The Structure of Revelation
Having proposed a general outline of the layout of the seven “days” of the new creation, we now introduce parallels between the Hebrew annual feast days and the structural layout of John’s apocalypse. Countless attempts have been made to examine the structure of the book of Revelation, yet there seems no emerging consensus. It reveals the interpretive difficulties of John’s complex book. Without examining the various suggestions (there are numerous), we would highlight evidence of the Hebrew festivals in Revelation’s structure and message. By way of introduction, Paulien has noted that John’s Apocalypse seems structured around the heavenly temple, with seven introductory scenes introducing events to transpire on the earth (Table 1):
Table 1: Structure of Revelation
Prologue (1:1-8)
Introductory Scene (1:9-20)
The Seven Churches (2:1 – 3:22)
Introductory Scene (4:1 – 5:14)
The Seven Seals (6:1 – 8:1)
Introductory Scene (8:2-6)
The Seven Trumpets (8:7 – 11:18)
Introductory Scene (11:19)
The Wrath of the Nations (12:1 – 15:4)
Introductory Scene (15:5-8)
The Wrath of God (16:1 – 18:24)
Introductory Scene (19:1-20)
The Final Judgment (19:11 – 20:15)
Introductory Scene (21:1-8)
The New Jerusalem (21:9 – 22:5)
Epilogue (22:6-21) [1]
The heavenly sanctuary scenes are the center five, noted by a number of authors. That John’s apocalypse is centered upon judicial decrees enacted from His heavenly sanctuary establishes a framework for John’s message, emphasizing the importance of the temple to God’s redemptive plan. A temple/sanctuary centric perspective is not only sensible, but required if one is to argue that the book proceeds sequentially through the festivals, as the festivals were celebrated at the temple.
A chiastic structure parallels these introductory scenes (see Table 2), a chiasmus that moves from events that open on earth, to events in heaven, and then returning to close on earth. The pattern fits well with a festive definition of the new days of creation. The initial events of Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread and Feast of Firstfruits occurring (primarily) upon the earth, evident in Christ’s sacrifice, resurrection and ascension. The ending events represent the consummation of the ingathering also celebrated upon the earth.
It hints that Passover served to inaugurate God’s new conflated temple of heaven and earth with its consummation seen in the Feast of Tabernacles. The actions in heaven that lie between the starting and ending point, serve as the needed actions to bring the new temple from its inauguration to consummation. The remaining feast days, while judicially bearing greatly on the events on earth are seen proceeding from God’s heavenly temple in accordance with His timing.
Table 2: Chiastic Structure of Revelation [2]
Revelation’s Festival Structure
Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread
With the beginning and ending goalposts proposed, supporting evidence can be pursued. Paulien has noted a number of Passover images in the opening scene of Revelation. Christ’s “searching scrutiny” of the churches evokes the search for leaven in an Israelite household as Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread approach (Exodus 12:19; 13:6-7). This picture may be enhanced by the ancient Jewish practice of searching for leaven on the eve before the Passover with candles (Zephaniah 1:12). [3]
That Christ is pictured trimming the seven lamps also evokes Passover, as trimming the lamps followed the offering of the Paschal lamb. It similarly signaled the conclusion of the service (trimmed for the evening, a time of Christ’s visible absence from the earth). [4]
Feast of Unleavened Bread and Feast of the Firstfruits
As trimming the lampstand was also an activity associated with the morning sacrifices, John may have had more in view than a strict view of the Passover. It is possible he conflated the activities of the daily sacrifices with Passover to show Christ’s High Priestly role, emphasizing His role throughout our age to bring His church to purity, trimming the lamps and supplying the oil of God’s Spirit to assure the churches remain an effective light throughout our age. [5]
Christ’s activities of trimming and supplying oil seem consistent with the New Testament idea of purging out leaven and keeping oneself pure during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a festival whose seven day duration typologically points to the seven creation days of our age (believers throughout our age should put out the spiritual leaven from their house).
Combined with the mention of manna in Revelation 2:7 (cf. Exodus 16:12-31), eating of the tree of life (Revelation 2:17) and a fellowship meal in Revelation 3:20, we have solid indication of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Further, images centered upon Christ’ death and resurrection (Revelation 1:5, 17, 18) point toward the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, marking His death, and the Feast of Firstfruits marking His resurrection. [6]
Feast of Weeks/Pentecost
Paulien interprets the events of Revelation 4-5 as the inauguration of Christ as King and the inauguration of the heavenly sanctuary, a picture of Pentecost. [7] The song of Revelation 5:9-10 echos Exodus 19:5-6, a passage that inaugurates Israel as God’s people and earthly sanctuary.
