To the REVELATION – Conclusions
This study acknowledges the literary complexity of Revelation and looks at its structure from a fresh perspective: a spatio-temporal map of its cosmic setting – it is like an hermeneutic of spacetime. This analysis indicates there are five spaces within Revelation’s cosmos: heaven’s throne-room; heaven’s outer realms within which the celestial child is born and Michael defeats the dragon/ satan in battle; a physical-spiritual earth (John describes these two visionary dimensions together, for example Babylon is both a physical city and spiritual harlot); an earth that reflects the biblical narrative earth whose characters (Israel and/or Eve, and the Messiah and satan) are part of what Richard Bauckham describes as the ‘messianic war’ (Bauckham, 1993a: 94); and below-the-earth, which is described by its boundary events (beasts and demons rising, lake of fire).
This is an exegetical literary-historical, exegetical analysis of the text. It aims to keep the balance between the literal and figurative language in Revelation as its author (John) describes what he sees and hears as events unfold before him. He moves between visionary vantage points: first on Patmos (1:10); then in heaven’s throne-room (4:2); return to earth, probably to Patmos by 10:1 or, perhaps, straight to the sea-shore (10:9); a move to Jerusalem (11:1-2) and, most likely, to a site near to Jerusalem after John finishes measuring the Temple; in the wilderness (17:3); and finally on a high mountain (21:10). Exactly when John returns to earth from the throne-room is ambiguous.
Superimposed upon the linear story-line is a text spiral associated with the fall of Babylon and its aftermath (16:12-21:9). The spiral confirms the suggestion that John was on vantage points for most of his vision and the story-line moves around the visionary cosmos (following John’s gaze, rather than always John himself).
Mapping illustrates Revelation as an overview of God’s territory that puts characters and events into a cosmic and temporal perspective. The proposed macrostructure uncovers Revelation’s relatively simple, interrupted linear chronology from Creation to the New Order, which is consistent with the meta-narrative of the Scriptures. Literary paradoxes, abrupt transitions and repetitions in the story are the result of a single story-line stepping back in relative time at 4:2, 12:1, 12:13 and 15:1, and these enable John to witness different perspectives of the story, as two linked dramas unfold (4:1-11:19 and 12:1-22:20a).
The first drama describes what has happened, is happening and what will happen in heaven’s throne-room and on the physical-spiritual earth: the opening of the seals facilitates the appearance of the ‘four horsemen of the apocalypse’ and they bring immediate and unending conquest, war, famine and social inequality, and death with them. The deadly snare of Babylon (the great city) was active as Rome in John’s era and it is recognisable thereafter as hedonistic society – and the faithful must reject and leave it (18:4) and embrace what David deSilva recognises as ‘disenfranchisement’ in society (deSilva, 1992 : 376).
The second drama describes why things happen – the war between the forces of heaven and satan is underway from the universal beginning at Creation (see Framework chapter, 1B.e). Satan has been active on earth since time immemorial (12:9; recorded on the biblical earth in the macrostructure), and war on earth intensified after the Cross (i.e. the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ) because satan was ‘enraged’ at ‘those who keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of Jesus’ (12:12b, 12:17). This will continue, with a gap for the Millennium (20:1-6), until the Final Judgement (20:10-15, 21:7-8).
The proposed macrostructure highlights repetitions of events in eighteen time-parallels (which are like text parallels, but with a chronological component) and these link the two dramas. The integrity of the time-parallels suggests John experienced a single waking vision and he did not change the order of events as the story unfolded. Literary patterns such as layers, spirals and chiasms are surface features that overlie the cosmic setting of events. Allusions to other texts (Hebrew Bible and, perhaps, other sources) indicate John was aware of the meaning of the images, historical patterns and biblical prophecies within the vision. A summary of the vision, rather than a transcript, was given to his scribe while it was happening (for example, 10:4) and Revelation’s poor Greek reflects the education of the scribe, not John. This and the general warning in 22:18-19 suggests that John did not hone the text before its circulation as a prophetic-apostolic letter: ‘I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book; if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.’ .
