Revelation: Dragon Cycle Bowl Perspectives: Millennium ...drkoine.com/Pdf/Rev/Handouts/Rev24-Millennium20.1-15.pdfRevelation LIterary Structure: Thematic Parts Judgment Cycle (6—20)

Revelation: Dragon Cycle Bowl Perspectives: Millennium (Rev. 20:1–15)

General Outline

Revelation of J/Christ

(1:1–8)

PrologueJesus/John

Revelation of J/Christ(22:6–21)

EpilogueJesus/John

General Outline

Revelation of J/Christ

(1:1–8)

PrologueJesus/John

Revelation of J/Christ(22:6–21)

EpilogueJesus/John

LIterary Structure: Thematic PartsJudgment Cycle (6—20)

Conflict • Dragon Attack • Beast Agents Conquest • Prelude • Bowls • Perspectives Climax

Christ Cycle (6–11)Almighty God & His Christ

Dragon Cycle (12–20)Red Dragon & His Beasts

Seals 1–4 Seal 5 Seal 6 Interlude • 144,000 • Multitude

Seal 7

Trumpets 1–4 Trumpet 5 Trumpet 6 Interlude • Scroll • Witnesses

Trumpet 7


RevelationLIterary Structure: Thematic Parts

Judgment Cycle (6—20)





Seal 7


Trumpet 7


RevelationLiterary Structure: Dragon Cycle (12–20)

Dragon Cycle (12–20)

Cosmic Conflict (Rev 12–13)

Dragon Attack (12)

Beast Agents (13)

Messianic Conquest (Rev 14–20)

Bowl Prelude (14)

Bowl Judgments (15–16)

Bowl Perspectives (17–20)

Eschatological Climax (Rev 20)

Satan’s Defeat (20)

God’s Judgment (20)




Bowl PerspectivesRev 17—Harlot (Prophet’s View)

Rev 18—Babylon (Heaven’s View)

Rev 19—Rider (Messiah’s View)

Rev 20—Millennium (Martyr’s View)Rev 20—Millennium (Martyr’s View)

Persp.

17–20


Bowl Perspectives

Rev 20—Millennium (Martyr’s View)Rev 20—Millennium (Martyr’s View)

Persp.

17–20


I. Imagery Sources for Rev 20 A. Binding imagery

Jewish tradition: Isa. 24:21–22; 1 Enoch 10:4–6; 2 Baruch 40; Jubilees 10:4–14 New Testament: Jude 6; 2 Pet. 2:4

B. Gog/Magog Jewish tradition: Ezekiel 38–39 New Testament: only 1x = Rev

C. Ancient of Days Jewish tradition: Dan. 7:9–15, 27 New Testament: Mt. 19:28; Lk. 22:30; 1 Cor.

Bowl Perspectives 4/4: Millennium (20:1–6)


I. Imagery Sources for Rev 20 A. Binding imagery

Jewish tradition: Isa. 24:21–22; 1 Enoch 10:4–6; 2 Baruch 40; Jubilees 10:4–14 New Testament: Jude 6; 2 Pet. 2:4

B. Gog/Magog Jewish tradition: Ezekiel 38–39 New Testament: only 1x = Rev

C. Ancient of Days Jewish tradition: Dan. 7:9–15, 27 New Testament: Mt. 19:28; Lk. 22:30; 1 Cor.


• judgment of antigod forces • contested kingdom to “son of man”


I. Imagery Sources D. Record books

ancient world Persian: administration, record keeping Greco-Roman: maintaining city registers (cf. Josephus, census of Augustus, Lk. 2:4–5)

Jewish: Ex. 32:32–33; Ps. 69:28; Dan. 12:1 NT: Lk. 10:20; Phil. 4:3; Heb. 12:23 Revelation: 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27



II. Millennium Narrative: Two-Part StructureBowl Perspectives 4/4: Millennium (20:1–6)

Millennium, Part 1 Dragon Binding

(20:1–3)

Benediction (20:6) “kingdom of priests”

(cf. 1:6; 5:10)

Millennium, Part 2 Martyr Reign

(20:4–6)


II. Millennium Narrative: Two-Part StructureBowl Perspectives 4/4: Millennium (20:1–6)

Millennium, Part 1 Dragon Binding

(20:1–3)


(cf. 1:6; 5:10)


(20:4–6)


III. Millennium, Part 1: Dragon Binding (20:1–3) A. Triple binding (chained, locked, sealed)

security of imprisonment = God’s sovereignty ambiguities of restraint action

source (cross? special action?) timing (church age? future?) connection (millennium basis?)

