: Dragon Cycle Conquest Prelude (Rev. 14:1 20) General Outline Prologue Epilogue Jesus/John Jesus/John of J/Christ (1:1 8) of J/Christ (22:6 21) Cycle (6 20) LIterary Structure: Parts Christ Cycle (6 11)Thematic Dragon Cycle (12 20) Almighty God & His Christ Seals 1 4 Seal 5 Seal 6 144,000 Multitude Seal 7 Red Dragon & His Beasts Trumpets 1 4 Conflict Dragon Attack Trumpet 5 Beast Agents Trumpet 6 Conquest Prelude Scroll Bowls Witnesses Perspectives Trumpet 7 Climax Cycle (6 20) Christ Cycle (6 11) Dragon Cycle (12 20) Almighty God & His Christ Red Dragon & His Beasts Seals 1 4 Seal 5 Seal 6 144,000 Multitude Seal 7 Trumpets 1 4 Conflict Dragon Attack Trumpet 5 Beast Agents Trumpet 6 Conquest Prelude Scroll Bowls Witnesses Perspectives Trumpet 7 Climax
LIterary Structure: Dragon Cycle (12 20) Dragon Cycle (12 20) Cosmic Conflict Dragon Attack (12) (Rev 12 13) Beast Agents (13) Bowl Prelude (14) Messianic Conquest Bowl s (15 16) (Rev 14 20) Bowl Perspectives (17 20) Eschatological Climax Satan s Defeat (20) (Rev 20) (20) LIterary Structure: Dragon Cycle (12 20) Dragon Cycle (12 20) Cosmic Conflict Dragon Attack (12) (Rev 12 13) Beast Agents (13) Bowl Prelude (14) Messianic Conquest Bowl s (15 16) (Rev 14 20) Bowl Perspectives (17 20) Eschatological Climax Satan s Defeat (20) (Rev 20) (20) Conquest Prelude (14:1 20): Overview I. Content = Expansion of Seal (obvious reuse of the 144,000 imagery) II. Structure = Linguistic A. Many proposals various sequences of unnumbered sevens John does not explicitly indicate any sevens B. Result: default to repeating phrase, then I saw #1 = Mount (14:1 5) #2 = (14:6 13) #3 = (14:14 20) (14:1 20): Structure
(14:1 20): Structure Prelude (14:1 20) : (14:1 5) I. Thematic Unity of A. Common words, ideas with Seven Churches Inaugural Vision: voice from heaven, voice of many waters (1:10, 15) Heaven: throne, elders, great thunder, four living creatures, Lamb, harps, new song, redeemed (4:2, 4, 5, 6; 5:6, 8, 9) Seven Letters: Father s name (2:17; 3:12) Seal : 144,000 (7:4) B. Contributes to literary, thematic unity of whole C. Consolidates Cycle to Seven Churches Prelude (14:1 20) : (14:1 5) II. III. Mount Traditions A. Historical: Davidic kingdom traditions B. Prophetic: place of deliverance Seal Interpreted A. Lamb = slain Lamb of 5:6 B. 144,000 = sealed saints of 7:4 victims of dragon and beasts of chs. 12 13 seal vs. beast s mark (14:1 vs. 13:16) defeating dragon by sharing Lamb s triumph new song = only redeemed know the lyrics Prelude (14:1 20) : (14:1 5) IV. Symbolic Imagery A. Sexual abstinance = Jewish holy war (Deut. 23:9 10) sexual imagery for religious unfaithfulness contextual anticipation of whore of Babylon (17) B. In their mouth no lie as a war of words (cf. 1:16) faithful witness in persecution context false claims of Roman Empire denied
Conquest Prelude (14:1 20): Structure Prelude (14:1 20) : (6 13) I. First Angel: Eternal Gospel A. Midheaven: broadcast to all points terrestrial B. Creation theology invoked (14:7) foundation of Heaven (ch. 4) creation unfinished without redemption C. Good news: a two-edged sword no salvation for some without judgment for others (cf. 1:16) For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to me, Take the cup of the wine of wrath from my hand, and cause all the nations to whom I send you to drink it. And they shall drink and stager and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them.... Babylon has been a golden cup in the hand of the Lord, intoxicating all the earth. The nations have drunk of her wine; therefore the nations are going mad. Jer. 25:15 16, 51:7 Prelude (14:1 20) : (6 13) II. Second Angel: Fallen is Babylon! A. Rome as the new Babylon Babylon applied to Rome in Jewish literature (2 Bar. 11:1; Sib. Or. 5:143 5) Babylon as NT cipher for Rome (1 Pet. 5:13) enticing, intoxicating power, riches B. Rome and her allies complicit in Rome s idolatry confederate in Rome s destiny condemned in Bowl s and Babylon
(14:1 20) : (6 13) Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great,... made all the nations drink of the passionate wine of her immorality. Bowls (15:1 16:21) Babylon (17:1 20:6) Prelude (14:1 20) : (6 13) III. Third Angel: Mark of the Beast A. Wine of wrath Target: worship, mark of the beast (13:11 18) Degree: unmixed = full strength B. Fire and brimstone (sulphur) Sodom and Gomorrah story (Gen. 19:24) prophetic imagery (Isa. 34:8 10) no rest, in contrast to the saints (14:13) Prelude (14:1 20) : (6 13) III. Third Angel: Mark of the Beast C. Blessing for the dead witness theme (1:5, 9; 2:13; 3:14; 6:9; 11:17; 12:11) rest from labors of witness, testimony Conquest Prelude (14:1 20): Structure
Prelude (14:1 20) : (14 20) A. One like a son of man : angel or Christ? (1:13) B. : same or distinct? taken from Joel 3:13: judgment pictured as both grain and grape harvests if same: both negative judgment, following Joel if distinct: first = righteous harvest, following the NT pattern (Lk. 10:2. Jn. 4:35 38) C. Power over fire specific angel s task or heavenly altar duty? probably related to prayers of saints (cf. 8:3 5) Prelude (14:1 20) : (14 20) D. Outside the city generic? then simply normal execution place specific? then what city? Jerusalem? evocative for death of Jesus? (cf. Jn. 19:20; Heb. 13:12) E. Blood several feet deep for 1600 stadia most gruesome idea in oriental hyperbole? significance of 1600 number unknown Prelude (14:1 20) : (14 20) D. Outside the city generic? then simply normal execution place specific? then what city? Jerusalem? ca. 200 miles evocative for death of Jesus? (cf. Jn. 19:20; Heb. 13:12) E. Blood several feet deep for 1600 stadia most gruesome idea in oriental hyperbole? significance of 1600 number unknown Prelude (14:1 20) : (14 20) D. Outside the city generic? then simply normal execution place specific? then what city? Jerusalem? evocative for death of Jesus? (cf. Jn. 19:20; Heb. 13:12) cf. Josephus on siege of Jerusalem E. Blood several feet deep for 1600 stadia most gruesome idea in oriental hyperbole? significance of 1600 number unknown
Prelude (14:1 20) : (14 20) II. Interpretive Points A. Prelude to Bowl s (15 20) fearsome dragon, beasts (Rev 12 13) inevitable divine judgment (Rev 15 20) B. judgment as faith s vindication (Rev 2 3) C. sovereignty over dragon, beasts, allies (Rev 4) D. victory through Lamb and followers (Rev 5) E. Saints prayers as answered (6:9; 8:3, 5) F. Rome as a beast, harlot, doomed (Rev 17 18)