: Dragon Cycle Bowl Perspectives: Millennium (Rev. 20:1 15) General Outline Prologue Epilogue Jesus/John Jesus/John of J/Christ (1:1 8) of J/Christ (22:6 21) General Outline Prologue Epilogue Jesus/John Jesus/John of J/Christ (1:1 8) of J/Christ (22:6 21) Judgment 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
Judgment 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 Literary Structure: Cosmic Conflict (Rev 12 13) Messianic Messianic Conquest Conquest (Rev 14 20) 14 20) (Rev Eschatological Climax (Rev 20) Dragon Attack (12) Beast Agents (13) Bowl Prelude (14) Bowl Judgments (15 16) Bowl Bowl Perspectives Perspectives (17 20) (17 20) Satan s Defeat (20) God s Judgment (20) Literary Structure: Bowl Perspectives Persp. Rev 17 Harlot (Prophet s View) Rev 18 Babylon (Heaven s View) Rev 19 Rider (Messiah s View) 17 20 Rev 20 Millennium (Martyr s View) Literary Structure: Bowl Perspectives Persp. 17 20 Rev 20 Millennium (Martyr s View)
I. Imagery Sources for Rev 20 A. Binding imagery Jewish tradition: Isa. 24:21 22; 1 Enoch 10:4 6; 2 Baruch 40; Jubilees 10:4 14 New Testament: Jude 6; 2 Pet. 2:4 B. Gog/Magog Jewish tradition: Ezekiel 38 39 New Testament: only 1x = Rev C. Ancient of Days Jewish tradition: Dan. 7:9 15, 27 New Testament: Mt. 19:28; Lk. 22:30; 1 Cor. I. Imagery Sources for Rev 20 A. Binding imagery Jewish tradition: Isa. 24:21 22; 1 Enoch 10:4 6; 2 Baruch 40; Jubilees 10:4 14 New Testament: Jude 6; 2 Pet. 2:4 B. Gog/Magog judgment of antigod forces Jewish contested tradition: Ezekiel kingdom 38 39 to son of man New Testament: only 1x = Rev C. Ancient of Days Jewish tradition: Dan. 7:9 15, 27 New Testament: Mt. 19:28; Lk. 22:30; 1 Cor. I. Imagery Sources D. Record books ancient world Persian: administration, record keeping Greco-Roman: maintaining city registers (cf. Josephus, census of Augustus, Lk. 2:4 5) Jewish: Ex. 32:32 33; Ps. 69:28; Dan. 12:1 NT: Lk. 10:20; Phil. 4:3; Heb. 12:23 : 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27 II. Millennium Narrative: Two-Part Structure Millennium, Part 1 Dragon Binding (20:1 3) Millennium, Part 2 Martyr Reign (20:4 6) Benediction (20:6) kingdom of priests (cf. 1:6; 5:10)
II. Millennium Narrative: Two-Part Structure Millennium, Part 1 Dragon Binding (20:1 3) Millennium, Part 2 Martyr Reign (20:4 6) Benediction (20:6) kingdom of priests (cf. 1:6; 5:10) III. Millennium, Part 1: Dragon Binding (20:1 3) A. Triple binding (chained, locked, sealed) security of imprisonment = God s sovereignty ambiguities of restraint action source (cross? special action?) timing (church age? future?) connection (millennium basis?) B. Triple identity (serpent, Devil, Satan) repeated from ch. 12 (12:9) identity inclusio = concludes Dragon Cycle Victory: Dragon s Final Defeat (20:1 15) II. Millennium Narrative: Two-Part Structure Millennium, Part 2 Martyr Reign (20:4 6) A. Martyr reign: critical observations Subjects: beheaded martyrs, not all believers Focus: martyrology, not soteriology Location: no indication whatsoever of location B. Martyr reign: speaks to Seven Letters issues reframes Antipas situation fulfills 14:6 promise in Conquest Prelude fulfills Seven Letters to those who conquer : 2:7, 11, 17, 26 28; 3:5, 12, 21
and the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and the word of God (20:4) A. Martyr reign: critical observations Subjects: beheaded martyrs, not all believers Focus: martyrology, not soteriology Location: no indication whatsoever of location B. Martyr reign: speaks to Seven Letters issues reframes Antipas situation fulfills 14:6 promise in Conquest Prelude fulfills Seven Letters to those who conquer : 2:7, 11, 17, 26 28; 3:5, 12, 21 A. Martyr reign: critical observations Subjects: Antipas, my beheaded witness, martyrs, my faithful not one, all believers who was killed among you (2:13) Focus: martyrology, not soteriology Location: no indication whatsoever of location B. Martyr reign: speaks to Seven Letters issues reframes Antipas situation fulfills 14:6 promise in Conquest Prelude fulfills Seven Letters to those who conquer : 2:7, 11, 17, 