Lesson 5

Question 1

How does Revelation 4-5 shine light on the doctrine of God in relation to the divine names?

Answer 1

The “Theology of the blessed” is the consummate form of ectypal theology.

The doctrine of the divine names is “choir practice” for participating in the “theology of the blessed.”

While Revelation 4-5 draws upon the ordinary grammar of naming to proclaim God’s supreme excellence and worth,
* The one who sits on the throne
* The Lamb who stands in the midst of the throne
* The Spirit who is before the throne

Revelation 4-5 identifies God by means of definite descriptions, as the “one seated on the throne” (Rev 4:2), by means of proper names and titles, as “the Lord God Almighty” (Rev 4:8), and by means of indicators, as the one “who was and is and is to come” (Rev 4:8).

Revelation 4-5 draws upon the ordinary grammar of naming to proclaim God’s supreme excellence and worth

Trinity
i. In the Spirit” (4:2)
ii. “One seated on the throne” (4:2)
iii. The Lion and the Lamb (5:5-6)

• First, Revelation 4-5 is one of Scripture’s fullest presentations of trinitarian theology. Revelation 4-5 presents all three persons of the Trinity. It presents the Trinity as the agent of creation, redemption, and consummation
• Revelation 4-5 presents what, from the vantage point of classical Reformed theology, is the consummate expression of human trinitarian theology, the trinitarian theology of the saints in heaven. In opening the door to God’s heavenly court, Revelation 4-5 opens the door to the chorus of heavenly creatures and redeemed saints who have learned, in the Spirit, and by virtue of the triumph of the Lamb, to praise with perfect eloquence the name of the Holy Trinity.

The Tetragrammaton and its commentaries (4:8)
Holy, holy, holy”
ii. “The Lord God Almighty”
iii. “Who was and is and is to come”

The works of God.
i. Nature (4:11)
ii. Grace (5:9-10a; with 1:5b)
iii. Glory (5:10b)

Question 2

How does the threefold way describe God?

Answer 2

The Way of Causality/”First-ness”
God is the source/paradgm of all creaturely perfection: Ps94:9, Acts 17:28 [we are his offspring]; “prepositional metaphysics”: Rom 11:36; 1 Cor 8:6; Col 1:16; John 1:1-3; Heb 1:2; 2:10

The Way of Eminence/Fullness
God is supreme in perfection: Ps 94:9; 95:3; 113:5; 145:1-3; Eph 1:21; Phil 2:9

The say of negation/infinitude.
God is set apart from all creaturely modes of perfection: Negative attributes and negative perdictionals: Acts 17:29 [ we are his offspring; but He is not like us]; Rom 1:20, 23; 1 Tim 1:17; 6:15; John 1:18; Heb 1:10-12; 7:3;

Question 3

What are the distinctions between the literal and metaphorical names of God?

Answer 3

“These names which are applied to God literally imply corporeal conditions not in the thing signified, but as regards their mode of signification: whereas those which are applied to God metaphorically imply and mean a corporeal condition in the thing signified.” (Thomas Aquinas)

Metaphorical Names:
* Metaphorical names are things that physically exists. (i.e. Rock)
* Biblical metaphors for God have an anthropcentric orientation and a historical-cultural context.

Literal Names:
* Literal names are things that are real but do not physciall exists. (i.e. Love)

Example:
The Lord is my rock and my refuge’ and statements like ‘God is good.’ The first of these is quite compatible with its denial—‘Of course the Lord is not a rock,’ whereas the second is not. We would not say ‘God is not good,’ though we are quite likely to say ‘God is good, but not in the way that we are.’”

Metaphors enable us to think and speak about on thing in terms of another.

Metaphorical capacity springs from embodied cognition”