Revelation 6:1-17 Opening The Seven Seals. 3 Plague Sequences: 7 seals, 7 trumpets 7 bowls (...
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- Slide 1
- Revelation 6:1-17 Opening The Seven Seals
- Slide 2
- 3 Plague Sequences: 7 seals, 7 trumpets 7 bowls ( Revelation 6;
Revelation 8-9; Revelation 16)... Between Revelation 4-5:the
Kingdom of God in Heaven God and the Lamb Worshipped As Kings in
Heaven... And Revelation 21-22: the New Jerusalem as Kingdom of God
in Transformed & Purified Heaven and Earth:
- Slide 3
- Interpretation of the Plague Cycles: Example of the Seven
Seals
- Slide 4
- The Seven Seals and Their Interpretation 1 Rider on White Horse
2 Rider on Red Horse 3 Rider on Black Horse 4 Rider on Pale Horse =
Death 5 Souls under the Altar 6 Earthquake, stars fall, cosmic
chaos, wrath of Lamb 7 Silence; 7 trumpets
- Slide 5
- Rev 6:1-2: The First Horseman 1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened
one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living
creatures say, as with a voice of thunder, "Come!" 2 And I saw, and
behold, a white horse, and its rider had a bow; and a crown was
given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer The
Cloisters Apocalypse Cloisters Museum New York 1320-1330
- Slide 6
- Rev 6:3-4 The Second Horseman 3 When he opened the second seal,
I heard the second living creature call out, Come! 4 And out came
another horse, bright red; its rider was permitted to take peace
from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another; and he
was given a great sword. Cloisters Apocalypse Cloisters Museum New
York 1320-1330
- Slide 7
- Rev 6:5-6 The Third Horseman 5 When he opened the third seal, I
heard the third living creature say, "Come!" And I saw, and behold,
a black horse, and its rider had a balance in his hand; 6 and I
heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living
creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three
quarts of barley for a denarius; but do not harm oil and wine!"
Cloisters Apocalypse Cloisters Museum New York 1320-1330
- Slide 8
- Rev 6:7-8: The Fourth Horseman 7 When he opened the fourth
seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature call out,
Come! 8 I looked and there was a pale green horse! Its riders name
was Death, and Hades followed with him; they were given authority
over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, famine, and
pestilence, and by the wild animals of the earth. Cloisters
Apocalypse Cloisters Museum New York 1320-1330
- Slide 9
- The Fifth Seal: the Souls under the Altar Revelation 6:9-11 9
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of
those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the
testimony they had given; 10they cried out with a loud voice,
Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge
and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth? 11They were
each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the
number would be complete both of their fellow-servants* and of
their brothers and sisters,* who were soon to be killed as they
themselves had been killed. From the Angers Tapestry France, ca.
1373 Video of Angers Tapestrry:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6hQkh5wixA
- Slide 10
- Apocalypse Tapestry, Angers, France By Nicolas Bataille, Paris,
1373, for Prince Louis Van der Meer, Apocalypse, 181
- Slide 11
- Reims Cathedral Doorway Souls under the Altar 5th Seal Rev
6:9-11 The 4 Horsemen Seals 1-4: Rev 6:1-8
- Slide 12
- The Sixth Seal Revelation 6:12-17 (compare tradition of
Messianic woes, e.g. Mark 13) 12 When he opened the sixth seal, I
looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun
became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and
the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its
winter fruit when shaken by a gale; 14 the sky vanished like a
scroll that is rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed
from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great men
and the generals and the rich and the strong, and every one, slave
and free, hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16
calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from
the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath f
the Lamb; 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can
stand before it?
- Slide 13
- Drer: Seals 5 & 6 Seal 6: Falling Stars Hiding in Mountains
Seal 5: Souls Under The Altar
- Slide 14
- The Seventh Seal: Revelation 8:1-6 1 When the Lamb opened the
seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2
And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets
were given to them. 3 Another angel with a golden censer came and
stood at the altar; he was given a great quantity of incense to
offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that
is before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the
prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.
