REVELATION IN JEWISH CONTEXT

REVELATION IN JEWISH CONTEXT

The Visions of God s Throne

IN THIS LECTURE: 1. Revelation: Basic Facts 2. Twenty-Four Elders 3. The Merkavah Throne

Revelation: Basic Facts

1. Revelation is a traditional Jewish Apocalypse. Like other books of the same genre it inspires insiders using symbols, heavenly visions and speaks in codes that only the informed audience would understand. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixtysix. (Rev 13:18) נ 50 ר 200 ו 6 נ 50 ק 100 ס 60 ר 200 666

2. Revelation is anti-roman. It enters into polemics and war with the gods of pagan Rome. 6 And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus... I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns... 9 Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits..." (Rev. 17:6-9). Photo: Vespasian s coin c. 71 CE with goddess Roma seated on 7 hills

3. Revelation is a Real Letter. It is a public message to seven physical and historical assemblies in Asia Minor connected by the system of Roman roads (Rev. 1:4). To understand its contemporary message the book must first speak to them and the issues of their day. "I know your tribulation and your poverty... Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life... He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death." (Rev 2:9-11).

4. Revelation is a call to Persevere. While experiencing persecution at the hands of the Roman authorities some were tempted to compromise. The 1 st century non-jewish followers of Jesus struggled to find their social and religious identity in the pagan environment. Roman values clashed with the embrace of Israel s God and exclusive loyalty to him had real consequences. you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith... But I have a few things against you... repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth." (Rev 2:13-16)

5. Revelation is about John s day. The author says his visions will happen very soon (Rev. 1:1, 22:6). We must take this declaration seriously. If our modern interpretation would make no sense to John s struggling and persecuted audience, then we must rethink our interpretation. Revelation was supposed to bring real comfort and confidence to 1 st century believers. "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock..." (Rev 3:19-20)

6. Revelation is also about the future. In Jewish thinking time is cyclical and prophetic fulfilments of the same promises may reoccur throughout history. They may be fulfilled multiple times on various levels throughout various ages until the end of all things comes to its close.... and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds and Hades gave up the dead which were in them... then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. (Rev 20:12-14)

Twenty-Four Elders in Heaven

1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things. 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. (Rev 4:1-2)

Image: Jacob s Dream by Gustave Doré, c. 1865. Jacob, the patriarch of Israel while running away from home slept on a rock saw an incredible dream. a stairway was set on ס ל ם מ צ ב ( ground the and its top reached (א ר צ ה ו ר א ש ו מ ג יע ( sky to the and angels of,(ה ש מ י מ ה God ( א לה ים (מ ל א כ י were going up and down on it. (Gen. 28:12) Jacob saw the not just a stairway, but a passage between earth and heaven.

A door to heaven was seen by Jacob in a dream. Jacob was fully passive, asleep, which is very significant. What God said and did had nothing to do with any manipulation on the part of Jacob. This encounter was instigated by God alone and it was He who was fully in charge of all the events that took place. Now the pattern repeats. John is in the spirit, not in controls and he sees the door of heavenly realm.

So this not a new idea. God provided Eve for Adam by causing him to sleep deeply. Abraham was asleep when God made a covenant with him. Now John in his vulnerable state sees the door of heaven which is open. The massage is that earth is not left to its own resources, and heaven is not a remote selfcontained realm for the gods. Jacob and John saw that heaven is intrinsically tied up with earth. And earth may count on the resources of heaven.

John did not see stairs, he saw an open door. He knows it is a door to the heavenly realm. He hears the voice which he compares to a trumpet, perhaps a shofar. This is a loud, forceful, bright and clear voice. This voice tells John to come and he will be shown the future. He will see the events that are to follow what was already shown to him. All of a sudden he is transported again. He is in the spirit and he sees a heavenly throne with a figure upon it.

