Revelation and Revelation and Human RealityHuman Reality

Session 51Session 51A-level AmphitheaterA-level Amphitheater

LLUMCLLUMCJan 8, 2011, 10:30-11:30 AMJan 8, 2011, 10:30-11:30 AM

Open DoorOpen Door

REVELATION 19REVELATION 19 Rev 19:11 Then I Rev 19:11 Then I

saw heaven saw heaven openedopened

REVELATION 4-5REVELATION 4-5 Rev 4:1 After this Rev 4:1 After this

I looked, and I looked, and there in heaven a there in heaven a door stood open! door stood open! (Rev 4:1 NRS)(Rev 4:1 NRS)

Bookends of the StoryBookends of the Story

Rev 8-18

The Rider The Rider on the White Horse - 1on the White Horse - 1

NRS NRS Rev 19:11-13 Then I saw heaven opened, Rev 19:11-13 Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and in called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself. He inscribed that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and his is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called The Word of God.name is called The Word of God.

The Rider - 2The Rider - 2

NRS NRS Revelation 19:15-16 From his mouth Revelation 19:15-16 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. God the Almighty. On his robe and on On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, "King his thigh he has a name inscribed, "King of kings and Lord of lords."of kings and Lord of lords."

The Armies of HeavenThe Armies of Heaven

NRS NRS Revelation 19:14 And the armies of Revelation 19:14 And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white and heaven, wearing fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white pure, were following him on white horses.horses.

DescriptionDescription

his eyes are like a his eyes are like a fiery flame (v 12); fiery flame (v 12);

has many diadems on has many diadems on his head (v 12); his head (v 12);

wears a robe dipped wears a robe dipped in blood (v 13);in blood (v 13);

a sharp sword issues a sharp sword issues from his mouth (v from his mouth (v 15a)15a)

1.1. In whose blood is In whose blood is his robe dipped, his his robe dipped, his own or the blood or own or the blood or his opponents? his opponents?

2.2. Is the sword in his Is the sword in his mouth a weapon of mouth a weapon of violence?violence?

The Rider’s The Rider’s Blood-Stained Robes - 1Blood-Stained Robes - 1

Isaiah 63:1-3Isaiah 63:1-3

QuestionQuestion: "Who is this that comes from : "Who is this that comes from Edom, from Bozrah in garments stained Edom, from Bozrah in garments stained crimson? Who is this so splendidly crimson? Who is this so splendidly robed, marching in his great might?" robed, marching in his great might?"

AnswerAnswer: "It is I, announcing vindication, : "It is I, announcing vindication, mighty to save.“ mighty to save.“

The Rider’s The Rider’s Blood-Stained Robes - 2Blood-Stained Robes - 2

QuestionQuestion: "Why are your robes red, and : "Why are your robes red, and your garments like theirs who tread the wine your garments like theirs who tread the wine press?" press?"

AnswerAnswer: “I have trodden the wine press : “I have trodden the wine press alone, and from the peoples no one was with alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their juice spattered on them in my wrath; their juice spattered on my garments, and stained all my robes.”my garments, and stained all my robes.”

QuestionQuestion

The slaughtered lamb in Rev 5:6 is a victim The slaughtered lamb in Rev 5:6 is a victim of violence. Is the rider on the white horse of violence. Is the rider on the white horse not a victim but a perpetrator of violence?not a victim but a perpetrator of violence?

““Jesus did not destroy the wicked in his Jesus did not destroy the wicked in his earthly life, but he would return with earthly life, but he would return with supernatural power to complete the task.”supernatural power to complete the task.”

John J. Collins, John J. Collins, The Apocalyptic ImaginationThe Apocalyptic Imagination (2d. (2d. ed.; ed.; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998), 278. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998), 278.

Wisdom Wisdom (75 BC-40 AD)(75 BC-40 AD)

““Thy all-powerful word leaped from heaven, Thy all-powerful word leaped from heaven, from the royal throne into the midst of the from the royal throne into the midst of the land that was doomed, a stern warrior land that was doomed, a stern warrior carrying the sharp sword of thy authentic carrying the sharp sword of thy authentic command, and stood and filled all things command, and stood and filled all things with death, and touched heaven while with death, and touched heaven while standing on the earth.” (Wisd. 18:15 standing on the earth.” (Wisd. 18:15 RSV))

Targums Targums (150 BC--)(150 BC--)

““He [i.e., the King Messiah] girds his loins, He [i.e., the King Messiah] girds his loins, [and] goes out to battle against those who [and] goes out to battle against those who hate him; and he kills kings and rulers, and hate him; and he kills kings and rulers, and reddens the mountains from the blood of reddens the mountains from the blood of their slain; and he whitens his cloak with their slain; and he whitens his cloak with the fat of their mighty ones; his garments the fat of their mighty ones; his garments are rolling in blood.” are rolling in blood.” Syrén, Syrén, Targums,Targums, 111–12 111–12

““A Robe Dipped”A Robe Dipped”

Gen 37:31-33 Then they took Joseph's robe, Gen 37:31-33 Then they took Joseph's robe, slaughtered a goat, and dipped the robe in the slaughtered a goat, and dipped the robe in the blood. They had the long robe with sleeves blood. They had the long robe with sleeves taken to their father, and they said, “This we taken to their father, and they said, “This we have found; see now whether it is your son's have found; see now whether it is your son's robe or not.” He recognized it, and said, “It is robe or not.” He recognized it, and said, “It is my son's robe! A wild animal has devoured my son's robe! A wild animal has devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.”him; Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.”

