© S. J.

Lea 2010

R EVELATION TO J OHN
Using this guide 1
Using this guide The seven churches that are in Asia
Who was John?
1
2
Arguments for and against John (and John) 2
The Olivet Discourse - what Jesus had to say 2
The Revelation to John, popularly known simply Interpreting Revelation – four approaches 3
John’s use of the Old Testament 3
as Revelations, is one of the hardest books of Introducing the major characters 5
the Bible to understand. But it is not impossible 666 The mark of the beast 6
to understand and you don’t require a masters Tribulation and Rapture 6
Discussion 7
degree in theology to get something out of it.
This guide is intended to give you some pointers
on how to approach your reading of Revelation.
This guide is not intended as religious supernatural communication, something that is
instruction. Nowhere are you told what to think. revealed by God through his divine will. So what
The purpose of the articles is to encourage you we have is John’s account, inspired by God, of a
to read Revelation rather than dismiss it supernatural event. John’s isn’t the only
altogether as too weird! In fact, as you will see revelation in the Bible but it is the only book
in this guide, Revelation is not really that weird consisting entirely of revelation. This being so it’s
once you consider the book as part of the hardly surprising that neither reporting the event
overall message of the Bible. In a sentence: for John, nor reading that report for us, is going to
Good wins over evil. be simple!

Bear in mind as you read, what kind of book you In this guide you will see that John expects his
are reading. That is, John is recording a writing to be taken as symbolic. And that
Revelation or Apocalypse. Revelation refers to a Revelation is not some hallucinogenic trip at the
end of the Bible but adheres closely to ideas and

The seven churches that are in Asia

John passes on, to each congregation, an the seven churches:
individual message from Jesus in chapters 2 and
3 of Revelation. There is a question over Ephesus – city was home to the Temple of
whether the churches referred to are actual Artemis, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient
churches or meant to be symbolic. Seven, for world. Jesus rebukes the church for an unloving
example is a highly symbolic number. And there attitude.
were a lot more than seven churches in Asia at
the time of writing. For sure, a much wider Smyrna – city was home to the temple to
audience than a single congregation in, Ephesus Augustus and his mother and built another for
for example, was intended to hear and learn Tiberius Caesar. Jesus acknowledges their
from the message to that church. Let’s look at persecution.

Please see The seven churches that are in Asia on page

4
Page 2 |Revelation to John

Who was John?

The author of the book identifies himself as John. you know a letter, do you always put your full
He does so four times: The Revelation of Jesus name? It could also be that the author simply
Christ, which God gave him to show his servants thinks that who he is isn’t important, he is a
what must soon take place; it made it known by humble servant it is the message than counts.
sending his angel to his servant John [1:1]. John
to the seven churches that are in Asia [1:4]. I, People in the early church, from the second
John, your brother who share with you in Jesus century onwards considered this John to be
[1:9]. I, John, am the one who heard and saw the same John who wrote the Gospel of John.
these things [22:8]. But he does not tell us which Dionysius, Pope of Alexandria (248-265),
John he is. This must be because he doesn’t argued that John was not the Apostle John but
think that that is important. It could be that he another John, an obscure figure from the early
assumes that everyone reading his work already church called John the Presbyter. It is still
knows who he is. After all, if you send someone unknown today which John is the author.

Arguments for and against John (and John) as the author

As we have seen, the author of Revelations author of Revelations have an answer to each
refers to himself four times as John. The Apostle of these problems. The fact that John is
John in his Gospel doesn’t refer to himself by named in Revelations and not in the Gospel
name instead calling himself ‘the one whom may simply be because John had a reason for
Jesus loved’. Revelations and John’s Gospel were naming himself. Although the two works have
written in Greek but Revelations is written in a different styles, they are after all different
much sloppier style. In addition to this, with kinds of books, they do share similar words
most authors it is possible to recognize their and phrases. For instance, Jesus is only
‘voice’ through their writing style, Revelations described as Logos in John [1:1] and
and the Gospel are not written in the same style. Revelation [19:13], and referred to as a Lamb
Those who believe that the Apostle John is the in John [1:29] and Revelation [5:6]. What

This article continues on page 5

The Olivet discourse – what Jesus had to say

Jesus’ discourse on the Mount of Olives, also ask Jesus about the Temple, the sign of his
known as the Olivet discourse, refers to the coming and the end of the age. Jesus warns
teaching of Jesus about: The destruction of the them about false prophets claiming to be the
Temple in Jerusalem, the tribulation, and his Messiah. And of wars, famines and
return to earth. In Matthew [24:2], Jesus points earthquakes. Christians will be persecuted
out the temple to his disciples and says ‘Truly I and martyred but God’s people will persevere
tell you, not one stone will be left here upon and message of Jesus will be told. When the
another; all will be thrown down’. The disciples entire world has heard this message, the end
will come.
 |Revelation to John Page 3

Interpreting Revelation – four approaches

Revelation needs interpretation. Even someone

who takes the Bible 100% literally must still find a
way of interpreting John’s visions. John himself,
makes it clear that the things he is describing are
representations of other things. In chapter 17, one
of the seven angels explains to John, who is
‘greatly amazed’ [17:6] by what he has seen, the
meaning behind some of the visions, advising him
‘This calls for a mind that has wisdom’ [17:9].

