| Although tribulation is occasionally a punishment for errorists (Rev 2:22), it usually applies to believers (Rev 1:9; 2:9–10; 7:14; John 16:21, 33 ). Perseverance (Rev 2:3,19; 3:10; 13:10; 14:12) and endurance (Rev 2:3, 25), are at least implied for both. In Revelation believers are overcomes (2:7,11,17,26; 3:5,12,21; 12:11; 17:14; 21:7; cf. 11:7; 13:7; cf. «make war» in 2:16; 11:7; 12:11, 17; 17:14; 19:11, 19; 20:8); in 1 John, believers are overcomers (5:4–5) through a decided event (2:14; 4:4), the finished work of Christ (also John 16:33 ). Both documents have «descent» language (Rev 3:12; John passim) and are permeated by an overriding vertical dualism. Opened heavens signify revelation (Rev 4:1; 11:19; 19:11; cf. 3:20; 5:2–3; 15:5; 20:12; John 1:51 ). Jesus wipes away tears (Rev 7:17; 21:4; 1107 cf. John 20:15–16 ); his followers «go out» (Rev 3:12; John 10:9 ); the righteous eat eschatological food (Rev 2:7, 17; 3:20, 19; cf. John 2, 6, 21 ). The true rest (Rev 14vs. 14:11) of the eschatological Sabbath (Rev 20:2–6; 1108 cf. 1:10; 1109 John 5 ), the eschatological hour (Rev 3:3,10; 14:7, 15; 17:12; 18:10,17, 19; ; vs. Jesus» hour in John, e.g., 2:4), 1110 and the eschatological inversion of the true and false (Rev 2:9, 3:17–18; John 9:39, 41 ) are developed in different directions but found in both. The wilderness motif of the new exodus is also common to both works and seems to cover the entire period between Jesus» first and second comings (Rev 12:5–6; John 1:23; 3:14; 6:31 ; cf. 11:54). Glasson notes the wilderness parallels, and lists the tabernacle, water and light, manna (Rev 2:17; John 6:31–33 ), and palms (Rev 7:9; John 12:13 ); but he also observes that these motifs are present in John but future in Revelation. 1111 While the wilderness itself certainly refers to the present rather than the future age in Revelation (12:6,14), and his contrast between John " s past antichrist (17:12) and Revelation " s future one (Rev 13) is questionable, 1112 Glasson is not mistaken about the different orientation; as he points out, Zech 12applies to the cross in John 19:37 , but to the second coming in Rev 1:7. 1113 The two books are relatively consistent in their different orientations, despite the presence of some future es-chatology in John; but as we have argued above, these differences of orientation need not be (though could be) a decisive argument for separate authors. |
