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REVELATION: The Introduction[1]
Imagine the following paragraph on the sports page of the Chicago Tribune in the winter of 1999.
“The bull which once ruled the Earth for 72 months has suffered a mighty fall. For at the end of 72 months, the great right horn of the bull, whose number is 20 and 3 (let the reader understand) departed, and so did the great left horn of the bull. Then the third horn of the bull, which was pierced in many places and dressed like a woman, likewise departed. Then all the beasts of the Earth, the Hornets and Timberwolves, came and devoured the flesh of the bull, and the glory of the mighty bull was laid low.”[2]
What is this about? Michael Jordan and the Bulls, of course, in the context of the NBA. It tells a true story about real events, but does so in an imaginative and symbolic way.
Close to the end of the 1st century, John received a vision that critiqued Emperor worship and foresaw the collapse of the Roman Empire. Like the Jordan example, the language is primarily symbolic[3] rather than scientific or logical.[4] Like the Jordan story, it tells the readers something important about reality. Here’s the CliffNotes version.
- The historical setting is conflict in the last days.[5] (Conflict – “when two people or two kingdoms try to occupy the exact same space at the exact same time.”[6] Last days: time between the first and second coming of Jesus.[7])
- Front and center are the fearsome power and seductive allure of the Roman Empire and its (assumed or believed to be) divine emperors. Christians not only feared the pain of persecution; they fell for the pleasure that followed compromise. There are two dystopic novels that have shaped our modern discussion of dystopias: 1984 and Brave New World, Big Brother’s boot to the face and Mustapha Mond’s pacification through pleasure. Both of them owe their visions to John, who said both of these things would challenge Christians in Rome/Babylon 2,000 years ago.
- The values of empires like Rome/Babylon are beastly rather than divine. In a culture of Emperor worship, this was a huge claim. Rome, symbolized by the beautiful and alluring goddess Roma, is not a beautiful lover but a destructive prostitute; the ‘peaceful’ empire of Pax Romana is a monstrous beast motivated by a devouring dragon.
- Revelation begins with, “This is the revelation of Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King,” and ends with, “the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Revelation is about Jesus above all else. As McKnight and Matchett write in Revelation For The Rest Of Us, "The anchor to the story of everything is the story about Jesus. At the center of his story is the resurrection. His life and his death are all reshaped by conquering death. By virtue of that resurrection, Jesus was raised and becomes in Revelation the Lamb in the center of the throne. The Lamb conquers the dragon, and the feast in the new Jerusalem celebrates that victory. Here is the only secret you need to reading Revelation: this book is about the Lamb’s final, complete defeat of the dragon and its Babylons and the establishment of new Jerusalem." Revelation's first and foremost goal is to reveal Jesus so that our hope does not fade. Only God is worthy to receive worship, so check your allegiance – which will “mark” you as a follower of the Conquering Lamb. Think of Revelation as a handbook for Christian allegiance and worship for all who live through the times of beasts and dragons.[8]
- Faithfulness will cost you, but God will be with you, and the indescribable goodness and beauty of an eternity with God awaits the faithful.
Now, on to tools for reading and understanding.[9] I offer these to help us recognize the landscape when we read Revelation 1 at the end of this message, which is all practice for reading the whole book.
HISTORICAL SETTING. The cult of Emperor Worship was huuuge in the Roman Empire.”[10] The winning inscription in a contest to praise Caesar Augustus reads as follows.
“It is difficult to know whether the birthday of the most Divine Caesar is a matter of greater pleasure or greater benefit. We could justly consider that day to be equal to the beginning of all things. He restored the form of all things to usefulness, if not to their natural state, since it had deteriorated and suffered misfortune. He gave a new appearance to the whole world, which would gladly have accepted its own destruction had Caesar not been born for the common good fortune of all. A person could justly consider this to be the beginning of life and existence. Therefore, it seems proper to me that the birthday of the most Divine Caesar be the one, uniform New Year's Day for all the… municipal governments. On that day all government officials will take up their local offices. A decree of the provincial Council of Asia shall be written that encompasses all his virtues, so that the action devised by us for the honor of Augusta shall endure forever.”The council that awarded the prize also wrote an ode to Providence for,
“…bringing Augustus, whom she filled with virtue as a benefaction to all humanity, sending to us and to those after us a savior who put an end to war and brought order to all things. The birth of the God was the beginning of Good Tidings[11] to the world through him.”[12]Domitian, the emperor when John wrote Revelation,[13] was called “Lord of the earth,” “that present deity,” and “lord and god.” Statius called Domitian “ruler of the conquered world,” “the world’s sure salvation,” and “blest protector and savior.” A coin from the reign of Domitian features the son of the emperor seated on a globe. Declared divine by Domitian after an untimely death, the boy appears as the sun god Apollo, surrounded by 7 Stars.[14]When Nero died, a Redivivus, or Nero Resurrected.[15]
STYLE. Revelation was written by a first-century Christian for first-century Christians using first-century style. We are going to need to know something about these things to help us out 2,000 years later. Think of taking a box of Lego objects constructed with distinct colors (the OT), shaking them until they all fall apart, then building the same objects with the colors all mixed together. That’s Revelation.
First, it’s important to recognize that Revelation was written in what’s known as apocalyptic writing, which is a particular kind of genre that became popular during the Jewish exile. McKnight and Matchett describe it this way:
“An apocalypse is an art form. Art forms open doors to a new way of looking at life…The aim of Revelation may be closer to Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are or Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, where imagination meets imperialism to critique and confront the powers of our age. Our point is that good readers of Revelation will read it more like The Lord of the Rings than Paul’s letter to the Romans. Too many readings of Revelation are flat-footed and literal. 'Turning poetry into prose, however, destroys its power.' And sadly, that is what has happened time and time again in interpreting the book… With imagination we brush up against the Other Side, we enter (like the Pevensie children of Lewis’s Narnia) through the wardrobe door and discover we are next to John in God’s throne room.
Second, there is a lot of imagery from the Old Testament thrown together. Think of taking a box of Lego objects constructed with distinct colors (the Old Testament), shaking them until they all fall apart, then building the same objects with the colors all mixed together. That’s Revelation. Scott McKnight and Cody Matchett explain it this way.
OLD TESTAMENT. In the 404 verses of the book of Revelation, there are approximately 500+ allusions to the Old Testament.[i]
1. Revelation as a whole is fundamentally an apocalyptic variation on Psalms 96–98.
2. The apocalyptic visions of Daniel and Ezekiel should be read in conjunction with Revelation, as there is
significant correlation.
3. Here is just a snapshot of how Revelation’s depictions of God come from the Old Testament:
- sitting on a throne (1 Kings 22:19; Isa 6:1; Ezekiel 1:26)
- having a white appearance (Daniel 7:9)
- being surrounded by beauty (Ezekiel 1:18, 26–28)
- in the presence of a sea (Ezekiel 1:22; Daniel 7:2–3)
- near fire/smoke/lightning (Exodus 3:2–3; 19:16, 18; Isaiah 6:4; Ezekiel 1:4, 13–14; Daniel 7:9–10)
- with other living creatures (Ezekiel 1:5–25; 10:15–22; Daniel 7:3–7)
- while ruling the nations with an iron scepter (Psalm 2:9)
3. The Book of Daniel and Revelation share common images of Empires. For example, Daniel 7 references four beasts who are kings of empires: Babylon, Medea, Persia, and Greece.
- #1 was like a lion with eagle’s wings
- #2 was like a bear with three tusks
- #3 was like a leopard with four wings and four heads
- #4 was strong and had iron teeth for devouring and crushing its victims. This beast (Greece) has ten horns, symbols of rulers who governed for Alexander the Great after his death.
4. Let’s Talk About Numbers. In the ancient Near East, numbers were often (not always) used symbolically rather than literally. I like how Shane Wood describes it:
“Weigh the numbers before ever thinking of measuring them. When Peter asks Jesus in Matthew 18:20‐21, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus replies, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy‐seven times” (lit. “seventy times seven”). So if a person sins against you the seventy‐ eighth time (or four hundred and ninety first), you do not have to forgive them? No! The number is not meant to be measured...but weighed."See endnotes for the context and history of more numbers that will show up in Revelation.[ii]
Jewish Extrabiblical Literature. Jewish extrabiblical literature[16] was deeply, deeply impactful on the Jewish community, and it often provides the backdrop by which we can understand references in the Bible (the book of Jude is a great example). Apocalyptic Literature was part of these writings. It flourished during the time the Bible was written, and even more so after the destruction of the temple in AD 70. The two books that stand out as having overlap with Revelation are 4 Esdras and 2 Baruch,[17] both of which were written probably at least 15 years before Revelation.[18]
Overlap in Revelation, Esdras and Baruch
- 7 archangels that minister in the presence of God.