The four main approaches to interpreting the

Revelation to John.

Futurist – Everything that John describes refers to

events that will happen at some time in the future.

Historicist – Some of the events that John

describes have happened already, some are
happening now, some will happen in the future.

Preterist – Everything John describes has already

The old and the new – John’s use of the Old Testament
happened in the past.

Idealist – Nothing in Revelation will happen

John never quotes from any of the books of the In the first chapter John links sacrificial blood with
literally , rather everything is symbolic.
Old Testament directly but frequently refers or freedom, reminding us of the blood of the
alludes to popular
many ofinterpretation
the books. In was
referencing
The most idealist,the
until sacrificed lambs in the Passover story. This time it
scriptures, John is demonstrating that his is Jesus’ blood – Jesus ‘who loves us and freed us
the historicist method was developed in the 12th
experiences
Century. Thisare part of the whole byBible story. In from our sins by his blood’ [1:5]. In chapter 11,
approach, favoured Martin Luther
this article we’ll look at just some Old Testament John uses Egypt as a symbol of evil power [11:8]
amongst others, had a strong anti-papal flavour.
ideas appearing in John’s
bit revelation and take a and a few verses later John talks of ‘the ark of the
The now happening meant interpreting the
look at some of the Prophets to see what they covenant’ [11:19]. The ark, of course, features in
beast in Chapter 13 as the Pope! The futurist and
had to say. the Old Testament, ‘David and all the house of
preterist methods Spanish Jesuits came up with
during the Reformation era provided an argument Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with
In Revelation
these[8:7] we see
on athe
plague of hail. Later shouting, and the sound of the trumpet’ [2
against attacks Pope. Today, the
we see ‘from the smoke came locusts on the Samuel 6:15]. John also refers to trumpets being
historicist approach is all but dead with the others
earth’ [9:3]. The fifth angel in [16:10] plunges used to signify God’s will or power. In Numbers
still going strong.
the kingdom ‘into darkness’. John then sees ‘foul God tells Moses to ‘make two silver trumpets’
spirits like frogs’ [16:13]. In Exodus 8, 9, 10 we [10:2] with instructions on when to use them.
see plagues of frogs, hail, locusts and darkness. Seven priests blow seven trumpets as part of the

Please see John’s use of the Old Testament on

page 4
Page 4 |Revelation to John

Continues from The seven churches in Asia on page 1

Pergamum- city sided with the Romans. Jesus for being spiritually dead, he tells them to ‘Wake up’
commends the church for not denying their faith [3:2].
but rebukes them for idolatry and fornication.
Philadelphia – the city is home to the temple of
Thyatira – city known for large number of trade Dionysius and nearby vine-growing district. Jesus
guilds. Jesus commends the church but warns acknowledges the difficult relations between the
against compromise. church and Jewish leaders.

Sardis – one of the richest cities in the region Laodicea – a centre of banking. The water was
with a legendary past. Jesus rebukes the church notoriously foul. Jesus severely rebukes the church
comparing the state of their faith to the water. He