Christ’s taking the scroll is His receipt of the new Mosaic law scroll, the antitype to Israel’s celebration of Pentecost, commemorated as the day the law was given (the fifth day of the third month). [8] This imagery fits well with New Testament teachings of Christ as the new temple. His people, also part of that temple, enter into heavenly places through Christ, gaining access to the Father through the rending of the firmament. It points backward to Israel, who, though having a temple-structure of stone, often were metaphorically described as a community of Zion, a sanctuary reference drawing attention to the covenant-community rather than the temple-structure or its location on Mount Zion.
John sees seven lamps in heaven that he describes as the seven spirits of God (Revelation 4:5). These seven lamps seem to parallel the seven lampstands of the seven churches found on earth. John later tells us that the seven spirits are “sent out into all the earth” (Revelation 5:6). The outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost empowered the church to fulfill the mandate of Christ to go into all the world (Acts 1:8), establishing a further tie between the heavenly inauguration scene in Revelation 5-6 and the feast of Pentecost.
Feast of Trumpets and New Moon Celebrations
The blowing of the seven trumpets (Revelation 8-9; 11:15-18) echos the Feast of Trumpets. Paulien suggests an association between the blowing of the trumpet on New Moon festivals (Numbers 10:10) and the Feast of Trumpets. Edersheim places them together in his analysis noting that the new moon festivities had two unique features, the sacrifices and the blowing of trumpets.
As the Feast of Trumpets was celebrated on the first day of the seventh month, it marked the seventh New Moon Festival of the year. As the seventh New Moon festival, it would likely have added significance to the Israelites. Edersheim notes blowing of trumpets signaled the camp to march through the wilderness and later called together Israelites for war. They also announced special days, festivals and the start of a new month. The blowing of trumpets was to be a memorial, that the Israelites might be remembered before Jehovah, as He was their God. Concerning any of the occasions of trumpets, Edersheim states:
It was, so to speak, the host of God assembled, waiting for their Leader; the people of God united to proclaim their King. At the blast of the priests’ trumpets they ranged themselves, as it were, under His banner and before His throne, and this symbolical confession and proclamation of Him as “Jehovah their God”, brought them before Him to be “remembered” and “saved”. And so every season of “blowing the trumpets”, whether at New Moons, at the Feast of Trumpets or New Year’s Day, at other festivals, in the Sabbatical and Year of Jubilee, or in the time of war, was a public acknowledgment of Jehovah as king. [9]
If Edersheim is correct, it suggests John envisions God’s people throughout our age proclaiming their Leader yet waiting for His appearance to save the Host. They are reminded of His commitment to His people, that He will lead them, and thus they must trust His provision and obediently continue their exodus. The trumpets call God’s people to continue their exodus from the wilderness of the nations to God’s promised land.
During their journey, the trumpets call them together for times of remembrance of God, joyous celebrations of His grace, yet also for the congregation to conduct spiritual warfare. The seventh trumpet may signal a new time, a New Year in God’s economy, a time to call together His people for His imminent appearance.
It would be a spiritual signal to complete their exodus from eschatological Babylon, to prepare themselves for His return through personal affliction, fasting and humility that traditionally immediately followed the Feast of Trumpets. It may also be that the “afflictions” are in part from the Antichrist and the nations (Revelation 11:1-14), part of God’s purifying judgments upon the church. It may be signaled in the measurement of the temple and the martyrdom of the two witnesses. Preeminently, it may signal to God’s people their need for preparedness for Christ’s imminent return or preparedness for the coming assault of the beast. Maimonides denotes the blowing of trumpets to mean:
Rouse ye, rouse ye from your slumber; awake, awake from your sleep, you who mind vanity, for slumber most heavy has fallen upon you. Take it to heart, before Whom you are to give an account in the judgment. [10]
Maimonides’ appeal brings to mind the words of Revelation 16:15 to “stay awake” following the outpouring of the sixth bowl while also pointing toward the imminent judgment commensurate with the outpouring of the seventh bowl. Similarly, the words of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 5:14 come to mind, “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you”.
His words are followed with an appeal to be filled with the Spirit rather than drunk (filled) with wine. Paul may be reminding the Ephesians that the outpouring of the Spirit was for this evil age and it can keep us from falling spiritually asleep given the imminency of Christ’s return. We must wake, watch the signs and know the timing of God’s Parousia based upon hearing the spiritual trumpets blow. [11]
The language accompanying the seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:18) provides the first mention of judgment, consistent with the Feast of Trumpets, which kicked off ten days of fast consummating with the Day of Atonement, a day of judgment. [12] Thus, the first six trumpets of Revelation 8-9 may be trumpet soundings associated with the first six New Moon festivities.
