Searching the Prophecies of Revelation: An Introductory Study to the Apocalypse

By Don Stormer

Revelation is probably the least read book of the New Testament even though it is the one in which a blessing is promised to those who read and listen to the words of the prophecy. The problem stems from several things. The unusual symbolism makes the message difficult to understand, a difficulty increased by the multitude of interpretations, some of which are hard to comprehend.

The basic approach in this study is premillennial and tends to dispensationalism, although some questions are raised about some of the assumptions of traditional dispensationalism. The study also tries to distinguish between what will be literally fulfilled and what is symbolic. Since the message was made symbolized by John, we expect to find many symbols. Our task is to try to understand their meaning.

In writing this prophecy, John used a literary device of making reference to something being opened in heaven. If we take these references as the beginning of each division after the first, we find a theme in each section that enables us to gain a better understanding of the message of Revelation. As we read through the six sections and consider the struggle between God and Satan, we will see the ultimate victory of the Lamb. With the hosts of heaven, we also will shout hallelujah!

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Jan 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9781546286882

Don Stormer

Don Stormer continues to be active in a teaching ministry. After several years as a secondary school teacher in New Zealand, he and his wife, Helen, went to Fiji in 1976 where Don served as Principal of Gospel High School. After a further period in New Zealand and a second term of service in Fiji, they went in the late 1980s to Sydney, Australia, where Don was appointed Academic Dean of Emmaus Bible College, later serving as Principal for a number of years. Since then, Don has been involved in an itinerant teaching ministry in different local churches and has had many opportunities to teach by interpretation in South Korea, Romania, Moldova, and Armenia.

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INTRODUCTION

Revelation, or the Apocalypse, is quite different from other books of the New Testament. It is not like the Gospels and the Acts which are a combination of biography and history, nor is it like the letters which were written to give believers guidance in their Christian lives. It is prophecy with similarities to the Old Testament prophets Ezekiel and Daniel. It is an apocalypse in that it is the unveiling of a very serious event resulting in great destruction and change.

Author

That the Revelation was written by John has been the belief of the church since the first century. However, the writer does not say which John. Some have tried to equate the John who wrote Revelation with John the Elder, on the assumption that the writer of 2 and 3 John is different from the Apostle John. However, there are serious problems with this theory. The fact that there were two monuments in Ephesus with the name John is not sufficient evidence to establish that someone called John the Elder, a person different from the apostle, wrote the Revelation.

Furthermore, the fact that the Revelation is so different from John’s Gospel is not evidence that different men wrote these books. When a writer changes from one topic to another, his language and his writing style naturally change to suit his subject matter.

Early tradition agrees that John the Apostle was the author. About AD 126, Justin Martyr, who lived some of his life in Ephesus, expressed his belief that the Apostle John wrote the book. Other early evidence comes from Irenaeus and Tertullian. Arguments suggesting that the author was not the apostle John are largely conjecture and can be adequately answered.

Date

Two dates are usually suggested for the writing of Revelation. The more commonly accepted belief is that it was written during the reign of Domitian, probably in the early to mid-90s. However, the Preterist School of interpreters (see below) claim that the book was written very soon after the reign of Nero, about AD 69-70.

It is difficult (perhaps we should say impossible) to decide any date for the writing of this book from internal evidence. Because of the nature of the prophecy it contains, it is difficult to set a date for its writing. There are few local events we can use to pinpoint any date. The worship of the beast suggests emperor worship, but there is no specific evidence enabling us to link the worship of the first beast of Revelation with the developing emperor worship of the first century. Nor can we base any theory on a comparison between the totalitarian nature of Roman government and the government of the beast. Totalitarian governments are found in all periods of world history.

External evidence favours the later date. We have Justin Martyr’s comment above. Irenaeus wrote about the Apocalypse as being almost in our generation, near the end of Domitian’s reign. Early in the third century, Clement of Alexandria also wrote of it as coming from the time of Domitian, though he does not actually name that emperor.

