'I

IN TRODUCTION
TO THE BOOK OF
REV ELATION
The Greek title ofthis book is 'Apoca lypse of John', and the word 'apocalypse'
is a translitera tion of the Gr eek word for revelation : any writing under this
title claims to include a revelation of hidden things, imparted by God, and
particularly a revelation of events hidden in the futu re. It is not easy to draw
an exact dividing line between prophecy an d apocalypse, and the writers of
apocalyptic are in some ways the successors of the prophets; but we can at
least ma ke the distinct ion that the Old Testament prophets characteristically
received the message by 'hear ing the word of God' and passed it on by word
of mouth , whereas the author of a written ap ocalypse was given his revelation
in a vision and passed it on in writing.
The language of apoca lyptic writing is richly symbolic, and th e importance
of the visions which are described is never in their immediate literal meaning .
It can be ta ken as a rule tha t every element in this kind of writing has symbolic
value-persons, places, animals, actions, objects , parts of the body, numbe rs
and measu rement s, stars, conste llations, colours and garments-and if we
are not to misunde rsta nd or disto rt the writer's message, we must appreciate
the imagery at its true value and do our best to translate the symbols back into
the ideas which he intended them to convey. Th ere are parts of the text in which
this will involve ou r distinguishing a direct allegorical interpretation of the
images tha t are used. Th ere are other parts , however, in which no single
inte rpretat ion can be confiden tly adopte d, since a single group of images will
be found to draw its meaning from various different associatio ns.
Apocalyptic writing became very popular in some Jewish circles (including
the Essenes of Qumran) in the two centuries before Christ. The visions of
prophets like Ezekiel and Zechariah paved the way, and apo calypse as a literary
form was already fully developed by the time of Daniel and in the many apocry-
phal writings about the beginning of the Christian era. The New Testament
includes only one apocalypse; its author says he was called John, 1:9, and that
at the time of writing he was an exile for his Christian faith on the island of
Patmos. A tradi tion as early as Ju stin and widespread by the end of the
2nd century (Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, the Canon of
Muratori ) identified this John with the apostle, author of the fourth gospel.
On the other han d, it is almost certain that the churches of Syria, Cappadocia
and even Palestine did not include the Revelation in the cano n of scriptu re until
the 5th cent ury ; evidentl y they did not believe it to be the work of an apostle.
At the beginning of the 3rd century a priest of Rome, Caius by name, att ributed
it to Cerinthus the hereti c, thoug h this may have b een merely an attem pt to
justify his attac k on it. Internal evidence shows that the Revelation of Joh n has

» ·>
w
ce:
 I N T R O D U C T I O N TO REVELATION 42 9 IN TRODUC TIO N TO R E V E L A T I O N
428
so me affinity with the ot her Jo ha nnine wn tings, but as it is so sharply derived b y historical in te rpreta tio n: the book is interested in the un changing
disting uished from them by language, style, an d so me theolo gical positions, real ities, to which faith is a lways open in any period of histo ry. God's promise
nota bly its view of the parousia , it is impossible to identify the a utho r of to be 'wi th his peop le' , cf. Ex 25:8 + , protecting them and saving them, had
R evela tio n as it stands wit h the a uthor of the rest of the J o ha n nine literature. always been t he fo undation of their confidence in him in the Old Testament, a nd
In spite of th at, Revela tio n is clearly Jo ha n nine in insp iratio n: it wa s writte n it is this presence that has now been pe rfected by the marriage of God and his
inside t he apostle' s im med iate circle an d is pervaded by his do ctri ne. O f its new chosen people in the person of his Son, Imm an uel (God-with-u s) . The
ca no nicity there can be no do ubt ; as for its d at e the m ost co mmon opinion is promise of the risen Christ, '1 shall be with you al ways, yes, to the en d o f time' ,
that it was written in the reign o f D om itia n, abo ut 95; ot hers, wit h so me is what gives life to th e Church, Mt 28:20. As a result, those who are faithful
justificati o n, be lieve that parts of it at lea st were composed as ea rly as Nero's to Jesus have nothing to fear : they may suffer a whil e fo r him but in th e end
time , shortly before 70. they will triumph over Satan an d his sche mes . The Revelation is a n epic of
Wh at ever its precise d ate, we can no t understand the R evelatio n withou t Christian hope, the victory song of th e persec uted Ch ur ch .
ta king int o acco u nt the historical condition s th at gave birth to it. It is first and As it stands, the text of Revelation presents many difficulties: repetitions,
foremost a tr act for th e ti mes, like th e ap oca lyp ses (pa rticularly Da niel) tha t interruptions in the sequence of vision s, and passages obviously divorced fr o m
p receded it a nd on which it dra ws. It was written during a period o f d ist ur ba nce their context. Many explanations for this have been suggested : that Revelati o n
and bitt e r pe rsec utio n to incr ea se th e hope a nd determinat io n of the infa nt was compiled from d iverse sources, that whole chapters have been accidentally
Ch u rc h. Jes us ha d said, 'Be brave: 1 ha ve co nq uer ed the wo rld' , Jn 16:33 ; ho w misplaced, etc . The following hypothesi s was first suggested in 1949 (cf. Rev ue
therefor e co uld God perm it thi s m ortal attack o n his own C h urc h ? Jo hn 's Biblique, 1949, 507-54 1) ; it is that the strictly prop heti c part of Revelation,
answer begins by recalling t he classical the mes of t he prophets , nota bly th at ch. 4-22, is made up of two d ifferent apocalypses written by the sa me a uthor
of the ' G reat Da y' of Ya hweh (cf. A m 5:18+). When the C hosen People had at d ifferent times and later fused int o one by so me a uthor. It is suggested that
been ens laved to th e Assyr ians , C ha ldaeans, an d G reeks, when th ey had been the two originally separate texts are as foll ows:
scatt ered a bro ad and nearl y a n nihilated by persecution, the prophets had
pro mised : the day is coming, a nd soon, whe n G od will liberate his people fro m Text I Text II
the ir oppresso rs, a nd restore their ind epende nce, and help the m to co nq uer Prologue: The small book 10:1-2a,3-4,8-11
the ir enem ies after he ha s p unis hed them and brought them to th e po int of Sata n attacks the Church 12:1-6,13-1 7 12:7-12
ext inct io n. W hen Jo h n wrote the Reve lation, t he C h urc h, th e new chosen race, The Beast atta cks the Chur ch 13
had j ust been dec imated by persecutio n, ch. 13; 6:10- 11; 16:6; 17:6 ; Ro me and Procla mation and preludes of the
its emp ire (t he Beast) wa s o nly a too l, b ut a tool wield ed by Sat an, c h. 12 ; Gr eat Day of wrath 4-9 ; 10:1-2b,5-7; 14-16
13:2,4, the grea t a nd only rea l enemy of C h rist an d his peo ple. In the opening 11:14-18
vision Jo hn de scribes G od as emperor, enthro ned in hea ven ; he is mas ter of The G reat Day of wrath:
human de stiny, ch. 4, a nd to the La mb he gives t he scroll that foretell s th e Babylon's wickedness described 17:1-9,15-18 17:10,12-14
do om of the pe rsec uto rs, ch. 5; the vision t hen proclaims a fo reign invas io n Babylon's fall 18:1-3 (cf. 14:8)
(the Pa rt hia ns) a nd its fam iliar conco mitants, war, fa mine, plagu e, ch, 6. The elect preserved 18:4-8
D u ring t his, G od 's fa ithful will be preserved , 7:1-8 ; cf. 14:1-5, a nd eventua lly Lament for Babylon 18:9-13,15-19,21,24 18:14,22-23
rejo ice t riu mp hantl y in hea ven, 7:9-17 ; cf. 15: 1-5. God, ho wever, wants to Canticles of trium ph 19:1-10 18:20 (cf. 16:5-7)
sa ve the ir enem ies as well, so instead of de stroyi ng them imm edi ately, he wa rns T he messian ic kingdom 20:1-6
th em, as he ha d wa rn ed Egypt and its Pharao h, by a series o f plag ues, c h. 8-9; The eschatological war 20:7-10 19:11 -21
cf. 16. T he pe rsecu tors arc o nly ha rdened in their evil determi na tio n, and God The Jud gement 20: 13-15 20:11-12
is for ced to destroy th em , c h. 17. T heir a im wa s to co rru p t the wo rld a nd get it T he Jerusalem to be 21:9-22:2 21:1-4; 22:3-5;
to wo rs hip Sa tan (an a llusio n to emperor- wo rship in pagan Ro me). A fte r th is and 22:6-15 21:5-8
co mes a la ment ove r fallen Babylo n ( Rome), ch . 18, and hymns of victory in Append ix: The two witnesses 11:1-13,19
hea ven , 19: J - I O. T he re is a seco nd vision o f t he destruction of the Beast
(persecut ing Ro me ), th is time by C hrist in glor y, 19:11-2 1, th at begins an era Th e letters to the seven churches, ch. 1-3, which were certainly intended to be
of p ros perity for th e C h urc h, 20: 1-6, which is to end in a new assault by Sa ta n, read as an introd uct ion to the two prophe cies, must or iginally als o hav e existed
20:7f, foll o wed by the a nnihila tio n o f the Ene my, th e resurrection a nd judgement as separate te xt.
of the d ea d , 20: 11-15, a nd ulti ma te ly by th e d efinitive esta bl ishm en t o f t he
kingdom o f perfect hap pin ess in hea ven when dea th itself ha s been d estroyed ,
2 1:1-8. A fina l vision glance s back to the period ju st befor e thi s co nsu m mation,
and des cribes th e bea uty o f the new Jerusa lem, o r Ch urch, o n eart h, 2 1:9f.
The signi fica nce o f the Revela tion is wider th an th is primary, basic, mean ing >
~
· UJ
a:
 43 1 RE VE L A T ION 2:8
18 Living One, I was dead and now 1 am to live for ever an d ever, and 1 ho ld the
Q •
1:8 +
1. 44 :6;
19 keys of death and of the underworld .v • Now write dow n all tha t you see of present 48:12
Hob 7:25
20 happenings q and things that are still to come. • The secret of the seven stars you Dn 2:28
Hab2:2
have seen in my right hand, and of the seven golden lamp-stands is this: the seven 1:12; 16:5
stars are the angel s r of th e seven ch urches, and the seven lamp-stands are the
seven churches themselves.
1. Ephesus
THE BOOK OF 'Write to the ang el of the church in Ephesus" and say, "Here is the message
2 of the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who lives 1:16

REVELATION surrounded by the seven golden lamp-stands: ·1 know all about yo u: how hard
you work a nd how much you put up with . 1 know you cannot stand wicked men,
1:12
1 Th 1:3

2 Co 11:13.
and how you tested the impostors who called themselves apos tles" and proved 15
they were liars. ·1 know, too, that you have patience, and have sufTered for my
P rologue 4 name' without gro wing tired. •Nevertheless, I have this complaint to make ;
T his is the revelation given by G od to Jesus Christ" so that he could tell his you have less love now than you used to. -T hink where you were before you fell ;
Do 2:28
2:!:6f,L6
1 servants - about the things which are now to take place very soon; he sent his
I
repent, and do as yo u used to at first , or else, if you will not repent, I shall come
to you and take your lamp -stand from its place.« • It is in your favour, nevertheless,
angel to make it known' to his serva nt John, -and Jo hn has written down
19:10+ that you loathe as 1 do what the Nicolaitans are doing. -If anyone has ears 2:15 +
everything he saw a nd swears it is the wo rd of God guaranteed by Jesus C hrist:' 13 :9
22:7 to hear, let him listen to what the Spi rit is saying to the ch urc hes: those who M t 13:9
Lk 11:28 Happy' the man who reads this prophecy, a nd happy t hose who listen to him, if
they treasure all that it says, because the Time! is close. prove victorious 1 will feed from the tree of life set in God's paradise."e 22 :2
G n 2:9
2 Co 6:2+
Pr 3:18
2. Smyrna
I. TH E L ETT E R S TO THE C HURCHES OF AS I A 'Write to the a ngel of the church in Smyrna and say, "Here is the message of
1 a. Li t. ' A re vela t io n o f J es us C h ri st wh ich God of all thi ngs : Is 41:4 ; 44:6; Rv 2 1:6: 22:13. ' the
Address and greeting - gave to him'. A lm ighty': 'nan tok rator' lit. ' the All -R uler', a stock
b. ' H is se rvants' m a y possib ly be th e p ro phets in renderi ng of 'Lord of Hosts ' ('Ya h we h Sa baoth').
From John, to the seven churches of Asia : grace and peace to you from him the early C h urch. d. 10:7 ; 11:18; 22:6 : Ac 11:27 +; and m . De por ted there for bei ng a C hris tian proselv-
1:8 : 4:8 : 11: A m 3:7. among who m Jo hn include s h imsel f. cf. 19: 10 t iser. Patmos (10 m iles x 5 m iles) was use d by R omans
17; 16:5 who is, who was, and who is to come, h fro m the seven spirits in his presence before a nd 22:9 ; b ut the sa me word is re gu lar ly used fo r all as a pe na l co lo n y.
Ex 3: 14 +
Ps 89:27 ,37 his throne, -and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the First-born from the fo llowers an d d iscip les of C h r ist and 19: 10 suggests n . The Mess ia h as escha to logfcal Judge (c f. D n 7:13.
dead, the Ruler of the kings of the earth.' He loves us and has washed awa y/ o ur t ha t no fir m d ist inc tion is made between ' pr o p he ts' a lso 10: 6) . The lon g ro be sy m bo lises his p riesthood
Is 55:4 ami ot her 'witnesses to Je sus' such as evangelist s and (cr . Ex 28:4; 29:5; zc 3:4) , t he golden girdle h is
Ex 19:6
I P 2:9 sins with his blood, -a nd made us a line of kings, priests to serves his G od a nd martyrs . ro yalty . c f'. I M 10:89, th e white ha ir hi s e ternit y
Rm 16:27+ c . Lit. ' H e co nveyed thr ou gh s igns sen t by h is (d . D n 7:9) , the burning eyes (to p robe mi nd s a nd
Fa ther; to him, then, be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen . -It is he who me sse n ger ' : a m bigu ous . the a ng e l co u ld be sent by
Dn 7: 13 ' hea rt s ' , cf. Rv 2:23) his d ivin e know ledge, th e feet of
Zc 12:/0. /4 is coming on (he clouds; everyo ne will see him, even those who pierced Jesus. cf. 19: 10 ; 22:6-20, or by G od. in whi ch case the b r on ze (cr. D n 2:3 1-45) his pe r m a nen ce ; the bri ghtness
MI24:30+ a ngel wo uld be th e Mess ia h h im sel f. cf. 14:14. 15 an d of h is legs a nd fa ce, a nd t he stre ngth of hi s vo ice.
Jo 19:37 him, and all the races of the earth will mourn over him. T his is the trut h. Amen. 1:13. symbolise th e fe a r insp ired. by h is maiest v. In hi s power
1:4; 2 1:6 ; 'I am the Al pha and the Omega" says the Lord God, who is, who was, a nd who 8 d. L it. 'the W or d of G o d a n d th e witness of ( h is ' r ight han d') he h old s th e se ve n ch u rc hes (th e ' sta r s' ,
22:13 Je sus C hr ist' . cf. v. 20); he is prepa red to se nt en ce fa ith less C hr istians
is to come, the Almighty. e. F irs t o f the seven beatitu des in th e Apocalypse, to deat h ( the 'do ub le-ed ged swo rd ') , cr. 19:15 + : 2:16 :
cf. 14:13 ; 16: 15 ; 19:9: 20:6 : 22 :7.14. a mi Is 49:2 : E n 6: 17 ; He b 4:12. O ne or o the r of his
The beginning of the vision f. When Jesu s re tu rn s ; cf. 3:11: 22:10 , 12,20 a nd 1:7. attrib utes as J ud ge is used , a t the begi nn ing of e ac h of
g . T h is sec t io n m a kes use o f m an y O.T. a llusions the se ve n lett e rs. t o suggest th e situa tion o f th e
My name is John, and thro ugh o ur union in Jesus 1 am your bro ther and sha re to sug gest the K in g-Mess ia h 's glo rio us re turn, sole mn p a rti cular c h urc h a ddressed .
Rm 5:3 ent hr o ne me nt a nd futu re re ign o ver God 's peop le in
2 Tm 2:12 your sufferin gs, your kin gdo m, a nd all you end ure. 1 was on th e islan d of Pa trnos>
fulfilmen t of th e p ro m ise m a de to David. T hi s is
for ha ving preached God's word a nd witnessed for Jesus ; -it was the Lo rd's day 10 basica lly what the who le boo k is a bout . o. The o ne who h as life ' in h imself', cf. I n 5:2 1.26:
and the Sp irit possessed me, a nd 1 heard a voice behind me, shouting like b . C o m mo n ti tle in J e wish liter a ture, de vel op e d 1:4.
from th e na me revealed to M ose s: 'I am who am', p . Lit. 'de a th and Hades' . Hades was the pl a ce of
a trumpet, ·'Write down all tha t you see in a book, and send it to the seven II Ex ) : 14 I· . th e dea d , th e Gk word corresp on d in g to the sheot of
churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thy atira, Sa rdis, Philadelp hia and I . T he M essiah is the ' witnes s' to the pr o m ise th a t the Oc'T,; cf N b 16:33 + . C h r ist has th e p ow er to
wa s ma de to Dav id, 2 S 7: 1+ ; Ps 89; ls 55 :3~4; rel ea se so u ls fro m H ad es, J n 5:26 ·28 .
Laodicea' . ·1 turned round to see who had spoken to me, and when 1 turned 12 Z c 12:8, both in h is per so n a nd in h is wo r k: as h e Q . ' pres e nt ha p pe n in gs' re fer s to th e lett er s of
1:20
o« 7:13 I saw seven golden la mp -stands -and, surrounded by th em, a figure like a Son 13 fu lfils thi s p ro m ise he is the effica ci ou s Word , God's ch, 2 a nd 3 ; ' th in gs th at a re st ill to co me ': the revelations
o« /0:5 ' Yes', R v 3:14 ; 19 :11,13 ; 2 Co 1:20 . Not o n ly is he of c h . 4-2 2.
of man, n dressed in a lon g robe tied at the wa ist with a golden girdle. •His head 14 hei r to Da vid, R v 5:5 ; 22 : 16. bu t by his rc sur recn on r. Je ws hel d th a t no t o nly th e p h ysical u n ive rse
Do 7:9 a nd his hair were white as white wool or as snow, his eyes like a burning flame, he is th e 'Firs t-born', Coi l: 18, who will reig n over wa s co nt ro lled by a ngels. cf. R v 7: 1: 14:18; 16:5, bu t
the u n ive rse when h is en emi es have bee n des tr o ye d , a lso human be ings (both in di vid ual s a nd co m m u n it ies).
D o 10:6 his feet lik e burnished bronze when it has been refined in a furnace, and his voice 15 On 7: 14 : Rv 19:1 6. cr. E x 23:20 + . Eac h c hurc h her e is th ou gh t of as un de r
Ezk 43 :2 lik e the sound of the ocean. ·In his right hand he was ho lding seven stars, out of 16 I. Var. 'relea sed us fr om' . the co nt ro l of a n an ge l a p po inte d to be respo n sible
2:1 ,12: k . LiL. ' He made u s a king dom a nd p riests for' : fo r it
3:1; 19:15 his m outh came a sharp sword, dou ble-edged, a nd his face was like th e sun
Hob 4:12 tho se who turn to the M ess ia h a nd who se s ins he 2 a . Metropo lis of the pr o vin ce o f As ia; th e ot her
shining with all its force. Io r a ives. vv. 5 a nd 7, will be a fa mily of k ing -p riests, s ix ch u rches of the le tte rs th a t foll o w were located in
J. 13:20 Ex 19 :6 + : ktnes bec a use they w ill ru le over a ll th e t he sa me province.
Ez k 1:28+ When I saw him, 1 fell in a dead faint at his feet, but he tou ched me with his 17 na tio ns , D n 7: 22.27; Is 54:11- 17 ; Zc 12: 1-3 : d . Rv " :26: b. Probably th e N ico la ita ns of v. 6. see 2: 15 + .
D 0 8: 18; cr. 2 C o 11:5.13.
10:!S· 19 right ha nd a nd said , 'Do not be afraid ; it is I, the First and the Last; I am the 5: 10 : 20:6; 22:5 ; pri es ts because in union with Jesu s the
messi anic P r iest th ey will co nsec rat e th e uni ver se to e . Allusion to so me p re viou s persec ut ion.
God in a sac r ifice of pra ise. d . E p hesu s wi ll cea se to be th e re ligio us c a p ital .
I, T he beginni ng and e nd , or iginator a nd goal, e, Var. (V u lg.) ' the parad ise of m y God'.
) ·>
w
l:t:

Iii
 2:9 REVEL A TIO N 43 2 433 R EV E L A TI ON 3:1 7
1:17-18 + you at what hour to expect me.• There are a few in Sardis, it is true , who have Mk 13:33 ..
Is 44:6 : the First and the Last, who was dead and has co me to life again : •I kno w the trials 4 1 T h 5:2..
48:12 kept the ir robes from being dirt ied, and they are fit to come with me, dressed 7:14
J m 2:5
you have had, and how poor you are-though yo u are rich/-c-and the slanderous
accusa tions tha t have been made by the people who profess to be Jews ' but are in white . ·Those who pro ve victorio us will be dressed, like these, in white robes ;"
3:9 I shall not blot their na mes out of the bo ok of life, but acknowledge their names 20:12 +
I n 8:37-44
really members of the synagogue of Sata n. • Do not be afraid of the sufferi ngs 10 I S 25:29 +
in the presence of my Fa ther and his angels. -I f anyo ne has ears to hear, let him Ps 69:28
S/2: 1 that are coming to you: I tell you, the devil is going to send some of you to prison 6 M1 10:32
listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches." Lk 9:26
O n 1: 12. 14
Lk 22:3 1-33
to test you, a nd you must face an ordeal for ten days .': Even if you ha ve to die,
/ Co 9:25+ keep faith ful, an d I will give you the crown of life for your prize. - If anyone has II
6. P hiladelphia
ears to hear , let him listen to what the Spirit is saying to the chu rches : for those
20:6.14 ; 21:8 who prove victorious the re is not hing to be afraid of in the second death." 'Write to the angel of the church in Philadelphi a an d say, "Here is the message Lv 17: 1+
of the holy and faithful one who has the k ey of David, so that when he opens, Is 6:3 +
1:18
3. Pergamum nobody can close, and when he closes, nobody can open: • I know all about you; Is 22:22
M t 16:19
'W rite to the angel of the church in Pergamum and say, " Here is the message 12 and now I have opened in front of you a door that nobody will be able to c1ose c-
1:16: 19:15 of the one who has the sharp sword, double-edged: · 1 know where you live, 13 and I know that though you are not very strong, you have kept my comma ndme nts
in the place where Satan is enthrone d, and that you still hold firmly to my na me, 9 and not disowned my name . •Now I am going to make the synagogue of 2:9 +

an d did not disown your faith in me even when my faith ful witness, Antipas, was Satan-those who profess to be Jews, but are liars, because they are no such
thing -I will make them come and fa ll at your feet and ad mit that you are the Is 45: 14;
killed in your own town , where Satan lives.' 60:14
Never theless, I have one or two com plaint s to make: some of yo u are 14 10 people that J love. • Because you have kept my commandment to endure trials, Is 41:4
Nb22:2 + I will keep you safe in the time of tr ial which is going to come for the whole world , 2 P 2:9
followers of Sa laam, who tau ght Sa lak to set a trap for the Israe lites! so that
Nb 25:1-2 they com mitted adultery" by eating food that had been sacrificed to ido ls; -a nd IS II to test the people of the world ." •Soon I shall be with you:' hold firmly to what 2:25 +
I Co 8: 10 I C o 9:24-27
2 P2: 1 am ong you, too , there are some as bad who accept what the Nicolait ans teach.' 12 you already have, and let nobody take your prize away from you . •Those who 2 Co 6:2 +
2:6
2: 17
You must repen t, or I shall soon come to you and attack these people with the 16 prove victorious I will make into pillars in the sanct uary of my God, and they G a 2:9
I T m 3: 15
sword ou t of my mouth. -If anyone has ear s to hear , let him listen to wha t the 17 will stay t here for ever; I will inscribe on t hem the name of my God/ and the 7:4
Ezk 48:35
Spirit is saying to the churches: to those who pro ve victorious I will give the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which comes down from my God 21:21
3:12 + ; 19:12 hidden manna and a white stone"'- a stone with a new name written on it, 13 in heaven, and my own new name as well. g • If anyone has ears to hear , let him
Is 62:2 : 65: 2:17 +
15 known only to the man who receives it." listen to wha t the Spirit is saying to the chu rches."
4. Thyatira 7. Laodicea
'Write to the angel of the chu rch in Thyatira and say, " Here is the message 18 14 'Write to the angel of the church in Laod icea and say, "Here is the message of 1:5 + : 19: 11
1:14- 15 of the Son of God who has eyes like a burn ing flame and feet like burnished 2 Co 1:20
the Amen," the faithful, the tru e witness, the ultimate source of God's crea tio n:' I n 1:3
bronze: · 1 know all about you an d how charitable you are ; I know your faith and 19 15 I kno w all a bout you: how you are neithe r cold nor hot. I wish you were one or
devotion an d how much you put up with, and I know how you are still maki ng 16 the other , •but since you are neither, but only lukewarm , I will spit you out of my
progress. •Nevertheless , I have a com plaint to make: you are enco uragi ng the Pr 13:7
20 17 mouth. •You say to you rself, ' I am rich, I have made a fortune, and have Ho 7:9 ; 12:9
woman Jezebel- who claims to be a prophetess, and by her teaching she is luring Lk 12:21
everything I want', never realising that you are wretchedly and pitiably poor, an d
my servants away to com mit the adultery of ea ting food which has been sacrificed
2: 14 r. Smy rn a 's sp iritua l wealth contrasts with her o . Var. 'her pr a ctice s'.
to idols. ·1 have given her time to reform but she is not willing to change her 21 povert y. p . T ho se wh o fo llow he r tea c hing.
adulterous life. • Now I a m con signing her to bed, and all her partners in ad ultery 22 g . He nceforth the C hurch o f C hrist is th e tru e Q , T he d o ctrine of the Nicolaitans, so c a lled e ithe r

to troubles that will test them severely, unless they repent of their practices ; o Israel. cr. G a 6: 16; Rm 9:8. by th e here tics themselves, or , sarcastically, by th e ir
h . t.e . of short d ur a tion . opponents, cr. I C o 2: 10.
and I will see that her children> die, so that a ll the churches realise that it is I who 23 L Emperor-worship, as well as o ther forms of r , The tr ue fa ith in C hri st.
Jr 11:20 +: pag a nism , flouris hed in Perga mum, a nd is always s , I n Eastern literatur e the Morning S tar is both
17: 10 search heart and loins and give each one of yo u what your behaviour deserves. represe nted in R v a s the wo rs hip o f Satan. 't he prince th e sym bo l of dom inion a nd p o wer a nd a lso , as
P, 62: 12 But on the rest of you in T hyat ira, all of you who have not accepted this teac hing of this wor ld ' , apparent ly here, o f res urrect ion a nd t ri umphant erorv.
Ac 1:24 24
j . Accord in g to one Jew ish tr adition, cr. Nb 3 1:16 . C h r ist re ign s bec au se he rose from the dead,
3:8- 11 or learnt the secrets of Sata n, q as they are called, I am not laying any special Ba laam s ugges ted to Ba la k th a t he sho u ld per suade cf. Ac 2:36 + ; R m 1:4 + : R v 1:5 + , and hi s faithful
duty; -b ut hold firmly on to what you already haver until I co me. -To those who 25 Isr ae l to idolat ry with the he lp o f th e women o f Moab, will s ha re hi s re ign as they sha re t he glory of h is
26
12:5 : 19:5 Nb 25:1-3. resurrection, on whic h h is wo r ldwide empire is ba sed.
Ps 2:8-9 prove victor ious, and keep working for me unt il the end, 1 will give the k . T he p ro phe ts used thi s as a co m mo n figure of In th e Ro man litu rgy, t his th eme is introduced int o
authori ty over the pagans -w hich I myself have been given by my Father, to rule 27
28 speech for id o la tr y. re ligio us infid elity, cf. H o 1:2 + . t he Ex ultet of the E as te r Vigil.
1:6+ : 19: 15 I. T his doc tri ne had so me affin ity wit h the errors 3 a . These se ve n sp ir its of G od are se ve n a nge ls.
them with an iron sceptre and shatter them lik e earthenware. And I will give him already attacked. by Pa u l in th e C a p tivity Le tte rs
22: 16
Is 14: 12 the Mo rning Star. ' -If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to what the Spir it 29 (not ably in C o l); it heralded t he gno stic s pec ul an c .rs b . A symbol o f purity but a lso of victory a nd JOY.
2 P 1:19 is saying to the churches." of t he 2nd cen r., b ut a lso to lerated a measure of c . Pe r ha ps th e o p por tu n ity of s pre a d ing the G o od
co mpromise with pagan cults. e.e . part icipat io n in N e ws in fre s h ar eas, for whi ch thi s is a common
sacred banquets, cr . v. 14. metaphor. cr. A c 14:27 + , and Pa u l's le tt e rs.
5 . Sardis rn, T he pe rspec tive, as in the o ther si x letters, is d , Li t. 'a ll living on the e a r th ' , i.e. the pagan wo rld,
eschat o logic a l. The m an na (h idden, together wit h th e as a lways in Rv . T his 'testin g' is ther e fore th e p lagues

1:16
I Tm 5:6
3 of'Write to the an gel of the church in Sardis and say, "Here is the message
the one who holds the seven spirits- of God and the seven star s: I kno w all
about yo u: ho w you are reputed to be alive and yet are dead .• Wak e up; revive
what little you have left: it is dying fast. So far I have failed to notice anyth ing in
the way you live that my G od could pos sibly call perfect, -and yet do you
remember how eager you were when you first heard the message? Hold on to that.
Mt 24:42-
441> Repent. If you do not wake up, I shall come to you like a thief, without telling
1 a r k , by Jerem iah , 2 M 2:4-8) will be brought o ut as of 849 and 16, fr om which God' s servants will be
th e food of those who a re saved in the heav enly pre se r ved, cr. 7: 1f.
kin gdo m, cr. 15:8 +. T he white s to ne (w hit e is the e . T he return of C hr ist in glo ry .
2 col our of tri um ph a nd JOY) a llu des to variou s a nc ien t f. C f. 2:17 : 14: 1: 19:12.13: a nd Is 56:5 ;62:2 :65:15.
usa ges (bad ges of h onour. tablets o f discha rge or c r. Is 1:26 + .
a dm issio n) a nd sym bolises entry in to the k ingd o m . g , Eit her a n am e tha t will not be known un til the
The ' ne w nam e' sign ifies the C hr istia n' s s p irit ua l reb ir th. parousta , or th e na me 'Word' , c f. 19: 13.
n . 'Je zebe l' ; var . ' yo ur wif e Je ze be l' . A se lf- styled h . Refer e nce to Is 65:16 where ' G o d of truth' is
prophet ess of th e N icol aitan sec t ; he r name is sym bo lic, lite rally ' G o d of A me n'. cr. Rv 1:5 + .
cf. 2 K 9:22. I. cr, Pr 8:22 : Ws9: l f: In 1:3 : Coll:16f ; Hob 1:2.
 3:18 RE VELA T ION 434 435 R E VE L AT I O N 6:2
Is 55:1 blind a nd nak ed too .' ·1 warn you, buy fro m me the gold that has been tested in IS th emselves before him a nd with them the twenty-four elders; each one of them
the fire- to make yo u rea lly rich, and white robes to clothe you a nd cover you r was hold ing a ha rp a nd had a golden bow l full of incense ma de of the prayers 8:3
sha meful nakedness, and eye oint ment to put on your eyes so that you are a ble of the saints.• Th ey sang a new hymn: 9:13 +
Pr 3:12 to see,' · 1 am the one who reproves and disciplines all those he loves: so repe nt 19
I Co 11:32
H ob 12:4- 11
' Yo u are wo rthy to ta ke the scroll 14:3+
In 14:23 in real earnest. - Look, I am standing at the door, knocking, If one of you hea rs 20
a nd break the seals of it,
Lk 22:29-30 me calling a nd opens the door, I will com e in to share his meal, side by side with
beca use you were sacrificed, and wit h your bloo d 14:4
1:6 + : 20:4 hi m, •T hose who prove victorious I will allow to share my throne, just as I was 21
yo u bought! men for G od
S1 2:3 victorious mysel f and took my place with my Father on his throne, - If anyone has 22
M t 19:28 of every race, lan guag e, people and nation. 1:6 +
ea rs to hear. let him listen to what the Spi rit is sayin g to the churches," , 10 and made them a fine of k ings and priests, Is 61:6
Ex 19:6
to serve our God and to rule the wor ld' ." 20:4
II . THE PROPHETIC VISIONS II In my vision, I hea rd the sou nd of an imm ense number o f a ngels gathered
ro u nd the throne and t he a nimal s and the elders ; there were ten thousand times D n7:10
Ju de 14-15
A. THE PRELUDE TO THE G REAT DAY 12 ten thousand of them and thousands upon thousands• • sho u ting, 'The La mb that
was sacrificed is worthy to be given pow er, riches,' wisdom, st rength, honour, On 2:20
Ph 2:7-9
God entrusts the future of the world to the Lamb" 13 glory a nd blessin g'. -Then I heard all the living thin gs in creation- everything
1:10 T he n, in my vision, I saw a door open in heaven and heard the sa me vo ice that lives in the air, and on the ground, and under the grou nd , and in the sea, 5:3