B. Triple identity (serpent, Devil, Satan) repeated from ch. 12 (12:9) identity inclusio = concludes Dragon Cycle


II. Millennium Narrative: Two-Part Structure

Dragon Cycle (12–20)Victory: Dragon’s Final Defeat (20:1–15)


(20:4–6)

IV. Millennium, Part 2: Martyr Reign (20:4–6) A. Martyr reign: critical observations

Subjects: beheaded martyrs, not all believers Focus: martyrology, not soteriology Location: no indication whatsoever of location

B. Martyr reign: speaks to Seven Letters issues reframes Antipas situation fulfills 14:6 promise in Conquest Prelude fulfills Seven Letters “to those who conquer”: 2:7, 11, 17, 26–28; 3:5, 12, 21

Dragon Cycle (12–20)Bowl Perspectives 4/4: Millennium (20:1–6)





“and the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus

and the word of God” (20:4)





“Antipas, my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you” (2:13)


Focus: not focused on Jesus, but on martyrs Location: no indication whatsoever of location Subjects: not all believers of all time



“they came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years”


City Promise Section (Seven Letters)

1. Ephesus “eat of the tree of life . . . paradise of God”

2. Smyrna “not be hurt by the second death”

3. Pergamum “hidden manna, white stone, new name”

4. Thyatira “power over nations, rod of iron, morning star”

5. Sardis “white garments, book/life, confess name”6. Philadelphia “pillar/temple, write name new Jerusalem”7. Laodicea “sit with me on my throne”

IV. Millennium, Part 2: Martyr Reign (20:4–6) C. Martyr reign expresses God’s sovereignty

dragon judgment interprets Messiah’s reign similar to Michael intercalation (12:7–12)

D. Martyr reign vindicates saints testimony reverses dragon’s actions

reverses deception (20:3, “deceive no more”) reverses false verdict of 13:15 (“beheaded”)

concludes Judgment Cycle (4–20) cycle initiated by messianic judgments cycle consummated by messianic vindication


IV. Millennium, Part 2: Martyr Reign (20:4–6) C. Martyr reign expresses God’s sovereignty

dragon judgment interprets Messiah’s reign similar to Michael intercalation (12:7–12)

D. Martyr reign vindicates saints testimony reverses dragon’s actions

reverses deception (20:3, “deceive no more”) reverses false verdict of 13:15 (“beheaded”)

concludes Judgment Cycle (4–20) cycle initiated by messianic judgments cycle consummated by messianic vindication


cf. 12:9; 13:14; 18:23; 19:20; 20:8, 10

Dragon Cycle (12–20)Bowl Perspectives 4/4: Millennium (20:1–6)IV. Millennium, Part 2: Martyr Reign (20:4–6)

E. Martyr reign as martyrdom reward special reward for beast martyrdom

rejection of imperial propaganda kingdom priestly, not military/political power

1:6: “made us to be a kingdom, priests”

5:10: “made them to be a kingdom and priests” 20:6: “they shall be priests of God and of Christ”

unique in New Testament bold Jewish Davidic kingdom innovation provokes double-resurrection innovation

Dragon Cycle (12–20)Bowl Perspectives 4/4: Millennium (20:1–6)IV. Millennium, Part 2: Martyr Reign (20:4–6)

E. Martyr reign as martyrdom reward interim kingdom = Jewish (2 Esdras 7:26–44; 12:31–34; 1 Enoch 91:11–17; 2 Baruch 29:1–30:5; 40:1–4; 72:2–74:3)

messiah typically involved length varies for symbolic significance

interpretive issues meaning and nature Stevens: Rider, millennium, binding are co-extensive both literarily and chronologically

(1) meaning: literal, symbolic? (2) nature: civic, military, political?

“The Rider conquest, martyr millennium, and Satan binding scenes are literarily and chronologically co-extensive. Satan’s binding is the spiritual counterpart to the Rider’s gospel conquest, and the martyr millennium is the heavenly counterpart. John innovates resurrection doctrine in that those who die for the faith receive resurrection benefits immediately at death, as did Jesus, and as proleptically suggested by the experience of some Jerusalem believers (Matt 27:52–53). John’s martyr millennium innovation thus necessitates a first and second resurrection innovation, but not without some New Testament precedence both in the life of Jesus and of the early church.”—Dr. Stevens


IV. Millennium, Part 2: Martyr Reign (20:4–6)Bowl Perspectives 4/4: Millennium (20:1–6)


(cf. 1:6; 5:10)


IV. Millennium, Part 2: Martyr Reign (20:4–6) F. Benediction spoken (20:6)

focuses point of millennial imagery announces millennial consequences

announces “first resurrection” announces immunity from “second death” announces millennial reign is priestly

anticipates positive outcome of Last Judgment



IV. Millennium, Part 2: Martyr Reign (20:4–6) F. Benediction spoken (20:6)


“This is a scene of role reversals. The martyrs have had to stand before the imperial throne (at least figuratively) and receive the sentence of death. Now they are the ones who are seated on the thrones and deliver judgment.”

