Introduction
Many believe that the Old and New Testaments are contradictory rather than complimentary, and that Christianity teaches a set of doctrines apart from Judaism. And yet, it can be proven that from Genesis to John (not “Genesis to Revelation”—more on the GUC another time) that all the books of the Bible are defined by the same recurring chiastic rules in their structural parallel and self-contained mirror/repetition sequences. From the Genesis Flood Chiasm to the double-chiastic structures of Joel, Daniel, and Zechariah, to the single at-large chiasm of Esther, to the quadruple-chiastic structures of Ezekiel and Galatians, to the single at-large chiasms of the late New Testament writings, the highly sophisticated chiastic structures can be demonstrated to all follow the exact same consistent and highly specifically identifiable “rules” according to a biblical chiastic notation:
the seven branches of the chiasm are denoted in order as A-B-C-D-C’-B’-A’ (“sorry,” I’m too lazy for this post to embolden the chiasmus letters as I normally would—I need to hurry up and write all this massive substance to publish in time)
for the outer three branch layers A/A’, B/B’, and C/C’, any of them can be chiastically delineated into their sub-branch almonds, i.e. A/A’ → A.i-A.ii-A.iii // A’.iii’-A’.ii’-A’.i’
the D shaft can be delineated into its four sub-shaft almonds as the central pericopal chiasm, a.k.a. D → D.a-D.b-D.c-D.d-D.c’-D.b’-D.a’
any pericopal chiasms comprising a component for any of the outer six branches can encompass an entire branch (whether it is subdivided into its almond layers or not), or part of a branch—if part of a branch that is subdivided into the three almond layers, then the sub-rules are these:
a pericopal chiasm can encompass only a part of an almond unit, or an entire almond unit, or two out of three continuous almond units (i.e. if the C branch is subdivided into C.i-C.ii-C.iii, a pericopal chiasm can span the C.ii and C.iii almonds, which would written as C.ii-iii), or all three almond units
if a pericopal chiasm encompasses more than one almond unit within a branch, it cannot ever partially intrude incompletely into another almond unit, and instead must always encompass the entirety of the almond units—for instance, if a pericopal chiasm extends past C.ii into C.iii, it must encompass the entirety of both almonds
pericopal chiasms at most can encompass the entirety of a branch, never protruding into neighboring, distinct branches—for instance, a pericopal chiasm encompassing the B’ branch must stay within B’, never protruding into the subsequent A’ branch
the maximum possible subdivision signified by a pericopal chiasm is the maximum possible subdivision that the parallel subdivision of the at-large chiastic layer must conform to—for example, if the A.iii at-large sub-branch almond of a chiasm is defined by a pericopal chiasm that subdivides so-and-so delineated, then that very same so-and-so delineation is as resolutely far as the at-large parallelism—defining the parallel narrative correspondence between A.iii and A’.iii’—can mete out to, from the A.iii side
A while ago, I ran through a quick overview of the Genesis Flood Chiasm—granted, I need to at some point exposit a better account of that, because at the time, I still made some reductionist identification errors when conforming to the standard flawed translations in their problematic verse-by-verse (and entire chapters too) subdivision, among other issues.
In any case, hopefully the larger point was emphasized with general clarity with regards to the structured orientation of biblical chiasmus. This post will demonstrate that the literary structure of Revelation follows the exact same chiastic structural rules as the Genesis Flood narrative, thereby proving very plainly that the same Spirit of Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ that inspired Moses was the one that inspired the apostle John at the island of Patmos in the late 1st century, and easily disproving any presupposed notion of “contradictions” or “mass late textual corruptions.”
Now, before one is ready to grasp the at-large structure of Revelation, its chapter (petuchah) and pericopal (setumah) division must be understood objectively.
20 chapters, 50 pericopes
As far as anyone with eyes perhaps can see and behold for themselves, Revelation is evidently meant to be subdivided into 400 total verses, a perfect square number (20^2). The verse division study is much too complex for the time being, as even I of “all people” (unless anyone other diligent Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ-fearing-and-worshiping Bible student on this planet understands the biblical chiastic details better than I do, from whom I would be more than happy to eagerly learn from day and night—I will gladly deprive myself of sleep for that in an all-night study!) am not yet there (currently trying to grasp Biblical Hebrew—Biblical Koine Greek is tricky in different ways).
Not only that, but the 22-chapter division of Revelation, while seemingly a nice fit with the Hebraic 22-letter alphabet, is not quite on the mark, from what I noticed upon a closer inspection. First off, in the GUC, Revelation is not the last book, but rather comprises A’.iii’ as the primed counterpart to Deuteronomy (A.iii), whereas it is the Gospel according to John that comprises A’.i’ as the ultimate GUC Tav that is the primed parallel correspondence to Genesis, the GUC Aleph (A.i). A number of different numerical completion themes are present in Revelation, and while 22 might be subtly implied in the general fact that the at-large chiasm is fully subdivided down to all 22 almonds on the candelabra, the structural outline indicates patently (anyone is welcome to correct me in good faith if I am incorrect, as I need to ever learn and understand from any possible erroneous ways of mine just as any other mortal human being is objectively behooved to) 20-squared, a.k.a. 400.
