Revelation and Revelation and Human RealityHuman Reality

Session 52Session 52A-level AmphitheaterA-level Amphitheater

LLUMCLLUMCJan 15, 2011, 10:30-11:30 AMJan 15, 2011, 10:30-11:30 AM

Images in the GalleryImages in the Gallery 4 living creatures, 24 elders, and a great 4 living creatures, 24 elders, and a great

multitude (19:1-6)multitude (19:1-6) Exclamations of praise (19:1-6)Exclamations of praise (19:1-6) Wedding and bride (19:7-9)Wedding and bride (19:7-9) Rider on a white horse leading an army Rider on a white horse leading an army

(19:11-16)(19:11-16) Preparation for war (19:19)Preparation for war (19:19) Beast and false prophet captured (19:20-21)Beast and false prophet captured (19:20-21)

Bookends of the StoryBookends of the Story

Rev 8-18

Vultures GatheringVultures Gathering Revelation 19:17-18 Then I saw an angel Revelation 19:17-18 Then I saw an angel

standing in the sun, and with a loud standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly in voice he called to all the birds that fly in midheaven, “Come, gather for the great midheaven, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of the the flesh of captains, the flesh of the mighty, the flesh of horses and their mighty, the flesh of horses and their riders-- flesh of all, both free and slave, riders-- flesh of all, both free and slave, both small and great.”both small and great.”

OT AntecedentOT Antecedent

Jer 19:7 “And I shall make void the Jer 19:7 “And I shall make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place, and I shall cause them to fall by place, and I shall cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies and by the sword before their enemies and by the hand of those who seek their life; the hand of those who seek their life; and I shall give over their carcasses as and I shall give over their carcasses as food for the birds of the sky and the food for the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth.” beasts of the earth.”

When?When? The call regarding the ‘great supper’ goes The call regarding the ‘great supper’ goes

forth from the perspective of the aftermath forth from the perspective of the aftermath of the final battle.of the final battle.

One of the armies, horses and all, has One of the armies, horses and all, has been defeated. been defeated.

The destruction – and even the cleanup – The destruction – and even the cleanup – is depicted as a consequence that is is depicted as a consequence that is intrinsic to the cause of the losing side. intrinsic to the cause of the losing side.

Making War Making War to the Bitter Endto the Bitter End

NRS NRS Revelation 19:19 Then I saw the beast Revelation 19:19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to armies gathered to make war make war against the against the rider on the horse and against his army.rider on the horse and against his army.

Retrospective:Retrospective:Cosmic War - BeginningCosmic War - Beginning

Rev 12:7Rev 12:7 And And warwar broke out in heaven; broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels had to Michael and his angels had to warwar against against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels the dragon. And the dragon and his angels warredwarred ……

Retrospective:Retrospective:Cosmic War - EndingCosmic War - Ending

Rev 12:17Rev 12:17 Then the dragon … went off to Then the dragon … went off to make warmake war on the rest of her children…on the rest of her children…

Rev 13:7Rev 13:7 Also it was allowed to Also it was allowed to make war make war on the saints and to defeat them. on the saints and to defeat them.

Rev 11:7 Rev 11:7 When they have finished their When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from testimony, the beast that comes up from the bottomless pit will the bottomless pit will make war make war on them on them and conquer them and kill them…and conquer them and kill them…

Battle of ArmageddonBattle of Armageddon Rev 16:14Rev 16:14 These are demonic spirits, These are demonic spirits,

performing signs, who go abroad to the performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to kings of the whole world, to assemble assemble them for warthem for war on the great day of God the on the great day of God the Almighty.Almighty.

Rev 19:19 Rev 19:19 Then I saw the beast and the Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies kings of the earth with their armies gathered to gathered to make warmake war against the rider on against the rider on the horse and against his army.the horse and against his army.

Defeat and CaptureDefeat and Capture

NRS NRS Revelation 19:20 And the beast was Revelation 19:20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed in its presence the who had performed in its presence the signs by which he deceived those who signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.fire that burns with sulfur.

The Last Stand - 1 The Last Stand - 1

WHOWHO the beast was captured, and with it the the beast was captured, and with it the

false prophet (19:20)false prophet (19:20)

Cf. Rev 13:1, 11; 16:13Cf. Rev 13:1, 11; 16:13

The Last Stand - 2The Last Stand - 2

WHATWHAT who had performed in its presence the who had performed in its presence the

signs by which he deceived those who signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. and those who worshiped its image.

