Repetitions, abrupt transitions
and paradoxes in Revelation

Overview

This study proposes that the setting of the vision (the cosmos) within the book of Revelation controls the macrostructure of the text.  It introduces a spatio-temporal methodology and structure for Revelation that is (almost certainly) new to Theology.  Revelation’s description of the cosmos can be translated into a modern spatio-temporal metaphor or mental image: the spacetime (or space-time) continuum.  This is like following an ‘hermeneutic of spacetime’ which follows a ‘spacetime rule’ that time moves in one direction only (into the future) in the cosmos.  The cosmic spaces in Revelation are recognised in the proposed macrostructure as the heavenly throne-room, heaven’s environs, two earthly spaces (physical-spiritual earth and biblical earth) and below-the-earth.  Within the story are four steps back in relative time (at 4:2, 12:1, 12:13 and 15:1), which are seen as abrupt transitions in the text.  These four relocations enable Revelation’s author (John) to tell a single story (from Creation to the New Order) as two linked dramas (from 4:1 and 12:1) and a surface, literary spiral (16:12-21:9).  What happens as time passes within these two dramas create time-lines in each space and the same events can be seen from multiple perspectives (as repetitions or paradoxes).  Contemporaneous events in the time-lines are recognisable as eighteen ‘time-parallels’, which are like text parallels but with a chronological component. 

 

This chapter considers the structural implications of the repetitions, abrupt transitions and paradoxes in the text, specifically references to the shedding of the blood of the Lamb (5:5-7, 12:9-12, 12:17), fall of Babylon (14:8, 16:17-21, 18:1-3, 19:1-4) and the Parousia (Christ’s appearance, 14:1-20, 19:11-16).  The multiple references to these events are the foci of the three time-parallels which are cornerstones of the proposed macrostructure.[1]

 

[1] The Great Battle does not impact the throne-room itself so it is not one of the defining time-parallels in this study.  The wedding of the Lamb is underway when the Rider appears in heaven (19:15, time-parallel 15), and the Rider will tread the wine-press on earth.    

1) Introduction

Sometime in the second half of the first century A.D., the author of the Book of Revelation (John) described how he was praying on Patmos and he went on a visionary journey ‘in the spirit’ (1:10)[1] through the cosmos.  When reading or listening to the book as a single experience, the story has a deceptively linear structure, with frequent references to ‘I saw … I heard’ and ‘after this … after these things’.  The story moves from: John’s meeting with the Warrior on the visionary Patmos (from 1:10); to the heavenly throne-room and the sudden appearance of the slain Lamb; to series of earthly torments, dangers, strange characters and battles; to the final judgement and New Order.  John’s visionary journey is complicated by abrupt transitions in the text, such as at 11:19/12:1 and 13:18/14:1.  Some scenarios are repeated, for example John sees the immediate impact of the shedding of the blood of the Lamb three times (i.e. the crucifixion; 5:5-7, 12:9-12, 12:17), and the Parousia is described in three different ways (14:1-20, 19:11-16).  The term ‘macrostructure’ refers to the unified overall structure of Revelation and the model is illustrated in the Macrostructure Model webpage.  This study investigates the repetitions, abrupt transitions and paradoxes and it proposes that these are the controlling elements of the macrostructure.  Separate Methodology and Macrostructure sections give more details on these subjects (see the chapter: Towards … Sections 2 and 3).
 
Although the cosmic setting within Revelation is widely accepted, this study is unusual in proposing that Revelation has a linear chronological story-line and the relative timing and location of events within John’s visionary cosmos are the structural components of its macrostructure.  This study translates the cosmic and temporal setting of the story into its modern equivalent: a spatio-temporal macrostructure that reflects a spacetime continuum metaphor.  This is also unusual in Theology, but it is not unexpected; a first century A.D. understanding of the cosmos and its modern equivalent describe the same observations.  As a non-physicist’s metaphor, spacetime considers the cosmos as a 3-dimensional volume and the passing of time moves in one direction only, like an arrow into the future.  An event in one place cannot be witnessed in another place before that event occurs so, in the material cosmos, consequences follow causes.  The spatio-temporal analysis indicates there are steps back in relative time in the story-line at 4:2, 12:1, 12:13 and 15:1.  These result in a Creation to New Order story-line (see the Macrostructure Model webpage) that contains two interlinked, chronologically linear dramas set in: heaven’s throne-room and environs; on two earthly dimensions; and at the earth/ below-the-earth boundary.  This chapter considers the structural implications of the three main repetitions, abrupt transitions and paradoxes in the text.

 

[1] Verses are quoted from the New Revised Standard Bible, Anglican edition.

1a) The structural problem: repetitions, abrupt transitions, paradoxes

One of the main structural problems for any macrostructure to consider is how the repetitions, abrupt transitions and paradoxes in the text can be reconciled into an integrated model.[1]  Scattered concurrent events and possible separations between causes and consequences indicate that the story-line is sometimes non-linear and this section describes the situation.

 

Revelation’s story is an apocalyptic prophecy that is event-driven, with at least one pause (8:1).  John orientates himself within the cosmos during his journey: he turns around (1:12); he prostrates himself in worship (1:17, 19:10, 22:8); he is transported in the spirit to heaven’s throne-room (4:1-2) but he returns to earth, probably at 6:2 to see the impact of the seals opening, and he is carried by a bowl angel to the desert (17:3) and a mountain top (21:9-10).  On his journey, John describes occasions in which he sees or hears multiple references to major events, such as: the shedding of the blood of the Lamb (5:5-7, 12:9-12, 12:17); the fall of Babylon (14:8, 16:17-21, 18:1-3, 19:1-4) and the Parousia (14:1-5, 19:11-16).  There are also paradoxical transitions in the story, in which the seventh trumpet and open sanctuary are followed by the appearance of the dragon/ satan, not by the Parousia (11:19/12:1) and the open sanctuary follows the appearance of the Lamb on Mt Zion (14:20/15:1).  This section describes the problems raised for macrostructures in Revelation on these occasions, and their settings in the story.  The proposed reconciliation and John’s visionary journey through the cosmos is represented in the proposed macrostructure.

 

[1] Revelation’s structural synopses: see Fiorenza, 1998: 159-164; Osborne 2002: 29; Mach 2015: 23-26.    

Next page: Blood of the Lamb

Page updated 7 September 2024