Framework:
construction of
Section 4A - the Lamb, beasts, Babylon
Overview
The construction of this section focuses on the emptying of the bowls full of the wrath of God (16:2-21), which represent the beginning of the Day of God’s Wrath on the physical-spiritual earth, and its corresponding events in the other cosmic spaces. 14:1-11 is the first part of the climax of the ‘messianic war’ on the biblical earth (12:1-14:20, Bauckham, 1993a: 94). In the proposed macrostructure, these are represented by time-parallels 8-11 and this section describes their construction. Background information is given in Framework 1.
The story so far: the first part of the story (Framework 1A, Figure 1) includes Creation, the consequences of the shedding of the blood of the Lamb (the Cross), and three of the four steps back in relative time in the narrative: 4:2, 12:1, 12:13 (15:1 is in Framework 3). In Framework 2 (Figure 2), seals 5, 6 and 7 are opened, the trumpets begin sounding and the censer is thrown to earth; this may represent the beginning of the eschaton, i.e. the ‘last days’. In Framework 3 (Figure 3), three woes begin when trumpet 5 sounds and two of satan’s beasts arise onto earth. When the seventh trumpet sounds, the third woe is imminent (this is the bowls) and there is darkness on the throne of the abyss beast when the fifth bowl empties (time-parallel 8a).
In this section (Figure 4), the Lamb (Christ) appears on Mt Zion with the ‘redeemed’ and his angels (14:1-11), and the impact of Babylon’s destruction is felt in every cosmic space (14:1-11, 16:10-19:6; time-parallels 8b to 11).[1] John’s descriptions of events surrounding the destruction generates a surface literary spiral structure that begins in this section and it reflects the path of John’s eyes as he watches (and describes in a few consecutive verses) contiguous events unfold (16:12-19:6). The likelihood that John is on a vantage point near Jerusalem for some of his visionary journey (see Framework 3B.c) is confirmed by his descriptions of Babylon’s fall (see 4B.b). After Babylon falls, the reasons why Babylon has been condemned are explained to John by one of the bowl angels (17:1-18) and Babylon’s sins are announced to the whole cosmos by another angel and by a voice from heaven (18:1-24). Heaven celebrates Babylon’s fall (19:1-4) and then preparations for the wedding of the Lamb begin (from 19:5). This section describes the time-parallels (4A.a), the two earths (4A.b) and the construction of the literary spiral (4A.c).
There is only one occasion in this spatio-temporal analysis when there is ambiguity about which earth and event should take place – and this is the appearance of the Lamb on Mt Zion (14:1-5). The possible options are considered in Framework 4A.d. The relationship between the two earthly spaces was considered in Framework 1A.d and it is considered again in Framework 4D.a, in light of John’s descriptions of the fall of Babylon. Satan’s beasts were considered in Framework 3C and they are considered again in Framework 4C, in light of the information in 17:1-18. There are further reflections on Babylon in Framework 4D. Gospel events were considered in Framework 2C.b (immediate post-Cross times) and all the pre-Parousia events are considered in Framework 5.
Figure numbers in every section follow the Macrostructure Model, so they do not restart in each section. In each figure, the x axis is location and the y axis is relative time. The light dashed arrows show the narrative path and the dotted arrows show the literary spiral. Every section, including this one, has a Construction (A – how the model was deduced) and an Interpretation (B – thoughts on the implications of the model).
[1] John is told that Christ will come at an unknown time ‘like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake’ (16:15a) so it is entirely possible, in the proposed macrostructure and in reality, that Christ will come after the bowls, but time-parallels 1-9 and 12-18 are otherwise unchanged in both scenarios.