5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the
altar and threw it on the earth; and there were peals of thunder,
rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. 6 Now the seven
angels who had the seven trumpets made ready to blow them. Matthias
Gerung, 1530-32 Ottheinrich-Bibel, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Cgm
8010
- Slide 15
- Interpretations of the 7 Seals Different Strategies for
Interpretation Interpretation in Various Media: In Art In Music In
Poetry In Fiction In Academic Writings
- Slide 16
- Different STRATEGIES for INTERPRETING the PLAGUE SEQUENCES
STRATEGY 1: Futurist : Seals as specific predictions of future,
end-time events, common in American popular culture (e.g. The Left
Behind series) STRATEGY 2: Church Historical: each of 7 seals taken
to symbolize a period in the History of the Church STRATEGY 3:
Using the Imagery of the Text to Illuminate Events in the
Interpreters own Time (e.g. Coleridge: time of the French
Revolution; cf. William Miller The Last Plagues on Revelation 16)
STRATEGY 4: Contemporary historical-criticism: focuses especially
on Background of the plague sequences (e.g. Bauckham, Rossing)
STRATEGY 5 Theological interpretations: explore what general points
of Christian teaching) are communicated in the plague sequences
STRATEGY 6: Poetic, artistic, and musical interpretations:
imaginative response to the texts images that expresses how the
text relates to the life of the individual in the present time
- Slide 17
- NOTE These Six Strategies of Interpretation are not mutually
exclusive; they often overlap, for example: Some interpretations
emphasize both present and future meaning of the book. Imaginative
responses to Revelations images in music or poetry often reflect
religious convictions and theological ideas.
- Slide 18
- STRATEGY 1: Futurist : Seals as specific predictions of future,
end-time events, common in American popular culture (e.g. The Left
Behind series) For Example: Book 2 of the Left Behind Series
contains a fictionalization of the future coming of the Four
Horsemen
- Slide 19
- Strategy #1 Left Behind, Book 3: Nicolae Seal #6 - The Wrath of
the Lamb earthquake Rev 6:12: When he opened the sixth seal, I
looked, and there came a great earthquake; the sun became black as
sackcloth, the full moon became like blood. Rayford could not keep
from staring at the devastation below. Fires had broken out all
over the place. They illuminated car crashes, flattened buildings,
the earth roiling and rolling like an angry sea. What appeared a
huge ball of a gasoline fire caught his eye. There, hanging in the
sky so close it seemed he could touch it, was the moon. The
bloodred moon. (Nicolae, p. 405)
- Slide 20
- INTERPRETIVE STRATEGY #2: Church Historical Francis Lambert
(1486-1530), a Protestant Reformer (Kovacs-Rowland, 82-83) First
seal: outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost and apostolic mission
through Roman world. Second seal: Roman emperors persecuted
Christians; few heresies in the church Third seal: peace given to
church by Constantine followed by lots of heresies Fourth seal:
After the suppression of these errors, Satan corrupted the papacy
with worldly ambition, by spreading the hypocritical monastic lie,
as well as by persecuting the Church outwardly through the armies
of Islam. Fifth seal: the persecution of the saints in all ages,
though their affliction by the papacy has been especially acute
since the seventh or eighth century Sixth seal: revival of the
gospel (Lambert thought this had been going on for the last one
hundred years but that the sixth age would conclude with a fearful
persecution, when the beast of Rev 13:1 would rage for forty-two
months.) Seventh seal: millennium on earth, within history
- Slide 21
- INTERPRETIVE STRATEGY #3: Using the Imagery of Text to
Illuminate Events in the Interpreters own Time Example: Samuel
Taylor Coleridge, Religious Musings (1796), ll. 320-334 NOTE how
Coleridge interprets the images of Seals 5 and 6 and also the whore
of Revelation 17 as representing human injustice at time of French
Revolution, i.e. in the present time Seal 5Seal 6
- Slide 22
- STRATEGY #3: Imagery of the Text refers to Events in the
Interpreters own Time Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Religious
Musings(1796), lines 320-334 Rest awhile Children of Wretchedness !