Those who favour the earlier period have to rely on internal evidence, but none of this is conclusive. It is argued that the command to measure the temple meant that the temple was still standing, but this is conjecture, not proof. The reference to seven heads of the beast and the comment that there are five kings who have already fallen, that one is and that another is yet to come will be discussed later, but the five kings are more likely to be empires than individual emperors. So this doesn’t guide us about the time the Revelation was written. In any case even if they are emperors, it is hard to find agreement on which five were intended.

In brief, a date in the early to mid-90s is the most likely time of writing. The external evidence for this date is far stronger than for the late 60s or early 70s.

Where was the book written from?

The writer says that he was on the isle of Patmos for the testimony of Jesus. John’s suffering in exile especially qualified him to write about the persecutions which God’s people will experience in a coming day.

To whom was the Revelation written?

John addressed the book to the seven churches in Asia. This was a Roman province within what is now called Asia Minor, part of modern Turkey. The order in which the churches are named is possibly the order in which the towns would have been reached by the person (or persons) delivering the letters to the different churches.

The purpose of Revelation

In some ways it is easier to say what the purpose of Revelation is not, than to say what it is. It is not a chronology of future events. It is better to think of the book as a prophecy of the ultimate triumph of the Lord Jesus over all His foes. Although all the forces of evil are arrayed against our God and against His Christ, the Lord Jesus will emerge victorious and will establish His eternal kingdom. Satan will be defeated and banished eternally to the lake of fire. Believers facing persecution in Soviet times may well have taken encouragement with the thought that the Lamb would triumph. Those facing fundamental Islamic persecution today may also look beyond their present woes to see the victory of the Lord Jesus.

A message like this was also intended as an encouragement to saints in distress and as a warning to certain believers of the need to repent and live according to godly principles. The churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia found encouragement while the church in Laodicea learned the need to be zealous and to repent.

Since Revelation is a prophecy, an important reason for it is to show the churches what will happen in the future. But the Apocalypse also completes the revelation given in the Old Testament. Things seen in embryo form come to fulfilment. The tree of life in the early chapters of Genesis appears again in Revelation 2:7 and 22:1. Sin entered the world in Genesis 3; but in Revelation 21:22-27 we see a city which nothing unclean will enter, nor will anybody who does what is detestable or false.

The Apocalypse is a completion of Old Testament revelation. Having read about the repeated failures of the Israelites, one may well wonder if there would be any future for them. In that case the question to be asked is whether God fulfils the promises which He had made unconditionally to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Some commentators, ignoring the fact that there are Old Testament promises which are very literal in their application to Israel, have concluded that they are to be appropriated by the church. We should note the emphasis on matters that relate to the earthly people of God. The Apocalypse is the completion of God’s revelation concerning the nation of Israel.

The structure of Revelation supports this concept. The church is not mentioned from the end of chapter 3 until 22:16. Even then, the message is for the churches, rather than about the churches. God is known by the names revealed in the Old Testament (God, Lord, Almighty) rather than by the name of Father, characteristic of the New Testament. And while the church is not mentioned from 4:1 to 22:16, there are a number of references to Israel. From the twelve tribes, 144,000 Israelites are sealed. Reference is made to the temple rather than to the church. The two witness of chapter 11 act in ways that recall the ministry of Moses and Elijah. Revelation is therefore speaking about the time when God’s purposes for His earthly people will finally be achieved.

Methods of Interpretation

The differences of the various schools of interpretation become very apparent in the study of Revelation. The possibilities of differing interpretations are increased by the number of schools of thought – futurist, historicist, preterist and idealist. Within these schools there are variations.

The traditional futurist school considers that all of Revelation except the first three chapters relates to events associated with the second coming of Christ. This view, held by early expositors like Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, was lost until Ribeira, a Jesuit priest, revived some of the early interpretations in the sixteenth century, although he considered that the first four seals related to events in early church history.

The historicist school considers that Revelation offers a symbolic panorama of history from the first century to the return of Christ. This school stems from the time of Joachim of Floris (died 1202) believed that the 1260 days of the Apocalypse referred to a period of 1260 years from the birth of Christ. Babylon was interpreted as both pagan and papal Rome. Though a historicist interpretation was favoured by Luther and Calvin, this view has less support today because of the difficulties of assigning historical events to the visions of Revelation. Other historicist schools of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries had the 1260 years starting at the time the Pope became virtual governor of Rome and ending in the early nineteenth century. This was meant to allow for the completion of the extra time that Daniel had written about (Daniel 12:11-12).