The implications are significant. The sounding of the seventh trumpet would signal the beginning of the end of God’s eschatological plan, with only the Feast of Atonement and Feast of Tabernacles unfulfilled. [13] It follows that the period of the seven seals and the first six trumpet soundings are the time spanning from Christ’s Passover sacrifice on the cross, through our present time to the end of the spiritual harvest that represents God’s redemptive plan. The seventh trumpet signals the near-consummation of God’s eschatological plan.
The Fast of Atonement
The Day of Atonement was one of the most important days in the Hebrew calendar, a day when the sanctuary, its holy articles and the people were purified. The cleansing of the tabernacle, which included the mercy-seat, the incense altar, the tent and the altar of burnt offering assured that Yahweh could continue to dwell in His temple despite the uncleanness introduced to it by the people. This cleansing was accomplished through the shed blood of a sacrificial goat. A second goat served to take away the sins of the congregation. After the priest laid his hands upon the goat, confessed Israel’s sins – transferring the sins of the people unto the goat, it was then led into the wilderness to take away the sins of the people from the camp.
The fulfillment of the Day of Atonement is clearly seen in Hebrews 9, where Christ served as both goats, one the one hand allowing the cleansing of God’s heavenly temple by His blood and on the other hand, as scapegoat for the church, carrying away the sins of the people outside the camp. That Christ was crucified outside the city symbolized that the sins of the people had been carried outside the camp. [14]
His priesthood, superior to the Aaronic priesthood, offered a better sacrifice once for all. With its fulfillment in Christ, one might ask why one would propose an end-of-the-age time-keeping system in which the Day of Atonement is placed at the end of the age, where provision was understood fulfilled by the author of Hebrews. Yet, this appears to be the way in which John envisioned the progression of events at the end of the age.
It is unexpected that the Passover sacrifice of Christ would so immediately move to activities of the Day of Atonement. It is possible however, that Christ’s fulfillment of the Day-of-Atonement responsibilities was completed in its inauguration, with a final consummated fulfillment at the end of the age. [15] With the final exodus from Babylon (see Revelation 18:4), a cleansing of the congregation seems appropriate, and since these congregants also comprise the temple, a final cleansing of the temple seems in order. It may also be that Christ purified the temple in heaven during the Passover ritual, reserving the purification of the earthly part of the temple (the congregation) to the end of the age.
In Revelation, the Day of Atonement would follow the seven trumpets, signaled in part by the use of key words such as ναός naos and κιβωτός kibōtos, introducing events in the Most Holy Place, where high priestly entrance was limited to the Day of Atonement. Notably, exposure of the Ark of the Covenant (Revelation 11:19), whose use was limited to Yom Kippur, also points to the Fast of Atonement. [16]
The addition of numerous references to judgment, all beginning at Revelation 11:19, hints that Revelation 11:19 signals the start of Yom kippur. [17] In Revelation 15:8, we are told that smoke filled God’s temple and no one could enter until the seven angels with the seven bowls had completed pouring out the seven plagues from the seven bowls. An echo can be seen with the procedure for the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16:17 where no one was allowed within the temple while the High Priest officiated within the Most-Holy-Place. The seven angels of Revelation 15 seem to represent the seven spirits of God that Revelation 5:6 associates with Christ, our High Priest, officiating on our behalf.
Their emergence from the temple signals that the atonement cover, the altar of incense and the tent have been cleansed through sprinkling of the blood sacrifice. What remains is the cleansing of the altar of burnt offering, envisioned in Revelation not as a sprinkling, but escalated to bowls being poured out with each bowl representing one of the seven specified sprinklings. [18]
Given that the altar is in the outer court, its purification represents judgment upon the spiritually dead, those in eschatological Babylon or in opposition to Christ envisioned as the system of the Beast. They dwell in the outer court of the temple that has been given over to the Gentiles to trample (Revelation 11:2).
These activities then, follow the purification of the atonement cover (Yahweh’s footstool) and the heavenly sanctuary. That no one could enter the temple during the seven bowl judgments suggests that intercession and mercy have passed. All that remains is judgment upon those who are allied with the beast, envisioned at (or on) the altar of burnt offering.
The seventh month signaled the completion of the harvest which included grapes and olives. Not surprisingly, John’s vision of the consummation of the age is viewed as a harvest in which Christ harvests first (symbolized in barley, wheat, etc), followed by an angel that harvests grapes that are then put into the winepress of God’s wrath (Revelation 14:14-20).
