THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Some General Guidance

Reading this entire article and watching all of its videos BEFOREHAND will give you a better, healthier perspective as you study the book of Revelation.

The Book of Revelation has long stirred both fascination and confusion. Is it a blueprint for the end times, a symbolic spiritual drama, or something else entirely? Here’s a clear, thoughtful guide to reading Revelation the way it was meant to be read—not as a secret codebook, but as a pastoral message of hope, resistance, and restoration for suffering Christians in the first century and today. With video resources, historical context, and genre awareness, this article equips you to read Revelation with wisdom, discernment, and confidence.

At its heart, the book of Revelation is a pastoral book describing the vision that God gave the Apostle John so that he could 1) encourage first-century Christians who were being persecuted for their refusal to worship the Roman Emperor but held fast to their unwavering faith in Jesus and 2) admonish Christians who were sliding into spiritual apathy out of fear in the face of adversity, pointing both groups to the hope we have in the power and victory of Christ and God’s promise of restoring his edenic vision for humanity. It is NOT a codebook of secrets for predicting the future or decoding the cultural and political times of today.

​APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE

The author, John, defines this writing as an “apocalypsis.” While many modern English bibles use the word “revelation” to translate this word, it was actually referring to a particular genre of literature common in the ancient Jewish world. Think about the fact that today we have many genres of literature such as novels, nonfiction, children’s fantasy, romance, technical instruction, theology, bible study, poetry, etc. “Apocalyptic” literature was a common genre in the ancient biblical world.

Here’s a great video from the Bible Project explaining different literary styles in the Bible.

This video from the Bible Project explains the literary genre of apocalyptic literature in Revelation.​

OVERVIEW OF REVELATION

The Bible Project does an excellent job of outlining the original intent of Revelation. Watch these two videos several times while you read through and study the book of Revelation.

Overview of Revelation: Part 1

Overview of Revelation: Part 2

THE ORIGINAL HISTORICAL CONTEXT

It’s important to begin with learning the historical, cultural, and political context of the first-century Christians. We must ask, “What was happening in the world of Jews, Christians, Romans, and Greeks?”

Most of the symbolism of Revelation has its meaning in the first century Roman Empire and biblical Old Testament. Very little of its symbolism is tied to any events or entities of today. If they are, it’s by general implication, not original meaning. And, what is revealed up through Chapter 18 points primarily to events surrounding the persecution of first-century Christians under the Roman Emperor Domitian and his predecessors. The events revealed in Chapters 19–22 likely point to what is yet to come. However, even the meaning of those chapters can be debated. Careful discernment is required. Don’t get too caught up in parsing the details of tribulations and millenniums. They can quickly become divisive and fruitless.

If you don’t interpret the symbolism of Revelation in light of the first century historical, political, and cultural context, the Old Testament, and the teachings of Jesus and the New Testament, you will become prone to misinterpreting the text and led into fruitless and even dangerous speculation and conjecture. After you’ve done your homework in these areas, then you can explore the spiritual symbolism that can be derived from these original meanings. Make sure you compare these findings to the teachings of Jesus and others in the New Testament, as well.

And finally, take hope in God’s vision for humanity both in our present day and the future.​

ADDITIONAL THEMES TO KEEP IN MIND

As you read through and study the book of Revelation, it’s important to keep the big picture in mind. It’s very easy to get caught up in the sensationalism of the detailed symbols and all the speculation it inspires. But one must not become so focused on identifying the trees that you forget what forest you’re in. Below are some short videos from the Bible Project to help you keep the big picture in mind.

​THE STORY OF THE BIBLE

HEAVEN AND EARTH

THE TREE OF LIFE

THE DAY OF THE LORD

MY PRAYER FOR YOU

May God’s Holy Spirit empower you with the diligence to study well. May the Lord give you the discernment to read Revelation responsibly and interpret it with wisdom and clarity. And, may you find hope and encouragement for your faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ, inspiring you to live with confidence and sharing this hope with others!

Amen.

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