4) The Lamb, imminent war and fall of Babylon (14:1-11, 16:10-19:6; time-parallels 8b to 11)
4A) Section construction
The fall of Babylon is one of the most structurally important events in Revelation. It happens (14:8) after the Lamb (Christ) appears on Mt Zion (14:1) and its impact is felt in every cosmic space (see Figure 4). It is one of only three time-parallels which define the proposed macrostructure; the others are the Cross (the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, time-parallel 1) and the Final Judgement (time-parallel 18). These three events have a direct impact on every part of the cosmos and they are like a framework within which all the other events and time-parallels are contained. Even the Lamb appearing on Mt Zion (time-parallel 8b) and the Great Battle (time-parallel 15) are more spatially limited than these three events.[1] How John describes Babylon in the different cosmic spaces help clarifies what the spaces may represent in his vision.
Figure 4 illustrates how the Lamb’s appearance and the three angels’ announcements in the biblical earth define events in this section, and 14:1-11 provides the structural framework for the events in the other spaces (16:10-19:6). It is a form of parallel progression, i.e. a one-to-one correlation between time-parallels in which events in one space (14:1-11, on the biblical earth) outline events and the other spaces infill the details (16:12-19:6). John’s description of the 16:12-19:6 events generates a surface literary spiral structure that reflects the path of his eyes as he watches (and describes in a few consecutive verses) contiguous events unfold (see 4A.c). The macrostructure in this section consists of three linear time-lines and the overlying spiral. Both structural layers (the spiral and the Creation-New Order flow of the vision) follow the spacetime rule so this study proposes that they, rather than other literary features (such as chiasms or text parallels), creates the macrostructure of the vision.
The chronologically linear progression of the ‘messianic war’ (Bauckham, 1993a: 94; see Framework 1B.d) continues directly from the previous section on the biblical earth, with the appearance of the Lamb on Mt Zion (14:1). After the Lamb appears, the three angels make their announcements (14:6-11), including reference to Babylon’s fall (14:8). The malign influence of satan’s beasts ‘behind’ or influencing events on earth (13:1-18, Framework 3) is now mitigated by positive action on earth by the Lamb/ one-like-a-son-of man (14:1-20). On the physical-spiritual earth, the time-line that was interrupted by the step back in relative time at 11:19 (to heaven’s environs, Framework 1) resumes on this earth with the impact of the bowls (from 16:2, Framework 3). The first five bowls represent personal or cosmic disasters and when the sixth bowl empties, the way is prepared for armies to gather (16:12, 16:14-16) as evil war preparations begin. Babylon and her satellite cities fall because of a major earthquake and storm (not war) when the seventh bowl empties (16:17-21; time-parallel 10). John is shown why Babylon must fall: she is a city that is like an hedonistic harlot sitting on a scarlet beast (17:1-18) but some people lament her fall (18:4-24). Heaven’s throne-room is always the controlling space in the story and, after the preparation of the bowls (15:6-16:1, Framework 3) and their emptying onto earth, celebration over the fall of Babylon (19:1-4) moves onto preparations for the wedding of the Lamb (19:5-6). There has been no activity in heaven’s environs since the seven plague (bowl) angels were seen as a ‘great and amazing’ sign (15:1, Framework 3). Entrances to below-the-earth were implied in the previous section (evil creatures arise through the abyss and earth) but the activities of satan’s minor demons are first seen in this section. The demonic spirits rise up through the mouths of the dragon and his two beasts (16:13) and gather the kings of the whole world for battle at a place called Armageddon (16:14-16).
Four time-parallels link the time-lines in each space: the fifth bowl is emptying (darkness on the throne of the abyss beast (16:10-11), when the Lamb appears (14:1; time-parallel 8b); the first angel proclaims the Gospel and announces that the hour of God’s judgement has come (14:6-7) and the Euphrates dries up, ready for the kings from the east to travel, and demons arise (16:12-13) (sixth bowl; time-parallel 9). Armies are gathered by the demons at Armageddon (16:14-16) but their plans are thwarted when Babylon falls in every cosmic space (seventh bowl; time-parallel 10) and the second angel (14:8) and angel with ‘great authority’ (18:1-3) announce her fall, while earth experiences it and the nature of Babylon is explained to John (16:17-17:18); and heaven celebrates (19:1-4). The third angel warns that judgement on the ‘marked’, who worship the abyss beast (satan’s followers), will be severe (14:9-11), as some people lament Babylon’s fall (18:4-24); and preparations for the wedding of the Lamb begin (19:5-6) (time-parallel 11). The slain Lamb appears on Mt Zion and the harvests occur on earth (14:1-20), but on which earth (physical-spiritual or biblical) is this?
