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THE END OF THE WORLD AS THEY KNEW IT:

THE END OF THE WORLD AS THEY KNEW IT

L. Leibman, Hum 110 Lecture 2 April 2004

"Revelation is one of the fiercest attacks on Rome and one of the most effective pieces of political resistance literature from the period of the early empire" -- Richard Bauckham

OUTLINE:

  1. Introduction
    1. The Apocalyptic Genre
    2. Structures of the Apocalypse
    3. Apocalypse and Empire
  1. Book of Revelation
    1. ACTI

Scene 1: Christ and the Churches (Rev. 1-3): the call against assimilation

Scene 2: The Scroll Unsealed (Rev. 4-7)

Scene 3: Trumpets of Terror and Hope (Rev. 8-11)

B. ACT II

Scene 1: The Beast and the Lamb (Rev. 12-15)

Scene 2: The Harlot and the Bride (15-19)

Scene 3: The End (19-22)

III. Conclusion: Future Critiques of Empire

TERMS:

Apocalypse: the end of the world; a revelation in written form that most commonly it reveals truths about the past, present, and/or future events in highly symbolic terms. This revelation often comes in dreams or visions, and it usually needs to be interpreted with the help of an angel. Its purpose is to provide hope and encouragement for people in the midst of severe trials and tribulations. It is also designed to influence both the understanding and behavior of its audience by means of divine authority.

Eschatology: literally "discourse about the last things," doctrine concerning life after death and the final stage of the world

Seals (Greek: sphragis; Hebrew brit)

STRUCTURE of Revelation:

An outline of the book looks like a spiral, with each loop consisting of a series of visions: seven messages to the churches (Rev. 1-3, seven seals (Rev 4-7), seven trumpets (Rev. 8-11), unnumbered visions (Rev. 12-15), seven plagues (Rev. 15-19), and more unnumbered visions (Rev. 19-22). Visions celebrating the triumph of God occur at the end of each cycle (4.1-11, 7.1.-17, 11.1-4, 19.1-10, 21.1-22.5)" (Koester 39)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table from Howard-Brook and Wes p.94 è

 

AND A FEW JOKES:

667 - neighbor of the beast

DCLXVI - Roman numeral of the Beast

$656.66 - Walmart price of the Beast

$646.66 - Next week's Walmart price of Beast

Route 666 - Way of the Beast

666k - Retirement plan of the Beast

Word 6.66 - Word Processor of the Beast

333 The semi-Christ

666i - BMW of the Beast

PITHY QUOTES:

"I was…on the island [egenomen en] (Rev. 1.9)… I was in the spirit [egenomen en]" (Rev 1.10)

Religious symbols like those in Revelation [unlike those in wartime communication code that have only one meaning] …communicate in a more complex way, often conveying several meanings at once. They engage readers in an ongoing process of reflection, rather than giving information that eliminates the need for future thought" (Koester 43).

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bauckman, Richard, "The Economic Critique of Rome in Revelation 18," Images of Empire, ed. Loveday Alexander. Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Academic Press, 1991.

Harding, Suan, "Representing Fundamentalism: The Problem of the Repugnant Cultural Other," Social Research 58(2) Summer 1991: 373-393.

Howard-Brook, Wes and Anthony Gwyther. Unveiling Empire: Reading Revelation Then and Now. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1999.

Koester, Craig, Revelation and the End of All Things. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. eerdmans Publishing Co., 2001.

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