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Revelation of John: definitions, outline and interpretations

A. Definitions

Apocalypse and Eschatology:

"[T]he term apocalyptic is to be distinguished from the term eschatological. Eschatology, which means "the last things," is a broad term and refers to whatever is influenced by a doctrine of the end of the ages. Apocalypse means revelation or unveiling and normally refers to the kind of writing that gives a revelation of hidden knowledge, particularly of God's control over when and how history ends." Everett Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987) 377.

The apocalyptic literature of the Old Testament includes the visions in the Book of Daniel and in the Prophets Zechariah and Ezekiel. Many of the visions in these books are echoed in the Revelation of John.


The apocalyptic literature of the New Testament, notably Matthew 24-25, 1 and 2 Thessalonians (in particular see I Thess 4:13-17, the passage from which some conservative Christians derive the notion of the rapture) and the Revelation of John, tends to reveal divine knowledge about eschatological matters.

Millennium:


A millennium is a period of one thousand years. In chapter 20 of the Revelation of John, Satan is bound for a period of 1,000 years during which Christ rules. During the first half of this century a fierce debate was waged in the Mennonite Church over the question of whether the millennium begins before the second coming of Christ (postmillennialism) or following Christ's second coming (premillennialism). A third position contended that the period of 1,000 years in Revelation 20 is figurative (amillennialism). For a more extensive discussion see:
Ontario Consultation on Religious Tolerances' description
The Doctrine of Resurrection:
The eschatology of the New Testament presupposes a number of ideas that are also shared by early Rabbinic Judaism, such as, final judgment and the doctrine of resurrection. "The doctrine of the resurrection became one of the essential dogmas of rabbinic orthodoxy, denial of which excluded one from a share in the world to come (m. Sanhedrin 10.1). Even so there remained varying ideas about the nature of the resurrected body. Some saw a repetition of activities in this life, only in a world of remarkable fertility and pleasure (Sibylline Oracles 4.181091; b Sanhedrin 91b; Midrash Rabbah Genesis 14:5; 95:1, Midrash Rabbah Ecclesiastes 1:4, 2). This view made the Sadducees' question in Luke 20 (and par.) so cogent and contrasts with the view of the resurrection body set forth in Jesus' reply. Others denied that there would be eating, drinking, sexual enjoyment, and the like (m. Berakot 17 a). Some statements seem not to allow the intermediate time described in 2 Esdras but place the judgment immediately after death (Sifre on Numbers 13:8; Mekilta on Exodus 15:1, b Sanhedrin 91a). A great variety characterizes the descriptions of the abode of the righteous (b Berakoth 28b), the third heaven (Apocalypse of Moses 40), the seventh heaven under the Throne of Glory (b Shabbath 152b). There was an increasing tendency to use Sheol or Hades for the place of punishment for the wicked (cf. the English word Hell used for Hades). Sometimes, as in the New Testament, Gehenna was the name for the place of punishment (Hagigah 15a). Fire was the usual form of the punishment in Gehenna (e.g., Pesahim 54a). Normally the punishment was considered eternal, but occasionally one comes across the idea of extermination of the wicked at the judgment (Midrash Rabbah on Genesis 26 on 6:3) or even of a temporary Gehenna, somewhat like a purgatory, for lesser sinners after which they join the righteous (t. Sanhedrin 13:3ff.). The favorite phrase in rabbinic literature for the afterlife is simply "the world to come." The Christian hope for the afterlife is often expressed as the "immortality of the soul" -- a phrase that never occurs in the New Testament. Actually the biblical doctrine is of a resurrection of the body. The "immortality of the soul" is more a result of the philosophical (Platonic) tradition and its combination with the idea of resurrection in the church fathers." Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity, 439-40.

