The Book of Revelation, often called the Revelation to John, the Apocalypse of John, The Revelation, or simply Revelation, the Revelation of Jesus Christ (from its opening words) or the Apocalypse (and often misquoted as Revelations), is the final book of the New Testament, and therefore also the final book of the Christian Bible. It offers a chain of prophetic visions John received while on the island of Patmos of cosmic struggles, divine judgments, and the reign of God and his Christ. The text uses a rich tapestry of symbolic language, imagery and numerology, the kind often associated with apocalyptic literature. This entry identifies basics about the Book of Revelation, considers the background behind it, discusses how it has been interpreted, and presents what it means in relation to Christian systematics. The commentary provides a lucid interpretation of the difficult aspects of the book, and offers readers a way to comprehend this distinctive book of the Bible.
What Is the Book of Revelation and Its Key Message?
The Book of Revelation opens with the assertion that it is “the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place” (Revelation 1:1). It is a prophetic work, and one that adopts the apocalyptic style of writing, which is known for its symbolic visions, dreams and allegories that are employed to reveal divine truths about the end of time, the sovereignty of God throughout history, His reign over His kingdom and His unending dominion. The overriding theme of the Book of Revelation is the supreme sovereignty of God, the final triumph of Christ over all that is evil, and the creation of a new heaven and new earth for those in allegiance to him. It provides hope and comfort to persecuted believers, confirming that God will bring justice and that they will enjoy salvation. The book instructs and admonishes the seven churches which are in Asia, with specific commendations and rebukes and exhortations, thereby showing its immediate pastoral application as well as its larger prophetic scope. This double focus serves to demonstrate both the constant character of its themes and its contemporary significance for the Christian communities to whom it was addressed.
What is the Historic and Literary Context of Revelation?
The background of the Book of Revelation is both historical and literary. The book was authored around 95-96 AD, during the reign of Domitian, Roman Emperor and was written when the persecution was on the increase. John, the writer, has these visions while a prisoner of war on the Greek island of Patmos. The literary form is apocalyptic, a type of literature found in both Jewish and early Christian writings from 200 BC to 200 AD. This is usually the genre that emerges when a nation is facing imminent crisis, causing the prophetic voice to provide a divine perspective of history and a ray of hope for the oppressed.
Characteristic Features of Apocalyptic Literature
Apocalyptic literature contains the following:
- Symbolic Language: Revelation employs an assortment of symbols, such as beasts, numbers, colors, and cosmic bodies. For instance, the “beast” usually represents tyrannical kingdoms; the number “seven” often symbolizes fullness or completeness.
- Visions and Dreams: Here the seer has a reading of a vision, or a series of visions, that is often highly imaginative and even bizarre. John beholds a lamb with seven horns and seven eyes, symbolic of the perfect power and knowledge of the Savior (Rev. 5:6).
- Dualism: There is a distinct difference between good vs. evil, light vs. dark, God’s kingdom against the satanic forces. This dualistic battle ends in a cosmic fight to the death.
- Angelic Interpreters: Angels serve as interpreters of the visions to the seer. An angel accompanies John in many of his visions, providing an explanation for each of them (Revelation 17:7).
- Eschatological: This means a concentration on the “last things” — the end of history, judgment, and the advent of the kingdom of God.
Knowing these historical and cultural factors allows us to look at the book of Revelation (the Apocalypse) not as an exact prophecy of modern events, but as a symbolic account that relates to time-honored spiritual truths, such as God’s ultimate victory.
What are the Key Hermeneutical Models for Revelation?
The Book of Revelation has elicited many different styles of interpretation throughout the ages, each summing itself up in a way of interpreting its confusing images and prophecies. There are four possible interpretations of the Revelation of John, and the correct one can only be determined by an understanding of that complex book and the use of these keys.
- Preterist: Sees most, if not all, of Revelation as being fulfilled in the past to John at the time of its being written. Supporters of this interpretation interpret the “beast” as the Roman Empire (with or without reference to a specific emperor, but see also ) or a conglomeration of hostile world powers and the “great city” as Jerusalem. This view stresses the historical setting of the book of Revelation, and that it has a message of hope and warning to the people of the time. For instance, the fall of Babylon is interpreted as a prophecy against Rome.
- Historist: This reading understands the Book of Revelation to provide not a precise outline of future events but rather a symbolic portrayal of the total history of the church between the times of Christ’s first and second comings. Every vision or sequence of scenes is believed to parallel a particular age of church history or “movement” in the history of Christendom or the actual world. This was a common view during the Reformation, with which reformers largely characterised the Pope or the Roman Catholic Church being identified with “the beast” or “Antichrist.” This approach requires a sustained and sequential fulfilment and development of the predictions over the course of history.
