Revelation: Dragon CycleConquest Prelude(Rev. 14:1–20)
General Outline
Revelation of J/Christ
(1:1–8)
PrologueJesus/John
Revelation of J/Christ(22:6–21)
EpilogueJesus/John
LIterary Structure: Thematic PartsJudgment Cycle (6—20)
Conflict• Dragon Attack• Beast AgentsConquest• Prelude• Bowls• PerspectivesClimax
Christ Cycle (6–11)Almighty God & His Christ
Dragon Cycle (12–20)Red Dragon & His Beasts
Seals 1–4Seal 5Seal 6Interlude• 144,000• Multitude
Seal 7
Trumpets 1–4Trumpet 5Trumpet 6Interlude• Scroll• Witnesses
Trumpet 7
Conflict• Dragon Attack• Beast AgentsConquest• Prelude• Bowls• PerspectivesClimax
Judgment Cycle (6—20)
Conflict• Dragon Attack• Beast AgentsConquest• Prelude• Bowls• PerspectivesClimax
Christ Cycle (6–11)Almighty God & His Christ
Dragon Cycle (12–20)Red Dragon & His Beasts
Seals 1–4Seal 5Seal 6Interlude• 144,000• Multitude
Seal 7
Trumpets 1–4Trumpet 5Trumpet 6Interlude• Scroll• Witnesses
Trumpet 7
Conflict• Dragon Attack• Beast AgentsConquest• Prelude• Bowls• PerspectivesClimax
Dragon Cycle (12–20)Dragon Cycle (12–20)
Cosmic Conflict(Rev 12–13)
Dragon Attack (12)Cosmic Conflict(Rev 12–13) Beast Agents (13)
Messianic Conquest(Rev 14–20)
Bowl Prelude (14)Messianic Conquest
(Rev 14–20) Bowl Judgments (15–16)Messianic Conquest(Rev 14–20)
Bowl Perspectives (17–20)
Eschatological Climax(Rev 20)
Satan’s Defeat (20)Eschatological Climax(Rev 20) God’s Judgment (20)
RevelationLIterary Structure: Dragon Cycle (12–20)
Dragon Cycle (12–20)Dragon Cycle (12–20)
Cosmic Conflict(Rev 12–13)
Dragon Attack (12)Cosmic Conflict(Rev 12–13) Beast Agents (13)
Messianic Conquest(Rev 14–20)
Bowl Prelude (14)Messianic Conquest
(Rev 14–20) Bowl Judgments (15–16)Messianic Conquest(Rev 14–20)
Bowl Perspectives (17–20)
Eschatological Climax(Rev 20)
Satan’s Defeat (20)Eschatological Climax(Rev 20) God’s Judgment (20)
RevelationLIterary Structure: Dragon Cycle (12–20)
Messianic Conquest(Rev 14–20)
Bowl Prelude (14)
Conquest Prelude (14:1–20): OverviewDragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)
I. Content = Expansion of Seal Interlude (obvious reuse of the 144,000 imagery)
II. Structure = LinguisticA. Many proposals
various sequences of unnumbered sevensJohn does not explicitly indicate any sevens
B. Result: default to repeating phrase, “then I saw”#1 = Vision of Mount Zion (14:1–5)#2 = Vision of Angels (14:6–13)#3 = Vision of Harvests (14:14–20)
Interlude (14:1–20): StructureDragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)
Vision ofZion
God’sJudgment
Anticipated
Part 1Vision ofAngels
God’sJudgment
Announced
Part 2Vision ofHarvests
God’sJudgmentExecuted
Part 3
Interlude (14:1–20): StructureDragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)
Vision ofZion
God’sJudgment
Anticipated
Part 1Vision ofAngels
God’sJudgment
Announced
Part 2Vision ofHarvests
God’sJudgmentExecuted
Part 3
I. Thematic Unity of RevelationA. Common words, ideas with Seven Churches
Inaugural Vision: voice from heaven, voice of many waters (1:10, 15)Vision of Heaven: throne, elders, great thunder, four living creatures, Lamb, harps, new song, redeemed (4:2, 4, 5, 6; 5:6, 8, 9)Seven Letters: Father’s name (2:17; 3:12)Seal Interlude: 144,000 (7:4)
B. Contributes to literary, thematic unity of wholeC. Consolidates Judgment Cycle to Seven Churches
Prelude (14:1–20)—Part 1: Zion (14:1–5)Dragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)
II. Mount Zion TraditionsA. Historical: Davidic kingdom traditionsB. Prophetic: place of God’s deliverance
III. Seal Interlude InterpretedA. Lamb = slain Lamb of 5:6B. 144,000 = sealed saints of 7:4
victims of dragon and beasts of chs. 12–13God’s seal vs. beast’s mark (14:1 vs. 13:16)defeating dragon by sharing Lamb’s triumphnew song = only redeemed know the lyrics
Prelude (14:1–20)—Part 1: Zion (14:1–5)Dragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)
IV. Symbolic ImageryA. Sexual abstinance = Jewish holy war (Deut. 23:9–10)
sexual imagery for religious unfaithfulnesscontextual anticipation of whore of Babylon (17)
B. In their mouth no lieRevelation as a “war of words” (cf. 1:16)faithful witness in persecution contextfalse claims of Roman Empire denied
Prelude (14:1–20)—Part 1: Zion (14:1–5)Dragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)
Conquest Prelude (14:1–20): StructureDragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)
Vision ofZion
God’sJudgment
Anticipated
Part 1Vision ofAngels
God’sJudgment
Announced
Part 2Vision ofHarvests
God’sJudgmentExecuted
Part 3
I. First Angel: Eternal GospelA. Midheaven: broadcast to all points terrestrialB. Creation theology invoked (14:7)
foundation of Vision of Heaven (ch. 4)creation unfinished without redemption
C. Good news: a two-edged sword—no salvation for some without judgment for others (cf. 1:16)
Prelude (14:1–20)—Part 2: Angels (6–13)Dragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)
“For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to me, ‘Take the cup of the wine of wrath from my hand, and cause all the nations to whom I send you to drink it. And they shall drink and stager and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them. . . . Babylon has been a golden cup in the hand of the Lord, intoxicating all the earth. The nations have drunk of her wine; therefore the nations are going mad.’”