More groans must rise, More blood must stream, or ere your wrongs
be full. Yet is the day of Retribution nigh : The Lamb of God hath
opened the fifth seal: [Rev 6:9-11] And upward rush on swiftest
wing of fire The innumerable multitude of wrongs By man on man
inflicted! Rest awhile, Children of Wretchedness ! The hour is nigh
And lo ! the Great, the Rich, the Mighty Men, The Kings and the
Chief Captains of the World, [Rev 6:15] With all that fixed on high
like stars of Heaven [Rev 6:13] Shot baleful influence, shall be
cast to earth, Vile and down-trodden, as the untimely fruit Shook
from the fig-tree by a sudden storm.
- Slide 23
- Coleridge, Religious Musings #2 Even now the storm begins The
abhorred Form, Whose scarlet robe was stiff with earthly pomp.[Rev
17] Who drank iniquity in cups of gold, Whose names were many and
all blasphemous, Hath met the horrible judgement! Whence that cry?
The mighty army of foul Spirits shrieked Disinherited of earth! For
she hath fallen On whose black front was written Mystery; She that
reeled heavily, whose wine was blood; She that worked whoredom with
the Demon power... (Religious Musings 65-6) Quoted in
Kovacs-Rowland, p. 87
- Slide 24
- James Gillray, Presages of the Millennium: The Destruction of
the Faithful Kovacs-Rowland 87 The apocalyptic character of
Coleridges times is also expressed by the cartoonist James Gillray,
who portrayed Death on a white horse as William Pitt (Presages of
the Millennium). [William Pitt was Prime Minister of England at the
time]. James Gillray, Presages of the Millennium 4 June 1795
Coloured etching, engraving and aquatint, 325 x 375 mm Copyright
the Trustees of The British Museum
- Slide 25
- Explanation of Gillray Cartoon Presages of the Millennium 1795:
depicts William Pitt, Prime Minister of England as Fourth Horseman
= Death Context: after the French Revolution. Gillray, along with
many others, thought that William Pitt was bringing England into
disaster by stirring up war with France. This put economic pressure
on England and brought the risk of invasion and chaos. Gillray
opposed Pitts rabid Franco-phobia and endangering of England.
- Slide 26
- Details on Interpretation of Gillray, Presages of the
Millennium On the 1st of February 1793 France, after much
provocation by England (under Pitts aegis), declared war; a war
whose prosecution was continuing at this time and which had
expanded to involve the larger part of Europe. Pitts highly
belligerent foreign policy: actively seeking alliances and
fomenting anti-French feelings at home and abroad, provides the
basis for Gillrays attack. Pitt is not merely the arbiter of the
depredation of France, but through his incarnation as the elemental
Death, of the rest of Europe and most especially of England as
well. Englands integrity was, at this time, placed under pressure
by the economic strain of war, the risk of invasion, the risk of
insurrection and the morally and legally dubious basis on which the
war was begun and continued. For all these reasons Pitts aggressive
policy found detractors, though it is important to make the
distinction between feeling sympathy for France and being concerned
for the preservation of the well being of England. The sense of
Gillrays print is most definitely the latter the fear for England
derived from beyond the frame. Pitt trounces his domestic opponents
and, with perhaps more than a touch of hubris, careers into the
unknown beyond these shores, where the suggestion is that his luck
could run out and his rabid Franco-phobia would lead England into
an abyss he lacked the ability to avoid. By committing so avowedly
to war, Pitt had surrendered manoeuvrability the action of a
madman? This seems to be Gillrays thrust. On the 1st of February
1793 France, after much provocation by England (under Pitts aegis),
declared war; a war whose prosecution was continuing at this time
and which had expanded to involve the larger part of Europe. Pitts
highly belligerent foreign policy: actively seeking alliances and
fomenting anti-French feelings at home and abroad, provides the
basis for Gillrays attack.... through Pitts incarnation as the
elemental Death . Englands integrity was, at this time, placed
under pressure by the economic strain of war, the risk of invasion,
the risk of insurrection and the morally and legally dubious basis
on which the war was begun and continued. For all these reasons
Pitts aggressive policy found detractors, though it is important to
make the distinction between feeling sympathy for France and being
concerned for the preservation of the well being of England. The
sense of Gillrays print is most definitely the latter the fear for
England derived from beyond the frame. Pitt trounces his domestic
opponents and, with perhaps more than a touch of hubris, careers
into the unknown beyond these shores, where the suggestion is that
his luck could run out and his rabid Franco-phobia would lead
England into an abyss he lacked the ability to avoid. By committing
so avowedly to war, Pitt had surrendered manoeuvrability the action
of a madman? This seems to be Gillrays thrust.
