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Chapters 6-8:1: The Seals,
the Jubilee Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles –
Accession-Judgment of
the Lamb, Part II
Lee F Greer III
Loma Linda, California
© 2004
(Last updated January 2005)
Introduction
In the circulating epistle of Revelation,
chapters 6-8:1 are the direct judicial proceedings of the great Jubilee
Day of Atonement enthronement-judgment scene opened in chapters 4-5. They
have already opened the next major vision cycle which unfolds and extends
through both the 7 seals and the 7 trumpets (4:1-11:19), and their respective
recapitulatory interludes (ch. 7 and 10-11; see Christoffel, 2001). In
the symbolism of their many details these sections are solidly rooted in
the sanctuary imagery of the Levitic Covenant. This vision cycle (chs.
4-11) begins and ends with open access in heaven to the cherubim-enfolded
Throne / Ark of the Covenant. It begins with an open door in heaven where
the Lamb alone is found worthy amidst lightnings, voices, and thunders
in the Covenant judgment of the heavenly court before the cherubim-enfolded
Throne (Ark – Most Holy Place) beyond 'the 7 lamps of fire' or Spirit of
God (Holy Place), beyond the 'sea of glass, clear as crystal' (Laver –
Temple courtyard). This is parallel to the free and unfettered access "through
the heavens" by our great High Priest-King (Heb. 4:12-16), who "has
entered within the innermost [side] of the veil" (Heb. 6:19-20;
see more on the epistle to the Hebrews).
Likewise, the cycle ends with an open door in heaven before 'the Ark of
His Testament' from where the executive judgment of wrath and recompense
amidst lightnings, voices, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail commences
(11:15-19; cf. ch. 16). The cycle (as with other cycles in Revelation)
opens with the ascension of Christ and ends just before His return in glory,
covering the apocalyptic interval between the First and Second Advents.
Form genre. As with the 7 letters and the Enthronement-Atonement scene of ch. 4-5, there is a strong covenantal setting to Rev. 6-8:1. The seals specifically follow the form found throughout Revelation and reflecting Genesis 1 also of a series of 7 episodes interrupted by a recapitulatory interlude between episode 6 and 7 (see also Christoffel, 2002; Greer, 2002).
The structural background of Rev. 6-7 in the Olivet Discourse of Jesus (Mark 13 = Matt. 24 = Luke 21) has been pointed out by a number of commentators (Charles, 1920; Maxwell, 1981; Davis, 1986; Beale, 1999). It is hardly necessary to point out that although the 7 seals find a structural basis in the Olivet discourse, the allusive background is found not only there but throughout the Hebrew Scriptures as well as in extrabiblical literature. Also, the Olivet discourse background tends to indicate that the 7 seals encompass the entire period between the Christ event and Advent, leaving Rev. 7 as the corresponding recapitulatory interlude between seals 6 and 7 (Christoffel, 2001).
Below we elaborate the dramatic and intricate parallels between the 'seals' of Rev. 6-8:1 and Jesus' Olivet discourse (Mark 13 = Matt. 24 = Luke 21).
The Olivet discourse of Jesus forms the structural basis for the 7 seals of Revelation, and contains an answer to a two-fold question of the disciples which is worded somewhat differently in each of the synoptic gospels: (1) When will the events of the eschaton take place? (2) What will be the sign of the Parousia?
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1st seal – white
horse, crowned, embowed rider conquering and yet to conquer:
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v6-7 – (True gospel of
Christ vs.) false christs and wars:
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v5-6 – (True gospel of
Christ vs.) false christs and wars:
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v8-9 – (True gospel of
Christ vs.) false christs and wars:
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| 2nd seal – red horse, rider with great sword to take away peace from earth, so that they should slay one another | v8 – nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom | v7 – nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom | v10 – nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom |
3rd seal – black
horse, rider with balance weighing out
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v8 – earthquakes from place to place and famines | v7 – famines and earthquakes from place to place | v11 – great earthquakes and from place to place pestilences and famines |
4th seal – pale
horse, riders are Death and Hades to reign over ¼th of earth and
kill with (recap of 1st 3 seals)
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v7-8, 19-20 – Times of
affliction recap:
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v6-8, 21-22 – Times of
affliction recap:
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v9-11, 23, 25-26 – Times
of affliction recap:
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5th seal
– under the altar,
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v5-6, 9-23
– Gospel vs 'abomination of desolation':
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v9-28 – Gospel
vs 'abomination of desolation':
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v12-24 – Gospel
vs 'abomination of desolation':
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6th seal
– Parousia of the One seated on the Throne-Ark and the Lamb:
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v24-31 – Parousia
of the Son of man (Dan. 7):
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v29-35, 42....
