Bob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Revelation 13

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Bob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Revelation 13


Verse Commentaries:



Chapter Level Commentary:
Revelation 12-14

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

UBS4 NKJV NRSV TEV NJB
The Woman and the Dragon The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon The Vision of the Woman, the Child, and the Dragon The Woman and the Dragon The Vision of the Woman and the Dragon Rev_12:1-6 Rev_12:1-6 Rev_12:1-6 Rev_12:1-2 Rev_12:1-6 Satan Thrown Out of Heaven Rev_12:3-6 Rev_12:7-12 Rev_12:7-12 Rev_12:7-9 Rev_12:7-9 Rev_12:7-12` The Woman Persecuted Rev_12:10-12 Rev_12:10-12 Rev_12:13-17 Rev_12:13-17 Rev_12:13-17 Rev_12:13-17 Rev_12:13-17 The Two Beasts The Beast From the Sea The Two Beasts The Two Beasts The Dragon Delegates His Power to the Beast Revelation 12:18 Revelation 12:18 Revelation 12:18 Revelation 12:18-13:10 Rev_13:1-4 Rev_13:1-10 Rev_13:1-4 Rev_13:1-4 Rev_13:5-8 Rev_13:5-8 Rev_13:5-8 Rev_13:9-10 The Beast from the Land Rev_13:9-10 Rev_13:9-10 The False Prophet as the Slave of the Beast Rev_13:11-18 Rev_13:11-18 Rev_13:11-18 Rev_13:11-17 Rev_13:11-17 Rev_13:18 Rev_13:18 The Song of the 144,000 The Lamb and the 144,000 An Interlude The Lamb and His People The Companions of the Lamb Rev_14:1-5 Rev_14:1-5 Rev_14:1-5 Rev_14:1-5 Rev_14:1-5 The Messages of the Three Angels The Proclamation of Three Angels The Three Angels Angels Announce the Day of Judgment Rev_14:6-7 Rev_14:6-13 Rev_14:6-7 Rev_14:6-7 Rev_14:6-7 Rev_14:8 Rev_14:8 Rev_14:8 Rev_14:8 Rev_14:9-12 Rev_14:9-11 Rev_14:9-11 Rev_14:9-13 Rev_14:12 Rev_14:12 Rev_14:13 Rev_14:13 Rev_14:13 Rev_14:13 b The Harvest of the Earth Reaping the Earth's Harvest The Harvest of the Earth The Harvest and the Vintage of the Gentiles Rev_14:14-16 Rev_14:14-16 Rev_14:14-16 Rev_14:14-16 Rev_14:14-16 Reaping the Grapes of Wrath Rev_14:17-20 Rev_14:17-20 Rev_14:17-20 Rev_14:17 Rev_14:17-20 Rev_14:18-20 READING CYCLE THREE (from "hyperlink")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired but it is the key to following the original author's intent which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.



CONTEXTUAL INSIGHT TO Rev_12:1-17

A. Another interlude begins in Rev_12:1 and continues through Rev_14:20. Many have asserted that this is really another series of sevens. This literary unit describes the spiritual conflict in dualistic terms among

1. the two kingdoms

2. the two cities

3. the two slain witnesses and their murderers



B. Rev_12:1 to Rev_14:6 describe the ultimate (cosmic) battle between good and evil in mythological terms taken from Ancient Near Eastern cultures (cf. Grant Osborne, The Hermeneutical Spiral p. 229).

1. Babylonian creation account—Tiamat (chaos), a seven headed monster who threw down one third of the stars of heaven, versus Marduk, the chief god of the city of Babylon, who kills her and becomes the head of the pantheon.

2. Egyptian myth—Set (Typhon), a red dragon versus Isis (Hathor), giving birth to Horus. He later kills Set.

3. Ugaritic Baal legend—Yam (waters) versus Ba'al. Ba'al kills Yam.

4. Persian myth—Azhi Dabaka (evil dragon) versus son of Ahura Mazda (the high good god).

5. Greek myth—the Python (serpent/dragon) versus pregnant Leto (she gives birth to Apollo, who kills Python).



C. It is very difficult to know how to interpret this chapter. Some try to interpret it in historical terms, but it seems to me that it is symbolic of the struggle between the anti-God kingdoms of this age and the new age kingdom of our Christ (cf. Rev_11:18; Psalms 2). Therefore, this is both a historical allusion to the birth of Christ and an emphasis on the coming of the Messianic kingdom. This is a dualism of an individual (Messiah) and a group (the people of God) versus an individual (Satan) and a group (demonically inspired unbelievers). This same dualism is seen in the Servant Songs of Isaiah. The servant is Israel (cf. Isaiah 41-50), yet the Messiah (cf. Isa_52:13 to Isa_53:12).



D. Paul discusses the cosmic lordship of Christ in Colossians 1-2 (also note Heb_1:2-3).



DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. What is the relationship between the 144,000 found in chapters 7 and 14?

2. To what does Mt. Zion refer?

3. Are the qualifications found in Rev_14:4 a description of a select celibate group or the whole people of God?

4. What is the significance of Rev_14:6-7?

5. Who or what is Babylon?

6. Is hell eternal?

7. Who is the person sitting on the cloud in Rev_14:14-16 and why?