Rob Dalrymple, PhD Does the 'Place Prepared by God' illuminate our understanding of 'I am going to...

Rob Dalrymple, PhD Does the ‘Place Prepared by God’ illuminate our understanding of ‘I am going to Prepare a Place for you’?

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Rob Dalrymple


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Jesus’ “Going to Prepare a Place” (John 14:2-3) in Light of the Place Prepared by

God (Rev 14.6)

Rev 12:6 kai. h gunh. e;fugen eivj th.n e;rhmon(

o[pou e;cei evkei/ to,pon h`toimasme,non avpo. tou/ qeou/( i[na evkei/ tre,fwsin auvth.n h`me,raj cili,aj diakosi,aj exh,konta

John 14:2-3 evn th/| oivki,a| tou/ patro,j mou monai. pollai, eivsin\

eiv de. mh,( ei=pon a'n umi/n o[ti poreu,omai etoima,sai to,pon umi/nÈ

kai. eva.n poreuqw/ kai. e`toima,sw to,pon umi/n( pa,lin e;rcomai kai. paralh,myomai uma/j pro.j evmauto,n(

i[na o[pou eivmi. evgw. kai. u`mei/j h=teÅ

“I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again. And

I will receive you to myself in order that where I am you also may be” (John 14:2b-3).1 With

these words, Jesus makes a promise the significance of which scholars still debate. Was Jesus

promising His disciples that He will come again in a distant future “Second Coming” (14:2-3)?,

or was He referring to an imminent return; perhaps even the coming of Spirit?

This paper will contend that Johannine scholars have not adequately taken into account the

parallel passage of Rev 12:6, in which the woman flees into the wilderness where she had “a

place prepared (‘to,pon h`toimasme,non’) by God” (Rev 12:6).2 We will endeavor to examine the

account of the woman and her flight into the wilderness in conjunction with “I go to prepare a

place (‘e`toima,sai to,pon’) for you” of John 14:2-3. It will be argued that when Jesus’ words are

read from a salvation-historical perspective, as in Rev 12:6, there are significant reasons to

suggest that these passages may well be read in light of one another and that the meaning of

Jesus’ words in John 14 may be illumined by Rev 12:6 and its larger narrative framework.3 In

particular, this paper will contend that when one reads John 14:2-3 in light of the account of the

woman and the dragon of Rev 12, the meaning of Jesus’ promise of Jesus to His disciples that

1 Author’s translation. 2 Interestingly, scholars of the Gospel of John, in their efforts to determine the eschatology of the Fourth Gospel and

the meaning of John 14:2-3 and its effect upon John’s eschatology, have neglected the account of the woman and

her being ‘prepared a place’ in the wilderness of Revelation 12:6 in their exegesis of John 14. On the other hand,

several scholars of Revelation have made allusions to the possible parallels between the two accounts. Beale, 649.

Keener makes a passing reference in a footnote in which he says (referencing Beale’s interpretation), “the parallel in

John, however, may support his case” (Revelation, 318, n 29). 3 Let it be noted at the outset that this paper will not be able to accomplish everything in regards to the interpretation

of John 14:2-3. Instead, we wish to simply provide some insights into the possible meaning of John 14:2-3 from our

understanding of the account of the Woman in Rev 12, which appear to have been overlooked.


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He will “prepare a place” for them more reasonably refers not to their ultimate dwelling in

heavenly glory, but to their life and ministry on earth in the days subsequent to His death and

resurrection.4

Revelation 12:6 A Place Prepared by God A. Role of the narrative of Rev 12

In looking at the promise that God will “prepare a place” for the woman in Rev 12:6, it is

important to note the role of the narrative of the Woman and the Dragon (Rev 12) in the setting

of the Apocalypse as a whole.5 Though many find an abrupt change of topic beginning in Rev

12:1,6 this may be overstated. For, the fresh start in 12:1 may be necessitated by the fact that the

narrative of the war between the woman and the serpent chronologically precedes anything in the

book. If so, then 12:1 does not necessarily represent a line of demarcation separating chapter 11

from chapter 12. In fact, a good case can be made that one of the main functions of chapters 12-

147 is to elaborate on what was promised in the two intercalations (7:1-17; 10:1-11:13; i.e., the

people of God and their conflict with the forces opposed to God) in general and the intercalation

of the Two Witnesses in particular.