– Parousia of the Son of man (Dan. 7):
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v25-33 – Parousia
of the Son of man (Dan. 7):
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Rev 7 – Recapitulatory
interlude –
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v27 – Harvest time:
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v31 – Harvest time:
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v28, 31 – Harvest time:
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| Rev 8:1 – 7th
seal – whenever opened, silence in heaven for a ½ hour
[ow/ra]
[The 'whenever' and the '½ hour' interval may indicate the unknown, unexpected immediacy of the Parousia] |
v32 – But that day or hour [ow/ras] no one knows, not the angels in heaven neither the Son, but only the Father | v36 – But that day and hour [ow/ras] no one knows, neither the angels of the heavens, nor the Son, but only the Father |
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Since in the Olivet Discourse, Jesus discussed events to occur between his day and Advent, the intricate parallels with the seven seals and their recapitulatory interval suggest that they also cover the same interval.
Background of the four horsemen.
The four horsemen or cavaliers (Aune, 1997) of Revelation 6 have
an intricate historical background not only in the Hebrew Scriptures but
in the cultural heritage and mythology of the Near East, Hebrew, Arab,
and Greek (Aune, 1997; p. 390). We note below some loose similarities in
image and structure with the visions of horses in Zechariah.
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Colored Horses
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Colored Horses
4 chariots coming from between 2 mountains, pulled respectively by
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Colored Horses
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| How long till justice
and redemption?
Q – The angel of YAHWEH:
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How long till justice
and redemption?
–
4 horses = the 4 spirits of the heavens standing before the Lord of all the earth.... (the ones) going to the north set at rest My Spirit in the N country |
How long till justice
and redemption?
Q – The souls under the altar slain for the word of God and their testimony (5th seal):
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| Covenant justice and
redemption for the Israel of God
YAHWEH
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Covenant justice and
redemption for the Israel of God
So says YAHWEH of hosts:
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Covenant justice and
redemption for the Israel of God
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The Revelation
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(1) The text (Allusions to the Hebrew Scriptures, Jesus of Nazareth (gospels), NT epistles, apocryphal / pseudoepigraphical / extrabiblical sources, and other parts of Revelation) |
(2) Oral / literary form, (3) historical situation, (4) meaning and idiom, (5) context and Scriptural background |
| 6:1And I saw
[kai eidon] when the
Lamb
opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the
four
living
creatures
[zow/'ow/n,
cherubim]
saying as with a sound of thunder,
Come []!
2And I saw and look! A white horse, and the [one] sitting on it having a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he went forth conquering [nikow/n] and in order that he might conquer [nikysy]. 3And when He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature [zow/ou, cherub] saying, Come! 4And (there) went forth another horse, red, and it was given to him to take peace peace out of the earth, and in order that they shall slay one another, and to him was given a great sword. 5And when He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature [zow/'ou, cherub] saying, Come! And I saw and look! A black horse, and the (one) sitting on it having a balance in his hand. 6And I heard a voice in (the) midst of the four living creatures [zow/'ow/n, cherubim] saying, A choenix of wheat (for) a denarius, and three choenices of barley (for) a denarius; and the oil and the wine do not harm. 7And when He opened the fourth seal, I heard [the] voice of the fourth living creature [zow/'ou, cherub] saying, Come! 8And I saw and look! An ashen horse [chlw/ros, pale yellow-green?], and the (one) sitting upon it, his name [was] Death [thanatos], and Hades ['adys] followed with him, and was given to them authority over the fourth [part] of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with death and by the wild beasts of the earth. 9And when He opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of the (ones) having been slaughtered on account of the word of God and on account of the witness which they had. 10And they cried with a loud voice saying, 'Until when [eow/s pote], O Master the (One) holy and true, do You not judge and avenge our blood on the (ones) dwelling upon the earth [ou krineis kai ekdikeis to aima ymow/n ek tow/n katoikountow/n epi tys gys]?' 11And to them was given each one a white robe, and it was said to them in order that they should rest yet a little time [chronon micron], until should be fulfilled also their fellow slaves [syndouloi] and their brothers the (ones) about to be killed [oi mellontes apoktennesthai] as they also. 12And I saw then He opened the sixth seal, and a great earthquake happened, and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the full moon became as blood, 13and the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig-tree casts its unripe figs by a great wind being shaken, 14and the heaven departed as a scroll being rolled up [o' ouranos apechow/risthy w/s BiBlion elissomenon], and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15And the kings of the earth and the great men and the rulers of thousands (chiliarchs) and the rich men and the strong men and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and the rocks of the mountains, 16And they say to the mountains and to the rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from [the] face of the [One] sitting on the Throne [-Ark] and from the wrath of the Lamb, [apo prosw/pou tou Kathymenou epi tou thronou kai apo tys orgys tou arniou] 17because the great day of Their wrath came, and who can stand? [oti ylthen y 'ymera y megaly tys orgys autw/n kai tis dynatai stathynai]' |
6:1-8 – 'And
I saw [kai eidon]' see on Rev. 4:1. 'the
Lamb'
was introduced in chs. 4-5, an allusion to the sacrificial animals, esp.
