Book Intro › Revelation

Revelation

Ἀποκάλυψις Apokalypsis, “unveiling”. Apocalypse, prophecy and letter. 22 chapters, 404 verses.

John’s visions of the risen Christ, of heaven’s throne room and of the defeat of evil, ending with a new heaven and a new earth where God lives with his people.

Read Revelation 1 →

Overview

Revelation opens as “the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants” (1:1) and as a letter from John “to the seven assemblies that are in Asia” (1:4). On the island of Patmos John is “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” (1:10) and sees the risen Christ, who gives him messages for seven churches. From chapter 4 the scene moves to heaven, where the one on the throne holds a sealed scroll, and only “a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain” (5:6) is worthy to open it.

Three series of seven judgements follow (seals, trumpets and bowls), broken by visions of the sealed people of God, two witnesses, a woman and a dragon, and two beasts. Babylon the great falls (18:2), a rider called “Faithful and True” (19:11) defeats the beast, Satan is bound for a thousand years (20:2), and the dead are judged. The book ends with “a new heaven and a new earth” (21:1) and the holy city coming down from God, where “Death will be no more” (21:4), and with the prayer “Yes, come, Lord Jesus!” (22:20).

Author and date

The author calls himself John four times (1:1, 1:4, 1:9, 22:8), an exile on Patmos who writes as a prophet and never claims to be an apostle.

Traditional view

John the apostle · c. AD 95

From the 2nd century, starting with the church writers Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, the church identified this John with the apostle. Irenaeus says the vision was seen near the end of the emperor Domitian’s reign (AD 81–96), and this date remains the most widely held.

Academic view

John, a Christian prophet · c. AD 90–96

Most academic scholars think the author was a prophet named John, distinct from the author of the Gospel. Dionysius, a 3rd-century bishop of Alexandria, argued this on grounds of style: Revelation’s Greek is rough and shaped by Hebrew or Aramaic, while the Gospel’s is smooth. Most also accept the date under Domitian.

Earlier date

Under or just after Nero · c. AD 68–70

A significant minority, conservative and critical, date the book after Nero’s persecution and before the temple fell in AD 70. They read the measuring of the temple (11:1–2) as implying it still stood, and take the seven kings of 17:10 as Roman emperors counted from the first, so that the sixth, the one who “is,” reigned in the late 60s.

All these views agree that the author was a Jewish-Christian prophet named John, known to the churches of Asia, whose book is steeped in the Old Testament, especially Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah and Zechariah.

Audience and setting

The book is sent to seven real churches in the Roman province of Asia, in what is now western Turkey: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea (1:11). Their troubles ranged from persecution and false teaching to complacent wealth. The book promises a blessing on “he who reads and those who hear” (1:3), and was meant to be read aloud in their gatherings.

Genre, and how to read it

Revelation is an apocalypse, a kind of writing known from Daniel and later Jewish books, in which visions come in symbols. Numbers carry meaning, especially seven and twelve, and some symbols are explained in the text itself: the lampstands are churches (1:20), and the dragon is Satan (12:9). The number of the beast (13:18) is often explained as the total of Nero’s name written in Hebrew letters, which also served as numbers, though other solutions are offered.

Readers take the visions in four main ways. Preterists (from a Latin word meaning past) read most of the book as concerning the author’s own time: the conflict with Rome or the fall of Jerusalem. Historicists read it as a map of church history from the 1st century to the end, an approach common among the Protestant Reformers. Futurists read most of chapters 4–22 as events still to come before Christ’s return, often taking 1:19 as an outline of the book. Idealists read it as a picture of the struggle between God and evil in every age. Many readers combine elements of several. The thousand years of 20:1–6, often called the millennium, divide readers in a similar way. Premillennial readings expect Christ to return before the thousand years, postmillennial readings after them, and amillennial readings take them as a symbol of the present age.

Three sevens: seals, trumpets and bowls

The Lamb opens a scroll sealed shut with seven seals (5:1); the seventh seal brings seven angels with trumpets (8:1–2), and later seven angels pour out the seven last plagues (15:1). Set side by side, the three series grow in reach, pause in the same place and end the same way.