In a nutshell, something like this(?):
ch. 1 [same]
chs. “2-3” → merged into a properly redefined ch. 2 (the seven letters to the seven angels of the seven assemblies comprise one full, continuous narrative hinge)
chs. “4-5” → merged into a properly redefined ch. 3 (it’s one single massive pericopal chiasm and therefore cannot be subdivided into separate chapters splitting the chiasm)
ch. “6” → properly redefined as ch. 4 [same demarcation]
“7:1-8” → properly redefined as ch. 5 (one single distinct vision)
“7:9-17” → properly redefined as ch. 6 (beginning of new vision, one single pericopal chiasm)
chs. “8-9” → properly redefined as ch. 7 (continued from same vision as the previous segment, albeit considerable focal shift onto the completion of the seal openings heralding the validation of judgment manifested in the first six out of the seven trumpet soundings)
ch. “10” → properly redefined as ch. 8 [same demarcation]
ch. “11” → properly redefined as ch. 9 [same demarcation]
ch. “12” → properly redefined as ch. 10 [same demarcation]
ch. “13” → properly redefined as ch. 11 [same demarcation]
ch. “14” → properly redefined as ch. 12 [same demarcation]
“15:1-4” → properly redefined as ch. 13 (drastic transitional shift into a new vision in the opening assertion, “And I saw another sign in the heaven…”)
“15:5-16:21” → properly redefined as ch. 14 (drastic transitional shift into a new vision in the opening assertion, “And after these things…”)
ch. “17” → properly redefined as ch. 15 [same demarcation]
ch. “18” → properly redefined as ch. 16 [same demarcation]
“19:1-10” → properly redefined as ch. 17
“19:11-21” → properly redefined as ch. 18 (vision of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, and hence obviously is meant to be demarcated as a distinct chapter)
“20:1-22:5” → properly redefined as ch. 19 (the final vision revealing the fulfillment of all seven promises given to the seven assemblies’ angels)
“22:6-21” → properly redefined as ch. 20 (post-vision concluding A’ branch of Revelation)
Let’s now dissect pericope-by-pericope (yes: all 50 of them).
(i) two pericopes (A.i-ii, A.iii)
A.i-ii (vv. ‘1:1-8’)
A revelation of Jesus Christ, that God gave to him, to shew to his servants what things it behoveth to come to pass quickly; and he did signify [it], having sent through his messenger to his servant John, who did testify the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, as many things also as he did see. Happy is he who is reading, and those hearing, the words of the prophecy, and keeping the things written in it—for the time is nigh! John to the seven assemblies that [are] in Asia: Grace to you, and peace, from Him who is, and who was, and who is coming, and from the Seven Spirits that are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born out of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth; to him who did love us, and did bathe us from our sins in his blood, and did make us kings and priests to his God and Father, to him [is] the glory and the power to the ages of the ages! Amen. Lo, he doth come with the clouds, and see him shall every eye, even those who did pierce him, and wail because of him shall all the tribes of the land. Yes! Amen! ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, beginning and end, saith the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is coming—the Almighty.’
(no pericopal chiasmus)
A.iii (vv. ‘1:9-20’)
Cf. example ii of this post I wrote a while ago:
(ii) 7 pericopal chiasms (B.i, B.ii.I, B.ii.II, B.ii.III, B.iii.I, B.iii.II, B.iii.III)
I explained these pericopal chiasms in my Unleavened Bread seven-part study series, so hopefully you paid attention to those. (if not, please take a few moments to read them—they’re, after all, not that long to read through /s 🙃)
[how in the world am I already near the email limit length smh—this is barely even close to the full article length, which I’m already trimming massively lollllllll]
(iii) 1 pericopal chiasm (C.i.I-VI)
a (‘4:1-6a’): ministers around the throne
b (‘4:6b-11’): heavenly benediction
c (‘5:1-2’): angelic proclamation—who is worthy to open the scroll and loose its seven seals?
d (‘5:3’): universal conclusion—no created being is worthy to open the scroll of Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ’s everlasting testament
c’ (‘5:4-5’): only Jesus—who antitypically fulfilled the Day of Atonement in substantive verity (cf. this, this, this, and this, for additional details)—is worthy to open the scroll and loose its seven seals
b’ (‘5:6-10’): heavenly benediction
a’ (‘5:11-14’): ministers around the throne
(iv) 6 pericopes (C.i.VII, C.i.VIII, C.i.IX, C.i.X, C.i.XI, C.i.XII)
C.i.VII-X (parallel column set)
C.i.VII-X.I.I (‘6:1’): “And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying, as it were a voice of thunder, ‘Come and behold!’”
C.i.VII-X.I.II (‘6:2a’): “and I saw, and lo, a white horse, and he who is sitting upon it is having a bow,”
C.i.VII-X.I.III (‘6:2b’): “and there was given to him a crown, and he went forth overcoming, and that he may overcome.”
C.i.VII-X.II.I (‘6:3’): “And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, ‘Come and behold!’”
C.i.VII-X.II:II (‘6:4a’): “and there went forth another horse—red, and to him who is sitting upon it, there was given to him to take the peace from the land, and that one another they may slay,”
C.i.VII-X.II:III (‘6:4b’): “and there was given to him a great sword.”
C.i.VII-X.III:I (‘6:5a’): “And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, ‘Come and behold!’”
C.i.VII-X.III:II (‘6:5b’): “and I saw, and lo, a black horse, and he who is sitting upon it is having a balance in his hand,”
C.i.VII-X.III:III (‘6:6’): “and I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, ‘A measure of wheat for a denary, and three measures of barley for a denary,’ and ‘The oil and the wine thou mayest not injure.’”
C.i.VII-X.IV:I (‘6:7’): “And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, Come and behold!’”