http://www.moonshadow.co.uk/?p=126http://www.moonshadow.co.uk/?p=126
consulted 4/4/2010
- Slide 27
- STRATEGY #4: Contemporary Historical Criticism e.g. Richard
Bauckham Barbara Rossing) Explores Background of Imagery in Old
Testament and Jewish Apocalypses Explores Context: What role do the
plague sequences play in the Book of Revelation as a whole?
Historical Criticism includes Theological Interpretation: What
general ideas about God and humanity does the text convey?
- Slide 28
- Historical Criticism on the Plague Sequences #1 General
Background in Apocalyptic Tradition of the Messianic Woes as
Birthpains of the New Age Daniel 12:1-3: predicts woes before the
general resurrection of the dead At that time Michael, the great
prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a
time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first
came into existence. But at that time your people shall be
delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. 2 Many of
those who sleep in the dust of the earth* shall awake, some to
everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky,*
and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever
and ever. *Compare Jewish Apocalypses: 2 Esdras 5:1-12; Apocalypse
of Baruch 25-27 This Jewish apocalpytic tradition is also reflected
in Mark 13 = the little apocalypse: Mark 13:7-8: When you hear of
wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place,
but the end is still to come. 8For nation will rise against nation,
and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various
places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the
birth pangs.
- Slide 29
- Historical Criticism #2: Old Testament Background of Horsemen
Imagery Zechariah 1:7-11: Four Horses Patrol the Earth 7 On the
twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in
the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet
Zechariah son of Berechiah son of Iddo; and Zechariah said, 8 In
the night I saw a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among
the myrtle trees in the glen; and behind him were red, sorrel, and
white horses. 9 Then I said, What are these, my lord? The angel who
talked with me said to me, I will show you what they are. 10 So the
man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, They are
those whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth. 11 Then they
spoke to the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle
trees, We have patrolled the earth, and lo, the whole earth remains
at peace. Date: February 15, 519 BCE, after the Babylonian Exile
Context: the prophet conveys hope for the rebuilding of Jerusalem:
the horsemen find peace on earth = a condition for the
rebuilding
- Slide 30
- Old Testament Background (#2) Zechariah 6:1-8 Eighth Vision:
Four Chariots 6 And again I looked up and saw four chariots coming
out from between two mountainsmountains of bronze. 2 The first
chariot had red horses, the second chariot black horses, 3the third
chariot white horses, and the fourth chariot dappled grey horses. 4
Then I said to the angel who talked with me, What are these, my
lord? 5 The angel answered me, These are the four winds of heaven
[cf. Rev 7:1] going out, after presenting themselves before the
Lord of all the earth. 6 The chariot with the black horses goes
towards the north country, the white ones go towards the west
country, and the dappled ones go towards the south country. 7 When
the steeds came out, they were impatient to get off and patrol the
earth. And he said, Go, patrol the earth. So they patrolled the
earth. 8 Then he cried out to me, Lo, those who go towards the
north country have set my spirit at rest in the north country.