26 28; 3:5, 12, 21 A. Martyr reign: critical observations Focus: not focused on Jesus, but on martyrs Location: they no indication came to whatsoever life and reigned of location Subjects: with not all Christ believers a thousand of all time years B. Martyr reign: speaks to Seven Letters issues reframes Antipas situation fulfills 14:6 promise in Conquest Prelude fulfills Seven Letters to those who conquer : 2:7, 11, 17, 26 28; 3:5, 12, 21 City Promise Section (Seven Letters) 1. Ephesus eat of the tree of life... paradise of God 2. Smyrna not be hurt by the second death 3. Pergamum hidden manna, white stone, new name 4. Thyatira power over nations, rod of iron, morning star 5. Sardis white garments, book/life, confess name 6. Philadelphia pillar/temple, write name new Jerusalem 7. Laodicea sit with me on my throne
C. Martyr reign expresses God s sovereignty dragon judgment interprets Messiah s reign similar to Michael intercalation (12:7 12) D. Martyr reign vindicates saints testimony reverses dragon s actions reverses deception (20:3, deceive no more ) reverses false verdict of 13:15 ( beheaded ) concludes Judgment Cycle (4 20) cycle initiated by messianic judgments cycle consummated by messianic vindication C. Martyr reign expresses God s sovereignty dragon cf. judgment 12:9; 13:14; interprets 18:23; Messiah s 19:20; 20:8, reign 10 similar to Michael intercalation (12:7 12) D. Martyr reign vindicates saints testimony reverses dragon s actions reverses deception (20:3, deceive no more ) reverses false verdict of 13:15 ( beheaded ) concludes Judgment Cycle (4 20) cycle initiated by messianic judgments cycle consummated by messianic vindication E. Martyr reign as martyrdom reward special reward for beast martyrdom rejection of imperial propaganda kingdom priestly, not military/political power 1:6: made us to be a kingdom, priests 5:10: made them to be a kingdom and priests 20:6: they shall be priests of God and of Christ unique in New Testament bold Jewish Davidic kingdom innovation provokes double-resurrection innovation E. Martyr reign as martyrdom reward interim kingdom = Jewish (2 Esdras 7:26 44; 12:31 34; 1 Enoch 91:11 17; 2 Baruch 29:1 (1) meaning: literal, symbolic? 30:5; 40:1 4; 72:2 74:3) (2) nature: civic, military, political? messiah typically involved length varies for symbolic significance interpretive issues meaning and nature Stevens: Rider, millennium, binding are coextensive both literarily and chronologically
The Rider conquest, martyr millennium, and Satan binding scenes are literarily and chronologically coextensive. Satan s binding is the spiritual counterpart to the Rider s gospel conquest, and the martyr millennium is the heavenly counterpart. John innovates resurrection doctrine in that those who die for the faith receive resurrection benefits immediately at death, as did Jesus, and as proleptically suggested by the experience of some Jerusalem believers (Matt 27:52 53). John s martyr millennium innovation thus necessitates a first and second resurrection innovation, but not without some New Testament precedence both in the life of Jesus and of the early church. Dr. Stevens Benediction (20:6) kingdom of priests (cf. 1:6; 5:10) F. Benediction spoken (20:6) focuses point of millennial imagery announces millennial consequences announces first resurrection announces immunity from second death announces millennial reign is priestly anticipates positive outcome of Last Judgment F. Benediction spoken (20:6) This is a scene of role reversals. The martyrs have had to stand before the imperial throne (at least figuratively) and receive the sentence of death. Now they are the ones who are seated on the thrones and deliver judgment. Reddish, p. 394