C.i.VII-X.IV:II (‘6:8a’): “and I saw, and lo, a pale horse, and he who is sitting upon him—his name is Death, and Hades doth follow with him,”
C.i.VII-X.IV:III (‘6:8b’): “and there was given to them authority to kill, (over the fourth part of the land,) with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and by the beasts of the land.”
C.i.XI-XII
And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony that they held, and they were crying with a great voice, saying, ‘Till when, O Master, the Holy and the True, dost Thou not judge and take vengeance of our blood from those dwelling upon the land?’ and there was given to each one white robes, and it was said to them that they may rest themselves yet a little time, till may be fulfilled also their fellow-servants and their brethren, who are about to be killed—even as they.
And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and lo, a great earthquake came, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood, and the stars of the heaven fell to the earth—as a fig-tree doth cast her winter figs, by a great wind being shaken—and heaven departed as a scroll rolled up, and every mountain and island—out of their places they were moved; and the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich, and the chiefs of thousands, and the mighty, and every servant, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains, and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, ‘Fall upon us, and hide us from the face of Him who is sitting upon the throne, and from the anger of the Lamb,’ because come did the great day of His anger, and who is able to stand?
(v) 1 pericope (C.ii.I)
And after these things I saw four messengers, standing upon the four corners of the land, holding the four winds of the land, that the wind may not blow upon the land, nor upon the sea, nor upon any tree; and I saw another messenger going up from the rising of the sun, having a seal of the living God, and he did cry with a great voice to the four messengers, to whom it was given to injure the land and the sea, saying, ‘Do not injure the land, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we may seal the servants of our God upon their foreheads.’ And I heard the number of those sealed, (144 thousands were sealed out of all the tribes of the sons of Israel): of the tribe of Judah 12 thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Reuben 12 thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Gad 12 thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Asher 12 thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Naphtali 12 thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Manasseh 12 thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Simeon 12 thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Levi 12 thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Issachar 12 thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Zebulun 12 thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Joseph 12 thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Benjamin 12 thousand were sealed.
(vi) 1 pericopal chiasm (C.ii.II-IV)
a (‘7:9-10’): Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ sitting upon the throne
b (‘7:11-12’): innumerable multitude before the throne
c (‘7:13’): inquiry about the multitude
d (‘7:14a’): the apocalypticist’s self-abasing profession
c’ (‘7:14b’): answer about the multitude
b’ (‘7:15’): innumerable multitude before the throne
a’ (‘7:16-17’): Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ sitting upon the throne
(vii) 7 pericopes (C.ii.V-VII, C.ii.VIII, C.ii.IX, C.ii.X, C.ii.XI, C.ii.XII, C.ii.XIII)
C.ii.V-VII
a (‘8:1-2’): seven angels given seven trumpets
b (‘8:3a’): altar and golden censer
c (‘8:3b’): incense to give to the saints’ prayers
d (‘8:4’): the smoke of the incense ascends upward
c’ (‘8:3a’): censer filled with fire and cast unto the land
b’ (‘8:5b’): voices, thunders, lightnings, and an earthquake
a’ (‘8:6’): the seven angels with the seven trumpets about to sound
C.ii.VIII-X (parallel column set)
C.ii.VIII.I.I (‘8:7a’): “and the first messenger did sound, and there came hail and fire, mingled with blood, and it was cast to the land,”
C.ii.VIII.I.II (‘8:7b’): “and the third of the trees was burnt up, and all the green grass was burnt up.”
C.ii.VIII.II.I (‘8:8a’): And the second messenger did sound, and as it were a great mountain with fire burning was cast into the sea,”
C.ii.VIII.II.II (‘8:8b-9’): “and the third of the sea became blood, and die did the third of the creatures that [are] in the sea, those having life, and the third of the ships were destroyed.”
C.ii.VIII.III.I (‘8:10-11a’): “And the third messenger did sound, and there fell out of the heaven a great star, burning as a lamp, and it did fall upon the third of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters, and the name of the star is called Wormwood,”
C.ii.VIII.III.II (‘8:11b’): “and the third of the waters doth become wormwood, and many of the men did die of the waters, because they were made bitter.”
C.ii.XI
And the fourth messenger did sound, and smitten was the third of the sun, and the third of the moon, and the third of the stars, that darkened may be the third of them, and that the day may not shine—the third of it, and the night in like manner. And I saw, and I heard one messenger, flying in the mid-heaven, saying with a great voice, ‘Woe! Woe! Woe! to those dwelling upon the land from the rest of the voices of the trumpet of the three messengers who are about to sound.’