Whose Blood?Whose Blood? ““In the difference between Yahweh’s garments In the difference between Yahweh’s garments

being sprinkled with blood and Christ’s robe being being sprinkled with blood and Christ’s robe being dipped in blood lies all the difference between the dipped in blood lies all the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament, the Old Testament and the New Testament, the difference between the conception of God judging difference between the conception of God judging his enemies by shedding their blood and the his enemies by shedding their blood and the conception of his judging them by shedding his conception of his judging them by shedding his blood for them.” Hanson, blood for them.” Hanson, Wrath of the LambWrath of the Lamb, , 176. 176.

Whose Blood?Whose Blood?

““Almost certainly it is his own blood, that Almost certainly it is his own blood, that of the slaughtered Lamb…This then is a of the slaughtered Lamb…This then is a vision of the Christ who conquers not by vision of the Christ who conquers not by killing his enemies but by allowing killing his enemies but by allowing himself to be killed, and who invites his himself to be killed, and who invites his followers to do the same.” followers to do the same.” Boxall, Boxall,

RevelationRevelation, 274. , 274. Cf. Rev 12:11; 13:10; Cf. Rev 12:11; 13:10; 14:414:4

Name and IdentityName and Identity ““faithful and true” faithful and true” (v (v

11)11) a name inscribed, a name inscribed,

which he alone knows which he alone knows (v 12b)(v 12b)

““the Word of God” the Word of God” (v (v 13b)13b)

““King of kings and King of kings and Lord of lords” Lord of lords” (v 16)(v 16)

What does it mean What does it mean to have “a name…to have “a name…which he alone which he alone knows”?knows”?

A Name No One KnowsA Name No One Knows

Revelation 2:17 Let anyone who has an Revelation 2:17 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who the churches. To everyone who conquers I will give some of the hidden conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give a white stone, and manna, and I will give a white stone, and on the white stone is written a new on the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the one name that no one knows except the one who receives it. who receives it.

The Unbearable Prospect The Unbearable Prospect of the Unknown Nameof the Unknown Name

Rev 14:1; 22:4; John 17:6Rev 14:1; 22:4; John 17:6 The name that no none knows is a pre-revelation The name that no none knows is a pre-revelation

reality; it is a name not known in the absence of reality; it is a name not known in the absence of revelation. revelation.

The name that no one knows is, in the The name that no one knows is, in the perspective of the Gospel of John and perspective of the Gospel of John and Revelation, a name that people think they know Revelation, a name that people think they know only to be confounded by the revealed reality. only to be confounded by the revealed reality.

Tasks - 1Tasks - 11.1. judges in judges in

righteousness (v 11b)righteousness (v 11b)

2.2. wages war in wages war in righteousness (v 11b)righteousness (v 11b)

3.3. smites the nations with smites the nations with the sharp sword the sharp sword projecting from his projecting from his mouth (v 15a)mouth (v 15a)

Isaiah 11:4 but with Isaiah 11:4 but with righteousness he righteousness he shall judge the poor, shall judge the poor, and decide with and decide with equity for the meek equity for the meek of the earth; he shall of the earth; he shall strike the earth with strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, the rod of his mouth, and with the breath and with the breath of his lips he shall kill of his lips he shall kill the wicked. the wicked.

Tasks - 2Tasks - 2

4.4. will rule the nations will rule the nations with a rod of iron (v with a rod of iron (v 15b)15b)

5.5. will tread the will tread the winepress of the fury of winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the the wrath of God the Almighty (v. 15c) Almighty (v. 15c)

Is this a picture of Is this a picture of destruction inflicted destruction inflicted from without, or of from without, or of self-destruction?self-destruction?

The Rider The Rider on the White Horseon the White Horse

1.1. Revelation 19 and Revelation 4+5 relate to each Revelation 19 and Revelation 4+5 relate to each other as bookends. other as bookends.

2.2. The slaughtered lamb of in ch. 5 is the same The slaughtered lamb of in ch. 5 is the same person as the rider on the white horse in ch. 19.person as the rider on the white horse in ch. 19.

3.3. Isaiah 11:1-11 echoes in Rev 5 and 19. Isaiah 11:1-11 echoes in Rev 5 and 19.

4.4. What sets the ‘shoot from the root of Jesse’ What sets the ‘shoot from the root of Jesse’ apart is the way he does his work.apart is the way he does his work.

5.5. The name no one knows is just that. The name no one knows is just that.

The Armies of HeavenThe Armies of Heaven

NRS NRS Revelation 19:14 And the armies of Revelation 19:14 And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white and heaven, wearing fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white pure, were following him on white horses.horses.