A Biblical Vision, Part II: Mastering the New Testament Witness to Christ

Ses s i on 7: The Reve l at i on of John: The Consummat i on of Al l Th i ngs i n Chr i s t 213

b. The color white

(1) Christ and the saints of God (cf. 1.14; 3.18; 4.4; 7.9; 19.8)

(2) The armies of heaven (cf. 19.14)

(3) God’s throne of judgment (cf. 20.11)

c. Red, by contrast, with the dragon (12.30, the whore and the beast 17.3-4)

5. Overriding conflict and spiritual struggle . Many powerful contrasting images are presented as the underlying structure of this work.

a. The conflict between good and evil (dualistic worldview)

b. The character conflicts between God and Christ against Satan (the dragon)

c. The saints are in conflict with the followers of the Beast, with the sealing of the saints to be contrasted with the mark of the Beast on his followers.

d. Israel and the virginal bride of Christ are in conflict with the “whore of Babylon.”

e. The Regnant (Kingly) Lamb against the dragon

f. The holy Trinity against the demonic parody of the satanic triad: the dragon, the beast from the sea, and the beast from the earth