Apocalyptic Jewish books of that era were often ascribed to someone famous like Elijah, Daniel or Moses. Revelation is attributed to someone named John without any apparent notoriety, except if indeed as church tradition says, that John the Apostle is its author. Revelation actually does not tell us which John wrote the book. Yochanan (John) was a common Jewish name.

This Yochanan who wrote Revelation displays some dependence on and similarity with the words of the prophet Ezekiel. Coincidently John s gospel has many parallels with Ezekiel. It utilizes many priestly motifs and templerelated topics, just as Revelation does. People have speculated that it was written by someone from a priestly background. But the gospel in fact is anonymous and only occasionally drops hints about its author. Did the same person named John write Revelation too?

As we return to John s vision, let s consider its content as recorded for the benefit of others who would read his apocalypse. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. (Rev 4:3) We must address the textual parallels. After reading John, lets look at a well-known vision of Ezekiel.

Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man. (Ezekiel 1:26) Both visions describe God s throne. Both see a figure on the throne. It is not empty. Both use precious stones commonly used in jewelry to relate the colors and majesty of what they see.

Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking. (Ezekiel 1:27-28)

Both Revelation and Ezekiel speak of a radiance around the throne that looks like a rainbow. There is no direct literary dependence between the two texts, but similarity is there. The visions are different though they both describe God s throne. The style and manner in which John describes, compares things, and uses analogies create a feeling that he knew this passage from Ezekiel well.

I cans think that John mimics Ezekiel s style as describes his own vision, presenting what he saw somewhat differently but in a manner that resembles Ezekiel. Perhaps he does this on purpose to connect the two visions in reader s minds. The impression that an informed reader who read or heard Ezekiel s words would get is that both Ezekiel and the author of Revelation saw, was the same throne.

4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads. (Rev 4:4) The throne of God is surrounded by twenty-four other thrones with the elders crowned and dressed in white. The crowns or wreaths on their heads mostly likely represent their legitimacy and status and serve as signs of their authority.

The fact that the elders are sitting and the presence of thrones themselves represents authority. The white garments typically represent purity and holiness. There are no parallels of this particular vision in other ancient apocalyptic Jewish books. The question for most readers is who are these 24 people making up God s heavenly court? We do not have a clear answer here, but will come back to this later.

16 And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God... 19 And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm. (Rev 11:16, 19)

In this latter passage the elders seem to function as God s chief worshipers, perhaps with the powers of the mediating priests. Another passage that shows 24 elders describes them as polyphony of voices in heaven. Whether they are priests of some sort or not is not stated clearly, but their actions appear as such. 3 And a second time they said, Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever. 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, Amen. Hallelujah! (Rev 19:3-4)

It is possible that these elders may parallel the 24 lectors of the Imperial court, showing that there is a greater power in Heaven that claims superiority over the Imperial Rome. Considering the fact that the Book of Revelation was part of the Jewish Christ-following war on the Imperial Roman propaganda, this kind of analogy may be a relevant interpretive option.

We have already seen what John does with the goddess Roma calling her but a Roman whore. Is it possible that here too the greatness of the Roman court is being superseded by the greatness the heavenly abode of Israel s God. Perhaps this is a vision of the leaders of a renewed and restored Israel. Of course there are twelve heads of the 12 tribes of Israel. But now there are also twelve new leaders - the apostles of Israel s Messiah. Jesus promised them that they would reign with him.

A note has to be made about the number 24 itself. Modern English translations render the text as twenty-four thrones but the original Greek manuscripts preserve the ancient Hebrew style of reversed numbering four and twenty. This another witness to how Hebrew thought influences the text of Revelation. The numeric meaning is the same, but the Hebrew style of rendering numbers is still preserved in some older translations like King James. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats (Rev.4:4 KJV).

