John’s Revelation is the most misunderstood book of the Bible. There are many reasons for this. First, apocalyptic literature is a long-lost literary genre. Its symbology can at times be mystifying. For example, Martin Luther wrote:
[I] consider it to be neither apostolic nor prophetic. I can in no way detect that the Holy Spirit produced it . . . they are supposed to be blessed who keep what is written in this book; and yet no one knows what that is, to say nothing of keeping it. . . . My Spirit cannot accommodate itself to the book. For me this is reason enough not to think highly of it: Christ is neither taught nor known in it.
Next, we seek certainty. With all the problems of life, it’s natural to want to know what the future holds. We fight against the unknown and are determined to make sense of the mysterious symbols that appear throughout the book. Unfortunately, John’s Revelation is not meant to be a complex puzzle itching to be solved. Simply put, it is a call to resist. Remain faithful against the apparently overwhelming forces of darkness. Don’t flow with the cultural currents that oppose goodness. Patience flavored with courage will lead to our ultimate eternal vindication. To properly understand Revelation, three requirements come to mind.
- Discern the imagery’s impact on its first-century audience. Revelation’s truths are for us, this is true. They are also for every generation of believers: past, present, and future. However, Revelation is written in the language of a people living in a culture that is quite different from ours.
- Become familiar with intertestamental literature and other apocalyptic writings that were composed during the same time period (roughly 300 BCE to 300 CE). This opens windows of understanding. Many of the symbols in Revelation were well known and frequently used elsewhere.
- Carefully read the Old Testament, especially the prophetic literature. John alludes to these texts hundreds of times. In doing so, he frequently repackages them to fit into his first-century Christian worldview.
A couple simple guidelines can help. First, understand that there are no new doctrines introduced in the book. Every principle and concept is present elsewhere in Scripture. Second, recognize that God’s central characteristic is love. He is not one who conquers by resorting to physical violence. The brutality in Revelation comes from the dark forces. Yes, the Lamb conquers. This comes through the self-giving, radically forgiving sacrifice of his own blood on the cross. As such, the Lion of Judah is the crucified Lamb who always identifies and is present with those who suffer. As Paul writes, “I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from God’s love, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:38–39). This short passage encapsulates the Christian hope.
In this book, my goal is to enter the Greco-Roman world of first-century believers (followers of the Way, as they would say). We will engage with John and experience his revelation for ourselves. As we unravel the entangled scriptural imagery that fashions his masterpiece, a universal message emerges. This is the same message that applied to John’s hearers, to us now, and to all Way-followers who eagerly anticipate Jesus’s inevitable return. Let’s begin our journey.