The preterist school believes that the whole of the book, including the events outlined in chapters 4–22, covers events happening during the time of the Apostle John and that John was writing to encourage persecuted believers to remain faithful to their Lord. Those who believe that Revelation is a book of genuine prophecy find serious limitations in this interpretation.

The idealist view spiritualises almost every detail in the book, regarding it as basically poetic and symbolic. This view argues that no actual events are intended; rather that it discusses the age-old struggle between good and evil. Such a view does not allow for the fact that large sections of the book do refer to specific future events.

Millennial interpretations

Many interpretations of Revelation are linked with one of the millennial viewpoints. There are three main interpretations of the 1000 year period mentioned in chapter 20. These views are generally linked with one of the four schools of thought mentioned above.

a) The pre-millennial view

The pre-millennial view is that there is a future millennium of 1000 literal years. The most widely held pre-millennial view is that the 1000 years is part of God’s theocratic programme and involves the fulfilment of God’s promises to Israel.

Among the pre-millennialists, some hold that chapters 6–19 of Revelation are symbolic and have been fulfilled throughout history, while chapters 20–22 are to be interpreted literally and are yet to happen. These are the historicist pre-millennialists. The difficulty with historical interpretations is finding events in history that really are fulfilments of the symbolic action. Some others believe that the millennium is a part of God’s plan of salvation and downplay political aspects and the future of Israel.

Today, pre-millennialists are basically in two groups. Some, the historical (not historicist) premillennialists claim that Christians will experience the great tribulation while the dispensational pre-millennialists claim that the rapture will precede the tribulation.

b) A-millennial view

A-millennialists reject a literal 1000 year millennium. This idea probably originated with Augustine who believed this to be the period between the two advents of Christ, assuming that human history would be completed in 6000 years. Some who take this position, argue that there is no other reference to this 1000 year period in Scripture, that the Revelation is a book of symbols, that this position agrees most easily with the interpretation of the beast being the Roman Empire (not the revived empire) and that church creeds do not mention a millennium. However, the fact that in Revelation there is reference to 1000 years should have some significance. None of the arguments is strong enough to be fully convincing, including the idea that 1000 is never taken literally.

Most who accept an a-millennial position today would claim that the millennium runs from the death of Christ till His return. Others would argue that the millennium is a descriptive term for the subjugation of Satan and the triumph of the saints. Others will try to explain their beliefs in terms of 2 Peter 3:8 that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years.

One of the chief difficulties with an a-millennial position is that the present era scarcely looks like a period in which Satan is bound. Another problem is that an a-millennial interpretation does not allow for a literal fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies relating to Israel. This is something which will be discussed shortly.

c) Post-millennial view

The post-millennial view, like the a-millennial view, would consider the present age to be the one in which the gospel triumphs. This view normally accepts the concept of a literal period of time for the millennium. For many post-millennialists the thousand years will follow the triumph of the gospel. In other words, the gospel will continue to spread until all, or most, men and women have turned in faith to Christ and the conversion of all mankind will be followed by a literal 1000 year reign. However, this view suffered as a result of two world wars; the world scarcely looked to be getting better. For some years this interpretation was not widely held, although more recently there has been a revival of some post-millennial ideas. The chief difficulty of post-millennialism lies in the assumption that the gospel will be fully effective before the return of Christ; it does not take into account passages like 2 Thessalonians 2:3 which talk about a falling away.

In view of this, it seems best to think of the millennium as a reality on earth after the Lord’s return to reign rather than as a symbol of the spiritual rule of Christ.

Basic assumptions of this study

Because of the many different understandings of Revelation, it is important that one’s pre-suppositions and approach should be clearly stated. Although this commentary leans towards a pre-millennial dispensational understanding, not everything taught by traditional dispensationalists will be accepted. In fact, many of the comments of a previous generation of pre-millennial interpreters, particularly in relation to chapters 2 and 3 and the church, are difficult to substantiate.