None of the time-parallels are based upon verb tenses because these are unreliable indicators for relative event timings in Revelation. Verb tenses may reflect the tension between the narrative literary form and content, and/or how John saw future events unfold, and this is especially true in 18:1-24 (Collins, 1979: 126).
The structural relationship between chapters 11 and 14-16 (consecutive events on the physical-spiritual earth, Figure 4) suggests that if the trumpets are warnings of imminent judgement, the seventh trumpet (11:15) is likely to stop sounding when Christ appears on Mt Zion (14:1). At the time of the seventh trumpet, the third woe is expected soon (11:14) so the woe is likely to be the bowls. All the bowls were prepared together (15:1-16:1) and they continue until Babylon falls (seventh bowl, time-parallel 10). Bowls six and seven (16:12-21) follow the first five bowls, but they also have a structural relationship with the first two angels’ announcements (14:6-8; time-parallels 9 and 10, see Figure 4). In the interpretation in this study, the emptying of the bowls full of the wrath of God corresponds to the Day of God’s Wrath (see 4B.c).
[1] See Framework 5. The wine-press reference in time-parallel 15 (19:15) refers to something that happens on earth while preparations for the wedding of the Lamb are underway in heaven.
4A.a) Time-parallels 8a-11
During time-parallel 8b (14:1-5, 16:10-11), the Lamb appears on Mt Zion. Christ is the Lamb in heaven’s throne room (5:6, Framework 1) so it might be expected that 14:1-5 is a heavenly scene, but Mt Zion is on earth. John sees the Lamb and the 144,000 ‘redeemed’ before him, on Mt Zion (14:1-5), so either a part of heaven has come down to earth or the top of Mt Zion reaches into heaven. Following the spatio-temporal methodology used in this study (see Towards … 2 methodology), it would be a temporal paradox for 14:1-5 to interrupt the heavenly time-line between 16:1 and 19:6. This suggests John is on his vantage point on earth, near Jerusalem (see Framework 3B.c), when he sees heaven from a distance, and he hears heavenly sounds that are like roaring waters and loud thunder and a voice (or sound) like harpists playing their harps (14:2-3). The Lamb has been in heaven’s throne-room since 5:6 so this study suggests heaven and earth come together for Christ’s appearance on Mt Zion. The boundary disappears because John sees the Lamb on earth (Mt Zion, 14:1) before he sees one-like-the-son-of-man on a cloud (14:14). In the throne-room, the emptying of the bowls full of God’s wrath onto earth continues (from 16:1) and it is possible that the heavenly rejoicings of 11:15-18/ 15:2-4 also continues (see Framework 3A.b, time-parallel 6).
14:1-5 does not have a specific time-parallel counterpart in heaven but it does have a parallel with the emptying bowls on earth. In the proposed macrostructure, the bowls are the third woe, which were anticipated before the seventh trumpet sounds (11:14-15, Framework 3). The proposed macrostructure suggests the bowls follow the trumpets on the physical-spiritual earth and the Lamb’s appearance follows the seventh trumpet (11:15), sometime during the emptying of the bowls. His appearance also follows the open sanctuary at 11:19, and 15:5 which is made possible by the fourth step back in relative time in the narrative at 14:20/ 15:1 (see Towards … 4b).