- Divine figures are in a Heavenly Journey with a scribe,[19] who has symbolic dreams which are interpreted for him, and who then points his readers toward to the written scriptures to find hope.
- Heads of Beast as kings of the empire.[20]
- A recapitulating structure[21] that shows God judging the oppressors and vindicating the faithful among his
- people.
- The righteous dead have a record of their deeds.
- The audience is reassured that the New Jerusalem will one day be established on Earth.[22]
Recapitulation. Part of the known format is the retelling of the same events from a different perspective with a different purpose.[23] This is called recapitulation.[24] For example, in Revelation’s recapitulation, we come to the end of the world all the time!
- In Revelation 6:12, we have the end of the world and God’s great judgment over all.
- Revelation 11:15 describes the end of the world again,
- Revelation 12 has the birth of Jesus…after the world has been destroyed twice?
- Revelation 16:17 describes the end of the world again.
- In Revelation 19, the end of the world happens again.
- In Revelation 20-21, Satan is defeated, the world ends yet again, and the New Jerusalem finally appears. [25]
And then there’s the repeated similarities between the trumpets, seals, and bowls.[iii] It’s a mess if you try to read it as chronology, but it’s beautiful as recapitulation. Let’s add one more layer of complication and then we are done with the first salvo of intro material.
INTERPRETATIONS. There are 5 types of interpretations that have been present in church history to some degree. [26]
INTERPRETATIONS. There are 5 types of interpretations that have been present in church history to some degree. [26]
- The Preterist: The text is talking about events that happened in the 1st century.[27]
- Poetic/Theopoetic: The text is poetic language used to express ultimate truths about God, evil, and history.
- Theopolitical: The text is a form of political protest and dissent against the Roman empire, resistance literature that is a prophetic critique of an empires’ power.”[28]
- Pastoral/Prophetic: The text gives a timeless heavenly perspective on the ongoing events of our world in order to call the church to faithfulness in the face of inevitable conflict with “ordinary empires,” full of everyday evils, injustices, and misguided allegiances.[iv]
- The Predictive/Futurist: The original meaning wasn’t fully understood by its original audience and will only be revealed when future events happen.[29]
This is the revelation of Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King: an account of visions and a heavenly journey.[30] God granted this to Him so He would show His followers the realities that are and will be. Through His heavenly messenger, He revealed to His servant John signs and insight into these mysteries. John, in turn, gave witness[31] to the word of God and to the glorious truth revealed about Jesus, the Anointed One, the Chosen Ruler, by carefully describing everything he saw. Blessings come to those who read and proclaim these words aloud; blessings come to those who listen closely and put the prophetic words recorded here into practice. The finale is approaching.[32]
I, John, to the seven churches in Asia: May you experience God’s favor and rest in the peace that comes from the One who is, the One who was, and the One who is coming;[33] from the seven Spirits,[34] the Perfect Spirit, constantly before God’s throne; and from Jesus the Anointed, the Witness who is true and faithful[35], the first to emerge from death’s cold womb[36], the chosen Ruler over all the kings and rulers of the earth.[37] To the One who loves us and liberated us from the grip of our evil deeds through His very own blood and who established us to be His kingdom and priests for God, His Father. May glory and power be His throughout all the ages. Amen.[38]
Look! He is coming with the clouds[39], in glory. He will capture every eye, even of those who pierced Him through.[40] All the nations of the earth will be pierced with grief when He appears.[41] Yes, may all this be done according to His plan. Amen.[42] Lord God: I am the Alpha and the Omega, [the very beginning and the very end,][43] the One who is, the One who was, and the One who is coming: the All Powerful.[44] I, John, your brother who shares with you this journey in persecution and the establishment of the Kingdom and endurance in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the ministry of the word of God and my testimony about Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day[45] (the first day of the week), and I heard a voice behind me. It sounded like the blast of a trumpet.[46]
A Voice: [I am the Alpha and the Omega, the very beginning and the very end.] Make a book of what you see, write it down, and send it to the seven churches [which are in Asia]: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. When I turned around to see what sort of voice this was that was addressing me, I saw seven golden lampstands.[47] And among the lampstands, I saw One like the Son of Man[48] right in front of me dressed in a long robe. Across His chest was draped a golden sash.[49] His head and hair were pure white, white as wool and white as snow[50]; His eyes blazed like a fiery flame[51]; His feet gleamed like brightly polished bronze[52], purified to perfection in a furnace; His voice filled the air and sounded like a roaring waterfall.[53] He held seven stars in His right hand[54], from His mouth darted a sharp double-edged sword[55], and His face shone a brilliant light, like the blinding sun.[56]
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet.[57] It was as though I were dead. But He reached down and placed His right hand on me. The One: This is not the time for fear[58]; I am the First and the Last,[59] and I am the living One[60]. I entered the realm of the dead; but see, I am alive now and for all the ages—even ages to come.[61] [Amen.] I possess the keys to open the prison of death and hades.[62] Now write down all you have seen of all that is and all that will be.[63]
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ENDNOTES
[1] Key resources that have heavily informed this series:
Apocalypse and Allegiance: Worship, Politics, and Devotion in the Book of Revelation, by J. Nelson Kraybill
A teaching series by professor Shane J. Woods on Revelation (shanejwood.com)
The Bible Project’s videos, notes and podcast
The Letters To The Seven Churches: A History Of The Early Church, by W.M. Ramsay
Michael Heiser’s teaching on Revelation (Podcast: The Naked Bible)
Reading Revelation Responsibly: Uncivil Worship And Witness: Following The Lamb Into The New Creation, by Michael Gorman
Dragons, John, And Every Grain Of Sand, edited by Shane J. Wood.
Matt Chandler’s Revelation Series (Village Church)
Ancient Christian Commentary On Scripture: Revelation, from IVP
Seven Deadly Spirits: The Message of Revelation’s Letters for Today's Church, written by T. Scott Daniels
Revelation For Everyone, N.T. Wright
Revelation: A Shorter Commentary, G.K. Beale
The Way Of The Dragon Or The Way Of The Lamb: Searching For Jesus’ Path Of Power In A Church That Has Abandoned It, Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel
Mark Moore, How To Dodge A Dragon: An Uncommentary On Revelation
Adam Clarke’s commentary, as well as the commentaries available at Bible Gateway (which I used A LOT), biblehub.com, and preceptaustin.com
[2] John Ortberg likes to use this story to introduce Revelation. My Lakers/Warriors update: “And the three-headed warrior consumed the court of Kings and Freaks, holding their cup aloft as the seasons waned. And it was in the shortened year that that King retook his throne, and the city of the angels rejoiced.”
[3] The Bible loves to use symbolic language. Symbols for God (Deut. 4:24; Psalm 5:2; 23:1; 80:1; Isa. 6:5; 8:21; 30:27; Jer. 10:10; Matt. 25:32; Heb. 12:29). Symbols for Christ (Matt. 2:6; 26:31; Mark 14:27; John 1:29, 36; 10:7, 9, 11, 14). Symbols for God’s Church (1 Cor. 3:16, 17; 12:27; Eph. 4:12; Rev. 19:7; 21:2, 9; 22:17).
[4] Catholic writer Flannery O’Connor said she created bizarre characters in her stories because for the near-blind you have to draw very large, simple caricatures. That’s the idea. When John wants you to understand something is beastly, he’s not subtle.
[5] Conflict stuff is from Shane J. Woods’ teaching.
[6] Shane Wood lists over 95 passages that refer to conflicts and/or oppositions. Rev. 1:9; 2:2, 3, 4, 5b, 6, 7b, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17b, 19b, 20-23, 26; 3:3, 9, 12, 16; 5:6, 9, 12; 6:2, 4, 6, 8b, 9, 11, 12-17; 7:2b, 14b; 8:5, 7, 8-9, 10-11, 12; 9:3-11, 15-19; 11:2b, 5, 7, 10b, 13, 18; 12:4, 7, 8-9, 12b, 13, 15-16, 17; 13:6, 7, 10b, 15, 16-17; 14:8, 9b-11, 12, 13a, 19-20; 16:1, 2, 3, 4, 5b, 6a, 6b, 8-9, 10-11, 14b, 19b; 17:6, 14, 16; 18:8b, 20b, 21, 24; 19:2, 15, 17b-18, 19, 20b-21; 20:2-3, 4a, 7-8, 9b, 10, 15; 22:18, 22.19.
[7] 2 Tim 3:1; 1 Pet 1:20; Hebrews 1:1-3; James 5:1-3; Jude 17-19; Acts 2:14-24.
