Friday 26 July 2013

Why the Structure of Revelation 19:11-16? - Part 1

It has been established rather convincingly that there is a parallel structure in verses 11-16 of chapter 19, that verses 11-12 parallel verses 14-16. Here is the structure and its proofs as laid out in earlier posts.

14 And the armies [thematic] which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean [vs. 8].
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness [vs. 8] he doth judge and make war [thematic].
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword [op. desc., Perg.], that with it he should smite the nations:
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire [op. desc., Thy.], and on his head were many crowns;
and he shall rule them with a rod of iron [clos. prom., Thy.]:
and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself [clos. prom., Perg].
and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God [Isaiah 63:1-6].
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood [Isaiah 63:1-6]:
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS [title].
and his name is called The Word of God [title].

But why does this structure exist? What is its purpose? These questions are a bit harder to answer. Note the following structure with respect to the subject of the text.

vs. 14 - Army
vs. 11 - Christ
vs. 15a - Christ
vs. 12a - Christ
vs. 15b - Christ
vs. 12b - Christ
vs. 15c - Christ
vs. 13a - Christ
vs. 16 - Christ
vs. 13b - Christ

Doesn't the occurrence of army seem out of place in the structure when every thing else seems to be so Christ centered? Perhaps a closer look at verses 11 and 14 would be beneficial. (The highlighting used to establish the parallel structure has be carried over.)

11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. ... 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

Looking for "faithful and true" in the rest of Revelation, as well as "judge,"... both the phrase and idea/theme occur in the letter to the Laodiceans, vs. 1:14.

14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

Jesus calls himself the "faithful and true witness", a very close parallel to "Faithful and True" and Laodicea means "a people judged" which parallels equally well with "judge".

Is it possible then that Christ's army consists of members from the church of Laodicea? It cannot be mere coincidence that the only characteristic given of the army (besides the fact that they are riding on white horses) concerns their clothing and one of Christ's chieftest  rebukes/counsels to this church concerns clothing.

17 ... thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art ... naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me ... white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; ...

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