# Recapitulation view of Revelation



## mshingler

Anyone know how far back in church history we can find the recapitulation view of Revelation?


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## Jimmy the Greek

Victorinus of Pettau (c. 300 CE) According to Adela Yarbro Collins, “Book of Revelation,” in David Noel Freeman, ed., The Anchor Bible Dictionary (New York, NY: Doubleday, 1996, c1992), 5:696. This may be noted by Beale in his commentary, but I don't have that here.


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## Jerusalem Blade

Hello Mike,

The earliest I can verify holding to recapitulation is Augustine; see his, _The City of God_, Book xx, chapters 7-9. O.T. Allis, in his, _Prophecy and the Church_, says (on page 3) that Augustine's view involved interpreting Rev 20:1-6 as recapitulating the earlier chapters instead of a new age following chronologically after Rev 19.

Beale discusses recapitulation at length in his (unabridged) Revelation commentary starting on p. 121; but the only mention of Victorinus in his book is on p. 19 n.106 regarding the late dating of Revelation.

I hope this is helpful.

P.S. An interesting survey of ancient recapitulation theory (citing Victorinus) here: Recapitulation, Antichrist, and Salvation History: An Analysis of the Hermeneutics of Early Interpreters of Revelation


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## mshingler

Thanks for the input. I have Beale's commentary, which I've been using, but was a little pressed for time and didn't remember where he may have mentioned this particular point. Preaching on 6:1-8 tomorrow.


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## Jimmy the Greek

Jerusalem Blade said:


> P.S. An interesting survey of ancient recapitulation theory (citing Victorinus) here: Recapitulation, Antichrist, and Salvation History: An Analysis of the Hermeneutics of Early Interpreters of Revelation



Steve, thanks for this additional reference!


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## Stephen L Smith

Jerusalem Blade said:


> The earliest I can verify holding to recapitulation is Augustine


The recapulation concept was taught earlier than this. The apostle John was strongly convinced of this view


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## Jerusalem Blade

Jimmy—Χριστὸς ἀνέστη! (My wife is Cypriot)


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## Jimmy the Greek

Jerusalem Blade said:


> Jimmy—Χριστὸς ἀνέστη! (My wife is Cypriot)



Thanks, Steve. Αληθώς Ανέστη! My mother was Greek.


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## Peairtach

This was an interesting article by Robert L. Thomas on recapitulation. He doesn't think the seals, trumpets and vials recapitulate, but progress:

http://www.tms.edu/m/tmsj4c.pdf


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## Jerusalem Blade

Or, in other words, progress _chronologically_, which is standard interpretation for premils, which he is. This is a newer paper of his (2003) where he interacts with more contemporary authors (such as Beale), New Evangelical Hermeneutics and Eschatology. Still, he's a very sharp guy, and can be learned from. I would come to Beale's defense in Thomas' critique, but maybe later, as I have business to attend to. I really enjoy delving into various eschatological views, especially the amil / modified idealist (aka eclectic)—which is what Thomas goes after.

I was premil myself for a good while (the default evangelical view in my early Christian days), but it was too flawed, which the amil is not. That it is not as historically grounded as some premils would like offends them, and that it _is_ in some _few_ particulars historically grounded (in my view) offends some amils. But one can't please everybody, especially eschatologically! The days to come shall wash away all error.


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## Peairtach

Thanks Steve. I didn't realise he was premil, although I should have noticed on one or two things he says in the article. He makes good points though.

I'll share something with you later on this thread on the structure of Revelation, or rather shoot something past you to see what you think.


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## Peairtach

> The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John ( Revelation 1:1)



I was just wondering, Steve, if this first verse refers particularly to the seven sealed book and its contents, Revelation 5 and following, since in chapter 5 we read that it is given to the Lamb by the One sitting on the throne(5:1; 5:7)? Is this an interpretation that is followed in any commentaries you've read?


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## Jerusalem Blade

The answer would be yes, there is reference in Rev 1:1 to the seven-sealed book of Rev 5, but it is more general than particular. I will refer only to Beale at this point, as he goes into the most minutiae, and other commentators generally reference him.