C.ii.XII-XIII
Cf.:
(viii) 1 pericopal chiasm (C.ii.XIV)
Cf.:
(ix) 2 pericopes (C.iii.I-V, C.iii.VI-VIII)
C.iii.I-V
And there was given to me a reed like to a rod, and the messenger stood, saying, ‘Rise, and measure the sanctuary of God, and the altar, and those worshipping in it; and the court that is without the sanctuary leave out, and thou mayest not measure it, because it was given to the nations, and the holy city they shall tread down forty-two months; and I will give to My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy days, a thousand, two hundred, sixty, arrayed with sackcloth; these are the two olive [trees], and the two lamp-stands that before the God of the earth do stand; and if any one may will to injure them, fire doth proceed out of their mouth, and doth devour their enemies, and if any one may will to injure them, thus it behoveth him to be killed. These have authority to shut the heaven, that it may not rain rain in the days of their prophecy, and authority they have over the waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the land with every plague, as often as they may will. ‘And when they may finish their testimony, the beast that is coming up out of the abyss shall make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them, and their dead bodies [are] upon the broad-place of the great city (that is called spiritually Sodom, and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified,) and they shall behold—they of the peoples, and tribes, and tongues, and nations—their dead bodies three days and a half, and their dead bodies they shall not suffer to be put into tombs, and those dwelling upon the land shall rejoice over them, and shall make merry, and gifts they shall send to one another, because these—the two prophets—did torment those dwelling upon the land.’ And after the three days and a half, a spirit of life from God did enter into them, and they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon those beholding them, and they heard a great voice out of the heaven saying to them, ‘Come up hither;’ and they went up to the heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them; and in that hour came a great earthquake, and the tenth of the city did fall, and killed in the earthquake were names of men—seven thousands, and the rest became affrighted, and they gave glory to the God of the heaven. The second woe did go forth, lo, the third woe doth come quickly.
C.iii.VI-VIII
And the seventh messenger did sound, and there came great voices in the heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of the world did become [those] of our Lord and of His Christ, and he shall reign to the ages of the ages!’ and the twenty and four elders, who before God are sitting upon their thrones, did fall upon their faces, and did bow before God, saying, ‘We give thanks to Thee, O Lord God, the Almighty, who art, and who wast, and who art coming, because Thou hast taken Thy great power and didst reign; and the nations were angry, and Thine anger did come, and the time of the dead, to be judged, and to give the reward to Thy servants, to the prophets, and to the saints, and to those fearing Thy name, to the small and to the great, and to destroy those who are destroying the land.’ And opened was the sanctuary of God in the heaven, and there was seen the ark of His covenant in His sanctuary, and there did come lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail.
(x) central pericopal chiasm (D)
Cf.:
(xi) 2 pericopes (C’.iii’.I-V, C’.iii’.VI-VIII)
C’.iii’.I-V
[ibid.]
C’.iii’.VI-VIII
And I saw another beast coming up out of the land, and it had two horns, like a lamb, and it was speaking as a dragon, and all the authority of the first beast doth it do before it, and it maketh the land and those dwelling in it that they shall bow before the first beast, whose deadly stroke was healed, and it doth great signs, that fire also it may make to come down from the heaven to the earth before men, and it leadeth astray those dwelling on the land, because of the signs that were given it to do before the beast, saying to those dwelling upon the land to make an image to the beast that hath the stroke of the sword and did live, and there was given to it to give a spirit to the image of the beast, that also the image of the beast may speak, and [that] it may cause as many as shall not bow before the image of the beast, that they may be killed. And it maketh all, the small, and the great, and the rich, and the poor, and the freemen, and the servants, that it may give to them a mark upon their right hand or upon their foreheads, and that no one may be able to buy, or to sell, except he who is having the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is the wisdom! He who is having the understanding, let him count the number of the beast, for the number of a man it is, and its number [is] 666.
(xii) 3 pericopes (C’.ii’.I, C’.ii’.II, C’.ii’.III)
C’.ii’.I
And I saw, and lo, a Lamb having stood upon the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty-four thousands, having the name of his Father written upon their foreheads; and I heard a voice out of the heaven, as a voice of many waters, and as a voice of great thunder, and a voice I heard of harpers harping with their harps, and they sing, as it were, a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the elders, and no one was able to learn the song except the hundred forty-four thousands, who have been bought from the earth; these are they who with women were not defiled, for they are virgin; these are they who are following the Lamb whithersoever he may go; these were bought from among men—a first-fruit to God and to the Lamb—and in their mouth there was not found guile, for unblemished are they before the throne of God.
C’.ii’.II
a (‘14:6-7’): first angel’s message—fear God and glorify Him
b (‘14:8’): second angel’s message—punishment of Babylon
c (‘14:9-10a’): third angel’s message, 1/3—punishment of those worshiping the beast, his image, and receiving his mark
d (‘14:10b-11a’): third angel’s message, 2/3—central emphasis on the torment of fire and brimstone, the smoke thereof ascending unto the end of the ages
c’ (‘14:11b’): third angel’s message, 3/3—punishment of those worshiping the beast, his image, and receiving his mark
b’ (‘14:12’): the saints’ endurance (amidst Babylon’s abominations)
a’ (‘14:13’): heavenly reward for fearing and glorifying God
C’.ii’.III (parallel column set)
C’.ii’.III.I.I (‘14:14’): “And I saw, and lo, a white cloud, and upon the cloud [one] sitting like to a son of man, having upon his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle;”
C’.ii’.III.I:II (‘14:15’): “and another messenger did come forth out of the sanctuary crying in a great voice to him who is sitting upon the cloud, ‘Send forth thy sickle and reap, because come to thee hath the hour of reaping, because ripe hath been the harvest of the earth;’”
C’.ii’.III.I:III (‘14:16’): “and he who is sitting upon the cloud did put forth his sickle upon the earth, and the earth was reaped.”
C’.ii’.III.II:I (‘14:17’): “And another messenger did come forth out of the sanctuary that [is] in the heaven, having—he also—a sharp sickle,”
C’.ii’.III.II:II (‘14:18’): “and another messenger did come forth out from the altar, having authority over the fire, and he called with a great cry to him having the sharp sickle, saying, ‘Send forth thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, because come to perfection have her grapes;’”
C’.ii’.III.II:III (‘14:19-20’): “and the messenger did put forth his sickle to the earth, and did gather the vine of the earth, and did cast [it] to the great wine-press of the wrath of God; and trodden was the wine-press outside of the city, and blood did come forth out of the wine-press—unto the bridles of the horses, a thousand, six hundred furlongs.”