Speaks of Israels enjoying peace from her enemies after the
Babylonian Exile; Context: command to rebuild of the temple in
Jerusalem & anoint a new king
- Slide 31
- Historical Criticism #3:The Plagues in Context The Apocalypse
brings awareness of the extent and seriousness of Evil and
Injustice on Earth The 3 Plague Sequences are framed by the
revelation of Gods glory in heaven (Rev 4-5) where it is recognized
by heavenly beings... And by the final establishment of glory of
God in the New Jerusalem, where God is worshipped also by human
beings (Rev 21-22) At the present time, Gods kingdom (rule) is not
recognized by most people on earth: Satan and his forces are hard
at work on the earth. The 3 Plague Sequences are part of the final
battle of God and those who ally themselves with him (Christ,
Michael, angels, Christians) against the forces of evil
- Slide 32
- STRATEGY #5: Theological Interpretation Example: Christopher
Rowland. Plague Sequences as Judgement and Unmasking of Human
Injustice If Revelation seems to highlight divine judgement rather
than mercy, that is a message which an idolatrous generation needs
to hear....We live as part of an order in which injustice has
distorted the way in which society and the whole created order
functions. The world is out of joint, and that was most clearly
demonstrated in the destruction of the Messiah by the
representatives of the present scheme of things. Revelation.
(Epworth Commentaries; London 1993), 82. The reality which the
Apocalypse points us to is that in a disordered world death and
destruction are the lot of millions, and the putting right of
wrongs demands a seismic shift of cosmic proportions which will
happen, even if human kind does not repent. (pp. 83-84)
- Slide 33
- Strategy #5 Theological Interpretation Bauckham 40-47 on the 3
Plague Cycles Focuses on: Divine Holiness The holiness and
righteousness of God requires the condemnation of unrighteousness
on earth and the destruction of powers that are evil that contest
Gods rule on earth Revelation as the unfolding of first three
petitions of Lords Prayer Matt 6.9-10: Your name be hallowed, your
kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Evidence for this interpretation of the plagues: Rev 15:8 no one
could enter the temple until the 7 plagues were ended. This echoes
Isa 6.3 holy holy holy is the Lord God. (cf. Rev 4:6) Rev 4-5 as
foundational for rest of Revelation. Judgments of all plague
visions: each in some way issues from the throne room
- Slide 34
- Strategy #5 Theological Interpretation: Richard Bauckham (p. 2)
The highly schematized portrayal of judgments in the plague visions
depicts their theological significance and cannot be meant as a
literal prediction of events (p. 41) Gods judgments are just 16.7;
19.2; 15.3: they correspond to the moral truth of things; 15.4: he
alone is holy i.e. he alone has righteousness as his very nature
(p. 43) The way John portrays the judgments in that God acts only
through intermediaries -- is as far as possible from the image of a
human despot wielding arbitrary power (p. 43) Much of modern
criticism (e.g. feminist critique) of images such as the throne
seems unable to understand real transcendence (p. 45)
- Slide 35
- Strategy #5 Theological Interpretation Barbara Rossing Thesis:
the Exodus story provides a clue to understand the 7 seals and
other plague visions God hears the peoples cries and threatens new
plagues against Romes oppression as part of overall goal of
liberation from injustice The violence of these visions concerns
release and liberation, not vengeance or cruelty Plague visions are
not a prediction of what is to come but a frightening threat
Opposes dispensationists (e.g. Left Behind) for whom the plague
visions are a favorite part for their view that Rev 6-19 furnishes
detailed playbook for 70th week of Daniel 9 Gods people are not
called to undertake any violent action; as in the Exodus, salvation
comes only through Gods action and the blood of the Lamb
- Slide 36
- Rossing: Theological Interpretation of the Plagues (p. 2) Even
most deadly visions serve the overall goal of conversion and
repentance. Evidence: Rev 9.20-21 people chided for lack of
repentance. Compare Exodus 9:1-3: God over and over tries to get
Pharaoh to let his people go God wants to rein in the Roman Empires
rush to destroy the world In the tradition of the Exodus story and
the Exodus plagues, Revelation makes clear that God sympathizes,
grieves, and laments over the worlds pain, even while threatening
plagues to bring about the worlds liberation from injustice (p.
