Revelation 7:9-17

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Genre

This section in Revelation is a narrative within an apocalyptic letter.

Demarcation

There is no consensus across the English translations regarding how to demarcate this passage. This study is in agreement with the NET and MSG translations. Other demarcations very from eight, four, three, and two separate sections. This section narrates the opening of the seventh seals which results in seven trumpets. This study follows the premise that the seven trumpets are one narrative. While the CEB, for instance, demarcates each trumpet as its own section.

• CSB. The CSB demarcates this passage as eight separate section; one as an introductory passage and the other seven as the seven trumpets.
• ESV, NRSV, NIV and CEV. The ESV, NRSV, NIV, and CEV demarcate this passage as into two separate sections. The first section includes 8:1-5 entitled The Seventh Seal and the Gold Censer (ESV). The second section includes 8:6-9:22 entitled The Seven Trumpets (ESV).
• NASB. The NASB demarcates this passage as three separate section. The first section includes chapter eight entitled The Seventh Seal – the Trumpets. The second section includes 9:1-12 entitled The Fifth Trumpet – The Bottomless Pit. The third section includes 9:13-22 entitled The Sixth Trumpet – Army from the East.
• NET, MSG. The NET and MSG demarcate this passage as one cohesive section entitled The Seventh Seal (NET).
• NLT. The NLT demarcates this passage as four separate sections. The first section includes 8:1-5 entitled The Lamb Breaks the Seventh Seal. The second section includes 8:6-13 entitled The Four Trumpets. The third section includes 9:1-12 entitled The Fifth Trumpet Brings the First Terror. The fourth section includes 9:13-22 entitled The Sixth Trumpet Brings the Second Terror.
• N.T. Wright. N.T. Wright, in his Revelation for Everyone, demarcates this passage as belonging to four separate sections. The first section includes 8:1-5 entitled The Golden Censer. The second section includes 8:6-13 entitled The Plagues Begin. The third section includes 9:1-12 entitled Locust Attack. The first section includes 9:13-21 entitled The Fiery Riders.
• J. Ramsey Michaels. J. Ramsey Michaels, his IVP New Testament Commentary Series volume entitled Revelation, demarcates this passage as belonging to parts two other sections. The first section includes 8:1-5 entitled The Opening of the Seventh Seal. The second section includes 8:6-11:19 entitled The Seven Trumpets. 
• Robert H. Mounce. In his New International Commentary on the New Testament volume entitled The Book of Revelation, Mounce demarcates this passage as belonging to six separate sections. The first section includes 8:1 entitled Seventh Seal: A Dramatic Pause. The second section includes 8:2-5 entitled Preparation. The third section includes 8:6-12 entitled First Four Trumpets. The fourth section includes 8:13 entitled Eagle’s Warning. The fifth section includes 9:1-12 entitled Fifth trumpet (First Woe): Demonic Locusts. The sixth section includes 9:13-21 entitled Sixth Trumpet (Second Woe): Fiendish Calvary.
• G.K. Beale. G.K. Beale, in his New International Greek New Testament Commentary volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage into two separate sections. The first section includes 8:1-5 entitled The Seventh Seal as the Conclusion of the Seal Series: The last Judgment is Described Again as a Formal Response to the Saints’ Petition in 6:10 that God Punish the Unbelieving World. The second section includes 8:6-9:21 entitled The First Six Trumpets: God Responds to the Saints’ Prayer by Using Angels to Execute Judgments on the Persecuting World, Leading up to the Last Judgment.

The textual marker that assist in the demarcation of this passage is the opening of the seventh seal. There is also an obvious shift in theme. The passage prior to this narrates the reward that will be given to the saints who overcome by the power of the blood. The section following again changes themes again as it speaks of the Angel and the Small Scroll.

Moving the boundaries of this passage ignores the shifts in themes and confuses the teaching of each.

Argument of the Text

John gets his message across through a narrative in which he describes the opening of the seventh seal which describes six of the seven trumpets.

The issue in this passage is the opening of the seventh seal by Jesus which entails six of seven trumpets being blown each by an angel and the havoc that is wreaked upon creation by each trumpet blast.

• Silence in Heaven. This scene in heaven begins with the opening of the seventh seal. After the seal is opened there is about half an hour of silence in heaven.
• The Prayers of the Saints. The prayers of the saints are represented by incense that is offered on the alter by an angel. N.T. Wright states that “Jesus himself declared that he had come ‘to throw fire upon the earth’ (Luke 12.49). Here the angel with the golden censer continues the lamb’s strange work” (p. 80). Michaels states that “Hard as it may be to accept (because we are not accustomed to thinking of God as the author of destruction), this is the case with each of the first four trumpets. They are God’s answer to “the prayers of the saints”” (p. 123). Mounce states that “The prayers of the saints play an essential part in bringing the judgment of God upon the earth and its inhabitants” (p. 175). G.K. Beale states that “The response to their prayer is that punishment cannot be executed until the number of God’s people destined for persecution is completed. This cannot happen until history comes to an end. Therefore, if 6:12-17 and 8:1 are viewed as a response to this petition, they must be understood as depicting the last great judgment” (p. 455). Mounce states that “Because they are sealed, believers are able to persevere in the midst of threats to their faith and are provided ultimate protection against the Last Judgment” (p. 460). Mounce sees the coming plagues not so much as an attempt by God to harden hearts. Mounce states that “These signs were not intended to coerce Pharaoh into releasing Israel but functioned primarily to demonstrate Yahweh’s incomparable omnipotence to the Egyptians” (p. 465). Mounce states further “the trumpets represent punitive judgments against hardened unbelievers instead of mere warnings to induce repentance” (p. 471).
• The First Trumpet. When the first angel blows the first trumpet hail and fire, mixed with blood, are hurled down upon a third of the earth burning up a third of the trees and all of the grass. N.T. Wright states that “More generally, trumpets were blown for warning, to sound the alarm. That seems to be the point here” (p. 78) Mounce states that “The trumpets in Revelation, however, are eschatological trumpets. They herald the day of God’s wrath” (p. 173). Mounce states that “the trumpet judgments are not final. They affect a significant proportion but not all of the earth… Their purpose is not so much retribution as it is to lead people to repentance” (p. 176-177)
• The Second Trumpet. When the second angel blows the second trumpet something like a fiery mountain falls into the sea. A third of the sea became blood, a third of living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
• The Third Trumpet. When the third angel blows the third trumpet a great star called Wormwood falls upon the rivers making the water bitter and killing many people. Mounce states that “Jewish thought readily symbolized living beings as stars” (p. 185). Mounce states “the star should be identified as an angelic representative of an evil kingdom undergoing judgment” (p. 479. Mounce continues ““Wormwood” is a bitter herb, and water contaminated by it can be poisonous if drunk over a long period” (p. 479). Mounce adds that “Against the OT background, the third trumpet does not unleash a woe in which water becomes literally poisoned. Rather, the tone is one of judgment that brings bitter suffering, including death, not only on “outsiders” to the covenant but also on purported members of the community of faith” (p. 480).
• The Fourth Trumpet. The fourth angel blows the fourth trumpet striking a third of the sun, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars. One third of the day and one third of the night were without light. Then a great eagle announces that last three trumpets are about to sound. Mounce states that “Most of the exodus plagues were designed to be judgments on the false Egyptian gods… This was true with the plague of darkness, which was partly a polemic against the sun god Ra, of who Pharaoh was considered an incarnation” (p. 481).
• The Fifth Trumpet. The fifth angel blows the fifth trumpet the abyss is opened up releasing smoke and pesky locusts. N.T. Wright states that “He lavishes more detailed description on these super-locusts than on any other creature in this vivid book” (p. 85). Wright continues stating that “The ‘five months’ for which the torture is to last probably reflects John’s awareness that this was the normal life cycle, or at least period of activity, of a locust” (p. 87).
• The Sixth Trumpet. The sixth angel blows the sixth trumpet the four angels who were bound at the Euphrates were released to kill one third of humans. N.T. Wright states that “All of this was to be unleashed so that – and this is the point of it all – humans might be challenged to repent” (p. 90). Beale challenges this thought stating that “the sixth trumpet, like the fifth, is meant as a judgment only against those who do not have God’s protective seal… Therefore, the sixth trumpet includes spiritual-physical death for some and hardening, resulting in deception, for others as they refuse to heed the divine warnings and to turn in faith to the true God” (p. 518). Beale points out that “Whereas the locusts are “not permitted to kill,” the horses from beyond the Euphrates are permitted to kill. They kill the whole person, both physically and spiritually” (p. 512).

In this passage there are ten characters; Jesus, each of the seven angels, John, and another angel. In this passage, none of the characters speak. They only act while John narrates. 

In this passage, the indicators about how to react to the various characters are recorded by John describing the scene, its events, and the reactions by the characters.

In this passage, John is describing to his audience what he sees take place.

In this passage, John is asking his audience to witness the opening of the seventh seal which entails the blowing of seven trumpets and the havoc that is wreaked upon creation.

This passage was communicated during a time when followers of Jesus were suffering ostracization from the community, both Roman and Jew.

John gets his message across in this narrative describing the scene visually.

This passage is about the opening of the seventh seal which results in the blowing of six of the seven trumpets. When each of these trumpets are blown havoc is wreaked upon creation.

The Co-text

Situation of Text in Larger Presentation:

In the passage prior to this, John describes the sealing of the Israelites and the countless multitude of God’s people prior to the tribulation.

In the previous passage, John describes the reward that is awaiting God’s people when they persevere through the tribulation.

Development of Important Words/Motifs:

• Silence. This passage starts with silence. There are different views of the purpose of this silence. It could partly be only an interlude. In the Old Testament, there are many references to silence which were typically an indication of judgment.
• Trumpets. In the Old Testament, trumpets were used to announce a coming judgment. This is also true in Revelation.
• One third. The most plausible meaning behind the one third throughout this passage is that some were affected, but not all.
• Eagle. Like trumpets in the Old Testament, eagles in the Old Testament were seen as a sign of coming judgment. This is also true in Revelation.

Openness to Interpretive Possibilities:

Throughout his commentary on Revelation, Beale makes the case for John’s letter not to be read through a modern lens. Beale states that just because John wrote details in a specific order does not mean that John is describing them in a set chronological order. For example, regarding this passage, Beale states that “some, if not most, of the trumpet judgments happen during the entire period between Christ’s first and second comings, not merely at a tribulation period immediately preceding and including the second coming” (p. 486). Beale continues “John understood that the sufferings he was narrating were already occurring and were not to be limited to a period immediately preceding the parousia” (p. 515).

Without reading further into Revelation, we do not see John being directed to seal up in a scroll what he continues to see.

Context

See Introduction

Socio-Historical Setting - The Interface of Contexts:

Beale states that “there are many in the churches who will not repent from their compromising attitude toward the idolatrous culture. The warning to the indecisive is that horrible demons stand behind the idols that they are tempted to worship… The gruesome parabolic description of the demons is intended to shock the true people of God out of their complacent condition, as they realize that spiritual specters really lurk behind the idols” (p. 520).

Intertext

Sensitivity to OT/LXX/HB Citations and Echoes and Their Significance:

This passage is full of citations and echoes to the Old Testament and ancient Jewish literature, especially to the plagues in Egypt at the time of the exodus. N.T. Wright states that “The plagues which John now envisages would resonate, in the minds of his hearers, with the ancient Egyptian plagues, and assure them of the same result” (p. 82). Michaels states that “Three of the four judgments echo the plagues of the Exodus…” (p. 121). Mounce states that “Constant allusion through this section to the Egyptian plagues is a way of emphasizing that in the last days God will again bring punishment upon those hostile powers that oppress his people” (p. 177). Mounce states that “The first five trumpets are patterned after five of the plagues inflicted upon the Egyptians immediately preceding Israel’s exodus” (p. 465)

OT passages explicitly cited in this text and their significance in this new context:

• Exodus 10:21. “21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, and there will be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be felt.” This passage speaks about the plague upon Egypt during the Israelite enslavement. Jewish literature alludes to the plague of darkness being an attack on the Egyptian idol God, Ra, the sun god. In the Revelation passage, a similar plague occurs when one third of the day and one third of the night is without light.
• Exodus 12:12. “12 “I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night and strike every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, both people and animals. I am the Lord; I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt.” This passage describes how the plagues in Egypt were a judgment upon the false Egyptian gods. This is similar to the purpose of the trumpets in Revelation being a judgment upon the false gods of unrepentant people.
• Exodus 19:16. “16 On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people in the camp shuddered.” This passage describes how trumpets in the Old Testament were a sign of coming judgment. This is similar to how trumpets are used in Revelation, a sign of coming judgment.
• Deuteronomy 28:49. “49 The Lord will bring a nation from far away, from the ends of the earth, to swoop down on you like an eagle, a nation whose language you won’t understand…” In this passage, like trumpets in the Old Testament, eagles in the Old Testament were seen as a sign of coming judgment. This is also true in Revelation.
• Psalms 115:17. “17 It is not the dead who praise the Lord, nor any of those descending into the silence of death.” In this passage, silence and death are closely connected. 
• Isaiah 13:10. “10 Indeed, the stars of the sky and its constellations will not give their light. The sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon will not shine.” In this passage, the darkness of the heavenly luminaries is a punishment upon sinners.
• Isaiah 47:5. “5 “Daughter Chaldea, sit in silence and go into darkness. For you will no longer be called mistress of kingdoms.” In this passage, silence is a punishment.
• Jeremiah 9:15. “15 Therefore, this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “I am about to feed this people wormwood and give them poisonous water to drink.” In this passage, God punishes the disobedient by giving them wormwood and poisonous water to drink similar to what plays out in Revelation.
• Jeremiah 23:15. “15 Therefore, this is what the Lord of Armies says concerning the prophets: I am about to feed them wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink, for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout the land.” In this passage, God punishes the disobedient by giving them wormwood and poisonous water to drink similar to what plays out in Revelation.
• Jeremiah 48:40. “40 For this is what the Lord says: Look! He will swoop down like an eagle and spread his wings against Moab.” In this passage, like trumpets in the Old Testament, eagles in the Old Testament were seen as a sign of coming judgment. This is also true in Revelation.
• Jeremiah 49:22. “22 Look! It will be like an eagle soaring upward, then swooping down and spreading its wings over Bozrah. In that day the hearts of Edom’s warriors will be like the heart of a woman with contractions.” In this passage, like trumpets in the Old Testament, eagles in the Old Testament were seen as a sign of coming judgment. This is also true in Revelation.
• Lamentations 4:19. “19 Those who chased us were swifter than eagles in the sky; they relentlessly pursued us over the mountains and ambushed us in the wilderness.” In this passage, like trumpets in the Old Testament, eagles in the Old Testament were seen as a sign of coming judgment. This is also true in Revelation.
• Ezekiel 17:3. “3 You are to say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: A huge eagle with powerful wings, long feathers, and full plumage of many colors came to Lebanon and took the top of the cedar.” In this passage, like trumpets in the Old Testament, eagles in the Old Testament were seen as a sign of coming judgment. This is also true in Revelation.
• Hosea 8:1. “1 Put the horn to your mouth! One like an eagle comes against the house of the Lord, because they transgress my covenant and rebel against my law.” In this passage, like trumpets in the Old Testament, eagles in the Old Testament were seen as a sign of coming judgment. This is also true in Revelation.
• Joel 2:1-11. This passage in Joel contains much of the same imagery as the Revelation passage: horns (trumpets), darkness, fire, horses, earth quaking, darkness of the moon and stars.
• Amos 2:2. “2 Therefore, I will send fire against Moab, and it will consume the citadels of Kerioth. Moab will die with a tumult, with shouting and the sound of the ram’s horn.” This passage describes how trumpets in the Old Testament were a sign of coming judgment. This is similar to how trumpets are used in Revelation, a sign of coming judgment.
• Amos 3:6. “6 If a ram’s horn is blown in a city, aren’t people afraid? If a disaster occurs in a city, hasn’t the Lord done it?” This passage describes how trumpets (horns) in the Old Testament were a sign of coming judgment. This is similar to how trumpets are used in Revelation, a sign of coming judgment.
• Habakkuk 1:8. “8 Their horses are swifter than leopards and more fierce than wolves of the night. Their horsemen charge ahead; their horsemen come from distant lands. They fly like eagles, swooping to devour.” In this passage, like trumpets in the Old Testament, eagles in the Old Testament were seen as a sign of coming judgment. This is also true in Revelation.
• Zephaniah 1:7. “7 Be silent in the presence of the Lord God, for the day of the Lord is near. Indeed, the Lord has prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated his guests.” In this Old Testament passage, silence precedes the coming of the Lord.
• Zephaniah 1:14-16. “14 The great day of the Lord is near, near and rapidly approaching. Listen, the day of the Lord— then the warrior’s cry is bitter. 15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and total darkness, 16 a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities, and against the high corner towers.” In this passage, the day of the Lord brings trouble and distress and a trumpet blast.

Ancient Texts (Greco-Roman or Jewish) alluded to in this passage and Their Significance:

• 2 Baruch 3:7. “7 Or will the universe return to its nature and the world go back to its original silence?” In this ancient Jewish passage, the author asks about creation returning to its beginning which was silence.
• 2 Esdras 6:23. “23 the trumpet shall sound aloud, and when all hear it, they shall suddenly be terrified.” In this ancient Jewish passage, trumpet blast brings fear to all similar to what a day of judgment would bring.