the paschal lamb (Exod. 14) and is also referenced as 'the Lamb'
in the gospel of John (1:29); 'the
four
living
creatures
[zow/'ow/n,
cherubim]'
of course refer back to their introduction in the vision (4:6), in turn
connected with the Solomonic
cherubim-enfolded Throne-Ark there
introduced, indicating that the judgments of the 4 horsemen are granted
permission from the 'the
Lamb'
on the Throne-Ark of the Covenant in the exposed-opened Holiest (see on
4:6). 'Thunder'
appears repeatedly in the Hebrew Scriptures and in Revelation as
an accompaniment to God's judicial actions, adjudicative or executive.
This usage here corroborates the recurrent setting of adjudicative pre-Advent
judgment and later executive-retributive judgment associated with the Advent-Parousia.
v2-8 – 'white horse...; red horse...; black horse...; ashen horse...' or four cavaliers (Aune, 1997) reflect the two visions of colored horses in Zech. 1:7-17 and 6:1-15. Beale (1999) suggests color significations of the judgments of the horses: White = conquest; red = bloodshed; black = famine; pale = death (we might note by sword, famine, death, wild beasts). Blood as a symbol of warfare appears in II Kings 3:22-23; and elsewhere.
v5-6 – The shortages and famine foretold here with reference to the 'balance....wheat...barley' is an echo of the Covenant curses of famine, eighed rations, and captivity found in Ezek. 4-5 (cf. Beale, 1999; p. 474 on same). '(The) midst of the four living creatures [zow/'ow/n, cherubim]' i.e., from the Throne-Ark where God and the Lamb are (4:6; 7:17), is the source of the 'voice' (possible echo of Num. 7:89, where 'a voice from the Mercy Seat' spoke to Moses). The declaration of the exorbitant prices for wheat and barley indicate indicate a sentence of famine directly from the Throne-Ark, again indicating judicial proceedings from the Most Holy Place. v8 – 'sword and with famine and with death and by the wild beasts' summary quotes from Ezek. 14:21 'sword and famine and evil beast and plague.' Three of the four judgments are often listed in the OT, all four are also cited in Deut. 32:23-25 and Ezek. 5:16-17. 'Death [thanatos], and Hades ['adys]' are also personified, apostrophized, and used in poetic parallel in I Cor. 15:55 'Death [Thanate], where is your sting? Hades ['ady], where is your victory?' which in turn is citing Hos. 13:14. v9-11 – Symbolic representation of the blood of the sacrificed martyrs crying out for justice and a just avenging of their innocent blood. Similar poetic nuances have been found in contemporary literature. When after the martyrdom of righteous Abel, Cain denies his responsibility, he is asked, 'What have you done? Listen! your brother's blood cries out to me from the soil....' (Gen. 4:10; trans. Alter, 1996). 'Until when [ew/s pote]...' is v10 – 'Until when [ew/s pote], O Master the (One) holy and true, do You not judge and avenge our blood on the (ones) dwelling upon the earth?' seems to vaguely parallel a similar question in Zech. 1:12, also in a vision of colored horses. It falls into a general class of 'Until when...' questions addressed to God often appearing in the Hebrew Scriptures 'How long till justice and redemption?' Examples include .... and even Daniel 8:13. '...do You not judge and avenge our blood on the (ones) dwelling upon the earth[ou krineis kai ekdikeis to aima ymow/n ek tow/n katoikountow/n epi tys gys]?' is an allusion to II Kings 9:7 (IV Kings in LXX) 'And you shall utterly destroy the house of Ahab your lord from before Me, and shall avenge the blood of My slaves the prophets, and the blood of all the slaves of the Lord [ekdikyseis ta aimata tow/n doulow/n Mou, kai ta aimata pantw/n tow/n doulow/n Kyriou] at the hand of Jezebel' (Charles, 1920). v11 – The notion of the judicially-vindicated righteous dead in the pre-Advent judgment is paralleled in Heb. 12:22-24: '... and (to) God judge of all, and (to) spirits of just men having been perfected.' v12-14 – The sequence of apocalyptic signs closely allude to the Olivet Discourse of Jesus, where the same sequence appears (Mark 13:24-25 = Matt. 24:29 = Luke 21:6b):
