Part 3b - The Second Scroll: Warfare (Seven Visions of Victory) [17-19]

note: these are very rough notes

C. Seven Visions of Victory

  1. Description of Babylon [17]
    • If Jerusalem represents the people of God, the bride of Christ adorned for her husband [21:2]
    • Babylon is the prostitute, the evil counterpart to Jerusalem
    • She is the fake bride [17:3-4]
    • She represents the seduction of wealth and sex and has damaged the people of God [17:6]
    • 10 kings will rule for one hour and turn on Babylon
  2. Babylon will fall in a single day, a single hour [18]
    • There is a surprisingly long description of the weeping and mourning for the loss of this city
    • Many people have identified Bablyon with the Roman empire because of the 7 hills on which Rome was built [17:9]
      • When Rome fell, the whole world was plunged into centuries of dark ages
      • The Roman empire was an empire of trade, of luxury, and of increasing sexual corruption
      • [v.8-9] tell us that (along with the beast that carries it) it “was”, “is not” and “is to come”
    • Only speculating, but in many ways our world economic system is like the Roman empire both in wealth and corruption
      • this event could be world economic collapse
    • What is Babylon?
      • probably the culture of sensual luxury, entertainment, sexual immorality, idolatry, earthly and fleshly pleasure that “rides on the back of the beast”, i.e. is supported by its economic system
  3. A vast throng praises God for his judgements [19:1-5]
  4. The wedding of the Lamb and his bride is announced [19:6-10]
  5. Christ appears with army dressed in white [19:11-16]
  6. Announcement of battle [19:17-18]
  7. Great battle: Beast & False Prophet thrown into lake of fire [19:19-21]
    • Note the order of distruction is the reverse of the order they are introduced in this scroll
    1. Dragon
    2. Beast
    3. False Prophet
    4. Babylon
    • Note also that the images are consistent throughout all 4 visions of the second scroll, re-inforcing the idea that they form a unity, separate from the first scroll

D. Seven Visions of the End of the Age and the New Creation [20-22:5]

  • This section is expanding on the very last few events of the victory of God
    • But takes us furthur into the future than any other visions
  1. The Dragon: subdued for 1000 years [20:1-6]
  2. The Dragon: released, fights, and is thrown into lake of fire [20:7-10]
  3. Great white throne. The dead are judged [20:11-15]
    • Judgement —for believers this is not on works but on what Christ has done for us
  • See the chart for where these things might fit

The Millenium

  • 3 possible interpretations:
  1. Premillenialism: between Christ’s coming and the judgment, we have another thousand years.
    • Disadvantages:
      • throws a monkey wrench into the timing—it doesn’t fit with the rest of the scheme. In the rest of Revelation, Jesus comes and then immediately there is judgment
      • according to the theory Jesus is reigning on earth for a thousand years, but at the end of this time everyone is against him. Not what we would expect!
      • we’ve already had the saints reigning—they’ve already been resurrected. it doesn’t make sense if they get raised again here.
      • a lot of coming and going from the abyss—Satan falls and rises twice in this scheme
    • Advantages
      • most straighforward reading of the text
      • seems to fit better with end-time promises in OT books—the lion lying with the lamb, etc.
  2. Amillennialism—the events of the thousand years are another statement of history from Christ’s coming to the end. Satan cast down is the same as chapter 12, when Jesus came. Satan loosed is the Great Tribulation, whereas he was bound before. A period of protection, then great persecution.
    • Advantages
      • makes all the timing simpler and cleaner—several things only happen once instead of twice, which seems to make more sense and fit in better
    • Disadvantages
      • needs a major section break at the start of chapter 20 so that we can return to the beginning of the era
  3. Postmillenialism (a variation of the timing of Amillenialism—the world gets better and better and more Christian until Jesus comes and practically everyone is saved. (e.g. Reconstructionism)]
  • Bottom line:
    • don’t get caught up in this argument—it makes very little practical difference. The sequence of events throughout the whole books is almost exactly the same whichever position you take. Christians have got caught up arguing and fighting and dividing over this issue which is such a minor one that it is pathetic and terrible to make it a big deal.
    • see chart of sequence of events

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