Towards a new
spatio-temporal
macrostructure for Revelation - proposed model
5) The proposed spatio-temporal macrostructure
This study proposes that the setting of the vision (the cosmos) within the book of Revelation controls the structure of the text, and the setting can be translated into a modern spatio-temporal metaphor or mental image: the spacetime 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 and verses cannot ‘jump over’ one another in a single space (they behave like beads on a piece of string within a space). For example, it would be a temporal violation for later events (such as 6:2-11:19) to interrupt the progression of earlier events (such as 12:1-18) (see Towards … 2 and Framework 1). Reconciliations of paradoxes are illustrated in the Macrostructure Model and described in detail in the Framework chapter.
Steven Friesen described John’s cosmology as ‘weak’ (Friesen, 2001: 179) but the proposed macrostructure describes how John’s visionary cosmos consists of heaven’s throne-room and its environs, the earth/ below-the-earth boundary and two versions of earth: the physical-spiritual earth (John describes these two dimensions together) which may reflect something like what happened/ will happen on the material earth; and an earth that reflects the corresponding biblical narrative and describes why these events occur (what Richard Bauckham called the ‘messianic war’, Bauckham, 1993a: 94) and how Scripture will be fulfilled.
Revelation describes a single waking vision of a journey through the cosmos and time passing appears to be linear (as illustrated by the book outline), but there are four steps back in relative time within it (at 4:2, 12:1, 12:13 and 15:1). These result in repeated descriptions of unique events, for example the shedding of the blood of the Lamb (5:5-7, 12:9-12, 12:17) and the fall of Babylon (14:8, 16:17-21, 18:1-3, 19:1-4), and two interlinked chronologically linear Creation to New Order dramas (from 1:10 and from 12:1).
The dramas are linked by eighteen time-parallels, which are like text-parallels but they have a chronological dimension; they demonstrate that major events occur simultaneously throughout John’s cosmos. Superimposed upon the linear story-line is a text spiral (16:12-21:9) that describes events from just before the fall of Babylon to the descent of the New Jerusalem. The spiral may trace the path of John’s eyes as he watches contiguous events unfold when he is on visionary vantage points on the physical-spiritual earth, and he describes events in a few verses.
5a) A symbolic journey
The key to interpreting Revelation’s symbolism in the way that John may have intended is obscure today but the proposed macrostructure is independent of possible ‘meanings’ of the images, and it is era-neutral. However, the progression of symbolic, multi-dimensional events in the visionary cosmos represented in Revelation may be a metaphor for (or analogous to) real events happening in the physical cosmos in John’s ‘present age’ or anticipated in the ‘age to come’. For example Babylon (a great city and harlot: 14:8, 16:17-21, 17:1-18:24) may be first century A.D. Rome, or not Rome at all – it may represent corrupt, hedonistic society in general.
This study is not a search for ideological, literary or linguistic patterns; it suggests that underlying all these patterns is the fundamental macrostructure, which traces the path of John’s visionary journey through the cosmos. Even the similarities between the first four seal, trumpet and bowl torments, or the visual similarities between the three magnificent women (celestial mother, Babylon and the Bride) are superimposed upon this chronologically linear Creation to New Order story.
5b) An active chronology
An active chronology is the key to the proposed macrostructure because at any point in the story (i.e. at the same relative time) there is consistency between the two narrative paths and correlations between them is compatible; this is illustrated in the time-parallels. There are occasions when time-parallels link consequences with their cause(s), for example when the abyss opens (9:2) this may enable the abyss beast rise to earth (13:1-10; so Collins, 1979: 72; Figure 3; time-parallel 2) and when the four angels are released at the Euphrates (9:14-15), this may facilitate the rising of the earth beast through another earth/ below-the-earth portal (13:11; Figure 3; time-parallel 3).
