Greek, Revelation 21:14 says '%! Aa@Y1*)+ 3p 6?+),2> )E aR. 930<?6D= 3.C ND3.C 3.C /D658.?Q n+)90313), Dl= 3V+ F<1/.+qqq !"# "%&'("&) *&+ ,-./0 (‘’and the woman was given two wings of the great eagle so thatshe might fly into the wilderness... away from the face of the serpent’’)



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the book, when the army of the Serpent surrounds the camp of the saints, fire from heaven comes down

and consumes (2)304)6D+) them (20:9). That “ancient serpent who is the Devil and Satan” (12:9; 20:2) is

then thrown into the lake of fire to be tormented “day and night .”

Revelation 11:15—12:17 (section A) is a story of Israel’s beginning. It’s a story which begins with

God, a serpent, and a woman who would eventually give birth to a “son” (12:5).16 As the story unfolds, this

“son” is caught up to God and to His throne where heavenly warfare immediately ensues between the

Serpent and an Adamic-cherub figure, One-who-is-like-God.17 After a decisive battle is won, in which the

“Son” conquers their accuser by the blood of the Passover lamb (Rev. 12:11), an exodus occurs for the

“Son” to worship God (Israel is the “Son”; c.f. Ex. 4:22).

Revelation 20:1—21:8 is the victorious conclusion to that story. It’s a story of conquest and

kingdom growth, a story that ends with not just one “son,” but many sons being caught up to God and to

His throne, “sons” who reign with Christ for 1,000 years (20:6) to finally conquer the land and defeat the

serpent’s last attack (only after which they will reign forever and ever; c.f. 22:5). In the end it is only to the

one who conquers that the promised inheritance is offered: Christ will be his God, and he will be God’s

“son” (21:7).

Sections B & B’

Immediately before chapter 13 begins, we see the Serpent standing on “the sand of the sea”

(12:18; c.f. 20:8). Once chapter 13 begins, the Serpent is conjuring up an army of beasts to wage war

(9.8D/X*), ) against the offspring of the woman. The first Beast (the Sea Beast) has seven diadems on

its horns (13:1). The second Beast (the Land Beast) makes the inhabitants of the land worship the Sea

16 Although some English translations translated the word “son” (?,.=) as “child,” the Greek text of Revelation 12:5

says “son”: 2)> F3D2D+ )1#2 W<*D+ (‘’and she birthed a male son’’). Interestingly, the word ‘’son’’ (?,.=) only occurs 8 times inthe book of Revelation, and when it occurs in the plural form it always represents corporate Israel (i.e. the ‘’sons of Israel’’; c.f.2:14; 7:4; 21:12). Yet when it is used in the singular form (e.g. the ‘’son of God’, ‘’son of man’’; c.f. 1:13; 2:18; 14:14), the onlytwo places where it could possibly represent Israel corporately or Christ the Son individually are found in 12:5 and 21:7.

17 Michael means “Who is like God?”



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Beast, deceiving (98)+c) them to make an image of it and worship it (13:14). The Land Beast also

causes all men, small and great , both slave and free, to receive the mark of the Sea Beast, and no one is

allowed to buy or sell in the Temple18 of the Land Beast without it.

Revelation 13 is about the Serpent’s attempt to devour the saints who worship God; it’s about

liturgical warfare. It’s about the Serpent gathering an army of beasts to protect his “house,” his den of

robbers where people trust in deceptive words to no avail (Jer. 7:8-11; c.f. Matt. 21:12-13). In contrast,

Revelation 19:11-21 describes the final defeat of the Serpent’s army, before the Serpent himself is

defeated along with Death and Hades. This too is describing liturgical warfare. The first thing John sees is

heaven opened, and a white horse with One sitting on it called Faithful and True. He too has many diadems

on his head (19:12) like the Serpent’s army from the sea, but this One comes with the priestly armies of

heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and pure like the liturgists of Israel’s sanctuary; and they come to wage

war (9.8D/DP ) on the Sea Beast and the False Prophet (the Land Beast) “who deceived those who had

received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image” (19:20). This priestly army arrives at

this final battleground not only to deal with sin, striking down the nations and treading the winepress of the