Continuing John’s use of the Old Testament from

page 3
destruction of Jericho in Joshua 6. In Judges 7, mouth was like a lion’s mouth.’ [Rev. 13:1-3]. In the
Gideon’s army of just 300 men use trumpets to previous chapter John uses the unusual phrase ‘for a
defeat a huge army. time, and times, and half a time.’ [12:14]. Daniel
uses the phrase ‘for a time, two times, and half a
Isaiah refers to God as ‘the first and the last’ time’ twice, in [7:25] and [12:7].
[44:6] and again in [48:12]. In Revelation Jesus
says to John ‘Do not be afraid; I am the first and Zechariah’s vision of the horsemen is similar to
the last’ [1:17]. Compare ‘I have trodden the John’s horsemen in Revelations 6. ‘In the night I saw
wine press alone, and from the peoples no one a man riding on a red horse! […] and behind him
was with me; I trod them in my anger and were red, sorrel and white horses […] the angel who
trampled them in my wrath’ [Isaiah 63:3] with talked to me said […] “they are those whom the
‘they will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, LORD has sent to patrol the earth”’ [Zechariah 1:8-
poured unmixed into the cup of his anger’ [Rev. 10]. In Zechariah 4, he has a vision of a lampstand
14:10]. and olive trees. John also has visions of olive tress
and lampstands. Compare Zachariah who was told
Daniel dreams of four beasts, ‘like a lion and that the olive trees ‘are the two anointed ones who
had eagles’ wings […] a second one that looked stand by the Lord of the whole earth.’ [4:14] and
like a bear […] another appeared, like a John ‘These are the two olive trees and the two
leopard. The beast had four wings of a bird on lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth’.
it’s back and four heads […] After this I saw a [11:4].
fourth beast, terrifying and exceedingly strong
[…] and it had ten horns’ [Daniel 7:4-8]. The Isaiah, Daniel and Zechariah, like John, all deliver
first beast in Revelations also has ten horns, prophecies about the End Times. From Isaiah we get
John says ‘And the beast that I saw was like a the peaceful vision of days to come when ‘He will
leopard, it’s feet were like a bear’s and it’s judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for
many peoples; they shall beat their swords into
 |Revelation to John Page 5

Continuing Arguments For and Against John (and John) as author from
page 2
about the different writing styles and sloppier haste, his Greek suffered.
Greek? There are explanations available. Three
plausible ones are: • It is possible that Revelation was written
before his Gospel and epistles. As with all
• John required an amanuensis to help him first examples of writing from a author, we
write his Gospel. That is, he dictated his would expect to see a less proficient style.
thoughts to a secretary who wrote them
down for him. Because he was exiled on Until we get some more evidence we’ll never know
the Island of Patmos when he wrote the identity of the author for sure. One question
Revelation he didn’t have any help with still remains however. Whether the author is the
his Greek, hence the sloppier style. Apostle John, or John the Presbyter, or an entirely
different John – when was the book written?
• Revelation is a kind of vision, something Like the identity of the author, no-one knows for
revealed in a very special way. John may sure, but most people put the actual time of
have wanted to get his thoughts down as writing either in the 60s AD or the 90s AD. Clues
fast as possible before the clarity of the are in the text, such as references to an intact
experience dimmed in his mind. In his Temple in Jerusalem (indicates before 70 AD), or
the presence of a church in Laodicea (the city
suffered an earthquake in the early 60s, so it’s

Introducing the major characters

John has the formidable task of shown as eyes of fire.

providing a written description of
the amazing and awe-inspiring Twenty-four elders [4:4] There is no consensus on who these
things he sees during his revelation. elders are. Do they represent the New Testament Church, or the 12
Let’s look a some of the ‘beings’ he tribes of Israel and the 12 Apostles? Are they a choir of angels?
describes.
Four living creatures [4:6] One like a lion, one like an ox, one
One like the Son of Man has a human face and one like an eagle – they all have six wings
[1:13] This is Jesus. Wearing a and are full of eyes. These creatures are similar to ones mentioned
sash like a high priest. Unlike a in Daniel and Ezekiel. They are angels.
false idol whose feet are made of
clay, his are bronze. He holds seven A Lamb [5:6] The lamb is ‘slain’ but alive. The lamb is Jesus.
stars representing the seven
churches. The power of his words Four horseman [6:1-8] The white horse is the conqueror, the red
are represented as a sword. His horse is war, the black horse is famine and the pale green one is
divinity is shown by his face shining death. Is the white horse Jesus or the Antichrist?
like the sun and his omniscience
Please see Introducing the Characters on
page 6
Page 6 |Revelation to John

Introducing the Characters from

666 the mark of the Beast page 5
144,000 of Israel [7:1] Controversial, who
‘This calls for wisdom: let anyone with exactly are the 144,000?
understanding calculate the number of the beast,
for it is the number of a person. Its number is six
hundred and sixty-six.’ The two witnesses [11:4] One witness is
[Rev 13:17]
described as ‘two olive trees’ and the other as ‘two
Or is it? Some ancient authorities read six hundred lampstands’. Are they two people, or the church
and sixteen. But what does it mean? The most
itself?
well-known attempts to solve this riddle have
involved converting to numbers the letters in the
names of people considered as suitable candidates The pregnant woman [12:1] Many different
for the role of beast and managing to come up
with 666 (or 616). Almost all of these calculations opinions on who this is. Is she the people of God,
rely on the following to get them to work: or perhaps the Virgin Mary?
1. Using a non-usual version of the person’s
name, such as a nick-name. The red dragon [12:3] John tells us who this is,
2. Using a title, a description of the person,
or their name + title and/or description.
it’s Satan, the Devil.
3. Converting the any of the above to
Hebrew, Greek or Latin in order to get The second beast [13:1] Conjured up by Satan.
letters that will fit numerologically and
add up to either 666 or 616 Not a monster though but most likely a human
figure.
Other views say that 666 refers not to a person
but to the date or barcodes. The 2nd Century
church father Irenaeus warns against idle The great whore [17:1] Rome, depicted as
speculation on the number and given that
Revelation calls wisdom, it is probably best not to Babylon and portrayed as a prostitute.
spend too much time making wild guesses.
Rider on a white horse [19:11] Called ‘Faithful

