HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE LESSON 5 CITY OF GOD CHURCH HOW DO WE INTERPRET APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE? The English word apocalyptic comes from the Greek word apokalupto, meaning to reveal or unveil. Apocalyptic literature genrally appears within a four-hundred year span, from the second century B.C. to the second century A.D. (though Daniel is written before this time frame and is often classified as apocalyptic). Characteristics of Apocalyptic Literature 1. The expectation of the inbreaking of God into the present age to unsher in a qualitatively different existence in the age to come. 2. The use of an angelic mediator or mediators to communicate God s message to a chosen recipient/spokesman. 3. The journey of the chosen human recipient into the heavenly realms with ongoing interaction and communication with the angelic mediator(s). 4. Highly symbolic visions or dreams that describe both current hidden spiritual realities and future divine interventions. 5. Visions of final, divine judgment. 6. Warnings of coming distresses and trials to be faced by the faithful. 7. Encouragements to the faithful to persevere in light of the true spiritual realities and coming divine interventions. Within the Bible there are isolated elements that might be classified as apocalyptic (Isa. 24-27; Ezek. 38-39; Zech. 1-6; Mk. 13), but the only Biblical books with enough relevant content to be considered part of the apocalyptic genre are Daniel and Revelation. Interpreting the Book of Revelation There are several distinct approaches to the book of Revelation: 1. Preterist While portions of Revelation may have been forward-looking when initially written, almost all events described in Revelation already have taken place, most in the first century or soon thereafter. Preterists tie much of the cataclysmic symbols in Revelation to the destruction of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem in A.D. 70. 1
2. Historicist Approach Revelation as a blueprint of the entire span of church history. Thus, portions of the book describe the past, while others look to the future. 3. Idealist See Revelation as describing spiritual realities that reoccur throughout history until the final consummation. It is erroneous, then, to seek particular rulers or events that uniquely correspond with the beasts or images and events in Revelation. Many events throughout history correspond to these same symbols. 4. Futurist Sees the majority of Revelation as applying to future end-time events that occur directly prior to Christ s return. Regardless of approach most can agree to these four guidelines: 1. Old Testament apocalyptic passages provide the most helpful background to understanding Revelation (Isa. 24-27; Ezek. 38-39; Zech. 1-6; Dan. 7-12). Of 405 verses in Revelation 278 contain allusions to the Old Testament. 2. The book of Revelation should be read from the perspective of the original audience. How would the early Christians of Asia Minor addressed in Revelation 1-3 have understood the later portions of the book? 3. In accord with the standards of apocalyptic literature, the symbolic images in Revelation must not to be taken literally. This does not mean, however, that they are not important, meaningful, or authoritative descriptions of reality. 4. Revelation is not intended to be read chronologically. This is made clear by the fact that Christ s birth is not reported until Revelation 12, and various sequences of visions repeat nearly identical judgment language (Rev. 6:12-17; 11:19; 16:18-21). Reflection Questions 1. Challenge: If you have never read through Daniel and/or the book of Revelation, do so during the next week. 2. Challenge: Choose one of the extrabiblical apocalypses, find it at a local library or through an Internet search, and read it. How is it similar to Daniel and the book of Revelation? How is it different? Recommended Reading: Lowery, Robert A. Revelation s Rhapsody: Listening to the Lyrics of the Lamb. Joplin: College Press, 2006. Metzger, Bruce M. Breaking the Code: Understanding the Book of Revelation. Nashville: Abingdon, 1993. 2
NOTES FROM REVELATION S RHAPSODY How Does Revelation Fit the Rest of the New Testament? The Last Days We have been living in the last days since the first coming of Christ (Ac. 2:17; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 3:1; Heb. 1:2; Js. 5:3; 1 Pt. 1:20; 2 Pt. 3:3; 1 Jn. 2:18; Jude 18). Eschatology The term comes from two Greek words, eschatos which means last and logos which means word, teaching, or study. Eschatology, then, is the teaching concerning last things. I suggest that together these terms deal with God s acts of redemption, especially those associated with the first and final comings of Christ and everything that happens between these two momentous events. 1 The Already and the Not Yet The decisive battle in a war may already have occurred in a relatively early stage of the war, and yet the war still continues. Although the decisive effect of that battle is perhaps not recognized by all, it nevertheless already means victory. But the war must still be carried on for an undefined time, until Victory Day. Precisely this is the situation of which the New Testament is conscious, as a result of the recognition of the new division of time; the revelation consists precisely in the fact of the proclamation that that event on the cross, together with the resurrection which followed, was the already concluded decisive battle. 2 Christ has already won the victory (1 Cor. 15; Eph. 1:15; Col. 2:15; Heb. 2:14) Jesus followers continue to fight the battle (Eph. 6:10ff.) In a real sense Christians live between the times Christians are in the kingdom, but they await the coming of the Kingdom in its totality (Col. 1:13-14; Rev. 11:15) We experience God s presence through the Holy Spirit, but we await the complete presence of God (Eph. 1:13-14; Rev. 21:3) 1 Lowery, 41. 2 Oscar Cullman, Christ in Time, trans. by F.V. Filson (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1950), 84. 3
