An Introduction to Revelation
for REGULAR People

by Vern S. Poythress, 2016

The Purpose of Revelation

	Many people either fear the Book of Revelation or have an unhealthy interest in it. But God designed this book for a very different purpose. Revelation is meant to produce in you comfort, courage, hope, and praise. Do you believe that?
	Look at the very beginning of Revelation. Rev 1:3 says, "Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near." God knew that many people would feel timid about this book--that many would say to themselves, "I can’t understand it." So he gave you special encouragement to read it. Make a point of reading it once or more during the next few months.
	In the verse I just quoted (1:3) we already receive a hint about the contents of Revelation. God tells us to "keep what is written in it." Revelation does not give us information just to tickle our fancy. We are meant to "keep" it, to take things to heart. We ought to be transformed by what we read, to become more faithful servants of Christ. The Book of Revelation is a very practical book.
	Note also what it says in 1:1: "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place." To whom is the Book of Revelation written? Not to PhDs, to experts, to prophecy fans, to a narrow inner circle of specialists. God writes it to "his servants"--the servants of Jesus Christ. If you are a follower of Christ, this book is for you. You can understand it, because God knows how to communicate to you. In addition, let me say the obvious. The Book of Revelation is a revelation, "the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1:1). "Revelation" means an unveiling, a disclosure, a display of who God is and what he promises to do. The Book is not a concealment, a puzzle, a riddle, as some people think. It is not a puzzle book but a picture book. Its message is so clear that a child can grasp it and be encouraged.

1. What is the purpose of Revelation?
2. In what way is it accessible to ordinary readers?
3. How might reading it be an encouragement?
The Message of Revelation

	How can I make such bold claims? I will tell you. The message of Revelation is this: God rules history, and he will bring it to its consummation in Christ. The heart of this message is expressed in Revelation 4 and 5. John is given a vision of God seated on his throne (4:2). Here is the king of the universe. He is no idle monarch. His will and his orders created the universe long ago (4:11). His will now is that the whole universe should join in praise of the Lamb (5:11-14). From his throne issue the orders for governing history up to its climax, the time when Christ appears. At that time we will say, "Hallelujah! For our Lord God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come" (19:6-7). God shows us in Revelation how he is in control, how powerful he is, and what the future must bring. We come to know that God’s promises are trustworthy and that his power is invincible. Hence we can begin to praise God even now, and to sing "Hallelujah!" over his reign. Do you begin to see how encouraging the Book of Revelation can be?
	Look again at Revelation 1:1. God shows "to his servants the things that must soon take place." What is the word "must" doing there? Things "must" take place only because God rules over history and makes sure that they do take place. In the very first verse of Revelation God already hints at the theme that will develop in the course of this book. As we move further into chapter 1, God is introduced as "him who is and who was and who is to come" (1:4). God is. He is self-sustaining, all-sufficient. God was. He always has been, from eternity. He is the creator and owner of all things. God "is to come." The future that must come is the future defined by God. God will come himself! God will appear, and will ring down the curtain on the course of history.
	Revelation is above all a God-centered book. This book is designed to stir your imagination. It sets before you in indelible pictures the truth that we most need to take to heart: God is the King! All the nations are as nothing before him (Isa 40:17). "He does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, 'What have you done?' " (Dan 4:35). His goodness, his magnificence, his beauty, his bounty, are the source of all blessing (Rev 22:1, 4:2). The climax of history comes when "the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever" (Rev 11:15). Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords, who will wage war against God’s enemies until all are subdued to him (Rev 19:16; 1 Cor 15:24-25). We find our fulfillment as we serve and praise this marvelous King (Rev 19:1-10).

1. What is the message of Revelation in a nutshell?
2. How does the message of Revelation have a practical thrust?
3. How do you react to the message of God's rule over history?

How to Read Revelation

	How then do you read the Book of Revelation?
•	Read it prayerfully. Jesus Christ is the source of this Book (Rev 1:1). He alone can give you spiritual eyes and hearts to understand it. Pray to the Lord that he would interpret this book to your heart.
•	Focus on the central theme. Read Revelation to see what it says about God ruling history and bringing it to consummation in Christ. Read for the big picture. Don’t be discouraged when you do not understand some detail.
	Most people who get into difficulty fail right here. They want to understand the details and to predict future historical pin-pricks before they have even begun to absorb the central message. They are doing things the wrong way around. Nobody can properly understand the details of a book without first understanding the main points.
•	Be God-centered. Otherwise, you will be like someone who takes holds of a knife by the blade instead of the handle. Or you will be like someone who tries to understand a beautiful painting by looking in a magnifying glass at each blob of paint on the canvas.
•	Focus on the hope for the coming of Christ. Watch how the whole book points forward to Christ’s return.
•	Let the images "soak into you." Get involved in the Book. Don’t try to puzzle it out. Enjoy it. Sing about it. Cheer for the saints. Detest the beast. Rejoice in God’s power and glory. Praise the Lamb.
•	Pay attention to Old Testament themes and images that are used in a fresh way. The book of Revelation has many allusions to Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah, and the breadth of the Old Testament. Becoming familiar with the Old Testament will help you deepen your appreciation of Revelation, even though the basic message of Revelation comes through to all the servants of Christ.
•	Recognize that the central part of the book is a prophetic vision given by God to John. Prophetic visions are full of symbols. They are symbolic representations of spiritual truth, not photographic copies of events.
•	Use this book in times of distress, persecution, and death. Christians of all ages testify that it speaks powerfully to people in deep trouble.