1) The context
Using the early Church Fathers’ writings as sometimes contradictory or ambiguous sources, together with the Gospels and 1, 2 and 3 John and a few modern authors, I investigated the early context of Revelation; specifically: John’s identity and when Revelation was written (see Towards …7). This study supports the proposal that John was the Apostle (rather than the Elder or an otherwise unknown prophet) and author of John’s Gospel and 1 John because of certain literary links between them (for example between 12:1- 5, Jn. 1:1-5 and 1 Jn. 1:1-8). The differences in their Greek may be explained by John’s use of a less-educated scribe for Revelation.
However, the Apostle was not the son of Zebedee but rather the Beloved Disciple (who may have been the rich young man of Mk. 10:24-31). The Gospels indicate these were two different people. The confusion of identity/ authorship surrounding the Johannine literature may have arisen when the former was martyred and the latter was exiled, probably about the same time. Both apostles were called were John, both ministered in Asia, and both had fished from Peter’s boat, both knew Galilee and Jerusalem, and both were close to Jesus during his ministry, so both were entitled to be called ‘holy apostle’. It is easy to see how the one may have been confused with the other as time passed, and there were two tombs in Ephesus each bearing the name ‘John’.
Concerning when John was exiled to Patmos and Revelation was circulated, I support an early date: exile from Ephesus after Paul had ceased visiting (c. AD 58) but sometime before the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 – in the mid-late 60’s AD, and the letter was in wide circulation before Jerusalem fell. This was the time of the Seals and they not only represent disasters, they also contain messages of hope: during the fifth seal, the martyrs are waiting in heaven’s throne room (6:9-11) and there is celebration in heaven following the ‘great tribulation’ (7:9-17). This is during the sixth seal and it probably represents the fall of Jerusalem (6:12-17). Survivors of persecutions can be comforted knowing that the faithful martyrs are celebrating and worshipping God in heaven. There is also hope in the anticipated Parousia and the establishment of the New Jerusalem. Strengthening of John’s community was most needed for those living in the times of Emperors Claudius and Nero, the first Jewish War and the fall of Jerusalem, rather than in the time of Emperor Domitian (c. 95-97 AD).
This study compared Revelation with events described within Lk. 17 and Lk. 21/ Mt. 24-25/ Mk. 13 (there is no direct equivalence in the fourth Gospel) because they tell the same story of events in John’s era (the ‘present age’; the era of the seals) and in the ‘age to come’ (the trumpets and bowls) (see Table 1 in Towards … 6). This study uses these Gospel chapters to validate the proposed macrostructure.
2) The visionary story
For convenience only, because the story is a unified whole, the proposed macrostructure is divided into five parts: from Creation to the impact of the Cross (Framework 1, time-parallel 1); John’s ‘present age’ and the beginning of the ‘age to come’ (Framework 2); the era of satan’s beasts (Framework 3, time-parallels 2-8a); the Lamb appears on Mt Zion and Babylon falls (Framework 4, time-parallels 8b-11); the climax of the Messianic War and thereafter (Framework 5, time-parallels 12-18).
2.1) From Creation to the impact of the Cross, i.e. to the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ (Framework 1, time-parallel 1)
The two dramas in Revelation begin at Creation, implied by the heavenly worship (4:11) and defined by the birth of the celestial child (the Christ/ Messiah) in heaven’s environs (not in Bethlehem); the child is ‘snatched up’ to the throne (12:5). The Messiah is ‘the origin of God’s Creation’ (3:14) and he has held the book-of-life since Creation (13:8, 17:8). Richard Bauckham describes chapters 12-14 as the ‘messianic war’ from the Incarnation (12:5) to its climax at the Parousia (Christ’s appearance or his ‘coming’, in Revelation) (12:1-14:20, Bauckham, 1993a: 94; see Framework 1B.d). This study proposes that 12:5 refers to Creation (the Messiah’s birth in the heavenly realms), not to the Incarnation, and 21:7-8 (part of the Final Judgement) is the ending of the war – but the principle is the same despite our different interpretations of 12:5.
This study proposes that John’s description of the throne-room (4:3) includes a very early reference to the Trinity: the One-seated-on-the-throne, who holds the scroll with seven seals (the Father); the emerald-like rainbow encircling the throne (the Spirit, appearing like the aurora borealis to modern eyes or a celestial wind); and the celestial child/ slain Lamb (the Son). The Lamb appears in the throne-room and he takes and opens the scroll while John watches. This represents the exact moment of the Cross (5:7) when the dragon/ snake/ satan is defeated in the war in heaven’s environs ‘by the blood of the Lamb’ and thrown down to earth (12:9-12). The story-line steps back in relative time at 4:2, 12:1 and 12:13. The Lamb assumes his authority as Messiah (5:7-14) and this is confirmed in 12:10-11. The seal torments occur on the physical-spiritual earth.