The relationship of Rev 12-14 with the intercalations is indicated by the repetition of prominent

themes. These include references to the 144,000 (7:1-8; 14:1-5); three and one-half years of

suffering and witness (11:2, 3; 12:6, 14); and the “war”, which the beast wages against the

people of God (11:7; 13:7; see also 12:17). In addition to these Richard Bauckham has contended

that chapter 11 is related to chapters 12-14 by means of a double intercalation: namely, 7

trumpets (8:6-9:21); interlude (10:1-11:14); 7 trumpets (11:15-19); yet, 10:1-11:14 serves to

introduce ch 12-14 (since they refer to the same time period); therefore the second intercalation

is 10:1-11:14; then 11:15-19; then 12-14.8

Furthermore, I have argued elsewhere that the narrative of the Woman and the Dragon in Rev 12,

which continues into the depictions of the beasts in Rev 13, and the reappearance of the 144,000

in 14:1-5, relates directly to the account of the Two Witnesses in Rev 11:1-13.9 Most notably, the

account of the Woman and the Dragon serves to expand on the “war” with the beast mentioned

first in Rev 11:7. The narrative of Rev 12, in fact, serves to delineate precisely the source of this

war; namely, the efforts of the dragon/devil against the people of God. This climaxes in Rev

13:7, which states that “kai. evdo,qh auvtw/| poih/sai po,lemon meta. tw/n a`gi,wn” (it was given to him

to make war with the saints).

4 It is well beyond this work to contend as to whether or not the receiving of the Spirit in 20:22 was intended by

John to be viewed as the fulfillment of this promise. See Gary Burge, The Anointed Community (Grand Rapids:

Eerdmans, 1987). 5 See: my Revelation and the Two Witnesses (Eugene, Or: Wipf and Stock, 2011) for a detailed defense of the role of

Rev 12 in the Apocalypse. 6 Formula (‘Kai. shmei/on me,ga w;fqh evn tw/| ouvranw/|’) in 12:1, 3 is unlike any other. 7 I am not overly concerned with delineating the backend of this section. 8 Richard Bauckham, The Climax of Prophecy (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1999) 1-38. 9 For a defense of the connection between Rev 11:1-2 and Rev 11:3-14 see My Revelation and the Two Witnesses

40-44.


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In light of these factors, one may well conclude that Rev 12-14 serve in part to expand on certain

details presented in the account of the Two Witnesses (10:1-11:13). The key focus of which is

that the narrative of the Two Witnesses (11:1-13) portrays the church’s role as witnesses with

only a hint of the tremendous opposition that will confront it (11:7); while chapters 12-13 detail

this opposition. Thus, Rev 12-14 add a fuller exposition of the conflict, or “war”, of Rev 11:7,

between the beast and the witnessing efforts of the people of God.

Furthermore, in addition to delineating the details of the “war” one may also suggest that the

larger scope of this section includes an encouraging or consolatory element—though admittedly

less evidently in Rev 12 than other parts of the Apocalypse. That is, in the midst of describing

the “war” waged by the beast against the people of God,10 the narrative includes an element of

exhortation, encouragement, and comfort that may well have served to encourage the people to

persevere; or shall we say, “overcome”!

The presence of this element is found in the narrative of Rev 12 in the fact that the Woman has a

“place prepared by God” (12:6). This likely serves to encourage the readers with an

understanding that God is sovereignly protecting them. This likely serves the same function as

the notion of measuring with regard to the Two Witnesses. Both stress the continuing presence of

God and His provision for them.

B. A Broad Look at the Narrative of the Woman and the Dragon (Rev 12)

The narrative of Rev 12 begins with the dragon standing before a woman who is about to give

birth. The dragon is said to be awaiting the birth of her child, ‘i[na o[tan te,kh| to. te,knon auvth/j katafa,gh’ (in order that when she gave birth he might devour her child; Rev 12:4). The narrative

then abruptly notes that the child ascends. The dragon then turns his sights towards the woman:

‘evdi,wxen th.n gunai/ka h[tij e;teken to.n a;rsena’ (He pursued the woman who gave birth to the

male child; Rev 12:13). The dragon’s pursuing of the woman intensifies at the close of chapter

12: ‘kai. wvrgi,sqh o` dra,kwn evpi. th/| gunaiki. kai. avph/lqen poih/sai po,lemon meta. tw/n loipw/n tou/ spe,rmatoj auvth/j tw/n throu,ntwn ta.j evntola.j tou/ qeou/ kai. evco,ntwn th.n marturi,an VIhsou/’ (And the dragon was enraged with the woman and went to make war with the rest of her

offspring: those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus’ (Rev

12:17). John, thus, by means of the narrative of the woman and the dragon (Rev 12), informs the

people of God that this war, noted briefly in 11:7, is not only master-minded by the dragon, but

that it is the same war in which the dragon has always fought against the people of God.11

10 That the “war” is waged against the people of God in general will be defended below. 11 There is evidence in Daniel that the beasts are indeed controlled by demonic forces. It is likely that both John’s

readers and those within ST Judaism in general would have understood in part that the ‘beasts’ of Rev 13:1-8 and

13:11-18 correspond to the “little horn” of Daniel (7:21), which wages war with “the Saints of the highest one” (Dan

