Towards a new
spatio-temporal
macrostructure for Revelation - analysis
4) The cosmos and spatio-temporal analysis
Like Leonard Thompson, this study considers the geography of Revelation as the basis for its structure, but it creates something like a geological model of the story told within the book, i.e. the proposed macrostructure (see Towards … 1d). This macrostructure recognises the setting of Revelation as a multi-dimensional cosmos within which John describes events with spatial (heaven, earth, below-the-earth) and temporal (past, present, future) dimensions which can be mapped. This chapter considers key aspects of the outcome of the spatio-temporal analysis: the setting of John’s visionary journey (John’s cosmos); temporal relocations in the story-line at 4:2, 12:1, 12:13, 15:1; the two earths; and the literary spiral.
4a) John's cosmos and the setting of his journey
John’s cosmology followed a Jewish model but J Edward Wright concludes there was such diversity in early cosmic schema that there was no unified understanding and early scholars (including Jewish and Christian writers) could only reflect their own particular knowledge and belief. In particular, there were probably differences between biblical and Israelite portrayals (Wright, 2000: 56, 88). John’s narrative was predominantly concerned with what happened in heaven and on earth – ‘heaven and earth’ being a common phrase indicating the whole universe in John’s era (Wright, 2000: 53).
Steven Friesen described John’s cosmology as ‘weak’ (Friesen, 2001: 179) but the ‘weakness’ may indicate that John’s interpretation of the universe was tailored to his message. For example, the cosmos is not like a container with an ‘outside’ and it is not like the inside of a bowl because heaven is a limitless space with the throne-room at its centre and all actions radiate out from the throne (for example: 4:1-3, 16:17, 19:5, 20:11, 21:3-22:5) and the Lamb (Christ’s manifestation in the throne-room) appears on Mt Zion, which is an earthly location (14:1-5).
The proposed macrostructure illustrates the shape of John’s cosmos in Revelation. John divides both heaven and earth into two regions and below-the-earth is acknowledged by the events that happen at its boundary with earth.
4b) Heaven
Heaven is divided into two parts: the throne-room itself and its surrounding environs. Steven Friesen describes the extensive similarities with the Roman Emperor cult in Revelation but the throne in Revelation reflects divine relationships, and not autocracy. This is illustrated by what may be early references to the Trinity. In 4:3, the One-seated-on-the-throne, the Lamb on the throne and the green rainbow encircling the throne (the Spirit) may represent the Trinity. The colour of the rainbow is reminiscent of the aurora borealis which looks like a celestial rainbow or a wind hovering in the sky (see Framework 1B.h). In the New Order, the One-seated-on-the-throne, the Lamb on the throne and perhaps the water flowing from the throne in the New Jerusalem (the Spirit) may represent the Trinity (22:1-2; Paul, 2018: 362).
Heaven’s environs host the birth of the celestial child (12:5) and the battle between forces led by satan and Michael (12:7-9). Some authors place the birth of the Messiah on earth but this spatio-temporal analysis indicates that the location and time of the birth is not in Bethlehem (see 4f). Its boundary with the earth/ sky is transparent when John sees the ‘signs’ of 12:1-4 (Martin Kiddle describes them as ‘sky paintings’ (Kiddle, 1940: 219) and the sign of the seven bowl angels (15:1).
4c) The two earths
Earth is also divided into two parts because it would be a temporal violation for 6:2 to follow 12:18 in the same space in the proposed model, i.e. if the beginning of the vision on Patmos (1:1-3:22) and the torments of the seals (from 6:2) happen before the celestial mother (12:6) and satan appear in an earlier era on earth (12:13) (see Framework 1A.d). The dramas complement one another, but the second does not recapitulate the first because they tell different stories, set at different times and in different spaces. This is illustrated in the Macrostructure Model, Figure 1.
In the interpretation in this study, the first earth is the physical-spiritual earth and the images intertwine the metaphorical with the more tangible characters or events. For example, the four seal horsemen may represent the spiritual dimension and their impact (conquest, war, famine and death) is physical (6:1-17). This earth describes what happens on earth during John’s visionary journey.
