part 4 scroll vision the seven seals - st. mary catholic ... · and their earthly repercussions ......
TRANSCRIPT
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Part 4 Scroll Vision
The Seven Seals
© 2009 George E. Blanford Jr.
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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”
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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
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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)
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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
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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