Ruben Zimmermann, «Nuptial Imagery in the Revelation of John», Vol. 84 (2003) 153-183
In this article is argued that the nuptial imagery of the Book of Revelation is not limited to chapters 19 and 21 but rather runs throughout the book. While the imagery is certainly most pronounced in the final part of the book, it also appears in the letters to the churches (bridal wreath in Rev 2,10; 3,11), in the scene depicting the 144,000 as virgins (Rev 14,4-5), and is encountered again in Rev 18,23 (silencing of the voice of bridegroom and bride) and Rev 22,17 (summons of the bride) at the end of the book. Thus the wedding metaphors can be seen as one of the structural patterns of Revelation as a whole directly in contrast to the metaphors of fornication.
1. Traditional background
The "voice of the bridegroom and bride" takes up a motif from Jeremiah. The silencing of the voice of bridegroom and bride is employed in three places in the Book of Jeremiah in connection with proclamations of disaster (Jer 7,34; 16,9; 25,10) while it occurs in Jer 33,10 (LXX 40,10) in the context of a promise of salvation. This formulaic expression thus becomes a symbolic declaration of human joy and an intact social community. There exists a direct reference from Rev 18,23 to Jer 25,10 because here the bridal metaphor also appears in association with the light of the lamp and taking over the MT of the Hebrew Bible with the sound of the mill (MyIxvre lw$q)28. In contrast to Jer, fwnh/ is named only once in Rev 18,23. Through succinct formulations, that, with the exception of v. 22a, constantly bring monomial examples, the author is obviously trying to create a more concise portrayal. More important than the variations in expression is that the author of Rev reverses the order of the examples and now places the voice of bridegroom and bride as the most significant member at the end.
One decisive difference from the assumed background of tradition, however, is that this expression in Jer always refers to the fate of Judah and Jerusalem and closely describes the situation of exile. Indeed the verse in Jer 25 that is decisive for Rev is followed by a proclamation of disaster to befall Babylon (Jer 25,12-16). In this proclamation, although the bride formula is not employed, the image of the "fiery wine" (Jer 25,15) does appear and demonstrates a parallel motif to that of "fierce wine of fornication" (Rev 18,3; cf. 17,2). If the imagery in Jer constantly refers to inner historical events, Rev 18,23 in contrast demonstrates an "eschatologization" because the judgement of the harlot has both a final and simultaneously eschatological character. This expansion into an eschatological event is prepared by the adoption of the motif in the environment of the New Testament, which is substantiated by the early Judaic and rabbinical evidence (cf. Josephus, Bell. 6,300-306; b. Ket 7b; b. Ber 6b; DevR 7).
2. Figurative language and metaphoric interaction
The city in which the joyful noise of a wedding no longer will be heard was personified a few verses previously as a harlot with whom