Revelation Day 5

How should Revelation be interpreted?

Day 5

B. Hodge, Biblical Authority Ministries, May 22, 2020

It is written as prophecy, so it should be interpreted as prophecy. Proverbs 8:8-9, 2 Corinthians 4:2, and so on indicate that the Word of God should be taken plainly/straightforward. With this, metaphors are metaphors, songs are songs, literal history is literal history, prophecy is prophecy, and so on. 

So it would be unwise to interpret Revelation as anything other than prophecy and this makes it a unique book among the New Testament collection. In every case, one should keep in mind context and culture, and thus, take the grammatical, historical approach where Scripture interprets Scripture, so when in doubt, always go with clear passages to interpret passages that are unclear (Acts 17:11). This is surely one aspect of what is meant by rightly dividing the Word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

Prophetic books in the Old Testament were essentially about judgment (or the threat thereof). It would be wise to consult the prophetic books in the Old Testament for allusions and quotations and how they were used.

Well-known research by Merrill Tenney [professor of theological studies and dean of the Graduate School of Theology at Wheaton College] found that there are 348 clear references and allusions (so there could be more) to the Old Testament in Revelation. The breakdown was:

57 Pentateuch (5 books of Moses)

235 Prophets

56 Historical and Poetic Books

This does not include New Testament quotes and allusions, but so much depends on the Old Testament. So a good grasp on the Old Testament, especially the prophetic books, would be wise for proper understanding of the book of Revelation. It is maintained by this author that without a proper understanding of Old Testament prophecy, it would be difficult to understand New Testament prophecy.

Table 2: Old Testament Prophetic Books[1]:

	Book	About whom (primarily)?	Major theme or threat:
1	Isaiah	Judah	Judgment
2	Jeremiah	Judah	Judgment
3	Daniel	Four beasts/kingdoms: Babylon, Medo-Persian, Greece, and Rome	Judgment and demise
4	Ezekiel	Jerusalem and others	Judgment
5	Joel	Judah and other nations	Judgment
6	Jonah	Nineveh	Judgment
7	Obadiah	Edom (Esau)	Judgment
8	Hosea	Israel	Judgment
9	Amos	Israel, Judah and other nations	Judgment
10	Micah	Judah, Israel, and Samaria	Judgment
11	Nahum	Nineveh	Judgment
12	Habakkuk	Judah	Judgment
13	Zephaniah	Judah and other nations	Judgment
14	Haggai	Jews who returned from captivity	Judgment of gentile nations and restoration from Judgment
15	Zechariah	Jews who returned from captivity	Restoration from Judgment, but future judgment
16	Malachi	Jews	Judgment

Do not forget that Revelation is a prophetic book of judgment. 12 of the 16 Old Testament books of prophecy were directed toward Israelite nations (e.g., Jews, Israel, Judah, Samaria, and Jerusalem) who were or had been in rebellion against God. The follow up question is simple. To whom is the major judgment about in Revelation?

[1.]  At the onset of the book of Revelation, we see judgmental words to six of the seven churches in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). But this is more of an encouragement to stand strong and endure until the coming judgment discussed further in the book (Revelation 1:11-4:1). 

[2.]  The majority of the book of Revelation discusses the judgment of the Harlot/Prostitute also figuratively called the “Great City”, Babylon, Sodom, Egypt, which is described as the place where the Lord was crucified (e.g., Revelation 11:8, 17:15-16, 19:2; see also Deuteronomy 28:27, 28:60, 29:23; Isaiah 1:9-10; 3:8-9; Jeremiah 23:14; Ezekiel 16:1-2, 16:44-58; Amos 4:10-11; Lamentations 4:6). In the judgment, the Harlot is destroyed by the very Beast she rides (Revelation 17:1-16).

[3.]  At the end of Revelation, we also see the final judgment of the great Dragon, Serpent of old, Devil, or Satan who is bound (restrained), then released, and then eternally cast into Hell (Revelation 20:2, 20:10). We also see the demise of the beast and the false prophet in Hell (Revelation 20:10), and the unbelievers for eternity (Revelation 20:12-15). This portion of the book is about the eternality of judgment and the eternality of life for those in Jesus Christ. 

More on these identifications in due time—for example on Day 20 is a discussion of the Harlot. 

Read Revelation 4 and Ezekiel 1, Matthew 23:37, and Revelation 17-19:2. 

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[1] There were many prophets, including Moses; and there were other prophets, who wrote no books like Abel or Nathan.