1. Futurism

In general, futurism considers that the Revelation looks ahead to the end times. There is an obvious exception in that chapters 2 and 3 relate to a past time with a continuing application to the present. These were letters that John was commanded to write to existing churches for the purpose of commending and correcting them. Questions will be asked whether these letters are meant to be an outline of church history (as some believe) or whether they are to be seen as descriptive of different churches at any stage during the church period. There are also passages like chapter 13 where parts of the chapter refer to aspects of Israel’s past history while some parts are yet future.

2. A future for Israel

Futurism is closely linked to a belief that the promises made to Israel in the Old Testament will yet be fulfilled. There are prophecies in Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel that have not yet been fulfilled but which clearly apply to the nation of Israel. They do not apply primarily to the church even if there are certain applications for us personally. If we spiritualise the references to Israel to mean the church, do we spiritualise all the passages or just those that speak of blessing? If there is reference to Assyria and Egypt being blessed, as there is in Isaiah 19:25, how do we interpret Assyria and Egypt?

Consider such passages as Isaiah 49:14-26 where Zion says that the Lord had forsaken him. This cannot be said of the church. The promises that follow are better understood to refer to Israel being restored to its land; it is more likely they will be fulfilled in Israel rather than the church. Since Paul so definitely writes about a future for Israel in Romans 9–11 we do not have any basis for spiritualising the Old Testament prophecies and applying them to the church. Therefore this study reflects a belief in a future for Israel.

3. Israel and the church

Belief in a future for Israel necessarily implies a future for Israel as a nation. This will mean, for instance, that in chapter 7 the 144,000 from the twelve tribes of Israel will not be interpreted as an oblique reference to the church. Linked with this is a belief that there will be a literal millennium after the return of Christ to the earth. It is also important to note that from the end of chapter 3 until 22:16 there is no reference to the church, a fact that strongly suggests that the thrust of the message is to show the completion of God’s prophetic promises to Israel,

4. Pre-millennialism

Behind this commentary is an acceptance of the basic approach of the pre-millennial interpretation of Scripture and an acceptance of most aspects of pre-millennialism. However, not every belief of pre-millennial teachers will be accepted without question. Most pre-millennialists have said that the rapture occurs in chapter 4:1, and that the 24 elders represent the church. These interpretations need to be carefully examined in the light of other Scriptures.

5. Symbolism

We obviously expect to find symbols in Revelation. The opening verse which says that our Lord sent and signified the message to His servant John implies that the message was symbolised. This is taken into account in this study although there is also a pre-supposition that, wherever possible, Scripture should be interpreted literally. Thus if Revelation talks about Satan being chained for a period of 1000 years, the time frame will be interpreted literally. However, if symbols are used it is likely that they should only be interpreted metaphorically. When we read that Satan is chained for 1000 years, the chains may or may not be literal; the essential meaning is that he will be unable to influence the course of events during that time. Furthermore, we should expect that symbols will either be explained or interpreted in the light of other Scriptures. One example of this is found in a comparison of the beasts of Daniel and Revelation. In Daniel’s visions, the wild beasts are obviously nations or the leaders of nations – and are explained as such. There is no need to look for any other interpretation of the beasts in Revelation; the only decision that must be made is whether they refer to nations or to the leaders of nations and, if possible, which nations.

There are occasions when it may be difficult to decide between a literal and a symbolic interpretation. Do the 144,000 Israelites who are sealed in Revelation 7 represent an actual or a symbolic number? We will not be treating the whole scene as symbolic with Israel representing the church and 144 as the product of the twelve patriarchs and the twelve apostles. We accept that literal Israel is meant, but will need to consider whether, in some way, the number 12,000 is symbolic.

Sometimes symbolic and literal occur together. When the first four of the seven seals are opened (6:1-2) a rider on a white horse appears. The rider and the horse are symbolic. But there is nothing symbolic about occasions of war, death and famine; they are literal.