Beale asserts that, “…the whole of Rev. 1:1 is patterned after the broad structure of Daniel 2:28-30, 45-47 (cf. LXX, Theod.)…” (_New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Book of Revelation_, p 181), and he focuses greatly on the Greek word [SIZE=+1]shmanen[/SIZE] – _semaino_; “signified” in the AV (“communicated” NASB, “made it known” ESV, NIV) to establish a particular point:
“The clauses ‘revelation . . . God showed . . . what must come to pass . . . and he _made known_ ([SIZE=+1]shmainw[/SIZE])’ occur together only in Daniel 2 and Rev 1:1.... [and show that] the manner of the communication is defined by the context of the vision as symbolic communication by means of a dream vision.... The revelation is not abstract but pictorial.” (Beale, ibid, pp. 50, 51)​ 
He goes to these lengths to show that from the very opening of the Revelation we are told that this is a book to be understood by seeing and interpreting the symbols given, almost all of which are taken from the Old Testament, which is thus the key to their interpretation. They are mostly symbolic; very few are to be taken literally.

Beale continues,
“Rev. 1:1 especially should be seen as introducing the main idea of the book, and it is, indeed, understood by many as the title of the whole work…. The focus on ‘quickness’ and ‘nearness’ in vv 1-3 is primarily on inauguration of prophetic fulfillment and its ongoing aspect, not on nearness of consummated fulfillment, though the latter is secondarily in mind as leading from the former.

“Indeed what follows shows that the beginning of fulfillment and not final fulfillment is the focus…

“Therefore, John’s book is a prophetic work, which concerns the immanent and inaugurated fulfillment of OT prophecies about the kingdom of Jesus Christ…” (Beale, ibid, pp 182, 183)​ 
Commenting on the “book” of Rev 5, he states,
“…this commentary has attempted to demonstrate that the events of the visions pertain not only to the eschatological future but also to the inaugurated latter-day period including the past and the present. We especially have seen this to be the case in our discussions of 1:1; 1:19; and 4:1.

“…The ‘book’ is best understood as containing God’s plan of judgment and redemption, which has been set in motion by Christ’s death and resurrection but has yet to be completed.” (ibid, p 340)

“Therefore, the question posed by the angelic being and the response in 5:2-4 concern who is able not only to unveil the full contents of the document together with their meaning (cf. 10:7, 17:7) but also put the contents into force. The emphasis on revelation and execution of the book’s contents is clear from 1:1, 19; 4:1; 10:7; and 22:6, 10, which are all linked to 5:1-10 (see above) and focus on the unveiling as well as the fulfillment of OT prophecy.” (ibid, pp 345, 346)​ 
So, Richard, I have not yet seen it stated—re your question above—that 1:1 refers “particularly” to the book of 5:1-10, but it certainly seems clear—Beale concurring—that _in seed form_ Rev 5’s book is contained in 1:1. I will keep looking through the commentators to see if any connect them _particularly_.


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## Peairtach

Thanks for that, Steve.

Bahnsen - I don't go along with his excess of preterism, as I've said before on the PB (he places Revelation 5 -19 in the first century to AD 476) - says that the breaking of the seventh seal and the silence in heaven indicate that the book has finally been opened. Would Beale concur?


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## Jerusalem Blade

Richard, I would say Beale’s view is more precise, and certainly with a different understanding of its meaning. The title of the section of his commentary on Rev 8:1ff., reads,

*The Seventh Seal As The Conclusion Of The Seal Series: The Last Judgment Is Described Again As A Formal Response To The Saints’ Petition In 6:10 That God Punish The Unbelieving World (8:1-5)*

…The seventh seal picks up where the sixth left off in order to continue the portrayal of the final judgment. As such, like 6:12-17, it is a further answer to the saints’ request for judgment against the world that has persecuted them (so 6:9-11). The sixth and seventh seals answer this request and are thus the logical climax and main point of the entire seal series. The final judgment is therefore the main point of 6:1-8:1. God will show himself to be just and righteous at the conclusion of history. Saints in heaven and especially on earth can be comforted with that fact. Also, as in 6:12-17, the logical emphasis of the seventh seal is expressed through the contrast with the scene of the saints’ eternal reward in 7:9-17.

The removal of the seventh seal indicates that all the seals have been removed. In the comments above on 5:2 it was concluded that the removal of the seals signified both Christ’s initial fulfillment of prophecy and his revelation which clarifies the meaning of OT prophecy of redemption and judgment. The analysis above has concluded that the first five seals have set in motion the beginning of fulfillment of OT and NT prophecy. Christ’s death and resurrection have triggered the execution of the seal woes. Therefore, the first five seals indicate both inaugurated prophetic fulfillment and revelatory clarification of OT prophecy. The sixth and seventh have not yet been set in motion, since they refer to the Last Assize. They indicate only a clarification of OT and NT prophecy, which has yet to be fulfilled. Nonetheless, the cross was the beginning of the Last Judgment, carried out against Christ as a sacrificial substitute, so that his people would be able to “stand” through the consummation of the final judgment… Similarly, the first six trumpets are woes anticipating the day of final judgment (see below). (Beale, pp 445, 446)​ 
On the “silence” of Rev 8:1, he says,

