The Book of Revelation Explained: A Deep Dive (Part 1)

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First things first, it's "The Book of Revelation" and not "Revelations." The author, named right at the start, is John. But which John? It could be the Beloved Disciple who penned the Gospel and the letters of John, or it might be another John—a Messianic Jewish prophet who roamed and taught in the early church. Regardless of which John it was, he sets the tone right away, calling his work a revelation or apocalypse. (But it's John, the Beloved Disciple...Just sayin')

The Greek term here is Apokalypsis, a type of literature well-known to John's readers from Hebrew scriptures and other popular Jewish texts. Apokalypsis recounts a prophet's symbolic dreams and visions that reveal God's heavenly perspective on history and current events, enabling us to view the present in light of history's ultimate outcome. John also labels his apocalypse a prophecy, meaning it's a divine message delivered through a prophet to God's people, usually to warn or comfort them during crises.

Understanding the Context: Explaining the Book of Revelation

By calling this a book of prophecy, John aligns it with the tradition of biblical prophets, bringing their message to a climax. This apocalyptic prophecy was sent to real people John knew. The book starts and ends as a circular letter sent to seven churches in the Roman province of Asia. And why seven? It symbolizes completeness, rooted in the seven-day Sabbath cycle from the Old Testament. John has cleverly woven sevens into every part of this book. Let's take a look as we go through the Book of Revelation explained.

John provides clear instructions on how to interpret his book. Jewish apocalypse uses symbolic imagery and numbers, not as a secret code predicting the end of the world, but as symbols drawn from the Old Testament. He expects readers to look up the texts he's referencing. Given that it's a letter, John is addressing the specific situations of these first-century churches. While the book speaks to later generations of Christians, its meaning is first anchored in the historical context of John's time, place, and audience.

Jesus' Message to the Seven Churches

The Book of Revelation gives amazing depictions of Christ in the midst of the lampstands.

John, exiled on the island of Patmos, has a vision of the risen Jesus exalted as king of the world, standing among seven burning lights. This is a symbol adapted from the Prophet Zechariah, representing the seven churches in Asia Minor. Jesus addresses the specific problems of each church. Some were apathetic due to wealth and affluence, others morally compromised, engaging in pagan rituals and behaviors. Yet, some remained faithful to Jesus, suffering harassment and even violent persecution.

Jesus warns that things will get worse, a tribulation forcing the churches to choose between compromise or faithfulness. By John's time, the persecution of Christians by Emperor Nero had passed, and that by Emperor Domitian was likely underway. The temptation to deny Jesus to avoid persecution or to join the Roman age's spirit was strong. Jesus calls them to faithfulness, promising a reward for those who conquer. Each reward is drawn from the book's final vision of the marriage of heaven and earth, setting up the main plot tension: Will Jesus' people endure and inherit the new world that God has in store?

A vision of Revelation explained is a scary scene.

The Vision of God's Heavenly Throne Room

Next, John has a vision of God's heavenly throne room, described with imagery from Old Testament prophets. Surrounding God are creatures and elders representing all creation and human nations, giving honor to the one true Creator God. In God's hand is a scroll sealed with seven wax seals, symbolizing the Old Testament prophets' message and Daniel's sealed scrolls about God's kingdom coming fully on earth as in heaven.

The heavenly throne room described in Revelation.

No one can open the scroll until John hears of someone who can—the lion from the tribe of Judah and the root of David. But when John turns, he sees not an aggressive lion but a sacrificed, bloody lamb. This symbol of Jesus as the slain lamb is crucial. John's saying that the Old Testament promise of God's victorious kingdom was inaugurated through the crucified Messiah. Jesus overcame his enemies by dying for them, like the true Passover lamb, so they could be redeemed. The vision concludes with the lamb and the one on the throne being worshipped together, as the lamb begins to open the scroll, symbolizing His divine authority to guide history to its conclusion.

The Three Cycles of Sevens: Seals, Trumpets, and Bowls

Now we move to the three cycles of sevens: seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls, each depicting God's kingdom and justice coming on earth as in heaven. Some think these represent a literal sequence of events, but John has woven them together, like nesting dolls. Each seventh contains the next seven, and each series culminates in the final judgment, likely depicting the same period from Jesus' resurrection to His future return from different perspectives.

The slain lamb opens the first four seals, revealing four horsemen symbolizing war, conquest, famine, and death—a tragically average day in human history. The fifth seal depicts murdered Christian martyrs before God's throne, their cry rising like incense. They're told to rest because more Christians will die, but it won't last forever. The sixth seal brings God's ultimate response, the great day of the Lord, prompting the earth's people to cry out, "Who is able to stand?"

The Mark of Protection

John sees an angel marking God's servants enduring hardship, numbering 144,000—12,000 from each tribe of Israel. But what John hears is not what he sees. Just as he heard about the conquering lion but saw a slain lamb, he hears of a military census but sees a multi-ethnic army of the Lamb. This army stands before God, redeemed by the lamb's blood, conquering not by killing but by suffering and bearing witness like the lamb.

After the seventh seal is broken, seven trumpets emerge. Fire from the incense altar symbolizes the martyrs' cry, cast onto the earth, bringing the day of the Lord. The seven trumpets replay the Exodus plagues, but the nations do not repent, just as Pharaoh didn't. God's judgment alone won't bring repentance.

The Open Scroll

An angel brings the unsealed scroll, and John, like Ezekiel, is told to eat it and proclaim its message. The scroll reveals how God's kingdom will come on earth. John sees God's temple and martyrs by the altar, told to measure and set them apart, symbolizing protection. The outer courts and city are trampled by nations, symbolizing Jesus' followers' persecution but ultimate victory through the lamb.

An angel brings the unsealed scroll to John for him to eat or consume the scroll.

God appoints two witnesses as prophetic representatives. Some think these are literal future prophets, but John calls them lamp stands, symbols for churches. This vision is about Jesus' followers calling nations to turn to God. A beast appears, conquers, and kills the witnesses, but God resurrects them, vindicating them before their persecutors, leading many to repent and give glory to God.

Conclusion

Reflect on the story so far: God's judgments through seals and trumpets did not generate repentance, just as the Exodus plagues hardened Pharaoh's heart. But the lamb conquered by loving and dying for his enemies. The lamb's scroll reveals the church's mission: to imitate the lamb's loving sacrifice, bringing nations to repentance. This surprising claim is the message of the open scroll at the book's center. After this, the last trumpet sounds, shaking nations as God's kingdom comes on earth as in heaven. But who is the beast waging war on God's people? And how will the story end? John will tell us in the second half of the Book of Revelation.