7:18, 21, 25, 27). NT Wright observes, This fits well into understanding Jesus’ activities in the Gospels. Based in

part on Daniel, ST Judaism concluded that the nations of the world stood opposed to the Kingdom of God. Hence,

by the beginning of the first century, the wide-scale expectation of ST Judaism insisted that the Messiah would be a

political revolutionary that would overthrow the one force that stood in the way of the Messianic kingdom of peace:

namely, Rome. Jesus, however, almost refuses to see Rome as the enemy. Instead, the devil is understood as the

source of opposition to the Kingdom of God. Thus, Jesus concludes that as a result of His work Satan has fallen

‘from heaven’, and now Jesus’ followers have ‘authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions’, which are

themselves cast as ‘the power of the enemy’ (Luke 10:18-19).


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Therefore, the narrative of chapter 12 serves in part as an elaboration on the “war” in two main

aspects. First, we find that the “war” is none other than that which the devil has waged against

the people of God throughout history. Secondly, we find that it is the dragon who empowers the

beast12 to be the means by which he wages war against the people of God. Thus, whatever the

purpose for the woman having a ‘place prepared by God’ in the wilderness, we note at this point

that it is encased contextually by this war in which she is engaged with the devil.

C. Identifying the Woman

That the woman is to be identified as the corporate representation of the covenant community

(the people of God) becomes evident as one works through the narrative. First of all, she is the

object of the “war”, which de facto assumes a collective/corporate identity.13 This finds further

justification from the fact that since the “war” in both 11:7 and 13:7 is against a collective, it

stands to reason that the war of 12:17 is likewise waged against more than just an individual

woman.14

Secondly, the various imagery used in connection with the woman corresponds with their use in

the OT where they consistently represents the people of God collectively. This is evident first by

means of the imagery of an eagle carrying the people of God. in Rev 12:14 John notes, “kai. evdo,qhsan th/| gunaiki. ai du,o pte,rugej tou/ avetou/ tou/ mega,lou(” (and the two wings of the great

eagle were given to the woman). The imagery of God Himself as the eagle who protects his

people is prevalent in the OT.15 For example, in the Exodus account, God Himself is said to be

the one who “bore you on eagles’ wings” (e.g., Exod 19:4; Deut 32:10-12). Isaiah likewise

depicts the return of the Israelites from exile as taking place by means of their mounting up with

“wings like eagles” (Isa 40:31).

Furthermore, the imagery of “gunh. peribeblhme,nh to.n h[lion( kai. h` selh,nh upoka,tw tw/n podw/n auvth/j kai. evpi. th/j kefalh/j auvth/j ste,fanoj avste,rwn dw,deka” (a woman clothed with the sun,

and a moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars; 12:1) derives from the

account of Joseph’s dream in Gen 37:9-10. In Gen 37, Jacob, his wife, and Joseph’s brothers are

describes as the “sun and the moon and eleven stars”. The addition of a twelfth star in Rev 12:1,

is likely John’s intent to include Joseph himself.16 Thus, there was perhaps no better imagery

available for John to represent the entirety of the people of God, than a “woman clothed with the

sun”.

12 Of course the narrative of Rev 13 informs us that the Dragon empowers the beasts (plural). 13 One can hardly wage war against an individual. 14 That one could make a good case that the ‘Two Witnesses’ (11:1-13) and the ‘saints’ (13:7) represent the entirety

of the people of God, the Woman too likely does as well. This is further justified in light of the theme of the “war”,

which is waged against all three. See: my Revelation and the Two Witnesses. 15 Cf: Ps 17:8; 36:7-8; 63:1-2, 7; 91:4, 11-13. 16 This accords with Philo who adds that Joseph was the 12th star. This is further supported by Jewish traditions,

which relate that the stars represent the indestructible nature of Israel (See G. K. Beale, The Book of Revelation

[NIGTC; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999] 625. Still other Jewish literature suggests that the sun represents

Abraham, the moon is Isaac, and the stars are Jacob and the seed of the patriarchs.


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Thirdly, the imagery of the woman wearing a crown suggests that she is to be understood as the

entirety of the people of God, since throughout Revelation crowns have signified the reward of

the faithful for persevering to the end (2:10; 3:11; 4:4, 10; 14:14).17

Finally, that she is a ‘gunh.’ (woman; 12:1) also accords with the premise that she represents the

totality of the people of God, since the people of God are depicted as a woman throughout the

Apocalypse. In Rev 21 the people of God are ‘th.n nu,mfhn’ (the bride: 21:2, 9; 22:17—in 21:9

she is called ‘th.n nu,mfhn th.n gunai/ka tou/ avrni,ou’; the bride, the wife of the lamb).