There are also occasions when symbols are employed when we give no thought to whether they are symbols or not. When in chapter 5 we read about the Lion of the tribe of Judah and a Lamb that appeared to have been slain, we immediately interpret the symbols as aspects of the Lord Jesus. Symbolism is not always a problem!

In any real understanding of Revelation it is also important that we do not indulge in guesswork. To discuss whether the 24 elders are actual individuals or a representation of a particular group is valid. But there seems little sense in suggesting the names of 24 patriarchs from the book of Genesis as the 24 elders. In the same way, there does not appear to be any justification for some commentators to say that the throne in Revelation 4 is quite possibly the same as the Judgment Seat of Christ. In cases where we are not able to assert confidently one explanation or another, it is best to avoid fanciful interpretations or explanations.

6. Chronology

Some commentators believe that Revelation provides a chronological framework for future events. Henry Morris, for instance, suggests that the Revelation was needed so that the church would be enabled to harmonise the unfulfilled prophecies of the Old Testament along with the further prophecies given by the Lord on Mount Olivet and by Paul in such passages as 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15. He talks about the sequence of events and says that Revelation provides a basic and chronological framework which enables us to sort them [the events] all out and put them in right perspective.

However, Darby was nearer the point when he placed a break at the end of 11:18 and described the remaining part of the Apocalypse as an elaboration or explanation of what had already been written.

Certainly Revelation provides a basic framework for appreciating that in coming days the Lord Jesus will act in judgment on this world and will be victorious. Following His triumph He will be worshipped by all in heaven and on earth. But the finer detail of chronology is another matter. For instance, details of the first beast acting against God’s witnesses are given before we are told about his emergence to take control. Also, the first part of chapter 12 reads very much like a record of the birth and ascension of the Lord Jesus before it discusses the protection which God will grant his people during the 42 months of the great tribulation. The Apocalypse is not a chronology of the future but a prophecy of the triumph of God over Satan and the ultimate victory of the Lamb.

7. There is a significant gap between rapture and appearing

Most of the previous assumptions would be accepted by all pre-millennialists, but not all will accept that there is a gap between the rapture and the appearing of the Lord Jesus on earth. Points 1-6 are pre-millennial but not necessarily dispensational. The point at issue probably centres on our interpretation of Daniel’s seventieth week. Daniel’s prophecy speaks about a treaty which will be signed between Israel and a coming prince. Because at the time of writing there is no sign of a treaty being signed between Israel and this coming world ruler, if the rapture is to take place at any time, then there has to be an undesignated period after the rapture and before the treaty is signed. The signing of this treaty will mark the start of the seven year tribulation period. If the tribulation occurs before the rapture, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that the Lord’s coming will take place seven years after the treaty comes into effect. This contravenes the Lord’s statement that no one knows the hour or the day of His return.

Analysis

Revelation has six major divisions which are connected to each other by symbols, by reference to some part of the Mosaic system of worship and, after the first division, to something opened in heaven.

1. The vision of the Son of Man and the letters to the seven churches: 1:1 – 3:22

The vision of the Son of Man                        1:1-20

The letters to the seven churches of Asia: 2:1 – 3:22

2. A door opened in heaven: 4:1 – 7:17

3. The seventh sealed opened: 8:1 – 11:18

4. God’s temple opened in heaven: 11:19 – 15:4

5. The sanctuary opened in heaven: 15:5 – 19:10

6. Heaven opened: 19:11 – 22:21

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THE VISIONS OF JOHN – A SURVEY

Contrary to what some people imagine, the visions that John received on Patmos do not provide us with a chronological outline of future events. Rather we have a series of pictures which give both details of judgment and aspects of the ultimate victory which God will accomplish in a coming day. It is a revelation of the completion of God’s work with mankind.

Because this is so, the completion of God’s revelation to man should also be read in the light of the Old Testament and not just as a message for the church. We should expect the Revelation to contain a gathering together of themes that have been developed throughout Scripture. There are references back to Genesis with the tree of life, the paradise of God and the rainbow. Various aspects of the tabernacle are referred to in different places in the Revelation. Balaam is mentioned as one who caused the Israelites to depart from the ways of the Lord. At the end of the Revelation the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God is a very obvious link back to the Old Testament.