[8] Apocalypse and Allegiance: Worship, Politics, and Devotion in the Book of Revelation, by J. Nelson Kraybill
[9] The footnotes of the various resources are all texts, podcasts and sermons that have influenced me. It is almost impossible to footnote them every time, but please remember that if I were to footnote every way and time they have influenced this series, it would be a flood.
[10] At the site of ancient Ephesus, archaeologists found graffiti on a house that said, “Rome, Queen overall, your power will never end.” A second century altar at Pergamum bears an inscription that reads, “With Good Fortune. To emperor Caesar Trajan Hadrian Olympios, Savior and founder.” Antiochus IV added “Epiphanies” (God manifest) to his name. Lest we think this crazy kind of religious exaltation was unique to the time, a fresco in the U.S. Capitol rotunda called “The Apotheosis [deification, exaltation] of George Washington,” depicts him “ascending” to heaven.
[11] Euangelion – what the angels declared in Luke 2 on behalf of Jesus.
[12] Around this same time, the Ara Pacis Augustae (“Altar of the Augustan Peace”) Augustus as Peace (the Pax Romana) uniting the sky and the Earth and as Roma, the symbol of Rome who embodied the military power of the Roman Empire. The altar reveals an important truth about the Roman Empire, by the way: The Pax Romana really was pacification by force by threat of arms.
[13] Eusubius records that Domitian banished John to Patmos in AD 95.
[14] In John's vision, Jesus holds seven stars and has a face like the sun is shining with full force.
[15] One of the heads on the beast received a death blow, but its mortal wound was healed (Revelation 13:3). Hmmmm.
[16] Many of these books are in the Roman Catholic and/or Orthodox Church Canon. The Book of Enoch, for example, while “rediscovered” by the West in the 1800s, had never left the canon of the Ethiopian church.
[17] Both 4 Esras and 2 Baruch are Jewish apocalypses written in response to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
[18] Not all the same things are in all the books, but they share and overlap multiple times in multiple ways.
[19] Interestingly, in 2 Baruch and 4 Esdras, the scribe is purportedly in grief over the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC. In reality, it is the destruction of the second temple in 70 AD that is in view. It was okay to talk about a different thing than the actual thing to make a point.
[20] Esdras 11-12 speaks of an eagle (Rome) with 12 wings and 3 heads (likely Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian). 4 Esdras, 2 Baruch and Revelation all refer to the Roman Empire as an enemy worse than Babylon, Persia, and Greece.
[21] In 7s, of course.
[22] However, the key distinction is that Baruch and Esdras saw the events of 70 add as calling into question Israel's relationship with God. In Revelation, the New Jerusalem is a confirmation of the relationship with God.
[23] There is an Old Jewish saying: “repetition is the mother of all wisdom.” Genesis 2 does this to Genesis 1. Pharaoh’s second dream is a recapitulation of his first (Genesis 41). The prophetic visions in Daniel 2 and 7 look at empires first from a human perspective (they’re worthy and valuable like precious metals) then from God’s perspective (they are grotesque beasts). The four gospels themselves are examples of recapitulation of the life of Jesus.
[24] From a series by Shane Woods on Revelation, from notes by a dude named Mike (https://www.catlinchurch.com/content.cfm?id=213&download_id=736).
[25] Though examples of judgment appear regularly, there seems to be a clear message of the final judgments in Revelation being eternal and permanent rather than part of the previous cycle.
[26] Thanks to the Bible Project for this list and explanation.
[27] Also called the contemporary-historical approach.
[28] Because the term for the second coming, parousia, was often used of the arrival of the emperor or other powerful officials, the association of parousia with Jesus retains this theopolitical accent.
[29] Also called the Dispensational Approach. It’s the most recent view, having arrived on the scene (along with its unique view on the Rapture) in the mid 1800s.
[30] Check out all the apocalyptic literature formulas in the first few verses.
[31] From martyreo, from which is where we get our word martyr.
[32] 1:3 links to Proverbs 8:34.
[33] 1:4 links to Exodus 3:14. Also, some see a Trinitarian reference: the Father is the one who was, Jesus is the one who is, and the Holy Spirit is the one to come (Pentecost).
[34] Note the 7-fold Spirit in Isaiah 11:2 and compare the seven lamps and seven eyes of Zechariah (Zechariah 3:9; Zechariah 4:2; Zechariah 4:10), “the symbols of eternal light and all embracing knowledge.” (Ellicott’s Commentary For English Readers) Also a nod to extra-biblical apocalyptic literature (see my earlier notes).
[35] Link to Psalm 89:37; Jeremiah 42:5
[36] (Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 1:6; Romans 8:29).
[37] Descriptions from Psalm 89
[38] 1:6 links to Exodus 19:6 and Psalm 97:2
[39] Links to Daniel 7:13. Aquinas and others thought the clouds symbolize the saints, "who rain by preaching, glisten by working miracles, are lifted up by refusing earthly things… (Pulpit Commentary) Compare the manifestation of God in the clouds at Sinai, in the cloudy pillar, the Shekinah, at the transfiguration, and see Psalm 97:2; Psalm 18:11; Nahum 1:3; Isaiah 19:1. (Vincent’s Word Studies) Also, this was a common way to refer to an all-powerful God in the Old Testament, as the writers took an image associated with Baal and applied it to Yahweh (Psalm 68:4). The imagery of riding on clouds affirms his authority to judge the living and the dead at the end of the age as seen in Matthew 24:30, 26:64; Mark 13:26, 14:62; Luke 21:2. (30 Old Testament Passages With Deeper Meaning, by Michael Williams)
[40] Links to Zechariah 12:10 and Matthew 26:64. “Those who pierced him” are those responsible for his crucifixion.
[41] Links to Matthew 24:30, Psalm 96:7.
[42] 1:7 to Daniel 7:13 and Zechariah 12:10.
[43] Compare Isaiah 41:4, "I the Lord, the first, and with the last"; Isaiah 44:6, "I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God"; Isaiah 48:12, "I am he; I am the first, I also am the last." (Barnes’ Notes On The Bible)
[44] 1:8 to Exodus 3:14 and Deuteronomy 32:39. While Almighty or All-Powerful is used lots of places in the OT, it is only used 10 times in the NT – 9 of them in Revelation.
[45] 1:10 to “in the spirit,” a common phrase used by prophets in the Old Testament.
[46] Links to Exodus 19:16, 19; Matthew 24:31; 1 Corinthians 15:52.
[47] 1:12 links to Exodus 25:31-40.
[48] Links to Daniel 7:13, Matthew 26:64, John 1:51; Acts 7:56.
[49] Links to the high priest’s girdle (Exodus 28:4-8; 29:5-9) and a kingly authority (Isaiah 22:21).
[50] Links to Daniel 7:9.
[51] Links to Daniel 10:6, Psalm 97:3-4.
[52] Connects with Daniel 10:6, but also the angelic living creatures in Ezekiel 1:7; metal glowing as if in fire, as here, reflects God’s own glory in Ezekiel 1:27. (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible)
[53] 1:13 -15 to Daniel 7:1; 10:6. “A voice with the sound of many waters” links to Ezekiel 1:24 and 43:2.
[54] Links to Isaiah 62:3 and the coin depicting Domitian’s son.
[55] “The sword lays bare the thoughts and intents of the soul (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12. Compare Isaiah 11:4 and Isaiah 49:2). This is the weapon with which Christ will subdue His enemies; no carnal weapon is needed (2Corinthians 10:4)” (Ellicott’s Commentary For English Readers)
[56] 1:16 to Isaiah 49:2, Isaiah 60:1-3,19,20; Daniel 10:6; Psalm 97:11.
[57] Just as he did during Jesus’ glorious transfiguration at Mt. Tabor. (Matthew 17)
[58] Psalm 96:11-13 says the arrival of this time is a time for rejoicing.
[59] This pre-eminence of first and last is thrice claimed for the Lord Jehovah in Isaiah (Isaiah 41:4; Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah 48:12), and thrice for the Lord Jesus in this book (in this passage, in Revelation 2:8, and Revelation 22:13). (Ellicott’s Commentary For English Readers)
[60] Daniel 4:34
[61] Yeah….none of this Nero Redivivus stuff.
[62] 1:18 to Genesis 30:22 and Isaiah 22:22. We read of “the gates of death” in Psalm 9:13; Job 38:17, and “the gates of hell” in Isaiah 38:10; Matthew 16:18. (Cambridge Bible For Schools And Colleges) “In Greek literature the dead came “to the gates of Hades”; Egyptians believed that their afterlife-god Anubis held the keys to this underworld; Greeks assigned control over the house of Hades to their god of that realm, Hades. By contrast, Jewish sources assigned the keys of death and Hades exclusively to the one true God.” (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible)
[63] 1:19 to Isaiah 48:6 and Daniel 2:28, 29, and 45.
