Part 4 Scroll Vision

The Seven Seals

© 2009 George E. Blanford Jr.

The throne—implies power God, the One on the throne, dominates

Revelation John moves from earth to heaven At this point, Revelation is concerned

with heavenly visions and auditions and their earthly repercussions

John is called by the same voice as in the first vision

Apparently John views everything from the door without entering heaven

John does not see God—he sees dazzling jewels that both show and hide the presence of God

Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)

The twenty-four elders

Wearing white robes of victory, crowned as kings and performing the cultic role of priests

They are the heavenly counterpart of the earthly Church

Four living creatures (Ezek 1.5-21)

Responsible for directing the physical world and symbolize the created world

Canticle based on Isaiah 6.3, probably an early Christian hymn

Les Très Riches Heures de duc de Berry (1412-16)

Ezek 2.1-3.9 forms the background and the basis for understanding the vision

John takes the mission that was forbidden to Ezekiel

The One on the throne

Owns the scroll

It describes God’s plan

It is sealed

an official document

secure

Held in the hand of authority

Sealed scroll is a symbol of the 1st cycle of visions

Fragmentary

Obscure

Veiled

Sealed scroll messages are to be revealed in the distant future (cf. Dan 12.4-9)

Opening the seals sets God’s plan in motion

Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)

Mighty angel—one of three (5.2, 10.1, 18.21) The Lamb

John weeps because no one can set God’s plan in motion In respect for humanity, God requires a human to open the scroll

The Lion of Judah has won the right (Gen 49.9-10) Expecting a Lion, John sees a slaughtered Lamb

The power of God is shown in the Paschal Mystery Exodus 12.3-10, 21-23; Isaiah 53 “Lamb” is John’s name for Christ The Lamb has the fullness of power: 7 horns The Lamb has the fullness of knowledge: 7 eyes

In receiving the scroll, God’s power is given to the Lamb

Heavenly liturgy of worship of the Lamb 24 elders and living creatures had opened the vision worshipping God

Celebrating a great occasion—redemption by Christ

New song praising his redemptive work

Joined by the angels

Finally all creatures join in the blessing

Summary God has a plan and purpose for his creation

Humans must cooperate

He found a worthy human agent in the Lamb who was slain

The power of God is manifest on the Cross

The slain Lamb is the very presence of God

The slain Lamb is worthy of all our honor and worship

The opening of the seals begins the first narration of the ‘story’ of Revelation

John tells the ‘story’ 6 times Each time stressing different aspects of the ‘story’ or taking

a different point of view Anticipation—narrates something that will be given in more

detail in a later telling of the ‘story’ Recapitulation—narrates something that was previously

described in detail, perhaps adding more detail Anticipation and recapitulation are common literary

techniques in apocalyptic If one telling won’t convince the listener, perhaps another one

will In so far as apocalyptic is protest literature, anticipation and

recapitulation help make it obscure to a potential censor

The pre-story State of the cosmos

God created a good world (Gen 1) Creatures sinned

Angels (Gen 6.2-5; 1 Enoch 1-36) Humans (Gen 3)

God promised salvation Abraham: Gen 12.2-3; 22.15-18 Moses: Exod 3.7-10, et al. David: 2 Sam 7.8-16 Prophets—no new promises; reminders of the earlier promises

God sent Jesus as the Savior Incarnation Paschal mystery

State of the world The Church (7 churches of Asia)

Positive and negative attributes Spelled out in the messages to the churches

The Roman empire Totalitarian—individuals subordinate to the state Pagan and imperial cults—a culture inherently anti-Christian Rome and the Church are inevitably conflicted Rome will try to destroy the Church

The ‘Story’ Tribulation—to bring repentance

Persecution Suffering

Judgment Punishment—evil is annihilated Reward—everlasting rest in Christ

Triumph and Salvation—for which God is praised

Value to us John wrote for his time, but the ‘story’ of Revelation is the

‘story’ of Christian life in every age The Church will always be in conflict with the forces of this

world

There will be tribulation for Christians

Our hope is in Jesus Christ

There will be a final judgment

Jesus will come again to judge the world

Good has already triumphed

Jesus, through his life, death, resurrection and ascension (the Paschal Mystery), has defeated evil definitively