18 Although the word “temple” is not mentioned explicitly in the text, the idea of a “temple” fits well into the backgroundof Revelation’s narrative. It is undeniable that within the larger context of Revelation, the proper worship of God is an all-pervasive theme, which in its 1st century context was understood in connection with the temple of God. In the closer context thisidea of a temple also fits well into the background because the Land Beast influences what the people worship. This languageabout “buying and selling” is most likely an allusion to what had been going on in the temple when Jesus came in to inspect it(Mat. 21:12-13). Moreover, even a cursory glance through each gospel shows that Herod’s Temple was the center of Jewishidolatry insofar as the Herodians, Pharisees, Sadducees, and other Jewish sects insisted on rejecting the temple of Jesus’ body as God’s chosen replacement of the old covenant temple structures, and would only accept their temple as providing access toGod. Furthermore, if a Christian reader in John’s day thought each “beast” in Revelation represented a satanic power structureexisting in their own generation, it’s likely that the Sea Beast would have represented a Gentile (Roman) power and the LandBeast a Jewish/Herodian power. (In ANE cultures, the symbolism of a “sea” was associated with the “abyss” and the Gentile

world (outside of God’s people), and the “land” was associated with the promised land of God’s people.) So the Land Beastdescribed in Rev. 14 could possibly be about the Jewish authorities including its priestly aristocracy, working with the Romangovernment to protect their own antichrist religion (i.e. 1st century anti-Christian Judaism). When the Land Beast requires Jews toreceive the mark of the Sea Beast in order to worship in Herod’s Temple, that could indicate their continued justification forcrucifying Christ, because at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion the Jewish authorities cried out, “We have no king but Caesar!” All ofthis, of course, assumes that John wrote the book of Revelation prior to 70 A.D. and the destruction of Jerusalem. For an(updated) exegetical and historical defense of the early pre-70 A.D. date for Revelation’s composition, see Kenneth Gentry,Before Jerusalem Fell: Dating the Book of Revelation [Victorious Hope Publishing, 2010]. An older version of Before JerusalemFell: Dating the Book of Revelation can be accessed for free here:http://freebooks.entrewave.com/freebooks/docs/a_pdfs/kgbj.pdf



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fury of God’s wrath,19 but in doing so they are preparing a victorious liturgical feast for the saints—the great

Supper of God wherein “the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great ” are sacrificed as a

peace20 offering (19:18).

Sections C & C’

Revelation 14:1-5 marks another decisive shift in the narrative. As soon as we find the Serpent’s

beastly army successfully deceiving the people of the land, allowing only those who receive the mark of the

beast to worship its image in the Serpent’s temple, we also see the Lamb standing on the mountain of King

David’s temple—Mount Zion—along with 144,000 Israelites sealed with the mark of their Heavenly Father.

John also hears a voice from heaven like the sound of great thunder and many waters (14:2), like harpists

playing on their harps. On David’s temple mount, the Lamb and his holy army are seen standing in

opposition to the Serpent’s army, celebrating along with the heavenly choir before the throne of God and

before the four living creatures and the presbyters (14:3) because they follow the Lamb wherever he goes.

Like David’s procession to Zion with the Ark of God, symbolizing Israel’s resurrection from death (because

God departed from them, but was returning with David), so this holy army follows the procession of the

Lamb (Rev. 5:6) as their “Ark,” from death to resurrection. Only this holy army could learn the heavenly

song, for only they had not defiled themselves with women ( 6?+),2:+); only they were virgins (14:4); only

they could rejoice as the “bride” ( 6?+V) made ready for the Lamb (19:7). It is this “bride’s” faithfulness unto

death which inaugurates the following sections that declare Babylon as fallen, and secure God’s judgment

against the great city.

19 It’s important to notice that, as far as the narrative is concerned, this army comes to destroy the Beasts at the end .This scene of an army treading the winepress takes place long after the wheat and grapes are gathered together in chapter 14,and must be interpreted as a separate event of “treading.”