Furthermore, in 19:7, the people of God are referred to as simply ‘h` gunh.’ (the wife/woman). In

light of the fact that the corporate identity of the ‘woman’ in chapters 19-21 is beyond dispute, it

stands to reason that the woman in Rev 12 also represents the entirety of the people of God.

D. The Wilderness in Scripture

In the OT

Next we note that the woman is taken to the “wilderness” where she had “to,pon h`toimasme,non avpo. tou/ qeou/” (a place prepared by God’; Rev 12:6). The difficulty in determining the

significance of the use of “wilderness” in this account is due in part by the fact that the use of

wilderness imagery is both prominent and multi-faceted in Scripture.

Among its many uses, the wilderness connotes a place of spiritual safety and security and a place

of refuge in times of trouble.18 It was in the wilderness that God sovereignly cared for His

people. Thus, Moses fled from Egypt and found refuge in the wilderness (Exod 2:15). In the

same way, Elijah retreated into the wilderness for safety (1 Kings 17; 19:3-8). It was in the

wilderness that God was with His people (Deut 2:7).

Along these lines, and perhaps, more significantly, the wilderness was where God provided for

and nourished His people (cf Exod 16:4-35; 1 Kings 17:2-6; 19:3-8; Hos 2:14). Thus, it was a

place where the people lacked nothing (Deut 8:3). And it was there that God cared for them

(Deut 32:10). Nehemiah affirms that the wilderness was where God was with them, guiding

them, lighting their way, and providing for them (Neh 9:19, 21). The prophets pick up on this

theme as well. For, Jeremiah notes that the people “found grace in the wilderness” (Jer 31:2).

And Ezekiel refers to it as a place of security (Ezek 34:25).19

17 The only exception to this use of stephanos is in 6:2 where it the rider on the white horse ‘evdo,qh auvtw/| ste,fanoj’ (a crown was given to him). This may be accounted for on the basis of the use of imitation in

Revelation. 18 Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998) 234; G. B. Caird, The Revelation of

Saint John (BNTC; Peabody, MA.: Hendrickson, 1999) 151. 19 The theme of the wilderness further develops along these lines in various apocalyptic writings. In the Ascension of

Isaiah the “wilderness” is rooted in an eschatological Exodus (4:2-14) (cf Bauckham, Climax, 425-26). We see even

in the canonical book of Isaiah the notion of an eschatological Exodus from the wilderness to the promised land (Isa

35; 40:3; 43:19, 20; 51:3). Aune notes that the “Flight of Mattathias and his sons into the desert is a[n] historical

application of these themes (1 Macc 2:28-29; 2 Macc 5:27; Pss. Sol. 17:16-17)” David E. Aune Revelation 6-16

(WBC 52b; Nashville, TN.: Thomas Nelson, 1998) 2.691.


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Finally, in addition to the features of the wilderness as a place of spiritual safety and security, a

place of refuge in times of trouble, as well as a place of God’s provision, we find that the

wilderness also functioned also a place of trial and temptation.20 Life in the wilderness was

arduous (Cp Deut 8:14-16). And it was in the wilderness that the Israelites failed (Exod 17:7; Ps

95:8-11; cf Heb 3:8-11).

In the NT

The NT builds on these themes related to the wilderness by incorporating eschatological

expectations. Thus, John the Baptist announced the initial fulfillment of the eschatological hopes

of “The Lord” coming from the wilderness (Mark 1:2-3; John 1:23; cf Isa 40:3). The NT, then,

not only accords with the OT use of wilderness themes, but adds an eschatological significance.

Consequently, the NT people of God are like the people of God under Moses who dwelt in the

wilderness in that they also who presently dwell in the wilderness (Heb 3:7-4:7; cp Rom 5-8; see

also: 1 Cor 10:1-13; Acts 7:39-43; cf Rev 17:3f; Heb 11:38).

In Rev 12

That the narrative of Rev 12 accords with the perspective that the NT people of God presently

dwell in the wilderness in a manner analogous to the Israelites who wandered in Sinai is affirmed

by the significant use of Exodus imagery both within Revelation as a whole and in the immediate

context of the narrative of Rev 12. For one, the opponent of the people of God in Rev 12 is a

“dragon” (Rev 12:3-4, 7-17), just as Pharaoh was depicted as a dragon throughout the OT (cf

Ezek 29:3; 32:2-3; Hab 3:8-15; Ps 74:13, 14; 89:10; Isa 30:7; 51:9).