Following the spatio-temporal methodology used in this study, if the Lamb appears during the bowls, it would be a temporal paradox for 14:1-20 to interrupt the physical-spiritual time-line between 16:2 and 19:21, so the Lamb on Mt Zion and the bowls are in different spaces. Otherwise, if the Lamb, three angels and harvests appear after or before the bowls in the same space then time-parallels 8 to 15 disappear, and this is not a valid option in this study. In the proposed macrostructure, the Lamb appears on the biblical earth after the appearance of the abyss and earth beasts (Figures 3, Framework 3), as part of messianic war (Bauckham, 1993a: 94; Framework 1B.d); chapter 14 is the culmination of this war. There is a viable spatio-temporal structural alternative for chapter 14 which is discussed shortly (see 4A.b and 4A.d). Briefly: if 14:1-20 or 14:6-20 occurs on the physical-spiritual earth, then the bowls are in the biblical space, or vice versa; they cannot occur on the same space. In all valid options, the time-line within each space is linear and the time-parallels are present.
Why might the Lamb chose to appear during the fifth bowl? The first bowl (16:2, and probably bowls 2-5) affect the ‘marked’ who worship the image of the abyss beast (13:14-18, 14:9-11) and the first four bowls hurt people and contaminate the sea and the fresh water, and the land is scorched. The torments of bowls 1-4 are quite generic and they are similar in nature to the torments of the seals 1-4 and trumpets 1-4 (so Paul: 2018: 141-142); but the fifth bowl is different. There is darkness on the throne of the beast during the fifth bowl and people curse God because of their pains and sores (from the first four bowls), but they still refuse to repent of their sins (16:9-11). The Gospels describe the time immediately before Christ appears on the cloud(s) as like the times of Noah (Lk. 17:26-27, Mt. 24:37-39) or Lot (Lk. 17:28-33), before the cosmos is shaken apart and the Son of Man appears suddenly, in the cloud(s) with power and great glory (Lk. 21:25-28, Mt. 24:29-31, Mk. 13:24-27). There will be temptations for hedonism, like a sudden snare (Lk. 21:34); take heed, watch! (Lk. 21:34-36). This may be represented in Revelation as the fifth bowl’s darkness (16:10-11) and Babylon’s corruption (17:1-18). For these reasons, there is a separation of the bowl torments into two parts, i.e. in Figure 3 (bowls 1 to part of 5, time-parallel 8a) and Figure 4 (remainder of bowl 5 to bowl 7, time-parallels 8b-10), and everything changes when the Lamb appears. In the interpretation in this study, the bowls full of the wrath of God correspond to the Day of God’s Wrath, which has been expected since 6.12.
John is told that Christ will come at an unknown time ‘like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake’ (16:15a) so it is entirely possible, in the proposed macrostructure and in reality, that Christ will come after the bowls. In that case, the Lamb and the three angels (14:1-11, on the biblical earth) and ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! …’ (18:1-3, at the below-the-earth boundary) are part of time-parallel 11, but the celebration at Babylon’s fall in heaven (19:1-4) remains in time-parallel 10. The bowls on the physical-spiritual earth and time-parallels 1-9 and 12-18 are otherwise unchanged. Time-parallels 1-9 and 12-18 are otherwise unchanged. The literary spiral (16:12-21:9) and the extent of the Day of God’s Wrath (15:1-19:21; time-parallels 8 to 15) are also unchanged in this scenario.
Time-parallel 9 (14:6-7, 16:12, 16:13). After Christ appears as the Lamb on Mt Zion, the first of three angels proclaims the Gospel and warns that judgement has come (14:6-7). The four angels who were bound at the Euphrates were released when the sixth trumpet sounded (9:15) and when the sixth bowl empties, the Euphrates dries up – so the way is prepared for the kings from the east (16:12). Demons rise up from below-the-earth through the mouths of the dragon and his beasts (16:13) and they go to ‘the kings of the whole world’ because the demonic forces anticipate ‘battle on the great day of God the Almighty’ (16:14); they gather the armies for battle at a place called [A]rmageddon (16:16). The activities of satan’s minor demons are first seen in this section and the text indicates John never sees into or enters below-the-earth. 16:13-16 (demons rising) and 18:1-3 (the announcement about the fall of Babylon in the next time-parallel) are boundary events (see Framework 3C.a); even the lake of fire in the final section is a boundary event because caves and active volcanic calderas (lakes of fire) were thought to be openings into the underworld in John’s era.
