The Seven Churches

Known to unknown

Summary of what is know about the 7churches

The beast of Revelation is a relativeknown

The narrative of Rev 12

The identity of the woman – the oppositeof the prostitute who rides on the beast

The child

The dragon

Birth,Resurrection,Ascension ofJesus

After theascension ofJesus

CosmicView

Rev 12:7-12

Rev 12:13-17

EarthlyView

Rev 12:1-6

Narrative Transition from 12 to 13

The narrative of Revelation 13

The beast from the sea: 10 horns, 7heads, 10 crowns

Conquer God’s people for 42 months

The beast from the land

The mark of the beast

The woman who sits on the beast of 7 heads and 10horns

, 9 “This calls for a mind with wisdom. The sevenheads are seven hills on which the woman sits. 10 Theyare also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, theother has not yet come; but when he does come, hemust remain for only a little while. 11 The beast whoonce was, and now is not, is an eighth king. Hebelongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.12 “The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have notyet received a kingdom, but who for one hour willreceive authority as kings along with the beast.”

Rome

“the seven heads are seven hills on whichthe woman sits”

The identification with the 7 hills of Rome isincidental but deliberate. The sustainedimage of the beast and the 7 heads is thatthey are 7 kings

The creatures of Rev 13:1-2 and Daniel7:3-7

›Diachronic vs Synchronic

The power, throne and authority

3 One of the heads of the beast seemed tohave had a fatal wound, but the fatalwound had been healed. The whole worldwas filled with wonder and followed thebeast. 4 People worshiped the dragonbecause he had given authority to thebeast, and they also worshiped the beastand asked, “Who is like the beast? Whocan wage war against it?”

Fatal wound

Indirect worship of the dragon

Coercive power

Proud words and blasphemies

The rule of the beast for 42 months ishelpful.

The time is not literal.

Conquest of the saints

Two groups of people arecontrasted

 Patient endurance

Meaning of beast was from the earth

The second beast enforced the worship ofthe first beast

›Aristo? Representative figure?

The two signs the local authority performedto induce worship of the beast were: (1) firecome down from heaven, and (2) makingthe image of the beast talk.

The number of the beast

Mark of the beast

The prostitute is the counter narrative ofTrue Israel

The wealth of Rome

The moral corruption and perversity ofRome

The persecution

Babylon. 1 Peter 5 13 She who is in Babylon,chosen together with you, sends you hergreetings, and so does my son Mark

John clearly prophesied the fall of Babylon.(Rev 14:8; 16:19; 18:1,2,4,9,10,21; 19:1).

Another possible view: a prophecy awaitingfulfillment.

The entire pericope, the discourse retains thetheme of judgment on the prostitute through19:21. The empirical application of the Rome inJohn’s day does not fit well into the content ofRevelation 17-19. At the same time, there arecompelling indicators that it is Rome.

The prostitute rides the beast.

John describes the fall of Babylon with thesame concept of the fall of Tyre (Ezekiel 26-28).