Already we worship, but someday there will be perfect worship (Rom. 12:1; Rev. 22:3-5) Already we experience peace, joy, and love, but these will be perfect some day (Gal. 5:22-23; Rev. 22:3) Already we have experienced a resurrection, but we await a future one (Rom. 6:1-10; Rev. 20:4-6, 11-15) John s Use of Sources A major reason we fail to read Revelation correctly is because we are so unfamiliar with the Old Testament. Can you identify the Old Testament allusions in the following passages? To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father (Rev. 1:5-6a) And you will suffer persecution for ten days (Rev. 2:10) They sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: Read and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed. (Rev. 15:2-4) A conservative estimate is that there are more than five hundred allusions to the Old Testament in John s work. One scholar proposes that of the 404 verses in Revelation, only 126 contain no allusions to the Old Testament. 3 Old Testament Allusions 4 Three Examples: 1. Rev. 1:5b-6a is an allusion to Exodus 19:6 where God addresses people under the old covenant in the Desert of Sinai. a. Just as God called his people out of Egypt to serve him, John sees God calling his people out again. This time it is not out of Egypt, but out of Rome (see Rev. 18:4; 1 Pt. 5:13). The world does not belong to Rome but to God, and his servants must be faithful to him and not to the idolatrous claims of Rome. 2. Rev. 2:10 is an allusion to Daniel 1:12ff. 3 Donald Guthrie, New Testament Introduction, 4 th ed. (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1990), 966. 4 DeMoss offers the following definition of allusion: An indirect, imprecise or passing reference in which verbal correspondence to the source text is relatively remote an allusion is not introduced by a formula clearly stating that a particular portion of Scripture is being cited. 4
a. Daniel and his three friends were being tempted to compromise with pagan religion by eating food from the king s table. They refused to do so because such behavior would have indicated that they had pledged their allegiance to a pagan king. They asked to be tested for ten days, confident that God would bless their faithfulness. b. As the people of God who lived in a reborn Babylon, they were attempting to be faithful to Jesus, the Messiah. 3. Rev. 15:3-4 is echoing, in part, Exodus 15:1-18. a. As Israel under the old covenant praised God for delivering them from Pharaoh, so God will be praised when he defeats the beast that threatens the followers of Jesus. b. The song of Rev. 15 is a bit more complex than the previous examples. The actual contents of the song do not come from one primary source, either Ex. 15 or Deut. 32. For example, we can compare 15:3b-4a with Jer. 10:7; 15:4 with Psalm 86:9-10, and 15:4c with Psalm 98:2. Typology The word refers to an approach that links Old Testament events, persons, or things to similar events, persons or things in the New Testament. Jesus himself uses typology (Jn. 3:14; Num. 21:8-9) The ten days of testing by Daniel (Dan. 1:12ff) are experienced by Christians in Smyrna (Rev. 2:9ff) The unfaithful in Pergamum (Rev. 2:14ff) are like those who followed the teaching of Balaam and Balak (Num. 22-24) The story of Jezebel (1-2 Kings) is the type; the so called prophetess Jezebel who is misleading Christians in Thyatira is the antitype (2:19ff) The book of Exodus contains the story of God s liberation of the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt. This is a major theme traced throughout the book of Revelation. References Include: The mention of hidden manna in 2:17 (Ex. 16:31) The washing of the robes in 7:14 (Ex. 19:10, 14) There is a reference to the oppressive power of Egypt in 11:8 The language used to describe the seven bowls in 16:1ff. is drawn from the events associated with the Exodus o Rev. 16:1-2 with Ex. 9:9-11 o Rev. 16:3-4 with Ex. 7:17-21 o Rev. 16:8-9 with Ex. 9:23 o Rev. 16:10-11 with Ex. 10:22 o Rev. 16:12-16 with Ex. 14:21-22 o Rev. 16:17-21 with Ex. 9:22-34 5
The Symbolism of Revelation Should I interpret Revelation literally? This really isn t a good question Literal comes from the Latin littera which means letter When we interpret we pay attention to the words being used by an author and speaker The natural meaning of a passage is to be interpreted according to the rules of grammar, speech, context and the genre of writing However, most people take literal to mean straightforward. To say that a work uses symbolism does not diminish the work in the least. It does not imply that the events are any less real or historical than when a writer communicates in a nonsymbolic way. John is describing real people, events, circumstances, and so forth, but he describes most matters in symbolic (or metaphorical terms). Some Examples of Interpreting the Figurative Example 1: Consider the use of the term door in Revelation. Where is the word used? I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know you have kept my word and have not denied my name (Rev. 3:8). Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me (Rev. 3:20). After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven, and the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this (Rev. 4:1). 1. Consider the word s use in 3:8. The context suggests that the small number of Christians in Philadelphia were experiencing opposition from the Jews who stressed that they (the Jews) were the true synagogue of God (3:9), not the Christians. John appears to be alluding to the door of Isa. 22:22. Jesus reminds the Philadelphian Christians that only he, with his absolute spiritual power, holds the power over salvation and judgment. 2. On the other hand, the twice-mentioned door in Rev. 3:20 is not the door that admits one into a new relationship with God (as in the new disciple or convert). 6
To the contrary, it is a symbol used to describe the believer who repents and desires to renew a relationship with Christ and is willing to submit to him. 3. The door of Rev. 4:1 is an entrance for John into the heavenly throne room so that he may view the affairs of the world from a different perspective. Example 2: Revelation frequently uses numbers for symbolic purposes. It is not seeking mathematical precision (cf. Matt. 18:22). Nearly 2/3 of the occurrences of seven in the New Testament appear in Revelation. Churches Spirits Angels Seals Trumpets Thunders Bowls Plagues Crowns Horns Eyes What does it symbolize? Completeness or totality. Example 3: Rev. 12:1-6 gives the Christmas story from the vantage point of heaven The woman of 12:1-3 is a symbol for Israel The dragon represents the devil (see 12:9) The child is Christ (Isa. 66:7) Some Guidelines 1. A symbol must be interpreted in light of the immediate context in which it appears. 2. Seek to discover whether the symbol has a traditional meaning. 3. Look for places where John explicitly explains the meaning (1:20; 4:3; 5:8; 7:13-14) 4. Beware of stressing the details. 5. We should interpret the obscure by the clear. 6. Simplicity should be the norm. 7
8