Other passages brought to mind by a reading of this one and how this might inform a canonical reading of this text:

• Mark 13:24. “24 “But in those days, after that tribulation: The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light; 25 the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 He will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.” In this passage, Jesus describes what will happen in the last days.
• 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. “51 Listen, I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.” In this passage, Paul describes to his Corinthian audience how things will end at Jesus’ return.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:16. “16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” In this passage, Paul describes to his Thessalonian audience how things will end at Jesus’ return.

This passage is the embodiment of the wider story of God and God’s people. In this passage, John communicates to his audience the opening of the seventh seal which culminates in the blowing of six of seven trumpets. Upon the blowing of each trumpet a plague is released that wreaks havoc upon creation. While havoc is wreaked at the blowing of each trumpet, none of the trumpet blasts totally destroy the element of creation that is being impacted. This passage reveals that God’s judgement is just and loving at the same time. This passage is the embodiment of the wider story of God and God’s people.

Revelation 9:20-21 (CSB)

20 The rest of the people, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands to stop worshiping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see, hear, or walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality, or their thefts.

Main Verbs

Killed

Repent

Worshiping

Repent

Verb

Killed

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Passive

Repent

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active

Worshiping

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active

Repent

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active

Genre

(See Introduction)

This section in Revelation is a narrative within an apocalyptic letter.

Demarcation

There is unanimous agreement across the English translations demarcating this passage as one cohesive section, with the exclusion of the CSB.

• CSB. The CSB demarcates this passage as belonging to parts of three separate sections. The first section includes v. 1-6 entitled The Two Witnesses. The second section includes v. 7-10 entitled The Witnesses Martyred. The third section includes v. 11-14 entitled The Witnesses Rescued.
• ESV, NASB, NRSV, NIV, NET, NLT, CEV, MSG. The ESV, NASB, NRSV, NIV, NET, NLT, CSV, and MSG demarcate this passage as belonging to one cohesive section entitled The Two Witnesses.
• N.T. Wright, in his Revelation for Everyone, demarcates this passage as belonging to one cohesive section entitled Two Witnesses.
• J. Ramsey Michaels, his IVP New Testament Commentary Series volume entitled Revelation, demarcates this passage as belonging to part of a larger section that includes 10:11-11:14 entitled The Prophecy of the Two Witnesses. 
• Robert H. Mounce, in his New International Commentary on the New Testament volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage as belonging to two separate sections. The first section includes 11:1-2 entitled Measuring the Temple. The second section includes 11:3-14 entitled The Two Witnesses.
• G.K. Beale. G.K. Beale, in his New International Greek New Testament Commentary volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage as belonging to parts of two separate sections. The first section includes 11:1-13 entitled God’s Decree Ensures His Presence with His People and Their Effective Witness, which Leads to Their Apparent Defeat and Culminates in Judgment of Their Oppressors. The second section includes 11:14-19 entitled The Seventh Trumpet: God Establishes the Consummated Kingdom and Executes the Consummated Judgment.

This passage begins with “Then I was given…” This is the textual marker that assists in the demarcation of this passage. There is also an obvious shift in theme from the previous section regarding the mighty angel presents a small scroll that John is directed to eat. The following section again changes themes to the opening of the seventh trumpet.

Moving the boundaries of this passage ignores the shifts in themes and confuses the teaching of each.

The Argument of the Text

John gets his message across through a narrative in which he describes the story of John being directed to measure the temple and the two witnesses of God who prophesy for 3 ½ years and then are martyred and lie dead in the streets for 3 ½ days until God breathes life into them.

There are several issues in this passage need to be discussed.

• John is directed to measure the temple. The narrative begins with John being commanded to measure the temple of God. He is given a measuring rod to accomplish this task. Wrights states that “John’s marking out of this human temple, this community, is a way of signaling God’s solemn intention to honour and bless this people with his presence” (p. 98). Michaels concurs stating that “To measure here means to secure or establish, just as it does later in relation to the new Jerusalem (21:15)” (p. 137). Mounce states that “For John, the temple was not a literal building but “the Christian community who worship God.” It is the church, the people of God” (p. 213). Mounce continues “that for John it means that God will give spiritual sanctuary to the faithful believers against the demonic assault of the Antichrist” (p. 213). Beale concurs stating that “Even before the church age began, God made a decree that secured the salvation of all people who would become genuine members of the church. Therefore, the measuring has the same meaning as the sealing in 7:3-8” (p. 560).
• The Gentile Courtyard. The courtyard of the gentiles is excluded from the command to John because it has been given to the gentiles to trample upon. Mounce states that “Opinion is divided as to what the outer court sands for. One common answer is that it is symbolic of those members of the professing church who, like the followers of Balaam and Jezebel, have compromised with the world” (p. 214). Mounce posits that “the outer court refers to the church viewed from a different perspective. It is to be excluded and not measured; that is, it is to be given over to persecution in the last days” (p. 214). Beale states that “The court and the city thus both represent the people of God who will be persecuted” (p. 569).
• The Two Witnesses. Two witnesses will prophesy for 3 ½ years until they are martyred by the beast from the abyss. Beale states that “the three and a half years reveals two perspectives about the saints’ destiny: they undergo tribulation, but are nonetheless protected from ultimate spiritual harm” (p. 566). Wright states that “it appears that the ‘two witnesses’ of verses 3-13 are a symbol for the whole church in its prophetic witness, its faithful death, and its vindication by God. The church as a whole is symbolized by the ‘lampstands,’ as in 1.20” (p. 99). Wright goes on to posit that the two witnesses have Moses and Elijah in mind. Wright states that “there is the story of Moses, who stood up to Pharaoh, the pagan king of Egypt…” and “there is the story of Elijah, who stood up to Ahab, the paganizing king of Israel, and demonstrated God’s power by successfully praying for a drought and then by calling down fire from heaven” (p. 99). All of these allusions can be seen throughout this passage. Mounce agrees, stating that “There is little doubt that the witnesses are modeled after Moses and Elijah… they have the power, like Elijah, to consume their enemies with fire and to shut up the sky so that it will not rain, and like Moses they can turn the waters to blood and stride the earth with every kind of plague” (p. 216). Wright concludes that “The God-given and God-protected vocation to bear faithful prophetic witness will not mean that one will be spared from suffering and death, but rather that this suffering and death itself, like that of the Jesus whom the church worships and follows, will be the ultimate prophetic sign through which the world will be brought to glorify God” (p. 100). Beale adds that “The number two is from the OT law requiring at least two witnesses as a just basis for judging an offense against the law… Therefore, the emphasis is on a just or valid legal witness” (p. 575).
• The two witnesses are resurrected by the breath of God. After being ridiculed in the streets, the two witnesses are resurrected by the breath of God. God then calls them to ascend into heaven. Mounce states that “The resurrection of the church is a sure indication that God possesses the ultimate authority over life and death… The triumph of the witnesses is no secret rapture; it is openly visible to all” (p. 223).
• A great earthquake. After the two witnesses ascend into heaven there is a violent earthquake in which seven thousand people died. The survivors praised God in heaven.

In this passage there are seven characters; John, God, the two witnesses, the beast from the abyss, the seven thousand killed in the earthquake, and the people not killed in the earthquake. In this narrative, two of the characters speak; God and the people who survive the earthquake. God gives direction to John and the two witnesses. The people who survive the earthquake gave glory to God in heaven. mighty angel, the seven thunders, and the voice from heaven. In this passage, all of the characters can be considered round characters except for the seven thousand killed in the violent earthquake. The two witnesses and the beast from the abyss all play a significant role in this narrative.

In this passage, the indicators about how to react to the various characters are recorded by John describing the scene, its events, and the reactions and interactions of the characters.

In this passage, John is describing to his audience what he sees take place.

In this passage, John is asking his audience to witness the two witnesses and their role in God’s kingdom, the beast from the abyss as he martyrs the two witnesses, the reaction of people as they ridicule the two witnesses in the street.

This passage was communicated during a time when followers of Jesus were suffering ostracization from the community, both Roman and Jew.

John gets his message across in this narrative describing the scene visually.

This passage is about John describing the role of the two witnesses and the actions of the beast from the abyss and the gentiles in the street. In this passage, agents of God do his bidding and are ridiculed by evil, but God is just and will be acknowledged by all.

The Co-text

Situation of Text in Larger Presentation:

In the passage prior to this, John describes how he is given a little scroll that he is given to eat. The scroll is sweet in his mouth as Gods words are, but the message is bitter in his stomach. John is directed to keep the words of the scroll sealed.

As John has presented his prophecy, he has shown the tension between God’s people standing up to the world and its evils. John has shown how the world often responds with hostility, culminating in the persecution and martyrdom of his people. But at the appropriate time, when everything has been made complete, God’s people will be rewarded and brought home to be with him while even the world and its evils will worship God in the way that he deserves.

Development of Important Words/Motifs:

• Measure, count. In this passage, and throughout John’s revelation, there is structure to God’s timing. There are certain things that must happen and certain amounts of people that need to accomplish God’s completeness before the end is ushered in.
• Lampstands. Beale states that “The lampstands in the tabernacle and the temple were in the presence of God, and the light that emanated from them apparently represented the presence of God” (p. 576).
• Olive trees. Beale states that “Zechariah interprets the olive trees as “the anointed ones who are standing before the Lord of the whole earth,” that is, as Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel” (p. 577).
• Fire. Throughout Revelation and God’s scripture, fire either refines (purifies) or consumes. For Jesus’ followers, fire is means in which God purifies his people as gold is purified in a furnace. The fire separates impurities from the priceless gold just as in the life of a Jesus’ follower fire separates sin from the beautiful creation of God. For the enemies of God, fire has a different effect. Like chaff at a harvest, fire consumes and destroys the chaff.
• Sodom and Egypt. Mounce states that the great city represents “…civilized man in organized community. Spiritually (or allegorically) it is “Sodom and Egypt.” Sodom refers to the depths of moral degradation, and Egypt is a symbol of oppression and slavery” (p. 221). Beale states that “The “city” is like Sodom in that it is wicked and will be destroyed in judgment… It is like Egypt because it persecutes the saints” (p. 591).
• Earthquake. Beale likens the earthquake in Revelation to the earthquake at Jesus’ crucifixion. Beale states that “Christ is raised, there is “a severe earthquake,” “an angel of the Lord descended from heaven,” and “the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men” (p. 605).

Openness to Interpretive Possibilities:

(See Introduction)

Mounce notes that Revelation 11 can be a difficult chapter to interpret hinging on how the interpreter utilizes the symbols throughout the chapter. Mounce states that “on either extreme are those who interpret it literally or highly symbolically” (p. 212). Beale agrees stating that “The metaphors in these verses are difficult and require careful scrutiny” (p. 557). Mounce posits “the first thirteen verses of chapter 11 to be symbolic of the fate of the witnessing church during its final period of opposition and persecution. They supply the content of the “little scroll” of chapter 10 that was sweet to the taste but made the stomach sour” (p. 212).

Without reading further into Revelation, we do not see that John’s prophecy shifts from what God and his people have been doing in the world as the end approaches, to what evil and God’s enemies will be doing during this same time period.

Context

(See Introduction)

Intertext

OT passages alluded to in this text and their significance in this new context:

• Exodus 7:14-21. “14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hard: He refuses to let the people go. 15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning. When you see him walking out to the water, stand ready to meet him by the bank of the Nile. Take in your hand the staff that turned into a snake. 16 Tell him: The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to tell you: Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness, but so far you have not listened. 17 This is what the Lord says: Here is how you will know that I am the Lord. Watch. I am about to strike the water in the Nile with the staff in my hand, and it will turn to blood. 18 The fish in the Nile will die, the river will stink, and the Egyptians will be unable to drink water from it.” 19 So the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron: Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over their rivers, canals, ponds, and all their water reservoirs—and they will become blood. There will be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in wooden and stone containers.” 20 Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded; in the sight of Pharaoh and his officials, he raised the staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile was turned to blood. 21 The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad the Egyptians could not drink water from it. There was blood throughout the land of Egypt.” Just as Moses had the ability to turn water into blood, one of the two witness in Revelation had the power to turn water to blood also.
• Numbers 35:30. “30 “If anyone kills a person, the murderer is to be put to death based on the word of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death based on the testimony of one witness.” In this Old Testament passage, God prescribes to the Israelites that two witnesses are required to testify so that a person may be put to death. This is a possible allusion to the two witnesses. Two witnesses are required in Revelation so that the offenders can be put to death.
• Deuteronomy 11:16-17. “16 Be careful that you are not enticed to turn aside, serve, and bow in worship to other gods. 17 Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you. He will shut the sky, and there will be no rain; the land will not yield its produce, and you will perish quickly from the good land the Lord is giving you.” In this passage, Moses warns the Israelites about turning away from God. This passage shows that it is God who blesses the land and makes people prosper. It is God who brings the rain. Similarly, this passage in Revelation shows that God has authority to bring blessing or not to bring blessing. 
• Deuteronomy 17:6. “6 The one condemned to die is to be executed on the testimony of two or three witnesses. No one is to be executed on the testimony of a single witness.” In this Old Testament passage, God prescribes to the Israelites that two witnesses are required to testify so that a person may be put to death. This is a possible allusion to the two witnesses. Two witnesses are required in Revelation so that the offenders can be put to death.
• Deuteronomy 19:15. “15 “One witness cannot establish any iniquity or sin against a person, whatever that person has done. A fact must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” In this Old Testament passage, God prescribes to the Israelites that two witnesses are required to testify so that a person may be put to death. This is a possible allusion to the two witnesses. Two witnesses are required in Revelation so that the offenders can be put to death.
• 1 Kings 17:1. “1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from the Gilead settlers, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, in whose presence I stand, there will be no dew or rain during these years except by my command!”” In this passage, Elijah is given the authority by God to bring rain or to not bring rain. He brings a drought for 3 ½ years to the land. This provides the allusion in the Revelation passage to one of the witnesses who has the ability to bring drought.
• 2 Kings 1:10. “10 Elijah responded to the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.” In this passage, Elijah is given the authority by God to bring divine fire from heaven to consume God’s enemies. This provides the allusion in the Revelation passage to one of the witnesses who has the ability to bring down divine fire on God’s enemies.
• Proverbs 1:24-32. This passage describes how natural calamity is not a punishment of God. Natural calamities are natural. They are a result of sin and the breakdown of God’s order he set up when he brought order our of chaos at creation. It is God’s protection and mercy that keeps nature from suffering greater devastation.
• Ezekiel 37. This passage describes God creating an army from a valley that is filled with dry bones. God has the power to resurrect life where there seems to be just dry bones.

Other ancient texts (Greco-Roman or Jewish) alluded to in this text and their significance:

• Tobit 1:16-18. “16 In the days of Shalmaneser I performed many acts of charity to my kindred, those of my tribe. 17 I would give my food to the hungry and my clothing to the naked; and if I saw the dead body of any of my people thrown out behind the wall of Nineveh, I would bury it. 18 I also buried any whom King Sennacherib put to death when he came fleeing from Judea in those days of judgment that the king of heaven executed upon him because of his blasphemies. For in his anger he put to death many Israelites; but I would secretly remove the bodies and bury them. So when Sennacherib looked for them he could not find them.” In this passage, Tobit describe how he would take it upon himself to bury those who others would not bury. Dying without burial was a very shameful consequence in eastern cultures.
• Tobit 2:1-7. “2 Then during the reign of Esar-haddon I returned home, and my wife Anna and my son Tobias were restored to me. At our festival of Pentecost, which is the sacred festival of weeks, a good dinner was prepared for me and I reclined to eat. 2 When the table was set for me and an abundance of food placed before me, I said to my son Tobias, “Go, my child, and bring whatever poor person you may find of our people among the exiles in Nineveh, who is wholeheartedly mindful of God, and he shall eat together with me. I will wait for you, until you come back.” 3 So Tobias went to look for some poor person of our people. When he had returned he said, “Father!” And I replied, “Here I am, my child.” Then he went on to say, “Look, father, one of our own people has been murdered and thrown into the market place, and now he lies there strangled.” 4 Then I sprang up, left the dinner before even tasting it, and removed the body from the square and laid it in one of the rooms until sunset when I might bury it. 5 When I returned, I washed myself and ate my food in sorrow. 6 Then I remembered the prophecy of Amos, how he said against Bethel, “Your festivals shall be turned into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation.” And I wept. 7 When the sun had set, I went and dug a grave and buried him.” In this passage, Tobit describes how he was directed to take it upon himself to bury those who others would not bury. Dying without burial was a very shameful consequence in eastern cultures.
• Sirach 48:1-3. “1 Then Elijah arose, a prophet like fire, and his word burned like a torch. 2 He brought a famine upon them, and by his zeal he made them few in number. 3 By the word of the Lord he shut up the heavens, and also three times brought down fire.” In this passage, Elijah is given the authority by God to bring divine fire from heaven to consume God’s enemies. This provides the allusion in the Revelation passage to one of the witnesses who has the ability to bring down divine fire on God’s enemies.