On the mythic or early/ pre-history earth (the biblical earth), the mother first finds safety (12:6) and then danger when the dragon/ snake appears (12:9-16). As the mother of the Messiah, she may be the archetypal Israel and Eve (because she was safe before the snake appeared) and thus the mother of all humanity. Later, the war includes the followers of Christ (12:17) and then the dragon stands by the sea-shore (12:18). Time-parallel 1 represents the Cross and its universal impact (5:5-6:1, 12:9-12, 12:17-18).
The first reference to ‘where the (probably dead) body is, there the eagles (or vultures) will be gathered together’ refers to the crucified Christ (the slain Lamb) and the ‘eagles’ were the Roman Legion (Mt. 24:28); ‘this generation’ witnessed the rejection of Christ (Lk. 17:25).
John’s ‘present age’ is the era of the opening seals and it is a time of conquest, war, famine and death (first four seals, 6:2-8). The dragon/ satan continues to stand by the sea-shore (12:18) and there are no time-parallels in this section. Satan’s victims cry for vengeance; they must wait (fifth seal, 6:9-11). When the sixth seal breaks (6:12-17), everyone thinks (wrongly) judgement day has come but this may represent the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. Four angels at the four corners of the earth are told to wait while the 144,000 representatives of all the tribes of Israel are sealed (7:1-8). This generation experiences the ‘great tribulation’ but after this, there is celebration in heaven as the martyrs worship God (7:9-17).
The ‘silence’ in heaven (seventh seal, 8:1) may represent the time in which Jerusalem will be downtrodden ‘until the times of the gentiles are fulfilled’ (Lk. 21:24). People are living ordinary lives (despite wars, famines and earthquakes)[1] and the corrupt lifestyles described in the Gospels that are rampant when Christ appears are fully realised in the great city and harlot Babylon. Hedonism is like a sudden snare (Lk. 21:34); take heed, watch! (Lk. 21:34-36) because Christ could appear at any time so be aware, watchful and prepared (3:2-3, 16:15; Mt. 24:36, Mk.13:32). Then, the seven trumpets are prepared and the golden censer is flung to earth (8:2-5) and this is the beginning of the age-to-come. The trumpets sound warnings of impending judgement and cosmic devastation. Their duration and the interval between them are unknown; these will be the start of particularly difficult times (8:6-11:19)
[1] The seal torments continue but it is like in the times of Noah (Lk. 17:26-27, Mt. 24:37-39) or Lot (Lk. 17:28-33).
2.3) The era of satan’s beasts (Framework 3, time-parallels 2-8a)
When the fifth trumpet sounds and the three ‘woes’ begin, activity in every cosmic space increases – as illustrated by the increased number and frequency of the time-parallels. On the physical-spiritual earth, the abyss opens (9:1-12) and a beast rises from the abyss onto the biblical earth (13:1-10) (time-parallel 2).
All the main characters (excluding the One-seated-on-the-throne, 4:3) have identities that reflect the cosmic space within which they are found and the abyss beast has an appearance that reflects the two earthly spaces and two eras: John’s era of the beast’s seven heads/ hills/ kings (Rome and seven caesars); and in the ‘age to come’ (the era of the ten horns/ kings) the beast will become the ‘eighth king’ (17:3-14).
During the sixth trumpet/ second woe, four angels (perhaps those of 7:1) are released at the Euphrates (9:13-21, on the physical-spiritual earth) and the earth beast rises (13:11-15, on the biblical earth) (time-parallel 3). The earth beast has an alter-ego as a false prophet (16:13) who works on behalf of the abyss beast (13:12-17, 19:20, 20:10). He sets up a speaking image of the abyss beast and everyone must worship it (13:14-15) and be ‘marked’ if they want to buy or sell anything (13:16-18). On the physical-spiritual earth, John interacts with the mighty angel with the little scroll and there will be ‘no more delay’ (10:6). John hears the seven thunder prophecies, eats a little scroll and is told to measure the temple (10:1-11:2) (time-parallel 4). More may be known about what is happening at the time when the seven thunders speak.