v13-14 – 'the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig-tree casts its unripe figs ... and the heaven departed as a scroll being rolled up' alludes to Isa. 34:4 'And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled like a scroll [eligysetai ow/s BiBlion o' ouranos, o' version of LXX, Charles, 1920]; then all their host shall fall away [nabel] as falls away the leaf from the vine, and as the falling away from a fig tree.' Also, the great final day is further associated with signs in heaven and an earthquake in Joel 3:15-16 [4:15-16 MT]; cf. Ps. 102:26; Nah. 1:5; Isa. 5:25; Jer. 4:24; Ezek. 38:20. 'And every mountain and island were moved out of their places' is paralleled in Rev. 16:20 'and every island fled and the mountains were not found' and seem to be connected with the apocalyptic earthquake. Apocalyptic events affecting 'hills and mountains' are found in Ps. 114:4, 6; Jer. 4:24; even Joel 3:18 and Amos 9:13 (positive sense); Nah. 1:5; Hab. 3:6. v15 – 'the kings of the earth and the great men and the rulers of thousands (chiliarchs) and the rich men and the strong men and every slave and free man' has a very similar sequence of nouns to Rev. 19:18 [a call to the birds to assemble to the great supper of God] 'In order that you may eat (the) flesh of kings and (the) flesh of chiliarchs and (the) flesh of strong men and (the) flesh of horses and (the) ones sitting on them, and (the) flesh of both all free men and slaves both small and great' (noted in Aune, 1997). 'the kings of the earth' is a phrase taken from Ps. 2:1-2 and incorporated into the eschatological language of the early Judaism and Christianity to refer to the final resisters of God – Ps. 2:1-2 cited in Isa. 24:21; Acts 4:25-26; Sibylline Oracle 3:663; 4 Ezra 15:20 (Aune, 1997). '...hid themselves in the caves and the rocks of the mountains' closely parallels Isa. 2:(10,) 19-20 'And they shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the dust before the fear of YAHWEH and from (the) majesty (of) His glory, when He arises to make the earth tremble. In that day a man shall throw his idols of silver and his idols of gold which they made for him to worship to the burrowing [animals] and to the bats, to go into the crevices of the rocks, and into the clefts of the cliffs from before the dread of YAHWEH...' (cf. I Sam. 13:26; Job 30:6). v16 – 'they say to the mountains and to the rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us...' is a direct allusion to Hos. 10:8 (MT) in the context of judgments upon the sins of Samaria and Israel '...And they shall say to the mountains, Cover us, and to the hills, Fall on us' and to Luke 23:30 which cites the LXX of same, 'Then they will begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us, and to the hills, Cover us.' 'from [the] face of the [One] sitting on the Throne [-Ark] and from the wrath of the Lamb, [apo prosw/pou tou Kathymenou epi tou thronou kai apo tys orgys tou arniou]' is an allusion to Isa. 2:19 LXX 'from the presence of [apo prosw/pou] the fear of the Lord [tou phoBou Kyriou] and from the glory [kai apotys doxys] of His might [tys ischuos autou]' (Aune, 1997 cit. Fekkes' identification of this as a parallel couplet). 'The Throne [-Ark]' is still connected with the 4 living creatures (cherubim), indicating that Rev. 6-7 is the continuation and proceedings of the pre-Advent Enthronement-Day of Atonement judgment scene in Rev. 4-5. v17 – 'because the great day of Their wrath came, and who can stand? [oti ylthen y 'ymera y megaly tys orgys autw/n kai tis dynatai stathynai]' is an allusion in part to Joel 2:11 LXX (after 2:10 which speaks of signs in sun, moon, and stars) '...for the day of the Lord is great [dioti megaly y 'ymera Kyriou], very awesome [epiphanys sphodra], and who shall be able to resist it [kai tis estai ikanos auty]?' (cf. 2:31b and Nah. 1:6 LXX; Charles, 1920). 'The great day of the Lord' [Heb., yom YAHWEH haggadol; Greek, y ymera Kyriou y megaly] is found in Zeph. 1:14, and kindred phrases are found in Joel 2:11, 31 as mentioned above as well as in Mal. 4:5 (Aune, 1997). |
| 7:1After this
I saw four angels standing on the four corners of
the earth [tas tessaras gow/nias tys gys],
holding the
four
winds
[tous
tessaras
anemous]
of the earth, in order that no wind should blow on the earth, nor on the
sea, nor on every tree.