…The idea here is not mere dread of tribulational woes. It is, rather, the calm either preceding or following _the_ final judgment, as is evident also the earlier observation that 8:3-5 continues the last judgment imagery of 6:12-17 and 8:1…

The silence occurs in heaven and apparently not on earth. This does not blunt the force of our conclusion that the silence connotes God’s judgment of sinners on the earth. Nor does it mean that judgment in some way takes place only in heaven. The metaphorical point is that the origin of divine judgment is God’s heavenly temple… (ibid, p 448)

In the light of the overall discussion, the silence of Rev. 8:1 can be taken as a metaphor with multifaceted meanings and associations (detailed more below), all of which revolve around the notion of judgment. (ibid, p 451)​ 
[I have not included his footnotes.]

_________


To summarize, and add: The “book” metaphor stands for God’s decreed plan of redemption, warning, and judgment to the peoples of earth. Part of redemption is comfort, giving of needed vision, and exhortations to faithfulness in the face of strong enticements to evil or compromise, or varying degrees of persecution.

As the seals are being opened redemptive activity (via the heralding of the gospel) is being executed on earth, which results in satanic retaliation (he hates to lose his “goods”), and the saints cry to their King, which moves Him to warn the nations, and then to judge them, a number of which forms of warning and judgment are spelled out. This cycle of activity continues throughout the age, intensifying as the world becomes more realized in their human capacities. As the end of the last days approaches the collective human heart increasingly becomes filled with demonic content and this is expressed in transgressions, perversions, and violence.

It is my thought that the incursion of sorcerous (i.e., psychedelic drug) activity in the 1950s and 60s opened an inner gateway to the demonic realm, which the US and UK exported into the wide world with the psychic equivalent of a nuclear detonation in humankind’s collective consciousness. The zeitgeist we see developing (for it is in flux — _worsening_) is the result of a half century of demonic advances in various realms of the human—cultural, psychological, religious, psychic, legal, political, educational, etc etc—and is at a point where we as a race are in very bad shape.

I tentatively place the black cloud of smoke emanating from the pit of the abyss—symbolic of the darkness of demonic presence (Rev 9:1-11)—commencing in the psychedelic era of the last century, and around 50 years later, 2014-15, with the advent of barbarous killing in many nations—with more on the way—the very beginnings of the sixth trumpet (Rev 9:13-21). It is said in this “woe” that a third of humankind will be killed, and it may well be that wars will do this, _great wars_.

Seeing that the fifth trumpet (Rev 9:1-11) took about 50 years to fully realize (per my view), I don’t know how long the sixth will take, though it could possibly be faster, seeing as wickedness is accelerating. I have thoughts about the nature of these aforementioned “_great wars_”, but this isn’t the place for that. Suffice it to say that when it comes to eschatological matters in the 21[SUP]st[/SUP] century we think way too small. We will surely be taken by surprise to see nations important to us nuked—some hearts failing them simply for fear.

Please let no one say I am a “pessimistic amil”, for the glory of Christ shall be seen in His courageous and triumphant people—His precious bride—as we face off against the lawless hordes with the testimony of His cross (having mercy on our enemies), resurrection (whence He pours forth His Spirit of power), judgment (that the yet uncalled elect may fear and seek Him), and coming Kingdom (the grand hope of the saints), loving not our lives unto the death for the sake of this testimony (Rev 12:11).

As the finest glory of His grace and love may be seen in the cross, so may it be seen in ours.


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## Edward

Jimmy the Greek said:


> (c. 300 CE)



Do you mean 'In the year of our Lord' 300?


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## Peairtach

What do you - and Beale - think of "telescoping"/"Russian dolls", Steve; the idea that the seven trumpets are included in the seventh seal, and the seven vials included in the seventh trumpet?