Other passages brought to mind by a reading of this one and how this might inform a canonical reading of this text:

• Matthew 18:16. “6 But if he won’t listen, take one or two others with you, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every fact may be established.” This passage in Matthew’s gospel has Jesus using the concept of two or more witnesses when confronting one who had wrong someone. This is a possible allusion to the two witnesses. Two witnesses are required in Revelation so that the offenders can be put to death.
• Matthew 24:9-22. “9 “Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name.” In this passage, Jesus declares to his disciples that they will experience persecution on account of his name. Similarly, in Revelation, God’s people experience persecution on account of Jesus’ name.
• Matthew 28:1-4. “After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards were so shaken by fear of him that they became like dead men.” In this passage, the two Marys go to Jesus’ tomb. Very similar to Revelation, there is an earthquake. Just as one tenth of the city in Revelation dies, the two guards were so shaken that they became like dead men. 
• Mark 9:4. “4 Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.” Elijah and Moses appear with Jesus at his transfiguration. This is an allusion to the two witnesses who seem to function as Elijah and Moses did in the Old Testament.
• John 8:17. “17 Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.” When confronted with accusations from the religious leaders, Jesus refers to the requirement in Jewish law that there be two witnesses. This is alluded to in Revelation when the two witnesses come against unbelievers
• Philippians 2:10-11. “10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” In this passage, Paul tells the Philippian church that there will be a day when everyone will worship Jesus regardless of the allegiance to him. This is what happens at the end of this passage when all people bow and worship Jesus.
• James 5:17. “17 Elijah was a human being as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land.” James describes the acts of Elijah. These acts are similar to the acts that one of the two witness is capable of doing in Revelation.
• 1 Peter 2:9. “9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Peter in his letter to a handful of churches declares that Jesus followers have been called and set apart as God’s special possession. This same truth can be seen in the Revelation passage.
• 1 Peter 2:12. “12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.” In this passage, Peter encourages his audience to be an example. This plays out in Revelation when the example of God’s two witnesses causes unbelievers to glorify God on the day he visits.

This passage is the embodiment of the wider story of God and God’s people. In this passage, God gives instructions to his people’ John and his two witnesses. God’s people persevere in their assignments. The world and its evil respond with anger, persecution, murder, and ridicule. When God has the fullness of his rage meted out, he responds by reviving his people and punishing his enemies. In the end, God’s people will be rewarded, and his enemies will be destroyed. Both, God’s people and God’s enemies will give him the praise and honor he deserves. This passage is the embodiment of the wider story of God and God’s people.

Revelation 10:12 (CSB)

12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” They went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies watched them.

Main Verbs

Heard

Saying

Come

Went

Watched

Verb

Heard

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Passive

Saying

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Passive

Come

• Tense – Present
• Mood – Imperative
• Voice – Active

Went

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active

Watched

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Passive

Genre

(See Introduction)

Revelation 12:1-17. This section in Revelation is a narrative within an apocalyptic letter.

Demarcation

There is a significant range across the English translations as to how this passage should be demarcated.

• NIV, NLT. The NIV and NLT demarcate this passage as belonging to one cohesive section entitled The Woman and the Dragon (NIV).
• CSB, NRSV. The CSB and NRSV demarcate this passage as belonging to three separate sections. The first section includes v. 1-6 entitled The Women, the Child, and the Dragon. The second section includes v. 7-12 entitled The Dragon Thrown Out of Heaven. The third section includes v. 13-17 entitled The Woman Persecuted.
• ESV. The ESV demarcates this passage as belonging to two separate sections. The first section includes v. 1-6 entitled The Women and the Dragon. The second section includes v. 7-17 entitled Satan Thrown Down to Earth.
• NASB. The NASB demarcates this passage as belonging to four separate sections. The first section includes v. 1-2 entitled The Women, Israel. The second section includes v. 3-4 entitled The Red Dragon, Satan. The third section includes v. 5-6 entitled The Male Child, Christ. The fourth section includes v. 7-17 entitled The Angel, Michael.
• NET, CEV. The NET and CEV demarcate this passage as belonging to two separate sections. The first section includes v. 1-6 entitled The Women, the Child, and the Dragon (NET). The second section includes v. 7-17 entitled War in Heaven (NET).
• N.T. Wright, in his Revelation for Everyone, demarcates this passage as belonging to two separate sections. The first section includes v. 1-6 entitled The Woman and the Dragon. The second section includes v. 7-18 entitled The Dragon is Angry.
• J. Ramsey Michaels, his IVP New Testament Commentary Series volume entitledRevelation, demarcates this passage as belonging to one cohesive section entitled Two Great Signs and Their Interpretation. 
• Robert H. Mounce, in his New International Commentary on the New Testament volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage as belonging to three separate sections. The first section includes v. 1-6 entitled The Woman, Dragon, and Male Child. The second section includes v. 7-12 entitled War in Heaven. The third section includes v. 13-17 entitled War on Earth.
• G.K. Beale, in his New International Greek New Testament Commentary volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage as belonging to one cohesive section entitled As a Result of Christ’s Victory over the Devil, God Protects the Messianic Community Against the Devil’s Wrathful Harm.

The most significant marker that assists with the demarcation of this text is the change in theme. Prior to this passage, John presents the seventh trumpet which brings the end of the age. With the start of this passage, John’s prophecy makes a shift. In most of the second half of the book of Revelation, John describes the war that Satan and God’s enemies brings against him and his people. Beale states that “Chs. 12-22 tell the same story as chs. 1-11 but explain in greater detail what chs. 1-11 only introduce and imply. Ch. 12 now reveals that the devil himself is the deeper source of evil” (p. 622). Mounce states that “Chapter 12 marks a major division in the book of Revelation. Before the seven last plagues of chapter 16, in which the wrath of God is finished, John turns aside to explain the underlying cause for the hostility about to break upon the church” (p. 229). Mounce continues “the visions in chapter 12 for the theological heart of the entire book. In Christ God engaged Satan in the ultimate battle of the Holy War. The redemptive triumph of Christ in his death and resurrection was the crucial defeat of Satan and the forces of evil. Yet for a time the dragon vigorously pursues the people of God” (p. 230). Beale concurs stating that “Revelation 12 “has always been, consciously or not, considered as the center and the key to the entire book.” The chapter begins a new series of visions, which end at 15:4” (p. 621). Beale notes a textual marker stating that “the best way to discern its divisions objectively is to trace the repeated introductory vision formulas like “and I saw” and “and behold”” (p. 621).

Moving the boundaries of this passage ignores the shifts in themes and confuses the teaching of each.

Argument of the Text

John gets his message across through a narrative in which he describes the nativity in apocalyptic terms.

There are several issues in this passage.

• The red dragon casts a third of the stars to earth. This passage describes Satan and his angels being cast out of heaven. This passage is not completely chronological. Mounce states that “Details of sequence and time should not be pressed in apocalyptic” (p. 236). He continues, “the point of the passage is not to establish a chronology but to reveal the supernatural cause behind Satan’s opposition to the church whenever and wherever it occurs. It should be no surprise that as the end draws near, this hostility will increase in intensity” (p. 238). Reading the passage further shows that prior to Satan casting his angels to earth, Satan and his angels wage war in heaven. It is this war that results in their being cast out of heaven. Satan is given credit for casting his angels out of heaven because it is him who lead the war in heaven.
• The Son is caught up to heaven. This passage is also not held to strict chronological boundaries. Satan wanted to devour Jesus at birth, but Jesus was protected and eventually given his rightful place on his throne in heaven. Wright states that “The woman and her child are carrying the purposes of God for the world. The dragon is doing his best to snuff out those purposes before they can get under way” (p. 108). Mounce states that “Although the woman gives birth to the Messiah, she is not to be understood as Mary the mother of Jesus but the messianic community, the ideal Israel… it is out of faithful Israel that the Messiah will come.” (p. 231-2).
• The mother flees to the wilderness for a specific time. When Satan fails at devouring Jesus at his birth, the woman is given asylum in the wilderness. Mounce states that “To the Jewish people the wilderness spoke of divine provision and intimate fellowship” (p. 234). He continues stating that the wilderness is not a “desert waste” but a “spiritual refuge” (p. 234).
• Satan attacks in heaven. When Satan realizes he cannot defeat Jesus, he attempts the next best thing – destroying Jesus’ kingdom in heaven. Satan and his angels wage war in heaven. When they are not successful, they are cast from heaven. Mounce states that this is “an all-out attempt on the part of Satan to regain his position in the presence of God” (p. 235).
• Satan is conquered by the blood of the Lamb and the word of testimony. There are two things that destroy Satan and bring God’s plan to completion. The first is the sacrifice of Jesus. Creation, having been sold by humankind to Satan through sin, is bought back from Satan to God by the blood of the perfect lamb, Jesus. Mounce states that “the evil designs of Satan were foiled by the successful completion of Christ’s messianic ministry, which culminated in his ascension and exaltation” (p. 234).
• Woe to the earth because Satan has come down. Heaven rejoices when Satan is thrown out of heaven. But those on earth will suffer at his hand because of his fury against God. Failure to destroy heaven causes Satan to go after the next best thing, God’s creation on earth.
• When thrown from heaven, Satan persecutes the woman. When Satan loses the battle in heaven and finds himself on earth, he goes after the next best thing – the woman. This scene is the earthly telling of the heavenly story told earlier in the passage. Beale states that “the woman is a picture of the faithful community, which existed both before and after the coming of Christ” (p. 625).
• The woman is adorned as a great eagle to escape Satan. Again, when Satan attacks the woman, she is rescued to the wilderness. This scene is the earthly telling of the heavenly story told earlier in the passage.
• Unable to defeat the woman, Satan attacks her offspring, followers of Jesus. Defeat in heaven and with the woman on earth cause Satan to become furious and attack the next best thing, God’s people. Mounce states that “The final outpouring of Satanic wrath is the result of his defeat in heavenly battle” (p. 236). Mounce states that “The woe is announced because the devil will now concentrate his efforts on causing chaos among the inhabitants of earth, since he can no longer wreak his havoc in heaven… His destructive work on earth is also fueled by his “great wrath” over losing his position in heaven” (p. 667).

In this passage there are eight characters; the woman, Satan, Son, God, loud voice, Michael, the dragon’s angels, and the woman’s offspring. In this narrative, only the loud voice from heaven speaks. Satan wants to devour the woman’s child. When God prevents that from heaven, Satan wages war in heaven. Satan loses and is thrown down to the earth. He then tries to attack the woman again. After God rescues her again, Satan wars against her offspring. Satan is against God and tries to attack God. In the end, God is victorious.

In this passage, the indicators about how to react to the various characters are recorded by John describing the scene, its events, and the reactions and interactions of the characters. In this passage, the tension between Satan and the woman is evident. Unable to hurt the woman and her baby, Satan goes after their offspring.

In this passage, John is describing to his audience what he sees take place.

John, or his vision, makes a shift at the beginning of this passage by showing events from a different perspective as compared to continuing the narrative chronologically. John is asking his audience to witness the narrative he just completed by showing the events that happened during that same history from the perspective of a spiritual battle.

This passage was communicated during a time when followers of Jesus were suffering ostracization from the community, both Roman and Jew.

John gets his message across in this narrative describing the scene visually.

This passage is about John describing the war waged in heaven between the woman and Satan and then Satan’s battle with the woman’s offspring.

The Co-text

Situation of Text in Larger Presentation:

The entire book of Revelation prior to this has focused on God’s people and their relation to him. This passage is the pivot point upon which the theme shifts to revealing the spiritual battle among the supernatural agents in heaven and upon the earth.

As John has presented his prophecy, he has shown the tension between God’s people standing up to the world and its evils. John has shown how the world often responds with hostility, culminating in the persecution and martyrdom of his people. But at the appropriate time, when everything has been made complete, God’s people will be rewarded and brought home to be with him while even the world and its evils will worship God in the way that he deserves.

Development of Important Words/Motifs:

• Furious (fury). When Satan does not succeed in his plans, he gets furious and attacks the next best thing with fury. When he fails at devouring the baby, he wages war in heaven. When he fails in the war and is thrown to earth, he attacks the woman. When he fails at destroying the woman, he attacks her offspring with fury. This is the nature of Satan, when he fails at his first objective, he goes after the next best thing.
• Wilderness. Twice in this passage the woman finds safety in the wilderness. She is provided for in the wilderness and the earth helps her when Satan attacks with water.

Openness to Interpretive Possibilities:

(See Introduction)

Revelation 12:1-17. There may be several views of the woman in this passage from a logical allusion to Mary the mother of Jesus, to the pre-messianic identity of Israel, to the pre and post-messianic identity of God’s faithful people. While all of these allusions may be in view, the most comprehensive is the pre and post-messianic identity of God’s faithful people.

Without reading further into Revelation, we do not see that John’s prophecy shifts from what God and his people have been doing in the world as the end approaches, to what evil and God’s enemies will be doing during this same time period.

Context

(See Introduction)

Intertext

(See Introduction)

OT passages alluded to in this text and their significance in this new context:

• Genesis 3:15. “15 I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” In this passage, God delivers the curse upon the serpent in the Garden of Eden. This curse plays out in this passage in Revelation where there is war between the serpent and humankind.
• Exodus 1:22. “22 Pharaoh then commanded all his people: “You must throw every son born to the Hebrews into the Nile, but let every daughter live.” In this passage, the enemy of God’s people attempts to destroy them by drowning them in water. In Revelation 12, Satan attempts to kill the woman buy drowning her in a torrent of water.
• Exodus 15:12. “12 You stretched out your right hand, and the earth swallowed them.” In this passage, God’s people praise him for swallowing up their enemies with the earth. This is what happens in Revelation when Satan tries to destroy the woman with a torrent of water, the earth swallows up the water.
• Exodus 19:4. “4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.” In this passage, God reminds his people that he rescued them on eagle’s wings carrying them to himself. This same thing happens in Revelation when God provides rescue with eagle’s wings for the woman carrying her off to the wilderness.
• Numbers 16:31-33. “31 Just as he finished speaking all these words, the ground beneath them split open. 32 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, all Korah’s people, and all their possessions. 33 They went down alive into Sheol with all that belonged to them. The earth closed over them, and they vanished from the assembly.” In this passage, God’s swallows up the enemies of the Israelites with the earth. This is what happens in Revelation when Satan tries to destroy the woman with a torrent of water, the earth swallows up the water.
• Deuteronomy 1:31-33. “31 And you saw in the wilderness how the Lord your God carried you as a man carries his son all along the way you traveled until you reached this place. 32 But in spite of this you did not trust the Lord your God, 33 who went before you on the journey to seek out a place for you to camp. He went in the fire by night and in the cloud by day to guide you on the road you were to travel.” In this passage, the Deuteronomist describes how God taking someone to the wilderness is a refreshing experience. This is what is alluded to in Revelation 12.
• Deuteronomy 32:10-12. “10 He found him in a desolate land, in a barren, howling wilderness; he surrounded him, cared for him, and protected him as the pupil of his eye. 11 He watches over his nest like an eagle and hovers over his young; he spreads his wings, catches him, and carries him on his feathers. 12 The Lord alone led him, with no help from a foreign god.” In this passage, the Deuteronomist describes how God taking someone to the wilderness is a refreshing experience. This is what is alluded to in Revelation 12.
• 1 Kings 19:3-7. This passage describes how Elijah ran to the wilderness when he was desperate in life. God sends an angel to meet his needs; to feed him, to allow him to rest, and to refresh Elijah for the task that is upcoming. 
• Job 1:6-7. “6 One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. 7 The Lord asked Satan, “Where have you come from?” “From roaming through the earth,” Satan answered him, “and walking around on it.” This passage describes how Satan roams the earth and has access to the heavenly courts in order to bring accusations against God’s people.
• Job 2:1-2. “One day the sons of God came again to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them to present himself before the Lord. 2 The Lord asked Satan, “Where have you come from?” “From roaming through the earth,” Satan answered him, “and walking around on it.” This passage describes how Satan roams the earth and has access to the heavenly courts in order to bring accusations against God’s people.
• Isaiah 40:30-31. “30 Youths may become faint and weary, and young men stumble and fall, 31 but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.” In this passage, the Lord renews his peoples strength, he makes them soar on wings like eagles This is what is alluded to in Revelation 12. 
• Isaiah 66:7. “7 Before Zion was in labor, she gave birth; before she was in pain, she delivered a boy.” This passage describes how the messianic community gives birth to a boy. This is what is alluded to in Revelation 12 when the woman gives birth to the Son.
• Hosea 2:14. “14 Therefore, I am going to persuade her, lead her to the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.” When God’s people are guilty of adultery, he sends them to the wilderness so he can woo her back to him. This describes the context of wilderness in Revelation 12.
• Zechariah 3:1-10. “Then he showed me the high priest Joshua standing before the angel of the Lord, with Satan standing at his right side to accuse him.” This passage describes how Satan stands before God to accuse His people.
• Micah 4:10. “10 Writhe and cry out, Daughter Zion, like a woman in labor, for now you will leave the city and camp in the open fields. You will go to Babylon; there you will be rescued; there the Lord will redeem you from the grasp of your enemies!” This passage describes God’s people in the pains of labor about to give birth and the Lord rescues them from the grasp of their enemies. This is alluded to in the Revelation passage when Satan wants to devour the woman and her offspring as she gives birth, but God rescues them before Satan can devour them.

Other Ancient Texts and alluded to and their significance in the context of this text:

• 1 Enoch 96:2. “2 And in the day of the distress of the sinners, your young will rise up, like eagles, and your nest will be higher than that of vultures. And you will go up, and like badgers, enter the crevices of the earth, and the clefts of the rock, forever, before the lawless, but they will groan and weep because of you, like satyrs.” This ancient Jewish passage alludes to the rescue that comes from eagles wings similar to the passage in Revelation.
• 2 Enoch 29:4. “4 And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air continuously above the bottomless.” This ancient Jewish passage describes Satan and his angels being cast out of heaven.

Other passages brought to mind by a reading of this one and how this might inform a canonical reading of this text:

• Luke 10:18. “18 He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning.” In this passage, Jesus describes that he watched Satan fall from heaven.
• Romans 8:33-34. “33 Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. 34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.” In this passage, Paul explains in his letter to the church in Rome that while Satan stands before God to accuse his people, it is God who justifies, it is Jesus who intercedes for God’s people.
• Romans 8:38-39. “38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” In this passage, Paul describes in his letter to the church in Rome that nothing can separate God from his people, not even heavenly powers.
• Ephesians 6:12. “12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.” In this passage, Paul explains to the church in Ephesus that the righteous struggle is not between people, but between heavenly powers.
• 1 Timothy 3:6. “6 He must not be a new convert, or he might become conceited and incur the same condemnation as the devil.” In this passage, Paul describes in his letter to Timothy the qualifications of leadership in the church. Paul explains that Satan was condemned because he had become conceited.