Meanwhile, it is likely that the beasts continue to mark everyone (13:16-18, Framework 3) while the three angels make their announcements on the biblical earth and the seven plague angels empty their bowls full of the wrath of God onto the physical-spiritual earth (16:2-21). 16:2-18:24 cannot interrupt events in chapters 13 or 14 without creating a temporal paradox so the gathering of the evil armies takes place on the physical-spiritual earth and at its boundary with below-the-earth (Figure 4).
Evil preparations for war begin a spiral of events between earth (physical-spiritual) and below-the-earth that continues until the New Jerusalem appears (Framework 5). The spiral is shown in Figures 4 and 5 in the Macrostructure Model as the heavier dotted arrows between the time-parallels (16:12-21:9). The cause of the spiral is an interweaving of text passages which records events in two or more spaces in a few consecutive verses; it traces the path of John’s eyes as he watches contiguous events unfold. John may be on his vantage point near Jerusalem on the physical-spiritual earth while evil forces gather (see Framework 3B.c). The literary spiral is considered again shortly (4A.c).
At this point, John has Christ beside him, or he hears Christ’s voice from heaven, who warns John that he (Christ) will be coming unexpectedly, so be prepared (16:15). The relationship between Christ’s appearance on Mt Zion, Armageddon, Babylon and the Rider is considered in the following Interpretation.
Time-parallel 10 (14:8, 16:14-17:18, 18:1-3, 19:1-4) represents the fall of Babylon and her destruction is recorded in every cosmic space. Together with the Cross (death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, time-parallel 1) at the beginning of the story, and the Final Judgement (time-parallel 18) at its ending, this is the most important event in Revelation. These three events are the only ones which impact every cosmic space and they define its macrostructure. When all the references to Babylon’s fall are recognised as describing a single event, her fall is a relative fixed point in the centre of story that links the two dramas together (4:1-11:19 and 12:1 onwards). Recognition of time-parallel 10 (14:8, 16:14-17:18, 18:1-3 and 19:1-4), within the absolute Cross to Final Judgement chronology (time-parallels 1 to 18), enables all the time-parallels to become apparent.
The first reference is the announcement ‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the great!’ by the second of the three angels (14:8, biblical earth). The second reference describes the gathering arimes (16:14-16) and unprecedented earthquake and hailstorm that destroys Babylon and its territories when the seventh bowl empties (16:17-21, physical-spiritual earth). The third reference is the announcement to below-the-earth: ‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the great!’ by an angel who has ‘great authority’ and whose presence lights up the whole earth (18:1-3). Babylon has become a haunt for demons and impure spirits and almost certainly the illumination enters the dark caves and spaces commonly associated with openings into the underworld in the first century A.D. Finally, heaven celebrates; 19:1-4 is the (implied) fourth reference to the fall of Babylon.
The judgement placed upon Babylon (the wine-cup full of the fury of God’s wrath, 16:19, seventh bowl) is appropriate to her drunken and debauched sins (18:3-5). The same phrase announces the fall to both earth (14:8) and below-the-earth (18:2) and Babylon is accused of the same crime in both locations (all the ‘nations drink/have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication’).[1] This suggests the same event is announced to two different audiences (people and demons), probably at the same time, and the second of the three angels may be the angel with ‘great authority’. The total destruction of Babylon on the physical-spiritual earth, compared to announcements to the biblical earth and below-the-earth, suggests that the physical-spiritual earth may be the focus of the fall; a voice from the throne, out of the temple, exclaims ‘It is done!’ when the seventh bowl empties (16:17) and Babylon falls.