[i] Old Testament References in the Book of RevelationDr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, Th.M., Ph.D. Founder and Director of Ariel Ministries. There are over five hundred references to the Old Testament in the Book of Revelation. Here's a few.
Apocalypse and Allegiance: Worship, Politics, and Devotion in the Book of Revelation, by J. Nelson Kraybill
A teaching series by professor Shane J. Woods on Revelation (shanejwood.com)
The Bible Project’s videos, notes and podcast
The Letters To The Seven Churches: A History Of The Early Church, by W.M. Ramsay
Michael Heiser’s teaching on Revelation (Podcast: The Naked Bible)
Reading Revelation Responsibly: Uncivil Worship And Witness: Following The Lamb Into The New Creation, by Michael Gorman
Dragons, John, And Every Grain Of Sand, edited by Shane J. Wood.
Matt Chandler’s Revelation Series (Village Church)
Ancient Christian Commentary On Scripture: Revelation, from IVP
Seven Deadly Spirits: The Message of Revelation’s Letters for Today's Church, written by T. Scott Daniels
Revelation For Everyone, N.T. Wright
Revelation: A Shorter Commentary, G.K. Beale
The Way Of The Dragon Or The Way Of The Lamb: Searching For Jesus’ Path Of Power In A Church That Has Abandoned It, Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel
Mark Moore, How To Dodge A Dragon: An Uncommentary On Revelation
Adam Clarke’s commentary, as well as the commentaries available at Bible Gateway (which I used A LOT), biblehub.com, and preceptaustin.com
[2] John Ortberg likes to use this story to introduce Revelation. My Lakers/Warriors update: “And the three-headed warrior consumed the court of Kings and Freaks, holding their cup aloft as the seasons waned. And it was in the shortened year that that King retook his throne, and the city of the angels rejoiced.”
[3] The Bible loves to use symbolic language. Symbols for God (Deut. 4:24; Psalm 5:2; 23:1; 80:1; Isa. 6:5; 8:21; 30:27; Jer. 10:10; Matt. 25:32; Heb. 12:29). Symbols for Christ (Matt. 2:6; 26:31; Mark 14:27; John 1:29, 36; 10:7, 9, 11, 14). Symbols for God’s Church (1 Cor. 3:16, 17; 12:27; Eph. 4:12; Rev. 19:7; 21:2, 9; 22:17).
[4] Catholic writer Flannery O’Connor said she created bizarre characters in her stories because for the near-blind you have to draw very large, simple caricatures. That’s the idea. When John wants you to understand something is beastly, he’s not subtle.
[5] Conflict stuff is from Shane J. Woods’ teaching.
[6] Shane Wood lists over 95 passages that refer to conflicts and/or oppositions. Rev. 1:9; 2:2, 3, 4, 5b, 6, 7b, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17b, 19b, 20-23, 26; 3:3, 9, 12, 16; 5:6, 9, 12; 6:2, 4, 6, 8b, 9, 11, 12-17; 7:2b, 14b; 8:5, 7, 8-9, 10-11, 12; 9:3-11, 15-19; 11:2b, 5, 7, 10b, 13, 18; 12:4, 7, 8-9, 12b, 13, 15-16, 17; 13:6, 7, 10b, 15, 16-17; 14:8, 9b-11, 12, 13a, 19-20; 16:1, 2, 3, 4, 5b, 6a, 6b, 8-9, 10-11, 14b, 19b; 17:6, 14, 16; 18:8b, 20b, 21, 24; 19:2, 15, 17b-18, 19, 20b-21; 20:2-3, 4a, 7-8, 9b, 10, 15; 22:18, 22.19.
[7] 2 Tim 3:1; 1 Pet 1:20; Hebrews 1:1-3; James 5:1-3; Jude 17-19; Acts 2:14-24.
[8] Apocalypse and Allegiance: Worship, Politics, and Devotion in the Book of Revelation, by J. Nelson Kraybill
[9] The footnotes of the various resources are all texts, podcasts and sermons that have influenced me. It is almost impossible to footnote them every time, but please remember that if I were to footnote every way and time they have influenced this series, it would be a flood.
[10] At the site of ancient Ephesus, archaeologists found graffiti on a house that said, “Rome, Queen overall, your power will never end.” A second century altar at Pergamum bears an inscription that reads, “With Good Fortune. To emperor Caesar Trajan Hadrian Olympios, Savior and founder.” Antiochus IV added “Epiphanies” (God manifest) to his name. Lest we think this crazy kind of religious exaltation was unique to the time, a fresco in the U.S. Capitol rotunda called “The Apotheosis [deification, exaltation] of George Washington,” depicts him “ascending” to heaven.
[11] Euangelion – what the angels declared in Luke 2 on behalf of Jesus.
[12] Around this same time, the Ara Pacis Augustae (“Altar of the Augustan Peace”) Augustus as Peace (the Pax Romana) uniting the sky and the Earth and as Roma, the symbol of Rome who embodied the military power of the Roman Empire. The altar reveals an important truth about the Roman Empire, by the way: The Pax Romana really was pacification by force by threat of arms.
[13] Eusubius records that Domitian banished John to Patmos in AD 95.
[14] In John's vision, Jesus holds seven stars and has a face like the sun is shining with full force.
[15] One of the heads on the beast received a death blow, but its mortal wound was healed (Revelation 13:3). Hmmmm.
[16] Many of these books are in the Roman Catholic and/or Orthodox Church Canon. The Book of Enoch, for example, while “rediscovered” by the West in the 1800s, had never left the canon of the Ethiopian church.
[17] Both 4 Esras and 2 Baruch are Jewish apocalypses written in response to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
[18] Not all the same things are in all the books, but they share and overlap multiple times in multiple ways.
[19] Interestingly, in 2 Baruch and 4 Esdras, the scribe is purportedly in grief over the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC. In reality, it is the destruction of the second temple in 70 AD that is in view. It was okay to talk about a different thing than the actual thing to make a point.
[20] Esdras 11-12 speaks of an eagle (Rome) with 12 wings and 3 heads (likely Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian). 4 Esdras, 2 Baruch and Revelation all refer to the Roman Empire as an enemy worse than Babylon, Persia, and Greece.
[21] In 7s, of course.
[22] However, the key distinction is that Baruch and Esdras saw the events of 70 add as calling into question Israel's relationship with God. In Revelation, the New Jerusalem is a confirmation of the relationship with God.
[23] There is an Old Jewish saying: “repetition is the mother of all wisdom.” Genesis 2 does this to Genesis 1. Pharaoh’s second dream is a recapitulation of his first (Genesis 41). The prophetic visions in Daniel 2 and 7 look at empires first from a human perspective (they’re worthy and valuable like precious metals) then from God’s perspective (they are grotesque beasts). The four gospels themselves are examples of recapitulation of the life of Jesus.
[24] From a series by Shane Woods on Revelation, from notes by a dude named Mike (https://www.catlinchurch.com/content.cfm?id=213&download_id=736).
[25] Though examples of judgment appear regularly, there seems to be a clear message of the final judgments in Revelation being eternal and permanent rather than part of the previous cycle.
[26] Thanks to the Bible Project for this list and explanation.
[27] Also called the contemporary-historical approach.
[28] Because the term for the second coming, parousia, was often used of the arrival of the emperor or other powerful officials, the association of parousia with Jesus retains this theopolitical accent.
[29] Also called the Dispensational Approach. It’s the most recent view, having arrived on the scene (along with its unique view on the Rapture) in the mid 1800s.
[30] Check out all the apocalyptic literature formulas in the first few verses.
[31] From martyreo, from which is where we get our word martyr.
[32] 1:3 links to Proverbs 8:34.
[33] 1:4 links to Exodus 3:14. Also, some see a Trinitarian reference: the Father is the one who was, Jesus is the one who is, and the Holy Spirit is the one to come (Pentecost).
[34] Note the 7-fold Spirit in Isaiah 11:2 and compare the seven lamps and seven eyes of Zechariah (Zechariah 3:9; Zechariah 4:2; Zechariah 4:10), “the symbols of eternal light and all embracing knowledge.” (Ellicott’s Commentary For English Readers) Also a nod to extra-biblical apocalyptic literature (see my earlier notes).
[35] Link to Psalm 89:37; Jeremiah 42:5
[36] (Colossians 1:18; Hebrews 1:6; Romans 8:29).