On 2:2S
4 what is to come
you
spea king to me, the voice like a tr um pet, saying, 'Come up here: I will show
in the futu re' . •With that, the Spirit possessed me a nd I sa w
I

14
crying, 'To the One who is sitting on the throne and to the Lamb, be all praise,
hon our, glo ry an d power, for ever and ever ' .• And the four animals said , 'Amen' ;
Ps 150:6
Jude 25

Is 6:1
Ez k 1:26-28 a th ron e sta ndi ng in hea ven, a nd the One who was sitting on the throne, -and a nd the elders prostrated themselves to worship,
Ex 24:/0 the Perso n sitt ing there loo ked like a di amo nd and a ru by, Th ere was a ra inbo w
Gn 9:/ 2-/7 The La mb brea ks the seven sea ls"
encircl ing the throne, a nd this looked like an emerald . I, • Round the th rone in a
Is 24:23
8:2,5: 11:19:
16:18
circl e were twenty-fou r th rones, an d on them I saw twenty-four elders' sitti ng,
dre ssed in whit e rob es with go lden crow ns o n their heads, • Flashes o f lightni ng 6 T hen I saw the La mb brea k one of the seven sea ls, a nd I heard one of the
four an imals sho ut in a voice like thu nder, 'Come' , - Irnmediately a white
Jr 15:2-4
Ezk5:17 :
14:13-21
Zc 1:8-10:
6:1-3
were co ming fro m the thro ne, a nd the sou nd o f pea ls of thunder," and in fro nt j , U nlike Snw ma.z:c. Laod icea was r ich in worl d ly provide nce. T hey give un ceas in g glo ry to G od for his
of the throne there were seven flaming lam ps burning, the seven Sp irits' of goods. but sp ir itua lly POOf. creat io n, T he figur es o f lion. bull , ma n , eag le su ggest
Ex 24:10 k, T he tr ue rich es tha t are of the sp iri t. all th at is no b lest, s tro nges t, wises t, mo st sw ift, in th e
God, • Betwee n the thro ne a nd myself was a seal th at seemed to be made of glass, I. T he clot h ing a nd the eye o int me nt are. o f co urse, crea ted wo r ld. Since Irenaeus. the se four creatures
Ez k 1:5-2 1 like crystal. In the centre, grouped round the th rone itself'," were four animals" needed to re p ai r the ' b lind ness and na kedn ess' of v. 17 : ha ve bee n used as sy mbols o f t he fo ur eva nge lists.
Ez k 10:14 but t he re ma y be a sp eci al point in th is as an all us ion i. The Iituraica l Trisaeton o r San ctus ec hoes th is
with many eyes, in fro nt a nd behind, • The first a nim a l was like a lion, the second to the loca l prod ucts for whic h Laodicea was known , do xo logy. It is said that the Church th us shares in the
like a bull, the third ani ma l had a human face, a nd the fourth animal was like 4 a . God delega tes to the Lamb th e power of carrying worship of the heaven ly court , bu t it is a lso po ss ib le
Is 6: 2 o u t his decr ees a ga ins t perse cu ting pazans. The 'Great that John ' s vis ion of heaven reprod uces the worship
Ezk 1 : / 8 :
a flying eagle, «Each of the fo ur a nimals had six wings a nd had eyes all the way Day' of God's anger is about to dawn, The visio n of the C hu rch o n eart h.
10 : 12 round as well as inside; a nd day and night they never stopped singing: begins with a view of Go d ' s thr on e a nd wide ns to j. The crow ns sy m bo lise the go vern me nt of the
a view of the who le un iverse. world , ent ru sted to the 'elders ' b y G od . T h is power
Is 6: 3 'Ho ly, Holy, Holy b. Lit. ' the En thr one d O ne l oo k ed like a jasp er comes from God a nd m ust go back to him.
sto ne (d iamond) a nd a sard io n (r u by) and a ra in bo w k . Lit. 'Thro ugh yo ur will th ey were (var. ' they
is the Lord God, the Almighty ; round th e throne lo o ked like a smaraedos (emerald)' . we re n o t') a nd th ey were created ' : text unc ertain.
1:4 + he was, he is an d he is to co me',' John is ca refu l not to describe G o d a n thro po - 5 a. A ro ll of pa pyr us in which God' s hitherto secre t
mo rp hica lly ; he prefers to give a n im pr ess ion of light. decrees a re wr itte n . T he co ntents are m ade known
Every ti me the a nimals glo rified a nd honou red a nd gave than ks to the One sitti ng The whole scene draws heavily on Elk I and 10: cf a lso in c h. 6~9.
Is 6. b. In Ha des. 1:18 +.
Dn4:31 on the thro ne, who lives f or ever and ever, - the twenty -fo u r elders prostra ted 10 c . T he elde rs h ave a priestl y fun c tion : th ey pra ise c . Ove r Satan a nd th e wor ld , cf. In 3:35 + ; I I n
the mselves before him to wo rsh ip the O ne who lives f or ever and el'er, a nd threw an d wors h ip G od . 4: 10; 5:9 : I I: 16, 17; 19:4 , and 2:14 + .
offer h im the pra yers o f the fa ith fu l, 5:8 . The nu mber d. T he M essiah , the Passover lamb sa cr ificed for
down their cro wns in fro nt o f the throne,' say ing, •' Yo u a re our Lord a nd o ur II twe nt y-fo ur sug ges ts the twe n ty-four pr iestly cl asses o f the sa lva tio n o f th e C hos en People, cr . I n 1:29 + .
14:7 God, you are wor thy of glory a nd ho no ur and power , beca use you made a ll the I C h 24: I ~9 ; the th ro nes indicate tha t th e e lde rs are T he wo u nds tha t ca used the dea th o f the La m b are
Ps 115:3 ' jud ges' in the N ew Isra el wh ich is t he red eem ed visib le, b u t th e Lamb has risen fr om dea th , a nd
R m4:17 universe a nd it was on ly by yo ur will tha t every thi ng was made a nd exists' ."
Ep4: 11 wor ld : the crowns are the sign tha t t hey share God 's the re for e s tand s upright. T he Messia h , who bec ame
I sa w that in the rig ht han d of the One sittin g on th e th rone there was a scroll roy al p ow er. It is to be noted th at the thrones of
Is 29: 11
Ez k 2:9
Dn 12:4 .9
5 that had writing all back and front an d was sealed with seven seals ," -Then
I saw a powerful a ngel who ca lled with a loud voice, 'Is the re anyone wort hy
I
the el ders make the ou ter r in g of th e hea venl y
co urt. a nd in t he New Je r usalem wh ich co m es d own
fro m hea ven , ch . 21. the outer wall s are co m pose d of
a lamb in ord er to submit as sac ri fice, to suff er an d
to d ie, is a lion be cause he conquered de at h,
e . Sy m bo lis in g the ful ness (number se ven) of the
Messia h's po wer (horns) a nd knowled ge (eyes).
twe lve fou nd ation sto nes of ap ostles and twe lve ga tes
5:13 to open the scroll an d brea k th e seal s of it ?' •Bu t th ere was no o ne, in heaven which a re the t welve tribes of Israel.
or o n the ea rt h or u nder the ea rth, " who was a ble to op en the scroll and read it. d . T hu nde r is fr equently associated wit h th ee - r. Var. 'y OU bo ught us ', 'yOU bought us for G od' .
nha nics. cf. Ex 19: 16 + ; El k 1:4.13 . T he reading 'u s' supposes that t he elders are human
I wep t bitterly beca use there was no body fit to o pen the scroll and read it, • but 5 e . No t the seve nfold Sp ir it of mediaeval tradit ion be ings, posstb lv th e O.T. patriarchs . Lit. ' you were
Lk 7:13-15 one of the elde rs sa id to me, 'There is no need to cr y: the Lion of the tribe of b ut the seven 'a ngels of the pr esence", cf. 3:1 + ; 8:2: k illed a nd yo u bought for G od by yo ur blood'.
Gn 49: 9 T b 12: 15, G od' s messengers, cf. ze 4:10 ; T b 12:14 ;
Is 11:1, 10 G. C lic he for ' the wh ol e wo rl d ' , C f. O n 3:4.7.9 6.
Rm 15:12 Judah, the Root of David, ha s tri ump hed , c and he will open the scroll a nd the Lk 1:26 : R v 5:6 a nd passim . h. Lit. ' vou made them int o a kingd o m a nd priests
I Co 5:S seve n seals of it' , r. Eit her the 'upper wa ters' of G n 1:7 ; Ps 104: 3, for o ur God a nd t hey will reign o n eart h' (or 'o ver
Hob 7:14 o r th e 'Sea ' o f 1 K 7:23 -26 . p aga ns '); vura. 'YOU have made us ... we sha ll rei gn .. . '
Then I saw, sta ndi ng between the th ro ne with its four an imals a nd the circle g , Li t. ' In the cent re o f the thron e a nd round the l. Yu h:. 'd ivin ity'.
In 1:29 + of the elders, a Lam b th a t seemed to have been sac rificed ;" it had seve n ho rns , thro n e': the tnt is ob scu re. 'I n t he centre of the thron e 6 a, en. 6-9 p lu s 11:14-18 make o ne ho m og eneous
4:5 + an d ' is possi bly a al oss fro m E zk 1:5. who le-a se r ies of sy m bo lic visions heraldi ng and
Zc 4:10
a nd it had seven eyes,' which are the seven Spirits G od has sent out all over the h . T he sy m bo lism de rives fro m Elk 1:5-2 1. T he pr elud ing the des tru cti on of th e Ro m a n empire. Th e
world, -The La mb came forw a rd to take the scroll fro m the right ha nd o f the 'anima ls' are the fo ur ang els respo ns ib le fo r d irec ti ng four hors em en of th is first visi on are modelled on
the p hysical wo r ld . ' Fou r ' symbolise s th e un iver se : Zc 1:8-t O a nd 6: 1-3 ; b u t they furt he r sy m bolise the
One sit ting on the throne, -and when he took it, the four ani mals pro strated the ir many eyes sym bo lise God's o mn iscie nce an d fo ur scourges wi th wh ich God, through the prophets,
 6:3 REVELATION 43 6 437 REVELATION 8:9
horse appeared, and the rider on it was holding a bow; he was given the victor's 10 They shouted aloud, .'Victory to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the
crown and he went away, to go from victory to victory." 11 La mb!' -And all the angels who were standing in a circle round the throne,
When he broke the second seal, I heard the second animal shout, 'Come'. 3 surrounding the elders a nd the four animals, prostrated themselves before
And out came another horse, bright red, and its rider was given th is duty: to take 4 th e throne, and touched the ground with their foreheads, worshipping God
Ezk21 :14-16 away peace from the earth and set people killing each other. He was given a huge 12 with these words , ' Amen. Praise and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and
sword .v honour and power a nd strength to our God for ever and ever. Amen.'
When he broke the third seal, I heard the third animal shout, 'Come'. 13 One of the elders then spoke , and asked me, 'Do you know who these people
Immediately a black horse appeared, and its rider was holding a pair of scales;" 14 are, dres sed in wh ite ro bes, and where they have come from ?' • I answered him,
L v 26:26 and I seemed to hear a voice shout from among the four animals and say, 'A ration ' You can tell me, my lord '. T hen he said, ' 'T hese are the people who have been ~ 1 5:2
Ez k 4:16f Mt24:21
of corn for a day's wages, and three rations of barley for a day's wages, but do not thro ugh the great persecution,! and because they have washed their ro bes white 1:5: 3:4: 22 :
tamper with the oil or the wine'. 15 agai n in the blood of the La mb, -they now stand in front of God 's throne and 14

When he broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth animal shout, 7 serve him day and night in his sa nctua ry; and the One who sits on the throne will
'Come' . • Immediately another horse ap peared, deathly pale, and its rider was 8 16 spread his tent over them . • They will never hunger or thirst again; neither the Is 4:5-6 : 25:
4-5
1: 18 + called Plague,s and Hades followed at his heels.' 17 sun nor scorching wind will ever plague them, • because the Lamb who is at the Is 49:/0
Ezk 14 :2 1 They were given authority over a quarter of the earth, /0 k ill by the sword, th rone will be their shepherd and will lead them to springs of living water; and God Is 49:10
~ 2 1:i -4 : 22:
by famine, by plague and wild beasts . will wipe away all tears from their eyes.' 9 3-5
8:3: 14:18; When he broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar- the souls of all the Is 25:8
16:7: 19:2
people who had been killed on account of the wo rd of God, h for witnessing to it. The seventh seal
Lk 18:7
VI 32:43
Jb 16:18 +:
They shouted alo ud, 'Holy, fait hful Master, how much longer will you wait
before you pass sentence and take vengeance for our death on the inhabitants
10 I 8 T he Lamb then broke the seventh seal , and there was silence in heaven for
a bo ut hal f an hour."
Hab 2:20
Zp 1:7
Zc 2: 17
24: 12
ze 1: 12-13 of the earth?" -Each of them was given a white robe,' and they were told to be 11
patient a little longer, until the roll was co mp lete and thei r fellow servants and The prayers of the saints bring the coming of the Great Day nearer
brothers had been killed j ust as they had been. Next I saw seven trumpets being given to the seven angels who stand in the 4:5 +
Tb 12:15
Jl3:4 In my vision, when he broke the sixth seal, there was a violent eart hquake 12 presence of God . •Another angel, who had a golden censer, b came and stood
M 124 :29
and the sun went as black as coarse sackcloth; the moon turned red as blood all at the altar. C A large quantity of incense was given to him to offer with the prayers 16:7
5:8 :6:9
Is 34:4 over, -and the stars of the sky f ell on to the earth like figs dropping from a fig 11 4 of all the saints o n the golden altar that stood in front of the throne; -and so Tb 12:12
Ps 141:2
tree when a high wind shakes it ; -the sky disappeared lik e a scroll rolling up and all 14 from the angel 's hand the smoke of the incense went up in the presence of God
16:20 the mountains and islands were shaken from their places ." -Then all the earthly 15 a nd with it the prayers of the saints .• T hen the angel took the censer and filled Lv 16:12
Ps 11:6
rulers, the governors and the commanders, the rich peop le and the men of it with the fire from the altar, which he then threw down o n to the earth; Ezk 10:2
Is 2:10,1 9 influence, the whole population, slaves and citizens, took to the mountains to hide immediately there came peals of thunder a nd flashes of lightning, and the earth 4: 5 : 11: 19
Ho 10:8
Is 2:/0 . /8. / 9
in caves and among the rocks . •They said to the mountains and the rocks, 'Fall on us 16 shoo k.
Lk 2 3:30 and hide us away from the One who sits on the throne and from the anger of ~ 16 :1 -9
JI2:ll; 3:4 the Lamb. -For the Great Day of his anger! has come, and who can survive it ?' 17
The first four trumpets
Rm 1:18
I C o 1:8 + T he seven ange ls that had the seven trumpets now made ready to sound them. Jl2:1 +
21:12 God 's servants will be preserved Ex 9:24
7 T he first blew his trumpet and , with tha t, hail and fire, mixed with blood, were J1 3:3
Ezk 7:2 Next I saw four ange ls, standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the dropped o n the earth ; a thi rd of the earth was burnt up, and a th ird of all trees ,
Jr49:36
Zc6:5
7 four winds of the world back to keep them from blow ing over the land or the
sea or in the trees . •Th en I saw another angel rising where the sun rises, carrying 2
8 and every blade of grass was bur nt. ' -The seco nd angel blew his trumpet, a nd it
was as though a great mountain, all on fire, had been dropped into the sea : a th ird J r 51:25