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## Jerusalem Blade

I know that some folks think that, Richard (re “telescoping”), but hear what Beale says (and I generally agree with his views); talking of a literary technique called “ ‘interlocking’… whereby a segment serves as a literary hinge or transition” between sections,
The “golden altar” scene of 8:3 also is linked in some way to the mention of a “golden altar” in 9:13. In addition, 8:2-5 functions as a conclusion to the seals: First, one of the effects of opening the seventh seal is the introduction of the seven trumpet angels, which shows that the trumpets are linked integrally in some way to the seals. Second, the mention of “the prayers of the saints” and “the golden altar” in 8:2-5 picks up the same two subjects found in the sixth seal (6:9-11). 8:3-5 also describes the seventh seal’s main content, which is the final judgment. Therefore, the vision of 8:3-5 continues the theme expressed in the prayer for vengeance of 6:9-11. (op. cit. p 112)​ 
Then, talking about repetition of structural patterns in trumpets and vials (bowls), Beale says,
…the observation of a wider effect of the succeeding plague series conforms well with the contention of recapitulationists that there is a thematic progressive intensity among these three septets [seals, trumpets, vials –SMR]. This ascending thematic movement, whose increasing climactic force builds as the book advances, can be pictured in the form of a conical spiral. In fact, this same increasing, thematic intensity is observable within each of the three plague series, where the seventh elements of each (sometimes including the sixth) reach a universal, climaxing crescendo after the preceding plagues have been said to have had only fractional effect.

In fact, while the seventh element in each series represents the final judgment, the preceding six are not necessarily in chronological order. The primary intention of the numbering is to represent the order of John’s visions, not necessarily the order of historical events, which would have to be only secondary. This is a crucial hermeneutical principle of the book that needs to be kept in mind, since it applies not only to the numbered elements in each series but also to the arrangements of the seals, trumpets and bowls series and to the unnumbered visions. John’s repeated use throughout the book of such transitional expressions as “after this,” “after these things,” and “I saw” provide the exegetical underpinnings of this all-important literary principle. (ibid, pp 127, 129)​ 
______

8:3-5 continues the final judgment scene of 8:1 and is a continuation of the seventh seal. V 2 is a parenthetical introduction to the revelation of the seven trumpet trials beginning in v 6. This is indicated by v 6, where the seven angels have not yet sounded their trumpets, so that the trumpet judgments have not been inaugurated. Yet, v 5 speaks of an actual activity of judgment executed by the angel: “he threw it [fire] to the earth, and there followed peals of thunder, sounds, lightning, and quaking.”

Therefore, 8:3-5 records an activity of judgment distinct from the subsequent trumpet woes and builds on 6:9-11, where the persecuted saints are depicted “under the altar” appealing to God to judge their persecutors. (ibid, pp 460, 461)​ 
He goes on to prove that the content of the seventh seal is the final judgment, and not the trumpet plagues. A few pages earlier he has said,
The seventh seal probably continues the theme of the sixth, which introduced the beginning of the last judgment by portraying the cosmic conflagration and the shrieking cries of terror by the ungodly in response to their immanent judgment (6:12-17).

…The seventh seal picks up where the sixth left off in order to continue the portrayal of the final judgment. As such, like 6:12-17, it is a further answer to the saints’ request for judgment against the world that has persecuted them (so 6:9-11). The sixth and seventh seals answer this request and are thus the logical climax and main point of the entire seal series. The final judgment is therefore the main point of 6:1-8:1. God will show himself to be just and righteous at the conclusion of history. (ibid, pp 445, 446)​ 
______

Then discussing the content of the seventh trumpet, he says,
It is sometimes thought that 11:15-19 is not the content of the seventh trumpet but rather anticipates the content of the trumpet. Chs.12-14 are viewed as events leading up to or explaining in further detail the seven bowls of ch. 16, which are the formal content of the third woe/seventh trumpet. Some think that only chs.12-14 form the content of the third woe, while others view all of chs. 12-21 as its content…

In contrast to these views, we see 11:15-19 as an explanation of the consummation of history, since 10:7 has announced that when the seventh trumpet sounds “then will be completed” God’s accomplishment of his plan for history. The songs here depict actions of judgment and redemption and do not merely anticipate such actions. (ibid, pp 609, 610)​ 
______

In case it has not been clear, Richard (as I have been excerpting here and there), I will briefly sum Beale’s views. I hope I have shown (from the quotes) that the seven trumpets are not the content of the seventh seal (thus they are not “telescoped” within it), but rather that the seventh seal and the seventh trumpet are _both_ depictions of the final judgment. The earlier trumpets are warnings and judgments before the end. Likewise with the seventh trumpet and the vials / bowls; while the vials’ plagues are universal—in contrast to the limited scopes of both the first through fourth seals and the first through sixth trumpets—the eschaton itself is depicted by the seventh seal, _and_ the seventh trumpet, _and_ the seventh vial.

It has been edifying to me to get into these details again (my memory seems to not be 100% anymore), as my intense focus of late in Revelation has been with regard to the fifth and sixth trumpets, seeking to discern possible historical referents within them, and also finding correlations between these and the fifth and sixth bowls, what with symbolic crossing of the river Euphrates playing a crucial part in both Rev 9 and 16. So it has been good to broaden my focus.


