Unveiling the length and girth of John’s Millennium, Part 1 (length): Comparing Revelation 20 with the Apocalypse of Weeks

The motif of recompense for the extraordinary suffering of Christian martyrs can be traced within Revelation from the pleas of the martyrs before God's throne, to their ambiguous involvement in the Lamb's bloody vengeance, and to their restorative reign with the Lamb during the Millennium.

“We may trace the motif of recompense for the extraordinary suffering of Christian martyrs, within Revelation, from the pleas of the martyrs before God’s throne (Rev 6:9–11; cf. 7:9–10, 13–17), to their ambiguous involvement in the Lamb’s bloody vengeance against the nation’s armies (19:7b–8; cf. 19:14), and to their restorative reign with the Lamb during the Millennium (20:1–7).”

The establishment of righteousness in the eighth and ninth šhabuʿîn in ApocWks delineates a temporal period of 980 years for righteousness to be established in the eschatological future.

“What has not yet been explicitly recognized is that the establishment of righteousness in the eighth and ninth šhabuʿîn delineates a temporal period of 980 years for righteousness to be established in the eschatological future.”

The eschatological sequences in Revelation 19-21 and weeks eight to ten in ApocWks share a common chronological progression of distinctive apocalyptic motifs.

“the overlap of distinctive apocalyptic motifs within a common chronological progression is extensive and striking.”

Legal requirements for fulfillment of fine points of Torah are far from being among John's own concerns in Revelation.

“Yet legal requirements for fulfillment of fine points of Torah are far from being among John’s own concerns in Revelation.”

The resulting 20-jubilee (980-year) interim eschatological period in ApocWks symbolizes legal recompense and restoration for earlier periods of Israelite history.

“that the resulting 20-jubilee (980-year) interim eschatological period symbolizes legal recompense and restoration for earlier periods of Israelite history.”

There are well-known Jewish parallels for the concept of an interim eschatological period.

“In addition, there are well-known Jewish parallels for the concept of such an interim eschatological period.”

The 1,000-year period in Revelation is dependent on the Apocalypse of Weeks.

“I seek to demonstrate that this 1,000-year period is dependent on an earlier Jewish text, the Apocalypse of Weeks”

The ten šhabuʿîn in ApocWks have a literal meaning as a heptadic period (one divisible by seven).

“that the ten šhabuʿîn (conventionally, “weeks”) have a literal meaning as a heptadic period (one divisible by seven)”

Each of the ten periods in ApocWks have equal lengths of 490 years.

“that each of these ten periods have equal lengths of 490 years”

The earliest of these parallels, the Apocalypse of Weeks, also provides the precursor for the 1,000-year length of the Millennium.

“Although unrecognized in earlier scholarship, the earliest of these parallels, the Apocalypse of Weeks (1 En. 93:1–10; 91:11–17), also provides the precursor for the 1,000-year length of the Millennium.”

The function of the interim eschatological period is to compensate martyrs for the injustice of their premature deaths.

“the function of the period is reasonably clear: its role is to compensate martyrs for the injustice of their premature deaths.”

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ApocWks has not hitherto been recognized as the textual precursor for the 1,000-year duration of John's Millennium.

“Yet ApocWks has not hitherto been recognized as the textual precursor for the 1,000-year duration of John’s Millennium.”

The eighth and ninth šhabuʿîn in ApocWks provide the overlooked Jewish precedent for the length of Revelation's millennium of righteousness on earth.

“The eighth and ninth šhabuʿîn in ApocWks therefore provide the overlooked Jewish precedent for the length of Revelation’s millennium of righteousness on earth.”

This result speaks in favor of seeing the repeated use of the same term šhabuʿa as referring to the same unit of time.

“This result speaks in favor of seeing the repeated use of the same term šhabuʿa as referring to the same unit of time”

Daniel treats each of the 70 years in which Jeremiah claimed Judeans were absent from the land as requiring a full sabbatical cycle for restoration: 70 years of 7-year Sabbath cycles, or 490 years.

“Daniel treats each of the 70 years in which Jeremiah claimed Judeans were absent from the land as requiring a full sabbatical cycle for restoration: 70 years of 7-year Sabbath cycles, or 490 years.”

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Daniel's and ApocWks's estimation of 490 years from exile to Maccabean crisis falls within the range of years calculated by broadly contemporary Jewish chronologies.

“Daniel’s and ApokWks’s estimation of 490 years from exile to Maccabean crisis each therefore fall within the range of years calculated by broadly contemporary Jewish chronologies”

Daniel's 490 years equates to ten jubilees of 49 years each.