Furthermore, importance of the wilderness in Rev 12 is exemplified by the fact that the narrative

of the Woman and the Dragon has several direct allusions to the Song of Moses in Exodus 15. In

this song of victory after escape from the Egyptians and through the Red Sea, the Exodus

account reads: “evxe,teinaj th.n dexia,n sou kate,pien auvtou.j gh/” (‘you stretched out your right

hand, the earth swallowed them’: Exod 15:12; LXX). Revelation 12 directly alludes to this song

when it narrates the dragon’s pursuit of the woman and his spewing water like a river in order to

destroy the woman (Rev 12:15). In Rev 12:16, John adds, ‘kai. h;noixen h gh/ to. sto,ma auvth/j kai. kate,pien to.n potamo.n’ (‘and the earth opened its mouth to swallow the river’). In addition to

this reference to the LXX of Exod 15:12, Rev 12:16 also appears to allude to Lord’s provision of

help in the opening of the Song of Exodus 15. For, the LXX of Exod 15:2 says that God is my

helper (‘bohqo,j’), while John notes in Rev 12:16 that “the earth helped the woman” (kai. evboh,qhsen h gh/ th/| gunaiki.; employing the verbal cognate: ‘bohqe,w’: Rev 12:16). The use of OT

wilderness imagery and it strong links with the Exodus motifs, suggest that it serves as a

significant background for the narrative of Rev 12.

Therefore, in light of the use of the wilderness theme in Scripture, and the association with the

Exodus in particular, it seems justified to conclude that the woman’s flight into the wilderness in

Rev 12:6 depicts the present state of the people of God as those who, while dwelling in the

wilderness, not only experience the presence of God amongst His people, but also must be

prepared to endure the trials of life in the wilderness.

20 Beale, Revelation, 645.


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E. A Place prepared by God

Next we note that the narrative of Revelation adds that it is there in the wilderness that the

woman had a ‘to,poj’ (place/topos; 12:6) prepared by God. It must be observed that this topos

(place) in Rev 12:6 is explicitly identified in Rev 12:14 as the wilderness. For, the text of Rev

12:14 reads,

i[na pe,thtai (in order that she might fly)

eivj th.n e;rhmon (into the wilderness)

eivj to.n to,pon auvth/j’ (into her place).

The latter clause “into her place” may be viewed as appositional to the former clause “into the

wilderness” thus identifying the two, so that the place (‘topos’) is “the wilderness.”

The topos of Rev 12:6, 14, however, has a far deeper significance. For, John’s use of topos

appears to derive from its use in Daniel. In Daniel the topos is the focal point of the war waged

by the little horn against the people of God. For Daniel 8, building on the war of the little horn in

Dan 7 (7:21, 25),21 depicts the trampling of the “holy place and the host” (Dan 8:13).22 Therefore,

though in Daniel 7 we find that the little horn “was waging war with the saints and overpowering

them” (Dan 7:21),23 in chapter 8:11 (LXX) Daniel notes that, “evxh,rqh o to,poj auvtw/n” (their

topos/place was removed). The topos, then, is the locus of the attack of the little horn (cp the

LXX of Daniel 8:11). Thus, the cosmic war of Dan 7-8, though directly aimed at the people of

God, is, at the same time, aimed at the topos! Though Beale appropriately concludes that “the

‘place’ (to,poj) in the desert where Christians are kept safe from the devil is none other than

God’s invisible spiritual sanctuary”24, we might add that the topos is also the place where the

devil attacks.

A further examination of the use of topos in Daniel 8 suggests even more. The Hebrew text of

Dan 8:11 notes that the focus of the little horn’s attack is the “Av*D"q.mi”; which is rendered by

most English translations as “the place of His sanctuary”. The “place of His sanctuary”,

21 As most commentators have observed, Dan 8 is closely related to the details of the vision of Dan 7. Longman

suggests that “the connection of Daniel 8 with chapter 7 is obvious” (Daniel, [NIVAC; Grand Rapids: Zondervan,

1999] 201); See also, Sinclair B. Ferguson, Daniel (CCS 19; Waco, Tex.: Word, 1988), 167; John E. Goldingay,

Daniel (WBC 30; Dallas, Tex.: Word, 1989), 201, 206, 208; Louis F. Hartman, The Book of Daniel (Garden City,

N.Y.: Doubleday, 1978), 223, 230; Karl F. Keil, The Book of the Prophet Daniel (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1884),

284; E. J. Young, The Prophecy of Daniel (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1949), 165; Lars Hartmann, Prophecy

Interpreted, (Malm, Sweden: CWK Gleerup) 146. 22 For a detailed discussion of Dan 8 in the book of Revelation see my Revelation and the Two Witnesses, 132-36; cf

Bauckham, The Climax of Prophecy, 267-73. 23 There has indeed been much debate over the translation and identification of the “saints” See: Vern Poythress,

“The Holy Ones of the Most High in Daniel VII,” VT 26/2 (Apr 1976) 208-213. Since space will not allow us to

address the matter adequately here, we will note that identification of the “saints” with people of God appears to

follow from the remainder of the Danielic account as it plays out in Dan 8-12; where the people of God appear to be

more clearly in view (cp Dan 11:33-35). 24 Beale, Revelation, 648. Beale’s conclusion here gains much strength from the comparison of Rev 12:14 with Dan

8:11-13 (and even Dan 9:27). For in Rev 12:14 we read that the woman was taken on the wings of an eagle, ‘i[na pe,thtai eivj th.n e;rhmon eivj to.n to,pon auvth/j( o[pou tre,fetai evkei/ kairo.n kai. kairou.j kai. h[misu kairou/’ (in order

that she might fly into the wilderness into her place, where she was nourished for a time, times, and half a time).


