2023/04/17

87. The New Testament within the New Testament, Part 1

The difficulty with the Book of Revelation comes from the fact that itself clearly states that it is both a book of the revelation of Jesus Christ and a book of prophecy (cf. Revelation 1:1), and that at the same time, it is a book of training for the disciples (cf. Revelation 1:3). Additionally, the zeal of God to let the next generations, who did not know Jesus directly, share the sense of the disciples who had shared the world view of Jesus Christ (cf. blog № 76) seems to amplify the difficulty with the book. So, with these things in mind, I would like to devote the subsequent few issues to putting the context of the Book of Revelation, which we have been discussing, into perspective. 

The author was again filled with the Spirit and saw the throne in heaven, the One sitting on it, and the elders. There, the first event occurs that implies the Holy Spirit has already descended (cf. Revelation 4:5). Next comes the scroll with the seven seals and the "Lamb" who breaks these seals. The first and second seals referred to the Gospels of Matthew and Mark (cf. blog № 13), respectively, while the third and fourth seals to the Gospels of Luke and John (cf. blog № 14). The fifth and sixth seals referred to the Acts of the Apostles and Paul's epistles (cf. blog № 15). The seventh seal is for the Book of Revelation. When the seal was opened, seven trumpets were given to the seven angels, and every time they blew them, a "plague" occurred. These were manifestations of the effects of the seven books of the New Testament (cf. blog № 16). These descriptions indicate seven New Testament books are within the Book of Revelation. In addition, the reference to the seven Catholic Epistles (cf. blog № 12) means that in the Book of Revelation, the whole New Testament was already settled. 

Thus, the Book of Revelation has a style of "Revelation is in the New Testament and the New Testament in Revelation." That was to inject the imagery of God's "works themselves" into the memory of the trainees by projecting Jesus' words from the Gospel of John, "Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves" (John 14:11), into the structure of the Book of Revelation. 

The New Testament is a "little scroll" compared to the Hebrew Bible. The angel said to John, "Take it and eat; it will be bitter to your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth" (Revelation 10:9). These words are also for those blessed ones who receive Revelation as a book of training and try to read aloud and hear it and retain it in their memory (cf. Revelation 1:3). To have recited and heard Revelation so far, which is both a book of revelation of Jesus Christ and a book of prophecy, means that they have eaten the imagery of the New Testament and put it into their sensory memory. It is difficult (bitter) to commit it to your memory but easy (sweet) to hear in your own voice. Hence, this exercise can be continued as little as every day. With repetition, anyone can have the opportunity to put the New Testament imagery into their memory. So, John "took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it" (Revelation 10:10). 

Maria K. M.