Revelation and Revelation and Human RealityHuman Reality

sktonstad@llu.edusktonstad@llu.eduSession 63Session 63

A-level AmphitheaterA-level AmphitheaterLLUMCLLUMC

April 23, 2011, 10:30-11:30 AMApril 23, 2011, 10:30-11:30 AM

Ending Ending and Endingsand Endings

Examples of endings: Examples of endings: Actual endingActual ending Other endingsOther endings

7 churches7 churches 7 seals 7 seals 7 trumpets7 trumpets 7 bowls7 bowls ‘‘unattached endings’unattached endings’

Actual EndingActual Ending Rev 22:10Rev 22:10 The one who testifies to these The one who testifies to these

things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” This is the ending of Revelation, but it is not This is the ending of Revelation, but it is not

the ending of the story told in Revelation. the ending of the story told in Revelation. This ending projects backwards into a This ending projects backwards into a

historical reality that prevails far from the historical reality that prevails far from the outer horizon of Revelation. outer horizon of Revelation.

Evangelistic Ending – 1 Evangelistic Ending – 1 Rev 22:17Rev 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, The Spirit and the bride say,

“Come.! And let everyone who hears say, “Come.! And let everyone who hears say, “Come.” And let everyone who is thirsty “Come.” And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift. water of life as a gift.

This is the ‘final call,’ in Revelation This is the ‘final call,’ in Revelation projecting into present reality. projecting into present reality.

This should always be our ending. This should always be our ending.

Evangelistic Ending – 2 Evangelistic Ending – 2 Rev 3:20Rev 3:20 Listen! I am standing at the door, Listen! I am standing at the door,

knocking; if you hear my voice and open the knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.and you with me.

This is another ‘to-whom-it-may-concern’ This is another ‘to-whom-it-may-concern’ ending with unrestricted application to ending with unrestricted application to present human reality. present human reality.

A Time for Choosing…A Time for Choosing… Rev 22:11 “Rev 22:11 “Let the evildoer still do evil, Let the evildoer still do evil,

and the filthy still be filthy, and the and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”holy.”

This is a conspicuous ending, a point in This is a conspicuous ending, a point in time beyond which no one will change their time beyond which no one will change their relationship with God or their most deeply relationship with God or their most deeply held allegiance. held allegiance.

……and a Time and a Time to Recognize the Choice to Recognize the Choice

Rev 20:12 Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was were opened. Also another book was opened, the book of life. And the dead were opened, the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, as recorded judged according to their works, as recorded in the books. in the books.

Ending Ending with No End in Sight - 1with No End in Sight - 1

Rev 22:4 They will see his face, and his Rev 22:4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. name will be on their foreheads.

This is a glimpse of the post-parousia, post-This is a glimpse of the post-parousia, post-millennial reality, an end that will never end. millennial reality, an end that will never end.

Ending Ending with No End in Sight - 2with No End in Sight - 2

Rev 15:4 “All nations will come and Rev 15:4 “All nations will come and worship before you, for your judgments worship before you, for your judgments have been revealed.”have been revealed.”

Isaiah 66:23 From new moon to new Isaiah 66:23 From new moon to new moon, and from sabbath to sabbath, all moon, and from sabbath to sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, flesh shall come to worship before me, says the LORD. says the LORD.

This is another ending with no end in sight, This is another ending with no end in sight, going on forever and ever, time without end. going on forever and ever, time without end.

Cycles of SevenCycles of Seven

7 SEALS 7 TRUMPETS

7 BOWLS

The Seventh SealThe Seventh Seal Rev 8:1 Rev 8:1 When the Lamb opened the When the Lamb opened the

seventh seal, there was silence in seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. heaven for about half an hour.

This is the ending of the first revelatory This is the ending of the first revelatory cycle. cycle.

The Seventh TrumpetThe Seventh Trumpet Rev 11:19 Rev 11:19 Then God's temple in heaven Then God's temple in heaven

was opened, and the ark of his covenant was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

This is the ending of the second revelatory This is the ending of the second revelatory cycle. cycle.

