UNDERSTANDING REVELATION

Tips For Reading

Familiarize yourself with the Old Testament, especially the apocalyptic books.

Revelation alludes to the Old Testament 400-500 times, so it is important to have a good grasp of the Old Testament. Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and Zechariah can especially shed light as you try to understand Revelation.

2 Timothy 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

2. Remember to consider the original audience.

This is an important principle when seeking to understand any New Testament book, but it is especially helpful when reading Revelation. It is not primarily a manual for the end times but is a message of hope for persecuted believers in the 1st century.

See Revelation 1:4, 9...

3. Look for clues to determine what is literal and what is figurative or symbolic.

We should look for clues in the context of the passage we are reading, but also for clues in related Old Testament apocalyptic books. John often specifically identifies what some of these images represent.

See Revelation 1:20...

4. Remember that all of Revelation isn’t written in chronological order.

Look for clues to determine which parts are not in chronological order, otherwise, it is easier for our understanding to get muddled. Instead of searching for a chronological map of future events in Revelation, try to discover the main message in each vision.

Matthew 24:36 ““But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”

5. Focus on the main idea and don’t get lost in the details.

Resist the temptation to focus so much on the details that you miss the main idea. Don’t let the main point of each section or vision fade. As has been said, when reading Revelation, the main thing is to make the main thing the main thing!

Matthew 23:24 “You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!”

6. Remember to let Scripture interpret Scripture.

Remember that the Scriptures are a unified whole. The more we know of the whole, the better we can understand individual parts. We should always look for clear passages to shed light on unclear passages.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

7. Ask the Lord to give you wisdom and understanding and make use of the resources He has given us.

We should always pray that the Lord would give us understanding and wisdom as we read and study His word. We should also make use of the resources He has provided: teachers, pastors, commentaries, books, etc...

James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

Acts 8:30–31 “So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.”

Ephesians 4:11–12 “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,”