BEMA Episode Link: 187: Revelation — The Blessed and Faithful Fallen
Episode Length: 28:44
Published Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2020 01:00:00 -0700
Session 4
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings hear the voices of those who stood against Empire and paid for it with their lives, and are reminded that Revelation is not a book of futuristic code, but an encouragement to those trying to remain faithful almost 2,000 years ago.

Discussion Video for BEMA 187

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Transcript for BEMA 187

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 187: Revelation - The Blessed and Faithful Fallen - Study Notes

Title & Source Summary

Episode: 187 - Revelation: The Blessed and Faithful Fallen Hosts: Marty Solomon and Brent Billings Focus: Revelation 14-16

This episode examines Revelation chapters 14-16, focusing on the apocalyptic imagery of confrontation between the Lamb and the beast, the seven bowls of wrath, and the preparation for the final battle at Armageddon. The discussion emphasizes that Revelation is not futuristic code but rather encouragement to first-century believers facing persecution under the Roman Empire. The hosts demonstrate how John weaves together imagery from the Hebrew scriptures, particularly Exodus and the prophets, with cultural references from the seven cities to paint a picture of hope and inevitable victory for those remaining faithful despite facing death.

Key Takeaways

  • Revelation 14-16 depicts an epic confrontation between two teams: the dragon/beast versus the Lamb and his followers (the 144,000)
  • The imagery is not meant to evoke terror for faithful readers but rather hope - this is God’s promised deliverance
  • John deliberately uses apocalyptic language from Hebrew scriptures, especially the Exodus plagues, to assure readers that God’s pattern of deliverance continues
  • The “bowls of wrath” are not destructive annihilation but restorative justice - a purifying fire that puts things right
  • First-century persecution under Domitian was severe, and many believers faced death for their faithfulness
  • References like “Armageddon” point backward to historical battles at Megiddo, not forward to a futuristic end-times event
  • Patient endurance and faithfulness, even unto death, would have eternal ripples - their deeds would follow them
  • The imagery builds anticipation for a contest that seems weighted toward the beast, but the outcome is already certain

Main Concepts & Theories

The Epic Confrontation Setup

John presents the cosmic battle as a contest between two sides:

  • Team Beast: The seven-headed dragon/beast from the sea with followers marked on their foreheads/hands
  • Team Lamb: The slain Lamb standing on Mount Zion with 144,000 followers bearing God’s name on their foreheads

This juxtaposition appears weighted toward the intimidating beast, making the eventual victory of the slain Lamb and his virgin followers all the more remarkable. The angels celebrate early because the end of the story is inevitable.

Cultural and Textual Layering

John employs a sophisticated technique of pulling imagery from both Hebrew scriptures (Tanakh) and contemporary Roman culture:

Cultural References:

  • The sound of rushing waters recalls Asclepius and the Asclepion in Pergamum, where healing waters flowed
  • This contrasts the healing voice of a false god with the true voice from heaven

Textual References:

  • Harps may callback to Psalm 137 where captives in Babylon hung their harps in trees - now there is reason to sing again
  • The grain and grape harvests reference judgment imagery from Isaiah 5, Jeremiah 25, Psalms 69 and 79
  • Daniel’s apocalyptic visions inform the “son of man” on the cloud with a sickle
Patient Endurance and Faithful Death

The recurring theme is perseverance through tribulation, directly echoing the book of Daniel where believers refused to worship the image. John writes: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on… they will rest from their labor for their deeds will follow them” (Rev 14:13).

This stark acknowledgment of martyrdom is not presented as defeat but as faithful witness. The hosts reflect on how sitting in the ruins of Ephesus today, the ripples of those who gave their lives still impact hearts - their deeds truly did follow them through eternity.

The Seven Bowls of Wrath

The seven angels pour out bowls containing plagues that deliberately parallel the Exodus plagues:

  1. First Bowl: Festering sores on those with the mark of the beast (Exodus boils)
  2. Second Bowl: Sea turns to blood, everything dies (Nile to blood)
  3. Third Bowl: Rivers and springs become blood (Exodus waters)
  4. Fourth Bowl: Sun scorches people with fire (intensified heat)
  5. Fifth Bowl: Darkness on the beast’s throne (plague of darkness)
  6. Sixth Bowl: Euphrates dried up, frogs from dragon/beast/false prophet (Exodus frogs)
  7. Seventh Bowl: Earthquake, cities collapse, hailstones (final culmination)
Wrath as Restorative Justice

Critical to understanding these passages is recognizing that God’s wrath is not indiscriminate destruction but restorative justice. It is:

  • A purifying fire that leaves what ought to remain
  • Completed and finite (“Last because with them God’s wrath is completed”)
  • Followed by songs of victory and deliverance

The imagery should evoke for biblically-literate readers not “Oh no!” but “Oh yes!” - this is what God always promised.

Armageddon - Historical not Futuristic

The reference to Armageddon (Har Megiddo - “mountain of Megiddo”) points backward to historical battles, not forward to future apocalypse. Megiddo was:

  • One of the fortress cities on the Via Maris (the great highway through Israel)
  • Located near the Jezreel Valley where battle after battle occurred
  • The perfect symbolic backdrop for depicting ultimate confrontation between good and evil

This is an actual place students visit on BEMA trips to Israel, not an encoded name for end-times events.