‘Two witnesses’ are appointed and killed in Jerusalem (11:3-10) and the ‘sign’ of the seven angels with the last plagues is seen in heaven’s environs (15:1) (time-parallel 5). When the two witnesses are resurrected, a tenth of the city collapses and 7,000 people die, and the seventh trumpet sounds (11:11-18) – and the victorious martyrs rejoice in heaven’s throne-room (15:2-4) (time-parallel 6). The story-line steps back in relative time at 15:1 because the bowls are prepared and the heavenly Temple is opened (15:5) before the Lamb appears on Mt Zion (14:1-5).
When the heavenly sanctuary opens in heaven (15:5), this is seen on the physical-spiritual earth (11:15-18) (time-parallel 7). In heaven’s environs, the seven plague angels are given bowls full of the wrath of God (15:6-16:1) which are poured out onto the physical-spiritual earth from 16:2 (time-parallel 8a). The Day of God’s Wrath begins when the first bowl empties and times become even more difficult (16:10-11) but the era of the beasts is limited and the Day is short; the bowls may be the anticipated ‘third woe’ of 11:14. It is unknown when the dragon/ satan moves from the sea-shore on the biblical earth (12:18) but marking (13:16-17) continues into the time of the bowls (16:12).
2.4) The Lamb appears on Mt Zion, Babylon falls (Framework 4, time-parallels 8b-11)
Concerning the Parousia, Revelation indicates it will occur in three parts at an unknown and unexpected time (3:2-3, 16:15; see also Lk. 17:24, Mt. 24:27). The first two appearances are confirmed by the Gospels but the Rider and the Great Battle are images from the Hebrew Bible. Christ is our king, protector, defender, saviour and judge, and the Parousia reflects his different roles. Christ appearing with the New Jerusalem (3:12, 21:2-4) is a parousia but the proposed macrostructure suggests it is not The Parousia, as anticipated in the Gospels.
Sometime during the emptying of the seven bowls (16:2-16:17), the material earth will see something like Christ the Lamb on Mt Zion (14:1) before or about the time Babylon falls (14:8). This is perhaps ‘the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven’ (Mt. 24:30a) – a sign for all nations (time-parallel 8b), but we do not know exactly when this will happen (3:2-3, 16:15; see also Lk. 17:24, Mt. 24:27). The first four plagues (bowls) have similarities with the torments of first four seals (which never ended) and the first four trumpets, so the torments will get worse when the eschaton begins. The proposed macrostructure indicates that Christ may appear when the fifth bowl empties and there is darkness on the throne of the beast (16:10-11).
This is the first part of the Parousia and Christ comes with three angels to the biblical earth (14:6-11) and their messages provide the structure for this section (time-parallels 9-11). The first angel proclaims the gospel and imminent judgement (14:6-7) while evil forces prepare for war (16:12-13; time-parallel 9).
The second angel announces Babylon’s fall (14:8) while: armies gather for battle at a place called Armageddon (16:14-16); the seventh bowl empties and out of the heavenly temple a voice from the throne exclaims ‘It is done!’ (16:17); Babylon the city is destroyed by a storm and earthquake (16:18-21) and her true identity is shown to John (17:1-18); the fall is announced to below-the earth (18:1-3) and heaven celebrates (19:1-4) (time-parallel 10).
The third angel warns that the ‘marked’ will be judged (14:9-11) while Babylon is mourned by the beasts’ followers and condemned for her sins (18:4-24). This may be the last chance to repent (18:4), perhaps until the Harvests. Heaven’s rejoicing at the fall of Babylon leads onto preparations for the wedding of the Lamb (19:5-6) (time-parallel 11).