20 I refer to them as a peace offering not only because of the pervasive temple theme in the background of Revelation,but also because the peace offering is the only sacrifice which all the participants of the old covenant liturgy (the priest, the oneoffering the sacrifice, and their children) were commanded to eat a portion of the sacrifice together. The peace offering isdistinctive because it is the only “fleshly” sacrifice associated with feasting. It is also the only “fleshly” sacrifice which associates afeast with peace between God and man, which seems to be a major point of Revelation 19:11—21.



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Revelation 19:1-10 continues this heavenly celebration of chapter 14, but from the heavenly Zion.

Again, John hears a great voice of a large multitude in heaven, like the sound of many waters and strong

thunders, saying “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns! Let us rejoice and be glad and

give the glory to him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride ( 6?+V) has made herself

ready!” (19:6-7). At that time John, again, sees the four living creatures and the presbyters falling down to

worship God, saying “Amen! Hallelujah!” As Hans Urs Von Balthasar observes in his Theo-Drama, “Here

alone in the New Testament, a resounding ‘Hallelujah’ greets the most terrible ruination there portrayed.”21

At this point it’s important to remember that in 14:1-5 the vision of victory had only begun, and could not yet

be complete because the 7 bowl judgments had not yet been poured out upon the land. In this latter section

(19:1-10) the celebration continues because God had already judged the Great Prostitute—the great anti-

Virgin—who was corrupting the land with her fornication (19:2).

Sections D & D’

Immediately following this scene on Mount Zion, John sees and hears three heavenly

proclamations to those who sit (2)Y1/0+.?=) upon the land, and to every nation and tongue and tribe and

people. The first angelic proclamation is to fear God and give (a@3D) Him the glory (a@g)+). John then

sees a second angel come, proclaiming that “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great!” for she has made all the

nations drink the wrath-wine22 of her fornication (9.<+DB)=). Then a third angel is seen and heard by John,

only this angel proclaims that anyone who worships the Beast and his image, and receives his mark, will

also drink wrath-wine23 out of the cup (9.31<Bh) of God’s anger (14:10), and will become subject to

21 Balthasar, p. 5422 14:8 describes the contents of the cup which the Prostitute shares as 3.C .t+.? 3.C Y?/.C 3X= 9.<+DB)=

)u3X=, “the wrath-wine of her fornication”23 14:10 describes this same cup of the Prostitute’s “fornication” as that which carries God’s “wrath.” Its contents are

described as 3.C .t+.? 3.C Y?/.C 3.C YD.C, “the wrath-wine of God.” This implies a connection between the prostitute’sfornication and the production of God’s wrath for her to drink and be condemned. As I will be arguing in the following section, the



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torment and fire (9?<> ).

Only in chapter 18 do we find more proclamations of this sort. Indeed, only in these two sections

(14:6-13 & 18:1-24) do we find the specific proclamation, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great!”, repeated

(18:2). Similar to the three heavenly proclamations of 14:6-13 toward those who sit (2)Y1/0+.?=) upon

the land, we also find three earthly proclamations of “Woe, woe!” against Babylon for saying in her heart, “I

sit (25Y1/), ) as a Queen…” (18:10,16,19). It is precisely because She glorifies (Aa@g)*D+) herself,

instead of giving glory to God, that she will be given (a@3D) torment and mourning, being burned with fire

(9?<> ; 18:7-8).

Sections E & E’

Compared with the literary parallels of the surrounding narrative, these two sections appear to

share the least amount of textual symmetry with each other. However there are still some significant

reasons why these two sections ought to be viewed as complementing each other.

First, in each section the two characters and their actions are presented in pairs. In section E we

find two angels and two sharp sickles; one is reaping wheat and one is harvesting grapes. Likewise, in

section E’ we learn the mystery of the Woman and the Beast that carries her. Second, there is some textual

symmetry (as listed above), albeit weak. Third and perhaps most significantly, it’s important to notice that

these sections are the closest to the seven central bowl judgments, and so, given the symmetry of the

surrounding narrative (as already shown), what we should expect to find in the scene immediately

preceding the bowl judgments (section E) are events which are explained further in the scene that

immediately follows the bowl judgments (section E’). And in fact, that is exactly what we find, despite

having the greatest lack of textual symmetry when compared with its surrounding narrative.

prostitute not only indulges on this wine-wrath, but her fornication in chapter 14 is directly connected with the act of treading thewinepress, which produces God’s wrath for her to drink (and give to the “nations” to drink as well; c.f. 14:8).



