Revelation 5 and 19 as Literary Reciprocals

Abstract

"With the seven brief hymnic statements of Rev 18 constituting a discrete literary unit, how do the hymns which follow in Rev 19 relate to them and to the book of Revelation as a whole? Rev 19 begins with a hymn in praise of God for his just judgments, especially upon the symbolic woman discussed in the two preceding chapters. This hymn (in vss. 1-3) is cried out with a mighty voice by a great multitude in heaven. Next (in vs. 4), the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders bow down and worship God with their exclamation, "Amen! Hallelujah!" Thirdly, there comes a voice from the throne which exhorts all of God's servants to praise Him (vs. 5). And finally, the great multitude is heard again rejoicing because the Lord God Almighty reigns and the "Marriage of the Lamb" has come (vss. 6-8). At that point, the passage shifts to another topic: namely, instructions to the prophet to write down what he has seen and heard (vss. 9-10)"