2.5) The climax of the Messianic War (Framework 5, time-parallels 12-18)
The final section of Revelation concerns the Parousia -generation (those alive when Christ comes again). Babylon has fallen and the faithful must endure patiently (14:12-13) while they are preparing to become the bride of the Lamb (Christ; 19:7-8) (time-parallel 12). The Messianic War culminates in the appearance of the One-like-a-son-of-man (Christ), crowned and on a cloud (12:1-14:20). Christ’s appearance is the second part of the Parousia and it matches Gospel expectations (14:14; time-parallel 13). Christ gathers the Grain Harvest (14:14-16) while the wedding invitations are distributed (19:9-10) (time-parallel 13). This study proposes that the Grain Harvest represents the mercy of God because those who accept the invitation will be spared the crushing of the grapes in the Grape Harvest (14:17-20). The Gospels warn how, after tribulations and when it seems like the cosmos is being shaken apart, the Son-of-man will appear suddenly and unexpectedly in the cloud(s), with power and great glory, and a trumpet will sound;[1] and when everyone sees ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven’, he will gather ‘his elect’ (Mt. 24:29-31, Mk. 13:26-27). This study suggests the gathering of ‘his elect’ is the Grain Harvest.
The Rider (Christ) appears in the third part of the Parousia, with the armies of heaven (19:11-16). Evil forces re-group for war (19:17-19) and an angel gathers the Grape Harvest (14:17-18) (time-parallel 14). This gathering may correspond to ‘one will be taken and one will be left’ at an ‘unexpected time’ (Mt. 24:40-44, Lk. 17:34-36). The context indicates that this is not another view of the gathering of the ‘elect’ (see Table 1, Towards … 6). The Rider will be the victor in the Great Battle on the physical-spiritual earth (19:17-21; (time-parallel 15). The blood on the Rider’s gown before the Great Battle/ Grape Harvest crushing indicates he is the victor in spiritual battles throughout history (for example, as witnessed by Daniel, Dan. 10:5-12:13). The grapes are crushed (14:20) by the Rider (19:15-16) and satan’s beasts are thrown into the lake-of-fire (19:20) when the Rider is victorious in the Great Battle (19:21); and the Day of God’s Wrath ends (time-parallel 15).
The second reference to ‘where the (perhaps living) body is, there the eagles (or vultures) will be gathered together’ refers to the living, risen Christ and the ‘eagles’ will be the armies of the abyss beast and his followers (16:14, 19:19); ‘this generation’ will witness these events (Lk. 21:29-33, Mt. 24:32-36, Mk 13:28-32).
Satan is restrained in the abyss for 1000 years (20:1-3) and the martyrs who experience the First Resurrection will reign on earth with Christ for 1000 years (20:4-6). This is the Millennium (time-parallel 16). After 1000 years, satan is freed, fights and is defeated by fire from heaven (20:7-9; time-parallel 17). Satan is thrown into the lake-of-fire and everyone who ever lived undergoes the Final Judgement; it is universal and it is the post-script to the Messianic War on the biblical earth (20:10-15, 21:7-8; time-parallel 18).
The New Order is created and a voice from the throne exclaims ‘They are done!’ (21:3-6) and the New Jerusalem (the Bride) descends to the New Earth as the dwelling-place of God and the faithful (those who will experience the Second Resurrection). The many roles and identities of Christ transcend space and time and Ian Paul suggests the Trinity in the New Order may be represented by the One-seated-on-the-throne (the Father), the Lamb on the throne (the Son) and the water of life flowing from the throne (the Spirit; 22:1-2; Paul, 2018: 362). The letter began with a short prologue and introduction (1:1-3:22), and it closes with confirmation of the vision’s credentials as a revelation from Jesus Christ and an epilogue (22:6-21)
[1] Cosmic upheaval (Lk. 21:25-26, Mt. 24:29, Mk. 13:24-25) then Christ appears in the clouds (Lk. 21:27-28, Mt. 24:30, Mk. 13:26), like at the ascension (Acts 1:9-11, Lk. 24:50-51). Trumpet: Mt. 24:31.
3) Outcomes, values and final thoughts
An outcome of this study is a visual representation of John’s journey through his visionary cosmos, and the Creation to New Order story told within Revelation. The representation (the proposed macrostructure) is appropriate for John’s era and today but Revelation describes an apocalyptic (i.e. revelatory) scenario, so exactly how or when the prophesised events will unfold on the material earth is uncertain because it depends upon how Scripture is understood. Whereabouts in history (but this is a spatio-temporal analysis so the metaphor used here is the spacetime continuum) an individual reader may be located is ambiguous – the Cross is the only fixed point in the model – so no attempt is made here to put modern names or time-scales to the characters or events. In traditional terms, this study is a pre-millennial interpretation (i.e. Christ appears before the Millennium) that is also an eclectic (diverse or mixed) interpretation because the seal torments may have affected John’s generation (a Preterist interpretation) and the Parousia has not yet happened (a Futurist interpretation).