(xiii) 1 pericope (C’.ii’.IV)
And I saw another sign in the heaven, great and wonderful, seven messengers having the seven last plagues, because in these was completed the wrath of God, and I saw as a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who do gain the victory over the beast, and his image, and his mark, [and] the number of his name, standing by the sea of the glass, having harps of God, and they sing the song of Moses, servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, ‘Great and wonderful [are] Thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty, righteous and true [are] Thy ways, O King of saints, who may not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? because Thou alone [art] kind, because all the nations shall come and bow before Thee, because Thy righteous acts were manifested.’
(xiv) 3 pericopes (C’.ii’.V-VII, C’.ii’.VIII-XII, C’.ii’.XIII-XIV)
C’.ii’.V-VII
And after these things I saw, and lo, opened was the sanctuary of the tabernacle of the testimony in the heaven; and come forth did the seven messengers having the seven plagues, out of the sanctuary, clothed in linen, pure and shining, and girded round the breasts with golden girdles: and one of the four living creatures did give to the seven messengers seven golden vials, full of the wrath of God, who is living to the ages of the ages; and filled was the sanctuary with smoke from the glory of God, and from His power, and no one was able to enter into the sanctuary till the seven plagues of the seven messengers may be finished. And I heard a great voice out of the sanctuary saying to the seven messengers, ‘Go away, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God to the earth;’
C’.ii’.VIII-XII
a (‘16:2’): sores
b (‘16:3’): plague of blood
c (‘16:4-5’): the righteousness of God
d (‘16:6’): Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ’s executed justice
c’ (‘16:7’): the righteousness of God
b’ (‘16:8-9’): plague of fire
a’ (‘16:10-11’): sores
C’.ii’.XIII-XIV
a (‘16:12’): the coming of Jesus and His saints
b (‘16:13’): tripartite comprisal of Babylon (dragon, beast, False Prophet)
c (‘16:14’): bringing to Armageddon
d (‘16:15’): central reminder for Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ’s people
c’ (‘16:16’): bringing to Armageddon
b’ (‘16:17-19’): tripartite comprisal of Babylon (dragon, beast, False Prophet)
a’ (‘16:20-21’): seismic cataclysms at the Second Coming
(xv) 1 pericopal chiasm (C’.i’.I-II)
a (‘17:1-6’): the woman sitting upon many waters
b (‘17:7’): the beast with ten horns
c (‘17:8’): the beast that was, is not, and yet is
d (‘17:9’): angelic interpretation—heads = mountains
c’ (‘17:10-11’): the beast that was, is not, and is the eighth
b’ (‘17:12-14’): explanation of the ten horns upon the beast
a’ (‘17:15-18’): the woman sitting upon many waters
(xvi) 1 pericopal chiasm (C’.i’.III-V)
a (‘18:1-3’): heavenly proclamation
b (‘18:4-8’): judgment upon Babylon
c (‘18:9-10’): weeping of the kings of the earth
d (‘18:11-14’): no one buys their merchandise anymore
c’ (‘18:15-19’): weeping of the merchants of the earth
b’ (‘18:20’): judgment upon Babylon
a’ (‘18:21-24’): heavenly proclamation
(xvii) 1 pericope (C’.i’.VI)
And after these things I heard a great voice of a great multitude in the heaven, saying, ‘Alleluia! the salvation, and the glory, and the honour, and the power, [is] to the Lord our God; because true and righteous [are] His judgments, because He did judge the great whore who did corrupt the earth in her whoredom, and He did avenge the blood of His servants at her hand;’ and a second time they said, ‘Alleluia;’ and her smoke doth come up—to the ages of the ages! And fall down did the elders—the twenty and four—and the four living creatures, and they did bow before God who is sitting upon the throne, saying, ‘Amen, Alleluia.’ And a voice out of the throne did come forth, saying, ‘Praise our God, all ye His servants, and those fearing Him, both the small and the great;’ and I heard as the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, ‘Alleluia! because reign did the Lord God—the Almighty! may we rejoice and exult, and give the glory to Him, because come did the marriage of the Lamb, and his wife did make herself ready; and there was given to her that she may be arrayed with fine linen, pure and shining, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.’ And he saith to me, ‘Write: Happy [are] they who to the supper of the marriage of the Lamb have been called;’ and he saith to me, ‘These [are] the true words of God;’ and I fell before his feet, to bow before him, and he saith to me, ‘See—not! fellow servant of thee am I, and of thy brethren, those having the testimony of Jesus; bow before God, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of the prophecy.’
(xviii) 1 pericope (C’.i’.VII-XII)
And I saw the heaven having been opened, and lo, a white horse, and he who is sitting upon it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness doth he judge and war, and his eyes [are] as a flame of fire, and upon his head [are] many diadems—having a name written that no one hath known, except himself, and he is arrayed with a garment covered with blood, and his name is called, The Word of God. And the armies in the heaven were following him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen—white and pure; and out of his mouth doth proceed a sharp sword, that with it he may smite the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, and he doth tread the press of the wine of the wrath and the anger of God the Almighty, and he hath upon the garment and upon his thigh the name written, ‘King of kings, and Lord of lords.’ And I saw one messenger standing in the sun, and he cried, a great voice, saying to all the birds that are flying in mid-heaven, ‘Come and be gathered together to the supper of the great God, that ye may eat flesh of kings, and flesh of chiefs of thousands, and flesh of strong men, and flesh of horses, and of those sitting on them, and the flesh of all—freemen and servants—both small and great.’ And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, having been gathered together to make war with him who is sitting upon the horse, and with his army; and the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who did the signs before him, in which he led astray those who did receive the mark of the beast, and those who did bow before his image; living they were cast—the two—to the lake of the fire, that is burning with brimstone; and the rest were killed with the sword of him who is sitting on the horse, which [sword] is proceeding out of his mouth, and all the birds were filled out of their flesh.