This passage is the embodiment of the wider story of God and God’s people. In this passage, Satan attempts to devour the Messiah at birth but fails. When he cannot destroy God’s own Son, he tries to destroy the next best – God’s kingdom. When Satan fails to destroy God’s kingdom and finds himself on earth, he again attacks the woman. Finally, when Satan fails to destroy the woman on earth, with fury he does the next best thing – attacks her offspring. Beale states that this passage “is the protection of God’s people against Satan because of Christ’s decisive victory over Satan through his death and resurrection. The purpose is to encourage the readers to persevere in their witness despite persecution” (p. 624). This passage is the embodiment of the wider story of God and God’s people.

Revelation 12:17 (CSB)

17 So the dragon was furious with the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep the commands of God and hold firmly to the testimony about Jesus.

Main Verbs

Was

Went

Wage

Keep

Hold

Verb

Was

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Passive

Went

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active

Wage

• Tense – Present
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active

Keep

• Tense – Present
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active

Hold

• Tense – Present
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active

Genre

(See Introduction)

Revelation 13:11-18. This passage is a narrative within an apocalyptic letter.

Demarcation

All English translations surveyed, except for the CEV, demarcate this passage as one cohesive section entitled The Beast from the Sea (CSB). The CEV demarcates all of chapter thirteen as one cohesive passage entitled The Two Beasts.

• N.T. Wright, in his Revelation for Everyone, demarcates this passage as one cohesive section includes entitled A Second Monster.
• J. Ramsey Michaels, in his IVP New Testament Commentary Series volume entitled Revelation, demarcates this passage as belonging to one cohesive section entitled The Beast from the Earth. Micheals states that “The expression then I saw (v. 11) introduces a new phase of John’s vision (compare “I saw” in vv. 1, 2). Now he sees another beast, this one coming out of the earth instead of the sea” (p. 161).
• Robert H. Mounce, in his New International Commentary on the New Testament volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage as one cohesive section entitled The Beast from the Earth.
• G.K. Beale, in his New International Greek New Testament Commentary volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage as one cohesive section entitled The State Authorizes Its Political, Religious, and Economic Allies as Its Agents to Persecute the Church and to Deceive the Ungodly.

The textual marker that assist in the analysis of the demarcation of this passage is “Then I saw another…” All throughout the book of Revelation John utilizes this textual marker to signal a change in the narrative.

Moving the boundaries of this passage ignores the shifts in themes and confuses the teaching of each.

Exploration of Text's Internal Development and Argument:

John gets his message across through a narrative in which he describes a beast coming up out of the earth. This beast points people toward the first beast who was wounded and then healed. The beast from the earth directs people to cast an image of the first beast and to worship it. At the end of this passage, John exhorts his audience to be wise noting that the number of the beast is a person who’d number 666.

There are several issues in this passage.

• The second beast comes from the earth. Wright states that “local power-brokers are the second monster, ‘coming up from the earth,’ arising (that is) locally rather than coming across the sea” (p. 120). Mounce elaborates stating that “If the first beast was the power of Rome whose insistence on worshiping the emperor was beginning threaten the early church, the second beast most certainly represents the imperial priesthood that assisted Rome in propagating the imperial cult” (p. 254-255). Mounce goes on to explain that “as the first beast came from across the sea (hence appearing to come “out of the sea”), the second beast rose within Asia Minor itself… As Christ received authority from the Father, so Antichrist receives authority from the dragon; and as the Holy Spirit glorifies Christ, so the false profit glorifies the Antichrist” (p. 255).
• The second beast exercises all the authority of the first beast. Similar to God giving Jesus authority and Jesus giving the Holy Spirit authority in the New Testament, Satan gives the sea beast authority who then gives the earth beast authority.
• The second beast compels people to worship the first beast. Beale states that “False teachers in the church are encouraging compromise with the culture’s idolatrous institutions, which are all associated in some way with the Roman cult (cf. the Nicolaitans, false apostles, and Jezebel in ch. 2). Therefore, it takes a discerning Christian to detect the evil inherent in the second beast” (p. 708). He supports this by stating that the prophecy in “Matt. 7:15, suggests that the deception is to arise not just from the outside, from pagan religious influences, but also from inside pretenders teaching that some forms of compromise with pagan religion are legitimate for Christians. Paul’s development of this prophecy from Matthew confirms this… When purported Christian teachers take their primary cues from the surrounding culture instead of from God’s word, they corrupt the covenant community spiritually by encouraging it to live by norms and a faith that ultimately oppose the reign of God and Christ” (p. 709-710).
• The second beast calls fire down from heaven. Just as Elijah called down fire from heaven against the prophets of Baal, John witnesses the earth beast call down fire in Revelation.
• The second beast tells the people of earth to make an image of the first beast. The earth beast leads people away from God by compelling them to make a false idol.
• The second beast gives breath to the image so it can speak and kill. As Jesus and Paul warn in the New Testament, Satan, through the land beast, performs miraculous signs and wonders.
• The second beast gives a mark to all. Wright, when talking of the culture in John’s time, states that “There were various kinds of marks and visible signs which were used to set people apart either as ‘able to trade’ or as ‘not able to trade’” (p. 121). Mounce states that the mark’s “significance in the present passage is to parody the sealing of the servants of God in chapter 7. As the elect are sealed upon their foreheads to escape the destruction about to fall upon the earth, so the followers of the beast are to escape his wrath against the church by bearing his mark” (p. 260).
• The number of the second beast’s name is the number of a person, 666. In this passage, John exhorts his readers to be wise and for the one who has understanding to calculate just who is the beast. Many calculations have been written for this number and different answers abound. See below.

In this passage there are two characters; the second beast who comes from the earth and the world. In this narrative, neither character speaks. The narrative is told entirely by John as the narrator.

In this passage, the indicators about how to react to the various characters are recorded by John describing the scene, its events, and the reactions and interactions of the characters.

In this passage, John is describing to his audience what he sees take place.

John is asking his audience to witness the narrative he just completed by showing the events that happened during that same history from the perspective of a spiritual battle. John also exhorts his audience to be wise to calculate the number of the beast’s name, a person, the number is 666.

This passage was communicated during a time when followers of Jesus were suffering ostracization from the community, both Roman and Jew.

John gets his message across in this narrative describing the scene visually.

This passage is about John describing the battle that continues on earth as the second beast from the earth is given authority and compels people to worship the first beast.

The Co-text

Prior to this passage, John shifts his focus from God’s people and their relation to him to the spiritual battle among the supernatural agents in heaven and upon the earth. This passage is very closely tied to the passage before this. In the passage prior to this, John describes the rise of the beast from the sea and the authority given to him by the dragon. In this passage, a second beast from the earth continues to compel people to worship the dragon.

As John has presented his prophecy, he has shown the tension between God’s people standing up to the world and its evils. John has shown how the world often responds with hostility, culminating in the persecution and martyrdom of his people. But at the appropriate time, when everything has been made complete, God’s people will be rewarded and brought home to be with him while even the world and its evils will worship God in the way that he deserves.

Development of Important Words/Motifs:

• Earth. The second beast comes from the earth. The focus in this passage is the earth; what happens on the earth, the earth is a character, the people in the narrative are the people of the earth.
• Authority. Authority is a major theme all throughout Revelation and especially in this passage. 
• Wisdom. At the culmination of this passage, John exhorts his audience to use wisdom and that those who have understanding are to calculate the name of the beast, a person.

Openness to Interpretive Possibilities:

(See Introduction)

Revelation 13:11-18. Verse eighteen, in regard to the number 666, may be the most controversial verses in the Bible, one of the most studied verses in the Bible, and one of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible.

• Wright states that “for John there is little doubt. Nero, and the system he represented and embodied, was but a parody of the real thing, one short of the right number three times over. Jesus was the reality; Nero, just a dangerous, blasphemous copy” (p. 122).
• Michaels states that “In John’s day the state was the Roman Empire, but the vision is fulfilled in every generation whenever the state, with the help of religious institutions, tries to make itself the object of worship or to claim for itself allegiance that belongs to God alone” (p. 164).
• Mounce informs us that “Gematria was widely used in apocalyptic because of its symbolic and enigmatic quality. It served as a precaution against the charge of sedition” (p. 261). Mounce continues by stating that “The solution most commonly accepted today is that 666 is the numerical equivalent of Nero Caesar… Some writers take the number more as a symbol than a cryptogram. 666 is the number that falls short of perfection in each of its digits” (p. 262).
• Beale argues against Nero Caesar equaling 666. He states that “Though quite attractive, there are several problems with identifying the number with Nero’s name” (p. 719). First, Nero has to be transliterated from Greek to Hebrew and then a letter must be dropped. While these reasons do not disqualify the Nero theory, they make the case for 666 being ‘complete falling-short’ more plausible. Beale states that “John is not calling for intellectual, mathematical prowess in his exhortation that his readers “have a mind to calculate,” but for moral discernment to avoid evil” (p. 720).

Without reading further into Revelation, we do not see that John’s prophecy continues to reveal what evil and God’s enemies will be doing during this same time period.

Context

(See Introduction)

Intertext

OT passages are alluded in this text and their significance in this new context?

• Exodus 13:9. “9 Let it serve as a sign for you on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead, so that the Lord’s instruction may be in your mouth; for the Lord brought you out of Egypt with a strong hand.” In the Old Testament, God directed his people to keep his commands close to their minds and close to their hands. It is debated whether this was to be taken as a literal directive or a figurative directive. Either way, John may be thinking of this passage when he speaks of God’s people being marked and the people of the earth being marked in Revelation.
• Exodus 13:16. “16 So let it be a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead, for the Lord brought us out of Egypt by the strength of his hand.”” In the Old Testament, God directed his people to keep his commands close to their minds and close to their hands. It is debated whether this was to be taken as a literal directive or a figurative directive. Either way, John may be thinking of this passage when he speaks of God’s people being marked and the people of the earth being marked in Revelation.
• Deuteronomy 6:8. “8 Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead.” In the Old Testament, God directed his people to keep his commands close to their minds and close to their hands. It is debated whether this was to be taken as a literal directive or a figurative directive. Either way, John may be thinking of this passage when he speaks of God’s people being marked and the people of the earth being marked in Revelation.
• Deuteronomy 11:18. “18 “Imprint these words of mine on your hearts and minds, bind them as a sign on your hands, and let them be a symbol on your foreheads.” In the Old Testament, God directed his people to keep his commands close to their minds and close to their hands. It is debated whether this was to be taken as a literal directive or a figurative directive. Either way, John may be thinking of this passage when he speaks of God’s people being marked and the people of the earth being marked in Revelation.
• Daniel 3:1. “3 King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue, ninety feet high and nine feet wide. He set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.” In this passage, King Nebuchadnezzar has a statue built in his likeness. Those in John’s audience who were familiar with the Old Testament would have thought of Daniel and King Nebuchadnezzar and the persecution and fiery trial that came to Daniel hand his friends.
• Daniel 7:17. “17 ‘These huge beasts, four in number, are four kings who will rise from the earth.” John most likely would have had Daniel in mind when he witnessed the vision of the beast from the sea and, like this passage, the beast from the earth.

Sensitivity to other Ancient Texts (Greco-Roman or Jewish) alluded to their significance in the context of this text:

• 1 Enoch 60:7-10. “7 And on that day two monsters will be separated from one another, a female monster whose name is Leviathan, to dwell in the depths of the sea, above the springs of the waters. 8 And the name of the male is Behemoth who occupies with his breast an immense desert named Dendayn on the east of the Garden where the chosen and the righteous dwell. Where my great-grandfather was received, who was seventh from Adam, the first man whom the Lord of Spirits made. 9And I asked that other Angel to show me the power of those monsters, how they were separated on one day, and thrown, one into the depths of the sea and the other on to the dry ground of the desert. 10 And he said to me: “Son of man, you here wish to know what is secret.”” In this ancient Jewish passage, two beasts are described, one from the sea and one from the dry ground.

Other passages brought to mind by a reading of this one and how this might inform a canonical reading of this text:

• Mark 13:22. “22 For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and will perform signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, the elect.” In this passage, Jesus warns his followers to beware of false prophets that will arise.
• 2 Corinthians 11:13-15. “13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” Paul’s passage in his second letter to the church in Corinth warns his audience that there will be those who will come to deceive Jesus followers.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3. “1 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him: We ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to be easily upset or troubled, either by a prophecy or by a message or by a letter supposedly from us, alleging that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.” Paul’s passage in his second letter to the church in Thessalonica warns his audience that there will be those who will come to deceive Jesus followers.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12. “3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits in God’s temple, proclaiming that he himself is God. 5 Don’t you remember that when I was still with you I used to tell you about this? 6 And you know what currently restrains him, so that he will be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one now restraining will do so until he is out of the way, 8 and then the lawless one will be revealed. The Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of his mouth and will bring him to nothing at the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is based on Satan’s working, with all kinds of false miracles, signs, and wonders, 10 and with every wicked deception among those who are perishing. They perish because they did not accept the love of the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a strong delusion so that they will believe the lie, 12 so that all will be condemned—those who did not believe the truth but delighted in unrighteousness.” Paul’s passage in his second letter to the church in Thessalonica warns his audience that there will be those who will come to deceive Jesus followers.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9. “9 The coming of the lawless one is based on Satan’s working, with all kinds of false miracles, signs, and wonders…” Paul’s passage in his second letter to the church in Thessalonica warns his audience that there will be those who will come to deceive Jesus followers.

This passage is the embodiment of the wider story of God and God’s people. In this passage, the spiritual battle for people continues. A second beast from the earth compels people to worship the first beast. The second beast is given authority by the dragon and through miraculous signs is able to deceive. The second beast is able to kill those who do not worship the first beast. In this passage, John exhorts his audience to use wisdom to calculate the name of the second beast, the name of a person, whose number is 666. Michaels summarizes this passage when he states that “The believer’s responsibility is not to know everything in advance, but to be faithful no matter whether the threat to faith comes from the final antichrist figure itself or from one of its many predecessors…” (p. 167). Mounce’s summation states “Believers live in the already/not yet tension of a battle won but not quite over” (p. 263). Beale concludes by stating that the believer’s “refusal to identify with the beast will result in suffering and even death, but they will have the ultimate reward of eternal life” (p. 716). This passage is the embodiment of the wider story of God and God’s people.

Revelation 13:18 (CSB)

18 This calls for wisdom: Let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, because it is the number of a person. Its number is 666.

Main Verbs

Calculate

Is

Verb

Calculate

• Tense – Present
• Mood – Imperative
• Voice – Active

Is

• Tense – Present
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Passive

Genre

(See Introduction)

Revelation 14:1-5. This passage is a narrative within an apocalyptic letter.

Demarcation

All English translations surveyed demarcate this passage as one cohesive section entitled The Proclamation of Three Angels (CSB) excluding the NASB. The NASB demarcates this passage as belonging to two separate sections. The first section includes 13:6-8 entitled Vision of the Angel with the Gospel. The second section includes 13:9-13 entitled Doom for Worshipers of the Beast.

• N.T. Wright, in his Revelation for Everyone, demarcates this passage as one cohesive section includes entitled A Call for Endurance.
• J. Ramsey Michaels, in his IVP New Testament Commentary Series volume entitled Revelation, demarcates this passage as two separate passages. The first section includes 14:6-12 entitled The Three Angels. The second section includes 14:13 entitled The Voice from Heaven.
• Robert H. Mounce, in his New International Commentary on the New Testament volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage as one cohesive section entitled Impending Judgment Announced.
• G.K. Beale, in his New International Greek New Testament Commentary volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage as one cohesive section entitled God Will Judge the World System and Nations Who Give Allegiance to Antichristian Forces but Will Give an Eternal Reward to the Faithful Who Persevere through Oppression.

The textual marker that assist in the analysis of the demarcation of this passage is “Then I saw…” All throughout the book of Revelation John utilizes this textual marker in varying but similar forms to signal a change in the narrative. This passage adheres to this structure.

Moving the boundaries of this passage ignores the shifts in themes and confuses the teaching of each.

The Argument of the Text

John gets his message across through a narrative in which he describes the proclamation of three angels in heaven. The angels are proclaiming a time of judgment against those who worship Babylon the Great. John gets his message across to his audience by narrating what he sees.