129) Lawsuit image: victims of injustice deserve to know that they
will receive answers
- Slide 37
- Strategy #5 Theological Interpretation: Joseph Mangina, Brazos
Commentary on Revelation, April, 2010. p. 96 The God of the
Apocalypse may easily appear as the one who hates everything he has
made A superficial reading of the book may simply confirm our worst
personal and collective nightmares concerning God. The task of
interpretation, of course, means going beyond superficial readings
to engage the work at a deeper level. There are in fact very good
reasons underlying Johns use of shocking, violent, catastrophic
language. Revelation is not written from the perspective of those
in power, but from the perspective of an unimportant community of
nobodies at the margins of Roman society. How could they picture
the kingdoms coming other than as a radical upheaval of existing
conditions? John is more concerned with what God is doing for the
faithful than with what he is doing to outsiders, and we should
avoid inferring that because the former are saved, the latter must
be lost. Finally, the violent language and imagery of Revelation
are used to portray, in terms no one could mistake, the coming of
the justice of God, with all that implies concerning his setting
right of every historical evil.
- Slide 38
- Interpretations in Music and Art Questions for Reflection: What
theological or existential interpretations of the plagues do the
various art works and musical renditions convey, and how? Do you
think they teach us anything about the meaning of Revelation?
- Slide 39
- The Four Horsemen: Metallica #1 By the last breath of the
fourth winds blow [Rev 7:1] Better raise your ears The sound of
hooves knocks at your door [6:1-8] Lock up your wife and children
now Its time to wield the blade For now you have got some
company
- Slide 40
- The Four Horsemen Metallica Refrain The Horsemen are drawing
nearer On leather steeds they ride They have come to take your life
On through the dead of night With the four Horsemen ride or choose
your fate and die Solos Beatus
- Slide 41
- Interpretation in Art: Henri Rousseau (1944-1910) War (2.
Horseman) Muse d'Orsay, Paris
- Slide 42
- Metallica #2 You have been dying since the day You were born
You know it has all been planned The quartet of deliverance rides A
sinner once a sinner twice No need for confession now Cause now you
have got the fight of your life Albrecht Drer 1497-98
- Slide 43
- Refrain The Horsemen are drawing nearer On leather steeds they
ride They come to take your life On through the dead of night With
the four Horsemen ride or choose your fate and die Solos
Beatus
- Slide 44
- Metallica, Horsemen #3 Time has taken its toll on you The lines
that crack your face Famine [Rev 6:5-8] Your body it has torn
through Withered in every place Pestilence [6:7] For what you have
had to endure And what you have put others through Death [6:8]
Deliverance for you for sure There is nothing you can do
- Slide 45
- The Fourth Horseman Artistic Interpretations Death: Fourth
Horseman York Minster England Stained-glass Window How do Artists
and Musicians Bring out the Power of the Imagery? What is the
theological or religious value of these Interpretations?
- Slide 46
- Revelation 6:7-8: the Fourth Rider 7 When he opened the fourth
seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature call out,
Come! 8 I looked and there was a pale green horse! Its riders name
was Death, and Hades followed with him; they were given authority
over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, famine, and
pestilence, and by the wild animals of the earth.
- Slide 47
- Roger Brown (b. 1941) The Final Arbiter, 1984. Oil on canvas,
72x108 in. Stefan T. Edlis, Chicago. Courstesy Phyllis Kind
Gallery, New York. Nancy Grubb. Revelations. Art of the Apocalypse.
New York: Abbeville, 1997. p. 47.
- Slide 48
- William Blake: Death on a Pale Horse (Fitzwilliam Museum,
Cambridge)
- Slide 49
- Turner: Death on a Pale Horse Tate Gallery, London Grubb,
Revelations, p. 47. Kovacs-Rowland p. 38: J. M. W. Turners
(1775-1851) Death on a Pale Horse (ca.1825) manages to conjure up a
scene of desolation following a cataclysm.
- Slide 50
- Benjamin West (1738-1820) Death on a Pale Horse, 1817. Oil,
14ft 8 in x 25 ft 1 in Museum of American Art of the Pennsylvania
Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia. Nancy Grubb. Revelations.
Art of the Apocalypse. New York: Abbeville, 1997. p. 45
- Slide 51
- Howard Finster (b. 1916) Find the Four Horses of the
Revelation, 1975 Enamel on wood, 22 x 33in. Collection of T.
