1 Lani Chung The Ethics of the Apocalypse Nora Lambrecht Writing Assignment 1.

2 September 10, 2013 Writing Assignment 1.2 Revelation is the last book of the Bibles New Testament narrated by John and is a descriptive account of the apocalyptic vision he is given by God. After John sends Jesus warnings of the apocalypse to the seven churches of Asia, he is invited by a voice from Heaven to see what is set to happen at the end of days. Once in the throne room of Heaven, a creature called the Lamb agrees to open the seven seals of a scroll, causing devastation for the inhabitants of earth. Angels then sound seven trumpets that unleash deadly plagues, thus helping to make a way for the kingdom of God by destroying those who destroy the earth. (Rev. 11.18). Later in Johns vision, a beast rises out of the sea and receives the worship and following of the whole earth, while a second beast rises to encourage allegiance to the first through the performance of miraculous signs. In response, angels receive a command to release the seven bowls of Gods wrath, causing further cataclysm on earth after which a voice from the throne exclaims, It is done! (Rev. 16.17). John hears heaven rejoicing in what hais been done, and sees a celebration for the marriage of the Lamb (Rev. 19.7), which illuminated the union between God and Jesus. Soon after, heaven opens to reveal a rider on a white horse who is backed by an army. Satan and his beasts, along with their army, wage war against the riders heavenly brigade and the battle is concludesd with the forces of Satan being thrown into a lake of fire. In closing, an angel tells John to provide a testimony on what he sees for all to hear, as Jesus assures him that he is coming soon to repay according to everyones work. (Rev. 22.12). The book of Revelation is one full of extreme carnage as God extends his wrath upon the earth in an attempt to cleanse the world of sin. It features one method of eradication after
Comment [NL2]: Nice quote selection. Comment [NL1]: Your sentence structure here suggests that Revelation is the last book John narrates, which, while true, probably isnt what youre actuall y trying to say. Formatted: Left

2 another, to a point where the destruction borders on the excessive. This devastation begs raises the question of why it may be necessary for God to eradicate the unsaved in such a theatrical and superfluous manner instead of delivering a quick and simple end to all of humanity. Many might view the punishments imparted by God to be incredibly cruel and inessential, but there is also room for interpretations in the opposing light. It would be unfair to rule out the possibility that there might be special motives behind Gods wrath against the unsaved fraction of humanity. According to the text, God says Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life whoever conquers will not be harmed by the second death. (Rev. 2.10-11) The promise that God makes in the aforementioned verses helps to define the concept of salvation as a privilege that must be earned, as opposed to a right that is freely dispersed to the masses. In a sense, the inflicted devastation serves as a means of testing mankind in order to determine those who are worthy enough to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God (Rev. 2.7), and receive the gift of eternal life. By analyzing Revelation for the meaning behind Gods actions against humanity instead of antagonizing him for the things that he is set to do, a greater understanding of God as well as his purposes and motives can be attained. Therefore, it is of great importance that the text is read neutrally, and is thoroughly searched for patterns of significance that can point to Gods hidden intentions behind the apocalypse and decimation of mankind. Lani This is a solid beginning, which also includes a few components (thesis and motive) which arent strictly necessary yet butassuming you have the evidence to thoroughly search[] for patterns of significance that highlights hidden intentions in Revelations most inscrutable characterpoint the way to an interesting first essay. Just be sure that you allow your interpretation of the evidence to lead you to the most compelling argument, even if that argument
Comment [NL9]: Motive Comment [NL8]: Thesis Comment [NL6]: Unfair to whom? To God? Comment [NL7]: Think about removing this sentence. Comment [NL3]: Problem Comment [NL4]: Begging the question is technically a form of logical fallacy that refers to circular reasoning. Comment [NL5]: Question

3 doesnt align perfectly with the thesis youve already written. Let me know if you have any questions while you revise and draft. Nora