Introduction to Revelation

What is the “genre”?

What is “genre”? It is the category or type of literature a document or book should be put in.

Genres you know from culture: fiction, non-fiction, biography, mystery, history, historical fiction

Biblical genres: epistle/letter, history, theological biography (gospels), poetry, wisdom, prophecy, etc.

Revelation is mostly “prophecy”.

However, it was intended to be read in multiple churches as a “circular letter” or epistle.

It also contains apocalyptic imagery and devices (think “tools”). The word “apocalyptic” is a transliteration of the Greek word identified as “revelation” in . It is an allusion to , where the word shows up as “reveal” 5x.

General Themes of Apocalyptic genre:

Pessimism: Pessimism toward the present age may be the dominant characteristic. The themes of exile and bondage are evident in much of this literature. Israel is without the land and without a king. They are in doubt and despair over their present circumstances.

Promise: The promise of salvation or restoration is the other side of the same coin. God is portrayed as an awesome God who demands and will eventually receive worship from all of mankind. Israel will be restored in the land the the kingdom of God will commence.

Providence: A view of transcendent reality centering upon the presence and control of God is another major theme. Apocalyptic literature focuses on heaven’s view of the plight of mankind.

Sovereignty: A determinism was observable, in which God completely controlled all of history. Events are portrayed as certainties. The end of the age is already determined in God’s mind.

Dualism: A modified (unequal) dualism is seen in the doctrine of the two ages, this age and the one to come. There is also a dualism between good and evil, evil angels and good angels, and God and Satan.

Formal Features of Apocalyptic genre:

Revelatory content: A revelatory communication is the most common feature. This may take place either by direct communication through words, or indirect communication by dreams or visions.

Angelic presence: Angelic mediation is part of the revelatory medium. The recipient of the revelation is often confused as to the meaning of the message. Therefore, a divine messenger guides the recipient through the interpretation of the content of the declaration.

Talking or Discourse cycles: Discourse (“talking”) cycles demonstrate the stylized literary form of apocalyptic literature. Often there is an introductory formula such as “I look and behold” followed by a series of questions asked by the mediator or by the one seeing the vision (called a “seer”). The fear and turmoil of the seer is graphically described: “The recipient is beside himself; he falls to the ground, his trance sometimes being heightened to the point of unconsciousness.” God or the angel then calms the fears and explains the vision.

Ethical Discourse: Ethical discourse often clarifies the purposes of the visions for the readers. What were they ethically and morally bound to do in light of the vision? The readers of the literature were called to either repentance or faith in God.

Highly symbolic: Esoteric symbolism is the most visible quality of apocalyptic literature. The use of wilds symbols and metaphors from an imaginary world is extensive. The significance of numerology is particularly striking.

Recitation of History: A recital of history is featured in many apocalyptic works that intertwine past and future. The purpose of apocalyptic literature is to ensure the readers that God is sovereign over the events of history both past and future. Therefore, much details is given to this emphasis.

Examples of apocalyptic literature in Scripture: , , , , , , , , .

We can define the book, then as “a prophetic circular letter which frequently makes use of apocalyptic imagery and device”. So we need to read it 1) as a letter to churches, intended to provide spiritual benefit, not satisfy curiosity; 2) as prophecy, indicating, at least to some degree, events which had not taken place when John wrote it, and that we don’t believe have yet taken place; 3) being careful not to take imagery as literal or to stretch it too far.

Views of the book of Revelation: How should we interpret it?

5 main views

The “it already happened in the author’s day” view: Preterist View.

The book is seen as “an assessment of circumstances and the perceived threat of persecution in the era in which John lived…most of the material in revelation is about events taking place in the first century, often prior to the destruction of Jerusalem, in AD 70.”

Those who hold this view say that most of the events of the book were near past, present events, or soon-to-be-completed future events to John when he wrote it, but they are in our past.

The “it’s already happened or is happening now” view: Historicist view.