Time-parallels are based upon the subject matter in each verse, so they often mirror text parallels. For example, time-parallel 6 (Figure 3) is based upon Bauckham’s observed text parallel that it is ‘remarkable’ that the meaning of 11:11-13 (two witnesses resurrected, a tenth of the city collapses, 7000 people die, survivors praise God) ‘coincides exactly’ with that of 15:2-4 (the victorious martyrs rejoice), which confirms Bauckham’s interpretation of both passages, despite their different images (Bauckham, 1993a: 101). Similarly, time-parallel 15 indicates the crushing of the grape harvest corresponds to the Great Battle (14:20/19:15-21; Figure 5; so Bauckham, 1993b: 47, 293; Osborne, 2002: 555-556; contra Jauhiainen, 2003a: 554, who suggests the bowls partially recapitulate the grape harvest). The time-parallel 18 (Judgement/ Second Death) is the only one which includes a confirmatory statement (21:7-8) and it completes the biblical time-line (Figure 5).
The torments of the seals, trumpets and bowls represent the perennial scourges of humanity, but their structure in this spatio-temporal analysis is linear and not telescopic or recapitulation of a single series of events. The linear plot progression (i.e. John’s visionary journey) describes the four temporal shifts in the story and the shifts create the opportunity for John to see the same events again, but from different perspectives. The resulting repetitions are functions of the underlying macrostructure, rather than being surface, literary features.
There are many ways to structure Revelation’s text using the proposed macrostructure; for example the story within the vision can be divided into three parts, plus an introduction (1:1-3:22) and the final words in the vision and an epilogue (22:6-21). The three parts correspond to the presence of the three magnificent women:
- the era of the celestial mother who is, most scholars agree, the mother of the Messiah (from Creation to Jesus’ death, up to time-parallel 1);
- the era of Babylon, the great city and harlot that reflects Imperial Rome, i.e. hedonistic society from Jesus’ death to the Final Judgement (time-parallels 1-18);
- the era of the Bride of the Lamb (the New Jerusalem), who is the faithful people of God (after time-parallel 18).
There is overlap between each era because Babylon existed before the Cross and continued her influence after she was ruined. After her fall, heaven celebrates and preparations for the wedding begin (time-parallel 11) but the era of the Bride begins when she comes down from heaven to the New Earth and she is recognised as the New Jerusalem. In other words, events in all the time-parallels in this study correspond to the age of Babylon because her influence is felt until the Final Judgement (time-parallel 18).
The story-line can also be divided into the ‘present age’ and ‘the age to come’ and this reflects Gospel accounts in Lk. 17 and Lk. 21/ Mt. 24-25/ Mk. 13 (see Towards … 6). Underlying every structural option is the proposed Creation to New Order macrostructure. For convenience only, the proposed macrostructure is divided into five parts, and a summary is given next.
5b.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 story-line steps back in relative time at 4:2 and 12:1 (John witnesses the moment of Creation) and 12:13 (satan first appears on earth). Creation is implied by the heavenly worship (4:11) and defined by the birth of the celestial child (the Christ/ Messiah) in heaven’s environs (not Bethlehem). The child was immediately snatched up to God and his throne (12:5, 3:14 and Jn. 1:1-5). 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). This study proposes that John’s description of the throne-room (4:3) includes a very early reference to the Trinity: the radiant one seated on the throne, who holds a scroll with seven seals (the Father) and the emerald-like rainbow encircling the throne (the Spirit; perhaps looking like a celestial wind or the aurora borealis) and the slain Lamb/ celestial child (the Son). Christ is the Lamb who stands before the throne (5:6, NRSVA) or at its centre (NIV); in 3:21 and 7:17 the Lamb is on the throne.
The Lamb appears in the throne-room while John watches and 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). This may also represent the moment when below-the-earth is created because an angel is the king of the abyss (9:11). When the Lamb takes the scroll from the hand of the One-seated-on-the-throne and he opens the seals on the scroll, he 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 celestial mother first finds safety (12:6) and then danger when the dragon appears (12:13-16). The mother is certainly the mother of the Messiah, and she may be the archetypal Israel, and perhaps Eve 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 Gospels (particularly Lk. 17 and Lk. 21/ Mt. 24-25/ Mk. 13) were used to validate the proposed macrostructure. 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; see Towards … 6).