(xix) 7 pericopes (B’.iii’.I, B’.iii’.II, B’.iii’.III, B’.ii’.I, B’.ii’.II, B’.ii’.III, B’.i’)
B’.iii’.I
a (‘20:1-3’): millennium preceding the little season
b (‘20:4’): thrones
c (‘20:5’): heavenly millennium
d (‘20:6’): blessing for Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ’s faithful adherents
c’ (‘20:7-10’): heavenly millennium
b’ (‘20:11-12’): great white throne
a’ (‘20:13-15’): little season bringing the wicked unto judgment
B’.iii’.II
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth did pass away, and the sea is not any more; and I, John, saw the holy city—new Jerusalem—coming down from God out of the heaven, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a great voice out of the heaven, saying, ‘Lo, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and He will tabernacle with them, and they shall be His peoples, and God Himself shall be with them—their God, and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and the death shall not be any more, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor shall there be any more pain, because the first things did go away.’
B’.iii’.III
And He who is sitting upon the throne said, ‘Lo, new I make all things;’ and He saith to me, ‘Write, because these words are true and steadfast;’
B’.ii’.I
and He said to me, ‘It hath been done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End; I, to him who is thirsting, will give of the fountain of the water of the life freely; he who is overcoming shall inherit all things, and I will be to him—a God, and he shall be to me—the son, and to fearful, and unstedfast, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all the liars, their part [is] in the lake that is burning with fire and brimstone, which is a second death.’
B’.ii’.II
a (‘21:9-11a’): the glory of God
b (‘21:11b-14’): 12 foundations and 12 gates
c (‘21:15’): measuring the city, its gates, and its wall
d (‘21:16a’): the New Jerusalem is a perfect square
c’ (‘21:16b-17’): measurement of the city, its gates, and its wall
b’ (‘21:18-21’): 12 foundations and 12 gates
a’ (‘21:22-23’): the glory of God
B’.ii’.III
and the nations of the saved in its light shall walk, and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it, and its gates shall not at all be shut by day, for night shall not be there; and they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; and there may not at all enter into it any thing defiling and doing abomination, and a lie, but—those written in the scroll of the life of the Lamb.
B’.i’
And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, bright as crystal, going forth out of the throne of God and of the Lamb: in the midst of its broad place, and of the river on this side and on that, [is] a tree of life, yielding twelve fruits, in each several month rendering its fruits, and the leaves of the tree [are] for the service of the nations; and any curse there shall not be any more, and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him, and they shall see His face, and His name [is] upon their foreheads, and night shall not be there, and they have no need of a lamp and light of a sun, because the Lord God doth give them light, and they shall reign—to the ages of the ages.
(xx) 1 pericopal chiasm (A’.iii’-i’)
a (‘22:6’): the Lord God sent His angel to show His servants what must come to pass quickly
b (‘22:7’): Jesus comes quickly; happy are those keeping the words of the prophecy of the scroll
c (‘22:8-9a’): angelic command to the prophet
d (‘22:9b’): central emphasis—worship God (and God alone!)
c’ (‘22:10-11’): angelic command to the prophet
b’ (‘22:12-15’): Jesus comes quickly; happy are those doing His commands
a’ (‘22:16-21’): Jesus sent His angel to show John the things concerning the assemblies
Tallying up the pericope count
ch. i: 2 pericopes
ch. ii: 7 pericopes
ch. iii: 1 pericope
ch. iv: 6 pericopes
ch. v: 1 pericope
ch. vi: 1 pericope
ch. vii: 7 pericopes
ch. viii: 1 pericope
ch. ix: 2 pericopes
ch. x: 1 pericope
ch. xi: 2 pericopes
ch. xii: 3 pericopes
ch. xiii: 1 pericope
ch. xiv: 3 pericopes
ch. xv: 1 pericope
ch. xvi: 1 pericope
ch. xvii: 1 pericope
ch. xviii: 1 pericope
ch. xix: 7 pericopes
ch. xx: 1 pericope
Confirmed! 50 pericopes total. Here they are listed in order:
A.i-ii: pre-vision apocalyptic opening
A.iii (pericopal chiasm): opening vision
B.i (pericopal chiasm): first epistle (to Ephesus)
B.ii.I (pericopal chiasm): second epistle (to Smyrna)
B.ii.II (pericopal chiasm): third epistle (to Pergamum)
B.ii.III (pericopal chiasm): fourth epistle (to Thyatira)
B.iii.I (pericopal chiasm): fifth epistle (to Sardis)
B.iii.II (pericopal chiasm): sixth epistle (to Philadelphia)
B.iii.III (pericopal chiasm): seventh epistle (to Laodicea)