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## Peairtach

Thanks for that, Steve. I'll probably get a copy of Beale, either his full or abridged version.

From a literary point of view, seven trumpets contained within the seventh seal, and seven vials contained within the seventh trumpet doesn't make sense and is metaphorically clunky. When you break a seal things don't come out of it, and trumpets don't usually contain things.

It's more likely that the trumpets and vials are contained within the book that has just been opened by the Lamb. Books contain things i.e. stories/information, and even an unveiling of the future. By opening the book, the Lamb unveils the future, which includes the trumpets and vials/plagues.

Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk 2


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## MW

Peairtach said:


> From a literary point of view, seven trumpets contained within the seventh seal, and seven vials contained within the seventh trumpet doesn't make sense and is metaphorically clunky. When you break a seal things don't come out of it, and trumpets don't usually contain things.



What about the rhetorical point of view? If one begins with the carnal expectations of the Jews, the idea that world-judgment does not materialise with the seventh seal according to expectation, may be the point of the structure. It is similar to what John "hears" concerning the numbering of the tribes and what he "sees" in the great multitude. We should allow the possibility that the visions were corrective of misunderstandings that had emerged because the Old Testament eschatology had not been viewed from the perspective of "the revelation of Jesus Christ."


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## Jerusalem Blade

A friend of mine in NY (Bob) said to me,
​"Reading over the Recapitulation View of Revelation thread on Puritan-board, I was wondering if the use of recapitulation in Revelation might not reveal even more information than just 'a thematic progressive intensity among the three septets.' I think that in general, throughout scripture, when there is 'repetition' in scripture just a change even in one word often reveals significantly more in-depth understanding. So wondering if you feel the helpful category ‘progressive intensity’ exhausts the meaning(s) (subtle as they may be) of recapitulative utilization in God's word?"​
And I responded: Actually, you’re right, Beale shows that “a change even in one word often reveals significantly more in-depth understanding”. So, to answer your question, no, “progressive intensity” does *not *“exhaust the meaning(s) (subtle as they may be) of recapitulative utilization in God’s word” as you may see below in Beale:
​In Rev. 8:5 the climactic end of the cosmos is in mind, since there is allusion to Sinai together with mention of the earthquake. It is true that the “quaking” occurs in v 5 together with “thunders, sounds, and lightnings,” but these are further references to the Sinai phenomena, which contributed there to the shaking of the mountain and serve the same purpose here. And we have seen that the same phrase occurs in 11:19 and 16:18, where it is an obvious reference to the final judgment. In _Apoc. Abr._ 30 ten eschatological woes on the godless are listed, being modeled on the Egyptian plagues. In 30:8 “thunder, voices, and destroying earthquakes” is the last of the plagues. This last plague in Rev. 8:5 is an allusion to the Sinai phenomena as a climax of the plague series, which introduces the final judgment.

Not only are the virtually identical phrases in 4:5; 8:5; 11:19; and 16:18-21 all Sinai allusions, as generally acknowledged, but they are linked together by the theme of final judgment. Furthermore, Bauckham has observed that these phrases form a progressive sequence of allusions to Exodus 19, which are systematically built on one another.​
4:5 “lightning, sounds, and thunders”
8:5 “thunders, sounds, lightnings, and quaking”
11:19 “lightning, sounds, thunders, quaking and great hail”
16:18-21 “lightning, sounds, thunders, and quaking…great…and great hail”​
“The progressive expansion of the formula accords with the increasing severity of each series of judgments, as the visions focus more closely on the End itself and the limited warning judgments of the trumpets gives place to the seven last plagues of God’s wrath on the finally unrepentant” [Richard Bauckham, “The Eschatological Earthquake in the Apocalypse of John” 228, accessible at JSTOR]. Therefore, after the introductory note of 4:5 announcing the expectation of the final judgment, each of the remaining phrases is a formal notation that the end has been narrated, but not exhaustively so. (Beale, op. cit., pp 458, 459)​ 

One can see the detail of exploration Beale goes into in his full commentary. I don't know what the abridged commentary looks like—I haven't seen a copy yet; though it may be great in its distilling of his thought and exposition.


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## Andrew P.C.

William Hendriksen's _More Than Conquerors_ would be of interest (and a great read). Also, Dennis Johnson's _Triumph of The Lamb_ is another one. Both discuss the Recap view in some length.


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## Jerusalem Blade

I agree, Andrew—those are both excellent, and accessible.


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## Jimmy the Greek

I have the abridged version of Beale's Revelation checked out from Church Library. Very readable. But all the footnotes and technical discussion on the Greek and Hebrew are gone.


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## Jerusalem Blade

Thanks, Jim!


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