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As long as these two sections are viewed in connection with each other and as complementing one

another, at least one significant implication arises. When we finally learn in section E’ that the Prostitute

(which is the Great City, 17:18) is drunk with the blood of the saints—the blood of the witnesses of Jesus

(17:6)—we too ought to wonder greatly, as John did (17:6), that the grapes harvested into the great

winepress of God’s wrath seem to include the blood of these very same saints which the Prostitute drinks.

Admittedly, scholars do not usually associate the blood of the saints in section E’ with the grapes

that were harvested in section E, even though in earlier sections of the narrative the cup which the

Prostitute shares is clearly identified with the cup of God’s anger, which is filled with the “wrath-wine” of

God. Without any doubt, there is an unmistakable connection between the Prostitute drinking the cup of

God’s anger, and that cup being filled with the blood of His saints. Yet it is still not a common observation to

connect the blood of the saints in the cup with any of the grapes that are trodden outside the city (c.f. 14:8-

10, 19-20; 17:6). Instead of accepting this clear connection at face value, scholars usually make a clear

separation of the wheat harvest of 14:14-16 from the grape vintage of 14:17-20, and suggest that one is

positive (deliverance) and one is negative (judgment), implying that the wheat harvest must only include the

elect, whereas the grape vintage must only include the ungodly, non-elect.24 Such insistence upon

separating the two, however, distracts us from its more obvious liturgical implications. Here we have wheat

and grapes gathered by heavenly sickles. Grapes are gathered into a winepress for wine and wheat is

gathered and threshed for bread . Since bread and wine are symbols of the body and blood of Christ, these

wheat and grapes are gathered for sacramental purposes,25 purposes which, when drank, bring

24 Mangina [p. 178] describes this as a common interpretation. Mangina also comments on the sudden shift in thenarrative: “[John] simply says that the Son of Man swings his sickle and ‘’the earth was reaped’’ (Rev. 14:16). The imagerysuddenly shifts, and now it is no longer wheat but the vine that is being harvested.”

25 Admittedly, bread and wine are not always made for sacramental purposes. However, given the fact that the book ofRevelation was composed at least thirty years after Christians had been gathering together, eating and drinking sacramentalbread and wine together on a regular basis, it is very difficult to imagine this gathering of wheat (for bread) and grapes (for wine)as having nothing to do with the sacraments.



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condemnation on unworthy partakers. 26 To separate the wheat for God’s blessing but the grapes for God’s

curse is to miss the most obvious point of the imagery. It also presumes that there is no literary connection

between the vintage of grapes and the wine in the cup of the Prostitute (i.e. the cup containing the blood of

saints). Yet as the literary structure that I have posited suggests, there is not much left for speculation. The

blood-wine in the cup of God’s anger comes from somewhere, and the most natural location in the

preceding narrative from which that blood-wine would be gathered is the winepress of the previous section

(section E).

Moreover, the expression of 14:19, F()8D+ Dl= 3V+ 81+]+ 3.C Y?/.C 3.C YD.C 3]+ /06)+,

does not preclude the possibility of saints being gathered among the vintage because it does not

necessitate the grapes being pressed by God’s wrath or the saints as the objects of God’s wrath. Rather,

given the immediate context surrounding this statement, the Prostitute, Babylon, is the object of God’s

wrath, and it is her cup that is filled with the “wrath-wine” produced by her fornication.27 Given the

surrounding narrative parallels, it seems more likely that the Prostitute gets to drink the blood-wine of the

saints because She is the one who caused them to be trampled in God’s winepress.28 Although the text

does not explicitly state who is doing the treading in God’s winepress, this theme of drinking what one

26 I am indebted to James B. Jordan for his insights [pp. 55-66] regarding this section of Revelation; particularly hisinsights regarding the beginning of chapter 14, where we find the “firstfruit” army on mount Zion (the army of 144,000) and this“sacramental army, the final massacre of the martyrs” described at the end of chapter 14.