Judgment Cycle (6 20) Literary Structure: Thematic Parts Christ Cycle (6 11) Almighty God & His Christ Red Dragon & His Beasts Seals 1 4 Seal 5 Seal 6 144,000 Multitude Seal 7 Trumpets 1 4 Trumpet 5 Trumpet 6 Scroll Witnesses Trumpet 7 Conflict Dragon Attack Beast Agents Conquest Prelude Bowls Perspectives Climax Literary Structure: Cosmic Conflict (Rev 12 13) Messianic Conquest (Rev 14 20) Eschatological Climax (Rev 20) Dragon Attack (12) Beast Agents (13) Bowl Prelude (14) Bowl Judgments (15 16) Bowl Perspectives (17 20) Satan s Defeat (20) God s Judgment (20) I. Part 1: Satan s Defeat Gog/Magog (20:7 10) A. Gog/Magog imagery John innovates Ezekiel (cf. Zeph 3; Zech 12 14) converts Gog to another nation, not leader globalizes opposition to all nations globalizes directional threat ( north to all) John ignores 19:21 ( the rest were slain ) I. Part 1: Satan s Defeat Gog/Magog (20:7 10) B. Loosing of Satan crucial narrative shift (v. 7) crucial context change (no longer first century) tense shifts to future name shifts to Satan ( dragon = 1st century) transitions to climax of Judgment Cycle Rome/seven churches as paradigm of end timing left ambiguous (specific timing not point)
I. Part 1: Satan s Defeat Gog/Magog (20:7 10) B. Loosing of Satan crucial narrative shift (v. 7) ends millennium, but millennium crucial start/stop context not change set; allows (no longer as co-firsextensive shifts to with future church age century) tense name shifts to Satan ( dragon = 1st century) transitions to climax of Judgment Cycle Rome/seven churches as paradigm of end timing left ambiguous (specific timing not point) Ascension Return Seals, Trumpets, Bowls Seven Churches Church Age Hour of Trial Gog and Magog Church Passion I. Part 1: Satan s Defeat Gog/Magog (20:7 10) C. Gog/Magog battle Satan loosed, deceives, beseiges city armies destroyed by heavenly fire (cf. Ezekiel) Satan cast into lake of fire (joins beasts) final end of all evil in cosmos no judgment final without end to evil Literary Structure: Cosmic Conflict (Rev 12 13) Messianic Conquest (Rev 14 20) Eschatological Climax (Rev 20) Dragon Attack (12) Beast Agents (13) Bowl Prelude (14) Bowl Judgments (15 16) Bowl Perspectives (17 20) Satan s Defeat (20) God s Judgment (20)
II. Part 2: God s Judgment Throne (20:11 15) A. Throne room inclusio (Rev 4, Judgment Cycle) entire Judgment Cycle drama climaxes here all reality moves to God s final judgment B. Cosmic disturbances ( earth and sky fled away ) traditional apocalyptic imagery old order passing away (sin, rebellion, chaos) C. Inclusive judgment social rank ( great and small ) circumstance ( sea, Death, Hades, 20:13) equivalent of second resurrection (cf. 20:5) II. Part 2: God s Judgment Throne (20:11 15) D. Book imagery = dual = Rev s Christology books = traditional: God s judgment book of life = John s innovation: Lamb s judgment (cf. 5:7; 13:8) E. Sea imagery (ancient burial customs) unburied a terrible fate (1 Kgs. 13:21; 14:11; Jer. 8:1 2) burying a pious act (Tobit 1 2) dying at sea a terrible fate forever denied proper burial separation in death from kin II. Part 2: God s Judgment Throne (20:11 15) F. Death, Hades imagery (personified) Death = agent stalking earth (4th Seal, 6:8) Hades = underworld receiving Death s victims Preeminent symbols of old order of existence Christ holds the keys (1:18) banished from new creation G. Lake of fire imagery unique to John = finality, irrevocability dead now join beasts and dragon raises theological questions II. Victory, Part 2: God s Final Judgment (20:11 15) F. Death, Hades imagery (personified) Death = agent stalking earth (4th Seal, 6:8) Hades = underworld receiving Death s victims Preeminent symbols of old order of existence Christ holds the keys (1:18) banished from eternal, new or creation annihilation? G. Lake of fire imagery works, or grace? unique to John = finality, irrevocability dead now join beasts and dragon raises theological questions
II. Victory, Part 2: God s Final Judgment (20:11 15) F. Death, Hades imagery (personified) Death = agent stalking earth (4th Seal, 6:8) What Hades was = inevitable underworld since receiving Easter Death s morning victims has now Preeminent become symbols reality. of old order of existence Christ Reddish, holds the keys p. 390 (1:18) banished from new creation G. Lake of fire imagery unique to John = finality, irrevocability dead now join beasts and dragon raises theological questions