//In my book about Revelation, I make the offhand statement that “Paul,” in the book of 2 Thessalonians, probably refers to Revelation in his promise of a coming “man of lawlessness” (the Son of Perdition, or the One Doomed To Destruction, or in Revelation, the Beast, or in today’s vernacular, merely the Antichrist). I still feel this way; I subscribe to a relatively early dating of Revelation (around year 80) and a late dating of 2 Thessalonians (about 90 CE, certainly not by the apostle Paul).

But, others argue, didn’t the expectation of an evil leader precede Revelation by decades, even centuries? Yes, this dualism precedes Christianity, and the book of Daniel writes about this fiendish character. There were also other apocalyptic writings contemporary with Revelation. But nothing matches “Paul’s” description quite like Revelation. Note the “breath of his mouth” and the “splendor of his coming”:

Revelation 1:16, In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

And here is the final victory over the enemy and his “counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders”:

Revelation 19:20-21, But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

Just one more bit of evidence that 2 Thessalonians was not written by Paul.

//Two Bible creatures which draw much speculation are the behemoth and the leviathan. Both of these monsters are mentioned in the book of Job, presented as evidence of the greatness of the creation. Some have compared them to dinosaurs, even imagining that the book of Job provides evidence of human and dinosaur coexistence.

The behemoth is a land animal with a tail like a cedar tree and bones as strong as iron. The river rages and it doesn’t disturb him. The leviathan is a monstrous fire-breathing sea creature with terrifying teeth and large scales. These two creatures find a place in both Babylonian and Hebrew storytelling. Some picture the Leviathan as a female, Behemoth as a male, and that they were created on the fifth day of creation as a pair. Some imagine that God will slaughter both beasts as food to provide a banquet in the age to come. Consider this verse from Isaiah 27:1:

In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea. 

//Here, Isaiah (or more precisely, an unknown writer whom scholars call “second Isaiah”) bemoans the fact that God no longer takes an active hand in preserving his people. The Babylonians came and conquered Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple, and took the inhabitants of God’s city as refugees back to Babylon.

Was it not you, God, who pierced the monster? Who dried up the Red Sea, and made a road for your people to cross over? God, did you release us from slavery and bring us into this land only to deliver us into slavery again? Have you fallen asleep, God?

Second Isaiah dreams of the day God will awake and again bring them out of slavery back to their land:

The ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. 

In this great day (the beginning of a new age, he imagined) God would conquer old enemies and establish a new kingdom. Curiously, Second Isaiah brings the “monster” of today’s verse back to life so God can conquer him again:

In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.  

It might be fun to talk more about this sea monster tomorrow.

★★★★

Sheila continues her cute kids’ series with the book of Exodus. Forty or so two-page stories in large print. The first book of the series was reviewed here:  http://www.dubiousdisciple.com/2012/04/book-review-genesis-people.html

Sheila’s writing is engaging, meant as a “middle-school reader for book-lovers of all ages.” I had the feeling that the second book of the series might work best for a parent reading to a child, because it may require a bit of familiarity with Exodus to relate some of the stories to the Bible. If meant for a young reader alone, may I make a suggestion: This series would provide a good gift alongside a new Bible, with instructions for how to read them together. At the beginning of each story, note the reference to the back of the book for the scriptural passage which inspired the story, and read the Bible passage afterward.

I also must confess that the book of Exodus is not as much fun as Genesis, and we drop from five stars to four for book two. But at the end of the book is a section more for adults, providing thought-provoking facts and natural explanations for the way in which God worked his miracles. Real World, Real People, Real God, as the subtitle proclaims.

I look forward to more! And I look forward to grandchildren to share them with, just in case my married children are reading this…

Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

//Paul had to be about the most stubborn fella in the New Testament. One day, Paul had some money that he wanted to take and share with the Christians in Jerusalem, so he set his mind to making the trip. Everybody, even God, knew better. The Holy Spirit sent a prophet from Judea named Agabus, who came up to Paul and, with Paul’s belt, bound him hand and foot, saying, “In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.” Everyone pleaded with Paul not to go. 

I wonder if perhaps Paul hadn’t been reading Zechariah, chapter 14. There, Zechariah predicts that Gentiles will come to Jerusalem to offer their praise and sacrifices to God. Paul intended to help that scripture along, and grew quite determined, announcing “I’m ready to go die in Jerusalem.” As John Henson says in his book, Bad Acts of the Apostles, Paul wanted to “do a Jesus.” As Jesus boldly set his face toward Jerusalem, the place where he would be bound and crucified, so did Paul. 

But it didn’t work. There would be no second Jesus. Paul was indeed arrested, but he couldn’t pull off a Jesus. Instead of remaining silent like a lamb, he started claiming Roman citizenship and presenting his defense. So, they shipped him off to Rome, where he would eventually be put to death.

Now, here comes the kicker. The second century book The Acts of Peter finds Jesus telling Peter he will be sacrificed a second time in the City of Rome! Paul, the second Jesus?

He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.

//We should start our discussion of this topic back in the book of Isaiah. Chapter 63, verses 1-3, read as follows:

Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.” Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? “I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing.”

There we read God’s promise of bloody revenge, verses that were clearly on John’s mind as he wrote Revelation. His robe is stained crimson. But where is Isaiah’s winepress? It’s in this verse:

They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia. –Revelation 14:20

1,600 stadia is 180 miles. Revelation has taken the Isaiac promise and made it even more bloody. But now the topic gets interesting, as we start looking at the Gospel story and Jesus’ victory on the cross. Here comes the crimson robe, which would be immediately saturated with Jesus’ own blood:

They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. –Matthew 27:28

… and here comes the blood flow outside the city.

And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. –Hebrews 13:20

Makes you wonder: have the promises of Isaiah and Revelation already been fulfilled?

★★★★

How on earth do I rate this book? I had no idea what Cort was talking about most of the time, yet I loved the book. It’s insightful and full of little anecdotes from oral tradition, definitely a flavorful way of reading the Bible.

Fascinating book, and while I don’t yet feel very enlightened, I’m certain the book will hit the sweet spot for many.