It is ironic that the wicked are trampled in the winepress outside the city, a striking judgment of talion, trampling in the winepress those who trampled God’s temple. The picture is also consistent with the picture of Christ’s crucifixion outside the city and the place where the scape-goat was taken on the Day of Atonement. [19] It would seem that John wishes to show that the sins of the righteous have been taken away permanently into the wilderness from whence they came. [20]
They are now purified and can ingather into the new Jerusalem, the holy city from above. The judgment on the wicked unsurprisingly, places them outside the city, in the wilderness or desert, euphemistically considered an unclean place. All these coded pictures support that John envisions the end-of-the-age judgment as a Day of Atonement ritual.
The Feast of Tabernacles/Booths
The last scene, Revelation 21:1-8, introduces the new Jerusalem, a city that represents the covenant-community that descends from heaven to earth. It completes the heaven-earth chiasmus of Table 1 while also pointing toward the Feast of Booths and Israel’s eternal entrance into the land of promise. With the description of the city and its Edenic garden, one can quickly see that paradise has been eternally restored and God’s people can finally rest secure in the land, communing together with God, face-to-face as God had intended. The promise of Isaiah 25, envisioned as a great harvest feast is finally realized:
6 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines. 7 On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; 8 he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth.
The great ingathering and feast is anticipated in Revelation 7:9-17, which envisions the coming final victory of God’s saints. At this point in the apocalyptic narrative, it has not yet been fulfilled in consummation, but placement of the vision before the tribulation crisis likely is intended to encourage the saints ahead of the coming persecution. Similarly, Revelation 15:4b seems to point to the consummation of the age with its assurance that all nations will come and worship the Lord, an allusion to the completion of God’s eschatological temple/sanctuary.
The allusion is important as Solomon’s temple was dedicated and infilled with the Divine Presence during the Feast of Tabernacles (1 Kings 8:2), pointing to the Feast as the final completion and dedication of God’s eschatological temple. [21] Thus, the great final ingathering into the land, envisioned as the final harvest of souls, also serves as a picture of the completion of God’s sanctuary, seen in Revelation 21 as the new Jerusalem. Does this not recall Isaiah 62:7 “give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem”? Establishment of Jerusalem as God’s temple-city allows rest.
Not surprisingly, we see in the description of the new heaven and new earth, water-of-life flowing without limit (Revelation 21:6) and the city lit continually with the light of God and the Lamb (vs 23-24), a possible echo of the pouring of water ceremony during the Feast of Tabernacles in which temple lamps could be seen throughout Jerusalem.
That the city is envisioned as a giant cube also echoes back to the Holy-of-Holies which was cubic but limited to ten cubits to a side. The new eschatological temple, upon its final assembly and consecration is 12,000 stadia to a side. God’s place of dwelling – the Holy-of-Holies, has increased infinitely to accommodate all the redeemed saints! The rock of Daniel 2 has now become the prophesied mountain.
With the completion of the temple, God’s creation is at rest, His enemies have been subdued and the land is now ready for its Sabbath rest. Eternal Sabbath has been secured and God’s eschatological work is now complete. The center of His great redemptive plan for all creation is His people, the community of the New Jerusalem, whose center is the Lamb and God the Father.
Implications of the Feast Days as the Seven Days of the New Creation
Numerous expositors have seen allusions in Revelation to the feast days of the Hebrew cult. What is striking is the correspondence between the structure of Revelation, the order of events in the heavenly sanctuary and the feast days, where the very order of the feast days unfolds unmistakably in the apocalyptic drama. The work of these authors lends credibility to the possibility that the new creation should be thought of as proceeding in seven sequential stages, where each stage can be represented by one of Israel’s feast days.
John appears to do this, reinterpreting the feast days eschatologically as pointers toward the end of God’s redemptive plan. John has even ordered the feasts according to the Hebrew timetable. This is not a surprise when one considers his reinterpretations are consistent with those of Paul regarding Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of the Firstfruits.
With this proposed schema, we claim the seven “days” of the first creation, though showing a physical focus, anticipate and model seven calendrical “dates” that serve as spiritual markers or indicators of the (spiritual) times of our present eschatological age. These signs allow people of faith to understand the order of God’s redemptive activities without being able to pinpoint their exact timing to a physical calendar. Rather, the spiritual sense is one of personal readiness for our Lord’s return, encouragement in an evil age of persecutions and encouragement to press on to the high calling of Christ, which is to compel as many as possible into the kingdom through pure and holy testimony.
If one accepts the argument, then a clear picture of the timing of end-time events emerges. The first three “days” of the feast calendar have been completed and eschatologically, we are living during the fourth of the seven “days”. That the signpost of the first three “days” passed early in our age, is consistent with the structure of the feast calendar where the first three feasts occur in quick succession during the first month.
