Hope for the Hopeless: Apocalyptic

Sources: Karl Barth, "The Strange New World of the Bible," in The Word of God and the Word of Man (Harper, 1957); Willis Barnstone, ed., The Other Bible: Ancient Alternative Scriptures (HarperCollins, 1984); Bart Ehrman, The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings, 3d ed. (Oxford, 2004); I. Howard Marshall et al., Exploring the New Testament: A Guide to the Letters and Revelation (IVP, 2002), chapter 21; John O'Keefe and R.R. Reno, Sanctified Vision: An Introduction to Early Christian Interpretation of the Bible (Johns Hopkins, 2005).

Reading: Rev 1:3.

Apocalyptic: A Paradigm for Interpreting Reality and Responding
The entire New Testament is apocalyptic in philosophical/eschatological outlook.: What does that mean?
A basic apocalyptic assumption: The world is the grip of evil, and helpless to overcome it on its own.
Possible responses:: Submit: Succumb to misery, pessimism, depression, fear/anxiety (sufferers).
Fight: Resist anyway, and lose (Zealots in the Jewish War and Bar Kochba Rebellion).
Deny and avoid: Seek a comfortable distance and even advantage within the system (scribes, the wealthy).
Collaborate: If you can't beat them, join them (Herodians, tax collectors).
Escape: Abandon this evil world for some ideal spiritual realm (Hellenistic Jews).
A further apocalyptic assumption: God will deliver from evil:: God is coming to act to end the evil, destroy its system, and restore a good, even perfect order.
Further possible responses, all apocalyptic in character:: Retreat: Withdraw outwardly to stay pure until then (Essenes, monastics).
Clean up: Withdraw inwardly to become pure for then (Pharisees, mystics).
Hang on: Await and invite the expected Reign of God (John the Baptist).
Conquer: Respond to the news of the now-approaching Reign of God,
by entering it through Jesus' grace (Jesus of Nazareth).

Apocalyptic Literature: A Textual Outlook, Form, and Function
Some of the New Testament is apocalyptic in literary genre, not just outlook.
Apocalypsis means "unveiling"/"revelation," not "catastrophe." It is not reporting, secret messages, or mere prediction (e.g., "The Omega Code"), but ...: ... a genre with specific literary devices
... borrowing images intertextually from earlier apocalyptic (like a 'mashup')
... and employing a peculiar, often non-straightforward narrative structure
... to offer words of warning and comfort
... to both comfortable and persecuted believers
... in particular historical contexts
... in the present, not just the future ("Pale Rider")
... to inspire faithfulness in the midst of formidable challenges.
Apocalyptic changes its readers, because it: ... brings God's future judgment into the present (Dan 5:26-28),
... uniting God's judgments eschatologically, and
... offers an ethic: "Watch" (Mark 13:32-37).

Apocalyptic Imagery
Apocalyptic literature arises before and in Israel's exile.: It extends and radicalizes the implications of the former and latter prophets.
OT writers use apocalyptic to foretell the pattern of God's deliverance;: NT writers use apocalyptic to tell their story of Jesus Christ.
Interpretation can be: literal ("mounted on a donkey", Matt 21),
figural ("let the reader understand", Mark 13:14), or
allegorical ("thrown in the fire", John 15:6).
Imagery is fundamental to the genre.
Old Testament images: Images in Revelation: Sun, moon, and stars tell the times (Joel 2). The sky vanishes (Rev 6:12-14, 12:8). Numbers tell the times (Dan 7:25, 12:7; 9:20-26). Times of opposition (Rev 11:3, 12:6, 12:14, 13:15). The fourth beast rises and falls (Dan 7); a ram and a goat (Dan 8, esp. 8:19). The dragon, beast, false prophet rise and fall (Rev 12-13). Israel is persecuted: the Abomination of Desolation (Dan 10-11, 12:1). Great tribulation (Rev 6, Rev 7:14). Resurrection and rescue (Dan 12). The sealed servants of God (Rev 7); resurrection (20:4) . The king delivers Israel from Babylon (Zech 9). The Son of Man comes to judge the world (Rev 11:15-18 etc.). Disaster brings mourning in Jerusalem (Zech 12). Mourning for the pierced one (Rev 1:7). Messiah restores Israel (Zech 13-14). Jesus reigns in the Millennium (Rev 20:1-6), then in the New Jerusalem (21:1-22:5). Summary: God will deliver Israel through its present trials. Summary: Jesus will deliver the Church through its present trials.

