Annihilation or Renewal?: The Meaning and Function of New Creation in the Book of Revelation

Preface ............................................................................................................. V
1. Introduction and Methodology ........................................................... 1
1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 1
1.2 Previous Approaches to Questions of Continuity ...................................... 3
1.3 Five Recent Engagements with the Topic .................................................. 5
1.3.1 Anton Vögtle (1985) ....................................................................... 5
1.3.2 Jürgen Roloff (1990) ....................................................................... 6
1.3.3 David M. Russell (1996) ................................................................. 6
1.3.4 Gale Z. Heide (1997) ....................................................................... 7
1.3.5 Edward M. Adams (2007) ............................................................... 7
1.4 Reasons for This Study .............................................................................. 8
1.5 The Structure of Our Investigation ............................................................ 9
1.5.1 Rhetorical Criticism and Revelation ............................................. 13
1.5.2 Narrative Criticism and Revelation ............................................... 16
1.6 Conclusion ............................................................................................... 18
2. New Creation in the Hebrew Bible .................................................. 19
2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 19
2.2 Preliminary Caveats ................................................................................ 21
2.3 Eschatological Visions of New Creation:
Isaiah 65:17–25 and Ezekiel 47:1–12 ..................................................... 22
2.3.1 The Problem of Hebrew Bible Eschatology .................................. 22
2.3.2 Isaiah 65:17–25 ............................................................................. 23
2.3.2.1 Historical and Literary Context ......................................... 23
2.3.2.2 Exegetical Reflections on Isaiah 65:17–25 ....................... 25
2.3.3. Ezekiel 47:1–12 ............................................................................ 30
2.3.3.1 Historical and Literary Context ......................................... 30
2.3.3.2 Exegetical Reflections on Ezekiel 47:1–12 ...................... 30
2.4 Other Eschatological Traditions ............................................................. 34
2.4.1 The Involvement of Animals in the Eschaton ............................... 34
2.4.2 Renewed Fertility in the Land ....................................................... 36
2.5 Cosmic Catastrophe in the Prophets ....................................................... 38
2.5.1 The Persistence of Chaos .............................................................. 39
2.5.2 Judgement as a Return to Chaos .................................................... 39
2.6 Conclusion ............................................................................................... 43
3. New Creation in Second Temple Apocalyptic ........................ 46
3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 46
3.2 Eschatology and Apocalyptic .................................................................. 48
3.3 1 Enoch .................................................................................................... 51
3.3.1 The Book of the Watchers (1–36) ................................................. 53
3.3.2 The Book of Dreams (83–90) ........................................................ 60
3.3.2.1 The First Dream Vision .................................................... 60
3.3.2.2 The Second Dream Vision ................................................ 62
3.3.3 The Apocalypse of Weeks (93:1–10; 91:11–17) ......................... 66
3.3.4 The Parables of Enoch (37–71) ..................................................... 71
3.4 Jubilees .................................................................................................... 73
3.5 Sibylline Oracles ..................................................................................... 79
3.5.1 Book 3 ........................................................................................... 80
3.5.2 Books 4 and 5 ................................................................................ 83
3.6 Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls .......................................................... 84
3.6.1 Introduction ................................................................................... 84
3.6.2 Anthropological Renewal/Resurrection ........................................ 88
3.6.3 Inheritance of the Land/Renewing the Earth ................................. 90
3.6.4 Cosmic Catastrophe ....................................................................... 95
3.6.5 Conclusion ..................................................................................... 97
3.7 2 Baruch .................................................................................................. 98
3.8 4 Ezra . .................................................................................................... 106
3.9 Conclusion ............................................................................................. 112
4. New Creation in Two Early Christian Texts ........................ 117
4.1 Introduction ........................................................................................... 117
4.2 Romans 8:19-22 ..................................................................................... 118
4.2.1 Exegesis of Rom 8:18–22 ............................................................ 119
4.2.2 Implications ................................................................................. 122
4.3 2 Peter 3:5-13 ........................................................................................ 124
4.3.1 Exegesis of 2 Peter 3:5–13 .......................................................... 126