B. Outline of the Visions of John of Patmos

Chapter One -- seven lamp stands (one like the son of man)
Chapters Two-Three -- letters to seven churches
Chapters Four-Five -- Heavenly throne; seven sealed scroll and lamb
Chapter Six -- seven seals including four horsemen; with sixth seal, stars fall from heaven to earth
Chapter Seven -- 144,000 sealed of Israel and multitude worship the lamb
Chapters Eight and Nine -- seven angels blow seven horns producing a series of natural disasters
Chapter Ten -- vision of the little scroll that is sweet to the taste but bitter to the stomach
Chapter Eleven -- John measures the temple; the beast kills the two witnesses (olive trees and lamp stands)
Chapter Thirteen -- the first beast of the sea with 10 horns and 7 heads, one with a death blow; the second beast of the land looks like a lamb but speaks like a dragon
Chapter Fourteen -- the lamb with the 144,000; angels reap the harvest of the earth; they press the grapes and blood flows from the press
Chapters Fifteen to Sixteen -- 7 angels pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath (seven plagues)
Chapter Seventeen -- the great whore of Babylon
Chapter Eighteen -- the fall of Babylon
Chapter 19:11 The white rider defeats the beast
Chapter Twenty -- Satan is bound for 1,000 years at the end of which time Satan is released and the Battle of Gog and Magog takes place. Fire from heaven consumes his forces. The resurrection of the dead follows, then judgment and the second death for the condemned.
Chapter Twenty One -- the new heaven, new earth and new Jerusalem
Chapter Twenty Two -- the river of life and the end of night and tears

Durer's Illustrations of the Book of Revelation

C. Various Interpretations of the Book of Revelation


1. Interpretation as events contemporary to the author

Adele Yarbro Collins, in her major work Crisis and Catharsis: The Power of the Apocalypse (Westminster Press,1984), places the book of revelations in the context of the emperor Domitian's persecution of Christians (ca.90 c.e.). Given that the reality they experienced did not match up with their expectations (God's defeat of the Satan or human manifestation of his power was not self evident), and given that they did not want to give up their religious convictions (Domitian demanded that the peoples of the empire participate in worship of the emperor as a god), the author of the Revelation of John tries to eliminate ambiguity by revealing the true state of affairs. Rome is an agent of Satan and God's heavenly forces are engaged in a battle in which they will ultimately prevail. Collin's interpretation of the book of Revelation is treated as normative by most members of the Society of Biblical Literature.


Key texts:

6:5 The black rider is a reference to a contemporary famine. Rome's monopoly on the Egyptian harvest, forced Asia Minor to rely on own produce, but then advancing Roman army consumed any surplus.

9:7-19 contains a description of the Parthian army that stood poised at the eastern shore of the Euphrates ready to invade the Roman empire.

13:1ff Beasts of the sea refer to political powers. This beast with seven heads is Rome (We will see this more clearly in chapter 17) The seven heads refer to seven emperors. The one with the wound on its head is Nero (54-68 c.e.). Rumors spread after his assassination that he was brought back to life.

13:11 the second beast is religious authority - it makes the people worship the first beast. This is a reference to the imperial cult of Rome. Christians refusal to participate in the worship of the emperor led to their persecution.

17:1 The Great Whore is Rome herself. The city of Rome sits on seven hills.


2. Revelations as Realized Eschatology


The Roman Catholic Church from about the fourth century to the present has interpreted the book of Revelation allegorically or metaphorically. Eugenio Corsini, in his book The Apocalypse: The Perennial Revelation of Jesus Christ(Michael Glazier, 1983), provides a compelling argument for accepting Catholic tradition. He argues that the cycles of seven repeat the story of humanity's fall and Christ's victory over death through his crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus' death and resurrection signify the triumph over the power of sin and death. The only reference to a future event lies in the allusion to the Maranatha prayer in Revelation 22:20b "Amen, Come Lord Jesus!"

Key texts:

4:1 An open door refers to things already revealed.
The heavenly throne and the 24 thrones symbolize the cycles of the priesthood. Angels participate in the temple cult by carrying the prayers and petitions of the sacrifices to God in bowls cf. 5:8 These "Elders" renounce their power and give it to the lamb, and they begin to worship the lamb (5:14). The moment at which this happens is at Jesus death and resurrection.