  • ¼ how much is struck, where the text says
  • Woe 1 the eagle’s three woes (8:13)
  • Egypt 7 recalls a plague of Exodus
Seals 6:1–8:1 · opened by the Lamb Trumpets 8:2–11:19 · sounded by seven angels Bowls 15:1–16:21 · “the seven last plagues”
1 A white horse he came out conquering, and to conquer 6:2 Hail and fire, mixed with blood One third of the earth was burned up 8:7 ⅓Egypt 7 · hail A sore a harmful and painful sore on the people who had the mark of the beast 16:2 Egypt 6 · boils
2 A red horse to take peace from the earth 6:4 A burning mountain into the sea One third of the sea became blood 8:8 ⅓Egypt 1 · blood The sea Every living thing in the sea died 16:3 everyEgypt 1 · blood
3 A black horse A choenix of wheat for a denarius 6:6 The star Wormwood One third of the waters became wormwood 8:11 ⅓ Rivers and springs they became blood 16:4 Egypt 1 · blood
4 A pale horse: Death Authority over one fourth of the earth 6:8 ¼ Sun, moon and stars one third of them would be darkened 8:12 ⅓Egypt 9 · darkness The sun to scorch men with fire 16:8
5 Souls under the altar How long, Master 6:10 Locusts from the abyss to torment them for five months 9:5 Woe 1Egypt 8 · locusts The beast’s throne his kingdom was darkened 16:10 Egypt 9 · darkness
6 A great earthquake the great day of his wrath has come 6:17 Four angels at the Euphrates one third of mankind was killed 9:18 ⅓Woe 2 The Euphrates dried up three unclean spirits, something like frogs 16:13 Egypt 2 · frogs
Pause The 144,000 sealed 7:4 then a great multitude which no man could count 7:9 A mighty angel and a little scroll, then the two witnesses 10:1–11:14 no pause; only a saying: I come like a thief 16:15
7 Silence in heaven for about half an hour 8:1 then the seven trumpets Great voices in heaven The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord 11:15 Woe 3 Into the air It is done! 16:17 hailstones about the weight of a talent 16:21 Egypt 7 · hail
Ends Thunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake 8:5 Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail 11:19 lightnings, sounds, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake 16:18

Seals 6:1–8:1 · opened by the Lamb

  1. 1A white horse he came out conquering, and to conquer 6:2
  2. 2A red horse to take peace from the earth 6:4
  3. 3A black horse A choenix of wheat for a denarius 6:6
  4. 4A pale horse: Death Authority over one fourth of the earth 6:8 ¼
  5. 5Souls under the altar How long, Master 6:10
  6. 6A great earthquake the great day of his wrath has come 6:17
  7. PauseThe 144,000 sealed 7:4 then a great multitude which no man could count 7:9
  8. 7Silence in heaven for about half an hour 8:1 then the seven trumpets
  9. EndsThunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake 8:5

Trumpets 8:2–11:19 · sounded by seven angels

  1. 1Hail and fire, mixed with blood One third of the earth was burned up 8:7 ⅓Egypt 7 · hail
  2. 2A burning mountain into the sea One third of the sea became blood 8:8 ⅓Egypt 1 · blood
  3. 3The star Wormwood One third of the waters became wormwood 8:11 ⅓
  4. 4Sun, moon and stars one third of them would be darkened 8:12 ⅓Egypt 9 · darkness
  5. 5Locusts from the abyss to torment them for five months 9:5 Woe 1Egypt 8 · locusts
  6. 6Four angels at the Euphrates one third of mankind was killed 9:18 ⅓Woe 2
  7. PauseA mighty angel and a little scroll, then the two witnesses 10:1–11:14
  8. 7Great voices in heaven The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord 11:15 Woe 3
  9. EndsLightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail 11:19

Bowls 15:1–16:21 · “the seven last plagues”

  1. 1A sore a harmful and painful sore on the people who had the mark of the beast 16:2 Egypt 6 · boils
  2. 2The sea Every living thing in the sea died 16:3 everyEgypt 1 · blood
  3. 3Rivers and springs they became blood 16:4 Egypt 1 · blood
  4. 4The sun to scorch men with fire 16:8
  5. 5The beast’s throne his kingdom was darkened 16:10 Egypt 9 · darkness
  6. 6The Euphrates dried up three unclean spirits, something like frogs 16:13 Egypt 2 · frogs
  7. Pauseno pause; only a saying: I come like a thief 16:15
  8. 7Into the air It is done! 16:17 hailstones about the weight of a talent 16:21 Egypt 7 · hail
  9. Endslightnings, sounds, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake 16:18
Two readings of how the three relate

One after another. The seventh seal opens onto the trumpets (8:1–2) and the bowls are the seven last plagues (15:1), so the series follow each other and grow worse: a fourth, then a third, then every living thing in the sea.