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however, frequently references the dwelling-place of God Himself (cf Exod 15:17; 1 Kings 8:13;

see also: Heavenly dwelling-place of God: 1 Kings 8:39, 43). This corresponds to the use of

topos throughout the NT where it is often a synonym for the Temple.25

That topos in Rev 12:6, 14 connotes the dwelling place of God, i.e., the temple, accords well

with the narrative context of Rev 11 and 13. For, we see that the Two Witnesses are depicted in

terms of temple language (Rev 11:1-2).26 Even more emphatic is the fact that the “war” in Rev

13:6 is directed at God and His tabernacle!

F. A Place prepared by God for the Woman and Her offspring

Therefore, putting this all together we see that in accord with the war of the little horn in Daniel

the Dragon wages war with the entirety of the people of God (Rev 12:17; cf Dan 7:21). This war,

which in Daniel is depicted in terms of the trampling of the “holy place” (Rev 11:2; Dan 8:11,

14), is said to occur in the wilderness, where the woman has a “to,pon htoimasme,non avpo. tou/ qeou/” (topos/place prepared by God; 12:6).

The narrative of Rev 12-14, then, depicts the people of God as the focus of the dragon’s attack

(Dan 8:11-13; 9:27; Cp Rev 11:1-2; 12:14; 13:5-7), while the place where such occurs is the

wilderness/topos. The wilderness/topos, then, is not only the place which God provides and

protects His people, it is also a sanctuary/temple where God dwells amongst His people. Yet, it is

also where the dragon wages war against God’s people!27

All of this suggests that the first readers of Revelation would have sensed words of exhortation,

encouragement, and consolation by the fact that they have “a place prepared by God”. Here in

the wilderness the people of God have a “place prepared by God”, yet, this very place is where

they are embattled in a war with the enemy of God’s people.

John 14:2-3: To Prepare a Place for you How does all this relate to the meaning of John 14:2-3? As is apparent from the outset, John

14:2-3 is verbally parallel with Rev 12:6 in that both passages employ the terms, “etoima,zw” and “to,poj”. The fact that these are the only two places in which these terms appear together in the

NT heightens the possibility of relationship between the two passages. But, are there contextual

and thematic parallels between the narrative of Revelation 12 and John 14 that allow for these

passages to be read in light of one another? Though a thorough exegesis of John 14:2-3 is clearly

outside the scope of this paper, which is potentially already too long-winded, a brief look into the

account of John 14:2-3 is necessary. In particular it appears that at least three features of the

discourse in John 14 parallel Rev 12.

25 E.g., John 4:20; Acts 7:439. 26 For the relationship of Rev 11:1-2 with 11:3-13 see my Revelation and the Two Witnesses, 40-44. 27 That this is the place of the devil’s attack finds further support in Rev 12:15, where, after reiterating the woman’s

flight into the wilderness in 12:14, Rev 12:15 notes that the dragon “poured water like a river out of his mouth after

the woman so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood.” Thus, again we see that even in the place of

protection the dragon attacks.


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A. Role of the Discourse of John 13-17

First, the nature of the entire upper room discourse of John 13-17 may well be understood in the

larger context of Jesus’ words of consolation to His disciples and thus, serves a similar function

with Rev 11-14. The words of John 14:2-3 powerfully convey encouragement, and comfort to

the disciples. This is evidenced both in the expression, “I go to prepare a place for you” (John

14:2) and “I will come and receive you to myself” (John 14:3). Furthermore, the express

command, “Mh. tarasse,sqw u`mw/n h` kardi,a” (Do not let your heart be troubled; John 14:1),

which introduces this section of the discourse, connotes comfort as well.

That these are words of encouragement and consolation are further evidenced in light of Jesus’

prediction of Peter’s betrayal and His informing them of His imminent departure. Morris, in fact,

concludes, “To men who have left everything for their Leader, to be told that he is about to leave

them is shattering. They are all very disturbed. And Jesus knows that within a few short hours

they will be even more disturbed. So he tells them to be calm” (Morris, John, 566).