- Futurist: This view refers to the majority of the prophecies in the Book of Revelation, while in particular from the Book’s perspective beginning in 4:1 to the end of the book, as still awaiting to be fulfilled in the future. This method views the events, persons, and dates as literal or near-literal predictions of a period of future tribulation, the coming of an Antichrist, the Battle of Armageddon, and the subsequent kingdom of Christ. This view is extremely popular among many of today’s Evangelical Christians and the basis for many “end times” events. For instance, the seven-year tribulation is regarded as a separate upcoming time-frame.
- Idealist (or Symbolic/Spiritual): Interprets the Book of Revelation as a literary prefigurement of events that were of concern to the author. This view sees the book as an allegory of the battle between good and evil, God and the Devil while addressing the situations of the churches in John’s day. It extracts the theological themes and principles suggested by the Scriptural images, and relates them to believers of all times. The events depicted are regarded as archetypal images of spiritual truths, not as literal historical events names. For example, the “New Jerusalem” represents the eternal dwelling place of God and His people, which is a spiritual entity – not a physical city.
Both views are useful, and some interpreters use a mixture of them. Choice of an interpretive approach affects greatly how one reads the Book of Revelation and what it says for faith today.
Key Themes and Symbols of the Book of Revelation?
The book of Revelation is woven with motifs and images that together convey a single, gripping message: This world is under the authority of God, and soon God will come to end the human story and establish his eternal kingdom. Apprehension of these elements is the key to unlocking the Book of the Revelation.
Key Themes:
- God’s Sovereignty: Despite the chaos and evil at work here, God is still sovereign and in control of history. The scenes in the throne room (Rev 4-5) accentuate the utter control of God on everything in creation and in history.
- The Triumph of Christ: Christ himself as the slain triumphant emerges as the central viewpoint of the book. His death and his resurrection assure our victory over sin, death and Satan. He breaks the seven seals, and he commands the heavenly hosts.
- Worship: Worship appears as a theme in the book, various groups of people are described as gathering to worship God and the Lamb, along with the angels in heaven. This serves to demonstrate the last end of creation and redemption.
- Discipline and Deliverance: The book explains a sequence of divine judgments on those who oppose God and his oppresses his own people. These judgments, the seven seals, viz. the trumpets and vials seven in number, witness to God’s righteousness and to His dealing with evil.
- Preservation of the Saints: The Book of Revelation exhorts believers to endure tribulation and to be faithful until death many times! It comforts them that they have reward for their misery.
- New Creation: The book concludes with the vision of the new heaven and the new earth, where God lives with His people and there will be no more pain, sorrow, or death (Revelation 21:1-4). This theme provides a strong sense of hope and healing.
- Spiritual Warfare: The book depicts a cosmic battle between God and Satan, with spiritual agents of good and evil. This battle is fought both in a heavenly and an earthly sphere.
Symbols:
| Category | Symbol | Meaning |
| Numbers | Seven | Completeness or perfection (e.g., seven churches, seven seals). |
| Four | The earth or creation (e.g., four living creatures, four horsemen). | |
| Twelve | God’s people (e.g., twelve tribes of Israel, 12 apostles). | |
| Six | Imperfection or incompleteness on man’s part (e.g., “666” – number of the beast). | |
| Thousand (Millennium) | A long and uncertain period of time (interpreted literally by some futurists). | |
| Animals and Beasts | Lamb | Jesus Christ, His sacrificial and triumphant role. |
| Dragon | The Devil, an ancient serpent, enemy of God. | |
| Beast from the Sea | A political empire or ruler, in opposition to God. | |
| Beast from the Earth (False Prophet) | A religious or propagandistic mechanism that serves the first beast. | |
| Colors | White | Purity, righteousness, victory. |
| Red | War, blood. | |
| Black | Famine, want. | |
| Pale Green/Ashen | Death, sickness. | |
| Other Signs | Stars | Angels or rulers of churches. |
| Candlesticks | Churches. | |
| Babylon | Corrupt worldly power (often identified with Rome). | |
| New Jerusalem | The restored people of God, living with God in a renewed earth. |
Not all of these symbols are to be understood literally in all cases, but they all point to higher spiritual truths and theological teachings. The overall repetition of these symbols forms a unified storyline within and supports the essential themes of the Book of Revelation.
What is the Relationship between the Book of Revelation and the Prophecies of the Old Testament?
The prophecies, imagery and theological notions in the Book of Revelation are firmly grounded in the Old Testament. It includes more references to the Old Testament than does any other New Testament book, although it doesn’t quote from it very often. This intertextuality serves to intensify the continuity between God’s work in the old covenant and His final intent in the new.
Key Connections:
- Daniel: The influence of the Book of Daniel is strong. John’s visions of monsters, the “Son of Man,” and the ancient of days are his versions of Daniel’s apocalyptic visions. For instance, the four beasts in Daniel 7 correspond to the four images being used to describe the beast from the sea in Revelation. Daniel’s vision spoke of the “times, times, and half a time” (Da 7:25), likewise Revelation of the “time, times, and half a time” (Rev 12:14) or “forty-two months” (Rev 13:5) and “1,260 days” (Rev 12:6) – all referring to the tribulation.
