destroyed (1911-21). Satan is bound, while Christ and the risea martj'rs reign 1000 years. Satan is loosed, and brings remote peoples to a final war against Jerusalem. They are Jestroyed, and he is cast into the lake ot fire (201-10). The general resurrec- tion and judgment follow (2011-15). The new heaven and earth, the new Jerusalem, and final blessedness in it, are described (211-22'). The conclusion consists of attestations and admoni- tions regarding the Divine authorship and sanctity of the book (226-21).
2. Plan of the Book. — (n) Introductory. — There are two main methods by which plan and order are discovered in the visions of 4i-22°. The recapitulation method (from Tyconius and Augus- tine to recent times) finds no progress in the suc- cessive sevens (seals, trumpets, and bowls) which form the main structure of this section, but repe- tition under varj'ing forms. The seals bring already the last judgment (6""") and the fiuEU blessedness (""""). Among more recent critics, however, the view prevails that the seventh in each series is developed in the new series of seven that follows. The seventh seal contains the re- mainder of the book, and is unfolded in seven trum- pets, of which the seventh includes all that follows to the end (10'), but is unfolded in the seven bowls (Liicke, Bleek, Ewald, etc.). In this scheme ch. 7 appears as an interlude between the si.\th and seventh seals, and lO-lIi^ as a similar insertion between the sixth and seventh trumpets. The bowls are not interrupted in the same way, but before and after them are visions which give the same impression of standing outside of the writer's rulin" scheme (12-14. 17-191"}.
HoTtzmann represents the structure of the book in the following scheme (Comm. p. 295) : —
11-8 Introduction. 18-352 The seven Letters. 4I-5I-* Heavenly scene of the visions. 61-" Six seals.
7117 The sealed and the blessed- gl-s The coming forth of the trumpets out of the 7th seal. 86-921 Six trumpets.
101-1114 Destiny of Jerusalem, llis-is Seventh trumpet.
I21-145 The great visions of the three chief foes and the Messiah- kingdom. 146-20 Return to the earlier connexion. 161-161 Transition to the bowls. 16J-S1 Seven bowls.
171-1910 The great Bibylon. 19U.201S Final catastrophes.
211-22' The new Jerusalem. 228-21 Conclusion.
It is to be noticed that the sections at the right contain most of the material which Weizsacker and others regard as of earlier origin, and that of which Jewish authorship can be most plausibly affirmed. The supposition that they were inserted by the writer, ancf that he was not able to bring them into the sevenfold scheme which he chose, is a natural one. Holtzmann, however, says that if this was the case, these sections have at all events been assimilated to the rest in style, and connected with it by various references, so that the lines of sep.iration do not remain sharply defined.
15y the side of this we may well place in bare outline the analysis of Zahn [Einl. ii. 587 tf.), which, as he believes, demonstrates the unity of the book 'in spite of all lack of literary art.'
Introd. (ll-«). Fir«( Fiition, 110-S" (Letters). Second Vitum,
4I-SI (Seals), with two Episodes, (o) 7i-8, (4) 7»i7, before the seventh. Third Vigiim, S'^llis (Trumpets), with two Episodes, (a) 101-11,(6)111-14, before the seventh, fourth Tmon, lli»-1420. Fifth Vision, ISi-lG" (Bowls). Sixth Viiion, 17I-IS" (Judg- ment on Babylon), 1618 21 introduces it, and 101-8- 9-10 concludes it and introduces the Seventh Visicn, 1911-218 (Judgment and Awards). Eighth Vudon, 21^-22' ior 1') (a description not of tht new heaven and earth of 211-8, but of the world during th« 1000 years' reign of Christ, 204-6). ConcluiioD, 226 {or i«i 21.
EEVELATIOX, BOOK OF
REVELATION, BOOK OF 251
(6) Plan of c/w. 1-3. — The construction of these chapters gives the greatest evidence of conscious and careful literary art, and no doubt may fairly predispose the reader to look for art tlirou^'liout. The introductory verses (l''") contain a remarkably complete statement of the source, character, and contents of the entire book, and prepare us to re- cognize such summary, anticipatory introductions elsewliere. The ultimate author of the revelation is God, who gave it to Christ, who sent an angel to signif}' it to John. It can therefore be called ' the word of God,' ' the testimony of Jesus,' or ' the things \\ hich John saw.' Its contents are ' the thing^i which must happen quickly ' ; that is, it is a prediction, but of the immediate not the remote future. Its readers are God's servants, who are blessed if they hear and keep what is written. More expressly 'the seven Churches in Asia' are addressed, and in saluting them the author com- pletely sums up his theology. It is in some sense trinitarian (vv.*'), and the kingly exaltation of Christ through resurrection, the saving ell'ect of His death, and tlie destination He made possible for believers, are described. Tlie central message of the book, the coming of Christ, and that in its judicial aspect, is expressly announced, perhaps by God, who, at all events, as the real author of the revelation, adds in tlie first person His attestation. It is not, indeed, impossible to di\dde this intro- duction into independent parts (1-3. 4-6. 7. 8), and supi'ose them to have introduced separate apoca- lypses (cf. Spitta, Briggs). Hut it can hardly be denii-d that tlie whole is admirably adapted to in- troduce the book.