The Seventh BowlThe Seventh Bowl Rev 16:17 Rev 16:17 The seventh angel poured his The seventh angel poured his

bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!”done!”

This is the ending (sort of) of the third This is the ending (sort of) of the third revelatory cycle. revelatory cycle.

Recapitulation View of the Recapitulation View of the Seals, Trumpets, and BowlsSeals, Trumpets, and Bowls

SEALS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

TRUMPETS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

BOWLS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Sequential View of theSequential View of theSeals, Trumpets, and Seals, Trumpets, and

BowlsBowls

SEALS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

TRUMPETS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

BOWLS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

‘‘Revelatory’ ViewRevelatory’ View

7 TRUMPETS

7 BOWLS

7 SEALS

Revelatory ViewRevelatory View

7 TRUMPETS

7 BOWLS

7 SEALS

7 BOWLS7 SEALS

7 TRUMPETS

Silence in Heaven - 1Silence in Heaven - 1 Rev 5:2 I saw a mighty angel pro-Rev 5:2 I saw a mighty angel pro-

claiming with a loud voice, “Who has claiming with a loud voice, “Who has what it takes to open the scroll and what it takes to open the scroll and break its seals?”break its seals?”

Rev 5:3 And no one in heaven or on Rev 5:3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it.open the scroll or to look into it.

Silence in Heaven - 2Silence in Heaven - 2 Rev 5:6 Then I saw in the Rev 5:6 Then I saw in the

middle of the throne and middle of the throne and the four living creatures the four living creatures and in the middle of the and in the middle of the elders a Lamb standing as elders a Lamb standing as if it had been brutally if it had been brutally murderered, having seven murderered, having seven horns and seven eyes, horns and seven eyes, which are the seven which are the seven spirits of God sent out spirits of God sent out into all the earth. into all the earth.

Reduced to SilenceReduced to Silence Isaiah 52:14-15 Just as there were many Isaiah 52:14-15 Just as there were many

who were astonished at him-- so marred who were astonished at him-- so marred was his appearance, beyond human was his appearance, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of semblance, and his form beyond that of mortals-- so he shall startle many nations; mortals-- so he shall startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which had not been told them him; for that which had not been told them they shall see, and that which they had not they shall see, and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate. heard they shall contemplate.

Some Standing, Some Standing, Some Prostrate, Some Prostrate,

All SilentAll Silent Isa 49:7 Thus says the LORD, the Isa 49:7 Thus says the LORD, the

Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations, the slave of rulers, “Kings shall nations, the slave of rulers, “Kings shall see and stand up, princes, and they shall see and stand up, princes, and they shall prostrate themselves, because of the prostrate themselves, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” Israel, who has chosen you.”

7 TRUMPETS

7 BOWLS

7 SEALS

Silence BeforeSilence Before The ‘silence before’ is silence in the face of The ‘silence before’ is silence in the face of

human reality. human reality. The ‘silence before’ is silence predicated on The ‘silence before’ is silence predicated on

the appearance of divine inaction. the appearance of divine inaction. The ‘silence before’ is grounded in the The ‘silence before’ is grounded in the

conviction that God is not doing what God conviction that God is not doing what God ought to do with respect to solving the ought to do with respect to solving the cosmic conflict. cosmic conflict.

Silence AfterSilence After The ‘silence after’ is silence in the face of the The ‘silence after’ is silence in the face of the

divine reality that is revealed in the middle. divine reality that is revealed in the middle. The ‘silence after’ is silence resulting from The ‘silence after’ is silence resulting from

‘the revelation of Jesus Christ.’ ‘the revelation of Jesus Christ.’ The ‘silence after’ is silence grounded in The ‘silence after’ is silence grounded in

shock and awe in the face of the unexpected shock and awe in the face of the unexpected – silence in the face of what God has done – silence in the face of what God has done to solve the cosmic conflict. to solve the cosmic conflict.

The Ending of RevelationThe Ending of Revelation Rev 8:1 Rev 8:1 When the Lamb opened the When the Lamb opened the

seventh seal, there was silence in seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. heaven for about half an hour.