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Beeldspraak over oorlog en schepping, geweld en geweldloosheid in de Openbaring van Johannes
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies | Vol 64, No 4 | a88 |
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v64i4.88
| © 2008 Paul Decock
| This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 16 January 2008 | Published: 16 January 2008
Submitted: 16 January 2008 | Published: 16 January 2008
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Paul Decock, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaFull Text:
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Images of war and creation, violence and non-violence in the Revelation of John
Much of the violent imagery of Revelation can be seen as inspired by the image of God as the Divine Warrior who will overcome the chaotic forces threatening creation and who will bring creation to its fulfillment. This violence is reserved for God and the exalted Jesus although the prophetic ministry of churches shares to some extent in this divine power and even in its violence (11:5-6). However, human victory is won through worship of God instead of worship of Satan and the Beast, and through prophetic witness unto death in order to bring the inhabitants of the world to repentance and so to overcome sin that destroys creation. This human victory is made possible by the “blood of Jesus” and requires that his followers persevere in the works of Jesus to the end (2:26) in order to share in the new creation of which Jesus is God’s agent from the beginning (3:14).
Much of the violent imagery of Revelation can be seen as inspired by the image of God as the Divine Warrior who will overcome the chaotic forces threatening creation and who will bring creation to its fulfillment. This violence is reserved for God and the exalted Jesus although the prophetic ministry of churches shares to some extent in this divine power and even in its violence (11:5-6). However, human victory is won through worship of God instead of worship of Satan and the Beast, and through prophetic witness unto death in order to bring the inhabitants of the world to repentance and so to overcome sin that destroys creation. This human victory is made possible by the “blood of Jesus” and requires that his followers persevere in the works of Jesus to the end (2:26) in order to share in the new creation of which Jesus is God’s agent from the beginning (3:14).
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