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INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION
THE APOCALYPSE OF JOHN
Copyright © 2007 Kay Murdy

When we read scripture, it is important to understand the literary form, that is, the kind of material we are reading. The Bible is a library of various writings: prose, poetry, history, epic, oracle, parable and prophecy, and in the Book of Revelation - apocalypse. The word apocalypse comes from a Greek word (apokalypsis) meaning "unveiling." The writer's purpose is to unveil or reveal God's plan for us, thus the name "Revelation," or the "Apocalypse."

Apocalyptic literature was a common style of writing that flourished from 200 years before and 200 years after Christ, a period of great political and religious persecution. People saw their world as totally dominated by evil forces. Some were tempted to believe that God had failed them, while others had faith that God would intervene to redeem the world. This decisive moment of God's saving action was known as the Day of the Lord (Joel 2:1-3). Apocalyptic writing dealt with this eternal struggle between good and evil. It encouraged people to remain faithful despite their trials.

The Book of Daniel is an example of apocalyptic writing in the First Testament. The book was written during the time of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (167-164 BC), the ruler of the Seleucid dynasty, when many Jews suffered because of their refusal to compromise their religious beliefs (See the Books of Maccabees). The author wants to encourage people in his own day who were tempted to abandon their faith by showing similar circumstances from history. The author places his story back in the sixth century (587 BC) during the exile of the Jews under the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel, the hero of the book, remains faithful in the face of persecution. God, depicted as the "Ancient One," sits in judgment of four empires of the ancient world (Babylonians, Medes, Persians, and Greeks) that oppressed Israel (Daniel 7). Dominion, power and glory is given to "one like the Son of Man," the glorified people of God, who will triumph over these "beast-like" kingdoms. The Book of Daniel reassured the people that God is in control in times of crisis.

In the New Testament, the Book of Revelation is the only book that belongs to the apocalyptic genre. It recounts a series of visions described in highly symbolic language. Since the writing would have been considered subversive by the enemy, the Roman Empire, the author used symbols borrowed from the Hebrew scriptures, especially the Books of Exodus, of Daniel, as well as prophetic literature such as Ezekiel, Isaiah and Zechariah. While Christians of the first century understood the ancient symbols, the Romans were unable to decipher the bizarre imagery.

Christians knew that the writer was dealing with ideas that ordinary language could not describe. They did not dwell on the symbols but passed through them to the underlying reality. Because we no longer understand the symbols today, we read the Book of Revelation more like the Romans did.

ROMAN EMPIRE

To understand the Book of Revelation, it is necessary to know what was going on in the first century of the Christian Era after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As the church grew and spread throughout the Roman world, so did its problems. Internally, the church faced division from false teachers who caused confusion and dissent. Externally, the church suffered widespread and severe persecution.

In the late sixties, persecution under the Emperor Nero (54-68 AD) was confined to Christians living in Rome. By the time of the Emperor Domitian (81-96 AD), persecution was extended throughout the empire. To his titles of Caesar and Augustus, Domitian added Dominus et Deus (Lord and God). Eventually, Domitian demanded that all citizens worship him as a god. For Jews and Christians there is only one God, the divine and supreme creator. For Christians, there is only one "Lord," Jesus Christ.

John, the author of the book, writes during the reign of Domitian. John is in exile on the isle of Patmos for having proclaimed his faith in Christ (Rv 1:9). He addresses his work to seven Christian communities on the mainland in Asia Minor. Like the people in the Book of Daniel, they lived in a socio-political world with values contrary to their own. Becoming Christian meant great personal sacrifice. New laws of the Imperial cult forced people to make a choice between worshiping Caesar or worshiping God. Refusal to worship Caesar meant persecution, economic loss and possibly martyrdom. The church felt helpless in the face of oppression from the powerful Roman empire which John depicts as a beast deriving its power from the dragon, or Satan (Rv 13:11,18). The church was sorely in need of a message of comfort and encouragement. This is why the Book of Revelation was written.

John wants to strengthen the Church as they face their trials. He wants them to know that Christians are not insignificant in the eyes of God. John assures them that Christ has already won the victory on the cross of Calvary. Christ is the Alpha and Omega (Rv 1:8), without beginning or end, whose reign is victorious. John helps Christians to raise their eyes from the sufferings of the present world by giving them a glimpse of another world beyond their afflictions. He takes them to heaven where God is praised for the salvation accomplished through the blood of the "Lamb," the one who was slain and now lives (Rv 5:6-10).

A scroll sealed with seven seals is unrolled revealing God's plan. God's judgment is about to be rendered against Rome, the "great harlot" (Rv 17:1) who has corrupted the world. Although Rome seemed invincible, John assures the church that God's reign is being established. Jesus, not Caesar, is Lord!

The Book of Revelation tells us how God acts in history to create a kingdom of peace and justice. The author is primarily concerned with eschatology (end times). John knows that what happens here and now is really important for the future. Every experience, suffering or victory, helps to move history toward its final fulfillment. Modern readers are accustomed to reading a particular work in a linear development from beginning to end. We expect the Book of Revelation to follow the same pattern.