the seal of the living God; he called in a powerful voice to the four angel s-
3:12 : 9:4: 13: whose duty was to devastate land and sea, •'Wait before you do any damage on
16: 22:4
Is 44:5 +
Ezk 9:4
land or at sea or to the trees, until we have put the seal on the foreheads of the
= / 4: /
Ex 12:7- 14
servants of our God'. -Then I heard how many were sealed : a hu ndred and forty -
four thousand, b out of all the tribes of Israel.
From the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand had been sealed; from the tribe of
Reuben, twelve thousand; from the tribe of Gad, twelve tho usand; -frorn the
tribe o f Asher, twelve thousand ; from the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand;
from the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand; -fro m the tribe of Simeo n, twelve
thousand; from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand; from the tribe of Issachar,
twelve thousand; -frorn the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand; from the tribe of
Joseph, twelve thousand; and from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were
sealed.
The rewarding of the saints
= 15:2-5
G n 15:5
After that I saw a huge number, impossible to count, of people from every
D n 3:4 nation, race, tribe and language ; c they were standing in front of the throne and in
In 12:13 front of the Lamb, dressed in white robes and holding palms in their hands."
of the sea turned into blood, ' a third of all the living thing s in the sea were
th rea tened .a fait hles s Isr ael: wild a nim a ls. war, famine .
p lag ue, cf. Lv 26:2 1-2 6; Dt 32:2 4 : Ez k 5:17 ; 14:13-21;
4 an d al so Elk 6: 11- 12 ; 7: 14· 15; 12:16: 33:27.
b. T he rider on t he white horse (symbol of ViCIOrY)
re presents th e Pa r thians. identified by th e bow. their
5 fa vo urit e weapon. T hey were th e te rr o r o f th e Roman
world in the l st ce nt. Th ese ar e the 'w ild beasts' of v. S
rt.e. victor io us pag an na tions. cf. D t 7:22 : Ezk 34:28:
Jr 15:2-4 : 50: 11). T he Parthian in va s io n is desc ribed in
th e vis io n o f 9: 13f. O ne tradit ion identi fied the r ider
7 w ith th e Me ssiah, as in 19: I 1- 16.
c . Symbol of wa r.
d. Symb ol of famine: food is ra ti on ed a nd s old at
8 a p ro h ib it ive pr ice .
e . Li t. 'dea th', bu t this word (as in ' the black dea t h' )
signifies an en de mic plague.
C. To swa llow up the victims.
g . The a lt ar of ho locaust. 1 K H:64 -l-.
h. T he martyrs.
i. T he pagan na tions.
I. Sy m bo lising triumphant loy.
k , In pr ophet ic wr itings. these co smi c phenomena
a re th e concomitants of the Day o f Ya h weh .
cf . A m 8:9 -l-, They ar e to be in ter preted therefore
Ex 7: 20
n o t as physical realities b ut as sym b ols of God' s a nger,
cf. M124:1 + .
I. Var. 'their anger'.
7 a .Theangelsofv.1.
b . Twelve (t he sacred number) sq ua red a nd
multiplied by one thousand represents the to tality of
a ll who have been faithful to C hr ist (t he new Is rael.
cf. G a 6:16 ).
c. All th e C h r ist ia n martyrs no w in heav en , v. 14.
d. Palms sy m b olise victo ry .
c . F o r this for m of di al ogue c f', Zc 6:4-5 and
a lso 4:4-1 3.
f . Nero ' s persecution .
g. Co m m o n metapho rs in th e p rophetic trad itio n.
used to sy m bo lise eschat o lo gi ca l bliss. cf . Ho 2:20 + ;
Is 11:6 +: the y recur in 2 1:4.
8 a . T h e 'com in g of Ya h weh ' is o ft en pre ceded an d
her al de d by silence. in prophe tic litera tu re .
b. T h is was in the sha pe of a scoop or sh ovel, a nd
wa s a lso used for carryin g the live coa ls from th e
alt ar o f h olocaust to th e a lta r of incen se.
c. The altar of incense. d . Ex 30:1 ; 1 K 6:20-21.
d . For the symboli sm of the se disasters see 6: 14 "-.
 8:10 REVELATION 43 8
killed , a nd a third of a ll ships were destroyed . •The th ird angel blew his trumpet ,
Is 14:12 and a huge sta r fell from the sky, bu rnin g like a ball of fire, and it fell o n a thi rd
Jr9:14 of a ll rivers a nd spr ings; -thi s was the star ca lled Wormwood , a nd a third o f a ll
wate r tu rned to bitter wo rmwo od, so tha t many people died fro m drinkin g it.
Th e fourt h angel blew his trumpet , a nd a third o f the sun a nd a third of the mo o n
Ex 10 :21- 23 and a thi rd of the stars were blasted, so that th e light went o ut o f a third o f them
and for a third of the day ther e was no illumina tion , an d the sa me with the nigh t.
I ~:"
E: k 7:5.26
In my visio n, I heard a n eagle, calling a loud as it flew high overhead, 'T ro uble,
Hab 2:6 tro u ble, trouble, for all t he people on ea rth a t th e so u nd of the other th ree
trumpets which the three ang els are goin g to blow ' .
The fifth trumpet
20: I T hen the fifth an gel blew his trumpet, an d I saw a star" that had fallen from I
1.\' 1-1:12
G n 1():28
9 heaven o n to the ea rth, a nd he was given the key to the sha tt leadin g d own
to t he A byss. " •Wh en he unl ock ed the shaft o f the A byss, smoke poured Ill' ou t of
E x ! ():I H
the Abyss lik e the smo k e FO il/ a hug e furn ace so tha t the sun a nd th e sky were
Ex 10:12.1 5 darkened by it, -and ou t of the smo ke dropped locusts wh ich were given the 3
Ws 16:9
JI I-2 power s th at sco rpio ns ha ve o n the ear th :' - they were forbidde n to har m a ny ~
7:3
El.k 9: 6
field s o r cro ps or trees" a nd tol d only to attack a ny men who were witho ut God's
seal o n their fore hea ds. •T hey were not to kill them , bu t to give them pa in for 5
five months, a nd the pain was to be the pa in o f a sco rpi on 's sting. - Wh cn this "
J b 3:2 1 happen s, 1Il('// will 10111: for death and 1I0t find it anywhere; they will wan t to die
J1 2:4
and death will evade the m.
T o look a t, these locu sts were like horses armoured [ or battlc; the y ha d thin gs 7
tha t lo oked like gold cro wn s o n th eir head s, and faces that seemed hum a n, -und s
J I I:6 hair like wome n's ha ir, a nd teeth lik e lions' teeth . • T hey had bod y-a rm ou r like 9
J1 2:5 iro n brea stp la tes, a nd the noise of their wings so unded like a grea t charge of
hor ses a nd chariots int o battle. •Their ta ils were like sco rpion s', with stings , 10
an d it was with t hem that they were ab le to inju re peopl e for five month s.' -As I I
their lead er the y ha d thei r emperor, the a ngel o f the A byss, whose nam e in
Heb rew is A baddo n, or A pollyo n/ in G reek .
H:IJ : I I: 14
E/.k 7:5
T ha t was the first or the troubl es ; there a re still two mor e to come. 12
The sixth trumpet
T he sixth angel blew his tru mpet, a nd I heard a voice com e out of th e four 13
E .'.; 30: 1-3 horn s of the golden altar " in front of G od. - It spoke to the sixth a ngel wit h the I ~
16 :1 2 trumpet, and sa id, 'Release the fo ur a ngels that are chai ned up a t the great river
I Co I :H Eu phra tes' ." -T hcsc four an gels had been put there read y for this hou r of thi s 15
day of th is mo nth or this yea r,' a nd now they were released to destroy a th ird o f
the hum a n race . • 1 learn t how ma ny ther e we re in their a rm y: twice ten th o usand 16
time s ten thousand mounted men . ·In my vision I saw th e horses, a nd th e ride rs 17
Jb 41: IO-13 with their breastplates o f name colour, hyaci nth-blue and sulphur-yello w : th e
horses had lio ns' head s, a nd fire, smo ke a nd sulph ur were co ming out of their
mouths. - It was by the se three pla gues, the fire, the smo ke a nd the sulphur co ming I X
out of th eir mouth s, th at the one thi rd of the human race was killed . ·A ll the 19
horses' power was in th eir mouths an d their tails: their tails were like sna kes,
Am 4:6 + a nd had head s that were a ble to woun d. • But the rest of the hu ma n race, wh o 20
16 :9
Is 17:X
escaped the se plagues, refused either to a ba ndo n the thing» they had ma de with
DII 5 : 4
Ps 135: 15-17
their (}I\'II hands-s- uv: idols ma de of g old, silver, bronze, ston e and wood tha t can
ne ither sec no r hear nor move- or to sto p wor shipp ing devils. • No r di d they give 2 1
up thei r murdering , o r witchcraft, or fornicatio n or stea ling .
The imminenee of the last punishment
The n I sa w an o ther powe rful a ngel co ming do wn fro m heaven, wrapped in
10
a cluud, with a rainb ow o ver his hea d ; his face was like th e sun, and his legs
Ezk 2: 10 were pillar s o f fire. ·I n his hand he ha d a sma ll scro ll, unrolled ; he put his right fo o t
439 REVELATION 11:6
10 in the sea and his left foot o n the la nd -a nd he sho uted so loud , it was like a lion Am3:8
Ps 29:3-9
4 roaring : At this, seven clap s of thunde r made th emsel ves hea rd " -a nd when the Jr 25 :~O
I I seven thunderclaps had spo ken, I was prep a ring to write , when I heard a voice
from heaven say to me, ' Keep the words o f the seve n thunderclaps secret a nd do 22: 10
O n 8:26 :
12 no t write them down' ." -Then the an gel that I had seen , sta nd ing on the sea 12:4.9
" and the la nd , raised his right hand to 1/('(11'1'1/, " -a nd swor e by the 0 111' who li ves D n 12:7
t» 32:40
fo r el'('/' a nd eve r, and made hea ven and all that is ill it , a nd earth and all it bears, Ne9:6
E x20: 11
13 7 a nd the sea and all it holds, 'T he time of wa iting is ove r , -at the time when the
Ezk 12:28
seventh a ngel is heard sou nd ing his tr um pet, God's secret intent ion " will be Rm 16:25 +
fulfilled, j ust as he announced in the Good News told to his servants the pr ophets', A m 3:7
Th e seer eats the small scroll
Then I hea rd the voice I had hear d fro m heaven speak ing tu me again . ' G o,'
9
it sa id 'a nd tak e that open scro ll out of the ha nd of the a ngel sta nd ing on sea
a nd la nd ,' ·1 went to the a ngel and asked hi m to give me the sma ll scr oll, and Zc 5:2
he sa id, Take it a nd eat it; it will turn your stomach sou r, but in you r mouth it
10 will taste as sweet as hon ey' . -So I too k it out of the ang el's ha nd, and swallo wed Ezk 3:1-3
it; it was as sweet as hon ey in my mouth , but when I ha d eaten it my stomach
11 tu rned so ur' -T hen I was told, 'You ar e to prophesy again, th is time about
ma ny differen t na tions a nd co untries and lan guages a nd emp erors' .
The two witnesses
Ez k 40: 1-5
Then I was given a lon g ca ne as a measu ring ro d, and I was told, a 'G o a nd Zc
11
. measure God' s sa nc tua ry, a nd the a ltar, a nd the people who worship there ; >
but leave o ut the outer co urt a nd do not measu re it, becau se it has been handed
2:5-9
2
3 over to paga ns- they will tram ple o n the holy city for for ty-two months. c • But Lk 21:24
I sha ll send my two witnesses to pro phesy for those twelve hun d red a nd sixty days, l?~67:i~~3:5
4 wea ring sack cloth. •T hese a re the two olive tre es and the two lam ps that sta nd Z c 4:3. 14
bef ore the Lord of the world ," • Fire ca n come from their mou ths an d consume fr~ :~:jU
their ene mies if a nyo ne tries to ha rm them ; a nd if anybody does try to har m
them he will certainly be killed in th is way. •They are able to lock up the sky so Jm 1 K 17:1
6 5:17
that it doe s not rain as lon g as they are pro phesying ; the y ar e able to tu rn water Ex11:107:17:
into blood a nd strike the whole world with any plague as o fte n as they like.
9 a . O ne o f the fa lle n a nge ls. possib ly Sa tan him sel f. DI 32:40 .
cr. v. I I and Lk 10:1 1\. d . T he definitive establishment of the kl nedom ;
b. W here t he fa llen angels ar e im prison ed pe nd ing the sign of thls is the des truction of the en emie s of
t he ir u lt ima te p un is hment. G od's peop le. i.e. Babylo n. ch . 17. Satan. a nd the
c . The visio n of loc usts is sugg es te d by JI 1-2 pagan nat ions. 20:7-10. On the 'm ys ter y' or 'secret'
whic h . accordin g to Jerom e. the Jew s inter prete d of G od in the eschato los lcal sense, cf R m II :25 ;
his tor ica lly: the four ar m ies of locust s being successive 2 T h 2:6f and Rm 16:25 +. Cf. 2:24 . the 'se cre ts of
inv ad ers . Ass yr ian. Pe rsian. Greek. Roman; cr. Sa tan '.
Jr 5 1:2 7. Her e the locus ts p rob abl y indica te the e. T he ne ws is s wee t be ca use it an nounces th e
Pa r thia ns. A no the r sug gestio n is that the locusts C h urch 's victo r y. bi tt er be ca us e it fore tell s her
sy m bo lise sp ir it ua l torments inflicted by dem on s. suffering.
d . Poss ib ly sy mbo ls of up ri ght . fait h fu l Ch ristians. 11 a . Lit. 'A reed like a r od was given to me say ing ';
cf .7: l f. va r. 'a nd the angel stood (t her e) sa ying ' .
e . Lit. "T hey have scor pio n-lik e tails a nd sti ngs b. The Holy C ity. Jeru salem. symbolises the
a nd the ir aut ho r it y (p owe r) is to harm pe op le for five Ch urch. cr. 20 :9. which is ab out to be persecuted bv
months with th eir ta ils' ; Var. ' they ha ve tails like the Beas t (the Roman em pir e, cf. ch . 13). The Temp le
sco rp io ns, and s uoss. an d in th eir tail s (lies) th eir of God , w hich is measur ed as a s ign that it will be
po wer ...• sp a red. sym b o lises tho se who will remain faithfu l to
f. D estruc tio n, o r r ui n . C h r tst (cr . 14 :1-5). t he new ' re m nan t' of Isra el ,
g . T h is shows tint th e pa gans are pun ished in cf. ls 4:3 +.
a nswer to th e martyr s' prayer of 6:9. 10 (cf', 8:20. c . T his period (three-and-a-ha lf years) taken
h. T he Parth ians lived east o f th e Eup h ra tes ; the from O n . had become the sym bo l for any persecuti on .
six th plague represents Parthian cav alry. Cf. 6:2+. cf. Lk 4 :25: Jm 5:17 . Here it is the Roma n pe rse cut ion .
i. Lit. ' for the hour and day and mo nth and year'. d . In Zc the two oliv e tree s sy m bo lise Joshu a a nd
F o r the ' Great DaY' of .,"vra th. cf. 6:17 . Zeru b ba bel, t he re ligious a nd the civ il lea d ers of the
repatr iated. comm un ity who restored Temple a nd
10 a. The voice of G od. city after the Ex ile . Here they p rob a bly symbolise th e
b. Because the time of their fu lfilment has not two leaders appointed to build the new Temple. th e
ye t com e. Cf. 22: IO. Ch urch o f Ch r ist. name ly Peter and P a ul. probably
I
c. The angel . in co nta ct wi th air, sea a nd land. ma rty red in Ro me under Ne ro . v, 8. T hey ar e described
t he three region s of th e un iverse . is abo ut to swea r by in terms of Moses an d Elijah. the two witnesses of the
2 him who made them. cr. Go 14: 22 ; Ezk 20:6. 15.28; tra nsfiguration.
 II :7 REVELATION 44°
When they have completed their witnessing, th e beast that co mes ou t of the
D n 7:21 Abyss' is going to make war on them and overcome them and kill them. -Thei r
corpses will lie in the main street of the Great Ci ty! known by the symbolic
names Sodom and Egypt , in which thei r Lord was crucified. • Men out of every
people, race, language and nation will stare at their corpses, for three- and-a-half
In 16:20 days, not lettin g them be buried, -and the people of the world will be glad about
Est 9: 19 it and celebrate the event by giving presents to each other, becaus e these two
prophets have been a plague to the people of the wo rld.'
Ezk 37:5,10 After the three-and-a-half days, God breathed life into them and they stood lip,
and everybody who saw it happen was terrified; -then they heard" a loud voice
from heaven say to them, 'C o rne up here' , and while their enemies were watchi ng,
2 K 2: 11 they went up to heaven in a clo ud, • Immediately, there was a violent earthquake,
and a tent h of the city collapsed; seven thousand persons" were killed in the
earthquake, and the survivors, overcome with fear, could only praise th e God
of heaven.
The seventh trumpet
8: 13; 9:12 Th at was the seco nd of the trou bles; the third is to come qu ickly after it.'
EI.k 7:5
T hen the seven th angel blew his trum pet, and voices co uld be heard shou ting
1:5 I ; 12: 10 in heaven, call ing, 'The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our
Ps'" 2') " K
D n-7 : I 4:i7 Lo rd and his Chr ist, and he will reign for ever and ever'. -The twenty-four elders,
ze 14:9
ent hroned in the presence of God, prostrated themselves and touched the ground
with their fore heads wo rshipping G od • with these words, 'We give thank s to
1:4 l: you , Almighty Lord God, He-Is-and-He-Was,' for using your great power and
16:5 : 19 :6
I' s 2: / .5 beginning yo ur reign.• The nat ions were seething with rage and now the time has
1\):2 com e for your own anger, and for th c dead to be ju dged, and for your servants
A m _~ : 7
/9 :5 th e prophets, for the saints and for all who worship you, small or great, to be
Ps 115:13
rewarded. The time has come to destroy those who are destroy ing the ea rth .'
Ex 25:H· IO I·
2 M 2:5-H
T hen the sanct uary of God in heaven" opened, and the ark of the covenant
Hcb ~: 5 cou ld be seen inside it. Then carne flashes of lightning, pea ls of th under a nd an
4:5 :8 '5
eart hquake, and violent ha il.
The vision of the woman and the dragon"
22: 14 Now a great sign a ppeared in heaven : a woma n, I, ado rned with th e sun ,
( i n 37:1)
Sg 6: In
( in 3: 16 12
, stan ding o n the moon , and with the twelve sta rs on her head for a crown.
She was pregnant, and in la bour, crying aloud in the pan gs of childbirt h. -T hen
M i4:9-IO
a seco nd sign appeared in the sk y, a huge red dragon which had seven heads
Dn 7:7
a nd ten horn s, and eac h of the seven head s crow ned wit h a co ro net." -It s tail
O n H:IO dragged a third of the sta rs from the sky anti droppe d them to the earth ," a nd the
dra gon stopped in fro nt of th e wom an as she was having the child, so tha t he cou ld
Is 66: 7 eat it as soo n as it was born from its mot her. •T he woman brought a ma le child
2:27
Ps 2:9
into the world," the son who was to rule all the nations with an iron sceptre, and the
/ :6 j. child was taken straight up to God and to his thro ne,! -while the woman esca ped
into the desert , s whe re G od had mad e a place of safety rea dy, for her to be
11:3 1' : 12:
14 looked after in the twelve hund red and sixty da ys.
20:2 A nd now war broke o ut in heaven, when Michael with his angels atta cked the
O n IO:13 -r ;
12:1 dr agon. The dragon fought back with his angels, • but they were defeat ed a nd
dr iven out of hea ven. -T he great dr agon, the primeval serp ent , known as th e
20:2-3 devil or Satan, who had deceived all the world, was hurled down to the eart h
G u J: 1-4
l.k 1():19 and his angels were hurled down wit h him. •T hen I heard a voice sho ut fro m
I n 12:3 1
11: 15
heaven , 'Victory and power and em pire for ever have been won by o ur God, a nd
all authority for his Christ, now tha t the persecu tor, who accused o ur broth ers
day and night before ou r God, has been brou ght do wn. -T hey have triumphed
over him by the blood of th e La mb and by the witne ss of their mart yrdom ,
beca use even in the face of death they wo uld not cling to life. • Let the heavens
rejoice and all who live there ; bu t for you, earth and sea, troub le is com ing-
44/ R EV E L A T I O N 13:7
becau se the devil has go ne down to you in a rage, knowin g tha t his days ar e ~OJo 6:2+
numbered.'
13 As soo n as the de vil found himself thro wn down to the earth, he sp ra ng
14 in pursuit of the woman, the mo ther of the ma le chi ld, •but she was given a huge G n 3:15
pair of eagle's wings to flyaway from the serpent into the desert, to the place Ex 19:4
Is 40:31
10 1l:3 ~ : 12:6
where she was to be looked after for a year and tw ice a ye ar and half a year," On 7:25 +
15 So the serpe nt vom ited water from his mou th, like a river, after the woman,
16 to sweep her away in the current,' • but the earth ca rne to her rescue; it opened
II
17 its mou th and swallowed the river th ro wn up by the dr ago n's jaws. -Then the
12
dragon was enraged wit h the woma n a nd went away to make war on the rest of Gn 3: 15
her child ren, tha t is, all who obey God's co mmandments and bear witne ss for 14:12
13
Jes us.!
The dragon delegates his power to the beast- On7
2 T h 2:3-12
18
1 1 was standing- on the seashore, 13 T hen 1 saw a beast eme rge fro m the sea: ~ 1 7 : 3 .8
On 7:3
it had seven heads and te n horns, with a coronet on each of its ten horns, and its
Dn 7:4-6
2 heads were marked with blasph emo us titles. ·1 saw that th e beast was lik e
14
a leopard, with paws like a bear and a mou th like a lion ; the dragon had handed
15
ove r to it his own powe r and his thr one a nd his worldwide a utho rity." ·1 saw tha t Jr 27:6
Lk4: 6
o ne of its heads seemed to have had a fat al wo und but that this deadly injury had
16
hea led" and, aft er tha t, the whole world had marvell ed and followed the beast.
T hey prostrated themselves in front of the d ragon because he had given the beast 17:8: 18:18
Jr 27:6
17
his a uthority; and the y prostra ted t hemse lves in front of the beast, saying, 'W ho
11:3+
ca n co mpare with the beas t?" Ho w co uld anybody defeat him ?' •For fo rty-two
18 On7:8. 11:
mo nt hs the beast was allowed to mo uth its boas ts and blasph emies an d to do 11:36 +
6 wha tever it wanted; -a nd it mou thed its blasp hemies against God, agai nst his
7 name, his heavenly Tent and all those who are shelte red there. -rr was allowed
19 e . T he emperor Nero, type of A nt ich r is t, cf . rende red dl ab olo s by LXX , in its pri mary sense means
13:1, 18 ; 17:8 wit h no tes. ' Acc user', cr. v, 10 a nd Zc 3: 1-2 a nd see Jb 1:6 + .
r. T he Grea t Ci ty here is Babylo n i.e. Rome. In Jew ish tradition th e snake a nd th e d ragon
cr. 16: 19 ; 17:18: 18:10 ,16, 18.19 : it is ca lled Sodom symbolised the power of evil. the ene my of God and
a nd Egyp t for its two great cr imes : ref us ing G od 's his peo p le wh ich G od is to d estr o y a t th e en d of time.
messe ngers and o pp ressing the peo p le o f C hrist, cf. Jb 3:8 + and 7:12 +.
cf . J 7:4-6. T he wo rds ' in which th ei r Lo rd was d. A llus io n to th e fa ll o f th e a ng els seduced by
cr uci fied '. iden tifying the G re a t C ity wit h Je ru sal em . Sa ta n.
I are p ro bably a glo ss su gges ted by M t 23:37. o r ca n be
jus tified by the respon sib ility of Roman au tho r ity for
th e cruci fixio n.
e. T he Messiah consider ed sim ult aneousl y as a n
individ ua l per so n an d as head o r leader of th e new
Israe l, cf . t he ' So n of Ma n ' o f Dn 7: 13, a nd th e 'Se rva n t
R, Var. 'J heard ' , of Ya h we h' of Is 42 :1 -l-.
h , T he figure sym bo lises peop le of all cl asses o f I, A llus io n to th e a scensio n a nd th e tr iu mph o f
soci e ty (seven) a nd in great numbe rs (t ho usa nd s). t he Mess iah that will result in t he d ra gon' s fa ll.
4 I , T he seco nd di saster wa s de scr ibed <t he six th g. Tr adi tio na l O.T. refu ge fo r t he persec uted ,
crumpet) in 9: 15· 19, T he thi rd is to be the fa ll o f cr. Ex 2: 15 : I K 17:2f : 19:3f : I M 2:29.3 0. To exist .
Ba bylo n (R ome) in ch . 17-18. the C h urch mu st depend no t o n pa ga n ism b ut o n he r
J. Add . (Yulg .) 'and he is to com e' , ow n div ine life, cf. Ex 16 : I K 17:4.6; 19:5-8 : M t 14:
k . As op posed to th e Jerusalem Te m p le re ferre d 13. 19.
to in vv. J a nd 2.
12 a . T h is cha p te r is made up o f tw o se pa ra te visions: h . Li t. '3 t ime and ume s and h alf a tim e' . Three-
th e: a ttack of t he dragon o n th e wom an a nd her a nd -a -ha lf years, cf . 11:3 +.
chil dren , vv. 1-6 an d 13- 17 ; the a t tack o f Michael o n l , The Ro m a n em pire, like a flood let lo ose by
the d ra gon , vv, 7· 12. Sata n, cr. Is 8:7-8. will try to eng u lf th e C h urc h.
b . T he wom an is essen ti a lly a n im a ge o f Isr ael as cr. R v 13.
th e mot her of the messianic sav io ur. cr. M I4:9· IO: j . A ll fait hfu l C hr istians .
Is 66:7 ; the so n born to her is, lik e Mo ses, sna tc hed k , T h is visio n is insp ired by D n 7 (persecution o f
from the dr agon of water (i n whom Leviathan of the A n tioc hu s Ep ip ha nes). Acc o rd ing to Rv 17:10,12· 14,
9 Nil e-Pharao h ca n be see n) a nd t aken up to th e thron e. the Beast sym bo lises th e Ro ma n em p ire, type of all
wh ile s he her self esc apes int o t he deser t fo r a tim e fo rces th at are to oppose the C h urc h. T he se ven head s
of 42 months wh ich reca lls the 42 years of Isr ael 's a re a ser ies of successi ve emperors: the ten crowned
10 desert wa nde ri ngs: the ea r th' s swa llow ing of t he h orns are te n su b ject ki ngs.
dragon's r iver can be associated with the miraculou s I, Va r. 'he st oo d' . w hich wou ld join v. 18 to th e
cross ing of the Red Sea. T he Mess iah is her e seen p reced ing pa ss age.
un der the type o f M ose s. The wo man's p ain In t ra vail 13 a . Sa ta n, 'p r ince of thi s wo r ld ' , Jn 12:31 +. can
may reca ll t he cu rse of E ve. whose offs pri ng wo u ld give Im per ia l povver to anybody he c hooses. cr. Lk 4:6 T .
II ultimat ely wo und the ser pent . so th a t Israe l is seen as b. All us io n to th e empi re recovering after some
represen tin g all humanity. It d oes not see m probable te mporary setback ; poss ib ly Ju lius Caesar's assassi-
that John had Ma ry in min d or int ended any allus io n n ati on o r the d ist urbances a fter Nero 's death. T he
12 to the ph ysical b irth of the Me ss ia h in the in car n ati on : ris en beast is a ca r ica tur e of th e risen Christ.
cr . no te to v, 5. c . A pa rod y of the name Mic hae l. 12:7. wh ich
c. I.e . Satan. cr . v, 9 and 20 :2 ; this H e br. wo rd . mea ns 'Who-ea n-co m pare-wi th -God?'
 13:8 REVE L A T I O N 442 443 REVE LAT IO N 15:3
Dn7 :2 1 to make war against the saints and conquer them, and gi ven po wer over every race,
Dn 7:6 13 saints who keep the co mma ndments of God an d faith in Jesus. -Then I heard 12:17
Ac9:13-j-
peopl e, langu age and nat ion ; -a nd all people of the world will worsh ip it, tha t a voice fro m hea ven say to me, 'Write down : Hap py are those who die in the 1:3 +
Si 14;19
is, everybody whose na me has not been written down since the foundation of Lord! Happy indeed, the Spirit says; no w they can rest for ever after their wor k, 2Th 1:7
20:12 + Mt 11:28-29
2:7 the worl d in the book of life of the sacrificial Lamb. -If anyone has ears to hear, 9 since their good deeds go with them.' Heb 4:10
M1 13:9 let him listen: •Captivity f or those who are destined for captivity ; the sword for 10
J r 15:2
those who are to die" by the sword.' This is why the saints must have constancy The harvest and vintage of the pagans' Jl4: 12-13

