Thursday, June 6, 2013

Revelation Chiasm

The book of Revelation is introduced in its first verse as "the revelation of Jesus Christ." It tells the behind-the-scenes story of Jesus' heavenly ministry throughout Christian history. In the context of the great controversy between Christ and Satan, His work involves redemptive, judicial, and confrontational aspects. The book of Revelation covers each aspect and in fact is structured according to these three facets of Jesus' work. Here is Revelation's seven-part structure, outlining the three features of Jesus' heavenly ministry:

1. Redemptive (3 chapters)
    2. Judicial (4 chapters)
        3. Confrontational (4 chapters)
            4. Synopsis (1 chapter)
        5. Confrontational (4 chapters)
    6. Judicial (2 1/2 chapters)
7. Redemptive (3 1/2 chapters)

Notice the mirror relationship of the two halves of the book. This thematic structure is called a chiasm. Here's how the 22 chapters of Revelation are laid out. For more detail, see patmospapers.com.


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