The issues in this passage:

• The first angel announces the gospel to all the inhabitants of the earth. Mounce states that “Like the eagle of woe in 8:13, it flies in midair to be seen and heard by all” (p. 270).
• The first angel announces the hour of God’s judgment. Beale explains that “The “torment” is primarily spiritual and psychological suffering, as elsewhere in the Apocalypse with reference to trials that either precede the final judgment or a part of it” (p. 760).
• The second angel announces that Babylon the Great has fallen. Mounce, describing the imagery of Babylon the Great, states that “It is a symbol of the spirit of godlessness that in every age lures people away from the worship of the Creator” (p. 271). Beale explains further that “Babylon was the ungodly world power under which Israel had to live in captivity… The ungodly social, political, and economic system dominated by the Roman Empire placed believers in the same position as Israel was in under Babylon… Therefore, here in the Apocalypse Rome and all wicked world systems take on the symbolic name “Babylon the Great”” (p. 755).
• The third angel announces that those who worship the beast and its image will drink God’s wrath. Wright states that “The oppressors will fall victim to the wicked systems they have devised. Evil will bring its own rewards” (p. 129). Mounce describing ‘wrath’, states that “The Greek word refers to anger that is passionate and vehement… The intention of the proclamation is to startle readers into the realization of the eternal consequences of denying their faith in Christ and worshiping the beast” (p. 273). Beale arrives at a different conclusion stating that “The main point of vv 6-13 is reward for the faithful, since the section concludes with that theme. The intent of the judgment them in vv 6-11 is to warn believers not to compromise with the world system or the beast, lest they, too, suffer the judgment to come” (p. 768).
• A voice in heaven tell John to write that those who die in the Lord are blessed. Mounce states that “the redeemed will be vindicated when judgment falls on the unbelieving world” (p. 269).
• The Holy Spirit announces that those who die in the Lord will now rest from their labors. Beale states that “If Christians remain loyal to the Lamb, they will suffer in the present, but afterward will gain a reward of eternal rest. The desire to persevere is to be motivated not only by the warning of judgment but also by the promise of reward… Christians who endure through hard “labors” of oppression now will find the “blessing” of “rest” later” (p. 767).

There are fourteen characters in this narrative; the first angel, the inhabitants of the earth, God, the second angel, Babylon the Great, the nations, the third angel, worshipers of the beast and its image, the holy angels, the Lamb, the saints, a voice from heaven, those who die in the Lord, and the Spirit. Five of the characters speak; each of the angels, the voice from heaven, and the Spirit.

In this passage, the indicators about how to react to the various characters are recorded by John describing the scene, its events, and the reactions and interactions of the characters.

In this passage, John is describing to his audience what he sees take place.

John is asking his audience to witness the angels, the voice from heaven, and the Spirit announce the coming judgement of God upon those who worship the beast and its image.

This passage was communicated during a time when followers of Jesus were suffering ostracization from the community, both Roman and Jew.

John gets his message across in this narrative describing the scene visually.

This passage is about the coming judgment of God upon those who worship the beast and its image and about the rest that comes to those who die in the Lord.

The Co-text

Prior to this passage, John continues to narrate the rebellion of evil and their battle against God, the Lamb, and his followers through the dragon, the sea beast, and the earth beast. The narrative then shifts to show the firstfruits, the 144,000, worshiping God with a song in the throne room that only they can learn. In this passage, the narrative now describes the coming judgment of God mostly focused on those who worshiped the beast and its image.

As John has presented his prophecy, he has shown the tension between God’s people standing up to the world and its evils. John has shown how the world often responds with hostility, culminating in the persecution and martyrdom of his people. But at the appropriate time, when everything has been made complete, God’s people will be rewarded and brought home to be with him while even the world and its evils will worship God in the way that he deserves.

Development of Important Words/Motifs:

Announce (saying, spoke, says). Throughout this passage, heavenly beings make announcements.

• Judgment (wrath). This passage is about the judgment that is coming for those who do not remain faithful to the gospel but worship the beast and its image.
• Worship. This passage is about who is being worshiped. For those that turn from God and worship the beast and its image they will drink from the cup of wrath. But for those who endure and remain faithful to God, they will find rest from their work.
• Endurance, rest. The Holy Spirit confirms that those who endure and are faithful to God, who keep His commands and their faith in Jesus, they will find rest from their labors.
• Without reading further into Revelation, we do not see that John’s prophecy reveals the end of time once again as the harvest of the earth and the harvest of the vineyard of the earth are ripe and ready to be harvested.

Context

(See Introduction)

Intertext

OT passages are alluded to in this text and their significance in this new context:

• Genesis 19:28. “28 He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of the plain, and he saw that smoke was going up from the land like the smoke of a furnace.” This Old Testament passage describing the aftereffects of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is alluded to in Revelation 14:11. 
• Psalms 75:8. “8 For there is a cup in the Lord’s hand, full of wine blended with spices, and he pours from it. All the wicked of the earth will drink, draining it to the dregs.” In this Psalm, a blended wine is given to the wicked of the earth to drink. This is alluded to in Revelation 14:10. In the ancient world, wine was diluted in various amounts to make it more drinkable. The wine of God’s wrath is pure, undiluted, and full strength.
• Isaiah 21:9. “9 Look, riders come— horsemen in pairs.” And he answered, saying, “Babylon has fallen, has fallen. All the images of her gods have been shattered on the ground.”” This passage from Isaiah describes how the horsemen come in pairs to announce that Babylon has fallen. A similar narrative occurs in Revelation 14.
• Isaiah 34:9-10. “9 Edom’s streams will be turned into pitch, her soil into sulfur; her land will become burning pitch. 10 It will never go out—day or night. Its smoke will go up forever. It will be desolate, from generation to generation; no one will pass through it forever and ever.” This passage in Isaiah describes the lasting effects of God’s wrath on Edom which is alluded to in Revelation 14.
• Isaiah 51:17. “17 Wake yourself, wake yourself up! Stand up, Jerusalem, you who have drunk the cup of his fury from the Lord’s hand; you who have drunk the goblet to the dregs— the cup that causes people to stagger.” This passage in Isaiah describes how God’s people have been unfaithful to God and have ‘drunk the cup of his fury’. This is alluded to in Revelation 14, especially if one view the Revelation passage as not a warning to the unfaithful, but a warning to God’s people.
• Jeremiah 25:15-16, 27. “15 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take this cup of the wine of wrath from my hand and make all the nations to whom I am sending you drink from it. 16 They will drink, stagger, and go out of their minds because of the sword I am sending among them… 27 “Then you are to say to them, ‘This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Drink, get drunk, and vomit. Fall down and never get up again, as a result of the sword I am sending among you.’” This passage in Jeremiah describes how God brings his wrath through the metaphor of a cup of wine. A similar fate is alluded to in Revelation 14.
• Jeremiah 51:7. “7 Babylon was a gold cup in the Lord’s hand, making the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore, the nations go mad.” This passage in Jeremiah describes how God brings his wrath through the metaphor of a cup of wine. A similar fate is alluded to in Revelation 14.
• Habakkuk 2:15-16. “15 Woe to him who gives his neighbors drink, pouring out your wrath and even making them drunk, in order to look at their nakedness! 16 You will be filled with disgrace instead of glory. You also—drink, and expose your uncircumcision! The cup in the Lord’s right hand will come around to you, and utter disgrace will cover your glory.” This passage in Habakkuk describes how God brings his wrath through the metaphor of a cup of wine. A similar fate is alluded to in Revelation 14.

Sensitivity to other Ancient Texts (Greco-Roman or Jewish) and their significance in the context of this text:

• Wisdom 4:7. “7 But the righteous, though they die early, will be at rest.” This passage from the Apocrypha describes how the righteous will find rest when they die. This is stated as the reward for God’s people who have endured. They will find rest according to Revelation 14.
• 2 Esdras 7:35-38. “35 Recompense shall follow, and the reward shall be manifested; righteous deeds shall awake, and unrighteous deeds shall not sleep. 36 The pit of torment shall appear, and opposite it shall be the place of rest; and the furnace of hell shall be disclosed, and opposite it the paradise of delight. 37 Then the Most High will say to the nations that have been raised from the dead, ‘Look now, and understand whom you have denied, whom you have not served, whose commandments you have despised. 38 Look on this side and on that; here are delight and rest, and there are fire and torments.’ Thus he will speak to them on the day of judgment…” This passage from the Apocrypha describes how the righteous will find rest and the unfaithful will experience fire and torments. This is also found in Revelation 14.
• 4 Maccabees 9:8-9. “8 For we, through this severe suffering and endurance, shall have the prize of virtue and shall be with God, on whose account we suffer; 9 but you, because of your bloodthirstiness toward us, will deservedly undergo from the divine justice eternal torment by fire.”” This passage from the Apocrypha describes how the righteous will find rest and the unfaithful will experience fire and torments. This is also found in Revelation 14.
• 4 Maccabees 12:12. “12 Because of this, justice has laid up for you intense and eternal fire and tortures, and these throughout all time will never let you go.” This passage from the Apocrypha describes how the justice will be meted out through eternal fire and tortures just as detailed in Revelation 14.

This passage is the embodiment of the wider story of God and God’s people. In this passage, the time has come for all the inhabitants of the earth to be judged. There are two judgments described. The judgment of eternal torment of God’s wrath will come to those who turn from worshipping God and worship the beast and its image. But for God’s faithful who endure in obedience and worship him, they will find rest from their labors. This passage is the embodiment of the wider story of God and God’s people.

Revelation 14:12 (CSB)

12 This calls for endurance from the saints, who keep God’s commands and their faith in Jesus.”

Main Verbs

Calls

Endurance

Keep

Verb

Calls

• Tense – Present
• Mood – Subjunctive
• Voice – Passive

Endurance

• Tense – Present
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active

Keep

• Tense – Present
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active

Genre

(See Introduction)

Revelation 15:1-8. This passage is a narrative within an apocalyptic letter. Mounce again reminds readers of Revelation that “In understanding Revelation… it is important that one does not project this literary device onto the one-dimensional plane of historical sequence. The visions are intended to confront readers with vivid portrayals of eschatological truth rather than to supply them with data for a precise chronology of the consummation” (p. 282)

Demarcation

All English translations surveyed, excluding CEB and NLT, demarcate this passage as one cohesive section entitled Preparation for the Bowl Judgments (CSB). The CEB and NLT demarcate this passage as belonging to two separate sections. The first section includes 15:1-4 entitled Song of Moses and the Lamb (CEB). The second section includes 15:5-16:21 entitled Seven Bowl Plagues (CEB).

• N.T. Wright, in his Revelation for Everyone, demarcates this passage as one cohesive section includes entitled Preparing the Final Plagues.
• J. Ramsey Michaels, in his IVP New Testament Commentary Series volume entitled Revelation, demarcates this passage as one cohesive section includes entitled The Third Great Sign in Heaven.
• Robert H. Mounce, in his New International Commentary on the New Testament volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage as one cohesive section includes entitled Preparation for the Bowl-Plagues. Mounce states that “Chapter 15 serves to introduce seven angels who in the following chapter will pour out on the entire heathen world the seven bowls of divine wrath” (p. 282).
• G.K. Beale, in his New International Greek New Testament Commentary volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage as two separate sections. The first section includes 15:1-4 entitled The Saints Glorify God and the Lamb for Their Incomparable Attributes, Demonstrated in the Winning of Redemption and the Execution of Judgment. The section includes 15:5-8 entitled The Resumption of the Introduction to the Seven Bowl Judgments.

The textual marker that assist in the analysis of the demarcation of this passage is “Then I saw…” All throughout the book of Revelation John utilizes this textual marker in varying but similar forms to signal a change in the narrative. 

This passage adheres to this structure.

Moving the boundaries of this passage ignores the shifts in themes and confuses the teaching of each.

Argument of the Text

John gets his message across through a narrative describing a scene in which ‘those who had won the victory over the beast, its image, and the number of its name’ singing praises to God and one of the four living creatures give seven angels ‘bowls full of the wrath of God.’

The issues in this passage:

• Those who had won the victory over the beast, its image, and the number of its name. Wright states that “When the Bible speaks about God ‘judging,’ or putting into effect his ‘judgments,’ it is just as much a cause for celebration as for anxiety” (p. 137). Wright explains by stating that “Chaos will be averted and order will be restored. The cheats will be put in their place, the thief punished and made to restore the purse… Justice has been done. The world has returned into balance” (p. 138). Mounce states that “The exultation of the heavenly chorus is as glorious as the visitation of wrath is somber” (p. 284). Beale states that “Just as Israel praised God by the sea after he delivered them from Pharaoh, so the church praises God for defeating the beast on their behalf… Their song is a hum of deliverance and praise of God’s attributes like the song in Exod. 15:1-8” (p. 792).
• Seven angels appear out of the heavenly temple – the tabernacle of testimony. Beale states that “The exodus atmosphere is also discernible in the “plagues” in v 1, which are clearly modeled after the plagues of Egypt (so ch. 16), and in the subsequent mention of the “tabernacle of testimony” (v 5) (p. 789).
• One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels golden bowls filled with the wrath of God. Beale highlights “the verbal similarity between the “golden bowls full of God’s wrath” and the “golden bowls full of incense” representing the saints’ prayers in 5:8…” stating that “The similarity implies that the saints’ prayers for retribution are now answered most fully by the bowl judgements… The bowls here symbolize the wrath of God coming to punish sinners” (p. 806).

There are ten characters in this narrative; seven angels, those who had ‘conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name,’ God, and one of the four living creatures. The only character to speak in this narrative is those who conquered the beast. They sing a song worshiping God. 

In this passage, the indicators about how to react to the various characters are recorded by John describing the scene, its events, and the reactions and interactions of the characters.

In this passage, John is describing to his audience what he sees take place.

John is asking his audience to witness the worship of God by those who conquered the beast and the giving of the bowls of God’s wrath to the seven angels.

This passage was communicated during a time when followers of Jesus were suffering ostracization from the community, both Roman and Jew.

John gets his message across in this narrative describing the scene visually.

This passage is about heaven preparing for judgement. Those who have persevered and conquered evil in the last days find themselves worshiping God in song as they play golden harps. Alongside of this, the wrath of God is being prepared to be poured out on evil, making all things right, as one of the four living creatures passes out the bowls full of God’s wrath to seven angels.

The Co-text

Prior to this passage, John describes the reaping of the harvest of the earth and the reaping and pressing of the vintage of the clusters of the vine of the earth. So, the reaping has occurred. The harvest of the earth is praising God in song as heaven prepares the bowls of the wrath of God to be poured out upon evil.

As John has presented his prophecy, he has shown the tension between God’s people standing up to the world and its evils. John has shown how the world often responds with hostility, culminating in the persecution and martyrdom of his people. But at the appropriate time, when everything has been made complete, God’s people will be rewarded and brought home to be with him while even the world and its evils will worship God in the way that he deserves. This passage is a description as the time for judgment has arrived. The reaping has occurred. Evil is about to be receive its just reward and God is about to make all things right.

Development of Important Words/Motifs:

• Wrath. Evil has run its course. The time has come for evil’s just rewards to be poured out which is God’s wrath.

Openness to Interpretive Possibilities:

(See Introduction)

Revelation 15:1-8.

• The identity of “those who had won victory over the beast”. There are differing views on the identity of those who sing the song of praise to God. Michaels states that “Evidently they are the same group as the 144,000 in the preceding chapter, except they are no longer on “Mount Zion” but in heaven, with harps given them by God (v. 2), corresponding to the harps from heaven that played the “new song” that only the 144,000 were able to learn (14:2-3)” (p. 182).
• Something like a sea of glass mixed with fire. There are differing views on the imagery surrounding verse two. The issues are what is the sea of glass and are the victors standing on the sea of glass or beside the sea of glass. Mounce states that “While several options are offered as to the intent of this image, most likely it is nothing more than a descriptive detail intended to heighten the splendor of the scene” (p. 284). Beale concludes the discussion by stating that “uppermost in mind is the heavenly analogue to the Red Sea in connection with the new exodus. This identification is confirmed beyond doubt by the following mention of the new song of Moses, which is the latter-day counterpart of Moses’ song in Exodus 15” (p. 789).

Without reading further into Revelation, we do not see that John’s prophecy continues by narrating the outpouring of God’s wrath through the seven bowls upon ‘those who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped its image.’

Context

(See Introduction)

Intertext

OT passages are explicitly cited in this text and their significance in this new context:

• Deuteronomy 32:4. “4 The Rock—his work is perfect; all his ways are just. A faithful God, without bias, he is righteous and true.” This passage is Deuteronomy’s version of the Song of Moses that is drawn from in the Song of the victors in Revelation.
• Psalms 86:9. “9 All the nations you have made will come and bow down before you, Lord, and will honor your name. 10 For you are great and perform wonders; you alone are God.” This passage in Psalms is one of the passages that the victor’s song in Revelation draws from.
• Psalms 98:2. “2 The Lord has made his victory known; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.” This passage in Psalms is one of the passages that the victor’s song in Revelation draws from.
• Psalm 111:2,3. “2 The Lord’s works are great, studied by all who delight in them. 3 All that he does is splendid and majestic…” This passage in Psalms is one of the passages that the victor’s song in Revelation draws from.
• Jeremiah 10:7. “7 Who should not fear you, King of the nations? It is what you deserve. For among all the wise people of the nations and among all their kingdoms, there is no one like you.” This passage of Jeremiah’s is one of the passages that the victor’s song in Revelation draws from.

OT passages are alluded to in this text and their significance in this new context:

• Exodus 15:1-18. This passage in Exodus is the song that Moses and the Israelites sang after the Egyptian army was destroyed by God in the Red Sea. This is alluded to in Revelation 15 as the victors are standing by (on) the sea of glass singing a praise song to God for delivering them from evil.
• Exodus 19:18. “18 Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord came down on it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently.” Just as in this passage in Exodus, in Revelation 15, the temple is filled with smoke so that no one was able to enter.
• Exodus 40:34. “34 The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” Just as in this passage in Exodus, in Revelation 15, the temple is filled with smoke so that no one was able to enter.
• Deuteronomy 28:59-60. “59 he will bring wondrous plagues on you and your descendants, severe and lasting plagues, and terrible and chronic sicknesses. 60 He will afflict you again with all the diseases of Egypt, which you dreaded, and they will cling to you.” In this passage in Deuteronomy, the writer describes plagues, like the plagues of Egypt, that will be afflicted upon those who do not obey God’s law. This is alluded to in Revelation 15 as God’s bowls of wrath that will be poured out in Revelation 16.
• Isaiah 6:4. “4 The foundations of the doorways shook at the sound of their voices, and the temple was filled with smoke.” This passage in Isaiah speaks of how the temple was filled with smoke. This is a similar vision that John sees when the bowls of God’s wrath being prepared. 
• Isaiah 45:23. “23 By myself I have sworn; truth has gone from my mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow to me, every tongue will swear allegiance.” This passage in Isaiah speaks of how the ‘every knew will bow and swear allegiance to God.’ This is similar to what is spoken of in the Song of the Victors in Revelation 15.
• Isaiah 51:17. “7 Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my instruction: do not fear disgrace by men, and do not be shattered by their taunts.” This passage in Isaiah is what God is trying to communicate to his people through John’s message in Revelation.
• Jeremiah 10:10. “10 But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and eternal King. The earth quakes at his wrath, and the nations cannot endure his rage.” The truth in this passage from Jeremiah is the same truth that is spoken in Revelation 15.
• Daniel 10:5-6. “5 I looked up, and there was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like beryl, his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.” In this Old Testament apocalyptic, Daniel records a vision that is very similar to the angels who came out of the temple in Revelation 15:6.