- Ezekiel: Many of the visions of Revelation are similar to Ezekiel’s, particularly the throne room images, the cherubim, the scroll, and the vision of a new temple and a new city. Ezekiel’s vision of God’s presence departing from and returning to the temple (Ezekiel 10–11; 43) has a parallel in Revelation’s depiction of God’s dwelling with humans in the New Jerusalem.
- Zechariah: The horsemen the lampstands and certain prophetic occurrences in Zechariah are echoed in Revelation. For example, the four horsemen of Revelation 6 are similar to the four chariots in Zechariah 6.
- Isaiah: The themes of judgment, salvation, the fall of Babylon, and future new heaven earth are common in Isaiah and are widely referred to or glossed in Revelation. Is 65:17-25 66:22-24 give primary imagery for Rv 21-22.
- Exodus: Revelation’s plagues – especially the trumpet and bowl judgments – share similarities with the plagues of Egypt in Exodus: Profile. The symbol of the “sea of glass” (Revelation 4:6, 15:2) hearkens back to the color of the Red Sea, and the idea of God living among His people brings to mind the tabernacle as well as the temple.
- Psalms: Throughout Revelation’s songs of praise and adoration, there are frequent reverberations of themes and wording from the Psalms, focusing on God’s reign, justice, and rescue.
The book of Revelation provides the true meaning and scope of these Old Testament prophecies for it is in Christ and His plan of salvation that they find their fulfillment. It represents a convergence of God’s covenant promises and the establishment of His kingdom – as though the two are finally meeting, in a coherent storyline that runs throughout all of Scripture. This profound intertextual relationship serves to remind us that Revelation is no self-contained document, but rather the summit of the biblical narrative, which consummates God’s story of salvation in glory. For a more in-depth study of how these themes of The Last Disciple fit into the context of Biblical prophecy, you could try Understanding Christian Eschatology–an investigation of the study of last things within Christian theology.
How Do We Understand Apocalyptic Literature in Light of its Wider Background in Christianity?
At the same time, apocalyptic literature stretches beyond the book of Revelation itself, constituting a genre of its own that arose in Jewish and early Christian circles to think about history, suffering, and divine action in distinctive ways. This literature which includes texts such as certain portions of Daniel, Zechariah and non-canonical works such as 1 Enoch and the Apocalypse of Peter has the following features in common:
- Apocalyptic literature is a response to persecution (or worse), helping to promote an eschatological theology of suffering and to ground that suffering in God’s ultimate dominion of history.
- Symbolic visions mediated by angelic intermediaries, which concentrate on eschatological subjects, become central to their message as they represent a dramatic terminus to a present evil age but at the same time signal the beginning of God’s righteous reign.
- It is in genre is used as an uplift and inspiration even to the oppressed community being treated unjustly, reassuring them that the God of the oppressed will effect a future vindication, in WTTC XXXV.
- It stands in contrast to both of other genres: wisdom, which concentrates on everyday existence and prophetic, which typically attacks contemporary social and moral issues, by insight into a cosmic, future-orientated aspect of the God’s decree.
What is the foundation of Christianity in belief?
Christianity’s central belief system is based on the life, death, resurrection, and teachings of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe to be the Son of God, and the savior of mankind. This is in reference to the belief in the Triune nature of God as possible -God the father, God the Son (Jesus Christ)-and God the Holy Spirit. Salvation comes through belief in Jesus Christ resulting in the forgiveness of sins.
What are the number of large sects at Christianity?
Christianity has thousands of distinct denominations but is primarily represented by three major branches: Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, and Eastern Orthodoxy. According to estimates, there are more than 45,000 Christian denominations in the world, differing in their teachings, scriptural interpretations and theological traditions.
What are the main Christian holy writings?
Christianity’s sacred texts are the Old Testament and the New Testament, which are the Christian Bible. The Old Testament is made up of 39 books (for Protestants) or more (for Catholics and Orthodox Christians) and the New Testament has 27 books. These include historical narratives, legal codes, prophetic works, wisdom literature, gospel stories, epistles, and apocalyptic works.
What is the importance of Jesus Christ having been resurrected in Christian theology?
The resurrection of Jesus is the bedrock of Christian Theology and is the most significant event in all Christian history. It testifies of the divine Sonship of Jesus, of the authority of His words, and of His triumph over sin and death. In this miracle death itself is but a prelude to restored and rewarded life; in the Mystery it is the pledge and the type of a new and abiding life both of soul and body.
What are the two primary sacraments as practiced in the majority of the Christian traditions?
The two sacraments most commonly practiced by Christians are baptism and the Eucharist (known as the Lord’s Supper). Baptism is the initiation of the person into the Christian church and its symbolic reinvention as a pure being who has received new life in Christ. The Eucharist is a remembrance of Jesus’ final Passover meal with His disciples in which bread and wine represent Jesus’ body and blood and His sacrifice and covenant.
