Table of Contents

Contents

Foreword by Eugenio Corsini
1. Introduction
Introductory Questions
Literary Questions
The Challenge of a Literary Design
A Proposed Literary Design
Consequences
Conclusion
2. Interpreting the Apocalypse 1:1-8
The Prologue (1:1-8)
God's Mediated Revelation of Jesus Christ (1:1-3)
The Coming of the Christ (1:4-8)
3. Interpreting the Apocalypse 1:9-3:22
Heavenly Encounters (1:9-20)
The Voice from Behind, like a Trumpet: The Revelation of God's Initial Saving Intervention (1:9-11)
Excursus 1: Witnesses to the Law and the Messianic Promises of the Prophets (1:9)
The Sight of One Speaking: The Revelation of God's Definitive Saving Intervention (1:12-20)
The Seven Churches (2:1-3:22)
Traditional Problems
Churches or the Church?
Literary Features
Mediation
Ephesus: The Fall from Original Love (2:1-7)
Smyrna: Affliction and the Plagues in Egypt (2:8-11)
Pergamum: Israel in the Desert (2:12-17)
Thyatira: Sinful Rulers in Israel (2:18-29)
Sardis: The End of Israel and Judah, with a Small Remnant Remaining (3:1-6)
Philadelphia: Return of a Weak Israel and Rebuilding the Temple (3:7-13)
Laodicea: Israel's Rejection of the Messiah and the Coming of the Son of Man (3:14-22) 000
4. Interpreting the Apocalypse 4:1-8:1
Heavenly Encounters (4:1-5:14)
God and Creation (4:1-11)
The Lamb and Universal Salvation (5:1-14)
Opening the First Four Seals (6:1-8)
The First Seal: The White Horse and Its Rider—Humankind's Potential (6:1-2)
The Second Seal: The Bright Red Horse and Its Rider—Violence (6:3-4)
The Third Seal: The Black Horse and Its Rider—Toil (6:5-6)
The Fourth Seal: The Pallid Green Horse and Its Rider—Death (6:7-8a)
A Concluding Summary (6:8b)
Opening the Final Three Seals (6:9-8:1)
The Fifth Seal: The Saints of Israel, Waiting under the Altar (6:9-11)
The Sixth Seal: The Cosmic Effects of the Death of the Lamb (6:12-7:17)
The Seventh Seal: Silence in Heaven Greets the Victory of the Lamb (8:1)
5. Interpreting the Apocalypse 8:2-11:19
Heavenly Encounters (8:2-6)
Blowing the First Four Trumpets (8:7-13)
The First Trumpet: Burning a Third of the Sea (8:7)
The Second Trumpet: Poisoning a Third of the Sea (8:8-9)
The Third Trumpet: Poisoning a Third of the Springs (8:10-11)
The Fourth Trumpet: Destruction of a Third of the Earth's Light (8:12-13)
Blowing the Final Three Trumpets: The Woes (9:1-11:19)
The First Woe: The Fall of Humankind (9:1-12)
The Second Woe: God's Initial Intervention in Israel (9:13-11:14)
1. Warfare: The Severest Consequence of the Fall of Humankind (9:13-21)
2. The Little Scroll: God's Initial Intervention in Israel's Sacred History (10:1-11)
3. The Temple, the Law, and the Prophets: God's Presence in Israel (11:1-14)
The Third Woe: The Fulfillment of the Mystery of God (11:15-19)
6. Interpreting the Apocalypse 12:1-18
The Woman, the Son, and the Dragon (12:1-6)
Heavenly Warfare (12:7-12)
The Woman and the Dragon (12:13-18)
7. Interpreting the Apocalypse 13:1-18
The Beast from the Sea (13:1-10)
Excursus 2: "The Lamb That Was Slaughtered from the Foundation of the World"
The Beast from the Land (13:11-18)
8. Interpreting the Apocalypse 14:1-20
The Lamb and the First Fruits (14:1-5)
The Son of Man and God's Judgment (14:6-20)
The First Group of Three Angels (14:6-13)
The One like a Son of Man (14:14)
The Second Group of Three Angels (14:15-20)
9. Interpreting the Apocalypse 15:1-16:21
Heavenly Encounters (15:1-18)
The Literary Structure of 16:1-21
The First Four Bowls (16:1-9)
The Final Three Bowls (16:10-21)
The Fifth Bowl (16:10-11)
The Sixth Bowl (16:12-16)
The Seventh Bowl (16:17-21)
10. Interpreting the Apocalypse 17:1-19:10
The Whore Seated on the Beast (17:1-18)
Lament over the Destruction of Jerusalem (18:1-20)
The Description of Fallen Babylon (18:1-8)
Lamentations over Fallen Babylon (18:9-19)
Heaven, the Saints, the Sent Ones, and the Prophets Rejoice (18:20)
Fallen Babylon and the Twofold Rejoicing of the Multitudes (18:21-19:10)
Babylon Is Cast Down (18:21-24)
The Rejoicing of the Saints of Israel (19:1-3)
The Heavenly Court Rejoices (19:4-5)
The Marriage of the Lamb (19:6-8)
Closing Dialogue (19:9-10)
11. Interpreting the Apocalypse 19:11-21:8
Preparation for the Final Battle (19:11-16)
The First Aspect of the Final Battle (19:17-21)
The Thousand-Year Reign: Judgment and the First Resurrection (20:1-6)
The Second Aspect of the Final Battle (20:7-10)
The Voice from The Throne: Judgment and the Second Death (20:11-21:8)
12. Interpreting the Apocalypse 21:9-22:5
The New Jerusalem (21:9-21)
Dwelling in the New Jerusalem (21:22-27)
Life and Light (22:1-5)
13. Interpreting the Apocalypse 22:6-21
The Authoritative Interpretation of This Book: "Worship God!" (22:6-9)
The Authoritative Interpretation of This Book: "Come!" (22:10-17)
The Authoritative Interpretation of This Book: Warning, Promise, and Response (22:18-21)
Indexes