—Jer. 25:15–16, 51:7
II. Second Angel: “Fallen is Babylon!”A. Rome as the new Babylon
Babylon applied to Rome in Jewish literature (2 Bar. 11:1; Sib. Or. 5:143–5)Babylon as NT cipher for Rome (1 Pet. 5:13)enticing, intoxicating power, riches
B. Rome and her alliescomplicit in Rome’s idolatryconfederate in Rome’s destinycondemned in Bowl Judgments and Babylon
Prelude (14:1–20)—Part 2: Angels (6–13)Dragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)
Interlude (14:1–20)—Part 2: Angels (6–13)Dragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)
Bowls(15:1–16:21)
Babylon(17:1–20:6)
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, . . . made all the nations drink of the passionate wine of her
immorality.”
III. Third Angel: Mark of the BeastA. Wine of God’s wrath
Target: worship, mark of the beast (13:11–18)Degree: unmixed = full strength
B. Fire and brimstone (sulphur)Sodom and Gomorrah story (Gen. 19:24)prophetic imagery (Isa. 34:8–10)no rest, in contrast to the saints (14:13)
Prelude (14:1–20)—Part 2: Angels (6–13)Dragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)
III. Third Angel: Mark of the BeastC. Blessing for the dead
witness theme (1:5, 9; 2:13; 3:14; 6:9; 11:17; 12:11)rest from labors of witness, testimony
Prelude (14:1–20)—Part 2: Angels (6–13)Dragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)
Conquest Prelude (14:1–20): StructureDragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)
Vision ofZion
God’sJudgment
Anticipated
Part 1Vision ofAngels
God’sJudgment
Announced
Part 2Vision ofHarvests
God’sJudgmentExecuted
Part 3
I. Interpretive DifficultiesA. One like a “son of man”: angel or Christ? (1:13)B. Harvests: same or distinct?
taken from Joel 3:13: God’s judgment pictured as both grain and grape harvestsif same: both negative judgment, following Joelif distinct: first = righteous harvest, following the NT pattern (Lk. 10:2. Jn. 4:35–38)
C. Power over firespecific angel’s task or heavenly altar duty?probably related to prayers of saints (cf. 8:3–5)
Prelude (14:1–20)—Part 3: Harvests (14–20)Dragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)
I. Interpretive DifficultiesD. Outside the city
generic? then simply normal execution placespecific? then what city? Jerusalem?evocative for death of Jesus? (cf. Jn. 19:20; Heb. 13:12)
E. Blood several feet deep for 1600 stadiamost gruesome idea in Revelationoriental hyperbole?significance of 1600 number unknown
Prelude (14:1–20)—Part 3: Harvests (14–20)Dragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)
I. Interpretive DifficultiesD. Outside the city
generic? then simply normal execution placespecific? then what city? Jerusalem?evocative for death of Jesus? (cf. Jn. 19:20; Heb. 13:12)
E. Blood several feet deep for 1600 stadiamost gruesome idea in Revelationoriental hyperbole?significance of 1600 number unknown
Prelude (14:1–20)—Part 3: Harvests (14–20)Dragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)
ca. 200 miles
I. Interpretive DifficultiesD. Outside the city
generic? then simply normal execution placespecific? then what city? Jerusalem?evocative for death of Jesus? (cf. Jn. 19:20; Heb. 13:12)
E. Blood several feet deep for 1600 stadiamost gruesome idea in Revelationoriental hyperbole?significance of 1600 number unknown
Prelude (14:1–20)—Part 3: Harvests (14–20)Dragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)
cf. Josephus on siege of Jerusalem
II. Interpretive PointsA. Prelude to Bowl Judgments (15–20)
fearsome dragon, beasts (Rev 12–13)inevitable divine judgment (Rev 15–20)
B. God’s judgment as faith’s vindication (Rev 2–3)C. God’s sovereignty over dragon, beasts, allies (Rev 4)
D. God’s victory through Lamb and followers (Rev 5)E. Saints prayers as answered (6:9; 8:3, 5)F. Rome as a beast, harlot, doomed (Rev 17–18)
Prelude (14:1–20)—Part 3: Harvests (14–20)Dragon Cycle (12:1–20:15)