[37] Descriptions from Psalm 89
[38] 1:6 links to Exodus 19:6 and Psalm 97:2
[39] Links to Daniel 7:13. Aquinas and others thought the clouds symbolize the saints, "who rain by preaching, glisten by working miracles, are lifted up by refusing earthly things… (Pulpit Commentary) Compare the manifestation of God in the clouds at Sinai, in the cloudy pillar, the Shekinah, at the transfiguration, and see Psalm 97:2; Psalm 18:11; Nahum 1:3; Isaiah 19:1. (Vincent’s Word Studies) Also, this was a common way to refer to an all-powerful God in the Old Testament, as the writers took an image associated with Baal and applied it to Yahweh (Psalm 68:4). The imagery of riding on clouds affirms his authority to judge the living and the dead at the end of the age as seen in Matthew 24:30, 26:64; Mark 13:26, 14:62; Luke 21:2. (30 Old Testament Passages With Deeper Meaning, by Michael Williams)
[40] Links to Zechariah 12:10 and Matthew 26:64. “Those who pierced him” are those responsible for his crucifixion.
[41] Links to Matthew 24:30, Psalm 96:7.
[42] 1:7 to Daniel 7:13 and Zechariah 12:10.
[43] Compare Isaiah 41:4, "I the Lord, the first, and with the last"; Isaiah 44:6, "I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God"; Isaiah 48:12, "I am he; I am the first, I also am the last." (Barnes’ Notes On The Bible)
[44] 1:8 to Exodus 3:14 and Deuteronomy 32:39. While Almighty or All-Powerful is used lots of places in the OT, it is only used 10 times in the NT – 9 of them in Revelation.
[45] 1:10 to “in the spirit,” a common phrase used by prophets in the Old Testament.
[46] Links to Exodus 19:16, 19; Matthew 24:31; 1 Corinthians 15:52.
[47] 1:12 links to Exodus 25:31-40.
[48] Links to Daniel 7:13, Matthew 26:64, John 1:51; Acts 7:56.
[49] Links to the high priest’s girdle (Exodus 28:4-8; 29:5-9) and a kingly authority (Isaiah 22:21).
[50] Links to Daniel 7:9.
[51] Links to Daniel 10:6, Psalm 97:3-4.
[52] Connects with Daniel 10:6, but also the angelic living creatures in Ezekiel 1:7; metal glowing as if in fire, as here, reflects God’s own glory in Ezekiel 1:27. (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible)
[53] 1:13 -15 to Daniel 7:1; 10:6. “A voice with the sound of many waters” links to Ezekiel 1:24 and 43:2.
[54] Links to Isaiah 62:3 and the coin depicting Domitian’s son.
[55] “The sword lays bare the thoughts and intents of the soul (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12. Compare Isaiah 11:4 and Isaiah 49:2). This is the weapon with which Christ will subdue His enemies; no carnal weapon is needed (2Corinthians 10:4)” (Ellicott’s Commentary For English Readers)
[56] 1:16 to Isaiah 49:2, Isaiah 60:1-3,19,20; Daniel 10:6; Psalm 97:11.
[57] Just as he did during Jesus’ glorious transfiguration at Mt. Tabor. (Matthew 17)
[58] Psalm 96:11-13 says the arrival of this time is a time for rejoicing.
[59] This pre-eminence of first and last is thrice claimed for the Lord Jehovah in Isaiah (Isaiah 41:4; Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah 48:12), and thrice for the Lord Jesus in this book (in this passage, in Revelation 2:8, and Revelation 22:13). (Ellicott’s Commentary For English Readers)
[60] Daniel 4:34
[61] Yeah….none of this Nero Redivivus stuff.
[62] 1:18 to Genesis 30:22 and Isaiah 22:22. We read of “the gates of death” in Psalm 9:13; Job 38:17, and “the gates of hell” in Isaiah 38:10; Matthew 16:18. (Cambridge Bible For Schools And Colleges) “In Greek literature the dead came “to the gates of Hades”; Egyptians believed that their afterlife-god Anubis held the keys to this underworld; Greeks assigned control over the house of Hades to their god of that realm, Hades. By contrast, Jewish sources assigned the keys of death and Hades exclusively to the one true God.” (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible)
[63] 1:19 to Isaiah 48:6 and Daniel 2:28, 29, and 45.
[i] Old Testament References in the Book of RevelationDr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, Th.M., Ph.D. Founder and Director of Ariel Ministries. There are over five hundred references to the Old Testament in the Book of Revelation. Here's a few.
1:4 Isaiah 11:2
1:5 Genesis 49:11; Psalm 89:27
1:6 Exodus 19:6; Isaiah 61:6
1:7 Daniel 7:13; Zechariah 12:10-14
1:8 Isaiah 41:4
1:12 Exodus 25:37; 37:23
1:13 Daniel 7:13; 10:5, 16
1:14 Daniel 7:9; 10:6
1:15 Ezekiel 1:7, 24; 43:2; Daniel 10:6
1:16 Judges 5:31; Isaiah 49:2
1:17 Isaiah 41:4; 44:6; 48:12; Daniel 8:17-18;10:9, 10, 12, 15, 19 1:18 Job 3:17; Hosea 13:14
2:7 Genesis 2:9; 3:22-24; Proverbs 11:30; 13:12; Ezekiel 31:8 (LXX) 2:12 Isaiah 49:2
2:14 Numbers 25:1-3
2:17 Exodus 16:33-34; Isaiah 62:2; 65:15
2:18 Daniel 10:6
2:20 I Kings 16:31-32; II Kings 9:7, 22
2:23 Psalm 7:9; 26:2; 28:4; Jeremiah 11:20; 17:10
2:27 Psalm 2:7-9; Isaiah 30:14; Jeremiah 19:11
3:5 Exodus 32:32-33
3:7 Isaiah 22:22
3:9 Isaiah 43:4; 49:23; 60:14
3:12 Isaiah 62:2; Ezekiel 48:35
3:14 Genesis 49:3; Deuteronomy 21:17 3:18 Isaiah 55:1
4:2 Isaiah 6:1; Ezekiel 1:26-28; Daniel 7:9
4:3 Ezekiel 1:26, 28; 10:1
4:5 Exodus 19:16; 25:37; Isaiah 11:2; Ezekiel 1:13 4:6 Ezekiel 1:5, 18, 22, 26; 10:1, 12
4:7 Ezekiel 1:10, 10:14
4:8 Isaiah 6:2-3; Ezekiel 1:18; 10:12
4:9 Deuteronomy 32:40; Daniel 4:34; 6:26; 12:7 4:11 Genesis 1:1
5:5 Genesis 49:9-10; Isaiah 11:1, 10
5:6 Isaiah 11:2; Zechariah 3:8-9; 4:10
5:8 Psalm 111:2
5:9 Psalm 40:3; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1; Isaiah 42:10; Daniel 5:19 5:10 Exodus 19:6; Isaiah 61:6
5:11 Daniel 7:10
6:4 Zechariah 1:8; 6:2
6:5 Zechariah 6:2
6:8 Jeremiah 15:2-3; 24:10; 29:17; Ezekiel 14:21; Hosea 13:14; Zechariah 6:3 6:12 Isaiah 50:3; Joel 2:10
6:14 Isaiah 34:4; Nahum 1:5
6:15 Psalm 48:4-6; Isaiah 2:10-12, 19
6:16 Hosea 10:8
6:17 Psalm 76:7; Jeremiah 30:7; Nahum 1:6; Zephaniah 1:14-18; Malachi 3:2
7:4 Genesis 49:1-28
7:9 Leviticus 23:40
7:14 Genesis 49:11