Cf. Rev 13:13-17; 14:9-11Cf. Rev 13:13-17; 14:9-11

The Last Stand - 3The Last Stand - 3

WHAT NOWWHAT NOW?? These two were thrown alive into the These two were thrown alive into the

lake of fire that burns with sulfur.lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

End of War End of War (you would think)(you would think)

NRS NRS Revelation 19:21 And the rest were Revelation 19:21 And the rest were killed by the sword of the rider on the killed by the sword of the rider on the horse, the sword that came from his horse, the sword that came from his mouth; and all the birds were gorged mouth; and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.with their flesh.

Demonic DestructionDemonic Destruction Rev 9:16-18 The number of the troops of Rev 9:16-18 The number of the troops of

cavalry was two hundred million; I heard their cavalry was two hundred million; I heard their number. And this was how I saw the horses number. And this was how I saw the horses in my vision: the riders wore breastplates the in my vision: the riders wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur; the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur; the heads of the horses were like lions' heads, heads of the horses were like lions' heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. By these three plagues a third their mouths. By these three plagues a third of humankind was killed, by the fire and of humankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths. smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths.

Demonic Self-DestructionDemonic Self-Destruction

Revelation 14:20 And the wine press Revelation 14:20 And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the wine press, as high as flowed from the wine press, as high as the bridles of the horses, for a distance the bridles of the horses, for a distance of about two hundred miles. of about two hundred miles.

Demonic Self-DestructionDemonic Self-Destruction In those days...a stream shall flow with their In those days...a stream shall flow with their

blood. For a man shall not be able to withhold his blood. For a man shall not be able to withhold his hands from his sons nor from (his) sons’ sons in hands from his sons nor from (his) sons’ sons in order to kill them. Nor is it possible for the sinner order to kill them. Nor is it possible for the sinner to withhold his hands from his honoured brother. to withhold his hands from his honoured brother. From dawn until the sun sets, they shall slay each From dawn until the sun sets, they shall slay each other. The horse shall walk through the blood of other. The horse shall walk through the blood of sinners up to his chest; and the chariot shall sink sinners up to his chest; and the chariot shall sink down up to its top (down up to its top (1 Enoch1 Enoch 100:3). 100:3).

Demonic Self-DestructionDemonic Self-Destruction

““And the ten horns that you saw, they and And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the whore; they will the beast will hate the whore; they will make her desolate and naked; they will make her desolate and naked; they will devour her flesh and burn her up with fire” devour her flesh and burn her up with fire” (17:16).(17:16).

QuestionQuestion

Why are the most important sentences in Why are the most important sentences in the passive voice?the passive voice? Ex: Ex: “was captured” (v. 20)“was captured” (v. 20)

““were thrown” (v. 20)were thrown” (v. 20)

““were killed” (v. 21)were killed” (v. 21)

Compare Rev 17:16, which is in the Compare Rev 17:16, which is in the active voice. active voice.

QuestionQuestion

If capture of the two surrogate powers is If capture of the two surrogate powers is an option, why were they not captured an option, why were they not captured sooner?sooner?

Looking ahead to chapter 20, this Looking ahead to chapter 20, this question becomes even more acute.question becomes even more acute.

QuestionQuestion Why is Revelation at pains to say that the Why is Revelation at pains to say that the

sword that killed the opposing side and sword that killed the opposing side and its followers was a sword “that came from its followers was a sword “that came from his mouth”? his mouth”?

And the rest were killed by the sword of And the rest were killed by the sword of the rider on the horse, the sword that the rider on the horse, the sword that came from his mouth; and all the birds came from his mouth; and all the birds were gorged with their flesh (Rev 19:21).were gorged with their flesh (Rev 19:21).

A ‘Johannine’ A ‘Johannine’ View of Judgment?View of Judgment?

If anyone hears my words and does not If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him, for I did keep them, I do not judge him, for I did not come to judge the world but in order not come to judge the world but in order to heal the world. The one who turns me to heal the world. The one who turns me down and does not receive my world has down and does not receive my world has a judge: the word that I have spoken will a judge: the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day (John 12:47-48, judge him on the last day (John 12:47-48, translation mine). translation mine).

Next SessionNext Session

No session January 22 (Mind and Spirit No session January 22 (Mind and Spirit marking the 400th anniversary of the marking the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible). King James Bible).

Next session: January 29. Next session: January 29.

The Rider The Rider on the White Horseon the White Horse

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

2.2. The slaughtered lamb in ch. 5 is the same The slaughtered lamb in ch. 5 is the same person as the rider on the white horse in person as the rider on the white horse in ch. 19.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 What sets the ‘shoot from the root of Jesse’ apart is the way he does his work.Jesse’ apart is the way he does his work.