The Backward Movement to Eden

Marty notes the plague imagery somewhat reverses the Exodus order, suggesting a backward movement. This makes thematic sense because Revelation ultimately moves the story back to Eden - back to the garden and God’s original created order restored.

Examples & Applications

Historical Context: Domitian’s Persecution

The debate exists among scholars about the severity of various Roman persecutions. Marty argues that Domitian’s persecution was “one of the worst in all of church history in the Roman Empire,” contrary to some academics who minimize it. Different Caesars ruled differently:

  • Some blamed Christians as scapegoats for Rome’s problems
  • Others promoted diversity and tolerance
  • The up-and-down nature of persecution meant believers never knew when the next wave might come

This mirrors modern political dynamics where leaders run on platforms of either embracing diversity or fear of “the other.”

Dating Revelation: Nero vs. Domitian

Many popular interpretations date Revelation to Nero’s reign, but Marty finds this untenable based on specific details that point to Domitian’s time or later:

  • Nero’s persecution was not as widespread
  • Specific cultural and political markers in Revelation fit Domitian’s reign
  • While this remains debated, the internal evidence favors the later dating
Textual Cross-References Deepen Meaning

When John references Isaiah 8 in connection with the fifth bowl of darkness, examining that context reveals:

  • Isaiah 8 closes a section about serious oppression and God’s deliverance
  • It specifically addresses deliverance from empire
  • A biblically-literate reader would catch the hint: “God’s deliverance is at hand”

This demonstrates how simply reading the passages John references adds layers of meaning invisible to modern readers unfamiliar with the scriptures.

Geographic Memory from Travel

Brent’s experience illustrates how visiting sites brings the text alive:

  • He can visualize Sardis clearly - the gymnasium, Acropolis, and Necropolis
  • The memory of walking the ruins makes the reference to the city splitting into thirds during an earthquake vivid
  • Physical connection to place deepens textual understanding
The Eternal Ripples of Faithfulness

The hosts reflect on reading Revelation in the shaded ruins of Ephesus, hearing the very words meant to encourage believers facing death. Their faithfulness rippled through 2000 years to impact believers today. This raises the question: Do we believe our deeds today matter and will ripple through eternity?

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

  1. Detailed Study of the Exodus Plagues: Examine the theories about two source traditions merged into seven or ten plagues, and how this informs John’s seven bowls structure

  2. Apocalyptic Literature Genre Conventions: Study extrabiblical apocalyptic writings to understand the harvest imagery, judgment scenes, and symbolic numbers common to the genre

  3. The Fourfold Pattern: Research the repeated phrase “every nation, tribe, language, and people” which appears four times in Revelation, each time in different order - what does this intentional variation signify?

  4. Prophetic Harvest Imagery: Deep dive into passages like Isaiah 5, Jeremiah 25, Psalms 69 and 79 to understand how grape and grain harvests symbolize judgment and restoration

  5. The Geography of Megiddo: Study the strategic importance of Megiddo throughout biblical history and why it became the archetypal battle site

  6. Church History of Roman Persecution: Compare accounts from different church historians about the severity and nature of persecutions under various emperors

  7. The 144,000 as Firstfruits: Explore the “firstfruits” language and what it means that they “follow the lamb wherever he goes” and “no lie was found in their mouths”

  8. Temple Imagery and Measurements: Investigate the connections between Ezekiel’s temple measurements and John’s use of numerical distances (like 1,600 stadia)

  9. The Song of Moses: Study Exodus 15 and Deuteronomy 32 to understand what “the song of Moses and of the Lamb” would mean to first-century Jewish believers

  10. Comparative Persecution Studies: Research what percentage of the early Christian population actually faced martyrdom and how this varied by region and emperor

Comprehension Questions

  1. How does understanding the apocalyptic genre and its use of symbolic imagery from Hebrew scriptures change the way we should read Revelation 14-16, particularly regarding the bowls of wrath?

  2. What is the significance of John’s deliberate parallels to the Exodus plagues, and how would these references have encouraged first-century believers facing persecution rather than terrifying them?

  3. Explain why “Armageddon” (Har Megiddo) is a reference to historical battles rather than a futuristic end-times event. What does this tell us about how to interpret apocalyptic geography in Revelation?

  4. What does John mean when he writes “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on… their deeds will follow them”? How did the faithfulness of first-century martyrs create “eternal ripples”?

  5. How does the concept of God’s wrath as “restorative justice” and “purifying fire” differ from viewing it as destructive annihilation? What implications does this have for understanding God’s character and purposes?

Summary

Revelation 14-16 presents an epic confrontation between the beast/dragon and the Lamb with his followers, using rich apocalyptic imagery drawn from Hebrew scriptures and contemporary culture. Rather than futuristic code, these chapters offered hope and encouragement to first-century believers facing severe persecution under Domitian. John deliberately parallels the Exodus plagues through the seven bowls of wrath to assure readers that God’s pattern of deliverance continues. These images represent restorative justice - a purifying fire that puts creation back in right order - not indiscriminate destruction. The reference to Armageddon points backward to historical battles at Megiddo, not forward to future events. Throughout these chapters, John acknowledges the stark reality that faithfulness may lead to death, yet insists their deeds will have eternal ripples. The outcome of this seemingly weighted contest is already certain, and the angels can celebrate early because God’s promised deliverance is inevitable. For biblically-literate readers familiar with the prophets, these terrifying images would evoke not dread but hope - the long-awaited day when justice would be served and patient faithfulness rewarded with restoration of God’s created order.

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