Sárospataki Füzetek 15. (2011)

2011 / 4. szám - TANULMÁNYOK

Paradise Motifs in the Book of Revelation

earth. The Pishon and the Gihon no longer exist today; scholars think that in the passage of the ages their flow has dried up. However, it is clear from the account of Genesis 2 that these four main rivers of the world, no matter where we would place them geographically, all arise from one and the same source, located upstream of the paradise garden of God.30

The apocryphal book Jesus Sirach adds to these four rivers the Jordan and the Nile, in a symbolic reference to the overwhelming riches of the Torah. The Law is a stream of wisdom, knowledge and instruction. “It [the law] overflows, like the Pishon, with wisdom — like the Tigris in the days of the new fruits. It runs over, like the Euphrates, with understanding, like the Jordan at harvest time. It sparkles like the Nile with knowledge, like the Gihon at vintage time” (Sir. 24:25-27). The addition of the Jordan (in Israel) and the Nile (in Egypt) brings the water supply of paradise very close to its later readers.

What about the precious stones that will adorn the new Jerusalem with their colourful brilliance? These gems are a remarkable touch in John’s visionary portrayal of the city. The city itself — including its streets — is of pure gold (Rev. 21:18, 21). Gates, walls, foundations: everything in the city of God shines with resplendent glory. The beauty and splendour of these precious stones, which already described God’s glorious presence in an earlier vision (Rev. 4:3), stands in shrill contrast to the gaudy glitter which decks the great prostitute of Babylon (Rev. 17:4-5). Isaiah had already prophesied about the restoration of God’s chosen bride, Jerusalem. To her, the LORD himself had said: “O afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will build you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with sapphires. I will make your batdements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones” (Isa. 54:11-12).31

The link between precious stones and paradise rivers is a rather puzzling passage in Ezekiel. In this prophecy, the king of Tyre, who regards himself as a god (Ezek. 28:2), enjoys a life comparable to that of the first humans: “You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared” (Ezek. 28:13). It is striking that of the twelve gemstones attached to the high priest’s breastpiece, nine are listed here (Ex. 28:17-20; 39:10-13);32 gold is mentioned separately. A paradisiac state, portrayed in the well-known palette of colours: the brilliance of gemstones and of gold.33

30 For an attempt to locate the paradise, by means of the four rivers mentioned in Genesis, on a site just north of the Persian Gulf, see: K.A. Kitchen, On the Reliability of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003), 428-430. However, his translation ‘winds through’ (just like the NFV), instead of ‘flows around’ in verse 11 is questionable. The geographical details from Genesis 2 indicate at least that the region where the paradise was lain even after the Flood actually could be located.

31 Both the apocryphal book of Tobit (Tob. 13:17) and the so-called ‘new Jerusalem texts’ from Qumran (2Q24; 4Q554; 4Q555; 5Q15; 11Q18) make mention of the use of precious stones in the walls, streets and squares of the eschatological Jerusalem.

32 Actually, the Septuagint lists all twelve gemstones in Ezek. 28:13.

33 In Ezek. 31:18, Pharaoh is compared to the fair trees of Eden. Cf. Richard Bauckham, The Theology of the Rook of Revelation (Cambridge: University Press, 1993), 133-134.

2011/4 Sárospataki füzetek 21