Other passages brought to mind by a reading of this one and how this might inform a canonical reading of this text:

• Philippians 2:9-11. “9 For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” In this passage, Paul tells the church in Philippi that because of Jesus’ sacrifice and submission to God’s will, he has been exalted above all and that every person will bow and acknowledge that Jesus is the Messiah, the very Son of God. In Revelation 15, the victor’s sing of this fact in their praise song to God.
• 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9. “7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us. This will take place at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels, 8 when he takes vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will pay the penalty of eternal destruction from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious strength…” In this passage from Paul’s second letter to the church in Thessalonica, he prophecies to the things that are being prepared in this narrative in Revelation.

This passage is the embodiment of the wider story of God and God’s people. In this passage, God’s people, those who conquer evil, will worship him in song. While at the same time, heaven will prepare God’s wrath to be poured out upon evil to bring justice upon creation. This is the story of God and God’s people.

Revelation 15:8 (CSB)

8 Then the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

Main Verbs

(was) Filled

Enter

(were) Completed

Verb

(was) Filled

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Passive

Enter

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active

(were) Completed

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Passive

Genre

(See Introduction)

This passage is a narrative within an apocalyptic letter. More specifically, it includes an “other worldly” vision. A vision in which the author is transported in the spirit to see a particular vision. There are many examples of this type of apocalyptic literature, especially ancient Jewish apocalyptic. Beale states that “The prophet is caught up by the Spirit to emphasize that his message is from God. Similarly, John’s transport into the realm of the Spirit underscores his prophetic commission and authority” (p. 850).

Demarcation

There is a general consensus across the majority of the English translations surveyed as to how this passage should be demarcated. The majority of English translations surveyed demarcate this passage as one cohesive section.

• ESV, NRSV, NIV, CEB, NLT, CEV, MSG. The ESV, NRSV, NIV, CEB, NLT, CEV, and MSG demarcate this passage as belonging to one cohesive section entitled The Great Prostitute and the Beast (ESV).
• CSB. The CSB demarcates this passage as belonging to two different sections. The first section includes 17:1-6 entitled The Woman and the Scarlet Beast. The second section includes 17:7-18 entitled The Meaning of the Woman and of the Beast.
• NASB. The NASB demarcates this passage as belonging to two separate sections. The first section includes v. 1-13 entitled The Doom of Babylon. The second section includes v. 14-18 entitled Victory for the Lamb.
• N.T. Wright. N.T. Wright, in his Revelation for Everyone, demarcates this passage as belonging to two separate sections. The first section includes 17:1-8 entitled Babylon the Great. The second section includes 17:10-21 entitled The Monster and the Whore.
• J. Ramsey Michaels. J. Ramsey Michaels, in his IVP New Testament Commentary Series volume entitled Revelation, demarcates this passage as belonging to two separate sections. The first section includes 17:1-7 entitled The Vision of the Woman and the Scarlet Beast. The second section includes 17:8-18 entitled The Angel’s Interpretation. 
• Robert H. Mounce. Robert H. Mounce, in his New International Commentary on the New Testament volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage into two separate sections. The first section includes 17:1-6 entitled The Vision. The second section includes 17:7-18 entitled The Vision Interpreted.
• G.K. Beale. G.K. Beale, in his New International Greek New Testament Commentary volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage one cohesive section entitled The Influence of the World’s Economic-Religious System and of the State, Their Alliance, and the Downfall of Both.

The textual marker that assist in the analysis of the demarcation of this passage has more to do with the theme than with a specific textual marker. The typical, “Then I saw…” variation is not present and there is an allusion to the previous passage that would allow one to make a case for joining the two passages plausible. But the theme of the passage is so different and introduces new characters that doing so would be confusing.

Moving the boundaries of this passage ignores the shifts in themes and confuses the teaching of each.

The Argument of the Text

John gets his message across through a narrative describing a scene that revolves around the Woman and how the world and especially its rulers relate and interact with her. 

The issues in this passage:

• The Woman. The woman is introduced early in the narrative as “the notorious prostitute, (traditionally translated – the great whore).” Later in the section, she is more precisely described as “the great city that has royal power over the kings of the earth.” This indicates that the notorious prostitute is the controlling cultural earthly norm. Mounce states that “In OT prophetic discourse the imagery of the prostitute is commonly used to denote religious apostasy” (p. 308). Mounce continues “Adorned in luxury and intoxicated with the blood of the saints, she stands for a dominant world system based on seduction for personal gain over against the righteous demands of a persecuted minority. John’s images are timeless in that they portray the essential conflicts of humanity from the beginning of time until the end” (p. 308). Beale states that “Symbolizing Babylon as a “whore” connotes her alluring and seductive nature in attempting to draw people away from Christ” (p. 848).
• The kings of the earth. The kings of the earth represent those who are in power and authority. Beale states “That she rides the beast connotes her alliance with the state. The woman must represent that part of the ungodly world that works together with the state, such as the social, cultural, economic, and religious aspects of the world” (p. 853).
• Those who live on the earth. The people of the world.
• The detestable things of the earth. It is amazing the detestable things that humankind has come up with when left to their own devices. Wright states that “The phrase ‘abominations and the impurities of her fornications’ doesn’t quite catch, tor most of us the full force of what John is saying. His point is that the outward appearance of the whore is magnificent but the inner reality is disgusting, stomach—churning filth” (p. 151). Mounce states that “In chapter 17 the harlot appears in a vulgar display of the trappings of wealth and power, and drunk with the blood of martyrs” (p. 306)
• The woman was drunk with the blood of the saints. Throughout Revelation there have been various mentions of the blood of the saints. In this passage, the woman partakes in the blood of the saints as party and intoxication. Mounce states that “Her ultimate sin is that she has gorged herself on the blood of God’s people. She is the one responsible for the suffering and bloodshed brought upon the struggling church” (p. 307). Beale states that “The harlot in ch. 17 represents the apostate world community, which deceives “earth-dwellers” and persecutes the saints” (p. 852).
• The angel explains the mystery. God’s people are not left in the dark. God provides all of the information that his people need to persevere and be faithful to his name.
• Those who are not written in the book of life will be astonished. Just as the dragon and the beast wooed humankind outside of God’s family, so too will this story of the notorious prostitute astonish those who do not recognize the kingdom of God.
• The kingdoms will make war against the Lamb. Again, in Revelation, the kingdoms come to war against Jesus, but they are not victorious.
• The world will destroy the woman because God has put it in their hearts to do so. In an ironic turn, God has put it in the hearts of the very people wooed by the notorious prostitute to destroy her. Wright states that “What matters is that the monster’s kingdom looks perfect and impregnable, but forces from within its own ranks will destroy it” (p. 155). Wright concludes that “Finally, as we have seen before, evil will turn on evil and destroy itself in the process” (p. 156). Mounce states that “In the final analysis the powers of evil serve the purposes of God” (p. 321). Beale states “that kingdom will turn against itself and start to self-destruct even before Christ returns. The political side of the evil system will turn against the religious-economic side and destroy it” (p. 858).
• The woman is the great city that has royal power over the kings of the earth. 

There are ten characters in this scene; one of the seven angels, John, a woman, a scarlet beast, those who live on the earth – whose names are not written in the book of life, seven kings, ten kings, the Lamb, a sea of people, and God. All of the characters in this scene give their power and authority to the beast and make war against the Lamb. But the Lamb is victorious. God then puts it into the hearts of the ten kings and the beast to destroy the prostitute.

In this passage, the indicators about how to react to the various characters are recorded by John describing the scene, its events, and the reactions and interactions of the characters.

In this passage, John is describing to his audience what he sees take place.

John is asking his audience to witness the prostitute and the influence she has over the kingdoms of the world.

This passage was communicated during a time when followers of Jesus were suffering ostracization from the community, both Roman and Jew.

John gets his message across in this narrative describing the scene visually.

This passage is about the influence the prostitute has over those in power on the earth. She has every detestable act humanity could conspire at her fingertips. She has influenced humanity to wage war against God’s people finding pleasure in their martyrdom. Eventually, God will put it into the hearts of those she has had influence over to turn against her and to devour her. The prostitute is the evil that culminates in human culture and society. Michaels states that the purpose of this chapter is “to encourage John’s readers to be faithful so as to “overcome”” (p. 199). Beale states that “John’s overriding concern is to warn the churches about compromise with this system so that they will not be judged with it. The pagan system in John’s time was not merely Roman society and the emperor cult but also the culture of Asia Minor and similar places, which was dominated by pagan trade guilds with their patron deities” (p. 885).

The Co-text

Prior to this passage, John describes seven angels releasing the seven bowls of wrath and the plagues that come with them.

As John has presented his prophecy, he has shown the tension between God’s people standing up to the world and its evils. John has shown how the world often responds with hostility, culminating in the persecution and martyrdom of his people. But at the appropriate time, when everything has been made complete, God’s people will be rewarded and brought home to be with him while even the world and its evils will worship God in the way that he deserves. This passage is a description as the time for judgment has arrived. The reaping has occurred. Evil now receives its just reward and God is about to make all things right.

Development of Important Words/Motifs:

• Prostitute (Woman). This passage is about the prostitute, also known as the woman and her prostitution. In this vision, John sees yet another form of immorality that plagues the world. The worldly system feeds off of its own self.
• Beast. The beast and the prostitute work together to accomplish their task of corrupting God’s creation and their attempt at warring against Jesus.
• Kings. Kings get their authority from the Prostitute who is the power structure of the worldly kingdom.

Openness to Interpretive Possibilities:

(See Introduction)

There is a wide range of viewpoints from literal to figurative for each of the characters in this narrative – the woman, Babylon, etc.

Without reading further into Revelation, we do not see that chapter eighteen continues to describe the downfall of the worldly system. In chapter seventeen this is described through the downfall of the harlot. In chapter eighteen this is described another way in the downfall of Babylon. Mounce states that “It is clear that both chapters deal with the same epic event – the downfall of Rome, the center of power and influence that is threatening the early church” (p. 306).

Context

(See Introduction)

Intertext

OT passages alluded to in this text and their significance in this new context:

• Isaiah 1:21. “21 The faithful town— what an adulteress she has become! She was once full of justice. Righteousness once dwelt in her, but now, murderers!” This passage from Isaiah describes how Jerusalem has become an “adulteress” as a city. This similar allusion is made regarding the leading cities and authorities of John’s day.
• Jeremiah 13:27. “27 Your adulteries and your lustful neighing, your depraved prostitution on the hills, in the fields— I have seen your abhorrent acts. Woe to you, Jerusalem! You are unclean — for how long yet?” This passage from Jeremiah describes how Jerusalem has become an “adulteress” as a city. This similar allusion is made regarding the leading cities and authorities of John’s day.
• Daniel 7:3-7. This passage describes Daniel’s vision of four beast’s coming out of the sea. These four beasts together appear to be the beast in Revelation that John sees.
• Daniel 7:20. “20 I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three fell—the horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke arrogantly, and that looked bigger than the others.” This passage in Daniel describes his vision of the ten horns that John also describes in Revelation.
• Daniel 7:24. “24 The ten horns are ten kings who will rise from this kingdom. Another king, different from the previous ones, will rise after them and subdue three kings.” This passage in Daniel describes his vision of the ten horns that John also describes in Revelation.

Sensitivity to Other Inter-Canonical Echoes and how this might inform a canonical reading of this text:

• Mark 3:26. “26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished.” This passage from Mark’s gospel records Jesus declaring that if Satan opposes himself, he will be destroyed. This is how John sees the end of evil play out in Revelation; that evil will implode upon itself.

This passage is the embodiment of the wider story of God and God’s people. In this passage, God’s wrath is finally being poured out upon those who blaspheme him and worship the dragon. Those who have waged war against God will be punished with the blood of those whose blood was shed being faithful to Him. This is the story of God and God’s people.

Revelation 15:8 (CSB)

14 These will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them because he isLord of lords and King of kings. Those with him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

Main Verbs

(will) Make

(will) Conquer

Is

(are) Called

Verb

(will Make

Tense – Future

Mood – Indicative

Voice – Active

(will) Conquer

• Tense – Future
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active

Is

• Tense – Present
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Passive

(are) Called

• Tense – Present
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Passive

Genre

(See Introduction)

This passage is a narrative within an apocalyptic letter.

Demarcation

There is a general consensus across the majority of the English translations surveyed as to how this passage should be demarcated. The majority of English translations surveyed demarcate this passage as belonging to a larger section that includes 19:1-10.

• CSB, NRSV, NIV, CEB, NLT, and MSG. The CSB, NRSV, NIV, CEB, NLT, and MSG demarcate this passage as belonging to part of a larger section that includes 19:1-10 entitled Celebration in Heaven (CSB).
• ESV. The ESV demarcates this passage as one cohesive section entitled Rejoicing in Heaven.
• NASB. The NASB demarcates this passage as belonging part of a larger section that includes 19:1-6 entitled The Fourfold Hallelujah. 
• CEV. The CEV demarcates this passage as belonging to parts of two larger sections. The first section includes 18:1-19:4 entitled The Fall of Babylon. The second section includes 19:5-10 entitled The Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
• N.T. Wright. N.T. Wright, in his Revelation for Everyone, demarcates this passage as belonging to a larger section that includes 19:1-10 entitled God’s Victory.
• J. Ramsey Michaels. J. Ramsey Michaels, in his IVP New Testament Commentary Series volume entitled Revelation, demarcates this passage as belonging to the larger section that includes 19:1-8 entitled The Rejoicing of Heaven and Earth.
• Robert H. Mounce. Robert H. Mounce, in his New International Commentary on the New Testament volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage as one cohesive section entitled Hymn of Vindication.
• G.K. Beale. G.K. Beale, in his New International Greek New Testament Commentary volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage as belonging to the larger section that includes 19:1-6 entitled The Declaration of Babylon’s Coming Judgment Is Also the Basis for the Saints’ Glorification of God’s Kingship.

The textual marker that assists in the analysis of the demarcation of this passage is “After this I heard…” All throughout the book of Revelation John utilizes this textual marker in varying but similar forms to signal a change in the narrative. This passage adheres to this structure. More significantly however, the theme of this passage sets it apart from its co-text. In this passage, God is being worshiped for the destruction of the notorious prostitute. Most of the English translations surveyed join this passage with a larger section. However, in 19:6-10 God is being worshiped for a different reason – the marriage of the Lamb and the Bride. These two passages need to be separated because their theme is completely different.

Moving the boundaries of this passage ignores the shifts in themes and confuses the teaching of each. Mounce states that “The first five verses of chapter 19 constitute a fitting climax for the lengthy section on the fall of Rome, which began at 17:1” (p. 341).

The Argument of the Text

John gets his message across through a narrative describing a scene that revolves around the worship of God for his judgment upon the notorious prostitute.

• God’s judgments are true. In this passage, the multitudes in heaven, declare that God’s judgements are true (or valid) and righteous. The Christian martyr’s stand is predicated on this moment when God will vindicate the innocent blood that has been shed in his name. Mounce states that God’s judgements are ““just,” that is, absolutely fair” (p. 342). Mounce continues by stating that “Since God is by nature absolutely just, it becomes necessary for evil to be punished in a moral universe. That God will vindicate those who gave their life rather than betray their faith is absolutely certain” (p. 342).
• God judged the notorious prostitute because she corrupted the earth and killed God’s people. The notorious prostitute will be judged for these two reasons. Mounce states that “Her adultery is her seductive and unholy alliances with the entire civilized world” (p. 342).

There are eight characters in this scene; John, a vast multitude, God, the notorious prostitute, the earth, God’s servants, the twenty-four elders, the four living creatures, and a voice from the throne. Four of the characters speak; the vast multitude, the twenty-four elders and the four creatures, and a voice from heaven. Each of the utterances are worship to God.

In this passage, the indicators about how to react to the various characters are recorded by John describing the scene, its events, and the reactions and interactions of the characters.

In this passage, John is describing to his audience what he sees take place.

John is asking his audience to witness God being worshiped by all of heaven for the judgment that he brings upon the notorious prostitute.

This passage was communicated during a time when followers of Jesus were suffering ostracization from the community, both Roman and Jew.

John gets his message across in this narrative describing the scene visually.

This passage is about the God being worshiped for his just actions upon the notorious prostitute who has led the earth astray and has killed the people of God. Mounce states that “The multitude praises God because the destruction of the wicked city is absolutely final” (p. 343).

The Co-text

The two sections prior to this passage describe the fall of the worldly system as seen in the destruction of The Woman and then in The Fall of Babylon. On the heels of these passages, this passage describes the outcry of praise from a vast multitude in heaven, the twenty-four elders and four living creatures, and a voice from the thrown toward God.