The book is “a panorama of church history from John’s time to the second advent… ‘predicting the major movements of Christian history.’” (Paige Patterson, Revelation, ed. E. Ray Clendenen, vol. 39, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H, 2012), 28.

38 Thomas, , 30.

Paige Patterson, Revelation, ed. E. Ray Clendenen, vol. 39, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H, 2012), 28.

Wycliffe, Knox, Tyndale, Luther, Clavin, Zwingli, Wesley, Edwards, Spurgeon held this view.

Very popular during the Reformation when the pope and the RC church was viewed as the Antichrist and Babylon.

Not held widely today.

The “it’s an allegory and not going to actually happen” view: Idealist view.

This view sees “the various symbols in the text as allegories of spiritual truths” (Patterson, Revelation, 28).

“The idealist view is not much interested in chronological issues but rather understands the Revelation to depict the cosmic struggle of good and evil while forecasting the eventual triumph of God’s purpose” (Patterson, 28).

The idealist view is not much interested in chronological issues but rather understands the Revelation to depict the cosmic struggle of good and evil while forecasting the eventual triumph of God’s purpose.

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Paige Patterson, Revelation, ed. E. Ray Clendenen, vol. 39, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H, 2012), 28.”

The New American Commentary: Revelation 5. History of Interpretation

The idealist view is not much interested in chronological issues but rather understands the Revelation to depict the cosmic struggle of good and evil while forecasting the eventual triumph of God’s purpose.

Patterson, Revelation, ed. E. Ray Clendenen, vol. 39, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H, 2012), 28.

“The idealist view is not much interested in chronological issues but rather understands the Revelation to depict the cosmic struggle of good and evil while forecasting the eventual triumph of God’s purpose” (Patterson, 28).

Clement and Origen (early church fathers who interpreted much of Scripture allegorically), Augustine, and Jerome held this view.

The “most of it has not happened yet” view: Futurist view.

Papias, Irenaeus, Justin, Hippolytus, and Anabaptist Reformers held this view.

Chapters 4-22 is focused almost entirely on the “eschaton,” which means “last days”.

This view “[confronts] the modern reader with precisely the same promises, the same threats and the same choices that the book’s original readers faced”.

The New American Commentary: Revelation 5. History of Interpretation

It is as if time has stood still, as if the “prophetic clock” set to go off at the end of the world shut itself off right after John finished his book and is only now ready to start ticking again—after nineteen hundred years! Such an interpretation can never be proven wrong, for when events in the world do not match the scenario of John’s visions, the answer is that the events John prophesied have not yet begun to happen.

The “let’s lump everything together and see if it works” view: Eclecticism view.

This view says that “no specific prophesied historical events are discerned in the book, except for the final coming of Christ to deliver and judge and to establish the final form of the kingdom in a consummated new creation—though there are a few exceptions to this rule” (Beale as quoted by Patterson, 30).

“The majority of the symbols in the book are transtemporal in the sense that they are applicable to events throughout the “church age” (Beale as quoted by Patterson, 30).

Paige Patterson, Revelation, ed. E. Ray Clendenen, vol. 39, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H, 2012), 30.

Paige Patterson, Revelation, ed. E. Ray Clendenen, vol. 39, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H, 2012), 30.

This is really just a modification of the “idealist” position.

This study will approach Revelation from the futurist perspective; reasons why will be given as we work through the book.

What is the key to the book? .

What do I need to know about prophecy in general before we begin Revelation?

Prophecy comforts (, ).

Prophecy calms (, ).

Prophecy converts (, , ).

Peter preaches a salvation message out of an apocalyptic text.

Prophecy cleanses (, , , )

Prophecy compels (, )

Resurrection and future hope compels one to labor today, because our labor is not in vain.

Prophecies confirms God’s Sovereignty (Reve. 22:18-19).

Prophecy centers on Jesus Christ (; ; ; ).

In Revelation, Christ is unveiled to the church (chapter 1), nations (chapters 4-5), and the unbelievers (chapter 19).

Prophecy is not for curiosity.