Our iiil'trLiice in regard to cli. 7 is, then, that the writer introduces foreign (in part Jewish) frajj- ments into his book, apparently interrupting his plan, but not without a purpose. He is writing even more to encourage true Christians than to
" Trench {Kpisllea to the Seven Churohei, N.Y. 1802, p. 287(.), who procetsiH with a new seriea, thuti ; flfth, individuarB lot at the l>ay of Judj^uient; tiixth^ in cunipuniuiiship with the re- deemed ; seventh, in commumoa with God.
252 REVELATION, BOOK OF
REVELATION, BOOK OF
warn apostates, and so wUl not let assurance and promise wait until its proper plate, whv.n judgment has run its course, but will autitipate deliverance, setting lij;ht over against dark in his picture, though dark must predominate.
Turning to the second pair of insertions, we notice tliat ch. 10 seems to describe nothing less than a new beginning of the prophet's activity, a new commission and inspiration. It seems meant to e.xplain the new and strange nature of the oracles that follow. I'erhaps 10^- * maj' seri-e to explain the writer's departure from the jdan of developing the seventh of one series of judgments in the form of a new series of seven. Instead of the seven thunders which he heard, he is charged to WTite the contents of the little book of prophecies over many peoples. Yet this apparent change of plan is not a real break in the order, since it is still allirmed that the seventh angel's trumpet will bring the end (10').
The second section, 11'"", is still preliminary, as 1 1" (cf . 9'-) clearlj' indicates. Its strange character is evident. Yet it maj' well have been meant to serve the same purpose as 7'"", and indeed it falls into two similar parts. II'-', like 7'"*, assures Christians, the true worshippers in the true temple of God, that they will escape from the evils of the last days. Undoubtedly in their origin these verses referred to the real temple and to Jewish worshippers. This must have been a Jewish oracle uttered some time before A.D. 70. But our author can have used it only as a figure, precisely like the sealing of the 144,000. Its unprepared and fragmentary character are explicable if it was to the writer symbol, not reality. Not otherwise must we judge Ip-'^ In our writer's plan it must mean that those who do not in the outward sense escape the evil, but because of their testimony and work against the power of evil suffer and die, will nevertheless rise in glory and be avenged upon their enemies (not unlike 7'""). Of course this does not explain the origin of the section. It is full of unexplained allusions, and is clearly part of a larger whole. Its Jewish origin is unmistakable. Bousset regards it as a part of the apocalyptical tradition of Antichrist. It suggests an elaboration of the expectation of the return of Elijah for a work of protest and reform (Mal 4''- ', Mt 17" 11"), and the similar hope of the return of Moses based on Dt 18'°- '* (Mt 17'). But since our writer intro- duces it, not SIS an incident in the direct develop- ment of the drama, but in an interlude and for its general message of encouragement in faithful testimony unto death, it is natural to raise the question whether he took the details literally, and expected the two prophets and especially the conversion of the majority of the Jewish people after a partial judgment upon them (v."). How, indeed, could a Christian, in view of the pre- diction of Christ, even before A.D. 70, have taken literally either the expectation that the temple would be exempt from desecration by the heathen, or that only a tenth of the city would fall? Still less possible would the literal sense of the oracle be after 70. It is true that a Christian hand has touched the narrative (v.« end), but it is not prob- able that the resurrection of the two witnesses is shaped after that of Christ (v."). In its strongly Jewish character, its evident date (before 70), much earlier than the book as a whole, its unpre- pared insertion, apparently only for its general thought of faithful testimony, martyrdom, and heavenly reward, the section is very instructive regarding the litierary manner of the author (see below, iii. 3).
The seventh trumpet must be the third woe (II"), and it must bring the consummation (10'). Its contents cannot therefore be given in U"-'",
but must include the rest of the book. The third woe cannot be less than the last conflict with th« powers of evil and their overthrow, which form* the theme of chs. 12-20 (see 12'=). In ll""'* we have, therefore, an anticipation in a heavenly chorus of the consummation which is not yet fully come (as in 16="^ ly'j ; a superscription for chs. 12-20.
The general plan of chs. ll"-22' is clear. After an introductory anticipation of the kingdom of (iod and the wrath and destruction that must precede its coming (ll'°''*), Satan, the real power of evil, is introduced, and his present peculiar aggressiveness is explained in such a way as to malJe it a ground of special hope, not of discouragement. He has been cast down from heaven, and knows that his time on earth is short (ch. 12). The chief agents of Satan in his perse- cution of Christians — Rome, the empire and the religion — are then introduced (ch. 13). Before judg- ment against the evil powers begins, the author, according to his custom, inserts various antici- patory passages : a vision of the blessedness of the saints with Christ (vv.'"*) ; a review of the entire teaching of the book (w.'^'^) : its gospel, the sole worship of God in view of judgment to come ; its prediction, the fall of Rome, and the eternal punishment of those who yield to Roman life and cultus ; the supreme Christian duty, patience, endurance in Christian life and faith, and the promises of heavenly blessedness for martyrs ; then a general vision of judgment in two acts, the reaping of grain and the gathering of grapes (vv. '■*•-"). The seven bowls are introduced as finishing the wrath of God (15', cf. 'it is done," 7^701'f;', 16"). They lead up to the destruction of Rome. But for this great event the writer has larger resources of description at his command. The vision of the >voman seated on the dragon shows that it is her own evil demon that will turn against the city, and ^\'ith its ten horns, which are ten kings, destroy her (ch. 17). Her fall will fulfil the language of prophecy against Babj'lon and Tyre (ch. 18). It will be finally effected — the end having been once more anticipated in heavenly praises (19i-io)_at Christ's coming and by Him (19"-"). Then, the beasts having been destroyed, Satan's own judgment must come, a preliminary binding and a final destruction (ch. 20). Then at last the consummation so often anticipated will be an actuality (21-22=).