4.3.2 Implications ................................................................................. 137
4.4 Conclusion ............................................................................................. 139
5. New Creation in Revelation (I): Introductory Matters .......... 141
5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................... 141
5.2 The Social Setting of Revelation ............................................................ 142
5.2.1 The Traditional Picture ................................................................ 142
5.2.2 Revisionist Accounts ................................................................... 144
5.2.3 Our Assessment ........................................................................... 146
5.2.3.1 A Church in Potential Conflict with its
Wider Social Environment .............................................. 147
5.2.3.2 A Church Divided Over its Engagement
with Culture ..................................................................... 152
5.2.3.3 Implications for Our Study ............................................. 154
5.3 The Rhetorical Strategy of Revelation ................................................... 157
5.3.1 Symbolic Transformation ............................................................ 157
5.3.2 Rhetorical Techniques ................................................................. 158
5.3.2.1 Intertexture ...................................................................... 159
5.3.2.2 Homologies: True and False ........................................... 160
5.3.2.3 Narrating the Future ........................................................ 162
5.3.3 Social Function ............................................................................ 162
5.4 The Structure of Revelation’s Narrative ................................................ 164
5.4.1 Sectioning Revelation .................................................................. 165
5.4.2 The Plot of Revelation ................................................................. 166
5.4.2.1 Progression towards the Kingdom .................................. 166
5.4.2.2 A Step Back in Time ....................................................... 168
5.4.2.3 The Final Stages of Judgement and
the Coming of Eschatological Salvation ......................... 169
6. New Creation in Revelation (II): The Key Texts ................... 171
6.1 Introduction ........................................................................................... 171
6.2 Crucial Texts in Revelation 1-20 ........................................................... 172
6.2.1 Anticipatory Glimpses of New Creation ..................................... 172
6.2.1.1 Revelation 4–5 ................................................................ 172
A. Revelation 4 ................................................................ 173
B. Revelation 5 ................................................................ 179
C. Conclusion .................................................................. 184
D. The Question of Material Continuity ......................... 190
6.2.1.2 Revelation 11:15-19 ........................................................ 191
A. Looking Backward ..................................................... 192
B. Looking Forwards ...................................................... 195
C. Conclusion .................................................................. 197
6.2.2 Other Potential Texts of Interest ................................................. 199
6.2.2.1 Revelation 3:14 ............................................................... 200
6.2.2.2 Revelation 14:6–7 ........................................................... 205
6.2.2.3 Revelation 19:2 ............................................................... 207
6.2.2.4 Conclusion ...................................................................... 212
Excursus: Whither the Millennium? ............................................................ 212
6.2.3 Texts of Terror: Judgement and Ecological Violence ................. 216
6.2.3.1 The Broader Issue: Judgement in Revelation ................. 216
6.2.3.2 The Specific Issue: Ecological Violence ........................ 219
6.3 Revelation 21:1-22:5 ............................................................................. 226
6.3.1 Revelation 21:1-8 ........................................................................ 227
6.3.1.1 The Vision of the New Heavens
and New Earth (21:1) ..................................................... 228
6.3.1.2 The Vision of the New Jerusalem (21:2) ........................ 232
6.3.1.3 The First Audition (21:3–4) ............................................ 234
6.3.1.4 The Second Audition (21:5–8) ........................................ 238
6.3.1.5 Conclusion ...................................................................... 240
6.3.2 Revelation 21:9-22:5 ................................................................... 243
6.3.2.1 The New Jerusalem as the Presence of God ................... 244
6.3.2.2 The New Jerusalem Covers the Entire Earth .................. 246
6.3.2.3 The New Jerusalem as a Transfer of
Sovereignty over the Earth .............................................. 248
6.3.2.4 The New Jerusalem as a Garden City ............................. 250
6.3.2.5 Conclusion ...................................................................... 254
6.3.3 Conclusion: The New Creation in 21:1-22:5 .............................. 256
7. Conclusion .................................................................................. 258
Appendix 1: Defining “Nature” in the Hebrew Bible .............. 264
Appendix 2: Creation in Israel’s Paradigms of Redemption .. 267
Appendix 3: Creation, Eden, and the Temple ........................... 281
Bibliography ........................................................................................ 287
Index of Ancient Sources ............................................................................ 313
Index of Modern Authors ............................................................................ 333
Index of Subjects ......................................................................................... 339