As John has presented his prophecy, he has shown the tension between God’s people standing up to the world and its evils. John has shown how the world often responds with hostility, culminating in the persecution and martyrdom of his people. But at the appropriate time, when everything has been made complete, God’s people will be rewarded and brought home to be with him while even the world and its evils will worship God in the way that he deserves. The previous passage described the time of final judgment. The reaping has occurred. Evil has received its just reward. Now, in this passage, God is praised for being the righteous judge.

Important Words/Motifs:

• Judged (judgments). In this passage God is being worshiped and praised because of his just and right judgments upon evil.

Without reading further into Revelation, we do not see that the celebration continues as the bride is found dressed and ready to be married to the Lamb.

Context

Intertext

OT passages alluded to and their significance in this new context:

• Deuteronomy 32:43. “43 Rejoice, you nations, concerning his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants. He will take vengeance on his adversaries; he will purify his land and his people.” Just before the nation of Israel, the people of God, enter the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Moses sings a song in front of the entire people of God praising God for how he has avenged the blood of his servants. Revelation 19 alludes to this very song as John witnesses the multitude praising God for avenging the blood of his martyred people.
• Isaiah 34:8-10. “8 For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a time of paying back Edom for its hostility against Zion. 9 Edom’s streams will be turned into pitch, her soil into sulfur; her land will become burning pitch. 10 It will never go out—day or night. Its smoke will go up forever. It will be desolate, from generation to generation; no one will pass through it forever and ever.” In this passage, Isaiah recounts the destruction that was brought upon Edom for their persecution upon God’s people. Just like Babylon in Revelation, Edom’s smoke will go up forever.

Other Inter-Canonical passages brought to mind by a reading of this one and how might they inform a canonical reading of this text:

• John 8:16. “16 And if I do judge, my judgment is true, because it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.” In this passage from John’s gospel, Jesus describes how his judgment is true because the Father has sent him. This is true also in Revelation 19 where God’s judgment upon the notorious prostitute is just and true.

This passage is the embodiment of the wider story of God and God’s people. In this passage, God’s people bow down before him as he sits on his throne and praise him for his righteous and pure judgment. This is the story of God and God’s people.

Revelation 18:21b (CSB)

1 After this I heard something like the loud voice of a vast multitude in heaven, saying, Hallelujah! Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God, 2 because his judgments aretrue and righteous, because he has judged the notorious prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality; and he has avenged the blood of his servants that was on her hands.

Main Verbs

Heard

Saying

Belong

(has) Judged

Corrupted

(has) Avenged

(was) On

Verb

Heard

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Passive

Saying

• Tense – Present
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active

Belong

• Tense – Present
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Passive

(has) Judged

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active

Corrupted

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active

(has) Avenged

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active

(was) On

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Passive

Genre

(See Introduction)

This passage is a narrative within an apocalyptic letter.

Demarcation

There is a consensus across the majority of the English translations surveyed demarcating this passage as one cohesive section.

• CSB, NRSV. The CSB and NRSV demarcate this passage as belonging to two separate sections. The first section includes 19:11-16 entitled The rider on a White Horse (CSB). The second section includes 19:17-21 entitled The Beast and Its Armies Defeated (CSB).
• ESV, NIV, CEB, NLT, CEV, and MSG. The ESV, NIV, CEB, NLT, CEV, and MSG demarcate this passage as one cohesive section entitled The Rider on a White Horse (ESV).
• NASB. The NASB demarcates this passage as belonging to two separate sections. The first section includes 19:11-19 entitled The Coming of Christ. The second section includes 19:20-21 entitled Doom of the Beast and False Prophet.
• N.T. Wright. N.T. Wright, in his Revelation for Everyone, demarcates this passage as one cohesive section entitled The Monster Defeated.
• J. Ramsey Michaels. J. Ramsey Michaels, in his IVP New Testament Commentary Series volume entitled Revelation, demarcates this passage as one cohesive section entitled The Battle.
• Robert H. Mounce. Robert H. Mounce, in his New International Commentary on the New Testament volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage as two separate sections. The first section includes 19:11-16 entitled The Warrior-Messiah Appears. The second section includes 19:17-21 entitled Antichrist and Allies Destroyed.
• G.K. Beale. G.K. Beale, in his New International Greek New Testament Commentary volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage as one cohesive section entitled Christ Will Reveal His Sovereignty and Faithfulness to His Promises by Judging Babylon’s Former Allies in Order to Vindicate His People.

The textual marker that assists in the analysis of the demarcation of this passage is “Then I saw…” All throughout the book of Revelation John utilizes this textual marker in varying but similar forms to signal a change in the narrative. This passage adheres to this structure. More significantly however, the theme of this passage sets it apart from its co-text. In the previous passage, the focus is the marriage of the Lamb and his bride. This passage transitions to a narrative regarding the second coming of Jesus Christ as the mighty warrior defeating the beast and his armies. Mounce states that “The blessedness of the wedding supper of the Lamb is abruptly followed by a vision of the warrior-Messiah who appears on a white horse ready to wage war” (p. 350). Beale concurs when he states that “The introductory vision phraseology (“and I saw”) indicates the beginning of another vision” (p. 949).

Moving the boundaries of this passage ignores the shifts in themes and confuses the teaching of each.

The Argument of the Text

John gets his message across through a narrative describing a scene that revolves around the coming of Jesus Christ as a mighty warrior defeating the beast and its armies.

The issues in this passage:

• Jesus is called Faithful and True. Just as God is called faithful in the previous passage as he judges the notorious prostitute, here Jesus is called faithful and true.
• He judges and makes war with justice. Just as God is called just in the previous passage as he judges the notorious prostitute, here Jesus is called faithful and true. Beale states that “the humble Messiah riding on a donkey becomes at the parousia a mighty warrior conquering on a horse” (p. 951).
• He wears a robe dipped in blood. In the previous passage, the notorious prostitute is judged because she has the blood of God’s people on her hands. In this passage, Jesus robe is dipped in blood. Beale states that “The rider is portrayed as “clothed with a garment sprinkled with blood,” which is a clear allusion to the description of God judging the nations in Isa. 63:1-3” (p. 957).
• His armies wear pure white linen. In the previous passage, the bride was dressed in fine linen bright and pure. In this passage the groom, Jesus, appears in pure white linen.
• A sword to strike the nations comes out of his mouth. Jesus, the Word of God, is seen here with a sword coming out of his mouth striking the nations. The Word is often spoken of scripture which is also referred to as a sword. Wright states that “John’s readers know well bynow, the actual weapons which Jesus uses to win the battle are his own blood, his loving self-sacrifice…” (p. 173).
• He tramples the winepress of the fierce anger of God. Earlier in John’s Revelation, God’s enemies are thrown into a winepress outside the city. When their judgment comes they are pressed out so that their blood equals a horses bridle for about 180 miles.
• The beast and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire. The beast and the false prophet finally receive their punishment of being thrown into the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Beale claims that “The description of judgment does not suggest that two literal individuals are cast bodily into the fire, but only that all who function in the corporate role of beast and false prophet at the end of history will be punished in this way” (p. 969).
• The rest are killed with the sword from the mouth of the rider. In this passage, the remainder of those who war against Jesus and his angels are put to death by the sword.

There are nine characters in this scene; the rider, the heavenly army, the nations, an angel, kings, military commanders, the mighty, the beast, the false prophet. Only the angel speaks in this passage.

In this passage, the indicators about how to react to the various characters are recorded by John describing the scene, its events, and the reactions and interactions of the characters.

In this passage, John is describing to his audience what he sees take place.

John is asking his audience to witness Jesus come again to wage war against the nations, the beast, and the false prophet.

This passage was communicated during a time when followers of Jesus were suffering ostracization from the community, both Roman and Jew.

John gets his message across in this narrative describing the scene visually.

This passage is about the Jesus defeating the nations, the beast, and the false prophet.

The Co-text

The previous passage describes God being praised as the bride is found dressed and ready for the wedding to the Lamb. In this passage, Jesus returns to defeat the evil and punish the guilty.

As John has presented his prophecy, he has shown the tension between God’s people standing up to the world and its evils. John has shown how the world often responds with hostility, culminating in the persecution and martyrdom of his people. But at the appropriate time, when everything has been made complete, God’s people will be rewarded and brought home to be with him while even the world and its evils will worship God in the way that he deserves. In previous passages the time of final judgment is described. The reaping has occurred. Evil has received its just reward. God is praised for being the righteous judge and the bride is found ready for the wedding to the Lamb. Finally, in this passage the Jesus returns to wage war against evil.

Development of Important Words/Motifs:

• Faithful and True. In this passage, Jesus is described as faithful and true just as God is described in earlier passages.
• Judges, justice. The role of Jesus’ appearance is to judge and bring justice. This is similar to what is spoken of God in earlier passages.
• Fiery flame, lake of fire. In this passage, the fire motif is prevalent. Jesus’ eyes burn like fire and his enemies are thrown into the lake of fire.
• Flesh. All throughout this passage the flesh of God’s enemies is devoured by the birds of the air. Just as God’s people are to put away the desire of the flesh, when Jesus comes, all flesh will be devoured.

Without reading further into Revelation, we do not see that in the next few passages the devil is bound for a thousand years while those who were martyred reign with Jesus. After the thousand years, the devil is released and allowed to gather an army to wage war against the saints. But fire from heaven consumed them and the devil was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur.

Context

Intertext

OT passages alluded to and their significance in this new context:

• Deuteronomy 10:17. “17 For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God, showing no partiality and taking no bribe.” This passage in Deuteronomy uses the God name – God of gods and Lord of lords. In Revelation 19, this God name is given to Jesus upon his return.
• Psalms 2:9. “9 You will break them with an iron scepter; you will shatter them like pottery.” In this messianic psalm, God’s Son will shatter the nations with an iron scepter like pottery. This same visual is alluded to in Revelation 19.
• Psalms 96:13b. “for he is coming— for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with his faithfulness.” This psalm speaks of how the LORD will judge with righteousness and faithfulness just as Revelation 19 describes.
• Isaiah 11:3-5. “3 His delight will be in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, he will not execute justice by what he hears with his ears, 4 but he will judge the poor righteously and execute justice for the oppressed of the land. He will strike the land with a scepter from his mouth, and he will kill the wicked with a command from his lips. 5 Righteousness will be a belt around his hips; faithfulness will be a belt around his waist.” Much of this passage in Isaiah is alluded to in Revelation 19; from the type of judge Jesus is to the authority he has over the world, to punishment coming from his mouth, to his faithfulness.
• Isaiah 49:2a. “2 He made my words like a sharp sword…” This passage from Isaiah is alluded to heavily in Revelation 19. Notice that the words are like a sharp sword. This may be true also of the imagery used in Revelation 19.
• Isaiah 63:3. “3 I trampled the winepress alone, and no one from the nations was with me. I trampled them in my anger and ground them underfoot in my fury; their blood spattered my garments, and all my clothes were stained.” Revelation 19 alludes heavily to this passage in Isaiah.
• Ezekiel 39:4. “4 You, all your troops, and the peoples who are with you will fall on the mountains of Israel. I will give you as food to every kind of predatory bird and to the wild animals.” This passage in Ezekiel describes how nation of Gog will be destroyed and their flesh will be consumed by predatory birds and wild animals. This also occurs in Revelation 19 as God calls predatory birds to come and feast on the flesh of his enemies as they are destroyed. 
• Daniel 2:47. “47 The king said to Daniel, “Your God is indeed God of gods, Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, since you were able to reveal this mystery.” This passage in Daniel uses the God name – God of gods and Lord of lords. In Revelation 19, this God name is given to Jesus upon his return.
• Hosea 6:5. “5 This is why I have used the prophets to cut them down; I have killed them with the words from my mouth. My judgment strikes like lightning.” This passage from Hosea is alluded to in Revelation 19. Notice that the words are like a sharp sword. This may be true also of the imagery used in Revelation 19.

Sensitivity to other Ancient Texts (Greco-Roman or Jewish) and Their Significance:

• Wisdom of Solomon 18:15-16. “15 your all-powerful word leaped from heaven, from the royal throne, into the midst of the land that was doomed, a stern warrior 16 carrying the sharp sword of your authentic command, and stood and filled all things with death, and touched heaven while standing on the earth.” In this passage from the ancient Jewish deuterocanonical book of Wisdom of Solomon, the passage describes how God’s word carries a sharp sword. This passage may also be alluded to in Revelation 19.
• Psalms of Solomon 17:23-29. “23 Behold, O Lord, and raise up unto them their king, the son of David, At the time in the which Thou seest, O God, that he may reign over Israel Thy servant 24 And gird him with strength, that he may shatter unrighteous rulers, 25 And that he may purge Jerusalem from nations that trample (her) down to destruction. Wisely, righteously 26 he shall thrust out sinners from (the) inheritance, He shall destroy the pride of the sinner as a potter's vessel. With a rod of iron he shall break in pieces all their substance, He shall destroy the godless nations with the word of his mouth; At his rebuke nations shall flee before him, And he shall reprove sinners for the thoughts of their heart. 28And he shall gather together a holy people, whom he shall lead in righteousness, And he shall judge the tribes of the people that has been sanctified by the Lord his God. 29 And he shall not suffer unrighteousness to lodge any more in their midst, Nor shall there dwell with them any man that knoweth wickedness.” From this ancient intertestamental apocrypha, Psalms of Solomon, very similar imagery is used in this passage as is used in Revelation 19.
• Psalms of Solomon 17:39. “39 For he will smite the earth with the word of his mouth for ever.” From this ancient intertestamental apocrypha, Psalms of Solomon, very similar imagery is used in this passage as is used in Revelation 19.
• 2 Baruch 72:2. “2 After the signs have come of which I have spoken to you before, when the nations are moved and the time of MY Anointed One comes, He will call all nations, and some of them He will spare, and others He will kill.” This ancient Jewish pseudepigrapha passage talks about the anointed one coming and judging the nations. This passage may be alluded to by John in Revelation 19.
• 1 Enoch 9:4. “4 And they said to their Lord, the King: "Lord of Lords, God of Gods, King of Kings! Your glorious throne endures for all the generations of the world, and blessed and praised!” This passage from the ancient Jewish pseudepigrapha passage found in 1 Enoch uses the God name – God of gods and Lord of lords. In Revelation 19, this God name is given to Jesus upon his return.
• 1 Enoch 62:2. “2 And the Lord of Spirits sat on His Throne of Glory, and the spirit of righteousness was poured out on him, and the word of his mouth kills all the sinners and all the lawless, and they are destroyed in front of him. This passage from the ancient Jewish pseudepigrapha passage found in 1 Enoch describes how God will kill his enemies by the word of his mouth. This is a similar allusion to Revelation 19.

Other passages brought to mind by a reading of this one and how this might inform a canonical reading of this text:

• Matthew 13:40-43. “40 Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom all who cause sin and those guilty of lawlessness. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Let anyone who has ears listen.” In this passage from Matthew’s gospel, Jesus describes how at the end of time those causing evil will be thrown into the blazing furnace while the righteous will shine in God’s kingdom. This is the event that John is describing in Revelation 19.
• Matthew 25:41. “41 “Then he will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!” In this passage from Matthew’s gospel, Jesus describes in this parable how at the end of time those who have not served others will be thrown into the blazing furnace while the righteous will shine in God’s kingdom. This is the event that John is describing in Revelation 19.
• John 1:1, 14. “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… 14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John begins his gospel by explaining that the Word has always been with God. Later in his Prologue, John reveals that the Word is God’s Son, Jesus. In Revelation 19, John states that the secret name of the rider on the white is the Word.
• 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12. “3 We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, since your faith is flourishing and the love each one of you has for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore, we ourselves boast about you among God’s churches—about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions that you are enduring. 5 It is clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment that you will be counted worthy of God’s kingdom, for which you also are suffering, 6 since it is just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us. This will take place at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels, 8 when he takes vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will pay the penalty of eternal destruction from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious strength 10 on that day when he comes to be glorified by his saints and to be marveled at by all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed. 11 In view of this, we always pray for you that our God will make you worthy of his calling, and by his power fulfill your every desire to do good and your work produced by faith, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified by you, and you by him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” This passage in Paul’s letter to the church in Thessalonians is very much like what John writes in Revelation 19 as well as the overarching theme of John’s entire letter.
• 1 Timothy 6:15. “15 God will bring this about in his own time. He is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords…” In this passage in Paul’s, the Jew of all Jews, letter to Timothy, Paul invokes the God name – God of gods and Lord of lords. In Revelation 19, this God name is given to Jesus upon his return.
• Hebrews 4:12. “12 For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” In this passage from the writer of the letter to the Hebrews, the imagery of the word of God is likened to a sword just as in Revelation 19.

This passage is the embodiment of the wider story of God and God’s people. In this passage, Jesus returns to bring justice upon the beast and the false prophet and all who were deceived. The consequence that Jesus brings is true and just. Wright states that “Lies and deceits will continue to be spread. We must be on our guard. But the king of kings and Lord of lords will be victorious. In the meantime, there must be no compromise” (p. 175). This is the story of God and God’s people.

Revelation 19:7b (CSB)

15 A sharp sword came from his mouth, so that he might strike the nations with it. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God, the Almighty. 