2And I saw another angel coming from the [the] rising of [the] sun, having a seal [sphragida] of [the] living God, and he cried with a great voice to the four angels to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea, 3saying, Do not harm the earth nor the sea nor the trees, until we (may) seal [sphragizow/men] the slaves of our God [tous doulous tou Theou ymow/n] on their foreheads [epi tow/n metow/pow/n]. 4And I heard the number of the (ones) having been sealed [esphragismenow/n], a hundred forty-four thousands, having been sealed from every tribe [ek pasys phylys] of [the] sons of Israel: 5Out of (the) tribe Judah
twelve thousands having been sealed,
from (the) tribe Reuben twelve thousands,
9After these things I saw and look! A great multitude which no one was able to number (with) white robes, and palms in their hands. 10And they cry with a loud voice, saying: Salvation to our
God [sow/tyeria tow/ Theow/]
11And all the angels stood round the Throne [-Ark] and the elders and the four living creatures [zow/'ow/n, cherubim] and fell before the Throne [-Ark] on their faces and worshipped God, 12saying, Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength To our God unto the ages of the ages! Amen! 13And answered one of the elders saying to me, These, the (ones) having been clothed [with] the white robes, who are they and from where have they come? 14And I have said to him, My lord, you know. And he told me, These are the (ones) coming out of the great affliction [Outoi eisin oi erchomenoi ek tys thlypheow/s tys megalys; present tense] and have washed their robes and whitened them in the blood of the Lamb [past tense]. 15Therefore are they before the Throne [-Ark] of God, and serve Him day and night in His shrine [naow/], and the (One) sitting on the Throne [-Ark] will spread His Tabernacle [skynow/sei] over them. 16They will hunger no longer nor will they thirst any longer [ou peinasousin eti oude diphysousin eti], neither shall the sun fall on them nor every heat [oude my pesy ep' autous o' 'ylios oude pan kauma], 17because the Lamb in the midst of the Throne [-Ark] will shepherd them and lead them upon fountains of waters of life [cf. also crystal sea / Solomonic temple laver]; and God will wipe away every tear out of their eyes. 8:1And whenever He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in the heaven about half an hour. |
7:1-8:1 –
Just like the 7 seals span the intervals between Ascension and Advent,
so does 'the sealing' of the recapitulatory interlude between seals 6 and
7 (Christoffel, 2001).
7:1 – 'the four corners of the earth [tas tessaras gow/nias tys gys]' reflects a similar phrase appearing in the Hebrew Scriptures 'the four corners [/edges/wings] [kanaph] of the earth': Isa. 11:12 'And He [the Shoot and Branch of Jesse, 11:1] shall lift a banner for the nations, and shall gather the outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah assembling [them] from the four corner [/edges/wings] of the earth,' Ezek. 7:2 'And you, son of man, thus says the Lord YAHWEH to the land of Israel [adamah Yisra'el]; An end, the end has come upon the four corners [kanaph] of the earth [ha'eretz]' (similarites also in the LXX, Charles, 1920). '... the four winds [tous tessaras anemous] of the earth' is a reference to the four directions (NSEW) using the OT poetic-prophetic usage of 'the four winds of the heavens' (Jer. 49:36, Dan. 7:2; 8:8; 11:4; Zech. 2:6) or 'the four winds' (Ezek. 37:9), which are also cited in Jesus' Olivet discourse (Mark 13:27 = Matt. 24:31). v2-3 – 'from the [the] rising of [the] sun' is often in the Hebrew Scriptures used to refer to the east, in poetic and prophetic-eschatological contexts: Ps. 50:1; 113:3; Isa. 41:25; 45:6; 59:19; Mal. 1:11. '...until we (may) seal [sphragizow/men] the slaves of our God on their foreheads [epi tow/n metow/pow/n]' seems to be a direct reference to Ezek. 9:4 (LXX) '...Go throught the midst of Jerusalem and set a mark on the foreheads [kai dos symeion epi ta metow/pa] of the men that groan and that grieve for all the iniquities that are done in their midst' Jerusalem's overseers are assembled for the destruction of Jerusalem, but a priestly 'man in linen' puts a 'mark' on