and faith. 14 Now in my vision I saw a white cloud and, sitt ing on it, one like a son oj man 1:7
Dn 7; 13
The false prophet as the slave of the beast 15 wit h a gold crown on his head and a sha rp sickle in his ha nd. -Then another an gel
came out of the sanctuary, and shouted aloud to the one sittin g on the clou d,
Then I saw a second beast; it emerged from the gro und;! it had two horns I
'Put your sick le in and reap: harvest time has come and the harvest of the earth Jl4:13
M1 7: 15 Am 8;2
like a lam b, but made a noise like a dragon. •This second beast was serva nt to 12
16 is ripe'. -Then the one sitti ng on the clo ud set his sickle to work on the earth, an d M t 13:36-43
In 4:35
the first beast, and extended its authority everywhere, making the world and the earth's har vest was reaped. Rm2:6+
all its peop le worshi p the first beast, which had had the fatal wound and had 17 Another angel, who also carried a sharp sickle, cam e out of the temple in
D'13:2-4 been healed. -And it worked great miracles, even to calling do wn fire from 13
M12 4:24
2 Th 2:9- 10
18 heaven , -and the ang el in cha rge of the fire left the alt ar> and sho uted aloud to 6:9-10; 8:3-5
heaven on to the ear th while people watched. •T hro ugh the miracles which it 14
the one wit h the sharp sickle, ' Put your sickle in and cut all the bunches off the
was allowed to do 0 11 beha lf of the first beast, it was able to win over the peo ple 19 vine of the earth; all its grapes a re ripe'. -So the angel set his sickle to work on 19:15
Is 63 :1-6
of the world an d persuade them to put up a statue in hono ur of the beast that the earth and harvested the whole vintage of the earth and put it into a huge
15:2
had been wounded by the sword and still lived. -It was allowed to breathe 15
20 winepress, the winepress of G od's ange r, -ou tside the city,» where it was tr odden
life into this statue, so that the statu e of the beast was able to speak, a nd to have until the blood tha t came out of the winep ress was up to the horses' bridles as 19:14.21
Dn 3:5-7. 15
anyone who refused to worship the statue of the beast put to death. " -He compelled 16
far away as sixteen hundred furlongs .
7:3: 14:9.
I I: 16:2: everyone-small and great, rich an d poor, slave and citizen-to be branded on
19:20; 20:
4 the right han d or on the forehe ad, -and mad e it illegal for anyone to buy or sell 17 The hymn of Moses and the Lamb"
anything unless he had been brand ed with the nam e of the beast or with the
the number of its nam e.
I 15 What I saw next, in heaven , was a great and wonderful sign: seven angels
were bringing the seven plagues that are the last of all, because they
17:9
There is need for shrewdn ess here: if anyone is clever eno ugh he may inter pret 18
2 exhaust the ange r of God. •I seemed to see a glass lake suffused with fire, and =7:9.14;
13:15-18
the number of the beast: it is the number of a man, the num ber 666. h standing by the lake of glass, those who ha d fought against the beast an d won,
- 7: 1-8 /·
The companions of the Lamb- and aga inst his statue and the number which is his name. They all ha d har ps
from God, -a nd they were singing the hym n of Moses," the servant of God, 14;3+
2K 19:30-21 Ex 15
Next in my vision I saw Mo unt Zio n, an d stan din g on it a Lamb " who
J1 3:5
Ob l7
Z o 3: 12- 13
Ac 2:21 I-
14 ha d with him a hund red and forty- fou r thousand peo ple, all with his na me
and his Fat her's name writte n on their foreheads. • I heard a sound coming
I