The fourth feast, Pentecost, followed fifty days thereafter, consistent with the Jewish feast calendar. [22] That there has been a lengthy period of time without reaching the fifth “day” is consistent with the feast calendar, with Pentecost early in the third month and the Feast of Trumpets not occurring until the beginning of the seventh month, after which one would expect a relatively shorter period of time to transpire between Trumpets and the Feast of Booths.
Inherent in accepting this structure however, is the acknowledgement that the days are not of equal length, nor are they directly proportionate with the feast-day calendar. Each “day” simply represents an eschatological signpost on the eschatological road we’re traveling and these feast days must be understood for their symbolic spiritual value. Each provides a sign that we are proceeding to the end, a warning and encouragement to be ready.
It must also be accepted that the timing of the first four feasts literally matches the Hebrew calendar, but following Pentecost, the remaining feast days do not follow the literal Hebrew calendar. [23] It would appear that the time is lengthened by design to allow for a greater harvest, possibly because of Israel’s rejection of their Messiah and possibly the church’s failure to quickly carry out the mandate to preach the gospel to all nations.
By this reckoning, we are in the fourth “day”, effectively “in the midst” of Daniel’s final “week” of God’s eschatological plan, but watchfulness is needed given the speed at which the last three “days” could proceed. The length of “days” cannot be known, only an outline can be determined that provides some direction and assurance.
Watchfulness is entreated, given that Trumpets marks the start of a brief period of affliction, humility, contrition, judgment for sin and purification in anticipation of our Saviour’s return. That Trumpets marks the final ingathering of the eschatological harvest and the beginning of afflictions, suggests each believer should carefully consider his efforts as a worker in the harvest field in anticipation of a day when account must be given. The trumpets clearly warn of the coming end of the harvest period and coming New Year.
Further, inherent in the proposed structure is a linear progression of events in Revelation. [24] This outcome stands in marked contrast with methods that emphasize apparent recapitulations seen in the similarities of the seals, trumpets and bowl judgments. [25] What follows then, is an approach that leads to the realization that the seven seals and seven trumpets (at least the first six trumpets) announce judgments to fall throughout the church age and the seven bowl judgments are deferred to the end of the age.
This outcome is strikingly different from myriad other interpretations where all these judgments are argued to be yet future, or where the various “sevens” of judgment are thought recapitulative. With this model, recapitulations show that God’s judgments throughout our age are consistent with the judgments to come at the end of the age, with the exception that the bowl judgments have increased severity given the outburst of final evil and the cumulative guilt of the blood of God’s saints throughout the age.
The increased severity is to deal with the fullness of sins, bringing a fulness of the judgments. That the judgments throughout our age are consistent is sensible, as judgments are designed to bring men to repentance from sin. Further, as sin brings de-creation, one would expect consistent de-creation as judgment for sin. The signs of sin and judgment throughout our age should be predictable and thus recapitulative with increased severity at the end of the age.
The proposed method has the advantage of providing a continuous eschatological outlook in which the Gentile church and Israel are participants, where each actually plays a significant role. It stands in contrast to the discontinuity introduced by dispensationalists who see kingdom abeyance during the church age with a resumption of Kingdom activities specific to ethnic Israel only.
The greatest advantage of the proposed method over abeyance methods is the inclusion of the church directly into God’s eschatological plan, rather than a non-eschatological/non-kingdom insertion due to Israel’s disobedience. It also offers insight and understanding into the terrible persecutions the church have endured throughout our age.
These tragedies are all seen as expected outcomes in the spiritual battle that rages between the powers in the heavens that inevitably spill over into our world. It also has the advantage of offering both Gentile and Jewish believers a more “prepared” eschatology in which they should be able to better endure persecution given the expectation of persecution and history of persecutions the church has suffered to date.
The climax of John’s Apocalypse seen in Revelation 11, defining a major transition point in the timing of God’s eschatological plan. The measurement of the temple and martyrdom of the two witnesses bring the persecutions of God’s people to a climax, with the opening of the temple and presentation of the Ark signaling the final judgment.
The climax is a turning point at which judgments upon unrepentant men begin. However, the Day of Atonement was specifically designed for purification of God’s people and sanctuary from their corporate sins. [26] Revelation 11:1-2 provide indication of the Day of Atonement in which John is to measure the temple, altar and people. Strand has noted that only in Leviticus 16 is the temple, altar and people combined together, pointing unmistakably to the Day of Atonement. [27]
It suggests the possibility that Revelation 11:1-14 points toward the afflictions of God’s people, envisioned as purification (where the two witnesses would symbolize God’s people), followed by the judgments upon the nations for their persecution of God’s people, with judgment coming first upon the house of God. That martyrdom of the two witnesses is not described with judgment language is expected, as martyrdom would be envisioned as an affliction to bring Israel to purification, whereas scriptural use of the word judgment typically points toward eternity in the lake of fire.