“Daniel’s 490 years equates to ten jubilees (a sabbath of Sabbaths) of 49 years each.”

Later texts such as Jubilees (23:14-31) and 11QMelchizedek (ii 18) explicitly identify Daniel's period of 70 sevens with the period of 10 jubilees, with reference to Leviticus.

“Later texts that refer to Daniel’s 490-year period, such as Jubilees (23:14–31) and 11QMelchizedek (ii 18) explicitly identify Daniel’s period of 70 sevens with the period of 10 jubilees, with reference to Leviticus.”

Each of the ten šhabuʿîn in ApocWks denotes a fixed period of time with a literal meaning.

“The first step in my argument for such a precedent is to demonstrate that each of the ten šhabuʿîn (conventionally, “weeks”) in ApocWks denotes a fixed period of time with a literal meaning.”

ApocWks introduced this period of ascendant righteousness as an attempt to account for the delay of Daniel's sudden and catastrophic eschaton.

“The Apocalypse of Weeks had introduced this period of ascendant righteousness as an attempt to account for the delay of Daniel’s sudden and catastrophic eschaton”

A Messiah is completely absent from ApocWks.

“A Messiah is completely absent from ApocWks.”

Daniel's derivation of his 490-year period is based on Jeremiah's prophecy that 70 years of exile were required for Jewish restoration.

“Daniel’s derivation of his 490-year period is based on Jeremiah’s prophecy that 70 years of exile were required for Jewish restoration (Jer 25:11; 29:10).”

These close correspondences strongly indicate a common conception of the šhabuʿa as one lasting 490 years.

“These close correspondences strongly indicate a common conception of the šhabuʿa as one lasting 490 years.”

Ancient Jewish authors consistently overestimated periods encompassing the time between the exile and the Maccabean revolt.

“Ancient Jewish authors consistently overestimated periods encompassing the time between the exile and the Maccabean revolt”

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John's version of the interim period is dependent on the Jewish eschatological tradition.

“It is hardly a rejoinder to John’s dependence on this Jewish eschatological tradition to point out differences in its expression”

The chronology of reversal in ApocWks is not inherent in biblical texts, but a schema imposed on those texts by the author of ApocWks.

“Berner is right, however, to correct Koch, by emphasizing that this chronology of reversal is not something inherent in biblical texts, but a schema imposed on those texts by the author of ApocWks.”

The period transpires immediately prior to the future cosmic transformation.

“The period transpires immediately prior to the future cosmic transformation”

The mirroring scheme of sin and its reversal in ApocWks is ultimately based on principles of legal interpretation.

“Another point to add is that, despite its explicit revelatory/mantic framing, the mirroring scheme of sin and its reversal is ultimately based on principles of legal interpretation.”

The derivation of the length of the Millennium is confirmed by the remarkably close parallels between the eschatological sequences in Revelation 19-21 and weeks eight to ten in ApocWks.

“This derivation of the length of the Millennium is confirmed by the remarkably close parallels between the eschatological sequences in Revelation 19–21 and weeks eight to ten in ApocWks.”

The tenfold structure in ApocWks remains an imposition on the Hebrew Bible, not something that, as a whole, can simply be derived from biblical texts.

“Yet the tenfold structure in ApocWks remains an imposition on the Hebrew Bible, not something that, as a whole, can simply be derived from biblical texts.”

The length of the seventh šhabuʿa in ApocWks corresponds to Daniel's calculation of seventy heptadic periods (490 years) in Dan 9:24-27.

“Few would disagree with his demonstration that the length of the seventh šhabuʿa in ApocWks corresponds to Daniel’s calculation of seventy heptadic periods (490 years) in Dan 9:24–27.”

Daniel was engaged in halakha.

“Daniel was, therefore, engaged in halakha.”

A Messiah only arrives during the interim period in 4 Ezra 7 and 2 Baruch.

“a Messiah only arrives during this time in 4 Ezra 7 and 2 Bar. 29–30, 40:1–4, 70–74.”

The length of John's Millennium was already present in ApocWks.

“The length of John’s Millennium was already present in the only earlier surviving Jewish precedent for the interim eschatological period of righteousness, ApocWks.”

The 490-year period is not merely prophetic or figurative, but driven by what Daniel viewed as a literal requirement of Torah for the period of restoration for Israel.

“The 490-year period is not merely prophetic or figurative, but driven by what Daniel viewed as a literal requirement of Torah for the period of restoration for Israel.”

The descriptions of the historical šhabuʿin in ApocWks, when correlated with biblical chronologies, make clear that each is a heptadic period of a higher order, spanning many centuries with total years divisible by seven.