C.i.I-VI (pericopal chiasm): heavenly throneroom and sevenfold-sealed scroll
C.i.VII (parallel column 1/4): first seal opening
C.i.VIII (parallel column 2/4): second seal opening
C.i.IX (parallel column 3/4): third seal opening
C.i.X (parallel column 4/4): fourth seal opening
C.i.XI: fifth seal opening
C.i.XII: sixth seal opening
C.ii.I: 144,000
C.ii.II-IV (pericopal chiasm): heavenly collective benediction
C.ii.V-VII (pericopal chiasm): seventh seal opening
C.ii.VIII (parallel column 1/3): first trumpet sounding
C.ii.IX (parallel column 2/3): second trumpet sounding
C.ii.X (parallel column 3/3): third trumpet sounding
C.ii.XI: fourth trumpet sounding
C.ii.XII (pericopal chiasm): fifth trumpet sounding
C.ii.XIII (pericopal chiasm): sixth trumpet sounding
C.ii.XIV (pericopal chiasm): vision of the seven thunders and booklet
C.iii.I-V: vision of the Temple
C.iii.VI-VIII: seventh trumpet sounding
D (CENTRAL pericopal chiasm): vision of the woman and dragon
C’.iii’.I-V (pericopal chiasm): first beast
C’.iii’.VI-VIII: second beast
C’.ii’.I: 144,000
C’.ii’.II (pericopal chiasm): three angels’ proclamations
C’.ii’.III (parallel column set): vision of the harvest
C’.ii’.IV: vision of the seven last plagues
C’.ii’.V-VII: heavenly tabernacle opening
C’.ii’.VIII-XII (pericopal chiasm): plagues 1-5
C’.ii’.XIII-XIV (pericopal chiasm): plagues 6-7
C’.i’.I-II (pericopal chiasm): vision of the Whore of Babylon
C’.i’.III-V (pericopal chiasm): vision of the judgment against Babylon
C’.i’.VI: vision of the heavenly benediction
C’.i’.VII-XII: vision of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ
B’.iii’.I (pericopal chiasm): fifth promise (book of life) fulfilled
B’.iii’.II: sixth promise (New Jerusalem) fulfilled
B’.iii’.III: seventh promise (the throne of God) fulfilled
B’.ii’.I: second promise (deliverance from second death) fulfilled
B’.ii’.II (pericopal chiasm): third promise (treasures of the heavenly Zion) fulfilled
B’.ii’.III: fourth promise (nations) fulfilled
B’.i’: first promise (tree of life) fulfilled
A’.iii’-i’ (pericopal chiasm): post-vision concluding affirmations
With the pericopal units fully understood (you did read and understand it all with absolute ease, didn’t you? 🙃), one is now ready to behold the pure glory of the at-large chiasmus of the entire Book of Revelation.
At-large chiasm: 50 ‘layers’
Mind you (if you even will bother to read the full thing, because I assume most of my ‘readers’ simply will ignore this post’s substantive details): I only grasped this after years of studying Revelation, over time understanding the book better and better according to the teaching from God’s Spirit and not my own selfsame vain imaginative purposings. So if this indeed is the objectively correct understanding (or at least the right idea), all glory belongs to Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ God, because His mortal human messengers are ordained simply to relay the oracles of Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ.
A.i (‘1:1-6’) / A’.i’ (‘22:16-21’): John the Apostle’s salutation—the grace of Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ unto the seven assemblies!
A.ii (‘1:7-8’) / A’.ii’ (‘22:12-15’): Second Coming of the Aʟᴘʜᴀ and Oᴍᴇɢᴀ
A.iii.I (‘1:9-16’) / A’.iii’.I (‘22:6-9a’): John heard and saw
A.iii.II (‘1:17a’) / A’.iii’.II (‘22:9b’): worshiping God
A.iii.III (‘1:17b-20’) / A’.iii’.III (‘22:10-11’): unsealing Revelation for all to read
B.i (‘2:1-7’) / B’.i’ (‘22:1-5’): promise to Ephesus—tree of life restored
B.ii.I (‘2:8-11’) / B’.ii’.I (‘21:6-8’): promise to Smyrna—deliverance from the second death
B.ii.II (‘2:12-17’) / B’.ii’.II (‘21:9-23’): promise to Pergamum—hidden manna and white stones with new names written
B.ii.III (‘2:18-29’) / B’.ii’.III (‘21:24-27’): promise to Thyatira—power over the nations and receiving the morning star
B.iii.I (‘3:1-6’) / B’.iii’.I (‘20’): promise to Sardis—acknowledgement of the redeemed in the book of the life
B.iii.II (‘3:7-13’) / B’.iii’.II (‘21:1-4’): promise to Philadelphia—New Jerusalem descending from God out of heaven
B.iii.III (‘3:14-22’) / B’.iii’.III (‘21:5’): promise to Laodicea—the throne of God
C.i.I (‘4:1-6a’) / C’.i’.I (‘17:1-6’): the prophet in the Holy Spirit
C.i.II (‘4:6b-11’) / C’.i’.II (‘17:7-18’): heavenly truth and earthly counterfeit—was (past), is (present), shall be (future)
C.i.III (‘5:1-2’) / C’.i’.III (‘18:1-3’): heavenly proclamation
C.i.IV (‘5:3-5’) / C’.i’.IV (‘18:4-20’): heavenly truth and earthly counterfeit—weeping
C.i.V (‘5:6-10’) / C’.i’.V (‘18:21-24’): Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ’s saints
C.i.VI (‘5:11-14’) / C’.i’.VI (‘19:1-10’): multitude benediction to Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ
C.i.VII (‘6:1-2’) / C’.i’.VII (‘19:11-12’): rider upon white horse
