Biblical Features of the Apocalyptic Record

The book of Revelation is very unique, It belongs to the type of literature known as apocalyptic writing, Incidentally, the description of this form of writing derives from the first word of the book itself “apokalupsis”-which means Revelation. The term has come to be used generally for the form of writing that uses mythical figures, symbols, and images to depict real characters in trying to communicate a message. Scholars talk of apocalyptic writing or apocalyptic literature. The curliest example of this type of writing found in the Bible is the book of Daniel. Other examples of such writing, however, abound in non-canonical Jewish literature. They include such works as the Book of Enoch, the Apocalypse of Baruch, and IV Esdras, among others.

The General and the Particular

Although Revelation and the other works mentioned above are classified together as apocalyptic literature, the former stands out in some ways. For instance, it is not pseudonymous. The writer names himself. Many other apocalyptic writings either bear a false name or have no name at all. Yet Revelation shares the common features of apocalyptic literature in its use of symbols, images and figures to depict characters and to communicate a message.

While one biblical scholar has likened apocalyptic writing to the modern political cartoon found in newspapers and magazines today, another sees it more as science fiction writing. Beasley-Murray explains that just as modern “cartoonists often employ stereo-typed symbols of men and of animals, to represent parties and nations, and frequently…set their characters in bizarre and exaggerated situations in order to convey their messages the more plainly…

So it was with the apocalyptists when they recounted their visions. “So anyone who follows the cartoonists of today with highly stylized and overblown drawings and figures will be well prepared to comprehend the bizarre images and symbols of the apocalyptists.

Another Christian scholar, Elizabeth S. Florenza, believes, however, that apocalyptic literature can best “be compared with the future-oriented genre of science fiction that constructs the future out of the experience and fears of the people in the present. “She further asserts:

As does all science fiction, so apocalyptic literature in general and Revelation in particular seek to make sense of the world and present time in terms of the future or of the transcendent. At the same time it pictures the future with the help of knowledge and language gleaned from the past and the present.

So modem science fiction, with its bizarre imagery and frightening symbolism, provides some clues on the working of the minds of the apocalyptists. Anyone familiar with science fiction will readily be at home with apocalyptic literature.

Understanding Revelation calls for a grasp of the particular ways it uses figures, symbols, and images. A few clues as to what some of these mean or generally stand for will be very helpful in efforts to comprehend the message of the book. The following may serve as useful samples:

1. The seven lampstands (Revelation 1:12, 20;2:5)-stand for the seven churches of Asia Minor addressed;
2. The star(s) (1:16, 20; 2:5)-stand for angels;
3. The sword (1:16; 19:15)-always symbolizes God’s judgment;
4. The abyss (9:1-2, 11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1-3) depicts what is commonly known as hell;
5. The dragon (12:1-9; 13: 2;20: 2)-represents the monster, Leviathan or Rahab of the Old

Testament (cf. Isa. 27:1;51:9-10; Daniel 7:21f).According to Beasley-Murray, “the many headed, many horned dragon of the book of Revelation, who in chapter 13 is said to emerge from the sea, is none other than the sea monster of primitive Middle East religious traditions. “This monster in due time came to stand for evil political powers (see, e.g., Isa. 27:1; 5 1:9-10; Dan.7:21ff.) In the book of Revelation this symbolism is applied to both the anti-Christian empire and its ruler. Above all it is applied to the devil, the one standing behind all the evil works of the world.(cf. Rev. 12:1-9; 20:2);

6. The woman or great prostitute (17:1-19:10)-referred to as Babylon. But the description given clearly indicates John had Rome in mind.

Babylon. In John’s day, 7. The number seven (frequently used-52 times-all over the book Jewish worldview and tradition. Many things are arranged or book of Revelation, prefaced with the word “Blessed” (1:3; 14:13; 16: 15;19: 9;20:6;22:7,14).Other sevens include:

Seven churches (1:4-11), seven spirits (1:4) seven golden lampstands (1:12),seven stars (1:16),seven seals (5:1), seven horns and seven eyes (5:6), seven trumpets (8:2), seven thunders (10:3),seven signs(12:1, 3; 13:13-14; 15:1; 16:14;19:20),seven crowns(12:3), seven plagues (15:6), seven golden bowls(15:7), seven hills (17:10), as welI as other sevens.