The first 4 seals (cf. Zech 1.8-11, 6.1-8) Horsemen = angels with surveillance of the world Their dispatch symbolizes the judgment of the nations Messengers of God sent to the four winds (7.1) Colors from Zechariah; functions from John

Breaking of seals is a dramatic continuing of the liturgy

This ‘story’ parallels the Synoptic apocalypse (cf. Mark 13 & parallels)

Breaking seals releases plagues War, strife Famine Pestilence, death Earthquakes Darkened sun and moon

Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)

Horse and riders

White horse—rider with a bow

Victory in war

Parthian mounted archers

Rome’s feared enemy to the east would defeat them

Red horse—rider with a sword

Slaughter in war

God respects human freedom to do evil and will use it to fulfill his plan

Black horse—rider with a pair of scales

Famine is the result of war

Prices are > 8x normal

Pale horse—rider is Death

Pestilence and death follow war

Power to destroy ¼ the earth Viktor Vasnetsov (1887)

The cry of the martyrs Prediction of the Synoptic apocalypse—some must

die before the end

Beneath the heavenly altar—a late Jewish belief that became a Christian practice

Cry for vindication—a key element of Revelation: God will answer their cry

Wear white robe of victory

They are in repose

The tribulation will result in many more martyrs Those alive face martyrdom

They will be immediately rewarded

Their vengeance has already come with the death of the Lamb Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)

The cataclysm of fear Sun and moon darken Stars fall Earth quakes—mountains and islands are dislodged All classes of people are in fear

Wrath of the Lamb A deliberate paradox

The Lamb met suffering and death in meekness His opponents see him as a vengeful Warrior His disciples see him overcome the evil they faced

By acting for justice and peace, we face and overcome evil with the “wrath of the Lamb”

Purpose John wants to make his ‘story’ transition to the next

telling of the ‘story’ with the opening of the Seventh Seal

He must complete his telling of the ‘story’

He adds the interlude to give a complete telling of the ‘story’

He will use this device again in telling the ‘story’ with the 7 trumpets

A pause in destruction

Jewish cosmology assumed the earth was a flat square

Winds from the sides were good

Winds from the corners were destructive

Angels controlled the winds

God’s seal

He has a signet ring like other rulers of this time

What is sealed is owned by God

It marks the saved (cf. Ezek 9.4-6)

They are not protected from tribulation and death

They will survive tribulation and death

The 144,000

An immense, symbolic number: 12 x 12 x 1000

uncountable

The Church is the continuation of Israel

Apostles are the new leaders of the tribes (21.12-14)

Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)

After the end The vast throng are those who were sealed They stand before the heavenly throne of the One and of the Lamb It is the Feast of Tabernacles (Tents)—imagine Christmas today Palms and white garments symbolize victory The heavenly liturgy continues and the angels join with the martyrs in praise—it is the

climax of the opening of the seals

Explanation of the elder The martyrs have passed through the tribulation Paradox: Robes made white by the blood of the Lamb

Rewards God is their tabernacle or dwelling No more pains of life (Isaiah 49.10; 25.8) Paradox: Lamb becomes the shepherd

Liturgical silence The opening of the last seal is so important that the only appropriate response

is silence A dramatic literary device to blend the ‘story’ of the seals with the ‘story’ of the

trumpets

Angels of the face or presence = archangels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Raguel, Sariel, Remiel (1 Enoch 20.1-8) Given the trumpets of judgment—plagues

Offering incense is the final liturgical gesture The incense (the hot coals) are the prayers of the saints (5.8, 6.9-10) Their prayers return to earth with effect (thunder, lightning, earthquakes) as

warning signs of a great visitation

John tells us that God answers prayers for justice