C.i.VIII (‘6:3-4’) / C’.i’.VIII (‘19:13’): blood
C.i.IX (‘6:5-6’) / C’.i’.IX (‘19:14’): the scales of justice
C.i.X (‘6:7-8’) / C’.i’.X (‘19:15’): the sword of the Spirit
C.i.XI (‘6:9-11’) / C’.i’.XI (‘19:16’): Eʟ Eʟʏᴏɴ
C.i.XII (‘6:12-17’) / C’.i’.XII (‘19:17-21’): judgment upon kings, captains, mighty men, and all men (both freemen and servants)
C.ii.I (‘7:1-8’) / C’.ii’.I (‘14:1-5’): 144,000
C.ii.II (‘7:9-10’) / C’.ii’.II (‘14:6-13’): glorifying the name of Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ
C.ii.III (‘7:11-12’) / C’.ii’.III (‘14:14-20’): the angels of heaven
C.ii.IV (‘7:13-17’) / C’.ii’.IV (‘15:1-4’): victory of Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ’s saints
C.ii.V (‘8:1-2’) / C’.ii’.V (‘15:5-7’): opening followed by seven angels receiving seven instruments to punish humanity
C.ii.VI (‘8:3-5’) / C’.ii’.VI (‘15:8’): heavenly smoke
C.ii.VII (‘8:6’) / C’.ii’.VII (‘16:1’): judgment preparation
C.ii.VIII (‘8:7’) / C’.ii’.VIII (‘16:2’): first judgment—impacts the land
C.ii.IX (‘8:8-9’) / C’.ii’.IX (‘16:3’): second judgment—impacts the sea
C.ii.X (‘8:10-11’) / C’.ii’.X (‘16:4-7’): third judgment—impacts the rivers and fountains of the waters (freshwaters)
C.ii.XI (‘8:12-13’) / C’.ii’.XI (‘16:8-9’): fourth judgment—impacts the sun
C.ii.XII (‘9:1-12’) / C’.ii’.XII (‘16:10-11’): fifth judgment—darkness
C.ii.XIII (‘9:13-21’) / C’.ii’.XIII (‘16:12-16’): sixth judgment—impacts the great river Euphrates
C.ii.XIV (‘10’) / C’.ii’.XIV (‘16:17-21’): seventh judgment—absolute total destruction
C.iii.I (‘11:1-2’) / C’.iii’.I (‘13:1-6’): 42 (prophetic) months
C.iii.II (‘11:3-8’) / C’.iii’.II (‘13:7a’): the beast (that ascends out of the abyss) wars and overcomes against Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ’s people
C.iii.III (‘11:9’) / C’.iii’.III (‘13:7b’): tribes, tongues, nations
C.iii.IV (‘11:10’) / C’.iii’.IV (‘13:8’): those dwelling upon the land
C.iii.V (‘11:11-14’) / C’.iii’.V (‘13:9-10’): blowback against the beast
C.iii.VI (‘11:15’) / C’.iii’.VI (‘13:11-14’): heavenly truth and earthly counterfeit—proclamation
C.iii.VII (‘11:16-18’) / C’.iii’.VII (‘13:15-17’): heavenly truth and earthly counterfeit—worship
C.iii.VIII (‘11:19’) / C’.iii’.VIII (‘13:18’): heavenly truth and earthly counterfeit—sealing mark of validation
D.a (‘12:1-2’) / D.a’ (‘12:17’): the woman and her seed
D.b (‘12:3-6’) / D.b’ (‘12:14-16’): 1,260 (prophetic) days
D.c (‘12:7-9’) / D.c’ (‘12:13’): Satan cast down from heaven to land
D.d (‘12:10-12’): central message of Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ’s redemptive salvation
Conclusion: Revelation’s chiastically encoded relevance to Pentecost
The full implications of the chiastic structures of the Book of Revelation are far too comprehensively weighty and mind-draining (you simply have no clue- well, okay, fine, maybe now you have some idea) to explain here and now. Anyhow: the Feast of Pentecost revolves around the biblical theme of the number 50 as a motif of divinely ordained completion and perfection. For here and now, the primary emphasis is on Revelation’s encapsulation of that theme in its structurally complete standing as a whole: not only can be it be reckoned as 50 pericopes, but its fully subdivided at-large chiasm likewise points to a total number of 50 when all the chiastically mirrored correspondences + absolute D.d centrality are counted.
Just as the former rain was outpoured in the first gospel dispensation era of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s apostles in the Pentecost of 30 A.D., so too there will be a latter rain outpouring in the fully substantive and bodily1 antitype toward the completion of the mystery of God and ingathering of Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ’s people out of all the nations of the earth unto one fold and one shepherd.2
The end of the world at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will indeed arrive “soon,” but it will be—as the Eastern Orthodox appear to generally take a holistic view of—later than you think. Plenty (yes: that many things) must come to pass before then, namely the completion of ingathering Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ’s faithful adherents, that probation extends even unto the ingrafting of the very last individual in repentance unto everlasting life in Jesus Christ, and then the final cataclysmic events unfold in rapid succession in the closing precipice of this mortal earth’s existence before the Parousia.
All of which means that for the very meantime, a long, long spiritual journey still awaits those called by Jᴇʜᴏᴠᴀʜ unto sanctification.
Rom. 12:5; I Cor. 12:27; Eph. 4:11-14, 5:23; Col. 2:18-19.
Ezek. 34:22-23, 37:24; Jn. 10:16.