Our understanding of Revelation will be strengthened if we can determine the literary structure of the book. One from Dr David Gooding serves this purpose well. If we take the references in Revelation to something being opened in heaven as the start of a new section, a pattern of six divisions emerges. The first division ends at 3:22. In 4:1 a door is opened in heaven while in 8:1 there is silence in heaven as the seventh seal is opened. In 11:19 God’s temple is opened in heaven and in 15:5 the sanctuary of witness in heaven is opened. Finally, in 19:4 heaven is opened and a white horse appears, ridden by one who is called Faithful and True. It will be seen that this structure of Revelation is literary rather than chronological.

Division 1: the Son of Man and the letters to the churches

This division is different from those which follow. Though John is in the Spirit he is still definitely on the Isle of Patmos; his vision concerned the scene on earth at the time he was alive. In chapter 4 John is called up to heaven and from then on John will see events from heaven’s viewpoint.

In the vision which John saw, the Lord Jesus appeared in His glory. His deity was clearly stated, as also was His right to judge the seven churches of Asia. The effect on John is that he fell down at his Lord’s feet as though dead.

The letters to the churches follow a basic pattern. In general, the Lord appears to each church in a manner that emphasises one aspect of the glory that John saw. The Lord knows all about the deeds of each church, commending each church where possible and drawing attention to those things that needed to be corrected. He speaks on the one hand of judgment being exercised against those who do not repent and, on the other hand, of blessings and rewards to the churches and the believers who are overcomers. Of the seven churches, only two are not corrected.

The letters to the seven churches that existed at the end the first century have been interpreted as an outline of church history. However, it is better to think of them as providing teaching for all believers throughout the church period. In every age there are some churches which have lost their first love and are called to repent. Others, like the churches in many Moslem countries today, suffer persecution and need the encouragement that Smyrna received. Still others are dead as Sardis was, while many in our age are affected by the materialism around and are like Laodicea. A message relative to our need to be faithful to the very end is found with each of the seven letters.

Approaching the letters in this way will ensure that their message is still applied to us today. To interpret the seven letters as a summary of church history means that we are likely to think that the messages to some of the churches were only intended for people of another age. But as we shall see, in the letters to the seven churches an emphasis is placed on the holiness of the Lord Jesus; this is something He expects from His people in all periods of church history. Since we are to be a holy people, the messages apply to us all at all times.

Links to the Old Testament, and particularly to the tabernacle are seen in the lampstands among which the risen Lord walked. The First and the Last is a direct reference to Isaiah’s prophecy (44:6). God was not starting something new, but completing His earlier work.

Division 2: A door opened in heaven (4:1 – 7:17)

What is the significance of this passage? Is it a panoramic view of the course of divine history? Or does it strictly refer to a time yet to come? Where does it fit in the overall interpretation of Revelation? Chapters 4 and 5 are set in the throne room of heaven. Chapter 4 reveals the omnipotent God praised and worshipped by heaven’s hosts, first as the Holy One and then as the Creator to whom all glory belongs. He has been worshipped as the Creator since the beginning of creation. Surrounding Him are two groups known as elders and living creatures who bring their ceaseless worship to their Lord and God. In these two chapters, we are impressed first by God’s holiness and His greatness in creation and second, by the Lamb’s victory in redemption.

In chapter 5 the Lamb is introduced and worshipped as one who is worthy to take the scroll because He was slain. In His triumph He has accomplished redemption, and has redeemed men and women to God out of every nation. The Lord Jesus has been worshipped as the Redeemer from the time of His death on the cross and His victory over sin. He is therefore the only one worthy and able to take the scroll, a sealed document containing a series of judgments which God will bring upon the earth. He takes the book from the hand of the one on the throne and by breaking the seals sets the wheels of judgment in motion.

As the seals are opened the judgments of God fall on the earth (chapter 6). The first four seals are an initial series of judgments. There is a sense in which we may think of them as covering the period from the time of the apostle John until at least the beginning of the great tribulation period but in another sense they are future. Over the last 2000 years there has been a tremendous loss of life in war as well as through