out of the sky like the soun d of the ocean or the roar of thunder; it seemed to be
5:9 ; 15:3
the sound of harpi sts playing the ir harp s. •T here in fro nt of the thro ne they were
Ps 33:3: 9H:)
Is 42:10; 43; singing a new hym n' in the presen ce of the four a nimals a nd the elders, a hym n
19
that could only be learnt by the hundred and forty -four thousand who had been
redee med from the world." •Thes e are the ones who have kept their virginity'
Jr 2:2-3 and not been defiled with women; they follow the Lamb wherever he goes: "
Jm 1:18
zp 3: 13 they have been redeemed from amongst men to be the first-fruits for God an d
for the Lamb. -T hey never allowed a lie" to pass their lips and no fault can be
found in them .
Angels announce the day of Judgement"
8: 13
Then I saw an other angel, flying high overhead, sent to ann ounce the G ood
Dn 3:4 News of eternity to all who live on the earth, every nation, race, langu age an d
4;11
M ' 10:280 tri be. -H e was calling , ' Fear God and praise him, becau se the time has come for
Ex 20:11 him to sit in judgement; worsh ip the mak er ofheaven and earth and sea and every
wate r-spring' .
~1~8it~ A second an gel followed him , calling, 'B aby lon has fallen, Babylon the Great has
ISj/!.!} 5 fall en,' Babylon which gave the whole world the wine of G od's anger to drink' )
13:15-17+ A third angel followed, shouting alo ud, 'A ll those who worshi p the beast an d
his statu e, or have had themselves branded on the ha nd or forehead, -will be made
16:19: 19:
20 I· : 20: to drink the wine of G od' s fury which is ready, und iluted, in his cup of ange r ;
14 /·
G" /9 :28 in fir e and brimst one" they will be tortured in the presence of the holy an gels and
19:3
Is 34'9-10 the Lamb -a nd the smoke of thei r tor ture will go up for ever and ever. T here will
be no respite, night or day, for tho se who wor shipped the beast or its sta tue
or accepted bra ndi ng with its name.' -Th is is why the re must be constancy in the
2
and of the Lamb :
d. VaT. 'he who k ills by th e swo rd mu st die. pagan wor ld, cr. 5:9.
e. This seems [0 mean that Go d 's decrees a gains t e. Metaph or ically. In th e O .T. marital infidelity is
t he pe rsec utors w ill be carried o ut inexo ra b ly ; th eira metapho r for idolatry. cr. Ho 1:2+. in thi s case the
3 p u nishmen t is a t ha nd : cf. 14:11, 12; Mt 26:52. worshi p of the bea st.
r. T his secon d beas t is la ter ca lled th e 'false f. Ju st as Israel fo llowed Ya hweh at the E xodus,
prophet ', 16:1 3 : 19:20 ; 20:10. Befo re de scr ibi ng the so th e new Israe l. newly redeemed, follow s the La mb
return o f th e So n of Man . 14: 14-21 : cr. 19:1lf a nd
into th e desert , cr. Jr 2:2-3, where the marriage rites
M t 24:30 . Joh n de sc r ibes th e activ itie s of the fa lse are re newed (Ho 2:16-25).
4 mess iahs (first beas t) a nd fa lse pro phe ts (second bea st) g. I.e. the y have not invoked false gods . th e bea st.
fo re to ld by C hrist himself. Mt 24:24 : cr. 2 T h 2:9. h. Before God's ven gea nce str ikes. th e a ngels
g. T he seco nd bea st mimi cs the S pirit who works a ppear to exhort t he persecu tors to repentance by
mir acles in the C h urc h to encou rage fa ith in C hrist. proclaim ing the ho ur of judg ement: but the ap pe al
Similarly, the first beast had im itated the r isen Mess iah . goes u nheeded, cr. 16:2,9. 11.21. See 15:5+.
13:3. T he Dr agon, the first bea st a nd the second beast t. The tense is the prophetic perfect.
form a ca rica ture of the Trini ty. l, Lit. 'who has made atl na tio ns drink the wine
h. Var. '61 6' . In both Gr eek and He br.• lett ers of anger' corr . 'drink the wine of the anger of her
are used for numbers, th e value correspo nding to the ad ultery' G ree k. as in 18:3. The ' wine of anger' is
place in th e alphabet ; by ad din g up th e value s of a famili a r ima ge. cf. Is 51:17 + . for the divin e a nger
com ponent lett ers th e tot al 'num ber of a person's name' to whic h Babylon (Rome) has exposed all nations by
is o bta ined. Some commentators point out that in ma king them wors hip her idols.
Hebr. the lett ers of Ca esar N ero add up to 666, an d k, Th e lak e of burni ng sulphur is where the wicked
7 t hat in G reek th e lett er s of Caesa r-G od ad d up to 6 16 are punished. cf. 19;20 ; 20;10; 21:8.
(the a lterna tive read ing).
14 a , The followe rs of th e beast who a re br a nded with
his nam e and number, 13 ;1 6~ 1 7, a re no w con trasted I. T he destruction of the pagan nation s. The
with th e followers of the La m b mark ed with his na me fulfilm en t of th is prophecy is descr ibed in 19:11f.
a nd the name of his Fat her. Th is is t he 'remnant' of the m, Persec utors are annihilated in a nswer to th e
new Israel, Is 4:3 -l-, t he fa ithful C hris tia ns who have martyrs ' pra yers wh ich ar e carried to God by the
survived persecutio n a nd who are to begin the res to r- angel who tends the altar fire.
9
a tion of God's kingdom when its ene mies have bee n n. Th e pa gan s a re to be destroyed outside Jeru salem
10 destroyed. accordin g to Zc 14:2f.12f ; Ezk 3 8~39; cr. Heb J3:11:
b. Var . 't he Lamb' . Lv 4:12 + . See also Is 63.
c. Mos es ha d celebrate d the deliv era nce from 15 a . The hymn of Moses. vv. 2·4, inte rrupts (he
Egypt, Ex 15 :1 ~21 ; cr. Rv 15:3-5; the new hymn deve lop m ent of th e vision of the seven cups, just as the
cele brates the new deli veranc e of Go d 's peo ple a nd of symbolic lit urgy of 8 : 3~ S interr upted th e vision of the
11
the new order introd uced by the La mb th a t was seven tru mpets. The severity of the divine puni shm en t is
sac rificed. thus vin dica ted before It is described .
12 d . Lit. ' the ear th ', which is here eq uivalent to the b. T he hymn of Ex 15 wh ich celebrate d Israel' s
world' of the fo ur th gospel, cr. In 1:10+. i.e. the tr iumph over Pharaoh. Here the conque rors of th e
 15:4 R EV ELATI ON 44 4 445 REVEL A T I ON 17: 1 3
Ps 92 :5; 98: 1 ' How grea t and wo nderful are all your wor ks,
Lo rd God Almighty ; B. THE PUNI SHMENT OF BABY LO N
D 1 32 :4 j ust a nd true are a ll you r ways,
Ps 145:17
King of nations. The famous prostitute Ezk. 16:23
Jr 10 :7 Who would not re vere and praise yo ur name , 0 Lord?

Ps 86:9
Yo u a lo ne ar e holy,
and all the pagans will come and adore y ou
17 One of the seven angels tha t had the seven bo wls came to spea k to me,
a nd said , Come here a nd I will show you the punishmen t given to the
2 famous prost itute" who rules enthroned beside abundant waters," -th e one wit h J r 51 :13
for the many ac ts of justice yo u have shown.'
whom all th e kings of the eart h ha ve co mmitted forn ication, and who has made I R:3 I
Is 23:',7
The seven bowls of plagues ' all the po pula tion of the wo rld drunk wit h the wine of her adulte ry'.' • He too k J r 51 :7'

Ex 25:22 +
me in spir it to a desert," a nd the re I sa w a woma n riding a scarlet beast which Is 2 1:l f
After th is, in my vision , the sa nctua ry, the Te nt o f the Testimo ny, o pened 5
had seve n heads a nd ten horn s' a nd had blas phemo us titles writte n all over it. ~ 13:1
in heaven , -a nd out ca me the seven a ngels with the seven pla gues , wea ring pure 6
4 T he wom an was d ressed in pur ple a nd scarlet, a nd glittered with go ld and jewels 18:1('
19:8 white linen , fastened round their wa ists with golden girdle s. -O ne o f the fou r
a nd pearl s, and she was holdin g a gold winec up filled wit h the d isgusting filth J r 51:7
14:8+ a nimals gave the seve n a ngels seve n golde n bowls filled wit h the a nger of G od
of her forni cat io n; ' o n her forehead was wr itte n a na me, a crypt ic name:
I K 8:lt~4 who lives for ever a nd ever. • The smok e fr om the g lory a nd t he po wer of God
'Babylon the Gr eat/ the moth er of all the prosti tut es an d all the filth y prac tices' 2 Th 2:7
fi lled the temp le so that /10 Dil l' could go into it" unti l the seven pla gues o f the I P 5:1 3+
6 on the ea rt h'. · 1 saw that she was dr unk , dr unk with the blood of the sain ts,
seven a ngels were completed.
~ 8: 6- 1 2 16 T hen I heard a voice from the sa nct uary sho uting to the seven a ngels,
' G o, a nd empty th e seven bow ls of G od 's anger over the ea rth' .
I
7
a nd the blood of the ma rtyrs of Jesus ;" a nd when I saw her, I was com pletely
mystified. -The a ngel sa id to me, ' Don 't yo u understa nd ? Now I will tell yo u
the mea ning of this wo man. a nd of the beast she is rid ing, with the seven heads
T he first ange l went a nd emptied his bowl over the ea rt h; a t on ce, on a ll the 2
a nd the ten horns .
13: 15-17 peo ple who had been bra nded with the mark of the beas t a nd had wors hipped
Ex 9:8 -1 1 its stat ue, there cam e d isgusting and virulent sores . The symbolism of the beast a nd the prostitu te
T he seco nd a ngel emptied his bo wl over the sea , and it turned to blood, like
'T he bea st yo u have seen o nce was a nd no w is no t : he is yet to co me up ~ 13:3.4
the blood o f a cor pse, a nd every living cre ature in the sea d ied.
Ex 7: 14-24
T he th ird a ngel emp tied his bowl into the rivers and wa ter-sprin gs a nd they 4
fro m the Abyss, but o nly to go to his dest ructi on ." An d the peop le of the world ,
1:20 1' tu rne d int o blood . •T he n I hear d the a ngel o f water say , ' Yo u a re the holy 5
who se nam es ha ve not been written since the beginn ing of the wor ld in the book 20:1 2 I

1:4 1, of life, will think it mirac ulo us when they sec how the beast once was and now
// : 17 He-Is-a nd- He-Was, the J ust O ne, a nd this is a j ust puni shm ent : - they s pilt the 6
~ 1 8 : 24 9 is no t a nd is still to co me. • He re there is need for cleverness, for a shrewd mind ; 13:18
Ez k 35:6 blo od o f the sa ints a nd the pro phets, a nd blo od is wha t you have give n them
M 12 3:35 the seve n heads a re the seve n hills, a nd the woma n is sitt ing on them.
6:9 : 8:3-4 to d rink; it is what they deserve '. -A nd I hear d th e a lta r itself say, 'T ru ly, Lord 7
D o 3:27 G od Almighty, the pu nishm ent s yo u give are tr ue and just' 10 'The seven heads are also seven empero rs.' Five o f the m have already gon e,
~ 1 9: 2

The fou rth a ngel emptied his bowl ove r the sun a nd it was made to sco rch H
o ne is here now, a nd on e is yet to co me ; o nce here. he must stay for a sho rt while .
peo ple wit h its flam es ; • but tho ugh peop le were sco rched by the fierce hea t o f it, 9
II T he beast. who o nce was a nd now is not, is at the sa me time the eighth a nd one of
the seven, a nd he is go ing to his destructi o n.
Am4?J2,0 they cursed the nam e of God who had the power to ca use such pla gues, a nd
th ey would no t repe nt a nd pra ise him. 12 'The fell /101'1I.1' are fell ki ngs! who have not yet been given their roy al power Do 7:24

The fifth a ngel emptied his bowl over the throne of the beast" an d its whole 10
but will have roya l aut hor ity o nly for a single hou r a nd in association with the
Ex IOdtn empire was plunged int o da rkness. Men were biting their tongues for pain,
13 beast. -T hey a re all o f o ne mind in put ting their streng th a nd their powers a t t he 16:14

Jr 5:3 b ut inste ad of repe nt ing for what they had done, they cursed the G od of hea ven
because o f their pains and so res.
~ 9: 1 4
The sixth a ngel emptied his bowl over the grea t river Euphra tes ; a ll the wa ter
dr ied u p so tha t a way was made for the king s o f the Eas t" to co me in. -Then
fro m th e jaw s o f dra gon and beast a nd false prop het I saw thr ee fou l spirits com e ;
Ex 8:2-3 they looked like fro gs -a nd in fact were demon sp irits, a ble to wo rk miracles,
17: 13- 14: go ing o ut to a ll the xmgs o f the world to ca ll them together for the war of the
19 :19
J Co 1:8 +
3:3 -4.18 G rea t Daya l' Go d the Alrnigbty.c-c--T his is how it will be: I sha ll co me like
1:3 + a thie f. Happy is th e ma n who has staye d awa ke and not ta ken off his clothes
= 20:8 so that he does not go o ut nak ed and expose his shama--c -T hey ca lled the
kings together at the place ca lled, in Hebrew, Ar mageddo n."
IS ~~: ~ T he seventh an gel emptied his bow l into the a ir, and a voice shout ed fro m
2~::1 the sa nctua ry.' 'The en d has co rne'. -Th en there were flashes of lightning a nd
Dn 12:1 peals o f th und er and the most violent earthquake that anyone has el'l'I' seen since
Mk 13: 19 there have been men on the eart h. -T he Grea t Ci ty was split into three pa rts
14:H. IO a nd the cit ies o f the worl d co lla psed; Ba bylo n the G rea t was no t for got ten:
God ma de he r d rink the fu ll winecup of his a nger. • Every islan d va nished a nd
Ex 9:2n~ the mo untains disa ppea red .r -and hail, with grea t hailsto nes weighin g a ta len t
each, " fell fro m the sky o n the people. They cursed God for send ing a plague
of ha il; it was the most terrible plag ue.
11
beaat cele bra te th e just ice of G od in pu nis h in g th e 17 a. Rom e, type o f a ny nl acc where e vil is sup reme.
wic ked pe rsec uto rs , Pr o su t u t to n sym bo lises id o la t r-y ;:IS in Ezk 16 a nd 2 3,
12 c . Befo re ft n al l y destro ying Bab yl on ( Ro me >, c f. 110 1:2 , . See also R v 10$ :4 .
16: 18- 19. G od se nds a se ries o f p la gue s o n t he wicke d h. A litera l descrin tio n o f Habvtun . mc t:lll lln rka ll)'
13 (se ve ra l a rc re m iniscent of th e Egv n tia n nlag ues. cxn ta incd in v. 15.
Ex 7- 10 ) to bri ng t hem to repen ta nce : b ur.H ke P ha raoh. e. A ll na aan nati on s a nd th e ir " in ~ s " -htl have
t he wic ked a re o bs tina te. adorn ed the impe ria l c u lt ,
14 d . Ac co rdi ng to 2 M 2 A ~ 8 the reap pear an ce o f th e d. W here un c lean beasts live. d. L v 16:8 + : 17:7 . .
sacred te n t a nd the manifesta t ion of G od 's glo ry as
e , T he se ven head s a rc Rom e 's seven hill s, v. 9 ,
in t he lime o f Mo ses. Ex 40:3 4-35. an d o f Solom on, a nd the ho rn s ten su b ject k in a s. v. 16. T he be as t, v. 8,
15 I K 8: IO. were to hera ld the co m ing of th e messian ic is Ne ro him self ; he: is dead b ut will re turn as the rul er
a ge and t he renaissan ce o f th e ch ose n peop le. The of t he sub ject peo p les to a venu e h im sel f o n Rome ,
'glor y' (cf. Ex 24: 16 - ) is t he sig n of G od 's p re sence vv . 16- 17-a reflecti on o f po pu la r helief that the d ead
16 (cf . th e 'silen ce' of 8: I, and th e a ppea ra nce of th e ar k N ero wo uld re t urn . at th e hea d of a Part hia n a r my .
of th e covena nt in 11: 19). Th is retu r n tlzur es as a Da w d y of Ch r ist's resurrecti on
16 a . Rome , type of a ll pagan pow ers hos ti le 10 Go d .
17 b. T he Pa r th ia n k in gs. dreaded by th e Ro man
ius t as th e for m ula o f v. H, ' he o nce wa s and no w is no t
(an d he is to co me )' echoe s th e div ine name, ' He was,
IN wor ld . he is, a nd he is to co me '.
c. T he wo r k of t hese ev il spi rit s is for eo rd ained L Ba b ylo n is th e SYmb o lic name fo r Ro me ,
to br in g th e pa gan natio ns to jud gem en t. R· A llus ion to Ne ro's per sec ut io ns, Li ke Jeru sa lem
19 d . l .e. 'the mou nt ain s of Meaidd o ' : T he d efeat of (Ezk 16:36- 31{ a nd 23 :37· 45) Ro me is gui lt y of a do uble
K ing Jo sia h nea r th is to wn , 2 K 23:29f, m ad e the cri me : idol arr j.. v. 4, and mu rde r, v, 6,
p lace sy m bo lise d isas ter for any a r m ies assem bling h. T wo d itTere n t interp re ta tio ns o f the bea st's
20 th er e, cf. Zc 12: I I. sy m bolism a re co mb ined , vv. 8,9 , 15-1 Ra nd vv . 10,1 2-14:
e . A d d. '(pro ceed in g) fro m the t hrone' o r ' fro m
21 God ',
the se co rrespo nd to th e two (l rigina lh ' d ist inc t te xts of
Rv rsce In tro du cti on ).
f. T hese co s m ic ph e nomena SY m bo lise th e po wer s i. Seve n Ro ma n em pe ro rs ; th e sixt h, N ero , IS now
of th is wor ld wit her in g u nder Go d 's a nger . o n the thro ne,
e. Lit . ' abo u t o ne tale nt' , I. T he k ings of th e:sate llite na tio n s.
 17: 14 REVELATI O N 44 6 447 REVELATION 19 : 10
19: 11-2 1 bea st' s disposal, -a nd they will go to war aga inst the La mb; but the La mb is 14
14:4 for a ll yo ur finery of gold and jewels a nd pear ls ; 17:4
D IIO:17 the Lord of lords and the King of k ings, a nd he will defea t them and they will
2 M 13:4
17 yo ur riches a re a ll destroyed within a single hou r' ,
1 Tm6:16 be defeated by his fol lowers, the called, the chosen, the fa ithful. '
Jr 5/ :/J The a ngel contin ued , 'The waters yo u saw, bes ide wh ich the prostitute was
D n 3:4 15 All the ca ptai ns a nd seafa ring mcn .r sailors and a ll those who make a living Ezk 27:27-29