“The descriptions of the historical šhabuʿin in ApocWks, when correlated with the biblical chronologies, make it clear that we are dealing in each case with what Koch termed “a heptadic period of a higher order,” that is, a period spanning many centuries with total years divisible by seven.”

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If the šhabuʿîn consist of periods based on different multiples of seven, ApocWks would be remarkably obscure.

“Yet if the šhabuʿîn consist of periods based on different multiples of seven (as defended in detail, for example, by Roger T. Beckwith), ApocWks would be remarkably obscure—even for the revelatory genre.”

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What is consistently central to the interim eschatological period is not the sudden arrival of a Messiah, but the establishment and ascendance of righteousness on earth.

“When we assess which element is consistently central to the interim eschatological period, what stands out is not the sudden arrival of a Messiah, but the establishment and ascendance of righteousness on earth.”

Daniel's calculation of 70 sevens has been influenced by Leviticus' formulation of the jubilee period as "seven sevens of years" (25:8).

“Daniel’s calculation of 70 sevens has been influenced in turn by Leviticus’ formulation of the jubilee period as “seven sevens of years” (25:8), that is, seven sabbatical years.”

The very high level of similarity between the texts indicates, if not direct influence, that the authors of both ApocWks and Revelation shared knowledge of a common end-times schema that incorporated a millennial period of interim righteousness.

“The very high level of similarity between the texts indicates, if not direct influence, that the authors of both ApocWks and Revelation shared knowledge of a common end-times schema that incorporated a millennial period of interim righteousness.”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: Similarity of eschatological motifs between two texts indicates shared tradition or influence.

Revelation inherits a periodization that was already intimately associated with restoration.

“Revelation thus inherits a periodization that was already intimately associated with restoration.”

The length of the interim period is fixed as 400 years in 4 Ezra 7.

“and is fixed as 400 years in 4 Ezra 7.”

4 Ezra and 2 Baruch make reference to similar interim eschatological periods of righteousness.

“Two other works make reference to similar interim eschatological periods of righteousness, both of them apocalypses composed about the same time as Revelation: 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch.”

Contemporary readers would have accepted that the 490-year period's termination in the Maccabean crisis was chronologically accurate.

“which implies that contemporary readers would have accepted that the 490-year period’s termination in the Maccabean crisis was chronologically accurate.”

ApocWks requires precisely equivalent 490-year periods to reverse the corresponding earlier historical "weeks" of degeneration.

“ApocWks requires precisely equivalent 490-year periods to reverse the corresponding earlier historical “weeks” of degeneration.”

Across the four texts, a group of righteous humans is established on earth (not in heaven nor in a transformed cosmos).

“Across all of these texts, a group of righteous humans is established on earth (not in heaven nor in a transformed cosmos).”

The 1,000-year length of the Millennium was, at least by the second or early first-century BCE (when ApocWks was composed), based ultimately on legal principles of recompense and restoration.

“The 1,000-year length of the Millennium was, at least by the second or early first-century BCE (when ApocWks was composed), based ultimately on legal principles of recompense and restoration.”

Daniel reinterprets Jeremiah's 70 years as 70 sevens of years of atonement, necessary to reverse the former period of wickedness in Israel and Judah.

“Yet Daniel reinterprets Jeremiah’s 70 years as the much longer period of 70 sevens (šhebuʿîm) of years of atonement, which he views as necessary to reverse the former period of wickedness in Israel and Judah.”

The overlap of distinctive apocalyptic motifs indicates John's knowledge of the complex of traditions present in the earlier apocalypse.

“It indicates John’s knowledge of the complex of traditions present in the earlier apocalypse.”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: Similarity of eschatological motifs between two texts indicates shared tradition or influence.

The primary benefit of the genealogical comparison of the Millennium explored here is that it provides a diachronic depth to its interpretation as a period of eschatological compensation and restoration for righteous martyrs.

“The primary benefit of the genealogical comparison of the Millennium explored here is that it provides a diachronic depth to its interpretation as a period of eschatological compensation and restoration for righteous martyrs.”

Comparative analysis further demonstrates that the length of the Millennium is derived from a tradition of legal-apocalyptic periodization evident in ApocWks.

“Comparative analysis further demonstrates that the length of the Millennium is derived from a tradition of legal-apocalyptic periodization evident in ApocWks.”

Given the considerable commonalities Revelation shares with ApocWks, the Millennium and its 1,000-year length were most plausibly directly derived from ApocWks.

“The other major finding of this study is that, given the considerable commonalities Revelation shares with ApocWks, the Millennium and its 1,000-year length were most plausibly directly derived from ApocWks.”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: Similarity of eschatological motifs between two texts indicates shared tradition or influence.