the foreheads of the repentant to spare them in the slaughter (Ezek. 9). In a parallel NT allusion to Ezek. 9:6 'Slay old, choice men and virgins, children and women to destruction. But to every man who has the mark on him, do not come near. And begin from My sanctuary. And they began with the old men who (were) before the house' is reflected I Pet. 4:17: 'Because [it is] the time (for) the beginning [of] the judgment from the house of God, and if firstly from us, what [will be] the end of the (ones) not obeying the gospel of God?' This verse has an eschatological setting (see vs. 5, 7). v4'...having been sealed from every tribe [ek pasys phylys] of [the] sons of Israel...' The 'sealing' or 'marking' of the repentant in Jerusalem in Ezek. 9 has roots in the blood-'marked' doorposts of the first Passover (Exod. 12). '144,000s' also reappears in ch. 14:1-5, where they are described not as coming from the 12 tribes of Israel but universally as 'those redeemed from the earth.... from among men...' (v3-4). This parallels the universal character of those redeemed in Rev. 4-5. The 'seal of God' protects from divine judgments (Rev. 9:4). v2-8 – 'a seal [sphragida] of [the] living God,' 'seal [sphragizow/men] the slaves of our God on their foreheads,' and 'I heard the number of those sealed [esphragismenow/n]' have rich roots (some of them eschatological) in the Hebrew Scriptures and parallels in the NT. Ezek. 9; Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30. The idea of a 'seal' or 'sealing' process which can include legal certification, demarcation, protection, and fulfillment/completion [closing up] is deeply rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures: chatham (v. to close up; esp. to seal) appears 24 times (Lev. 15:13; Deut. 32:34; I Kings 21:8; Neh. 9:38; 10:1; Esth. 3:12; 8:8, 10; Job 9:7; 14:17; 24:16; 33:16; 37:7; Song 4:12; Isa. 8:16; 29:11; Jer. 32:11, 14, 44; Ezek. 28:12; Dan. 9:24c, f; 12:4, 9), and chotham (n. signature ring, seal) which appears 13 times (Gen. 38:18; Exod. 28:11, 21, 36; 39:6, 14, 30; I Kings 21:8; Job 38:14; 41:15; Song 8:6a, b; Jer. 22:24; Hag. 2:23). In the NT, a parallel 'seal' or 'sealing' is an integral part of the NT-apocalyptic proclamation of the Gospel: sphragizow/ (v. to stamp with signet / seal for security or preservation) appears 17 times (Matt. 27:66; John 3:33; 6:27; Rom. 15:28; II Cor. 1:22; 11:10; Eph. 1:13; 4:30; Rev. 7:3-8; 10:4; 20:3; 22:10), and sphragis (n. a signet, stamp, seal) appears 16 times (Rom. 4:11; I Cor. 9:2; II Tim. 2:19; Rev. 5:1, 2, 5, 9; 6:1, 3, 5, 7, 9; 7:2; 8:1; 9:4).
v10, 15, 17 – The references to 'the Throne [-Ark]' and 'the four living creatures [zow/'ow/n, cherubim]' allude to the cherubim-enfolded Ark of the Covenant with all its royal Solomonic temple / Jubilee Day of Atonement associations described in Rev. 4-5. 'The Lamb' (see on 6:1) – the antitypical paschal, Jubilee Day of Atonement-associated, gospel of John-introduced, eschatological Lamb of God has taken His judgment seat on the cherubim-enfolded Ark of the Covenant! He has redeemed! He will protect, protect, shepherd, and ultimately comfort His redeemed! v10-11 – 'Salvation to our God [sow/tyeria tow/ Theow/]' in this brief doxology-canticle may allude to Ps. 3:8 LXX 'Salvation is the Lord's [tou Kyriou 'y sow/tyria], and Your blessing is upon Your people' (Charles, 1920). Again 'the Throne [-Ark]' with 'the four living creatures [zow/'ow/n, cherubim]' and 'the Lamb' are central, from where the pre-Advent judgments and protection are being issued. v16-17 – 'They will hunger no longer nor will they thirst any longer [ou peinasousin eti oude diphysousin eti], neither shall the sun fall on them nor every heat [oude my pesy ep' autous o' 'ylios oude pan kauma]...will shepherd them and lead them upon fountains of waters of life' alludes to Isa. 49:10 LXX which in the context of Covenant (Jubilee) redemption proclaims 'They shall not hunger, neither shall they thirst [Ou peinasousin oude diphysousin]; neither shall the heat nor the sun strike them [oude pataxeiautous o' kausow/n oude o' 'ylios]; but He who has mercy on them shall comfort (them), and by fountains of waters shall He lead them.' v17 – 'and God will wipe away every tear out of their eyes' is a reference to Isa. 25:8 'and the Lord YAHWEH will wipe away tears from all faces' and is also paralleled exactly in Rev. 21:4. 