A Reform-minded Seventh-day Adventist forum In our aim to exalt everything important, first and foremost, we seek to promote a clear understanding of Daniel, Revelation, the three angels' messages and the alpha and omega of apostasy.
Having stood by for a while, I will jump in with a short comment. I must reject your chiastic hypothesis, because I believe that it is based on a misunderstanding of the nature of Rev 4-5. As you will readily agree, a chiasm is not something placed on the work, it is an intrinsic thought pattern in the work. This requires that we properly identify the thoughts.
The key difficulty I see with your outline is that you place Rev 4-5 in the category of "judgment scene." In this, you have much good company. But the evidence is that this is an inauguration scene. And if this is true, your matching part of the chiasm fails to match.
(The bulk of this material is from Ranko Stefanovic's doctoral dissertation at Andrews, "The Backgrounds and Meaning of the Sealed Book of Revelation 5.")
1. The sealed book is taken from a position near the right hand of the father, not from his hand (technical Greek translation issue).
2. The receipt of the biblion is the receipt of the book of the law that the Hebrew kings received during their enthronement ceremonies.
3. The book of the law lays out Christ's right to rule
4. The seven seals reflect a Roman last will and testament, which again would contain Christ's right to rule.
5. There is no judgment given by the ceremony per se. That is, Christ does not stand from his seat at the right hand in order to pronounce judgment.
6. The focus is the throne, not the occupant.
7. The key issue is the worthiness (asios) of Christ, not of any other person.
8. All of the key phrases, "at the right hand," "the throne," "the Lion of Judah," etc. all have the common thread of the exalted office of ruler.
9. The elements parallel enthronements in the OT. Joash (2 Kgs 11:12-19/2 Chr 23:11-20), Saul (1 Sam 10:1, 24-25), David (1 Sam 16:13; 2 Sam 2:4; 5:3-4/1 Chr 11:3), Solomon (1 Kgs 1:32-40, 45-49/1 Chr 23:1; 29:22-23), Jehu (2 Kgs 9:6, 13), and Jehoahaz (2 Kgs 23:30/2 Chr 36:1).
Therefore, I must respectfully side with Florin's proposed structure.
I wrote the following as a crude outline of the Apocalypse:
1. A Call To Overcome (Rev 1-3).
2. The Court Assembled (Rev 4-5).
3. The First Scenario (Rev 6).
4. The Second Scenario (Rev 7-11).
5. The Third Scenario (Rev 12-18).
6. The Court’s Final Judgment (Rev 19-20).
7. The Reward Of Those Who Overcome (Rev 21-22).
In defense of the heading The Court Assembled for Rev 4 & 5, I submit the following parallel:
Dan 7:9 cf. Rev 4:2,3 ——Focus on the Ancient of Days and His throne.
Dan 7:9 cf. Rev 4:4 ——Many thrones around the throne of God.
Dan 7:10 cf. Rev 5:11 ——A great assembly around the throne.
Dan 7:13 cf. Rev 5:7 ——The Son of Man coming before the Father.
Dan 7:10 cf. Rev 5:1-9 ——A focus on book/s.
Dan 7:14 cf. Rev 5:12 ——The Lamb receives a kingdom (cf. Lk 19:11,12).
I regard the following to be reasonable commentary:
After quoting Revelation 5:1-3, which you recall begins with the Father having a sealed book in His hand, Ellen White states: “There in His open hand lay the book, the roll of the history of God’s providences, the prophetic history of nations and the church. Herein was contained the divine utterances, His authority, His commandments, His laws, the whole symbolic counsel of the Eternal, and the history of all ruling powers in the nations. In symbolic language was contained in that roll the influence of every nation, tongue, and people from the beginning of earth’s history to its close” (Letter 65, dated, August 23, 1898).
The book of destiny is also a title deed:
“The world does not acknowledge that, at an infinite cost, Christ has purchased the human race. They do not acknowledge that by creation and by redemption He holds a just claim to every human being. But as the Redeemer of the fallen race, He has been given the deed of possession, which entitles Him to claim them as His property” (E.G.W., Questions on Doctrine, p. 670).
Joined: 17 May 2004 Posts: 55 Location: California
Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 8:38 am Post subject:
Concerning Revelation 5 & 6 on the 7 seals I heard a audio message the other day that every SDA should hear due to their minister being trained wrong like this SDA minister Jack Jones.
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http://www.shasta.com/edwhite/audio/index.htm#jones
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"The evidence given one day, if rejected, may never be repeated." 3T 258
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