The second earth reflects the biblical narrative and it describes why events happen – Scripture will be fulfilled.
Both earths are places of engagement with the spiritual powers, but this earth demonstrates that the ‘messianic war’ between the forces of heaven and satan is underway (12:1-14:20, Bauckham, 1993a: 94). In the interpretation in this study, this war has a universal beginning at Creation (12:1; see Framework chapter, 1B.e) and a post-script (21:7-8), when everyone faces the Final Judgement (see Framework 5).
4d) Below-the-earth
Events associated with below-the-earth are boundary events with earth: demons appearing out of the mouths of the dragon and his two beasts (16:13-14); demons infesting Babylon (18:2); and the fiery lake (from 19:20). Caves and craters of active volcanoes (fiery, often sulphurous lakes) were considered to be entrances to below-the-earth in John’s era, and John does not enter or see further into below-the-earth.
John implies that below-the-earth is created when satan and his angels are expelled from heaven to earth (12:9) because an angel rises from the smoke and leads evil armies onto earth when the abyss opens (9:11). There is no below-the-earth viewpoint when John describes the story of the dragon (satan) and how satan’s relationship with humanity corrupted humanity’s relationship with God (12:1-13:18).
4e) Time
Concerning the passing of time within Revelation: John describes events in his relative past or future (‘Now write what you have seen, what is, and what is to take place after this.’1:19) and there is recognisable linear plot progression in the story – with frequent references to ‘then … after this … after these things’. Verb tenses cannot be the guiding factor because they are unreliable indicators for relative event timings in Revelation; this is especially true for the fall of Babylon in 18:1-24 (Collins, 1979: 126). They may reflect the tension between the narrative literary form and content, and/ or how John saw future events unfold.
This study suggests that the text indicates time passing in Revelation is analogous to time passing on earth, but events in heaven may have a more abstract linear chronology than on earth, for example 4:2-5:4 and 12:1-12 may cover all the time from Creation to Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension (i.e. the Cross; see the Macrostructure Model, Figure 1).
The passage of time within below-the-earth is unknown because it is only described as the source of the beasts and demons, and the fiery lake is the final destination for satan and his followers. What ‘for ever and ever’ may mean is uncertain. Whether below-the-earth ceases to exist or if it continues outside the New Order is unknown. If spacetime, as humanity knows it, ends with the Old Order then the duration of the fiery lake (‘for ever and ever’, 20:10) is likely to also end.
4f) Steps back in relative time (4:2, 12:1, 12:13, 15:1)
On his visionary journey, John describes seeing or hearing multiple references to major events, such as: the immediate impact of 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 (the appearance of Christ, or his ‘coming’ in Revelation, 14:1-20, 19:11-16). There are also paradoxical transitions in the story: 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).
Spatio-temporal analysis highlights discrepancies between linear and other literary patterns and proposes that Revelation describes a single story, from Creation to the New Order, which contains four steps back in relative time (at 4:2, 12:1, 12:13 and 15:1). These relocations result in John’s cosmic journey containing two linked dramas (from 4:1 and 12:1) and a surface, literary spiral that reflects John’s observations from his vantage points (16:12-21:9) (see the Macrostructure Model, Figures 4-5).
John is praying on Patmos when he turns to see one-like-a-son-of-man (the Warrior; 1:9-10) standing among seven lamp-stands, so it is likely John remains in his present time and location as his vision begins. When John is taken from earth to heaven’s throne-room, he sees the slain Lamb appear and take the scroll from the hand of the one-seated-on-the-throne, so 4:2 represents the first step back in relative time in the story for John (to before the Cross) and the worship he hears (4:11) may have begun at Creation itself. The opening of the seals of the scroll (6:1-8:1), however, are an immediate consequence of the Cross, so it is likely the terrors of the four seal horsemen impacted the first post-Cross generations.
The structure of 1:1-11:19 is linear, encompassing earth, heaven’s throne-room and earth again. Events culminate with the sounding of the seventh trumpet and the opening of the heavenly sanctuary (11:15-19). Instead of these events heralding the Parousia, John sees the celestial pregnant woman and then a dragon/ satan as great signs in heaven (12:1-4). 12:1 is a convenient point to reflect on the role of evil in the story before the anticipation of the Parousia, generated at 11:19 is satisfied at 14:1 and 19:11.