Relevance to Christians Today
While there are numerous details associated with envisioning God’s eschatological plan according to the Hebrew Feast days, if one accepts the proposed model, some simple take-aways can be made. First, our analysis provides a picture of our age and its eschatological actions as temple-sourced activities that follow Israel’s harvest festival.
The picture strengthens understanding of our responsibilities during this age. We have consistently argued that God’s people are a priesthood (1 Peter 2:5, 9). Priests serve in a temple and service revolves around appointed times – morning and evening sacrifices, Sabbaths, New Moon celebrations and appointed feasts. It suggests that effective service requires one to understand the appointed times, rarely a focus in the church.
Second, knowing that the eschatological events have their source in the temple and follow the timing of Israel’s harvest festival should assist Christians in navigating our troubled age. Knowing that we are “in the midst” or middle of God’s eschatological plan should bring focus to our fundamental responsibility to win souls to Christ. The Lord needs faithful workers in the field that is the world.
Third, we are in the fourth “day” of the new creation. Three “days” are behind us, and the fourth is in process. The next major event (the start of the next “day”) signals the end of the harvest season. It means that the end of the harvest season is approaching. It should press us on to devote ourselves all the more to God’s great eschatological harvest of souls. If there are interim eschatological markers, they are most likely New Moon events. But what is the relation of New Moon events to God’s eschatological plan?
Paulien has argued that the description of heavenly temple events in the first half of the book of Revelation (till the eleventh chapter) track very accurately the daily sacrifices described in the Tamid, including the order of events specified. If true, then during the interval of the fourth day, believers must envision their responsibilities in God’s new temple after the model provided in the Tamid and Revelation. It urges deeper study of the temple and its cultic practices.
Fourth, the Hebrew calendar affirms that immediately following the completion of the harvest (the blowing of the seventh trumpet), Israel was to afflict herself for ten days leading up to the Fast of Atonement when purification for Israel’s corporate sins was secured. But knowing when the harvest is complete is likely not straightforward. It urges we afflict ourselves, fast and perform regular, critical self-examination against the biblical standard in preparation for this difficult time for God’s people.
Recognizing that the seventh trumpet could sound at any moment, should we not take account of our spirituality and search deeply to assure that we are truly bearing spiritual fruit? Should we not also heed the words of John the Baptist, who when proclaiming the immanency of the kingdom said “show forth the fruit of repentance”?
Fifth, Jesus’ message to the seven churches is clear. Christians should not only expect tribulation and persecution yet must be overcomers. It is the overcomers that inherit eternal life with Christ, not those who compromise. The compromisers are envisioned as part of the Harlot system Babylon. The experiences of the church at Smyrna may serve as a model for the tribulations to climax with the Fast of Atonement:
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. Revelation 2:10
Sixth, the messages to the seven churches reveal that their corporate health was poor overall with only two of the seven churches getting a “passing grade”. The others had allowed spiritual impurities, uncleanness and false teachings into their midst. God’s eschatological plan includes purification and cleansing for the church. It is necessary as without holiness, no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).
The tribulations of the Fast of Atonement should be viewed as purifying activities. Resisting the idolatries of the beast and carnalities of the harlot Babylon are the evidence of readiness for the Lord’s return. It is noteworthy that the Day of Atonement precedes our being ingathered to God’s presence, readying us. Also noteworthy is the Feast of Trumpets that preceded it, traditionally viewed as a warning to awake and take stock of one’s spirituality as the Lord would supernaturally visit them soon. Both the Feast of Trumpets and Fast of Atonement urge readiness.
Finally, overcoming the beast and separating from the harlot community brings unimaginable benefits: rest and peace in the presence of God for eternity. No longer any struggle, no sickness or death. Just eternity in an Edenic paradise with God and other believers. What a day it will be!
[1] Paulien, Jon, The Role of the Hebrew Cultus, Sanctuary, and Temple in the Plot and Structure of the Book of Revelation, Andrews University Seminary Studies, Autumn 1995, Vol. 33, No. 2, Andrews University Press, p. 245-264, available @ https://www.andrews.edu/sem/inministry/uploads/2015fallcoursesyllabi/4.role_of_hebrew_cultus-j-_paulien.pdf
[2] Ibid, p. 255, available @ https://www.andrews.edu/sem/inministry/uploads/2015fallcoursesyllabi/4.role_of_hebrew_cultus-j-_paulien.pdf. See Paulien’s article for a description of the various divisions of the book and their significance.