Apostolic Transformations of Israel's Eschatology
Jesus' ascension radically shifts the Church's understanding of Israel's national hopes:

Revelation's Goal: Occasion and Audience
Revelation, like all texts, is written for specific reasons and motivations (clues: Rev 1:3, 1:9a, 2:5-7, etc.).: It is unusual for apocalyptic literature in being addressed to seven specific churches in Asia Minor (1:4, 1:11, 1:20, 2:1-3:22).
Example: Laodicia, in the Lycus Valley, with disadvantageous water sources.
Yet texts exceed these occasions and audiences, sometimes intentionally.: The content of chapters 2-3 matches 4-22 (Johnson, 585).
So Revelation focuses past and present apocalyptic prophecy on specific circumstances of apostolic churches, yet with an expansive view beyond (7:9-17).
This overflow is fundamental to the character of Holy Scripture.: The Bible is the Bible of our one, whole, universal, original Church of Jesus Christ.
In our very different contexts, we are members of that Church and among the Bible's primary audiences.; So Christians today read Revelation as in some sense to and for us too (e.g., my "Laodicia, U.S.A." chapel talk).
Becoming a reader of the Bible thus demands and confers wisdom regarding the senses of Scripture.
Proper literal and figural readings depend on and strengthen that wisdom (see O'Keefe and Reno, Sanctified Vision).

Israel awaits a bright national future in an evil world.	Jesus Christ leads its apocalyptic restoration.	E.g., Gen 28:10-15 in John 1:44-51.
Israel's righteous ones seek assurance and vindication.	Christ's vindication offers a way to address his followers' old narrowness, grandiosity, arrogance, insecurity, fragility, despair, paralysis, and ruthlessness (cf. Rom 1:28-31).	Ps 110:1-4 in Col 3:1-17 and Heb 7-8.
Wayward Israel needs international judgment and restoration.	Jesus' Holy Spirit characterizes the Church's life, experience, and hope.	Isa 66 in Rev 21; Joel 2:28-32 through Pss 16 and 110 in Acts 2:14-39.
Apocalyptic prophecy discloses reality to suffering Israel.	The Church's apocalyptic perspective foresees Christ's deliverance from its present and future enemies.	Joel 2:30-31 in Mark 15:33, Luke 23:44-45.
Israel expects final, sure, decisive judgment-salvation from enemies.	Jesus' past and future appearings locate Christian hope, mission, and ecclesiology.	Dan 7:13-14 in Mark 14:61-64 and Rev 1:7-8;Ps 68:29 in Eph 4:7-10.

Old Testament images:	Images in Revelation:
Sun, moon, and stars tell the times (Joel 2).	The sky vanishes (Rev 6:12-14, 12:8).
Numbers tell the times (Dan 7:25, 12:7; 9:20-26).	Times of opposition (Rev 11:3, 12:6, 12:14, 13:15).
The fourth beast rises and falls (Dan 7); a ram and a goat (Dan 8, esp. 8:19).	The dragon, beast, false prophet rise and fall (Rev 12-13).
Israel is persecuted: the Abomination of Desolation (Dan 10-11, 12:1).	Great tribulation (Rev 6, Rev 7:14).
Resurrection and rescue (Dan 12).	The sealed servants of God (Rev 7); resurrection (20:4) .
The king delivers Israel from Babylon (Zech 9).	The Son of Man comes to judge the world (Rev 11:15-18 etc.).
Disaster brings mourning in Jerusalem (Zech 12).	Mourning for the pierced one (Rev 1:7).
Messiah restores Israel (Zech 13-14).	Jesus reigns in the Millennium (Rev 20:1-6), then in the New Jerusalem (21:1-22:5).
Summary: God will deliver Israel through its present trials.	Summary: Jesus will deliver the Church through its present trials.