sitting, are a ll the peop les, the populations, the na tions and the lang uage s. But 0 16 t" from the sea will be kee ping a sa fe d istance, -wa tching the smoke as she burn s,
the time will co me whe n the ten horns and the beast will turn aga inst the I" and crying o ut, ' l ias there ever been a eit y as grea t as this!' -T hey will throw d ust
Elk 16:37- pros titute, and strip off her clothes and leave her naked; then they will ea t her on their heads an d say, with tears and groans:
41 : 23:25-
29 flesh a nd burn the remains in the fire', In fact, God influenced the ir minds to do
0 17
,Mourn, mourn for this great cit y
wha t he intended, to agree together to put their royal powers at the beast' s
11:8 + whose lavish living has made a fortun e
disposal until the time when G od 's words should be ful filled. -T he woman you 18
for every owner of a sea-goin g ship;
saw is the grea t city which has aut hority over all the rulers on earth.'
ruined wit hin a single hou r.
An angel announces the fall of Babylon 20 'Now heave n, celebra te her downfall, and all yo u sa ints, apostles and prophets: ~ 1 9: 1 -2

Jr 50 D132:43
Aft er this, I saw ano the r angel come down from heaven, with great G od has given j ud gement for yo u aga inst her .'
Elk 43 :2
~ 1 4: 8
18 a utho rity given to him; the earth was lit up with his g lory . - At the top of
his vo ice he sho uted , "Baby lon has fa lle n, Babylon the G reat has fallen , a nd has
1
21 T hen a powerful angel picked up a bou lder like a grea t millstone, and as he
hurled it into the sea, he sa id, 'That is how the grea t city o f Bab ylon is going
Is 44:23
Jr 5 1:4ft
Ex / 5:5
J r 5 1:63-64
Is 21:9 Ezk 26:2 1
Jr 50: 15 become the haunt of devi ls and a lod ging for every foul sp irit a nd d irty , loath- to be hur led down , never to he seen agai n."
Is 13:21-22 ;
34:11,14
so me bird , - All the na tion s have been intoxicated by the wine of her prostitution ;" 3
17:2 22 'Never again in yo u, Babylon, Is 24 :H
Jr 7:34: 16:9
J r 5 1:7 every kin g in the ea rth has co mm itted fo rn ica tio n with her , a nd ever y merch ant
will be hea rd the so ng of ha rp ists and minstrels, Ezk 26: 13
gro wn ric h through her de ba uchery.'
the music of flute a nd tr ump et;
The people of God summoned away never aga in will crafts men of every skill be found
or the soun d of th e mill be hea rd ; JT 25:10
16:17 A new vo ice spoke from heaven; I hea rd it say, 'Come out, my people, away 4
Is 4H:20: 23 neve r a ga in will shine the ligh: of the lamp,
51 :11 from her , so that you do not sha re in her crimes and have the sa me plag ues
J r 50:K: never aga in will be hea rd
5 1:6 to bear, Her sins have rea ched lip [ 0 heaven, and G od has her crime s in m ind:
0
Jr 5 / :9 the voices of bridegroom mid bride.
G n IH:20 she is to be paid ill Iter OWII coin. She mu st be paid double the amoun t she exa cted . 6
J r50: J5
J r 16: /8
Yo ur traders were the pr inces of the earth,
She is to have a d ou bly stro ng cu p o f her own mixture. - Every one o f her sh ows 7
Is 47:8 all the na tion s were under yo ur spell.
a nd o rgies is to be ma tch ed by a tortu re o r a grief. I am [ItI' qu een 0 11 my throne ,
site says 10 herself; and I am 110 widow a nd shall never be in mourning. Fo r that,
0 8 24 In her yo u will find the blood of prophet s and sa ints, and a ll the blood that was M!~:f:-;5-37
1547:9 ever shed o n earth.'
within a single day , the pla gues will fall o n her : disease an d mourning and fa mine.
She will be burnt right up , T he Lord God has condemned her, a nd he ha s great
power.' Songs of victory in heaven

Ezk 27-28

Ezk 26: 17
The people of the world mourn for Babylon 19 singing,
After this [ seemed to hear the great sound of a h uge crowd in heaven ,
'A lleluia' Victory a nd glory and powe r to our G od ! He judges 0 18:20 +
J r 51:48
There will be mourn ing a nd weep ing for her by the kings o f the ea rt h who 9 fa irly, he puni shes j ustl y, a nd he has co ndemned the fa mous prostitu te who ~ 16:7
D n 3:27
have fo rn icated with her a nd lived with her in lu xury . They see the smoke as she co rrupted the ear th with her fornicati on ; he has ave nged his servants that she 6:9 ; 11:8

burns, -wh ile they keep at a safe distance from fear of her ago ny. They will 10 killed'. -T hey sa ng aga in, ' Alleluia ! The smoke of her will go up for ever and 14:U
/s 34:10
say : 4 ever. ' T hen the twenty-fo ur elders and the four an ima ls pros trated themselves
0

a nd wors hipped G od seated there on his thro ne, a nd they cried , 'Amen, Alleluia'.
'Mourn, mourn for this great city,
Then a voice ca rne from the th ron e ; it said, 'Praise our God, yo u servants 11:18
Babylon, so powe rful a city, Ps //5 ;/3
" of his a nd all who ; g reat or small, re vere him' , -A nd I seemed to hea r the voices
doomed as you are with in a single hour'.
of a huge crowd, like the so und of the ocean o r the grea t roa r of thunder,
There will be weep ing a nd distress over her a mong all the trader s of the earth /1 answering, 'A lleluia! T he reign of the Lo rd our G od Almig hty has begun; -Iet us 11: 17
whe n there is nobody left to buy thei r ca rgoes of goods; - their stocks of gold 12 be glad a nd joyful a nd give pra ise to God, because this is the time for the marriage Mt22:9
ED 5:27 +
and silver , jewels a nd pearls, linen and purple and silks a nd scarlet; all the x of the l.a rnb.« His br ide is ready , a nd she has been ab le to dress herself in dazzling
0
15:6
Is 61:10
sa ndalwood , every piece in ivory or fine wood,> in bronze or iron or marble; -the 13 ' J white linen," beca use her linen is made of the good deeds of the sain ts.' -T he M 122:12
cin na mon a nd spices, the myr rh and ointment and incense; wine , oil, flour and a ngel said, ' Wr ite this: Happy are those who are inv ited to the wedding feast of 1:3 +
Mt8:1 1 +;
I T m 1:10 + co rn; their stocks of cattle, sheep, horses an d cha riot s, the ir slaves , their hu man 22:1-14
the Lamb ', a nd he add ed. ' All the things you have writte n are true messages Dn 8:26
cargo . . , 10 fro m God' , -T hen I knelt a t his feet to worship him, but he said to me, 'Don' t
1:1: 22:8-9
U n 10:5 ,All the fru its yo u had set your hearts on have fa iled you; gone for ever, never
Am 6:7 14 do tha t: I am a serv ant just like you and all your bro thers who are wit nesses to 20:4
to return , is yo ur life of magnificence a nd ease.'
The traders who had made a fo rtune ou t o f her will be sta nd ing a t 15 ] 8 II. ' her n rostituuon": var. 't he ange r of he r prosti - d . V. 21 is con tinued in v. 24. T he descr ip tio n of
tu tion ' , cf 14 :1;. ' ha ve been intoxica ted', lit. 'have 18: 1-3 is co m p leted he re: Ba bylo n is to be destroyed
a sa fe d ista nce from fea r of her ago ny, mo urn ing a nd weep ing. -They will be 16 d run k deep' ; var , ' ha ve fa llen ' or 's he has dr u nk deep' . for its id olatr y. 18: 1-3. d . 17:4, and for persecu tin g the
say ing: b. Lit. ' vc r v va luab le woo d'; vu ta. ' precio us s tone ' . C hr istia ns. 18:21.
19 a . Th e wed d in g of the La mb symbo lises the
'Mo urn , mourn fo r this great city; bc~j n n in K o f th e hea venl y kingdo m des cr ibed in 2 1:9f.
c . Lit. 'Everyone who steers, ever yo ne sa iling to See Ho ):2 ;- and Ep 5:22-23 +.
fo r a ll th e linen and purple a nd scarlet tha t you wore, a p lace' ; Vulg . 'w ho sa il (he sea', b. Sy m bo l of victorious purit y, a Bift from God.
 19: I I REVELATION 448 449 REVELAT ION 21:3
Jesus. It is G od that yo u must worship.' T he wit ness Jesus ga ve is the same as The punishment of the pagans Rm2:6+
the spiri t of pro phecy.' II Then I saw a grea t white th ro ne a nd th e One wh o was sitting on it. In his
12 presence, earth a nd sky vanished, leaving no trace. " . 1 saw the dead , both great 21:1
2 P 3:7.10.1 2
C. THE DESTRUCTION OF THE PAGAN N ATIO NS and small, standing in front of his throne, while the book of life was opened, and 3:5: 13:8:
17:8
other books opened wh ich were the record of what they ha d done in th eir lives, Dn 7:10 +
L k 10:20
~ 20 : 7- 1 0 The first battle of the End» by which the dead were judged. i
13
1:5 : 3:7.14 14 The sea gave up all th e dead who were in it ; • Death and Hades were emptied 1:18 +
2 Th 2:K A nd now I saw hea ven open, a nd a whit e horse' a ppea r; its rid er was ca lled 11
Is J 1:4 of the dead that wer e in them; a nd eve ryone was ju dged according to the wa y
1:14 : 2:18 Faithful a nd T r ue; he is a judge with integrity , a warrio r for justice. • His eyes 12
in whic h he had lived. Then Dea th and Hades were thrown into the burning 19:20 : 21:4
were flames of fire, a nd his head was crowned with many coronet s;' the name 1 Co 15:26.
L k 10:22
15 la ke. ' T his bu rn ing lake is the second dea th; -and anybody whose name could 54
1.1' 63: 1 written o n him wa s kn own only to himself , «his cloak was soaked in blood.• H e is 13
not be fo und written in the book o f life was thrown into the bu rn ing lake. 2:1 1+ ;
I n 1: 1·/-
kn ow n by the name, T he Word o f G od ." • Behind him , dressed in line n of da zzlin g 14 14:10 +
1: 16: 14:2U white, ro de the armies of hea ven ! on white ho rses. • F rom h is mouth came a sharp 15
Ps 2:9 swo rd/ to str ike the pag a ns with ; he is the one who will rule them with an iron D. THE JERUSALEM O F THE FUTURE
2:27 + ; sceptre, a nd tread out th e wine of A lmighty G od's fierce anger." -O n his cloak a nd 16
14:19
Is 63:3 on h is th igh' there was a name wri tten: The King of k illgs and the Lord of lords.
D/ 1O:/ 7 The heavenly Jerusalem" - 7: 15- 17
2 M 13:4 I saw a n a ngel standing in the sun, and he shou ted a lo ud to a ll the birds that 17
Ezk 39: 17
were flyin g high o verhead in the sky, 'Co me here . Gather toget her at the great
feas t th at God is giving.• There will be the fles h of kings for you , a nd the flesh of IK
21 Then I sa w a ne w hea ven and a new earth;" the first hea ven and th e first
ea rt h had disappeared now, a nd th ere was no longer any sea. ' .1 saw the
Is 65:17
2 P 3:13
J b 7: 12+
Rm 8: 19-23
ho ly city, a nd the new Jerusa lem, coming down from God ou t of hea ven, as
grea t gene rals and heroes, the flesh o f horses a nd their riders and of all kind s of 19:7-8
bea u tiful as a bride all dressed for her husb an d ." •T he n I hear d a lou d vo ice ca ll
men , citizens a nd slaves, small and great .'
17: 12- 14 fro m the throne, ' Yo u see this city? Here God lives amo ng me n. He will make 7: 15-17
Ps 2:2 T he n I sa w the beast, with a ll the kings of the ea rth an d their ar m ies, gathered 19
DII 7:1}
his home among them ; they shall be his people, a nd he will be their God ; his name Elk 37:27
toge ther to fight th e rider and his ar my . • But the beast was ta ken pri soner, 20
M17 :15 together wit h the false prophet who ha d wo rked mi racles o n the beast's behalf c. Li t. <the witness of Jesus': this is th e word o f fa ll of Rome) to the Last Ju d geme nt ( in 20:11 0 .
13: 16 G od to wh ich Jesus test ifies and wh ich is Im plan ted Acc ord ing to Augusti ne and o thers who fo llo w h im .
a nd by thcm had deceived a ll who had been branded wit h the mark o f the bea st i-t every C hris tian , cf. 1:2 : 6:9; 12:17 , and whic h ins pires th e 're lnn of a tho usa nd years ' is to be reckoned from
a nd wo rshipped his statue. m These two were thrown a live into th e fiery lake tile prop hets . C hr ist's res urrection . and th e ' first resurrection' is
14: 10 ~ : d . Aft er the fa ll of Babylon. foret o ld in 14:8 a nd baptism . cf. Rm 6; 1-10 ; I n 5:25-28. A lit eral Internre-
20: 10, 14 o f burning sulphur. -All the rest were killed by the swo rd of the rid er , which 21 des cr ibed in 16: 19.20. C hr ist co mes fro m heaven a t th e ta tion of this verse wa s wide spread in the ear ly C hu rch:
E z k 3<.l:20 ca me o ut o f his mouth, a nd all the birds were go rged with their fle sh. be ginni ng o f the G rea t Day of Yahweh o n wh ich a ll after th e first res urrec tion . of the m a rt yrs. C hr ist was
evil will be de stroyed . as h ad been proclaimed in to return to rei gn on ea r th with his fai t hfu l f or a
JI1 12:3 1 14:14-20 and 17:12-14. th ou san d years. T h is li tera l mill enaria nis m was
The reign of a thousand years e. T he co lo ur sym b o lises vic to ry. censured .
9: 1 f. Because he is Kin g of k ings. cr. v, 16. e . T he first death is on eart h, the seco nd 'd eat h'
T he n I saw an a ngel come do wn from heaven with the key o f the Ab yss
20
1
I
g . A lludi ng (ef . v. J 5) to Is 63: 1. Sy m bo l of the is fail ure to win ete rn al life .
12:7.1)
(i llJ: I in his hand a nd a n enorm ou s cha in. • He o verpowered the dragon, that morta l ruin he dea ls his en emies, cf. Rv 5:5. d. T he mess iani c r u le of C hris tian s on ea rth is
M l I 2:2 H-29 h. T he rider come s fro m heav en: God' s Word fore to ld in 5:9- 10, and unde r the symbo l o f t he N ew
primeval ser pent which is the devi l and Sa ta n, a nd c hai ned him up for a thousand destroying the first-born of Egypt . Ws 18:14- 18.
12: 12 Je r usalem. in 21:9-22 and 22:6- 15 : th is seco nd passa ge
L Co 6:2 +
years.• He threw hi m into the Ab yss, and shut the entra nce and sealed it over h im, I, T he angel s, cr, M t 26: 53 , or p referably. fo llow ing has been insert ed so th a t it fo llo ws the m en tion of the
2 T h 2:6-K I· 14:5 a nd 17:14, the wh ite -robed ma r tyrs . cf 19:8 : Last Jud gemen t, 20: 13·1 5.
to make sure he would not dece ive the natio ns agai n until the thousa nd years 3:5. IK; 6:11; 16:15 a nd also M I 22:111. c. El k 38-39 (see not es) me nt io ns ' G o g, k in g o f
had pa ssed . At the end of th at time he mu st be re leased, but only fo r a short I. Li t. 'a sha rp b lade issues o ut of his mouth ' , Magog ' . here the two na mes symboli se all the p aga n
sym bol of the dest ro yin g Word ; cr, Is 11:4 : Ws 18:16
whi le. a nd a lso Ho 6:5: Rv 1: 16 : 2 T h 2:K.
n ations lea gu ed agains t t he Ch u rch a t the end of t ime.
D n 7:22 This is the esc hatologica l com ba t o f Text I and it
Mt 19:2H T hen I saw some thrones, a nd I saw those who are given the power to be judges k . T he wine pres s is a co mmon im a ge in prophetic co rres po nd s to t he war o f Tex t II d escr ibed in 19:11.
}9 : 1O I- lit er at ure fo r God 's destruct ion of h is peo p le's enem ies f. Pa lest ine.
tak e their sca ts on th em . I saw the sou ls of all who had been beheaded for hav ing o n t he G reat Day of hi s reve nue : cf . Gn 49:9-1 2: g. Jerusalem , symbo l of [he C hu rch . cf Lk 21:24.
wit nessed for Jesu s a nd for ha ving preached God's wo rd," a nd those who refused Ir 25:30: Is 63: 1-6 : J 14 :t 3. O n the ' wine of a nger ",
13:15- 17 cr. 14:8 + and Is 51 ;I H - .
to wo rs hip th e beast o r his st atue a nd would not hav e the bra nd-mark on th eir I. Poss ib ly meanin g 'o n his sword': it has a lso been
h . A t th is poi nt pa rt of v. 4 s ho uld be inserted
5: 10
(see note to v. 4).
for eh ea ds or hands ; they came to life, and re igned with C hrist for a thousand s uggested th at we should read 'o n his s tanda rd ', s ince i. The firs t scro lls unro lled list human d eeds, th e
yea rs." •T h is is th e first resurrecti on ; the rest of the dead did not co me to life the sim ila rity of the two wor ds in Hebr. cou ld be sc ro ll of life opened last is th e list of the predesti ne d .
re spo ns ib le fo r the p resent read in g. cf. Dn 7:10 + : 12:1 + ; A c 13:48 + _
1:3 1 until th e th ou sand years were over. • Hap py a nd blessed are those who sha re m . T h is lon g par enthesis echoes' th e eve nts I, Af ter th e La s t Ju d gem en t dea th itself will lose
2:1 1 1 des cr ibed in ch . 13. its power.
in the first resurrect io n; the seco nd de ath ca nno t affec t them ' but they will be 20 a . Lit. ' I sa w th ron es, they sat on th em , jud gem en t
i :() f 21 a. A vis io n of hea ven. cf. 7: 15- 17. T he opening is
priests of God a nd of C hri st an d reign with h im for a thousand year s." was given to th em, and I saw the so u ls of th ose beheaded s ugge sted b y Is (5 1 a nd 65 especia lly).
for t he wi tn ess of Jes us a nd the Wo rd of God ' . Th is b. In Is 5 1: 16 ; 65: 17 : 66: 12, th e ph ra se is merely
= 19:1 1-2 1
The second battle of the End verse , sca r cely intelligi ble as it sta nds , must hav e begu n a sym bol o f th e ne w messian ic age. St P a u l. fo llow in g
'I saw the so uls . . . ' and must ha ve bee n co mp leted th e lead o f Jesus, cf . M t 19:28, is m o re realistic: t he
Wh e n the th ou sand yea rs a re over, Satan will be released from his pri son 7 , .. . Word of God: they ca me to life and reig ned . . . ' who le of crea tio n will one da y be fre ed from the
The remai nde r (' And 1 saw thrones On wh ich a ll th ose do m inance of cor r u ptio n , re new ed and tra nsformed
a nd will com e out to deceive all the na tio ns in the fou r q uarters of the ea rth, K took their seat s wh o woul d not wor ship the beast and b y the glory of God, R m 8:19 +.
Ez k 38:2 ,9. Gog and Mag og,' and mobili se th em for war. H is a rmies will be as man y as the h is im a ge o r be sea led o n their foreheads or their c . The se a symbolises ev il beca use it was the h om e
15 hands') mu st have be lo nged to Text II (see Int rod u ction)
/ 6:14-/ 6 o f the d ra gon, cf. J b 7:12 +: it will van ish as it d id
LJ: 21:2 4 sa nds of the sea ; -thc y will com e swarming over the entire co untry! a nd besiege and s ho uld be read between vv , 11 and 12. Cf Mt 19:28: at the Exo d us. bu t thi s ti me for ever. befo re th e
Ac 9:/J I- the camp of the sa ints, wh ich is the city that God lo ves." But jire will come down I Co 6:2-3. tri u m p ha n t adva nce of th e new Isr ael . cr, Is 5 1:9- 10 :
E:k 38:22 b. O ne inter preta ti o n makes th is 'resurrection' of Ps 74:13 .14 ; Jb 26:12 -13 ; Is 27: I.
0 11 them fr om heav en a nd consum e them .• Then the dev il, who misled them , will 10 the martyrs (cr. Is 26 :19 : Ezk 37) symbolise th e reco very d . T he new and jo yful wedd in g of Jeru sal em an d
19:20 be thrown into the la ke o f fire and sulphur, where the beast a nd th e false pro ph et o f the C h urch a fter th e Roman perse cu tio n: th e ' re ign her G od has taken place, cr. Is 65: 18; 6 1: 10: 62:4-6 :
o f a thousand years ' is t hen the period of the k in gd om the E xodus idea l ha s a t last be en a ch ieved . cf
are, a nd the ir torture will not stop, day or nig ht, fo r ever and eve r. of Chris t on earth from the end of persecution <the H02:1 6 +.
 2 IA REV EL A TI O N 45° 45 1 R EV E L A T IO N 22:21
Is 8:8 is God-with-them .' «He will wipe away all tears from their eyes; there will be no 4 the Lord God who gives the spir it to the prophets has sent his a ngel to reveal 1;1 ;22;16
Is 25:8 Dn2:28