[3] Edersheim, Alfred, The Temple, Its Ministry and Services, Grand Rapids MI, William B. Eerdsman Publishing Company, 1951, p. 220
[4] Ibid, p. 223, 226.
[6] Paulien, Jon, The Role of the Hebrew Cultus, Sanctuary, and Temple in the Plot and Structure of the Book of Revelation, Andrews University Seminary Studies, Autumn 1995, Vol. 33, No. 2, Andrews University Press, p. 258, available @ https://www.andrews.edu/sem/inministry/uploads/2015fallcoursesyllabi/4.role_of_hebrew_cultus-j-_paulien.pdf
[7] The correspondence between Christ’s inauguration as King and the establishment/inauguration of the heavenly sanctuary is seen clearly in Hebrews 8-10. Note particularly Hebrews 8:1-2; 9:8, 11, 15, 24-28; 10:11-13.
[8] Ibid, p. 259, available @ https://www.andrews.edu/sem/inministry/uploads/2015fallcoursesyllabi/4.role_of_hebrew_cultus-j-_paulien.pdf. Also noted is the blood of the covenant of Christ’s death (Matthew 26:28) has its parallel in the blood of the Sinaic covenant (Exodus 24:8). He further notes the Jewish practice of reading from Exodus 19 and Ezekiel 1 on Pentecost, two texts that provide background for Revelation 4-5.
[9] Edersheim, Alfred, The Temple, Its Ministry and Services, Grand Rapids MI, William B. Eerdsman Publishing Company, 1951, p. 290-291
[10] Ibid, p. 300, quoting Maimonides.
[11] The waking appears to be a spiritual waking to prepare for both the assault of the Antichrist – for which spiritual wakefulness will be needed, and wakefulness for Christ’s Parousia to follow.
[12] Paulien, Jon, The Role of the Hebrew Cultus, Sanctuary, and Temple in the Plot and Structure of the Book of Revelation, Andrews University Seminary Studies, Autumn 1995, Vol. 33, No. 2, Andrews University Press, p. 259, available @ https://www.andrews.edu/sem/inministry/uploads/2015fallcoursesyllabi/4.role_of_hebrew_cultus-j-_paulien.pdf
[13] If correct, it follows then, that the bowl judgments are not a recapitulation of the trumpet judgments from a different point of view. Rather, the seal and trumpet judgments occur throughout our age as part of God’s call to repentance with the bowl judgments uniquely associated with the end of the age.
[14] Wenham, Gordon J., The Book of Leviticus, Grand Rapids MI, William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1979, p. 238
[15] The Feast of Trumpets is considered by some an eschatological flag of the coming end-of-the-age ingathering. One could argue that the ingathering began with Pentecost in inaugurated form, yet to see a final assembly of God’s people at the end of the age, a final great exodus, assembly and ingathering to the land. This theme is evident in Revelation. One could further show that Christ’s proclamation on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles that He was the water of life also suggests the Feast has come in inaugurated form much as His claim to be the light of the world, an expression a Jew of His day would associate with the pouring out of water ceremony during the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles. For details of this ritual, see Edersheim, Alfred, The Temple, Its Ministry and Services, Grand Rapids MI, William B. Eerdsman Publishing Company, 1951, p. 282-283
[16] Paulien, Jon, The Role of the Hebrew Cultus, Sanctuary, and Temple in the Plot and Structure of the Book of Revelation, Andrews University Seminary Studies, Autumn 1995, Vol. 33, No. 2, Andrews University Press, p. 251-252, available @ https://www.andrews.edu/sem/inministry/uploads/2015fallcoursesyllabi/4.role_of_hebrew_cultus-j-_paulien.pdf. Paulien notes the use of naos in the first 10 chapters of Revelation is limited to Revelation 3:12 and 7:15, both of which have the consummation of God’s eschaotological plan in view and can thus be considered exceptional. After Revelation 11:18, naos, along with frequent references to judgment, point to the Day of Atonement, the only time when the priest entered the Most-Holy-Place (naos).
[17] Revelation 8:1 speaks of silence for roughly 30 minutes after the opening of the seventh seal. Silent prayer was part of the ceremony of the Day of Atonement during the time when the High Priest entered the Most-Holy-Place to offer incense after the slaying of the bullock. One might argue that this signals the Day of Atonement in Revelation. However, silent prayer was also offered during the offering of incense for the daily sacrifice. That said, Edersheim sees Revelation 8:1 as consistent with the latter, as does Paulien. Edersheim, Alfred, The Temple, Its Ministry and Services, Grand Rapids MI, William B. Eerdsman Publishing Company, 1951, p. 167, 315
[18] If the pouring out of the bowls echos the Day of Atonement, then the leftover blood was carried outside the camp (Leviticus 16:27). For all other sacrifices, the leftover blood was poured out at the base of the altar, flowing to Kidron with the exception of the offerings of the firstlings, tithe of animals and the Paschal lamb. Note Edersheim erroneously claims the leftover blood from the goat and bullock sacrifice was poured out at the base of the altar on the Day of Atonement. Edersheim, Alfred, The Temple, Its Ministry and Services, Grand Rapids MI, William B. Eerdsman Publishing Company, 1951, p. 116, 316.