12:1 is the second step back in relative time within the vision because John witnesses the birth of the celestial child, who is immediately ‘snatched up’ to God and his throne (12:5). The child is almost certainly the Messiah, but the location and timing of the birth are debated (see Framework 1B.c). This study suggests events surrounding his birth occur in heaven’s environs (not Bethlehem) and 12:1 initiates a second timeline that climaxes at the Cross, and it also begins at Creation (12:1-12). 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).
The third shift in relative time (12:12) follows satan after he is defeated in a heavenly battle because of the Cross, and expelled. Satan follows the celestial mother to a mythic or early/ pre-history earth on which the mother found safety in the wilderness (12:6). The snake/ satan attacks her (12:13-16), possibly in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:1-24) and she is saved from a flood. Time moves on, and the story climaxes again at the Cross when satan moves to attack the rest of the faithful offspring (followers of Jesus; 12:17); 12:17 cannot occur before the time of Jesus.
John’s steps back in relative time enable him to see the consequence of the Cross from three perspectives (5:5-7, 12:9-12, 12:17) and these are illustrated as time-parallel 1 in the Macrostructure Model, Figure 1. 12:1-18 introduces the child (Messiah) at the very beginning of earth’s history and satan stands by the sea-shore until his two beasts appear and society is under their control (12:18-13:18) until the Lamb appears on Mt Zion and the harvests begin (14:1-20).
The fourth, and final, shift back in relative time in the story-line is associated with the start of the emptying of the bowls (14:20/15:1) because the seventh trumpet sounding (11:15) and the open heavenly sanctuary (11:19, 15:5) almost certainly precede the Lamb’s appearance on Mt Zion (14:1-5).
In the proposed macrostructure the sanctuary opens once: after 15:5, the Day of God’s Wrath begins (the seven bowl angels appear and Babylon falls when the seventh bowl empties (15:1-16:21); after 11:19, Christ comes with the Three Angels and the earth is harvested (14:1-20) while the Day unfolds. Without this relocation, the heavenly sanctuary opens twice: first, for Christ’s appearance and then for the Day – but the Second Angel announces that Babylon has already fallen (14:8) and this is a temporal paradox in the linear model. Stephen Smalley suggests that 14:8 is a ‘proleptic’ (anticipatory) announcement (Smalley, 2005: 363) but it is part of a text spiral that includes the same phrase (‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!’) at 18:1-3. The presence of time-parallels 5 to 15 confirm the 14:20/15:1 relocation (Macrostructure Model Figures 3-5).
4g) A literary spiral and John’s visionary vantage points
The two linked dramas cover events from Creation to the New Order but a more complex, surface literary structure begins with the bowls (15:1) and covers the cosmos-wide events leading up to Babylon’s fall and thereafter (16:12-21:9). From 16:12 (when the sixth bowl empties and evil forces gather for war), John describes contiguous events unfolding in multiple cosmic spaces in a few consecutive verses. This creates a textual spiral pattern (see Framework 4) that overlies time-parallels 9 to 18.
The literary spiral is like an eddy in the overall flow of the vision and it may follow his gaze as he watches these events from visionary vantage points including: visionary Patmos (initially); in heaven’s throne-room (from 4:2 for an unspecified time, perhaps returning to Patmos); and near Jerusalem after John measures the Temple (11:3-17:2, see Framework 3B.c) until he is taken to the wilderness (17:1-3) and a high mountain (21:9-10) (see Framework 4D). The spiral ends when John describes the New Jerusalem and the vision ceases (see the Macrostructure Model, Figure 5).
Revelation’s macrostructure is independent of the nature of John’s experience (vision(s)/ dream(s)/ imagination/ solely theological insight) but John was able to record events while they were happening (10:4) and the literary spiral and time-parallels confirm that John experienced a single waking vision (see Towards … 3f).
Page updated 22 February 2026