27 See footnote #2328 It is also interesting to note that this verb for “treading” or “trampling” was last used back in chapter 11. There we

learn about the prophecy that “the saintly city will-be-trampled ” (future tense; 3V+ 9@8,+ 3V+ v6B)+ 9)3\*.?*,+) by the“nations” (11:2) for forty-two months. There we also learn another literary connection, that the courtyard of Jerusalem’s Temple isto be symbolically “thrown out, outside” ( i.e. outside the city, Jerusalem) so that these “nations” can trample it, while the “two

witnesses” of God prophecy within the city, clothed in sackcloth. The Greek phrase of 11:2 (F2()8D 34/5.2K also seems toconnect those thrown outside to be trampled (11:2) with the trampling of saints outside the city in 14:20. Rev. 14:20 is the only

other place within the book of Revelation that this Greek verb for “outside” is found (A9)3\Y1 ; 81+]= 34/5.2 3X= 9@8DJ=wi.e. “the winepress was trampled outside the city ”). Although it appears that John symbolically throws this “saintly city” outside thecity of Jerusalem as a picture of someone throwing the Christian saints out to be trampled by the Gentiles, it is not exactly clear who is throwing them out of the city to be trampled. One possible interpretation is that God is the one sovereignly authorizing thistransaction (from heaven), which coincides with the imagery of God’s “gathering” into the winepress of chapter 14. On the otherhand, if the imagery is supposed to symbolize earthly characters and their actions, given the fact that the Temple and those whoworship in it are being measured by John, it is possible that the Jewish leadership within the Temple/City would throw theChristian saints (i.e. the “saintly city”) out of Jerusalem to be trampled by the Gentile “nations.” Regardless of whether the eventsand characters of chapters 11 and 14 are being recapitulated, it at least seems likely that the saints are the ones who are lastdescribed in Revelation as being trampled .



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treads is also repeated at the end of Revelation’s narrative, when God comes with his priestly army to tread

the winepress of his enemies, and they (God and His army) get to drink that wine they produced in the

great supper of God (Ch. 19). James Jordan contends that a better way of understanding the expression of

14:19 (above) is to interpret the wine produced by the grapes as carrying the wrath of God.29 “This is quite

clear,” Jordan writes, “in what follows: the blood of the grapes completely covers and fills the land. Now, in

the Bible, blood cries out for vengeance. The blood cries for God’s wrath, and that is what follows

immediately in the outpouring of the Bowls.” 30

Balthasar’s observations are, again, helpful regarding our perception (and often misconception) of

God and His wrath portrayed throughout Revelation. He says that God’s “wrath is the sign of His

involvement.”31 In other words, God is intimately involved in his creation. This is mysterious in many ways,

particularly as it involves the intersection of divine and human freedom, yet so much of Scripture testifies to

this. “God is at the same time superior to history and involved in it.”32 The greatest example of this is with

God Himself, who delivered up his own Son to be slain. “The Lamb is God’s mode of involvement in, and

commitment to, the world; the Lamb is both ‘worthy’ and ‘able’ not only to symbolize God’s involvement but

to be it.”33 Based on Revelation’s theme of anticipated martyrdom for those who keep the testimony of

Jesus, we may want to consider these saints as being God’s involvement in it as well.34 Throughout the

book of Revelation, as with the rest of Scripture, when the “Head” suffers, so does the “Body,” and vice

versa.

Argued from a different angle, it’s not as though the winepress imagery must only be interpreted as

God punishing those gathered within it. Rather, the narrative leading up to this section better suggests that

29 Jordan, pp. 64-6530 Ibid.31 Balthasar, p. 55 32 Ibid., p. 5133 Ibid., p. 5234 I am not at all trying to diminish the tremendous importance of viewing Jesus Christ as the One who “is” God’s

involvement in creation. However, the incarnation teaches us that God is, in some sense, saving creation through a humanity inunion with the incarnate Christ. It is in the sense of union that I suggest we rethink our understanding of saintly martyrdomportrayed in Revelation.