[19] It was also the place where the carcasses of the burnt offerings were brought. This may be significant given that the judgments on the wicked seem pictured as burnt offerings.
[20] Revelation 18:21-23 speaks of Babylon as never being found again, with five other “never” statements about what will never be heard again or found in you again or light that will not shine in you again. This seems to parallel the idea that the sins of the congregation will never be found again or seen again or heard again after taken away by Christ as the antitype to the scapegoat. Given that Babylon was the symbol of the false church, full of evil, bloodshed and the haunt of demons, it may parallel the goat which is for Azazel, which some take to be a demon or a description of the desert as a place of demons.
[21] Jewish tradition also held that the pillar/cloud first appeared on the Feast of Tabernacles and that the announcement of the building of the tabernacle happened on the Feast. Edersheim, Alfred, The Temple, Its Ministry and Services, Grand Rapids MI, William B. Eerdsman Publishing Company, 1951, p. 286
[22] One of the oddities is seen in the literal fulfillment of the exact calendar days of the first four feasts. The suggestion that the latter three feast days do not follow the literal Hebrew calendar may be problematic for some, particularly in light of the fulfillment of the literal calendar days associated with the first four feasts. That the first four feast-days follow the Hebrew calendar with literality would be largely unchallenged by most. It is the latter three which break the pattern. This breach is justified when one considers God’s evangelical efforts as an extended harvest throughout our age. The literal fulfillment of the first four feasts testifies to the certainty of Christ as paschal lamb while providing confidence for the spiritual reinterpretation for our age of the remaining feast-days. In this regard, the first four feast days serves as a transitional time between the old and new creations, consistent with the cessation of sacrifice due to the destruction of the temple and city by Titus, also in the midst of the week (after three and one half feast days’ completion.
[23] The exception is the Feast of Unleavened Bread which begins exactly following the Hebrew calendar but the length of which, we would argue extends throughout our entire age.
[24] Paulien’s method is built upon the notion that Revelation is divided into two sections, the first section (Revelation 1-11:18) modeled by the daily sacrifices specified in the Tamid and a future section beginning in Revelation (11:19) which is modeled upon the Day of Atonement. Though not mentioned, it provides a credible explanation for the “silence” in heaven for thirty minutes at the opening of the seventh seal. There was silence during the offering of incense on the Day of Atonement which followed the offering of the bullock and one could thus conclude the Day of Atonement may have begun with the opening of the seventh seal. However, by modeling the earlier events after the daily sacrifices for which there was similarly thirty minute periods of silence, the opening of the seventh seal appears to better fit the daily offering of incense. This was the conclusion of Edersheim concerning the seventh seal. Edersheim, Alfred, The Temple, Its Ministry and Services, Grand Rapids MI, William B. Eerdsman Publishing Company, 1951, p. 167, footnote 3.
[25] A simple summary is provided by Stefanovic, Ranko, Finding Meaning in the Literary Patterns of Revelation, Journal of Adventist Theological Society, 13/1 Spring 2002, p. 29-30, available @ http://www.atsjats.org/publication/view/60
[26] Revelation 2:10 speaks of ten days of persecution to befall the church of Smyrna including death. The church at Smyrna was likely facing deep tribulation in John’s day. Our suggestion is its troubles reflect upon the end of the age. We would suggest the tribulations Smyrna faced were like the great tribulation, hence the reference to afflictions like those to be experienced at the end of the age, envisioned as a Fast of Atonement.
[27] Paulien, Jon, The Role of the Hebrew Cultus, Sanctuary, and Temple in the Plot and Structure of the Book of Revelation, Andrews University Seminary Studies, Autumn 1995, Vol. 33, No. 2, Andrews University Press, p. 251-252, available @ https://www.andrews.edu/sem/inministry/uploads/2015fallcoursesyllabi/4.role_of_hebrew_cultus-j-_paulien.pdf. Paulien quotes Strand in footnote 51. Paulien also notes that Leviticus 16 included the priest, for whom purification was required, though in the antitype, Christ requires no purification, providing an explanation for the exclusion of the high priest from John’s vision.