There is a unique blend of Roman and Jewish background information in Revelation. Roma, seated on seven hills is the whore or Babylon. Roman emperor is the beast. But even in little things like numbers John writes in a very Jewish way. The number of the beast - 666 could only be understood with the Hebrew language in mind. So perhaps the interpretive possibilities that come from Jewish culture should be given greater weight when interpreting Revelation.

God s Merkavah Throne

5 Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; 6 and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; (Rev 4:5-6a)

The descriptions of John s vision still echo the words of Ezekiel 1:26-27. There is thunder and lightning. The seven lamps of fire are the heavenly menorah. The Menorah is the symbol of the seven Spirits of God, who are connected to the seven assemblies in the earlier passages.

And then there is a sea of glass, something resembling the reflected surface of water in front of the throne. In much of Jewish apocalyptic thinking God s throne is not situated in one particular place like a throne room or temple. It is a mobile, traveling throne called the Merkavah, the chariot.

This idea of God who is mobile is quite interesting. Unlike the gods of the nations who are tied to their respective lands, to mountains, rivers and geographical areas, Israel's God is completely mobile. He can be with his worshippers wherever they are. There is a whole body of Jewish tradition and works literature referred to as Merkavah Mysticism. These traditions speak of God s traveling throne, human ascent to the realm of the Lord s presence. Merkavah texts disclose conversations with angels and visites to God s realm. Many Merkavah stories are a lot like John s visions.

...and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. 7 The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come. (Rev 4:6-8)

John sees four creatures with eyes all over them. They somehow resemble a lion, a calf, a human and an eagle. That sounds familiar. Each being has six wings and also covered with eyes. And they keep repeating the same words over and over. The closer we look at John s description of God s heavenly throne the more we can see the literary connection to what prophet Ezekiel wrote. Yet this is not all. The strange creatures of Ezekiel and John are also identified with the beings described in Isaiah s vision.

Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory. (Isaiah 6:2-3) This is a famous passage from a very well-known prophet. The Jews who read Revelation would see the connection of John s words to Isaiah right away. We can notice a blending of Ezekiel and Isaiah themes in John s vision.

Now over the heads of the living beings there was something like an expanse, like the awesome gleam of crystal, spread out over their heads. Under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward the other; each one also had two wings covering its body on the one side and on the other. (Ezekiel 1:22-23)

From reading Ezekiel, Isaiah and Revelation, the picture we get is that four living beings are situated under the traveling chariot throne of God. They form a square with the wings that all touch each other. The wings and the wheels of the chariotthrone move together in a coordinated fashion with the living beings at all times.

Also, some sort of an expanse separates the creatures from the throne. The numerous eyes of these beings are turned in every direction. This stresses the ability of the creatures to see and monitor all events in God s created order. God himself, of course, sees everything and knows all things.

A body, a shape and form has always been conceived as a symbol of creatureliness, the idea that something has been made and fashioned. These magnificent creatures were created and have to cover and shield themselves with wings. True honor is given, by these beings, to God who is not a work of creation, but the Creator. Such angelic praise of God is a well attested theme in Jewish literature. Look at this passage from the Qumran collection.

O you chiefs of the praises of all the godlike beings, praise the splendidly praiseworthy God. For in the splendor of praise is the glory of His realm Sing with joy, you who rejoice in His knowledge with rejoicing among the wondrous godlike beings. And chant His glory with the tongue of all who chant with knowledge; and chant His wonderful songs of joy with the mouth of all who chant of Him. (The Song of Sabbath Sacrifice, 4Q403) Like John, the Qumran Jews also imagined the heavenly angelic praise. Revelation depicts a familiar motif that God is worshiped in heaven and on earth.

9 And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created. (Rev 4:9-11)

John was allowed to witness not only the sight of the heavenly traveling chariot-throne, but also the chant, the liturgy, and the worship that takes place in heaven. First the four living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne. Then the twenty-four elders prostrate themselves before him, taking off their crowns before God. God s worthiness to receive glory, honor and power is rooted in the fact that he is God he created all things.

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