The same end, told three times. Each series reaches the end (the great day of his wrath has come 6:17; the mystery of God is finished 10:7; It is done! 16:17) and closes in the same storm, so some read them as one judgement retold with rising force.

The Egypt marks are this figure’s pairing, not the text’s: Revelation does not cite Exodus in these chapters, though it calls the great city spiritually… Sodom and Egypt (11:8), and those who overcame the beast sing the song of Moses (15:3).

Seven letters, one frame

Each letter in chapters 2 and 3 is built the same way: a title for Christ, mostly drawn from John’s vision in chapter 1; I know your works; praise, rebuke or both; a charge; and a promise beginning To him who overcomes or He who overcomes. Laid side by side, the gaps stand out: two churches are never rebuked, and one is never praised.

Ephesus Smyrna Pergamum Thyatira Sardis Philadelphia Laodicea
Praised yes yes yes yes in part yes no
Rebuked yes no yes yes yes no yes
Told to repent yes no yes in part yes no yes
He who has an ear before the promise before the promise before the promise after the promise after the promise after the promise after the promise

The letters, part by part

Church Christ is called Praise Rebuke Charge To him who overcomes
Ephesus2:1–7 · place He who holds the seven stars in his right hand 2:1 from the vision, 1:16 I know your works, and your toil and perseverance 2:2 I have this against you, that you left your first love 2:4 repent and do the first works 2:5 I will give to eat from the tree of life 2:7
Smyrna2:8–11 · place The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life 2:8 from the vision, 1:17–18 your poverty (but you are rich) 2:9 none Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life 2:10 He who overcomes won’t be harmed by the second death 2:11
Pergamum2:12–17 · place He who has the sharp two-edged sword 2:12 from the vision, 1:16 You hold firmly to my name 2:13 I have a few things against you 2:14 Repent therefore 2:16 I will give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone 2:17
Thyatira2:18–29 · place The Son of God, who has his eyes like a flame of fire 2:18 from the vision, 1:14–15 your last works are more than the first 2:19 I have this against you, that you tolerate your woman Jezebel 2:20 hold that which you have firmly until I come 2:25 and Jezebel’s followers are told to repent 2:22 to him I will give authority over the nations 2:26
Sardis3:1–6 · place He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars 3:1 from the vision, 1:4, 1:16 you have a few names in Sardis that didn’t defile their garments 3:4 you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead 3:1 Wake up 3:2 Keep it and repent 3:3 He who overcomes will be arrayed in white garments 3:5
Philadelphia3:7–13 · place he who has the key of David 3:7 not from chapter 1, which has the keys of Death and of Hades (1:18) you have a little power, and kept my word, and didn’t deny my name 3:8 none Hold firmly that which you have, so that no one takes your crown 3:11 I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God 3:12
Laodicea3:14–22 · place The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness 3:14 from the vision, 1:5 none because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth 3:16 Be zealous therefore, and repent 3:19 I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne 3:21

Only Ephesus, Pergamum and Thyatira hear I have … against you (2:4, 2:14, 2:20); Sardis and Laodicea are rebuked in other words. At Thyatira the call to repent is for Jezebel’s followers, and at Sardis the praise is for a few names (3:4): both are half dots. In the first three letters He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies (2:7) comes before the promise; in the last four, after it.

Outline

On Patmos (1–3)

In heaven (4–16)

Judgement and new creation (17–22)

Key themes

The Lamb who conquers
John hears of “the Lion who is of the tribe of Judah” and turns to see “a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain” (5:5–6). Victory in Revelation comes through sacrifice.
Babylon and the kingdom
Babylon, “the great city which reigns over the kings of the earth” (17:18), stands for human power set against God. Heaven announces that “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ” (11:15).
New creation
“Behold, God’s dwelling is with people” (21:3). The Bible ends as Genesis began, with a river and the tree of life (22:2).

At a glance

26 people and 18 places named.

Most mentioned: Jesus Christ, Satan, John the Apostle, David, Jacob (Israel)

Main places: Babylon, Jerusalem, Sardis, Thyatira, Ephesus

In the Almanac: Reed, Stadion, What things cost, Living creatures, Michael