Main Verbs

Came

Strike

Rule

Trample

Verb

Came

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active

Strike

• Tense – Present
• Mood – Imperative
• Voice – Active

Rule

• Tense – Future
• Mood – Imperative
• Voice – Active

Trample

• Tense – Future
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active

Genre

(See Introduction)

This passage is a narrative within an apocalyptic letter. This and the adjoining sections of Revelation are another example of seeing John’s letter through the genre of apocalypse that it belongs. While other interpretations are plausible, it is best to view Revelation not as a chronological description of the eschaton, but as the eschaton being told through multiple versions (usually three) as seen through different perspectives. Therefore, this passage should not be viewed as temporally tied to the previous passage. One of the key evidences of this is seen through the condition of the different characters throughout the narrative. If Revelation is to be seen as a chronological narrative, problems arise with the condition of certain characters in the story, namely God’s people and the nations. Beale states that “The parallels between chs. 12 and 20, though the chapters are not identical at every point, suggest that they depict the same events and mutually interpret one another…” (p. 992). Beale states that “the programmatic use of shmaivnw (“signify”) in 1:1 with reference to the whole book encourages the reader to expect a predominance of symbolic over literal language, including references to numbers” (p. 1017).

Demarcation

There is a consensus across the majority of the English translations surveyed demarcating this passage as belonging to a larger section that includes 20:1-6.

• CSB, CEB. The CSB and CEB demarcate this passage as one cohesive section entitled The Saints Reign with Christ (CSB).
• ESV, NASB, NRSV, NIV, NLT, CEV. The ESV, NASB, NRSV, NIV, NLT, and CEV demarcate this passage as belonging to a larger section that includes 20:1-6 entitled The Thousand Years (ESV).
• MSG. The MSG demarcates this passage as belonging to a larger section that includes 20:1-10 entitled A Thousand Years.
• N.T. Wright. N.T. Wright, in his Revelation for Everyone, demarcates this passage as belonging to a larger section that includes 20:1-6 entitled Reigning for a Thousand Years.
• J. Ramsey Michaels. J. Ramsey Michaels, in his IVP New Testament Commentary Series volume entitled Revelation, demarcates this passage as one cohesive section entitled The Reign of the Martyrs.
• Robert H. Mounce. Robert H. Mounce, in his New International Commentary on the New Testament volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage as one cohesive section entitled Millennial Reign.
• G.K. Beale. G.K. Beale, in his New International Greek New Testament Commentary volume entitled The Book of Revelation, demarcates this passage as one cohesive section entitled The Millennium Is Inaugurated for Deceased Saints during the Church Age by the Resurrection of Their Souls, Placing Them in the Heavenly Condition of Having Authority with Christ as Priests and Kings over Spiritual Death.

There are two markers that assist in the demarcation of this passage. The first is the textual marker “Then I saw…”. In addition to this textual marker the theme of the surrounding passages are different. Revelation 20:1-3 deals specifically with Satan being bound and thrown into the abyss, while 20:4-6 deal with the resurrection of Jesus’ beheaded martyrs. Based on these textual cues and thematic markers, Revelation 20:1-3 and 4-6 should be studied as individual sections. Mounce concurs when he states that “John’s next vision takes place in a judicial setting” (p. 363).

Moving the boundaries of this passage ignores the shifts in themes and confuses the teaching of each.

The Argument of the Text

John gets his message across through a narrative describing a scene in which the saints who have been beheaded will be raised to life and will reign with Jesus for a thousand years.

The issues in this passage:

• John sees thrones with people seated on them who were given authority to judge. The obvious image brought to mind here is the image of the heavenly court that could consist of the 24 elders and the four angels. Mounce concurs when he states that “they may be the heavenly court” (p. 365).
• John sees the souls of those beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus come to life and reign with Jesus. Those who have had their life taken from them because of their testimony about Jesus and because of their perseverance against the beast are resurrected to life and reign with Jesus. Wright states that “It looks, then, as though Joh is referring not to a thousand year period on earth, but to the heavenly reality which obtains during a particular period” (p. 180). When considering the “the souls of those who had been beheaded”,
• The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years was completed. 
• This is the first resurrection. 

There are three characters in this scene; martyrs, Jesus, the rest of the dead. Jesus’ martyrs are raised to life and will reign with Jesus for a thousand years. The rest of the dead will not be raised until the end of the thousand years. There is no dialogue in this passage.

In this passage, the indicators about how to react to the various characters are recorded by John describing the scene, its events, and the reactions and interactions of the characters.

In this passage, John is describing to his audience what he sees take place.

John is asking his audience to witness the resurrection of Jesus’ martyrs.

This passage was communicated during a time when followers of Jesus were suffering ostracization from the community, both Roman and Jew.

John gets his message across in this narrative describing the scene visually.

This passage is about the martyrs of Jesus being raised from the dead so they can reign with Jesus for a thousand years. Wright states that “We must hold on to the central things which John has made crystal clear: the victory of the lamb, and the call to share his victory through faith and patience” (p. 181).

The Co-text

The previous passage describes Jesus coming as a mighty warrior on a white horse as the beast, the false prophet, and the kings of the earth with their armies make war against him. Jesus throws the beast and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire while the rest of the armies are killed by Jesus’ sword. An angel from heaven comes and binds Satan for a thousand years. In this passage, the souls of the beheaded martyrs of Jesus are resurrected to life and reign with Jesus for a thousand years. The rest of the dead are not resurrected.

As John has presented his prophecy, he has shown the tension between God’s people standing up to the world and its evils. John has shown how the world often responds with hostility, culminating in the persecution and martyrdom of his people. But at the appropriate time, the martyred souls of Jesus’ people will be resurrected and will reign alongside of Jesus for a thousand years.

Development of Important Words/Motifs:

• Thrones. John sees people on thrones.
• Authority. Along with thrones comes authority and John says as much in this passage.
• Souls. This passage states that it is the souls of martyrs that are resurrected.
• Reign(ed). Throughout this passage, John speaks of thrones and reigning. He states that those who persevere and sacrifice their bodies will be given the authority to stand alongside of Jesus and reign with him.

Openness to Interpretive Possibilities:

(See Introduction)

• Millennium. There are many issues regarding the millennium. Mounce may put this discussion in its correct frame of reference when he states that “Only in Rev 20:1-10 do we find any NT teaching about a millennium” (p 367). These issues are intertwined. For instance, a stance on one issue requires a certain stand on the other issues. Beale states that “the millennium could be the final eternal bliss, which is to begin at some future eschatological time when souls will “celebrate… in the everlasting light in the kingdom.” …If so, it would not be a literal one thousand years but would represent a long epoch, the last epoch of world history” (p. 1020).
  • One issue is the understanding of the thousand years. Some see the thousand years as a literal thousand-year time period and others see the thousand years as a figurative time period of a very long time.
  • Another issue is where this takes place. Some understand the millennium to take place on the earth while others understand the millennium to take place in the heavenly realm. Beale states that “the scene here is also picturing deceased saints reigning in heaven and not on earth” (p. 998).
  • Another issue often discussed surrounding the millennium is the type of bodies the martyrs will have. One thought is that it will be the souls of the martyrs. Another line of thinking is that their bodies will be their regenerative bodies as Christ’s body was regenerative after his resurrection. While a final line of thinking is their bodies will their resurrected unregenative body.
• The souls of those who have been beheaded. Another issue discussed with is who will participate in the millennium. Some hold to the participants of the millennium being those who were literally beheaded as the text states. Others hold fast to the belief that anyone who was put to death for their testimony in Jesus Christ. A third group believes that God’s people who persevered through suffering for their testimony are included, in some sense this could include all of God’s people. Michaels states that “Throughout the book of Revelation the Greek word martyria refers to faithful testimony, not necessarily violent death” (p. 224).Mounce states that “The millennium is not, for John, the messianic age foretold by the prophets of the OT, but a special reward for those who have paid with their lives the price of faithful opposition to the idolatrous claims of Antichrist” (p. 369). Beale states that these are Christ’s people who have “remained faithful in death, whether or not by martyrdom” (p. 999).

Without reading further into Revelation, we do not see that this theme of one thousand years continues. That the beheaded saint’s rule on earth with Jesus for one thousand years while Satan is bound in the abyss. Then after the thousand years, Satan is released to deceive the nations of the four corners of the earth.

Context

(See Introduction)

Intertext

OT passages alluded to and their significance in this new context:

• Isaiah 26:19-21. “19 Your dead will live; their bodies will rise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust! For you will be covered with the morning dew, and the earth will bring out the departed spirits.” This Old Testament passage from Isaiah talks of bodies of the dead rising and the earth giving up departed spirits.
• Ezekiel 37:6, 10. “6 I will put tendons on you, make flesh grow on you, and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you so that you come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord… 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me; the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, a vast army.” In Ezekiel’s passage regarding the valley of dry bones, God raises up people with physical bodies from dry bones.
• Ezekiel 37:25-28. “25 “‘They will live in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They will live in it forever with their children and grandchildren, and my servant David will be their prince forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be a permanent covenant with them. I will establish and multiply them and will set my sanctuary among them forever. 27 My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 28 When my sanctuary is among them forever, the nations will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel.’” This passage from Ezekiel speaks of God making his permanent dwelling with his people and living among them forever. This is a specific location on the earth. In Revelation, John speaks of God’s people reigning alongside of Jesus.
• Daniel 7:13-14. “13 I continued watching in the night visions, and suddenly one like a son of man was coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him. 14 He was given dominion, and glory, and a kingdom; so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.” In this passage from the book of Daniel, Daniel sees a vision in which Jesus comes and makes an everlasting kingdom.
• Daniel 7:18. “18 But the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and possess it forever, yes, forever and ever.’” This passage from Daniel prophesies that God will reign forever, yes forever and ever.
• Daniel 7:27. “27 The kingdom, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey him.’” This passage from Daniel prophesies that God’s kingdom will be everlasting, and he will reign with his people.
• Daniel 12:1-2. “1 At that time Michael, the great prince who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress such as never has occurred since nations came into being until that time. But at that time all your people who are found written in the book will escape. 2 Many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, and some to disgrace and eternal contempt.” This passage in Daniel prophesies that those who persevere will raise from the dead to eternal life and others will raise to eternal contempt.

Sensitivity to other Ancient Texts (Greco-Roman or Jewish) and Their Significance:

• 4 Ezra 7:32. “32 The earth shall give up those who are asleep in it, and the dust those who rest there in silence; and the chambers shall give up the souls that have been committed to them.” In this Jewish deuterocanonical writing, the author describes how the earth will give up the dead.
• 4 Ezra 14:35. “35 For after death the judgment will come, when we shall live again; and then the names of the righteous shall become manifest, and the deeds of the ungodly shall be disclosed.” In this Jewish deuterocanonical writing, the author describes how all shall live again.
• 1 Enoch 51:1. “1 And in those days the Earth will return that which has been entrusted to it, and Sheol will return that which has been entrusted to it and that which it has received. And destruction will return what it owes.” In this ancient Jewish pseudepigrapha, the author describes how the earth will return to its original creation and Sheol, the place of the dead, will give up the dead. In ancient Jewish belief, Shoel was the shadowy underworld existence of those who were dead – good and bad.
• 1 Enoch 95:3. “3 Do not be afraid of the sinners, you righteous, for the Lord will again deliver them into your hands, so that you may execute judgment on them as you desire.” In this ancient Jewish pseudepigrapha, the author describes that the righteous will judge the sinners.
• 2 Baruch 42:8. “8 And dust will be called, and told, "Give back that which does not belong to you and raise up all that you have kept until its own time.” In this ancient Jewish pseudepigrapha, the author describes how the earth will give up what does not belong to it namely, the dead.
• Jubilees 23:27-30. “27 And the days shall begin to grow many and increase amongst those children of men Till their days draw nigh to one thousand years. And to a greater number of years than (before) was the number of the days. 28 And there shall be no old man Nor one who is NOT satisfied with his days, For all shall be (as) children and youths. 29 And all their days they shall complete and live in peace and in joy, And there shall be no Satan nor any evil destroyer; For all their days shall be days of blessing and healing. 30 And at that time the Lord will heal His servants, And they shall rise up and see great peace, And drive out their adversaries. And the righteous shall see and be thankful, And rejoice with joy for ever and ever, And shall see all their judgments and all their curses on their enemies.” In this ancient Jewish pseudepigrapha, the author describes a millennium with no devil when judgments will come and the righteous will rejoice with joy forever and ever.
• Sibylline Oracle 4.231-248. “231 But when now all things shall have been reduced To dust and ashes, and God shall have calmed The fire unspeakable which he lit up, The bones and ashes of men God himself 235Again will fashion, and he will again Raise mortals up, even as they were before. And then shall be the judgment, at which God Himself as judge shall judge the world again; And all who sinned with impious hearts, even them, 240Shall he again hide under mounds of earth [Dark Tartarus and Stygian Gehenna]. But all who shall be pious shall again Live on the earth [and (shall inherit there) The great immortal God's unwasting bliss,] 245 God giving spirit life and joy to them [The pious; and they all shall see themselves Beholding the sun's sweet and cheering light. O happy on the earth shall be that man].” This passage from an ancient oracle describes the view of the end of the world, the resurrection of the dead, the judgment of the sinful, and the happiness of the righteous.

Other passages brought to mind by a reading of this one:

• Matthew 19:28. “28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” In this passage from Matthew’s gospel, Jesus describes that when he sits on his glorious throne those who have followed him will sit on twelve thrones to judge the tribes of Israel. This could be part of the heavenly court that is seen in the thrones of Revelation 20.
• Luke 22:28-30. “28 You are those who stood by me in my trials. 29 I bestow on you a kingdom, just as my Father bestowed one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. And you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” In this passage from Luke’s gospel, Jesus tells his disciples that they will sit on thrones in his kingdom and judge Israel. This could be part of the heavenly court that is seen in the thrones of Revelation 20.
• John 5:24-29. “24 “Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life. 25 “Truly I tell you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he has granted to the Son to have life in himself. 27 And he has granted him the right to pass judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of condemnation.” In this passage from John’s gospel, Jesus describes how those who are dead will arise to life at Jesus’ voice. The dead will raise to either resurrection of life or resurrection of condemnation. This passage seems to be speaking of physical resurrection from the grave perhaps shedding light on the essence of the resurrection spoken of in Revelation 20.
• John 6:39-40. “39 This is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me but should raise them up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”” In this passage from John’s gospel, Jesus describes how it is his and the Father’s will that none will be lost, but all will be sealed and everyone who believes in Jesus will be raised on the last day. This passage seems to be speaking of physical resurrection from the grave perhaps shedding light on the essence of the resurrection spoken of in Revelation 20.
• John 6:44. “44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day.” In this passage from John’s gospel, Jesus describes how those who believe in Jesus will be raised on the last day. This passage seems to be speaking of physical resurrection from the grave perhaps shedding light on the essence of the resurrection spoken of in Revelation 20.
• John 6:54. “54 The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day…” In this passage from John’s gospel, Jesus describes how those who believe in Jesus will be raised on the last day. This passage seems to be speaking of physical resurrection from the grave perhaps shedding light on the essence of the resurrection spoken of in Revelation 20.
• Acts 24:15. “15 I have a hope in God, which these men themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection, both of the righteous and the unrighteous.” In his history of the early church, Luke records Paul’s hope for a resurrection.
• Romans 8:10-11. “10 Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.” In this passage from his letter to the Romans, Paul describes how the Spirit will raise our mortal bodies. This passage seems to be speaking of physical resurrection from the grave perhaps shedding light on the essence of the resurrection spoken of in Revelation 20.
• Romans 8:18-25. In this passage from his letter to the Romans, Paul describes how creation is longing, is groaning to be released from its bondage of decay. Paul also speaks of the redemption of our bodies. Both of this speak of physical material that is to be restored perhaps shedding light on the essence of the resurrection spoken of in Revelation 20.
• 1 Corinthians 6:2-3. “2 Or don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the trivial cases? 3 Don’t you know that we will judge angels—how much more matters of this life?” In this passage from his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul explains how God’s people will judge the world, indeed angels. This truth is seen in John’s visions described in Revelation 20.
• 1 Corinthians 15:20-24. “20 But as it is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. 22 For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits; afterward, at his coming, those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he abolishes all rule and all authority and power.” In this passage from his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul goes into detail about Jesus’ resurrection, the resurrection of those who belong to Jesus at his coming, and the beginning of the complete reign of God’s kingdom. This passage seems to be in significant tension with a view of a millennium.
• 2 Corinthians 5:8. “6 So we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 In fact, we are confident, and we would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” In this passage from his second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul seems to be describing that after the death of the body the soul goes to be at home with the Lord. This passage seems to be in conflict with the earlier passages of Paul that spoke specifically of physical material.
• Philippians 1:23-24. “23 I am torn between the two. I long to depart and be with Christ—which is far better— 24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.” In this passage from his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul is sharing how he selfishly longs to depart from the flesh so that he can be with Jesus. This seems to be describing that after the death of the body the soul goes to be at home with the Lord. This passage seems to be in conflict with the earlier passages of Paul that spoke specifically of physical material.
• 2 Timothy 2:11-12. “11 This saying is trustworthy: For if we died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.” In this passage from his letter to Timothy, Paul explains that those who die with Christ will also live with Christ; that those who endure with Christ will reign with Christ. This may speak to how not just those who are beheaded for their testimony about Jesus will be included in the group of martyrs who reign with Jesus for a thousand years as seen in John’s vision of Revelation 20.

This passage is the embodiment of the wider story of God and God’s people. In this passage, the souls of those who persevered against the beast and sacrificed their bodies for the testimony of Christ are resurrected to reign alongside of Jesus for a thousand years. This is the story of God and God’s people.

Revelation 20:4b (CSB)

They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Main Verbs

Came

Reigned

Verb

Came

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Passive

Reigned

• Tense – Past
• Mood – Indicative
• Voice – Active