It might be expected that 17:1-18 (reasons why Babylon must fall, told to John after he is carried to a new vantage point in a wilderness, 17:3) is in the biblical space because Babylon the harlot on the scarlet beast is one of three magnificently-dressed women in Revelation and the first woman (the celestial mother) is also in the wilderness, in the biblical space (12:6, 12:14, Framework 1). However, there is no suggestion in the text that there is a change in space or time and in this spatio-temporal analysis 17:1-18 (and 18:4-24) cannot be part of the time-line which includes the first announcement of Babylon’s fall (14:8). This is because 14:1-20 is part of the messianic war (12:1-14:20) and it would create a temporal paradox for chapters 16-19 to interrupt events described in chapter 14. The proposed macrostructure suggests Babylon is a spiritually-corrupted physical city, rather than a more abstract biblical allegory. This may be why Babylon is physically destroyed by earthquake and hailstorm, and not thrown into the fiery lake along with satan and his beasts.
Time-parallel 11 (14:9-11, 18:4-24, 19:5-6) represents the aftermath of the fall of Babylon. On the biblical earth, the third angel announces impending judgement on the un-repentant ‘marked’, who represent corrupted humanity (14:9-11) and this is part of the messianic war (see Time-parallel 10). This section ends at 14:11 because the call for endurance (14:12) is more likely to be associated with blessings on the faithful (14:13), rather than judgement on the marked. After Babylon’s fall is announced by the angel ‘with great authority’, probably to below-the-earth (18:1-3, time-parallel 10), the reasons for her fall are explained to the whole cosmos by a voice from heaven (18:4-24). The plea for the faithful to leave Babylon (18:4) and condemnation of her sins (18:5-8) and a warning for those who lament her fall (18:9-19) is followed by a plea for creation to rejoice at God’s judgement on Babylon (18:20); this is like a call to join the heavenly rejoicing (19:1-6). A warning to all generations follows the plea to rejoice: there will be no more celebration, music or work undertaken in Babylon after its destruction (18:21-24) because she killed the prophets and saints and all the faithful on earth (18:24). In heaven’s throne-room, celebrations at the fall (19:1-4) proceed onto the wedding supper of the Lamb (19:5-6). The time-parallel change at 19:5 is selected because at this point the voice from the throne turns attention away from Babylon and towards the wedding. There is no below-the-earth equivalent in time-parallel 11 because the most likely counterpart (18:4-24) concerns people, not demons or unclean spirits. There is no evidence in the text that below-the-earth contains creatures other than demonic spirits until the Final Judgement (time-parallel 18; see Framework 5).
A voice from heaven pleads with Babylon’s supporters to reject her (18:4) and this is the last opportunity to repent within the vision. Based on Jer. 51:45, this is a call for ‘ethical distinctiveness’, like a ‘second exodus’ from historic Babylon (Paul, 2018: 261, 292). The offer of the gift of the water of life is repeated in the epilogue (22:17; Paul, 2018: 275). Instead, people mourn the loss of her wealth-creating power. In this spatio-temporal analysis, 18:4-24 cannot be in the same time-line as 14:1-20 without creating a temporal paradox, so the warnings (18:4-24) are part of the physical-spiritual earth time-line.
[1] Other ancient authorities read ‘She has made all nations drink’ for both verses (NRSVA note, 18:3). Verb tenses are unreliable indicators for relative event timings in Revelation, particularly in chapter 18; this may reflect the tension between the narrative literary form and content, and/or how John saw future events unfold (Collins, 1979: 126).
4A.b) Which earth?
The proposed macrostructure indicates that John describes two visionary earths (see Framework 1A.d). The biblical space is so called because the events described within it reflect the biblical narrative, for example: what happens to the celestial mother on earth echoes events in the Garden of Eden and war between her children and satan (Framework 1B.c); satan’s two beasts are a reminder of Daniel’s beasts (Framework 3C.b); and chapter 14 reflects events most clearly recorded in the Gospels (Framework 5). From John’s point of view, he makes no distinction between the two earthly dimensions, other than characters and events on the (biblical) earth in 12:1-14:20 are described in a more tangible and allegorical way than the earthly characters in 6:2-11:19 (on the physical-spiritual earth). The physical-spiritual space is so called because John describes the two dimensions together on this earth, for example the four seal horsemen (spiritual) bring physical consequences (conquest, war, famine and death, 6:2-8; see Framework 1B.d). Both the physical-spiritual and biblical earths are visionary versions of the earth within which John lived (the material earth).
