“Ancient perceptions of motions in heaven resulting in the sevenfold calculations of the Hebrew calendar, with a ritual emphasis on the spring and autumn equinoxes, the Alpha and Omega of yearly time. The Pleiades themselves are associated with the annual calendar. Jesus holds the Pleiades of the churches in His hand that is, He holds the clock that will tell the hour of His coming. I suppose we might speculate on the tone of the letters: Ephesus is a “dusk” letter of sorts, and both Sardis and Pergamum are going their their dark night day dawns (perhaps?) with Thyatira, but the last churches are facing the heat of persecution, and may wilt.
As the messages go round from church to church, they tick off the hours of the day of the Lord. The circuit of seven churches thus forms a giant clock, following the sun through the sky. This circular trajectory is modelled after the circuitry of the sun moving from the west at dusk to the north at night, the east at dawn, and the south at noon” (180). He recognizes, for instance, the physical parallel between the seven stars and the seven churches: “Little imagination is needed to see in these symbolism the legacy of a seven-planetary system set in motion by the sun passing through the Pleiades at spring.”Ĭhevalier suggests that the order of the churches follows an astronomical pattern: “The connection between the church-stars and the wheels of lunisolar time is indirectly confirmed by the orderly, clockwise presentation of the seven churches of the New Israel, from the west coast (Ephesus) to northern lands (Smyrna, Pergamum), and then to the east (Thyatira) and the south (Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea) of Asia Minor. Chevalier pulls out all (OK, many of) the stops in his Postmodern Revelation: Signs of Astrology and the Apocalypse. Malina’s social science commentary on Revelation has only two passing references to the constellation.įortunately, Jacques M. He acknowledges that the seven stars might allude to the Pleiades, but notes only that “It was a basic sky sign for planting, hence for fertility and human survival.” Malina’s analysis begins in earnest with the throne-scene of Revelation 4 he doesn’t recognize that the star journey has actually begin as soon as John sees Jesus holding stars in His hand. That’s not bad, but it’s not a lot.īruce Malina’s fascinating study of Revelation’s Star Visions and Sky Journeys is thinner. David Chilton of course notes that the seven stars are the Pleiades, but after summing up some of the astronomical biblical information about the constellation (used in Job 9:5-9 38:31-33 Amos 5:8), he notes: “The sun with with Taurus in Spring (Easter), and the Pleiades are thus a fitting symbol in connection with the coming of Christ: He holds the stars that announce the rebirth and flowering of the world” ( Days of Vengeance, 75). Might we push a bit further to suggest that the seven stars are also seven Spirit-eyes of the Lamb, and hence, like the Spirit, doves? When one looks for help from the commentators, one doesn’t find much. John, we know, thinks of the churches as “sisters” (2 John 13 see my discussion in From Behind the Veil). In mythology, the Pleiades are the seven daughters of Atlas, sisters changed first into pigeons ( peleiades) and then to stars to escape some pursuer or other, probably a god. You can do what I did: Google to find an ancient depiction of the Pleiades then Google to find a map of the seven churches note the resemblance. For ancient readers and hearers, “seven stars” would evoke a number of associations – the seven planets, the seven stars of Ursa Major, and the seven stars that make up the Pleiades.
They are the angels of the seven churches (Revelation 1:20). The 7 Spirits of God are the perfect completeness of the Holy Spirit.Jesus holds seven stars. Which are these 7 spirits of God? The 7 Spirits of God Rev 5:6: And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth Rev 4:5: And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God Rev 3:1: And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write These things says He that has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars Rev 1:4: John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne
0 kommentar(er)