Tribulation and Rapture

‘For at that time there will be great suffering, alive, who are left, will be caught up in the
such as has not been from the beginning of the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in
world until now, no, and never will be.’ [Mark the air; and so we will be with the Lord for
24:21] ever.’ [1 Thess 16-17]

‘Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in ‘Look! He is coming with the clouds: every eye
heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will will see him, even those who pierced him; and
mourn, and they will see “the Son of Man on his account all the tribes of the earth will
coming on the clouds of heaven” with power and wail. So it is to be. Amen.’ [Revelation 1:7]
great glory.’ [Mark 24:30]
Exactly at what point during the tribulation
‘For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, the rapture will happen is disputed among
with the archangel’s call and with the sound of futurists. Remember that idealists don’t take
God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and it literally and preterists believe most of the
the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are prophecy has already been fulfilled, for
example, when the Romans destroyed
 |Revelation to John Page 7

Discussion

We have seen that Revelation needs to be read darkness.’ [Isaiah 42:5-8]

with wisdom and understanding. Revelations has
inspired people to seek a better understanding of In Revelations we read ‘See, the home of God is
God’s relationship with human beings. But it has among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will
also been abused by people seeking to confuse and be his peoples, and God himself will be with them;
frighten others into joining some private cause or he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will
just buying some products. Have you noticed that be no more; mourning and crying an pain will be
the book of Genesis begins with light and life and it no more; for the first things have passed away.’
ends in the dark with the death of Joseph, [Rev 21:3-4]
embalmed in a coffin? The whole story of the Bible
is one of God at work, reclaiming his perfect Going back to Isaiah, we remember this familiar
creation. Throughout the Bible we see light passage: ‘He shall judge between the nations, and
representing good and darkness representing bad. shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat
In Genesis 1, if you read carefully, you will see that their swords into ploughshares, and their spears
on each day that God creates there is the line ‘and into pruning hooks; and nation shall not lift up
God saw that it was good’ – except – on the second sword against nation, neither shall they learn war
day. Instead we read ‘So God made the dome and any more.’ [Isaiah 2:4]
separated the waters that were under the dome
from the waters that were above the dome. And it Throughout Revelation John frequently refers to
was so. [1:7 my italics]. This is because there was old Testament prophecy and to Jesus’ prophecy.
no light on that day. The author is making the point Everything John reports is consistent with the Bible
that God’s light is good. Let’s look at a passage message: God will reclaim his creation, good will
from Isaiah: triumph. The imagery in the Revelation is shocking
at times (most of the time!) but perhaps we need
‘Thus says God, the LORD. Who created the to be shocked, have we become like some of the
heavens and stretched them out, who spread out churches in Asia John is writing to? Are we guilty of
the earth and what comes from it, who gives compromise like the church in Thyatira, has our
breath to the people who walk upon it, and spirit to faith become lukewarm like the church in
those that walk in it: I am the LORD, I have called Laodicea? Are we becoming like the congregation
you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand of the church in Sardis – is Jesus telling us to Wake
and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to Up!
the people, a light to the nations, to open eyes that
are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the There are constructive and destructive ways of
dungeon, from the prison those who sit in
Page 8 |Revelation to John

Some questions to think about or discuss

1. Does it matter who the author of Revelation is? How does the date of authorship
affect the interpretation of the book?
2. Are the seven churches referred to by John, intended to be understood as real
churches, existing during his lifetime?
3. Why did some of the seven churches need to be rebuked by Jesus?
4. What connection is there, if any, between the city, the church, and the rebuke? For
example, the city of Thyatira was well known for its trade guilds, Jesus cautions the
church in Thyatira about compromise – is there a connection?
5. How does John use Old Testament prophecy and imagery.
6. Why does John use Old Testament prophecy and imagery.
7. How does John’s revelation relate to the Olivet discourse?
8. Consider the strengths and weaknesses of the Futurist approach
9. Consider the strengths and weaknesses of the Historicist approach
10.Consider the strengths and weaknesses of the Preterist approach
11.Consider the strengths and weaknesses of the idealist approach
12.What is the mark of the beast, 666 or 616, all about?

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