Zechariah, Reference and the Structure of Revelation 6-8:1 107 the text. It was noted that there is a continuous shift in scene through the discourse. The reason for the apparent interlude between the sixth and seventh seal seemed unclear. A survey of commentators’ views raised more questions than answers. The shift in scene that takes place in 7:1, 9 and 8:1 are particularly difficult to explain. There followed a proposed solution to the difficulties found in Rev 6-8:1, it was argued that the text is structured on Zech 1-2. Following Jauhiainen, it was suggested that explicit linguistic markers to referentially connect the text to Zech 1-2 recede from the fifth seal onwards, but the conceptual relationship between both passages remains. One important issue in Revelation is that of the relationship between a text and its referent. Current terminology, notably the word “allusion” is vague and unsatisfactory to explain the relationship. It has been demonstrated that John has consciously associated Rev 6-8:1 with Zech 1-2 and therefore one would assume that he would expect his readers to import information from the antecedent into Revelation. Consequently, an appropriate term to describe the relationship between both texts is reference. A referential relationship places an added burden on the exegete because it leads to the conclusion that the exegete also needs to master the context of the antecedent discourse. As a result Zech 1-2 was investigated. The conclusion was that many of the people of God had lost confidence in Yahweh and so had not actually come back from exile. Zechariah accepts that Israel is still governed by the nations, but God is at work. His land is flourishing again after all the deserted years. He assures them that God will keep His promises, Zion will overflow with people and Yahweh will again come and live with His remnant. When He comes, His greatness will astound the world and the nations will come to their God. Following this assessment there was an attempt to import this information into Rev 6-8:1. The importation of information from Zechariah suggests that many people in the churches are in spiritual exile. Jesus has reconnoitred the land (that is, the churches) and his concerns can be seen in John’s reformulation of the Zechariah horse imagery. The faithful of the Christian community cry out “How long?” The sixth seal shows that God is angry at the nations that have negatively influenced the church. John adopts Zechariah’s discrete measurement of the people of God as a literary device, demonstrating that God’s people in the churches have been counted and remembered, he then acknowledges that heaven will be filled with an innumerable multitude. John appears to follow Zechariah in enthusing the churches by resorting to two emotive images to draw the people out of spiritual exile; first he argues that Jesus’ salvation will influence the world, leading to eternal praise and second, everything will come under His rule. Consequently, the churches should