If John’s era was the time of the seals and of the ‘great tribulation’ (6:2-7:17) as proposed in this study, the present author and readers may be living in the time of the silence-of-the-seventh seal (8:1) – as have the vast majority of Revelation’s readers over the intervening centuries (i.e. ‘the times of the Gentiles’, Lk. 21:24). The torments associated with the four seal horsemen continue today as conflict, famine, financial instability, pandemics, climate change, earthquakes, cosmic disturbances and death. For many today these torments are severe – and every generation in the modern era is challenged by Babylon’s role in its lives.
Whether living with the seals, Silence or in the eschaton, John warns everyone to live in such a way that we are prepared for the coming of Christ in our present circumstances – and we all face the Final Judgement (20:10-15, 21:7-8). Christ’s appearance will be unexpected (3:2-3, 16:15) but there are those in every generation who erroneously believed the eschaton is imminent for them. Nevertheless, each generation must ask: ‘is it possible that the censer has already been thrown to earth and the warning trumpets have already started sounding (8:3-7)?’ This has not happened yet, according to current theological experts or major Christian leaders, to my knowledge.
Units of time (an ‘hour’, ‘day’ or ‘time’) in Revelation are ambiguous, and we do not know how long the trumpets will sound or the interval between them – but the bowl torments, once begun, will move swiftly. The victims of the fifth bowl will still be experiencing the pains of the previous four bowls (16:10-11). As time inevitably progresses towards the ‘age to come’, a few questions will become pertinent. Will those alive at the time actually know when it’s here? The proposed macrostructure illustrates the anticipated events, two of which may perhaps be more noticeable before the Parousia than others (given that everyone is already living with the first four seals), once the censer empties and the trumpets start sounding (8:2-7):
The first more noticeable event will be when armies appear (9:1-21, after the fifth trumpet sounds) and the speaking image of the abyss beast is set up (13:14-15, time-parallels 2 and 3), these are like echoes of the Gospel warnings of the desolating sacrilege and armies (Mt. 24:15-22, Mk. 13:14-20, Lk. 21:20-24) that were visible warnings prior to Jerusalem’s destruction in AD 70 (see Framework 3D.a). The image will be important because even a great storm and earthquake (the censer) and the 200 million troops and devastating plagues (9:14-21, time-parallel 3) may be confused with natural disasters and wars because these lead to neither changes in behaviour nor repentance (9:20-21);
The second event will occur after (or while) the sixth trumpet sounds: the murder, resurrection and ascension of the prophesying ‘two witnesses’ in the Great City (Jerusalem) and the immediate collapse of ten percent of the city, with 7000 fatalities (11:3-13). At this time, the great ‘sign’ of the seven plague angels will be seen in the heavens (15:1; time-parallels 5 and 6, see Framework 3B.a and b). More will be understood when the ‘seven thunders’ speak, just before the seventh trumpet sounds (10:3-7; time-parallel 4).
There is a third perhaps even more noticeable event: the fall of Babylon (time-parallel 10), but this is after the Lamb appears on Mt Zion (time-parallel 8b) – which is the first part of the Parousia and his appearance may be the ‘sign’ promised in Mt. 24:30a. It is at this time that the abyss beast will be recognisable ‘for only a little while’ as the ‘eighth king’ (17:10-11) as he gathers ‘the ten (recently appointed) kings’ and the evil armies ‘for one hour’ (17:12). The beasts will have been active since the fifth/ sixth trumpets (time-parallels 2 and 3) but trying to identify this beast and his false prophet before they reveal themselves will most likely be fruitless because the time-scales will be limited (13:5).
A value of this study lies in showing how a spatio-temporal analysis of Revelation uncovers a single story-line (the macrostructure) that provides a framework for different interpretations of Revelation. Analyzing Revelation in this way is appropriate for today, yet consistent with first century AD ideas of the cosmos. I hope others will find the proposed macrostructure helpful for their own reading and interpretation.