Furthermore, Jesus comforts them when He affirms, “Ouvk avfh,sw u`ma/j ovrfanou,j( e;rcomai pro.j u`ma/j” (I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you” (John 14:18). Kerr affirms, “. . . the

basic thrust of John 13-17” is “to reassure the disciples that they will not be orphans when Jesus

departs” (Temple, 269). Thus, though the consolatory nature of Rev 12 is admittedly not at the

forefront of the narrative, it appears that both passages have an undergirding element of

encouragement and consolation.

B. Temple Imagery in John

Secondly, we have noted the strong use of Temple imagery in the larger context of Revelation

11-14, as well as within the narrative of Revelation 12 in particular (cf Rev 12:6, 14-15). The

presence of temple themes that pervade the Fourth Gospel as a whole and the discourse of John

13-17 suggest even more so a direct link between the narrative of Rev 12 and the discourse of

John 14.

That Jesus presents himself as the new Temple in John is widely acknowledged among

Johannine scholars due to the unambiguous proclamation of Jesus in the narrative of John 2:19-

22. That the Fourth Gospel views the followers of Jesus as a new temple, however, is not as

often recognized. Yet, the implication of the impartation of the Spirit is that the recipients of the

Holy Spirit become by nature temples (cf in John 20:22;281 Cor 3:16-17; 2 Cor 6:16).29 Peter

Walker acknowledges, “If he was the Temple because God truly dwelt in him, so his disciples

through the presence of the Holy Spirit could be ‘temples’ too” (Walker, Jesus and the Holy

City, 172). Thus, Beale concludes, “In the following context, Jesus explains that ‘the Father’s

house’ and the ‘place’ are anywhere that he and the Father come in the Spirit to abide with the

disciples (14:16-24; 15:26-27; 16:7, 13-16)”.30

28 Admittedly this is a difficult passage in Johannine studies. See Burge, Anointed Community, for a complete

evaluation of the passage and an assessment of the various options. 29 Though these passages are Pauline, they unquestionably predate the Fourth Gospel. One may readily surmise that

John does nothing to counter such a notion. 30Beale, Revelation, 649; Cf Smalley, Revelation, 321; Aune, Revelation, 2.691.


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But is it valid to understand John 14:2-3 in particular in light of Temple imagery? I would argue

yes.31 For one, we note that the only other occurrence of “th/| oivki,a| tou/ patro,j mou”(in my

father’s house; 14:2) in John is in 2:16, where it unambiguously has temple connotations. Thus,

Ridderbos concludes, “‘House’ as a term for the place where God resides conveys an idea found

frequently in both the Old Testament and in Jewish and Hellenistic writings of the time of Jesus.

But in these writings ‘house of God’ is normally used of the Temple, not heaven” (Ridderbos,

John, 489-90).

Furthermore, there are strong indications that the entirety of the events detailed in John 13-17

have as a main focus the Temple and Jesus’ preparation of His disciples for their future

ministries as priests in God’s Temple. This includes the footwashing in John 13, which may well

have symbolized the preparation of the disciples for entry into Temple service, since priests

about to enter the inner space were compelled to wash their feet. 32

What about the use of topos? We have noted that topos in Rev 12:6, 14 connotes the Temple.33

As we look at the use of topos in John 14:2 the question then arises as to whether or not topos

conveys temple associations here as well? There are strong considerations to suggest that indeed

the use of topos in John also connotes Temple imagery.

First, as previously noted, topos was commonly employed in association with the Temple. Kerr

notes, “the theological understanding of to,poj is fully directed towards the Temple as the holy

place” (Kerr, Temple, 305). This leads him to conclude that, “within Jewish tradition there was a

tendency to designate land/sanctuary/Temple by the word to,poj. . . . To,poj therefore has a rich

history in Jewish tradition of being associated with the Temple” (Kerr, Temple, 305-6). The use

of topos in relation to the temple likewise conforms to its use in the Maccabean literature.34

Added to this is the fact that Jesus is going “to prepare” (‘etoima,sai’ 14:2) such a place for them.

The use of ‘etoima,sai’ further associates this with the Temple as evidenced by the presence of

this word in the LXX of Exod 15:17, which reads, “You will bring them and plant them in the

mountain of Your inheritance, The place, O LORD, which You have made for Your dwelling,

The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established”. This leads McCaffrey to conclude

that topos in John 14:2-3 references a “sanctuary or temple”.35

31 See Alan R. Kerr, The Temple of Jesus’ Body: The Temple Theme in the Gospel of John (JSNTSS 220; Sheffield:

Sheffield, 2002). Kerr argues extensively for this. In addition to the arguments given here, Kerr mentions, 277. See

also James McCaffrey, The House with Many Rooms: The Temple Theme of John 14:2-3 (Rome: Biblical Institute