—Reddish, p. 394

Literary Structure: Thematic PartsJudgment Cycle (6—20)





Seal 7


Trumpet 7



Cosmic Conflict (Rev 12–13)

Dragon Attack (12)

Beast Agents (13)


Bowl Prelude (14)





God’s Judgment (20)





I. Part 1: Satan’s Defeat—Gog/Magog (20:7–10) A. Gog/Magog imagery

John innovates Ezekiel (cf. Zeph 3; Zech 12–14) converts “Gog” to another nation, not leader globalizes opposition to all nations globalizes directional threat (“north” to all)

John ignores 19:21 (“the rest were slain”)

Climax: God’s Sovereign Victory (20:7–15)


I. Part 1: Satan’s Defeat—Gog/Magog (20:7–10) B. Loosing of Satan—crucial narrative shift (v. 7)

crucial context change (no longer first century) tense shifts to future name shifts to Satan (“dragon” = 1st century) transitions to climax of Judgment Cycle Rome/seven churches as paradigm of end

timing left ambiguous (specific timing not point)



I. Part 1: Satan’s Defeat—Gog/Magog (20:7–10) B. Loosing of Satan—crucial narrative shift (v. 7)

crucial context change (no longer first century) tense shifts to future name shifts to Satan (“dragon” = 1st century) transitions to climax of Judgment Cycle Rome/seven churches as paradigm of end

timing left ambiguous (specific timing not point)


ends millennium, but millennium start/stop not set; allows as co-

extensive with church age

Dragon Cycle (12–20)Climax: God’s Sovereign Victory (20:7–15)

Revelation Seals, Trumpets, Bowls

Seven Churches

Ascension Return

Church AgeChurch Passion

Hour of Trial Gog and Magog


I. Part 1: Satan’s Defeat—Gog/Magog (20:7–10) C. Gog/Magog battle

Satan loosed, deceives, beseiges city armies destroyed by heavenly fire (cf. Ezekiel) Satan cast into “lake of fire” (joins beasts) final end of all evil in cosmos no judgment final without end to evil



Dragon Cycle (12–20)Cosmic Conflict

(Rev 12–13)Dragon Attack (12)

Beast Agents (13)


Bowl Prelude (14)





God’s Judgment (20)God’s Judgment (20)Eschatological Climax

(Rev 20)


II. Part 2: God’s Judgment—Throne (20:11–15) A. Throne room inclusio (Rev 4, Judgment Cycle)

entire Judgment Cycle drama climaxes here all reality moves to God’s final judgment

B. Cosmic disturbances (“earth and sky fled away”) traditional apocalyptic imagery old order passing away (sin, rebellion, chaos)

C. Inclusive judgment social rank (“great and small”) circumstance (“sea, Death, Hades,” 20:13) equivalent of second resurrection (cf. 20:5)



II. Part 2: God’s Judgment—Throne (20:11–15) D. Book imagery = dual = Rev’s Christology

“books” = traditional: God’s judgment “book of life” = John’s innovation: Lamb’s judgment (cf. 5:7; 13:8)

E. Sea imagery (ancient burial customs) unburied a terrible fate (1 Kgs. 13:21; 14:11; Jer. 8:1–2) burying a pious act (Tobit 1–2) dying at sea a terrible fate

forever denied proper burial separation in death from kin



II. Part 2: God’s Judgment—Throne (20:11–15) F. Death, Hades imagery (personified)

Death = agent stalking earth (4th Seal, 6:8) Hades = underworld receiving Death’s victims Preeminent symbols of old order of existence

Christ holds the “keys” (1:18) banished from new creation

G. Lake of fire imagery unique to John = finality, irrevocability “dead” now join beasts and dragon raises theological questions



II. Victory, Part 2: God’s Final Judgment (20:11–15) F. Death, Hades imagery (personified)





• eternal, or annihilation? • works, or grace?


II. Victory, Part 2: God’s Final Judgment (20:11–15) F. Death, Hades imagery (personified)





“What was inevitable since Easter morning has now become reality.”

—Reddish, p. 390

Revelation: Dragon Cycle Bowl Perspectives: Millennium ...drkoine.com/Pdf/Rev/Handouts/Rev24-Millennium20.1-15.pdfRevelation LIterary Structure: Thematic Parts Judgment Cycle (6—20)

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