Chapter 20 Continuing the Apocalyptic Hope: The Book of Revelation and Other Jewish/Christian Apocalyptic Works

Key Topics/Themes Revelation  Expresses hope for imminent transformation of world  Assures faithful of the completion of God’s prearranged plan Other Hellenistic apocalyptic writings help place New Testament Book of Revelation in context 2 © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Introduction Revelation at end of New Testament as thematically appropriate Revelation’s portrayal of Jesus determined by author’s apocalyptic viewpoint 3 © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Revelation and the Apocalyptic Tradition The origins of apocalyptic literature Characteristics of apocalyptic writing Authorship and date of Revelation Significance of the emperor cult Purpose and organization of Revelation Revelation’s use of symbols 4 © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Jesus’ Letters to Seven Churches (2:1-3:22) All seven letters follow the same pattern Refer to actual historical circumstances in those churches in the first century Advice to churches exemplifies the radical exclusivism of the author 5 © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Visions in Heaven: Breaking the Seven Seals (4:1-11:19) Seals to a document containing God’s preordained history Breaking of each seal releases a sign or event in God’s plan The End portrayed as set of astronomical catastrophes The seven trumpets  Each trumpet announces a plague or disaster from God 6 © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Seven Seals (continued) Eating the scroll—Derived from Ezek. 2:8-3:3; symbolizes John internalizing God’s foreordained plan Two witnesses prophesy for God, are killed, and then come back to life 7 © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Signs in Heaven (12:1-16:21) Preparation for Armageddon, the final conflict between Good and Evil The celestial woman, the Dragon, and the beast from the sea John’s numerical symbols 8 © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Methods of Interpreting Revelation Symbols in Revelation refer to events in first century only Symbols in Revelation predictions concerning future events Symbols in Revelation have applications that transcend any particular time or place 9 © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Visions of the Final Triumph (21:1-22:5) The millennium The lake of fire The wedding of the Lamb and the Holy City 10 © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Other Hellenistic-Jewish and Christian Apocalypses Review of other apocalyptic books helps us place Revelation in proper historical perspective Like Revelation, these have been very influential in Christian thought Shift from cosmic eschatology to personal eschatology 11 © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

1 Enoch Composed over three centuries Combines cosmic and personal eschatology Attributed to Enoch in Hebrew Bible Part of the Pseudepigrapha Contents of 1 Enoch 12 © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

2 Esdras (4 Ezra) Found in Christian Apocrypha Composite work of both Jewish and Christian authors Ezra’s interest in theodicy Ezra’s views on the afterlife 13 © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

The Apocalypse of Peter Represents shift from cosmic to personal eschatology Considered Scripture by some early Christians Contains version of Matthew’s parable of the sheep and the goats 14 © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Apocalypse of Peter (continued) A survey of horrible tortures suffered by the wicked in hell May reflect desire for justice as horrors of Roman persecution of Christians increased in second century 15 © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

Summary Revelation presents human history from God’s perspective  Emphasis on cosmic events and completion of God’s purpose  Clash between Good and Evil Other Christian apocalypses focus on personal eschatology © 2009 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. 16