Earlier, in time-parallel 8b (4A.a), it was suggested that a unique event such as Babylon’s fall (14:8, 16:17-21) cannot occur at different times in the same space, so the three angels (14:6-11) and the bowls (16:2-21) must be in different spaces. From a structural point of view, onto which of the two earths do these events happen?
There is only one occasion in this spatio-temporal analysis when allocation of verses to a space is uncertain: the appearance of the Lamb on Mt Zion, the three angels and the harvests (14:1-20) can be either: a) biblical allegories or b) physical-spiritual events or c) there is a spatial transition at 14:6. If a spatial transition occurs at 14:6, 14:1-5 may be on the biblical earth but 14:6-20 is on the physical-spiritual earth. This ambiguity confirms Gilbertson description of 14:1-5 as spatially and temporally ambiguous (Gilbertson, 2003: 102-103, 132). The option chosen will have implications for how the ongoing story is interpreted. In each of the three options, the two-drama narrative continues and the time-lines are linear in each space. All the time-parallels are present in each option, and they only change to reflect the swapping of the contents of the spaces. For example, if Babylon is a physical-spiritual city-harlot and the bowl torments are physical-spiritual events (16:2-19:21; Figures 4 and 5), then 14:1-20 is biblical allegory. In the alternative options, if 14:1-20 or 14:6-20 occurs on the physical-spiritual earth, then the bowls are in the biblical space, or vice versa; because 14:8, 16:17-21 cannot occur on the same space. The proposed macrostructure follows Option 1 (Figure 4). The advantages and disadvantages of each option and the two alternative options are discussed in Framework 4A.d.
In Figure 4, 14:1-20 reflects the biblical narrative, and the bowls (16:2-21) (and later the impact of the appearance of the Rider and the Great Battle (19:15b, 19:17-21)) are physical-spiritual events. This option is chosen in this study because 14:1-20 is the climax of the messianic war (12:1-14:20) and it is most likely that all the earthly spaces in this war are in the same dimension. To have a spatial transition at 13:18/ 14:1 or at 14:6/ 14:7 accentuates the difference between the earthly spaces, rather than interpreting them together as the ‘whole’ earth. The bowls, the detailed fall of Babylon and the Great Battle are described in a more tangible way than the Lamb, three angels and harvests – and this endorses the view that they are on the physical-spiritual and biblical earth, respectively (see Framework 1B.d). This interpretation treats the two visionary earths as different dimensions within the same cosmic space (material earth), and they actively interact with each other. The strong links between the biblical and physical-spiritual is demonstrated by the Lamb appearing on Mt Zion (14:1-5) while the fifth bowl empties (16:10-11; time-parallel 8b) – which complements the Gospel narratives, particularly the eschatological sequences in Lk. 17 and Lk. 21/ Mt. 24/ Mk. 13 (see Framework 2C.b and 4D). What happens on the material earth during the time represented in this section is unknown, but it will reflect an amalgamation of the physical-spiritual and biblical narratives.
Heaven directs events and the physical-spiritual time-line describes what happens and the biblical time-line describes why events happen, i.e. satan and his beasts are ‘behind’ or influence earthly activities and wars (13:1-18, Framework 3) but now the presence of the Lamb heralds the ultimate destruction of all the evil beasts.