7:15 Leviticus 26:11
7:16 Psalm 121:5-6; Isaiah 49:10 7:17 Psalm 23:1-2; Ezekiel 34:23
8:4 Psalm 141:2
8:5 Ezekiel 10:2
8:5-6 Exodus 19:16
8:7 Exodus 9:23-24; Psalm 18:13; Isaiah 28:2 8:8 Exodus 7:17-19
8:11 Jeremiah 9:15; 23:15 8:12 Isaiah 13:10
9:2 Genesis 19:28; Exodus 19:8
9:3 Exodus 10:12-15
9:4 Ezekiel 9:4
9:6 Job 3:21
9:8 Joel 1:6
9:9 Joel 2:5
9:11 Job 26:6; 28:22; 31:12; Psalm 88:11; Proverbs 15:11 9:14 Genesis 15:18; Deuteronomy 1:7; Joshua 1:4
10:4 Daniel 8:26; 12:4-9
10:5 Deuteronomy 32:40; Daniel 12:7
10:6 Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 32:40; Nehemiah 9:6; Daniel 12:17 10:7 Amos 3:7
10:9 Jeremiah 15:16; Ezekiel 2:8-33
10:11 Ezekiel 37:4, 9
11:4 Zechariah 4:1-3, 11-14
11:5 Numbers 16:35; II Kings 1:10-12 11:6 Exodus 7:19-25; I Kings 17:1 11:7 Exodus 7:3, 7, 8, 21
11:11 Ezekiel 37:9-10
11:15 Exodus 15:18; Daniel 2:44-45; 7:13-14, 27
12:2 Isaiah 26:17; 66:7; Micah 4:9-10
12:3 Isaiah 27:1; Daniel 7:7, 20, 24
12:4 Daniel 8:10
12:5 Psalm 2:8-9; Isaiah 66:7
12:7 Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1
12:9 Genesis 3:1; Job 1:6; 2:1; Zechariah 3:1 12:10 Job 1:9-11; 2:4-5; Zechariah 3:1
13:4 Daniel 8:24 13:5 Daniel 7:8, 11, 20, 25; 11:36 13:7 Daniel 7:21
13:8 Daniel 12:1
13:10 Jeremiah 15:2; 43:11
14:7 Exodus 20:11
14:10 Genesis 19:24; Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:17 14:11 Isaiah 34:10; 66:24
14:14 Daniel 7:13
14:18 Joel 3:13
14:19 Isaiah 63:1-6
14:20 Joel 3:13
15:3 Exodus 15:1-18; Deut. 31:30-32:44; Psalm 92:5; Psalm 111:2; 139:14
15:4 Psalm 86:9; Isaiah 66:23; Jeremiah 10:7
15:5 Exodus 38:21
15:6 Leviticus 26:21
15:7 Jeremiah 25:15
15:8 Exod. 40:34-35; Lev. 26:21; I Kings 8:10-11; II Chron. 5:13-14; Isaiah 6:1-4
16:3 Exodus 7:17-25
16:4 Exodus 7:17-21; Psalm 78:44
16:6 Isaiah 49:26
16:7 Psalm 19:9; 145:17
16:10 Exodus 10:21-23
16:12 Isaiah 11:15-16; 41:2, 25; 46:11; Jeremiah 51:36
16:13 Exodus 8:6
16:14 I Kings 22:21-23
16:16 Judges 5:19; II Kings 23:29-30; II Chronicles 35:22; Zechariah 12:11 16:19 Jeremiah 25:15
16:21 Exodus 9:18-25
17:3 Daniel 7:7
17:4 Jeremiah 51:7; Ezekiel 28:13 17:8 Exodus 32:32-33; Daniel 12:1 17:12 Daniel 7:24-25
18:2 Isaiah 21:9; 34:13-15; Jeremiah 50:30; 51:37 18:3 Jeremiah 51:7
18:4 Isaiah 52:11; Jeremiah 50:8; 51:6, 45
18:5 Jeremiah 41:9
18:6 Psalm 137:8; Jeremiah 50:15, 29
18:7 Isaiah 47:7-8; Zephaniah 2:15
18:8 Isaiah 47:9; Jeremiah 50:31-32
18:9-19 Ezekiel 26:16-18; 27:26-31
18:9 Jeremiah 50:46
18:10 Isaiah 13:1
18:12 Ezekiel 27:12-25
18:20 Jeremiah 51:48
18:21 Jeremiah 51:63-64
18:22 Isaiah 24:8; Jeremiah 25:10; Ezekiel 26:13 18:23 Jeremiah 7:34; 16:9; 25:10; Nahum 3:4
19:5 Psalm 22:23; 134:1; 135:1
19:6 Psalm 93:1; 97:1; Ezekiel 1:24; 43:2; Daniel 10:6 19:11 Psalm 18:10; 45:3-4; Isaiah 11:4-5; Ezekiel 1:1 19:13 Isaiah 63:3
19:17 Isaiah 34:6-7; Ezekiel 39:17 19:18 Isaiah 34:6-7; Ezekiel 39:18 19:19 Psalm 2:2; Joel 3:9-11
20:5 Isaiah 26:14
20:6 Exodus 19:6; Isaiah 26:19
20:9 Deuteronomy 23:14; II Kings 1:9-12; Ezekiel 38:22; 39:6 20:11 Daniel 2:35
20:12 Exodus 32:32-33; Psalm 62:12; 69:28; Daniel 7:10 20:15 Exodus 32:32-33; Daniel 12:1
21:3 Leviticus 26:11-12; Ezekiel 37:27 21:4 Isaiah 25:8; 35:10; 51:11; 65:19 21:9 Leviticus 26:21
21:10 Ezekiel 40:2
21:11 Isaiah 60:1-2; Ezekiel 43:2 21:12-13 Ezekiel 48:31-34
21:19-20 Exodus 28:17-20; Isaiah 54:11-12 21:23 Isaiah 60:19-20
21:24 Isaiah 60:3-5, 16
21:25 Isaiah 60:11; Zechariah 14:7
21:26 Isaiah 60:5, 16
21:27 Isaiah 52:1; Ezekiel 44:9; Zechariah 14:21
22:3 Genesis 3:17-19; Zechariah 14:11
22:4 Psalm 17:15; Ezekiel 9:4
22:11 Ezekiel 3:27; Daniel 12:10
22:12 Psalm 62:12; Isaiah 40:10; 62:11
22:14 Genesis 2:9; 3:22-24; Proverbs 11:30 22:15 Deuteronomy 23:18
22:18-19 Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32
22:19 Deuteronomy 29:19-20
________________________________________________________________
[ii] NUMBERS
1:5 Genesis 49:11; Psalm 89:27
1:6 Exodus 19:6; Isaiah 61:6
1:7 Daniel 7:13; Zechariah 12:10-14
1:8 Isaiah 41:4
1:12 Exodus 25:37; 37:23
1:13 Daniel 7:13; 10:5, 16
1:14 Daniel 7:9; 10:6
1:15 Ezekiel 1:7, 24; 43:2; Daniel 10:6
1:16 Judges 5:31; Isaiah 49:2
1:17 Isaiah 41:4; 44:6; 48:12; Daniel 8:17-18;10:9, 10, 12, 15, 19 1:18 Job 3:17; Hosea 13:14
2:7 Genesis 2:9; 3:22-24; Proverbs 11:30; 13:12; Ezekiel 31:8 (LXX) 2:12 Isaiah 49:2
2:14 Numbers 25:1-3
2:17 Exodus 16:33-34; Isaiah 62:2; 65:15
2:18 Daniel 10:6
2:20 I Kings 16:31-32; II Kings 9:7, 22
2:23 Psalm 7:9; 26:2; 28:4; Jeremiah 11:20; 17:10
2:27 Psalm 2:7-9; Isaiah 30:14; Jeremiah 19:11
3:5 Exodus 32:32-33
3:7 Isaiah 22:22
3:9 Isaiah 43:4; 49:23; 60:14
3:12 Isaiah 62:2; Ezekiel 48:35
3:14 Genesis 49:3; Deuteronomy 21:17 3:18 Isaiah 55:1
4:2 Isaiah 6:1; Ezekiel 1:26-28; Daniel 7:9
4:3 Ezekiel 1:26, 28; 10:1
4:5 Exodus 19:16; 25:37; Isaiah 11:2; Ezekiel 1:13 4:6 Ezekiel 1:5, 18, 22, 26; 10:1, 12
4:7 Ezekiel 1:10, 10:14
4:8 Isaiah 6:2-3; Ezekiel 1:18; 10:12
4:9 Deuteronomy 32:40; Daniel 4:34; 6:26; 12:7 4:11 Genesis 1:1
5:5 Genesis 49:9-10; Isaiah 11:1, 10
5:6 Isaiah 11:2; Zechariah 3:8-9; 4:10
5:8 Psalm 111:2
5:9 Psalm 40:3; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1; Isaiah 42:10; Daniel 5:19 5:10 Exodus 19:6; Isaiah 61:6
5:11 Daniel 7:10
6:4 Zechariah 1:8; 6:2
6:5 Zechariah 6:2
6:8 Jeremiah 15:2-3; 24:10; 29:17; Ezekiel 14:21; Hosea 13:14; Zechariah 6:3 6:12 Isaiah 50:3; Joel 2:10
6:14 Isaiah 34:4; Nahum 1:5
6:15 Psalm 48:4-6; Isaiah 2:10-12, 19
6:16 Hosea 10:8
6:17 Psalm 76:7; Jeremiah 30:7; Nahum 1:6; Zephaniah 1:14-18; Malachi 3:2
7:4 Genesis 49:1-28
7:9 Leviticus 23:40
7:14 Genesis 49:11
7:15 Leviticus 26:11
7:16 Psalm 121:5-6; Isaiah 49:10 7:17 Psalm 23:1-2; Ezekiel 34:23
8:4 Psalm 141:2
8:5 Ezekiel 10:2
8:5-6 Exodus 19:16
8:7 Exodus 9:23-24; Psalm 18:13; Isaiah 28:2 8:8 Exodus 7:17-19
8:11 Jeremiah 9:15; 23:15 8:12 Isaiah 13:10
9:2 Genesis 19:28; Exodus 19:8
9:3 Exodus 10:12-15
9:4 Ezekiel 9:4
9:6 Job 3:21
9:8 Joel 1:6