John is not concerned with the sequence of events in chronological order, but with kairos time. Kairos time does not refer to a particular day, month or year (chronos time), but with universal time, the strategic moment, the eternal now when God enters history to redeem humanity. The ultimate saving moment that inaugurates God's reign is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Book of Revelation follows a seven-fold sequence of events. The action moves back and forth from earth to heaven. Each sequence includes a time of crisis and suffering and a moment when God breaks into history with judgment and deliverance. These events progress in a spiral-like fashion. Each time there seems to be a resolution to the crises, they begin anew. The sequences continue until the definitive climax when the demonic forces are defeated and a new creation is established. While the kingdom of God has begun in Christ's passion, death and resurrection, it has yet to be fully realized. In the Lord's Prayer, the church is reminded to pray each day for God's kingdom to come.

Christians are cautioned not to engage in futile speculation about the exact time (chronos) of the arrival of God's kingdom. Jesus said, "As for the exact day or hour, no one knows it, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but the Father only." He cautions his followers to "Stay awake! You cannot know the day your Lord is coming" (Matthew 24:36,42). Christians are to live in faith for the saving moment (kairos) when God's kingdom will be realized. The Book of Revelation is not a timetable explaining what the future holds, rather, it tells us who holds the future.

Today we are faced with crises never anticipated by the author of the Book of Revelation. Not since the dawn of creation has the human race had greater potential for destroying itself. Cosmic upheavals of unimaginable proportions threaten to destroy the planet. The threat of a nuclear holocaust, the destruction of human life through war, abortion and euthanasia, the annihilation of species of plants and animals and pollution of the atmosphere, oceans and land with toxic substances is a greater evil than any faced by the first generation of Christians. Though great value is placed on science and technology to solve world problems, warfare, violence, hunger and disease continue to be modern-day Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The Book of Revelation offers hope that no situation is so desperate that God cannot act to save us. God's redemptive work will be fulfilled when the church is united in fidelity and communion with Christ.

MARANATHA! COME LORD JESUS!

CHARACTERISTICS OF APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE

AUTHOR IS UNKNOWN: Apocalyptic literature is generally written under a pseudonym, usually the name of a famous person who is deceased. Apocalyptic authors must protect their identities since they are advocating open rebellion against the anti-God forces, which are often the state.

PAST ORIENTATED: When Apocalyptic authors give their descriptions of the future, they do it in terms of the "good old days" -- Paradise, the Exodus, etc. The authors describe the present situation in terms of the "bad days" -- chaos, plagues, disaster, the beast, etc.

FUTURE ORIENTATED: To throw powerful enemies off track, the author pretends to speak about what will happen in the future. In fact, the intolerable conditions of the present are being described. Readers recognize their own situation, and have faith that the present distress is merely a prelude to the Reign of God. The only thing to be concerned about in the future is that God's day will surely come.

SYMBOLISM: The authors are familiar with the Old Testament language and symbolism (There are 245 direct or indirect quotes from the Old Testament in Revelation). Unless you have the keys to understand these symbols, the door to the real meaning is closed. Lacking these, the enemies don't recognize themselves in the weird symbolism.

NUMEROLOGY: The ancient languages often employed the alphabet to count (eg. Roman Numerals: I V X C M, etc.) Thus every word had a numerical value For example in Matthew's genealogy David's name (DVD -- there were no written vowels in the Hebrew language) represents 14 generations: D = 4, V = 6, D = 4, or two times seven. Numbers could also conceal a name: 666 of Revelation: Nero Caesar (Nrwn Qsr in Latin) -- N = 50, 4 = 200, W = 6, N = 50, Q = 100, S= 60, R = 200 totals 666. Other Numbers also have meaning: Four is the number of creation: four points of the compass, four seasons, etc. Seven (lucky seven) is the number of perfection, and six is the imposter since it falls short of seven (666 is really bad!). Twelve is the number of God's people (Patriarchs and Apostles). One thousand and its multiples refer to what is infinite and uncountable.

OUTLINE AND QUESTIONS FOR THE BOOK OF REVELATION
AN ASSESSMENT OF MY LIFE IN CHRIST

CHAPTERS 1-3: PROLOGUE -- SEVEN LETTERS TO SEVEN CHURCHES

The Book of Revelation was written toward the end of the first century in an apocalyptic, symbolic style. Apocalyptic vision to the Church in a time of crisis.

How would I respond if such a letter were written to my community?

CHAPTERS 4-10: PREPARATION FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD

Revelation as liturgy; vision of Heavenly Worship. Prophetic vision of history. The scroll and the lamb, 144,000, seven seals, seven trumpets (a rereading of Exodus)

How can I be a prophet in today's world situations? What will it cost me?

CHAPTERS 11-16: CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AMONG THE "BEASTS"

The seven bowls, seven plagues reveal catastrophe for the oppressor and liberation for the oppressed (a rereading of Exodus). Seven scenes of cosmic conflict.

What "demons" have power over my life and need to come under God's rule?

CHAPTERS 17 - 22: PROPHETIC VISION OF HISTORY, APOCALYPTIC VIEW OF THE FUTURE

The destruction of evil represented as "Babylon." Christ reigns with his Elect, his "bride," the Church, in the "New Jerusalem," the "New Heavens and Earth," the City of God.

Can I praise God for victories in my life? In what ways am I a new creation?

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