~
Is 35:10 mo re death, and no mo re mourning or sad ness. T he world of t he pas t has go ne.' 7 to his servants what is .1'0011 To tak e place. • Very soon now, 1 shall be with you
2 Co 5:/ 7 Then the One sitti ng on the throne spo ke: 'No w 1 am making the who le of aga in.' Happy are those who treasure the prophetic message of this boo k. 1:3+
Dn 8:26 crea tion new' he said. 'Write this: tha t wha t 1 am say ing is su re and will come I, .Iohn, am th e one who heard and saw these things. When 1 had heard
1:8 + true.' -A nd then he said , ' It is already done. [ am the Alpha and the Omega, the 6 and seen the m all, 1 knelt at the feet of the ange l who had shown th em to me, 19:10
22:17 Beginning and the End. [ will give water fro m the well of life free to anybody to worship him; • but he said, 'Don' t do that: I am a servant jus t like yo u and
Is 55: 1
who is thirsty ;" -it is the rightful inheritance of the o ne who proves victorious ; 7 like your brothers the prophets and like those who treasure what you ha ve written
2 S 7:14 an d I will be his God a nd he a .1'011 to me. g • But the legacy for cowards, for those 8 in th is book. It is God that you must worship .'
= 22:15 who break their word, or worship ob scenities, for mu rderers and fornicators, and 10 This, too, he said to me, 'D o not keep the prophecies in this book a secret , 10:4
Rm 1:29 +
for fort une-tellers, idolaters or any ot her sort of liars, is the second death" in II because the Time is close. • Mean while let the sinner go on sin ning, and Do 12:10

the burn ing lake of sulphur .' the unclean co ntinue to be unclean; let those who do good go on doing good,
12 and those who are holy continue to be holy." •Very soon now, I shall be with you Is 40:10
Fp 5:27 The messian ic Jerusale m! aga in, bringing the reward to be gi ven to every ma ll according to what he Ps 62:12

O ne of the seven a ngels tha t had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues 9 13 dese rves. ·1 am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and The Last, the Beginning 1;8 +
Is 4 1:4 ;
2 Cn 11:2 ca me to spea k to me, a nd said, 'Come here a nd [ will sho w yo u the br ide that the 14 a nd the End. •Happy ar e those who will have was hed their robes clean, so tha t 44 :6
Ez k 40 :2 Lamb has marri ed'. ·111 The spirit, he took me to the top of all enormo us high 10 the y will have the right to feed on the tree of life an d ca n co me thro ugh the gates 7;14: 12:1+;
Heb 11:10 22;2
2/ :2 mo untain, and showed me Jeru salem, the holy city, coming down fro m G od out IS into the city. e • T hese others must stay outside: dogs , fortune-tellers, and ~ 2J :8
N b5:1-4
Is 60:1-2 of heaven. " -It had all the radiant glory of God an d glitt ered like some precio us II fornicat o rs, an d murderers, and ido laters, and everyone of false speech and false Rm 1:29+

jewel of crystal-clear diam ond . •T he walls of it were of a grea t height , an d had 12 life.'
twelve gates ; at each of the twelve gates there was a n an gel, and ove r the ga tes
7:1-8 were writte n the names of the t wel ve Tribes of Israel; ·011 the east there were three 13
Ez k 48: 31-35
gates, on the north three ga tes, 0 11 the south three gates, and 011 the west three gates. E PI LOGUE
E p 2:20 T he city walls stood o n twelve foundatio n stones, eac h o ne of whic h bo re the 14
name of one of the twelve a postles of the Lamb. 16 1. Jes us, have sent my angel to make these revelatio ns to yo u for th e sa ke of 1;1. lI f ; 22:6

T he ang el that was speak ing to me was carryi ng a go ld measuring rod 15 the churches. I am of David 's line, the roo t of David a nd the bright star of the 2;28 +
to meas ure the city and its gates a nd wa ll. -T he plan of the city is perfectly 16 mo rning.
sq ua re, its length the sa me as its brea dth . k He measu red the city with his rod and 17 The Spirit and the Bride! say, 'Co me' . Let everyo ne who listens answer,
it was twelve thousa nd furlo ngs in lengt h a nd in breadt h, a nd equal in height.' 'Co me'.' Theil let all who are thirsty com e: all who wan t it may have the water Is 55;1

He measured its wall, and thi s was a hundred and forty-four cubits high-t he 17 of life, and ha ve it f ree. 2 1;6
I Co 11:26
I s 54: 11- 12 a ngel was using the ord inary cubit. -Thc wall was bu ilt of dia mond, and the city 18 18 This is my solemn wa rni ng to all who hear the prophecies in this book: if Dt 4;2
of pure gold, like pol ished glass. -The fou ndations of the city wall were faced 19 a nyo ne add s an ything to them, God will add to him every plague mentioned in the
with all kinds of preci o us stone: the first with diam ond, the second lapis lazu li, 19 book ; •if anyo ne cuts anything out of the prop hecies in this book, God will cut
the third tur quoise , the fourt h crystal, -the fifth agate, the sixth ruby , the seventh 20 off his share of the tree of life and of the ho ly cit y, which are described in the
go ld quartz, the eighth malachite, the ninth topaz, the tenth emerald, the eleventh book.
sa pp hire a nd the twelfth a meth yst. -T he twelve gates were twelve pea rls, each 21 20 T he one who guarantees these revelat ions repeats his promise: I shall indeed A c 3;20-21
I Co 15:23 +
gate being mad e of a single pea rl, a nd the main street of the city was pure gold, be with you soon. Amen; co me, Lord Jesus.
transparent as glass. • [ saw that there was no temple in the city- since the Lor d 22 21 May the grace of the Lo rd Jesus be with you all ." Amen .
In 2 : 19-21 God Almighty a nd the La mb were the mselves the tem ple, -and the city did no t 23
Is 60: 1-2. need the su n or the moon for ligh t, since it was lit by the radiant glory of God
19- 20
2 Co 3:IH a nd the La mb was a lighted torch for it. • The pagan nat ions will live by its ligh t 24
!.I 60 :3 c. Lit. 'and he. God with them, will be their Go d' the transforma tion of huma nity by a n act of Go d.
1.1' 60: 1 J a nd the kings of the ea rt h will br ing it their trea sures. • The gates of it will never 25 VuIR.: var . 'and G od himself will be their G od' or k . T he symbo l of (terrestrial) perfection.
Is 60: 3. 11 and God himse lf will be with them ', The shek tnah, l. Symbo lic number : twel ve (fo r the ne w Israe l)
be shut by day-and there will be no night there- · and the natio ns will come , 26
or presence , is an essential part o f Go d's co venant mu ltiplied by one thous and (for immensity) .
I s 35:H; 5 2: I bringing their treasure and their wealth . • No thing uncl ean may come into it: no 27
Zc 13 :1-2 wit h his people. cf. Ex 25:8 and I n 1:14 + , and is to m. T he destru ction of the Jerusale m Temple
2 P 3:13 on e who does what is loa thsome or false, but o nly those who are listed in the be real and to tal afterthe end of the wo rld, cr. J14:17,2 1: sy mbo lises the end of the old cov enant; there is now
Z c 2:14 ; LP 3: 15-17: Is 12:6. a new temp le, the Body of Christ; cf. Jn 2:19-2 1.
Lamb's book of life. f. In the a.T.. fresh. drin king water is a SYmbo l 22 a. All usio n to the Trinity. since the river of living
Ez k 47: 1-1 2 o f life. and as such is to be a feature of the messiani c water is a symbo l of the Sp irit (I n 4:1+ ), cr. Rv 21:6 + .
The n the a ngel sho wed me the river of life, rising fro m the th rone of God
In 4: 1 f

2:7 : 22: 14
22 and of the Lamb" a nd flowing crystal-clear -d own the middle of the eity
street. Oil either side" of the river were the Trees of life, which bear twelve crops
I
age. In the N .T. it is a symbol of the Spirit . cr. In 4:1 + .
g, T he title 'Son of God' was to be co nferred on side'.
King-Messiah, D avid's heir. on the day of his
b. Or punctua te 'D own the middle. . on either

c. Vv. 3 ~ S (Text H) shou ld be inser ted afte r 21:4.

Ezk 47: 12 enthronement. 2 S 7:14+: hence Jesus was proclaimed cr. Introductio n.
of'fru it ill a year, one ill each month, and the leaves of which are the cure for the 'Son of God ' in virtue of his resurrection . Ac 2:36 + :
R m 1:4 +.
pagans.
b. Eter na l death. The fire. like the water of v. 6. d. God pursues his desig n whatever man may do .
""'7: 15 The ball will be lifted.' T he thr one of God a nd of the Lamb will be in its place is symbo lic.
Zc 14 : 11 c . The Jerusalem described in 2 1:9f.
I Co JJ:12 i. This is Jerusalem on earth dur ing the last or f. The Church, wife o f the Mess iah, cr. 2 1:10.
I I n 3:2
in the city ; his serva nts will wo rsh ip him, -they will see him face to face, a nd his mess ianic days since the pagan nations have no t yet g . The appeal is addressed to the Messiah : it is
name will be written o n their foreheads . -It will never be night aga in a nd they been destroyed . 21:24, and have a cha nce of conversion , the Marana tha refrain of the litu rgical assemblies,
22:2 ; but it fores hadows the heave nly Jerusalem that 1 Co 16:22, exp ressi ve o f the C hristians' longing for
will not need lam pligh t or sun light, becau se the Lord G od will be shining o n them . de ve lops fro m it. The details of the description are the parous/a. see I T h 5:1 +.
T hey will reign fo r ever a nd ever. mo stly from Ezk 40-47. h. Lit. 'with aU'; var. 'with the saints' or 'with aU
19:9; 21;5
The an gel said to me, ' All that you have written is sure an d will co me true : 6
I. I.e. renew al in these present , messian ic times; the sain ts'.
Dn 8:26