9:9 Joel 2:5
9:11 Job 26:6; 28:22; 31:12; Psalm 88:11; Proverbs 15:11 9:14 Genesis 15:18; Deuteronomy 1:7; Joshua 1:4
10:4 Daniel 8:26; 12:4-9
10:5 Deuteronomy 32:40; Daniel 12:7
10:6 Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 32:40; Nehemiah 9:6; Daniel 12:17 10:7 Amos 3:7
10:9 Jeremiah 15:16; Ezekiel 2:8-33
10:11 Ezekiel 37:4, 9
11:4 Zechariah 4:1-3, 11-14
11:5 Numbers 16:35; II Kings 1:10-12 11:6 Exodus 7:19-25; I Kings 17:1 11:7 Exodus 7:3, 7, 8, 21
11:11 Ezekiel 37:9-10
11:15 Exodus 15:18; Daniel 2:44-45; 7:13-14, 27
12:2 Isaiah 26:17; 66:7; Micah 4:9-10
12:3 Isaiah 27:1; Daniel 7:7, 20, 24
12:4 Daniel 8:10
12:5 Psalm 2:8-9; Isaiah 66:7
12:7 Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1
12:9 Genesis 3:1; Job 1:6; 2:1; Zechariah 3:1 12:10 Job 1:9-11; 2:4-5; Zechariah 3:1
13:4 Daniel 8:24 13:5 Daniel 7:8, 11, 20, 25; 11:36 13:7 Daniel 7:21
13:8 Daniel 12:1
13:10 Jeremiah 15:2; 43:11
14:7 Exodus 20:11
14:10 Genesis 19:24; Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:17 14:11 Isaiah 34:10; 66:24
14:14 Daniel 7:13
14:18 Joel 3:13
14:19 Isaiah 63:1-6
14:20 Joel 3:13
15:3 Exodus 15:1-18; Deut. 31:30-32:44; Psalm 92:5; Psalm 111:2; 139:14
15:4 Psalm 86:9; Isaiah 66:23; Jeremiah 10:7
15:5 Exodus 38:21
15:6 Leviticus 26:21
15:7 Jeremiah 25:15
15:8 Exod. 40:34-35; Lev. 26:21; I Kings 8:10-11; II Chron. 5:13-14; Isaiah 6:1-4
16:3 Exodus 7:17-25
16:4 Exodus 7:17-21; Psalm 78:44
16:6 Isaiah 49:26
16:7 Psalm 19:9; 145:17
16:10 Exodus 10:21-23
16:12 Isaiah 11:15-16; 41:2, 25; 46:11; Jeremiah 51:36
16:13 Exodus 8:6
16:14 I Kings 22:21-23
16:16 Judges 5:19; II Kings 23:29-30; II Chronicles 35:22; Zechariah 12:11 16:19 Jeremiah 25:15
16:21 Exodus 9:18-25
17:3 Daniel 7:7
17:4 Jeremiah 51:7; Ezekiel 28:13 17:8 Exodus 32:32-33; Daniel 12:1 17:12 Daniel 7:24-25
18:2 Isaiah 21:9; 34:13-15; Jeremiah 50:30; 51:37 18:3 Jeremiah 51:7
18:4 Isaiah 52:11; Jeremiah 50:8; 51:6, 45
18:5 Jeremiah 41:9
18:6 Psalm 137:8; Jeremiah 50:15, 29
18:7 Isaiah 47:7-8; Zephaniah 2:15
18:8 Isaiah 47:9; Jeremiah 50:31-32
18:9-19 Ezekiel 26:16-18; 27:26-31
18:9 Jeremiah 50:46
18:10 Isaiah 13:1
18:12 Ezekiel 27:12-25
18:20 Jeremiah 51:48
18:21 Jeremiah 51:63-64
18:22 Isaiah 24:8; Jeremiah 25:10; Ezekiel 26:13 18:23 Jeremiah 7:34; 16:9; 25:10; Nahum 3:4
19:5 Psalm 22:23; 134:1; 135:1
19:6 Psalm 93:1; 97:1; Ezekiel 1:24; 43:2; Daniel 10:6 19:11 Psalm 18:10; 45:3-4; Isaiah 11:4-5; Ezekiel 1:1 19:13 Isaiah 63:3
19:17 Isaiah 34:6-7; Ezekiel 39:17 19:18 Isaiah 34:6-7; Ezekiel 39:18 19:19 Psalm 2:2; Joel 3:9-11
20:5 Isaiah 26:14
20:6 Exodus 19:6; Isaiah 26:19
20:9 Deuteronomy 23:14; II Kings 1:9-12; Ezekiel 38:22; 39:6 20:11 Daniel 2:35
20:12 Exodus 32:32-33; Psalm 62:12; 69:28; Daniel 7:10 20:15 Exodus 32:32-33; Daniel 12:1
21:3 Leviticus 26:11-12; Ezekiel 37:27 21:4 Isaiah 25:8; 35:10; 51:11; 65:19 21:9 Leviticus 26:21
21:10 Ezekiel 40:2
21:11 Isaiah 60:1-2; Ezekiel 43:2 21:12-13 Ezekiel 48:31-34
21:19-20 Exodus 28:17-20; Isaiah 54:11-12 21:23 Isaiah 60:19-20
21:24 Isaiah 60:3-5, 16
21:25 Isaiah 60:11; Zechariah 14:7
21:26 Isaiah 60:5, 16
21:27 Isaiah 52:1; Ezekiel 44:9; Zechariah 14:21
22:3 Genesis 3:17-19; Zechariah 14:11
22:4 Psalm 17:15; Ezekiel 9:4
22:11 Ezekiel 3:27; Daniel 12:10
22:12 Psalm 62:12; Isaiah 40:10; 62:11
22:14 Genesis 2:9; 3:22-24; Proverbs 11:30 22:15 Deuteronomy 23:18
22:18-19 Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32
22:19 Deuteronomy 29:19-20
________________________________________________________________
[ii] NUMBERS
THE NUMBER 6 (for humanity or animals)
• On the 6th day, men and beasts were created. You will actually see “man and beasts” paired together a LOT through the Old Testament.
• We labor 6 days (before a rest on the 7th). 6 days are for man; the 7th for God.
• The land was planted for 6 years (before a rest on the 7th)
• 666 first appears first in the Old Testament? #legos It was the weight of gold Solomon received yearly, “not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the territories.” (1 Kings 10:14) Commentators tend to believe this 666 was a purposeful choice by the writers of Scripture: it’s reflective of Solomon’s corruption because of his love of money, and the compromising allegiances he made with pagan nations for the sake of comfort and power. There is also another (more commonly discussed) reason John sees 666 as a beastly number.
THE NUMBER 7 (number of completion and perhaps perfection).
· On the 7th day, God rested.
· 7 days of creation
· 7 days of the week
· 7 days (and seven times) around Jericho
· 7 times, one was to sprinkle the sin offering
· “Wash in the Jordan seven times.” (2 Kings 5:10)
· 7 pairs of each clean animal on the ark (Genesis 7:2)
· 7 stems on the tabernacle’s lampstand (Exodus 25:37)
· 7 qualities of the Messiah in Isaiah 11:2
· Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus has 6 sets of 7 generations - putting Jesus as the 1st in the 7th seven.
· Luke’s geneology has 77 generations from Abraham.
· 7 signs in John’s Gospel
· 7 things the Lord hates in Proverbs 6:16
· 7 parables in Matthew 13
· 7 woes in Matthew 23.
· “70 weeks” prophecy in Daniel 9:24
· Jeremiah 29:10 predicted the Babylonian Captivity would last for 70 years (7 times 10).
· Jesus is the 7-fold “I AM” in the Gospel of John.
· 7 covenants with humanity (Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Levitic, Davidic, and Messianic)
· Jesus told Peter to forgive a wrongdoer “70x7” (Matthew 18:22)
· 7 beatitudes in Revelation (Revelation 14:13, Revelation 16:15, Revelation 19:9, Revelation 20:6, Revelation 22:7; Revelation 22:14).
· 7 letters to 7 churches in Asia in Revelation
· 7 spirits before God’s throne (Revelation 1:4)
· 7 golden lampstands (Revelation 1:12)
· 7 stars in Christ’s right hand (Revelation 1:16)
· 7 seals of God’s judgment (Revelation 5:1)
THE NUMBER 10 (fullness or entirety).
