Revelation: Belief: A Theological Commentary on the Bible

356 Pages·2021·9.874 MB·English

by  Amos Yong

REVELATION
BELIEF
A Theological Commentary
on the Bible
GENERAL EDITORS
Amy Plantinga Pauw
William C. PlacheA
REVELATION
AMOS YONG
Westminster
John Knox press
LOUISVILLE » KENTUCKY
© 2021 Amos Yong
First edition
Published by Westminster John Knox Press
Louisville, Kentucky
2122 23 2425 2627 28 29 30—10 9 8 7 6 5 43 2 1
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Or contact us online at www.wjkbooks.com.
Scripture quotations from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible
are copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council
of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. and are used by permission.
Book design by Drew Stevens
Cover design by Lisa Buckley
Cover illustration: © David Chapman/Design Pics/Corbis
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Yong, Amos, author.
Title: Revelation / Amos Yong.
Other titles: Belief (Series)
Description: First edition. | Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox
Press, 2021. j Series: Belief: a theological commentary on the Bible [
Includes bibliographical references and index. | Summary: "In this
volume of the Belief series, Amos Yong analyzes the message of
Revelation to its earliest readers and speaks to its ongoing meaning for
believers today"-- Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2021026136 (print) | LCCN 2021026137 (ebook) | ISBN
9780664232481 (hardback) | ISBN 9781646981991 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Bible. Revelation-Commentaries.
Classification: LCCBS2825.53.Y66 2021 (print) | LCC BS2825.53 (ebook) |
DDC 228/.07-dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021026l36
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021026137
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To
Rich and Helena Coffelt
Ben and Debbie Cabitac
Siang Yang and Angela Tan
LI ■
Contents
Publisher s Note xiii
Series Introduction by William C. Placher
and Amy Plantinga Pauw xv
Preface xix
Introduction: Why Revelation? Why Now? 1
Outline of the Book 23
COMMENTARY
1:1-9 Apocalypse: Then and Now 25
1:10-20 The Revelation of Jesus Christ: Encouragement
to the Churches in the Spirit 32
Excursus A: The Seven Churches (Chapters 2-3) 37
2:1-7 Ephesus: (No) Rest for the Weary? Renewing
Our First Love 42
Further Reflections: The Call to Repentance 44
2:8-11 Smyrna: Pressured on Every Side ? Living in
the Light of Death 48
Further Reflections: Being Faithful unto Death 51
2:12-17 Pergamum: Divided Within?Disambiguating
the Faith 53
Further Reflections: Allegiance to the Name
ofJesus 56
viii CONTENTS
2:18-29 Thyatira: Beguiled by the “Deep Things of
Satan”? Discerning Faith on the
(Gendered) Margins 59
Further Reflections: Listening to the Spirit amid
Shifting Margins 63
3:1-6 Sardis: Can the Dead Live ? Awakening by the
(Seven) Spirit(s) 66
Further Reflections: Cultural Accommodation and
Following the Spirit 69
3:7-13 Philadelphia: Little Power\ Worldwide
Witness ? Enduring through the Promises 71
Further Reflections: Countercultural Assurances
for "the End" 75
3:14-22 Laodicea: Prosperity and the Absence of Jesus?
Paying the Price of Affluence 77
Further Reflections: The Cost of Wealth 80
4:1 - 11 Around the Heavenly Throne: Invitation to
Worship 83
Further Reflections: Let Us Worship God 86
5:1-14 The Lamb and the Scroll: Preparingfor/
amid the Storm 88
Further Reflections: Pathways through the Tempest 91
Excursus B: Seven Seals-Trumpets-Bowls
(Chapters 6-16) 94
6:1-8 The First Four Seals and the Four Horsemen:
Unveiling a Broken Creation 98
Further Reflections: Laying Bare the Human
Condition 102
6:9-17 Under the Heavenly Altar and among the Caves
and Mountains: Can I Get a Witness ? 104
Further Reflections: Multivocal and Messianic
Testifyn' 107
7:1-17 144)000 and the Great Multitude: Standing
(Out) in the Crowd? 110
CONTENTS IX
Further Reflections: The Multitude on the Way to
God's Reign 113
8:1-5 Silence in Heaven, Trumpets for Earth: How
Then Should We Pray? 116
Further Reflections: Contemplative Prayer 119
8:6-13 The First Four Trumpets Blowing: What Can/
Should Be Done about Global Warming? 121
Further Reflections: Stewards of Creation 123
9:1-12 The First Woe and the Torture-Stinging
Locusts: Existing in the Shadow of
Abaddon/Apollyon 125
Further Reflections: Discerning and Confronting
Demonic Forces 128
9:13-21 The Second Woe and the Plague-Spewing
Hordes: Deliverance from Encroaching
Death 130
Further Reflections: The Generations of the World
under the Demonic Spell 133
10:1-11 Eatingthe (Little) Scroll: Commissioningfor
a Prophetic Vocation 135
Further Reflections: The Prophetic Call and Its
Hazards 138
11:1-14 Prophesying at the Ends of the Earth:
Completing the Prophetic Witness 141
Further Reflections:The (Eternal) Implications of
OurTestimony 144
11:15-19 Worship at the Sound of the Seventh Trumpet:
Singing in the Polis as in Heaven? 146
Further Reflections: The Redemptive Work of
Earthly Worship 149
Excursus C: Between the Trumpets and the
Outpouring of the Bowls (Chapters 12-14) 151
12:1-18 The Woman, the Dragon, and Us: Wondering
When and How This War Will End? 154