I am sure there are structures to the book of Revelation and I use the plural ‘structures’ as probably there is no one structure that give us an easy read of it. Overall I think the book is meant to grip the imagination not the mind, and certainly not to fuel speculation that we then feel safe with the inside information that we can cling on to. There is a four-time repeated phrase that I offer as giving a very broad understanding of John’s journey. It is the phrase ‘in the Spirit’. Here are the four times it occurs:
- 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day
- 4:2 At once I was in the Spirit
- 17:3 I was carried away in the Spirit
- 21:10 he carried me away in the Spirit.
Four major movements that shaped John’s visionary encounters. The first is when John sees the Risen Lord actively walking amidst the lampstands. We are introduced to a familiar pattern – he hears something and when he turns he sees
I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying… Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and on turning I saw…
John is a Seer and his sight (how many times to we read ‘and I saw’????) gives explanation (and redirects / perhaps even corrects) what he hears. This first ‘sight in the Spirit’ is of an engaged Risen Lord.
The second occurrence is when he enters the throne room of heaven (described in such terms that Caesar’s throne room is exposed as a parody). He hears that the destiny of humanity has been secured for ‘the Lion of the tribe of Judah has overcome’. He then sees a Lamb slain. The Lion embodies the hope of the ages, but this is the only mention in the book of this Lion… the overcoming of God on behalf of humanity has a different lens – it is achieved only through the slain Lamb. Power over gives way to submission that appears as if one is overcome. A life laid down not lives being consumed is the path to overcoming. The critique of power is very strongly evident in this encounter.
Then comes a long section of conflict and battle. (Jumping over the third reference) the final ‘in the Spirit’ is of the New Jerusalem (redeemed humanity) manifesting on earth – the fulfilment of creation where there is no dualistic divide between heaven and earth. But preceding that is the judgement of Babylon (the third reference). Everything that is the opposite of the kingdom (βασιλεία: basileia) of heaven / God. Contextually those first readers lived in a hostile world within the Roman empire (βασιλεία).
The outcome is settled for the slain Lamb is the one who has overcome; the path is the challenge and ‘Babylon’ will manifest and seem dominant. Those who follow the Lamb wherever the Lamb goes are the overcomers, even if it seems that they are the ones being overcome. The ‘battle’ is not eternal, the outcome is settled, but the path is brutal at times.
Two strong positive visions – one from the past (Lamb slain as the foundation for the unlocking of human destiny); one from the present (Jesus walking), connected to one future positive vision of the eschaton of heaven coming to earth and in and through it all a conviction that all that opposes the kingdom of God will be judged and fall.
Perhaps Babylon grows and maybe as per Jesus’ incarnation being at the ‘fullness of times’, so maybe there is a growth and increasing opposition to the kingdom of God. Maybe. But chronology is something we need to resist putting on Revelation. The sight given is not to give us a time-line but a plumb-line to critique all oppressive power and powers.