The seven spirits symbolize the Holy Spirit or the Spirit of God. Using the number seven as figurative speech for the whole or completeness, the seven churches mentioned in chapters 1-3 can be assumed to represent the entire church or all believers. The message of Revelation thus applies to all Christians.

The Book of Revelation also has close affinity with the prophetic writings of the prophets of ancient Israel. The visions seen and narrated by John are similar to those seen and narrated by some of the prophets of old, except that in a number of cases, John puts them in more vivid imagery. Examples of similarity of visions are Rev.1:12-19 with Daniel10; Rev. 6-8 with Zeph. 1:2ff,15ff;Zech.6 and Ezek. 14:12-21;Rev.10-14 with Ezek. 2:8-3:3; Rev. 11:3-13 with Zech. 4;and Rev. 15:13ff.withExod. 7:20ff,10: 21ff and Joel 2:10.Others are Rev. 15-16 with Isa.51:17-23; and Rev. 21:1ff with Isa. 65:17 and 66:22, 24.

The latter is echoed by both Jesus in Mark 13:31 and the writer of 2 Peter 3:12-13.Itappears the writer of Revelation expected his readers to be familiar with Old Testament prophecy. Such familiarity still serves as a major asset in trying to understand Revelation, given the similarity between the prophecies of old and the visions of the Seer of Patmos. One cannot easily comprehend Revelation without some knowledge of Old Testament prophecy.

Interpretation

Interpreting Revelation has also been an arduous task. Due to the difficulties associated with understanding its images and symbols, approaches to the interpretation of Revelation have varied. The following are five of the more popular approaches used by different scholars.

1. The Preterits approach-holds the view that the events described in Revelation happened during the author’s lifetime. These events are said to have taken place in the Roman Empire towards the end of the first century A.D. Thus Revelation is regarded as a symbolic history of the past. This is the post-millennium perspective.
2. The Historicist approach-is of the view that the events narrated in Revelation describe the history of the church from the first century A.D. to the end of time. This is at times known as the continuous historical or mid-millennial approach. John’s visions are regarded as representing both the events of his time and consequent developments that will continue until the end of time.
3. The Futurist approach-views Revelation as being concerned only about the future. Proponents of this approach to the interpretation of Revelation hold that the document is a book of predictive history. Holders of this pre-millennium position insist that the visions of Revelation will be fulfilled only towards the end of this age.
4. The Dramatist approach-is the view that Revelation is mainly a book of drama pattered after ancient Greek plays. The contention is that the drama of Revelation is a poetic or pictorial representation of the principles of good and evil in conflict, and the eventual victory of good at the end of the age. John W. Bowman contends that Revelation is a prophetic message in the form of Greek tragic drama, with seven acts and seven scenes in each act. This position is millennial, since the millennial period pictured in Revelation is only seen as symbolic.
5. The Synthetic or Eclectic approach-tries to merge elements from the other approaches in interpreting Revelation. Different approaches are applied to different passages in the attempt to make meaning out of those passages. For instance, while it may accept that some of the events described in Revelation took place during the writer’s time (Preterits), it will allow room for the possibility of their continuing to happen in history (Historicist), and up till the end of time (Futuristic).

The relevance of the message of Revelation, fortunately, does not depend on the approach to its interpretation, much as the issue of methodology may be important. That is, whether the events narrated in Revelation are believed to be past, present, or all future, the lessons they communicate remain relevant. The encouragement of believers, the renewal of hope, and the reaffirmation of God’s victory that Revelation engenders do not depend on any method of interpretation for their effectiveness.

Conclusion

In this work we will join John the Seer in celebrating the victory of God by looking at some of the dimensions of that victory. What informed John’s songs of victory and how relevant are those things today? How can contemporary believers live victoriously amidst the despair and uncertainty that surround them? These are some of the questions this book will attempt to answer as we probe the message of Revelation together. Given the space limits of this work, the study will focus on some selected passages of the book of Revelation. The belief, however, is that the passage selected are representative of the essential message of The Revelation.