Revelation: Dragon Cycle Conquest Prelude (Rev. 14:1–20 ...drkoine.com/pdf/rev/handouts/Rev19-Prelude14.1-20.pdf · Revelation: Dragon Cycle Conquest Prelude (Rev. 14:1–20) General

Revelation: Dragon CycleConquest Prelude(Rev. 14:1–20)

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 AgentsConquest• Prelude• Bowls• PerspectivesClimax

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

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

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

Seal 7

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

Trumpet 7


Judgment Cycle (6—20)


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

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

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

Seal 7

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

Trumpet 7


Dragon Cycle (12–20)Dragon Cycle (12–20)

Cosmic Conflict(Rev 12–13)

Dragon Attack (12)Cosmic Conflict(Rev 12–13) Beast Agents (13)

Messianic Conquest(Rev 14–20)

Bowl Prelude (14)Messianic Conquest

(Rev 14–20) Bowl Judgments (15–16)Messianic Conquest(Rev 14–20)

Bowl Perspectives (17–20)

Eschatological Climax(Rev 20)

Satan’s Defeat (20)Eschatological Climax(Rev 20) God’s Judgment (20)

RevelationLIterary Structure: Dragon Cycle (12–20)

Dragon Cycle (12–20)Dragon Cycle (12–20)

Cosmic Conflict(Rev 12–13)

Dragon Attack (12)Cosmic Conflict(Rev 12–13) Beast Agents (13)


Bowl Prelude (14)Messianic Conquest

(Rev 14–20) Bowl Judgments (15–16)Messianic Conquest(Rev 14–20)

Bowl Perspectives (17–20)

Eschatological Climax(Rev 20)

Satan’s Defeat (20)Eschatological Climax(Rev 20) God’s Judgment (20)

RevelationLIterary Structure: Dragon Cycle (12–20)


Bowl Prelude (14)

Conquest Prelude (14:1–20): OverviewDragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)

I. Content = Expansion of Seal Interlude (obvious reuse of the 144,000 imagery)

II. Structure = LinguisticA. Many proposals

various sequences of unnumbered sevensJohn does not explicitly indicate any sevens

B. Result: default to repeating phrase, “then I saw”#1 = Vision of Mount Zion (14:1–5)#2 = Vision of Angels (14:6–13)#3 = Vision of Harvests (14:14–20)

Interlude (14:1–20): StructureDragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)

Vision ofZion

God’sJudgment

Anticipated

Part 1Vision ofAngels

God’sJudgment

Announced

Part 2Vision ofHarvests

God’sJudgmentExecuted

Part 3

Interlude (14:1–20): StructureDragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)

Vision ofZion

God’sJudgment

Anticipated


God’sJudgment

Announced



Part 3

I. Thematic Unity of RevelationA. Common words, ideas with Seven Churches

Inaugural Vision: voice from heaven, voice of many waters (1:10, 15)Vision of Heaven: throne, elders, great thunder, four living creatures, Lamb, harps, new song, redeemed (4:2, 4, 5, 6; 5:6, 8, 9)Seven Letters: Father’s name (2:17; 3:12)Seal Interlude: 144,000 (7:4)

B. Contributes to literary, thematic unity of wholeC. Consolidates Judgment Cycle to Seven Churches

Prelude (14:1–20)—Part 1: Zion (14:1–5)Dragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)

II. Mount Zion TraditionsA. Historical: Davidic kingdom traditionsB. Prophetic: place of God’s deliverance

III. Seal Interlude InterpretedA. Lamb = slain Lamb of 5:6B. 144,000 = sealed saints of 7:4

victims of dragon and beasts of chs. 12–13God’s seal vs. beast’s mark (14:1 vs. 13:16)defeating dragon by sharing Lamb’s triumphnew song = only redeemed know the lyrics


IV. Symbolic ImageryA. Sexual abstinance = Jewish holy war (Deut. 23:9–10)

sexual imagery for religious unfaithfulnesscontextual anticipation of whore of Babylon (17)