Press, 1988) 185-91, has argued that John 14:2-3 has Temple allusions. He argues that these verses link with 2:13-22 32 See: Kerr, The Temple of Jesus’ Body, 278, who himself is referencing J. C. Thomas, Footwashing in John 13 and

the Johannine Community (JSNTSup, 61; Sheffield: Sheffield, 1991) 26-31. 33 This derived from the association of the narrative of the woman in Rev 12 with the account of the Two Witnesses,

who are depicted in accord with Temple imagery (see esp: Rev 11:1-2). The fact that the “war” the dragon wages

against the woman is directed at the Temple (Rev 13:6), also confirms the presence of Temple imagery throughout

the narrative. Furthermore, that topos denotes the Temple derives from its use in Dan 8; which the Apocalypse is

clearly wrestling with in the narrative of Rev 11-13. 34 2 Macc 1.27-29. 35 McCaffrey, House with Many Rooms, 21; cited in Kerr, The Temple of Jesus’ Body, 4


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Finally, that topos likely connotes Temple imagery in John 14 is the fact that throughout the

Fourth Gospel Jesus consistently fulfills key symbols, places, and institutions of Judaism. W. D.

Davies, in his magisterial work The Gospel and the Land, notes that John deliberately presents

“the replacement of ‘holy places’ by the person of Jesus” (Davies, Gospel and Land, 334).

Nicholas Perrin affirms that in John 14:2, “Jesus is declaring that he will do exactly what

Yahweh would do for Israel: prepare a place where Yahweh would establish his name” (Perrin,

Jesus, 54).

C. John 13-17 and Tribulation

Finally, a third parallel between the narrative of Rev 12 and the Upper Room discourse of John

13-17 derives from the fact that both accounts serve to inform the people of God of an

impending time of great distress. As noted previously, this time of tribulation is central to the

account of the woman in Rev 12 in that the narrative of Rev 12 serves to highlight the “war”

against the people of God.

That the Upper Room discourse serves to inform the disciples of a time of great opposition and

persecution is also clear from the whole of the discourse. For example, in John 15, Jesus details

that the world will hate them just as it hated Him (John 15:18-25). This hatred will manifest itself

in expulsion from the synagogues and even in their death (16:2). Jesus later informs them that

indeed “evn tw/| ko,smw| qli/yin e;cete\ avlla. qarsei/te( evgw. neni,khka to.n ko,smon” (in the world

you have tribulation; but take courage, I have overcome the world; 16:33). All of this climaxes in

the High Priestly Prayer of John 17, where Jesus asks the Father to “thrh,sh|j auvtou.j evk tou/ ponhrou/” (Keep them from the evil one; 17:15). Interestingly, this latter reference informs us that

the opposition to the disciples is the work of Satan; just as the opposition to the woman and her

offspring is the dragon!

Can we read John 14:2-3 in Light of Rev 12:6? Do the parallels between Rev 12 and John 14 prove themselves to be significant for our

understanding of John 14:2-3 and, if so, what might be the implications for our understanding of

the Upper Room discourse in general and Jesus’ promise that He will “prepare a place” for His

disciples in John 14:2-3? Though we admittedly have only taken a cursory look into the text of

John 14:2-3, it is my contention that based on the similarities in theme and to some extent

language a preliminary conclusion warrants the suggestion that indeed our understanding of John

14:2-3 may well be illuminated by the narrative of Revelation 12.

Based upon such a comparison, we might conclude that the place Jesus is preparing for His

disciples is in the wilderness. Since the wilderness in Rev 12, connotes a measure of

encouragement, exhortation, and comfort to the people of God by means of the understanding

that they have a “place prepared by God” where they will be nourished and protected. In John

14, the disciples are similarly encouraged that they have no reason to be troubled because it is

Jesus Himself who will “prepare a place” for them. And it is thus in the wilderness that they will

experience Jesus’ presence (“I will come again and receive you to myself”; John 14:3).


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Furthermore, this place which Jesus was preparing for them cannot be separated from the

Temple imagery found in both Rev 11-14 and in John 13-17. But to enter into the place which

Jesus is preparing they must be prepared as priests who are conducting sacred duties—as in the

account of the Two Witnesses. Hence, Jesus proclaims that they are clean (John 13:5-12).

Finally, the wilderness also conveys a place of trial. For it is in the wilderness that the dragon

pursues the woman. And, if our reading is warranted, it is in the wilderness where the disciples

will face tribulation (John 16:33). The place, then, that Jesus is preparing for them is also the

place in which the devil wages war with them. Hence, Jesus prays that the Father will “keep

them from the evil one” (John 17:15).

Viewing John 14 in this light adds another whole element to our understanding of the Upper

Room discourse. Most notably, there are ethical implications to the words of Jesus. The disciples

must be clean and remain so. This reading may further account for other features of the discourse

in John 14 and 15 in which Jesus delineates further the means by which they can accomplish

this: namely, by abiding in His commands, His word, and in Him (John 14:21; 23; 15:1-10).

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