The series of sevens then tell and retell in various ways the salvation history that culminates in the Christ event.

6:1 The white horse symbolizes the original condition
6:3-7 the next three horses symbolize the consequences of the fall
6:12 the fifth and sixth seal describes the events at Jesus' death described in Matt 27:51-53 (cf. Acts 2:31; Rom 10:7; Eph 4:8; 1 Peter 3:19)

This is followed by a song of praise and a reference to the redemptive blood of the lamb.
8:1 The seventh seal refers to Sabbath silence - the actions of the angel represents the end of the Temple cult

The series of seven angels and seven trumpets retells the story this time alluding to the fall of Satan rather than humanity's fall and the consequences of that for humanity
9:1 The fifth angel - sees a star fall from heaven to earth
11:19 again represent the end of the temple cult and the termination of the old covenant.
10:1ff the little scroll may refer to the Old Covenant - described here as a covenant of judgment
11:1ff the two witness are the law and the prophets.
12:1 the woman with the crown seems to be Israel
Her child, clearly Jesus, is snatched away to heaven, while she is taken into the wilderness. God's plan includes Christ from the start, but first involves the Sinai covenant.
17:1 The great whore is not Rome but Jerusalem cf. 18:24. In fact the beast (perhaps properly understood as Rome) makes war against her. 17:16
21:1ff The new Jerusalem is the Church - this is a common Christian metaphor for the relationship between Jesus and the Church. Jesus' words "it is done" 21:6 echo the words that he utters on the cross in John 19:30. The Gospel of John describes Jesus throughout as the bride groom.
Regarding the judgment described in 20:11 - this is the judgment of those under the altar - that is under the old covenant. They are judged by their deeds. 20:13.
The message of the Book of Revelation is then comparable to that of Hebrews. At Jesus death he enters the Holy of Holies as High Priest. He is the perfect and final sacrifice. Cf. Especially Heb 9:6 12 where Jesus replaces the altar. In Rev 21:22 God and the Lamb are the temple in the New Jerusalem.
The final prayer of Revelations opens the text to the future.
The Maranatha prayer "Amen, Come, Lord Jesus!" is an early piece of Christian liturgy, a pray for the second coming.

3. Interpretation as events to come


The modern tendency to treat the book of Revelation as a time table for God's future judgment begins with Joachim of Fiore in the twelfth century c.e.and tends to prevail in many protestant traditions. Unfortunately, most interpretations have been provided by leaders of expectant Christians who cast themselves into prominent roles in the narrative. David Koresh, of the Branch Davidians at Waco Texas, and Jan Matthijs, leader of the Münster Anabaptist, styled themselves as Davidic Messiahs. The leaders of Heaven's Gate believed that they were the two witnesses of Revelation 11.

Many conservative and fringe group Christians read the Book of Revelation as a blue print for predicting the time of God's judgment.

4. Hollywood Interpretations of Revelations


The producers and directors of Hollywood films have not been noted for their sensitive treatment of biblical material. The films of the 60's and 70's exploited the provocative value of the book. More recently, the book has been mined for its symbols and images. A trend that troubles me is the inversion of elements of the book that make human beings, and particularly Americans, the saviors of humanity. God is often absent from these tellings or is implicitly vilified when the means of his judgment become the enemies that humanity must defeat. Sometimes these films are more Zoroastrian than Christian in that they present a final battle in which Christians do battle.

Some movies that exploit apocalyptic themes 1960-70's Rosemary's Baby The Omen 1, 2, 3 The Exorcist 1980's Alien/Aliens The Seven Signs Mad Max/Road Warrior Films 1990's The Bad Lieutenant Outbreak Alien Resurrection 12 Monkeys Independence Day Millennium Armageddon 2000's Left Behind Series Constantine The Matrix