8:1 – 'silence in the heaven' seems to be connected with divine final execution of judgment under the 7th seal. 'Silence' and divine judgment are associated a number of times in the Hebrew Scriptures (Isa. 15:1; 41:1; 47:5; Jer. 8:14; Amos 5:13; cf. 8:3; Hab. 2:20; Zeph. 1:7; Zech. 2:13; and elsewhere) and also in the targums and apocryphal writings (Beale, 1999; cf. Aune 1997). The significance of 'about half an hour' may well signal suddenness rather than duration as Beale (1999) suggests. Judgments are sometimes said to fall within an 'hour' (Dan. 4:13; Rev. 3:3, 10; 9:15; 11:13; 14:7; 18:10, 17, 19). |
Identity of and relation between 'the 144,000' and the 'innumerable multitude' of Rev. 7 and 14. The identity of 'the 144,000' and the 'innumerable multitude' and their relation have occasioned much speculation and comment over the centuries. Yet, the relation between the two is key to understanding Rev. 6-8:1 (Neall, 2001).
If we are correct in our analysis of identifying the '7 seals' (Rev. 6-8:1) and '7 trumpets' (Rev. 8-11) with the same final eschatological interval between Calvary and Advent described in Jesus' Olivet discourse, then we suggest that 'the 144,000' and the 'innumerable multitude' are synonymous – the saved remnant of humanity in Christ from all ages brought to view through the proceedings (Rev. 6-8:1) of the pre-Advent judgment (Rev. 4-5) extending Calvary to Advent. We develop this in what follows.
As has been pointed out (see Aune, 1997; p. 440), early texts in Christianity do indicate that the 'eschatological tribulation' / 'final eschatological interval' was considered to have already begun with the contemporary 'present evil world,' in the here and now and immediate future, especially since Christ's ascension, and included turmoil, war, plagues, signs for the world as well as persecution of the disciples of Jesus (Mark 13:9-20 = Matt. 24:9-22 = Luke 21:12-24; Didache 16:5).
Furthermore, in the NT, one quickly sees that exclusive distinctions in Covenant blessings between Jew and Gentile are abolished in Christ (Aune, 1997) so that all believers in Christ share in the Covenant blessings of Israel (Rom. 2:29; 11; II Cor. 1:20-21; Gal. 3:28-29; 6:16; Eph. 1:11-14; 2:11-22; Phil. 3:3-8; Col. 3:11; Tit. 2:14; James 1:1; I Pet. 2:19). In Revelation, the same inclusion of Jew with Gentile prevails since the Hebrew Scriptures are repeatedly cited so as to include all believers in Christ as part of Israel: 1:6 and 5:10 (citing Exod. 19:6), 5:9 (citing Dan. 7:18, 22), 3:9 (citing Isa. 43:4; 45:19; 49:23; 60:14), 2:17 and 3:12 (citing Isa. 52:2; 65:15). In addition to that, distinctions are further removed since the New Jerusalem is described as having 12 gates with the names of the 12 tribes of Israel, and 12 foundations with the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb (Rev. 21:12, 14). All these data point indicate in the NT a mighty unity between the redeemed of Israel and the redeemed from every nation. This NT consensus in the light of the apostolic 'end times' teaching we believe has compelling importance for understanding the '144,000' and the 'innumerable multitude.'
Yet despite these significant NT hermeneutical anchor points, 'the 144,000' have been interpreted in unusual and sometimes exclusivist ways:
Equivalence between 'the 144,000' and the 'innumerable multitude'? To see an equivalence between 'the 144,000' and the 'innumerable multitude' seems more in keeping with the text and context. Caird (1966) has suggested that often what John hears is symbolic, but what he sees is the reality. For example, he hears of the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and sees a Lamb having been slain (Rev. 5; cf. as Bauckham, 1991). Likewise, John hears of '144,000' sealed from the 12 tribes of Israel, and sees an 'innumerable multitude' in white robes from every nation and tribe. Neall (2001) points out that parallels in the two descriptions suggest that they are synonomous, and include all those who are saved through Christ, both Jew and Gentile.
