The Revelation of Jesus Christ, A Greek Drama




Act 2

Ch Vs King James Version*




Episode or Act Two 4:1-6:17, 8:1-4 The Throne of God
Prologue (John looking to chorus area and throne) 4 1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.


2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.


3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.


4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.


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.


6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.


7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.


8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.


9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,


10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
Chorus
11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
John looking to Throne 5 1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.


2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?


3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.


4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.


5a And one of the elders saith unto me
Chorus
5b Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
John looking to Throne
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.


7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.


8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.


9a And they sung a new song, saying,
Chorus
9b Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;


10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
John looking to Throne
11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;


12a Saying with a loud voice,
Chorus
12b Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
John looking to Throne
13a And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying,
Chorus
13b Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
John looking to Throne
14 And the four beasts said,
Chorus

Amen
John looking to Throne

And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.




Skene / Scene 1 A White Horse Sin Infests His Creation (7 seals are as a window to what is happening on earth)
John looking to Window scenes 6 1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.


2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.




Skene / Scene 2 A Red Horse




3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.


4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.




Skene / Scene 3 A Black Horse




5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.


6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.




Skene / Scene 4 A Pale Horse




7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.


8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.




Skene / Scene 5 Martyrs




9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:


10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?


11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.




Skene / Scene 6 All of Creation is in Disarray




12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;


13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.


14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.


15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;


16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Chorus
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?




Epirrhema (Afterword) 7:1-17, Interlude


John looking to Throne 7 1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.


2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,


3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.


4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.


5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.


6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.


7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.


8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.


9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;


10a And cried with a loud voice, saying,
Chorus
10b Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Agon 1 (John)
11-12a And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying,
Chorus
12b Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
Agon 1 (John)
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me,
Chorus

What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
Agon 1 (John)
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me,
Chorus

These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.


15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.


16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.


17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.




Scene 7 All in Heaven are Dumbstruck

John looking to Window scenes 8 1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.


2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.


3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.


4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.









*King James Version is chosen because it's text is in the public domain. Use your own prefered translation.
The Greek Drama Outline is adapted from various sources including: "Revelation As Drama" by James L Blevins (1982), "Remarks upon the Dramatic Arrangement of The Apocalype or Book of Revelation" by John Russell Hurdy (1857), and "The Drama of the Book of Revelation" by J. W. Bowman (1955), and other general commentaries.


Rev. Gary Helm
Gary Helm is a retired baptist minister, having served in baptist churches and organizations from 1978-2013.
Gary is a graduate of Missouri Baptist University and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and studied at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and University of Virginia.