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| REVELATION |
| Explanatory Footnotes - page 2 |
| figure. Therefore, 144,000 may stand for the entire church throughout history. 9:20 Judgments for a Purpose Revelation records a number of severe judgments, in chapters 6, 9, and 16. It carefully mentions the purpose of these judgments: to convince humankind that its rebellion is futile and encourage it to repent. In this way, the judgments are similar to the 10 plagues against Egypt. Like the 10 plagues, these judgments do not ultimately work. The failure of people to repent makes necessary the final judgment against the source of all evil. 11:1 Echoes from the Old Testament A full understanding of Revelation requires detailed study of such Old Testament prophets as Ezekiel and Daniel. John frequently borrows images from those books. For example, the passage here on the temple of God parallels Ezekiel 40. Similarly, many passages referring to kings and political empires are reminiscent of Daniel's visions. 13:5 Forty-Two Months of Trials This mysterious number has prompted much speculation. Literally it means "a time and times and half a time" (see 12:4), that is, one year plus two years plus half a year, or three and a half years. It occurs several places in Revelation. Could it simply be half the perfect number 7, thus representing the age of the New Covenant (the time between the first and second coming of Christ)? Or does it refer to literal months: a brief but intense three-and-one-half year period of great persecution against the church? If so, did these 42 months already take place during the Roman persecutions of Christians? Or are they still in the future? Those who believe the 42 months are in the future frequently speak of the period as "the great tribulation" |