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as long as the witnesses of Jesus knew they could be martyred by the Beasts for their faithfulness, this

vision of a winepress filled with grapes of wrath is simply the final “call for the endurance and faithfulness of

the saints” (13:10; c.f. 14:12-13).35 Like Jesus accepting his destiny in the “winepress” of Jerusalem (i.e. in

Gethsemane36) —where he prayed three times that if it were possible the cup of suffering would be taken

from him—so the saints accept their destiny in God’s winepress as well. This longing for, and acceptance

of, a meaningful death is, as Balthasar describes, “the wounds that existence bears.”37 Without the

meaning of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection at the core of one’s existence, “death, freedom, power, and

evil, sharpen the problem of existence to the point of rendering it unbearable.”38 In other words, it is only

through the lens of Christ’s mission to the world that these perplexing (and even bothersome) images of

divine truth are bearable. According to John’s vision, God grants permission to His angels to gather the

saintly-grapes of his vineyard so that they will be martyred by the Beasts of the previous chapter (13:5-10,

15). This is why, in the central section of bowl judgments, an angel cries out:

Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. For theyhave shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink.Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments! (16:5-7)

Throughout the book of Revelation, the faithfulness of Jesus’ witnesses unto death was always

intended to be the means by which the final bowl judgments of God would fall upon the Prostitute. If the

saints are the grapes, we may also suspect that their blood-wine fills the bowls that get poured out onto the

land in the next section. Their blood is poured out for others to drink, as God’s wrath upon them. After

God’s wrath-wine is poured out, we find the Prostitute drunk on the blood of these saints.

35 The literary parallels between 13:10 and 14:12-13 are obvious. However, 14:12-13 adds further clarification aboutwho is dying: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on…”. Immediately following this statement (verse 14), we findthese saints of verse 13 being gathered into God’s winepress.

36 Gethsemane means “winepress of oil.” Gethsemane comes from two Hebrew words (translated into Greek): !"# and

! "# $%&. !"# means “wine-press” and ! "# $%& means “oil.”37 Balthasar, p. 7738 Ibid.



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Sections F & F’

Finally, we reach the central section of this second “act.” Here John sees “another sign in heaven,

great and marvelous.” The last time John saw a great “sign” appear in heaven was in the first section of this

“act” (12:1, 3). There, John saw a woman with her son, and a great red dragon waiting to devour him. Here

we find the climactic reversal of that sign with another heavenly sign: seven angels with seven bowls.

These seven bowls contain the blood of the saints which, when poured out upon the land (16:5-6), become

plagues upon its people. It is in these bowls that the wrath of God is finished (15:1). Those who had been

victorious over the beast through martyrdom are then seen standing on a sea of glass, holding harps, and

singing:

Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty ! Just and true are yourways, O King of the nations! …You alone are holy ! (15:3-4) After these things, the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven is opened (15:5), an event

which has not been seen since the opening of this second “act” (11:19). John then sees these two things:

1) the heavenly Temple filled with smoke from the glory of God, which no one after is allowed to re-enter

until the seven plagues are finished (15:8), and 2) a heavenly charge directed at the seven angels to pour

out the seven bowls of wrath-wine (16:1). Following these charges are plagues similar in description to the

those poured out upon the land of Egypt (sores, Exod. 1:8ff; bloody sea, Exod. 7:17ff; bloody rivers and

springs, Exod. 7:17ff; sky rains down fire, Ex. 9:22ff; darkness, Exod. 10:21ff; frogs, Exod. 8:2ff; thunder

and hail, Exod. 9:22ff). In the midst of these plagues John hears the chorus of martyrs again, only this time

it is sung along with the angels of heaven:39

Just are you, who are and who were, O Holy One, because you judged these things! For

they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink!They deserve it! …Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty , true and just are your judgments! (Rev.16:5-7)40

39 The “altar” also joins along with the angelic choir, but I take the singing altar to mean the voice of those martyrswhich we have seen crying out to God for vindication throughout the book.

40 deSilva [ch. 11] has written an excellent article, “Literary Logic in Revelation”, describing the way in which thesehymns of Rev. 15:2-4 and 16:5-7 reinforce major Jewish cultural premises concerning God’s justice and His opposition toinjustice, greed, and self-glorification.