5b.2) John’s ‘present age’ and the beginning of the 'age to come’ (Framework 2)
John’s present-age is the era of the opening seals and it is a time of persecution and waiting. The dragon/ satan continues to stand by the sea-shore (12:18) and there are no time-parallels in this section. When the fifth seal breaks, satan’s victims cry for vengeance; they must wait (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 70 A.D. (6:12-17). Four angels who are holding back the four winds 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’ (7:9-17).
There is silence in heaven for about half an hour when the seventh seal breaks (8:1) and this may represent the ‘the times of the Gentiles’ (Lk. 21:24). Then, the seven trumpets are prepared and the golden censer is flung to earth (8:2-5). The censer may protect the faithful and purify the earth as the eschaton begins (the ‘last days’ or ‘end times’). This is the precursor to the ‘age to come’. The trumpets sound warnings of impending judgement and cosmic devastation (8:6-11:19).
5b.3) The era of satan’s beasts (Framework 3, time-parallels 2-8a)
When the fifth trumpet sounds and first of 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 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) who had been ‘held ready for the hour’ are released at the Euphrates (9:13-21) and the earth beast rises (13:11-15) (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). Everyone who wants to buy or sell is ‘marked’ on the biblical earth (13:16-18). At the equivalent time 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).
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). This parallel is based upon Richard Bauckham’s observed text parallel that it is ‘remarkable’ that the meaning of 11:11-13 ‘coincides exactly’ with that of 15:2-4, which confirms his interpretation of both passages, despite their different images (Bauckham, 1993a: 101). This time-parallel extends Bauckham’s text parallel: the heavenly rejoicing (15:2-4) is also a counter-part to the warning of the imminent third woe, sound of the seventh trumpet on earth, and the heavenly proclamation of the kingdom of Christ and worship of God (11:14-18).
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 this Temple opens, 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 this 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).
5b.4) The Lamb appears on Mt Zion, Babylon falls (Framework 4, time-parallels 8b-11)
Sometime during the emptying of the seven bowls 16:2-16:17), Christ the Lamb appears on Mt Zion (14:1-5; time-parallel 8b), but we do not know exactly when (3:2-3, 16:15). The first four plagues have similarities with the first four seal and trumpet torments, so it is likely Christ appears 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 (his appearance or ‘coming’) and it may correspond to the ‘sign’ expected in Mt. 24:30a (see Towards … 6).
Christ comes with the 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) and armies gather for battle at a place called Armageddon (16:14-16). The seventh bowl empties and voice from the heavenly 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) and 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).
5b.5) The climax of the messianic war (Framework 5, time-parallels 12-18)
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 (12:1-14:20) culminates in the appearance of the One-like-a-son-of-man (Christ), crowned and on a cloud. This is the second part of the Parousia. He 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 Grape Harvest (14:17-20). In the Gospels, this may correspond to the gathering of ‘his elect’ when everyone will see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven’ (Mt. 24:29-31, Mk. 13:26-27).
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; see Towards … 6c.2). 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 (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, i.e. the faithful) 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 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).
5c) Final thoughts
This study proposes that Revelation was a single vision of events from Creation to the New Order, thus all of salvation history is included in the vision, and this is consistent with spacetime as a hermeneutical interpretation. The difference between an historical interpretation of the text (the hermeneutic of salvation history) and the proposed hermeneutic of spacetime is that history is about how time affects people and spacetime is about how time affects the people and the places with which they interact. Together they describe how the universe and its inhabitants relate to one another. Revelation, as prophetic- apocalyptic (revelatory) literature, is the prism through which history and spacetime can be viewed.
In traditional terms, the proposed macrostructure 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 present-age (a Preterist interpretation, see Pate, 2009: 7) and the Parousia has not yet happened (a Futurist interpretation).
Whereabouts in history or on the spacetime continuum an individual reader may be located is uncertain but it seems likely we are all in the silence of the seventh seal (8:1), which may be ‘the times of the Gentiles’ (Lk. 21:24; see Towards …6). (Note to present readers: will anyone alive at the time recognise when the trumpets start sounding because the first four are associated with generic trauma, such as burning, water contamination and darkness?) Who or what most of Revelation’s characters may represent is even more uncertain, so no attempt is made here to put names to the characters or events (the celestial mother and Babylon are the exceptions, see 5b).
Page updated 24 November 2025