Introduction to Revelation

Revelation draws back the curtain on the unseen realities of life for God’s people. There is a spiritual battle going on, and the risen Jesus reveals these visions to John so that God’s Church will be aware of what is happening now and in the future. While the strange imagery might seem frightening, the ultimate message of Revelation is a hopeful one: Although evil appears to triumph, God remains on the throne.

Background

The title of Revelation comes from the opening verse, which identifies this book as the revelation of Jesus Christ (Rev 1:1). The recipient is identified as “John” (1:4). In the early church period, this was often understood to be the Apostle John, who spent the latter part of his life in Ephesus, a major city in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). However, some in the early church thought Revelation was not written by John the apostle but by another early church leader with the same name. Regardless, the author appears to be a church leader in Asia Minor who was fluent in the Jewish Scriptures.

The initial audience of Revelation is seven churches in Asia (1:4, 11); “Asia” refers to the Roman province of Asia, which was located at the western end of Asia Minor. John writes to them from Patmos, a small island in the Aegean Sea, where he had been exiled (1:9). He wants to strengthen them in the face of cultural pressure and outright persecution.

There are two major options for dating Revelation: during the reign of the Roman emperor Nero (ad 54–68) and during the reign of Domitian (ad 81–96), when there was intense localized persecution by the Roman Empire. Irenaeus, a church father during the second century, connects Revelation with Domitian (Against Heresies 5.30.3), and many modern interpreters hold this view.

Revelation is written in an apocalyptic, prophetic style. This kind of writing often featured an angel or otherworldly being who revealed heavenly mysteries to a human recipient. These mysteries are delivered in the form of visions that use graphic imagery to symbolize cosmic realities. The cryptic language may have helped Revelation be easily circulated around the Roman Empire during a time of Christian persecution—the language, couched in Old Testament imagery, would have been difficult to understand for anyone without such knowledge. At the same time, Revelation echoes the concern of Old Testament prophecy for the status of God’s people in the present day. The book uses apocalyptic imagery to anticipate the final realization of God’s reign but ultimately functions as a prophetic message for the people of God in their current situation and trials.

Structure

Revelation opens with an introduction (1:1–20) that includes a vision of the Son of Man, a figure that also appears in the Old Testament prophecy of Daniel (Dan 7:13). This figure, Jesus, then dictates to John seven letters—one for each of the seven churches (Rev 2:1–3:22; compare Mark 2:10; 8:31). The majority of Revelation (Rev 4:1–22:5) consists of a series of visions disclosing unseen realities concerning the future yet with implications for the present time. These visions unfold as three sets of seven—seals, trumpets, and bowls. Each time a seal is broken, a trumpet is sounded, or a bowl is poured out, John witnesses a new scene of apocalyptic imagery. After the seventh bowl unleashes cataclysmic destruction, John has visions depicting the fall of “Babylon,” the defeat of Satan, and the renewal of heaven and earth (17:1–22:5). In the closing scene, Jesus assures John that He is coming soon, a promise that confirms the urgency of John’s message (22:6–21).

Outline

• Prologue and vision of Christ (1:1–20)

• Messages to the seven churches (2:1–3:22)

• Vision of heaven and the seven seals (4:1–8:5)

• The seven trumpets (8:6–11:19)

• The powers of evil attack the Church (12:1–14:20)

• The seven bowls (15:1–16:21)

• The fall of Babylon (17:1–19:10)

• The final victory and the new Jerusalem (19:11–22:5)

• Epilogue (22:6–21)

Themes

Revelation conveys the reality of evil using images that can be disconcerting and even terrifying, but that is not the book’s ultimate message. Jesus wants His Church to know that, despite opposition and persecution in the present, His purposes will prevail in the end. God reigns on the throne of the universe, and the slain Lamb, Jesus, has triumphed through His sacrificial death and resurrection (5:6, 9). No matter how much the forces of evil might appear to be victorious, their defeat is a foregone conclusion.

John’s visions in Revelation deliver the same message of hope today that they gave to his original audience. Jesus has already prevailed, and He will one day come in power to fully vindicate His people and dwell with them in the renewed heaven and earth. Assured of this truth, believers can have hope. All of God’s people have a part to play in the cosmic battle between light and darkness; we are not to sit on the sidelines and wait for the end of history. Jesus Himself calls us to be conquerors with Him (2:7; 17:14; 21:7).

Further Reading

Apocalyptic Literature

Understanding John’s Revelation

Revelation, Book of CLBD