Parallels and counterpoint
between 'the 144,000' and the 'innumerable multitude' of Rev. 7
(Pointed out by Neall,
2001; cf. Caird, 1966).
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Audition of 'the 144,000' (vs. 4-8) |
Vision of the 'innumerable multitude' |
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These several counterpoint parallels between the audition and the vision may strongly suggest that 'the 144,000' are the symbolic representation, and the 'innumerable multitude' are the glorious reality. For more discussion see Neall (2001).
It is most sometimes assumed that the 'innumerable multitude' have already received their heavenly reward. However, if one carefully notes the verb tenses in the descriptions of 'the 144,000' and the 'innumerable multitude' one finds a fascinating, distinct sense of not only of things already accomplished, but things present, and things yet to come. The groups are described as having already received the judicial 'seal' and the 'white robe' of salvation, and although rejoicing in God's grace, they are still suffering tribulation in this world of tears, and are yet to receive the final consummated reward, even while the Gospel sealing goes forward to completion.
This 'already-not yet' experience is described in parallel in Rev. 11, where the worshippers of God are already under God's measured judicial protection in the temple, even while the Gentiles trample the court for 42 months, and God's two witnesses testify for 1260 days. Likewise in Rev. 12, the believers with all other heaven dwellers rejoice in the Accession-Judgment-triumph of the Male Child, when Satan the accuser is cast down, even while facing martyrdom and tribulation during the 'dragon's wrath' when 'he knows he has but a short time [oligon kairon]' left, namely 'a time, times, and half a time [cit. Daniel 12:]' or 3 ½ 'times' (12:14). This is the same eschatological interval from Ascension till Advent (Richards, 2003; Naden, 1996) when the Covenant people are nourished and protected for 1260 days (Rev. 12:6) until they have completed their gospel testimony (11:3, 7; cf. Matt. 24:14).
So also in Rev. 7, the concurrent use of past, present, and future in describing 'the 144,000' and the 'innumerable multitude' further indicates that the sealing and white-robing are ongoing processes extending from the Ascension-Accession (Rev. 4-5) until the seventh seal (8:1).
Comparison of verb tenses describing 'the 144,000' and the 'innumerable multitude' of Rev. 7
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Audition of 'the 144,000' (vs. 4-8) |
Vision of the 'innumerable multitude' |
Past tense
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Past tense
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Present tense
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Present tense
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Future tense
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Future tense
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There are also close links between verb tense in these passages and order of the festivals of the Levitical Covenant sanctuary service. For 'the 144,000' the past, present, and future tense are associated with the 'sealing' process and its completion (12 X 12 X 1000, likely symbolic of fullness and entirety). 'Sealing' is a result of favorable judgment rendered so as to protect from destruction. Such a judgment is of course found in both Passover and Day of Atonement. For the 'innumerable multitude' the sanctuary imagery indicates an association between each of the three verb tenses and Passover (Pesach), Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and Feast of Tabernacles (Sukhot) respectively:
The view suggested here is similar to that of Neall (2001) and Taeger (1989) with some added Levitic Covenant sanctuary nuances: 'The 144,000' (12 X 12 X 1000, symbolic of entirety; Aune, 1997) and the 'innumerable multitude' are synonomous and represent the redeemed remnant of humanity from all ages (both living and dead) who through Christ their Covenant Representative stand by faith in the eschatological (Jubilee Day of Atonement) pre-Advent judgment (associated with the cherubim-enfolded Throne-Ark) between Calvary and Advent, despite trial, tribulation, martyrdom, and suffering. Hence they are still emerging from tribulation and yet standing before the cherubim-enfolded Throne-Ark (See on Rev. 4-5).
In the NT, God's sealing is described as the universal experience in the Spirit of all justified believers in Christ, not merely the experience of a subset or an eschatological remnant. So, the NT theology of 'sealing' further supports the identification of 'the 144,000' as symbolic of all who are saved. Finally, when 'the 144,000' reappear in Rev. 14, they are described in summary as "[those] having been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb" (14:4).
A summary
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Appendix I. Elements in Parallel (Day of Atonement) Judgment scenes
The eschatological (pre-Advent) judgment assembling the believers in the contemporary here and now, awaiting the coming consumation.
Chart to be completed:
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Present / past tense – The eschatological
appearance of Covenant believers
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Present / past tense – The eschatological
approach of Covenant believers having already come
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