Floyd O. Parker, «‘Our Lord and God’ in Rev 4,11: Evidence for the Late Date of Revelation?», Vol. 82 (2001) 207-231

This article challenges a commonly-held belief that the title ‘our Lord and God’ (Rev 4,11) served as a Christian counter-blast to the claim of the emperor Domitian to be dominus et deus noster. Despite the claims of several scholars that the title ‘our Lord and God’ does not appear in the OT, the data collected favors the view that the title in Rev 4,11 does indeed have its origin in the divine title ‘Lord and God’ found in the LXX and other Jewish sources. Consequently, the title is of no use in helping to determine the date of the book of Revelation.

        Aune suggested that the doxology ‘you are worthy Lord and God’ was a Christian reaction to imperial propaganda⁹⁵.

        I concur with Beale that, ‘while there may be some plausibility to this background, it certainly takes second place behind the OT-Jewish influence ...’⁹⁶. Beale convincingly argues that the primary sources for John’s throne room vision are Dan 7 and Ezek 1–2. The various details in Dan 7 compare well with Rev 4–5 in terms of both symbolism and chronology:

1) introductory vision phraseology (Dan 7,9 [cf. 7,2.6-7]; Rev 4,1);
2) a throne(s) set in heaven (Dan 7,9a; Rev 4,2a [cf. 4,4a]);
3) God sitting on a throne (Dan 7,9b; Rev 4,2b);
4) God’s appearance on the throne (Dan 7,9c; Rev 4,3a);
5) fire before the throne (Dan 7,9d-10a; Rev 4,5);
6) heavenly servants surrounding the throne (Dan 7,10b; Rev 4,4b.6b-10; 5,8.11.14);
7) book(s) before the throne (Dan 7,10c; Rev 5,1-8.);
8) the book(s) opened (Dan 7,10d; Rev 5,2-5.9);
9) a divine (messianic) figure approaching God’s throne to receive authority to reign forever over a kingdom (Dan 7,13-14a; Rev 5,5b-7.9a.12-13);
10) the kingdom’s scope: ‘all peoples, nations, and tongues’ (Dan 7,14a [MT]; Rev 5,9b);
11) the seer’s emotional distress on account of the vision (Dan 7,15; Rev 5,4);
12) the seer’s reception of heavenly counsel concerning the vision from one of the heavenly throne servants (Dan 7,16; Rev 5,5a);
13) The saints given divine authority to reign over a kingdom (Dan 7,18.22.27a; Rev 5,10);
14) Concluding mention of God’s eternal reign (Dan 7,27b; Rev 5,13-14)⁹⁷.

        Beale also noted that the sea appears in both visions (Dan 7,2-3; Rev 4,6). Other details, not noted by Beale, are the mention of ‘glory’ and ‘honor’ (Dan 7,14; Rev 4,11; 5,12.13). Thus, one could say that the majority of the images in these chapters could just as well have been derived from the OT⁹⁸ as from the imperial court.