Although the proposed macrostructure illustrates an interrupted linear chronology for the story within Revelation, how it relates to individual people is not linear – regardless of the years in which we live. We need to be aware of what is happening around us because ‘living’ in a single verse (8:1) does not mean that most of Revelation’s events and its messages are irrelevant for us. The three universal events (the Cross; time-parallel 1), the fall of Babylon (time-parallel 10) and the Final Judgement (time-parallel 18) define the structure of the vision – but they have time-less impact. They are the cornerstones of its message – the efficacy of the Cross, leave Babylon and there will be personal accountability. These are reflected in our individual lives: remain faithful, repent, endure, be aware and reject the temptations of hedonism.
The message of Revelation is transformational and the times of the fifth seal (6:9-11) and celebration following the sixth seal (7:9-17) indicate that that survivors of persecutions can be comforted knowing that all the faithful martyrs are now rejoicing and worshipping God in heaven. In times of comfort or suffering, our ultimate hope lies in the vindication of God’s people and anticipation of Christ’s coming (the Parousia) and our participation in the New Jerusalem (see 4 and 5 above). To use the words of Marko Jauhiainen, Revelation’s story ‘ought to both comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comforted’ (Jauhiainen, 2003b: 117).
In addition to the personal accountability, there is a clear message for community responsibility in Revelation – as illustrated in the messages for the seven communities (2:1-3:22): ‘Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches’. Christ knows the situation of all the congregations, five are praised but two are condemned, and each one contains valuable lessons for everyone and every congregation.
As a final thought, at the beginning of the book of Revelation, seven messages were written to the Christian congregations (2:1-3:22). An equivalent message to the present-day congregations would most likely include John’s repeated pleas for people to be aware, repent and endure patiently and, above all, to remain faithful to God and the Lord Jesus, his Messiah. John entreats us to be prepared for Christ’s appearance, whenever it may happen, and to remember that individuals who are victorious will not be hurt in the final judgement.
4) Applications
John writes of the physical and spiritual terrors that unfold throughout history because of the presence of satan on earth (Framework 1), and how circumstances will get worse when the censer empties and the eschaton begins (Framework 2). This is not comfortable reading and, as I write this, what may come to be called ‘the Third Gulf War’ is underway (3 March 2026, and it is still going in August 2026) – so it is getting more difficult each year to understand whether the trumpets have already started sounding or if we are still in the ‘Silence’.
For John and his generation, times were so difficult that there was no ambiguity that Christ’s appearance would herald a release into a better place, but Revelation is a challenge for every generation. How do we, today, apply its message to repent, endure, remain faithful to God and his Messiah, and reject Babylon – when this may be influenced in so many different ways by our circumstances, our communities, our cultures and our nation? Here are a few other questions raised by Revelation – for ourselves, our societies and the world:
1. We must repent, which according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is ‘to feel sorrow for one’s sin and make up one’s mind to do what is right’ – sin being ‘transgression of the law of God (…) in which the self is estranged from God’.
From what do I/ we need to repent? Of our society’s sins? Of the world’s sins?
2. We must endure and remain firm in our faith under whatever circumstances arise, without yielding – remembering that those who endure to the end will join those worshipping God around his throne.
How can I/ we strengthen our faith?
What will mitigate difficult circumstances for ourselves and others?
3. We must remain faithful to God and his Messiah as individuals and communities.
What may be clouding our faith and how can we overcome temptations to fail?
4. Some of us may be like the frogs in the cooking pot – we do not notice social and spiritual dangers heating up around us – but there is a universal instruction in Revelation for ‘Babylonians’ (hedonistic society).
What form do both the beasts and Babylon take in my/ our life?
How do we recognise and reject the former and ‘leave’ (18:4) the latter? – is leaving even possible today?
5. Many of us (like John) live in multi-faith societies.
How do we retain our faith without confusing it with cultural norms?
How can we be tolerant without endangering our core beliefs?
Do we know and understand the core beliefs of the Christian Faith?
6. We are instructed in Revelation to be aware of what is happening around us and look out for signs of Christ’s imminent appearance. The signs would imply that the censer has been thrown to earth and the trumpets are sounding.
How do we remain watchful (without becoming either inured to change or hypersensitive to society’s ‘last days’ rhetoric)?
After all, there are those in every generation who think ‘now, is ‘the end’’.
7. Bearing in mind we will be judged by God in due course: ‘and books were opened. Also another book was opened, the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, as recorded in the books.’ (20:12).
What are our ‘works’ and how do we transform from being New Babylonians into being pillars in the New Jerusalem?