In one of his many provocative asides during his lectures on Revelation, James Jordan suggests that the sevenfold praise of the Lamb (5:12) matches the sevenfold description of Jesus in the first vision (1:14-16). Jordan doesn’t elaborate, so let’s see how this works out. As usual, some . . . . Continue Reading »
It’s often noted, but during this Advent the point struck home with particular force: John begins his gospel with the incarnational gospel that the “Word became flesh and tabernacled ( skenoo ) among us.” God the Word descends from heaven to pitch His tent with men. But that . . . . Continue Reading »
The first song of the heavenly choir is sung by the four living creatures (Revelation 4:8). They sing not of creation or redemption, but of God Himself. The song is an intricate knot of intersecting structures. There is, first, a simple chiasm: A. Triple “holy” B. Three titles: Lord, . . . . Continue Reading »
John is caught up to the heavenly temple (Revelation 4), and it’s not surprising that he sees a “sea” in front of God’s throne. The sea is a recognizable peace of temple furniture. Further, the sea corresponds to the “waters above” that were caught up above the . . . . Continue Reading »
Davis convincingly argues that the scene in Revelation 4-5 is a meeting of the divine council, prophet present, to deliberate and pass judgment. What’s the issue before the court? Davis cites this explanation from Adele Yabro Collins: “In the context of the Apocalypse as a whole, it is . . . . Continue Reading »
In his discussion of the four creatures of Revelation 4, Davis notes the connections between the faces and the four principal tribes of Israel: Judah/Lion, Reuben/Man, Ephraim/Ox, and Dan/Eagle (serpent). He adds, “Scholars who link these insignias with the forces of nature are probably at . . . . Continue Reading »
What is destroyed in Revelation 17-20 is not only the Harlot, but the Harlot-with-Beast. False Israel and the apostate, bestial oikoumene collapse together. And this composite reality has a single replacement - the Bride that comes down from heaven, who becomes not just the replacement for the . . . . Continue Reading »
In his The Heavenly Court Judgment of Revelation 4-5 , Dean Davis notes the repetition of the word “name” in Revelation 1-3, and connects it with the temple-name theology of the Old Testament. He concludes that “The ‘name’ is now localized on the believer. It includes . . . . Continue Reading »
Each of Jesus’ seven letters to the churches in Revelation 1-3 ends with a promise to the “victors” ( ho nikon ). The blessings form a progression in various ways - they link up with different stages of the OT, and they also form a progression toward enthronement with Jesus. To . . . . Continue Reading »
Does it matter whether we say the events recorded in the Bible happened? Couldn’t we draw the same “lessons” regardless? Not if one of the “lessons” has to do with the pattern of God’s action in history. Whether tropological or allegorical, “timeless” . . . . Continue Reading »
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