Marshall Hahn, Jr. Nancy Grubb. Revelations. Art of the Apocalypse.
New York: Abbeville, 1997. p. 39
- Slide 52
- Finster: Discussion Question Question: What interpretation of
the 4 Horsemen does Finsters painting imply?
- Slide 53
- Howard Finster Find the Four Horsemen
- Slide 54
- Metallica #4 So gather round young warriors now and saddle up
your steeds Killing scores with demon swords Now is the death of
doers of wrong Swing the judgment hammer down Safely inside armor
blood guts and sweat The Horsemen are drawing nearer On leather
steeds they ride They have come to take your life On through the
dead of night With the four Horsemen ride or choose your fate and
die Question: How does this song interpret Revelation 6? Does it
convey to you anything about the meaning of Revelation?
- Slide 55
- The Four Horsemen : Beatus MS
- Slide 56
- The Sixth Seal Revelation 6:12-17 (compare tradition of
Messianic woes, e.g. Mark 13) 12 When he opened the sixth seal, I
looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun
became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and
the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its
winter fruit when shaken by a gale; 14 the sky vanished like a
scroll that is rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed
from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great men
and the generals and the rich and the strong, and every one, slave
and free, hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16
calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from
the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of
the Lamb; 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can
stand before it?
- Slide 57
- And the moon became as blood Rev 6:12 Howard Finster (b. 1916)
1976 Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Slide 58
- Interpretation in Music: the 6th Seal Falling Stars: in African
American Spirituals My Lord What a Mornin #1 My Lord what a
mournin', My Lord what a mournin', My Lord what a mournin' When de
stars begin to fall, when de stars begin to fall [Rev 6:13; 8:10]
My Lord what a mournin', My Lord what a mournin', My Lord what a
mournin' When de stars begin to fall, when de stars begin to fall
Done quit all my worlly ways, done quit all my worly ways, done
quite all my worlly ways Jine dat hebbenly ban [cf. Rev 4-5; Rev 7;
14] Harry Thacker Burleigh Burleigh, arranger, 1924. Witness.
Volume I, Spirituals and gospels [sound recording]. Brunelle,
Philip, 1943- WORDS from: Moses Hogan, ed. The Oxford Book of
Spirituals. Oxford: Oxford, 2002. 19-24. REV 6:13 and the stars of
the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit
when shaken by a gale;
- Slide 59
- Falling Stars... Fleeing Mountains Anon. The Opening of the
Sixth Seal, Morgan Beatus Spanish, c. 950. Manuscript on parchment,
15 x 11 in. Pierpont Morgan Library, New York. Nancy Grubb.
Revelations. Art of the Apocalypse. New York: Abbeville, 1997. p.
48 Oh! My Lord, what a mournin My Lord, what a mournin, oh My Lord
what a mournin', When de stars begin to fall, when de stars begin
to fall
- Slide 60
- My Lord What a Mournin #3 Done quit all my worlly ways, done
quit all my worly ways, done quite all my worlly ways Jine dat
hebbenly ban [cf. Rev 4-5; Rev 7; 14] Oh! My Lord, what a mournin
My Lord, what a mournin, oh My Lord what a mournin', When de stars
begin to fall, when de stars begin to fall Discussion Questions: 1.
How does this Song interpret the 6th Seal? 2. How does the text use
Context (Rev 7) to interpret the 6th seal? NOTE: There is a variant
form of this song in which first line reads: My Lord what a
Morning! Does this make a difference to either the tone or the
content of this spiritual?
- Slide 61
- Sixth Seal: Rocks and the Mountains 6: 14... and every mountain
and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the
earth and the great men and the generals and the rich and the
strong, and every one, slave and free, hid in the caves and among
the rocks of the mountains, 16calling to the mountains and rocks,
"Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the
throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; 17 for the great day of
their wrath has come, and who can stand before it? Compare Rev
8:8-9: The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a
great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea. A third
of the sea became blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea
died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. Compare Rev 16:17,
20: The seventh angel poured his bowl into the air And every island
fled away, and no mountains were to be found.
- Slide 62