• 10 generations from Adam to Noah, and Noah to Abraham.
• 10 plagues poured upon Egypt fully expressed God’s judgment
• 10 Commandments
• Jesus used the number 10 often in parables to represent the full number of something.
• Beasts from Daniel and Revelation often have 10 horns - a full representation of earthly or evil power.
• Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. Look! The Devil will keep on throwing some of you into prison that you may be fully put to the test, and that you may have tribulation 10 days.” (Revelation 2:10:)
• 10 men were needed to form a quorum in the Sanhedrin.
THE NUMBER 12: (perfection in government, authority or rule)
· Twelve tribes led Israel.
· Twelve apostles led the church.
THE NUMBER 40 (the number of testing)
1. The rain in the flood was 40 days and nights
2. Moses was 40 years in Egypt and in the desert, and 40 days on Mt. Sinai.
3. Jonah warned Ninevah for 40 days.
4. Jesus’ testing in the wilderness was 40 days.
5. 40 is the number of days between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension.
THE NUMBER 70 (a representative council?)
· 70 nations in the earth
· 70 elders represented the Israelites before God
· 70 disciples Jesus sent out ahead of him
· 70 judges in the Sanhedrin
Look at every multiplication as a more emphatic statement. Read the zeros almost like exclamation marks trying to get your attention. When you see combinations or extensions of these numbers, it’s often because a very emphatic point is being made. For instance, Peter thought he was going way over the top by suggesting that he forgive people seven times. Jesus made a point by saying not just seven, but forgive 70 * 7 times. He wasn’t telling advocating 490 times – he was saying you should forgive completely times completely times completely. Get the point, Peter? Stop playing games and forgive people the way I do.
In addition to this OT reference, the practice of associating numbers with names was not at all unusual in the culture at large. It was known as gematria. In the ruins of Pompeii, archaeologists found graffiti that says, “I love her who's name is 545.” Seutonius reported that anonymous enemies of Nero in Rome publicly posted the following smear that used the numbers to accuse the Emperor of killing his mother. “Count the numerical values of the letters of Nero's name, and in ‘murdered his own mother’ you will find their sum is the same.” John said that any of his first readers with understanding would know to whom the number 666 referred. Odds are good it was something or someone they knew.
• On the 6th day, men and beasts were created. You will actually see “man and beasts” paired together a LOT through the Old Testament.
• We labor 6 days (before a rest on the 7th). 6 days are for man; the 7th for God.
• The land was planted for 6 years (before a rest on the 7th)
• 666 first appears first in the Old Testament? #legos It was the weight of gold Solomon received yearly, “not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the territories.” (1 Kings 10:14) Commentators tend to believe this 666 was a purposeful choice by the writers of Scripture: it’s reflective of Solomon’s corruption because of his love of money, and the compromising allegiances he made with pagan nations for the sake of comfort and power. There is also another (more commonly discussed) reason John sees 666 as a beastly number.
THE NUMBER 7 (number of completion and perhaps perfection).
· On the 7th day, God rested.
· 7 days of creation
· 7 days of the week
· 7 days (and seven times) around Jericho
· 7 times, one was to sprinkle the sin offering
· “Wash in the Jordan seven times.” (2 Kings 5:10)
· 7 pairs of each clean animal on the ark (Genesis 7:2)
· 7 stems on the tabernacle’s lampstand (Exodus 25:37)
· 7 qualities of the Messiah in Isaiah 11:2
· Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus has 6 sets of 7 generations - putting Jesus as the 1st in the 7th seven.
· Luke’s geneology has 77 generations from Abraham.
· 7 signs in John’s Gospel
· 7 things the Lord hates in Proverbs 6:16
· 7 parables in Matthew 13
· 7 woes in Matthew 23.
· “70 weeks” prophecy in Daniel 9:24
· Jeremiah 29:10 predicted the Babylonian Captivity would last for 70 years (7 times 10).
· Jesus is the 7-fold “I AM” in the Gospel of John.
· 7 covenants with humanity (Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Levitic, Davidic, and Messianic)
· Jesus told Peter to forgive a wrongdoer “70x7” (Matthew 18:22)
· 7 beatitudes in Revelation (Revelation 14:13, Revelation 16:15, Revelation 19:9, Revelation 20:6, Revelation 22:7; Revelation 22:14).
· 7 letters to 7 churches in Asia in Revelation
· 7 spirits before God’s throne (Revelation 1:4)
· 7 golden lampstands (Revelation 1:12)
· 7 stars in Christ’s right hand (Revelation 1:16)
· 7 seals of God’s judgment (Revelation 5:1)
THE NUMBER 10 (fullness or entirety).
• 10 generations from Adam to Noah, and Noah to Abraham.
• 10 plagues poured upon Egypt fully expressed God’s judgment
• 10 Commandments
• Jesus used the number 10 often in parables to represent the full number of something.
• Beasts from Daniel and Revelation often have 10 horns - a full representation of earthly or evil power.
• Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. Look! The Devil will keep on throwing some of you into prison that you may be fully put to the test, and that you may have tribulation 10 days.” (Revelation 2:10:)
• 10 men were needed to form a quorum in the Sanhedrin.
THE NUMBER 12: (perfection in government, authority or rule)
· Twelve tribes led Israel.
· Twelve apostles led the church.
THE NUMBER 40 (the number of testing)
1. The rain in the flood was 40 days and nights
2. Moses was 40 years in Egypt and in the desert, and 40 days on Mt. Sinai.
3. Jonah warned Ninevah for 40 days.
4. Jesus’ testing in the wilderness was 40 days.
5. 40 is the number of days between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension.
THE NUMBER 70 (a representative council?)
· 70 nations in the earth
· 70 elders represented the Israelites before God
· 70 disciples Jesus sent out ahead of him
· 70 judges in the Sanhedrin
Look at every multiplication as a more emphatic statement. Read the zeros almost like exclamation marks trying to get your attention. When you see combinations or extensions of these numbers, it’s often because a very emphatic point is being made. For instance, Peter thought he was going way over the top by suggesting that he forgive people seven times. Jesus made a point by saying not just seven, but forgive 70 * 7 times. He wasn’t telling advocating 490 times – he was saying you should forgive completely times completely times completely. Get the point, Peter? Stop playing games and forgive people the way I do.
In addition to this OT reference, the practice of associating numbers with names was not at all unusual in the culture at large. It was known as gematria. In the ruins of Pompeii, archaeologists found graffiti that says, “I love her who's name is 545.” Seutonius reported that anonymous enemies of Nero in Rome publicly posted the following smear that used the numbers to accuse the Emperor of killing his mother. “Count the numerical values of the letters of Nero's name, and in ‘murdered his own mother’ you will find their sum is the same.” John said that any of his first readers with understanding would know to whom the number 666 referred. Odds are good it was something or someone they knew.
* * * * *
[iii] There are 7 of each: All of them deal with judgment; between the 6th and 7th of each one there is an interlude; the message for each recapitulation is in the interlude; each of them has a specific point.
• Revelation 6:17 – the great day of God’s wrath has come, and who can stand? Chapter 7 gives three groups of people who can stand (sealed 144,000; angels, and God’s people in heaven); in other words, all of God’s people.
• Revelation 9 - two witnesses, likely Elijah and Moses. Elijah sums up the prophets and Moses sums up the law; symbolically they sum up the Scripture. The two witnesses also look a lot like Jesus; they have a strong message and are killed in Jerusalem. They’re also described as two olive branches and two lampstands, which refers back to Zechariah’s description of Jesus. Your job is to make your witness known. It will likely lead to your death, but you’re in good company and with Jesus if that is the case.
• The bowl interlude is much more succinct. Jesus is coming like a thief in the night, unexpected. Clothes are mentioned, and clothes in this kind of literature always identify the ethic of a person.
* * * * *
[iv] In case you were wondering, the interpretation of Revelation in the early church fathers of the second through sixth centuries was varied. The Church Fathers who were experiencing persecution tended toward Millenialism, a belief in a literal 1,000 year reign when there would be peace and safety. Meanwhile, the Church Fathers in the (less persecuted) Alexandrian church in Africa emphasized the spiritual/allegorical meaning. Soon, others were identifying the 1000 years symbolically also.[iv] This probably reflects the transition from the Age of Persecution to the Age of Recognition and the elevation of the church in the nominally converted Roman Empire. When Constantine officially accepted the church with the Edict of Milan in 313, suddenly the church was not a persecuted minority but a respected community. The expectations of the 1000 Years of material bliss which characterized the views of the persecuted apparently lost its appeal as material blessings became more tangible in the here and now.
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