B. In their mouth no lieRevelation as a “war of words” (cf. 1:16)faithful witness in persecution contextfalse claims of Roman Empire denied


Conquest Prelude (14:1–20): StructureDragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)

Vision ofZion

God’sJudgment

Anticipated


God’sJudgment

Announced



Part 3

I. First Angel: Eternal GospelA. Midheaven: broadcast to all points terrestrialB. Creation theology invoked (14:7)

foundation of Vision of Heaven (ch. 4)creation unfinished without redemption

C. Good news: a two-edged sword—no salvation for some without judgment for others (cf. 1:16)

Prelude (14:1–20)—Part 2: Angels (6–13)Dragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)

“For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to me, ‘Take the cup of the wine of wrath from my hand, and cause all the nations to whom I send you to drink it. And they shall drink and stager and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them. . . . Babylon has been a golden cup in the hand of the Lord, intoxicating all the earth. The nations have drunk of her wine; therefore the nations are going mad.’”

—Jer. 25:15–16, 51:7

II. Second Angel: “Fallen is Babylon!”A. Rome as the new Babylon

Babylon applied to Rome in Jewish literature (2 Bar. 11:1; Sib. Or. 5:143–5)Babylon as NT cipher for Rome (1 Pet. 5:13)enticing, intoxicating power, riches

B. Rome and her alliescomplicit in Rome’s idolatryconfederate in Rome’s destinycondemned in Bowl Judgments and Babylon


Interlude (14:1–20)—Part 2: Angels (6–13)Dragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)

Bowls(15:1–16:21)

Babylon(17:1–20:6)

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, . . . made all the nations drink of the passionate wine of her

immorality.”

III. Third Angel: Mark of the BeastA. Wine of God’s wrath

Target: worship, mark of the beast (13:11–18)Degree: unmixed = full strength

B. Fire and brimstone (sulphur)Sodom and Gomorrah story (Gen. 19:24)prophetic imagery (Isa. 34:8–10)no rest, in contrast to the saints (14:13)


III. Third Angel: Mark of the BeastC. Blessing for the dead

witness theme (1:5, 9; 2:13; 3:14; 6:9; 11:17; 12:11)rest from labors of witness, testimony


Conquest Prelude (14:1–20): StructureDragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)

Vision ofZion

God’sJudgment

Anticipated


God’sJudgment

Announced



Part 3

I. Interpretive DifficultiesA. One like a “son of man”: angel or Christ? (1:13)B. Harvests: same or distinct?

taken from Joel 3:13: God’s judgment pictured as both grain and grape harvestsif same: both negative judgment, following Joelif distinct: first = righteous harvest, following the NT pattern (Lk. 10:2. Jn. 4:35–38)

C. Power over firespecific angel’s task or heavenly altar duty?probably related to prayers of saints (cf. 8:3–5)

Prelude (14:1–20)—Part 3: Harvests (14–20)Dragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)

I. Interpretive DifficultiesD. Outside the city

generic? then simply normal execution placespecific? then what city? Jerusalem?evocative for death of Jesus? (cf. Jn. 19:20; Heb. 13:12)

E. Blood several feet deep for 1600 stadiamost gruesome idea in Revelationoriental hyperbole?significance of 1600 number unknown






ca. 200 miles





cf. Josephus on siege of Jerusalem

II. Interpretive PointsA. Prelude to Bowl Judgments (15–20)

fearsome dragon, beasts (Rev 12–13)inevitable divine judgment (Rev 15–20)

B. God’s judgment as faith’s vindication (Rev 2–3)C. God’s sovereignty over dragon, beasts, allies (Rev 4)

D. God’s victory through Lamb and followers (Rev 5)E. Saints prayers as answered (6:9; 8:3, 5)F. Rome as a beast, harlot, doomed (Rev 17–18)


Revelation: Dragon Cycle Conquest Prelude (Rev. 14:1–20 ...drkoine.com/pdf/rev/handouts/Rev19-Prelude14.1-20.pdf · Revelation: Dragon Cycle Conquest Prelude (Rev. 14:1–20) General

Documents