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After the blood is poured out upon the land, we find one last echo from the beginning of this second

“act,” when heaven was first opened to reveal the ark in the Most Holy Place (11:19). John writes:

And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was agreat earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the land. …Thegreat city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the Great wasremembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. (16:18-19)

Perhaps the most striking phrase within this central section is John’s concluding remark, “Babylon

the Great was remembered before God.” Much like the exiles who sat down by the rivers of Babylon,

weeping as they remembered Zion (Psa. 137:1), so the Lord looks upon fallen Babylon the Great and

remembers her.41 God remembers her greatness and glory, as well as her great ingloriousness and

whoredom like Zion. God sent Her prophets and wise men and scribes, but She flogged them in Her

synagogues, persecuted them from town to town, and even killed them (Matt. 23:34-35). Then God filled

the cup of her fornication and she drank it. The great Harlot, Babylon, knew better than to partake of the

body and blood unworthily; but it was her fornication which trampled the blood of virgin saints. So at the

time of Her destruction, Babylon was remembered before God.

Conclusion

The peak of this drama has been reached, and as we have already seen the rest is all downhill

thereafter. As John guides us down the slope on the other side of this peak, back to ground level, we too

remember Babylon and the reason for her defeat. We remember that she was the mother of harlots and of

all abominations in the land. We remember the bloodshed of Jesus’ witnesses—a mile and a half of blood

41 Mangina, p. 191



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on the ground (14:20),42 crying out to God for vengeance so that their witness to the truth would be

vindicated in the sight of all whom Babylon deceived. We recall that these faithful martyrs refuse to receive

the mark of the beast or worship its image because their loyalty is to the Lamb that was slain; they follow

Him wherever he goes; they follow Jesus’ pathway to death because his path alone leads to resurrection

and ascension, to thrones in a new heaven and earth43 where there won’t be anymore sorrow or mourning

from exile,44 and where God himself will tabernacle with them, and they will be his people.45

We also remember that ancient serpent (12:9) and where his defeat began (20:2). His defeat

began in a garden as he waited to devour the Woman’s chosen seed. As soon as her “Son” was caught up

to God and to His Throne, war in heaven broke out and that ancient Serpent fell. But the Son’s victory over

the Serpent was only the beginning of the end. Other “sons” who keep the commandments of God and bear

witness to Jesus must get caught up to God and to their thrones as well (20:4). It is through their witness of

death and resurrection that the final victory over Satan can be (and is) won.

42 1,600 stadia, which is about one and a half miles. Kenneth Gentry [p. 101] documents an interesting fact, thatIsrael’s length as a Roman province was 1664 stadia. So, in this passage there seems to be an allusion to the land of Israel asthe winepress itself.

43 Balthasar [pp. 42-43] sees a connection between the 7 churches in the beginning of the book and those whoconquer into the new world. He writes: “The seven ‘letters’ introduced by the initial vision, in which Christ holds in his hands thespirits or angels of the communities, form the first half of the framework that serves to situate what is to be seen. …Thus we readof a love that is perfect and one that has fallen from its erstwhile fullness (2:4); a humility that thinks itself poor yet is rich (2:9); afaith that, in some people, is vulnerable and can turn to unbelief (2:!3f.); a kind of progress in Christianity that is insufficientlyconsistent (2:19f.); a pseudo-vitality that is in fact moribund and needs to be shaken into life (3:1f.); a weakness that yet can hold

fast to the Lord in faithfulness (3:8); and, finally, a dangerous lukewarmness that thinks itself rich but in reality is wretchedly poor,blind and naked; it is sharply rebuked, for ‘’those whom I love, I reprove and chasten’’ (3:17, 19). All these communities are given

promises that refer beyond the scenario of the battle visions to the second and concluding part of the framework, namely, thatnew world created by God where ‘’death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for theformer things have passed away” (21:4)” [italics mine]

44 Mathewson [pp. 59-63] offers a good summary of the “second exile” motif in Revelation 21, beginning with God’sdeliverance of his people from Babylon. He contends that several old testament texts envision the ceasing of sorrow andweeping as Israel returns from exile to Zion, and those texts have provided the impetus for John’s statement in 21:4

45 Mathewson [pp. 50-57] also offers some interesting insights about this ‘covenant formula’ in relation to the ‘new-exodus/return’ motif of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah



Bibliography

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