4A.c) The literary spiral - Construction
The time-parallels in this section demonstrate an internal, literary spiral structure from now onwards that begins when the sixth bowl empties (16:12, time-parallel 9), i.e. after the Lamb appears on Mt Zion (14:1, time-parallel 8b). This spiral structure overlies the two dramas, like a surface literary eddy in the chronologically linear flow of the vision. Both structural layers (the spiral and the Creation-New Order flow of the vision) follow the spacetime rule so this study proposes that they, rather than other literary features (such as chiasms or text parallels), creates the macrostructure of the vision. In this study, the literary features are a function of the way in which John described events, not the overall order of events.
Events are controlled from the heavenly throne in the vision (see Framework 1B.b) and the messengers in this section are the three angels flying over the biblical earth (14:6-11). The announcements made by these angels act as the structural framework for events and they distinguish one time-parallel from another. Later, the spiral reflects the path of John’s eyes as he watches contiguous events unfold and he describes the consequences in the other cosmic spaces of each message, in a few consecutive verses (16:12-19:6). The spiral includes events on the physical-spiritual earth, the below-the-earth boundary and heaven’s throne-room in this section and this is discussed further in the following Interpretation (4B and 4D). The spiral gives a snap-shot of what John sees as he looks around from his vantage points on the physical-spiritual earth.
In summary, by the end of this section, the linear macrostructure is overlain by a form of parallel progression (a one-to-one correlations between time-parallels in which events in one space (14:1-11, continuing to 14:20 in the next section, on the biblical earth) outline events (through the three angels in this section), and the other spaces infill details. There is no telescoping here (a one-to-many correlation); neither is there major recapitulation here because every time-line has its own story and some events are viewed from different perspectives but they are not repeated. The many chiasms in the text are surface, literary features.
Revelation has two structural layers: the continuing, primary, chronologically linear layer that is clearly seen as two dramas in every space (from 4:1 and 12:1); and the secondary layer that is a surface, literary spiral (from 16:12). The four references to the fall of Babylon (14:8, 16:17-21, 18:1-3 and heaven’s celebration at 19:1-4) is like a belt in the centre of the two literary dramas that keeps the dramas linked together and, when it is in place, all the time-parallels become apparent. The spiral is like an eddy in the overall flow of the vision’s structure but there are no temporal paradoxes because the spiral reflects the path of John’s eyes as he describes a single series of chronologically linear events unfolding in the spaces around him.
Summary and conclusions
By the end of this section, Revelation has two structural layers: the continuing, primary, chronologically-linear layer that is clearly seen as two dramas (from 4:1 and 12:1), and the secondary layer that is a surface, literary spiral (from 16:12). The spiral is like an eddy in the overall flow of the vision’s structure but there are no temporal paradoxes because the spiral reflects the path of John’s eyes as he describes a single series of chronologically linear events unfolding in the spaces around him. The focus of this section is the four references to the fall of Babylon (14:8, 16:17-21, 18:1-3 and heaven’s celebration at 19:1-4; time-parallel 10). During time-parallels 8-11, the Lamb and the three angels (14:1-11) appear on the biblical earth and bowls 5-7 empty onto the physical-spiritual earth. The Day of God’s Wrath begins with the emptying of the bowls. There is no telescoping here (a one-to-many correlation); neither is there major recapitulation because every time-line has its own story and some events are viewed from different perspectives but they are not repeated. The many chiasms in the text are surface, literary features.
In conclusion, there are three events recorded in Revelation that impact every cosmic space: the Cross (the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ), the fall of Babylon and the Final Judgement. In this section, the fall of Babylon is preceded by the appearance of the Lamb on Mt Zion (14:1-5, time-parallel 8b), which is the first part of the Parousia, and he is met by gathering evil armies (time-parallel 9). Babylon falls when the seventh bowl empties (time-parallel 10) and she is ruined by satan’s beasts (time-parallel 11). Following the Lamb, are three angels who proclaim the Gospel and warm that judgement is near (14:6-11). This section ends with a plea for the faithful to reject Babylon’s ongoing influence (18:4) and heaven prepares for the wedding of the Lamb (19:5-6).
Page updated 30 October 2024