The Book of Revelation as a Christian War Scroll

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to investigate the use of holy war imagery in Revelation with reference to participation in God's eschatological victory over evil. Detailed exegesis of Revelation 5:5-6; 7:2-14; 14:1-5 demonstrates John's use of Jewish traditions about the eschatological holy war, of the kind for which the Qumran War Scroll provides evidence, and shows how he reinterprets them, substituting faithful witness to the point of martyrdom for armed violence as the means of victory. Because the Lamb has won the decisive victory over evil by this means, his followers can participate in his victory only by following his path of suffering witness. Thus, Revelation repudiates apocalyptic militarism, but promotes the active participations of Christians in the divine conflict with evil. In this sense, Revelation fulfills the function of a Christian War Scroll.

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