1. What are some guiding principles in reading Revelation?
2. How do these principles help to keep readers on track with the message?
  	The Organization of Revelation

	Many people feel lost when they read Revelation. One vision comes after another until they are disoriented. Actually, the book of Revelation is carefully and beautifully organized. It is like a Persian rug. To those who become familiar with it, it reveals an intricately interwoven pattern of exquisite beauty. But the patterning is so complex that a newcomer can feel the need for guidance.
	The theme of Revelation is--remember?--that God rules history and will bring it to its consummation in Christ. So what is the most important event? Naturally, the second coming of Christ, which brings history to its climax. When we mark off the descriptions of the Second Coming, Revelation divides itself neatly into parts. Seven visionary histories each lead up to a description of the Second Coming. Before these histories begin, there are two introductory sections, containing a vision of Christ and his messages to the churches. Here is an outline.

I.  "The things that you [John] have seen": the vision of Christ, Rev 1:9-20
II.  "Those that are": the state of the seven churches, 2:1-3:22
III.  "Those that are to take place after this": visions concerning the future, 4:1-22:5
	A.  Cycle 1: 7 seals  4:1-8:1
	B.  Cycle 2: 7 trumpets  8:2-11:19
	C.  Cycle 3: 7 symbolic histories  12:1-14:20
	D.  Cycle 4: 7 bowls  15:1-16:21
	E.  Cycle 5: judgment of Babylon,
		  including 7 messages of judgment  17:1-19:10
	F.  Cycle 6: judgment by the rider on the white horse  19:11-21
	G.  Cycle 7: judgment from the white throne 20:1-21:8
	H.  Culminating vision: the new Jerusalem  21:9-22:5

The first part of the outline is based roughly on Rev 1:19. Part III of the outline is divided so that each "cycle" leads up to a description of the Second Coming. Each cycle pictures for us some aspect of the events leading up to the Second Coming. But each takes a different focus. In addition, the later cycles contain more intense judgments and lead up to the Second Coming more quickly. By the time that we come to cycle 6, the whole cycle focuses on the Second Coming rather than the events leading up to it.
	To organize your thinking about these cycles in a convenient way, use the analogy of warfare. In cycle 1, the 7 seals, God sends out 4 horsemen, indicating that he commissions the warfare. Cycle 2 describes effects on the earth. In cycle 3, symbolic histories indicate the depth of the conflict and opposition between the two armies and their leaders. Cycle 4 describes further effects on earth, more intense and comprehensive than before. Cycles 5, 6, and 7 describe the final elimination of the opponents: the elimination of Babylon the seductress (17:1-19:10), the elimination of the powerful persecuting foe (the beast, 19:11-21), and the elimination of the ultimate source of evil (Satan, 20:1-21:8).

1. What is the overall organization of the book of Revelation?
2. How does this organization help you understand where the book is going?

Holy War

	In Revelation two kingdoms and two armies are poised opposite to one another. The kingdom of God will triumph, but it is opposed by the kingdom of Satan. God controls the whole course of the battle, but it is waged partly among unseen angelic and demonic powers who operate alongside and behind human beings. Human beings have their own role to play, because their commitments and actions display their loyalty to God or to Satan.
	We must realize that in all of history, this spiritual battle is going on. Revelation enlightens our spiritual eyes to see the true state of affairs in this universe and in our lives.
	The principal actors characteristically appear in visionary form in Revelation. They are brought on stage one by one, as if in a drama. Then God pronounces judgment on them, in the form of rewards or punishments. They are then taken off stage in the reverse order, as the following outline shows.

A. The Holy Trinity. 4:1-5:14, especially 5:6
 B. The people of God surrounded by creation’s beauty 12:1
  C. The dragon (Satan) 12:3
   D. The beasts 13:1-18
		   1. sea beast 13:1-10
		   2. earth beast (false prophet) 13:11-18
		E. The people of God as virgin pure 14:1-5
		    F. Babylon, the seductive harlot 17:1-18

		    F. Judgment on Babylon 18:1-24
		E. Reward for the people of God as virgin pure 19:1-10
   D. Judgment on the beasts 19:11-21
  C. Judgment on the dragon 20:1-10
 B. Reward for the people of God,
		 surrounded by creation’s beauty 21:1-22:5
A. The Holy Trinity. 22:1

The characters form two groups. God and his servants are opposed by Satan and his servants, who endeavor to counterfeit God’s work. We may diagram the relations as follows:

Spiritual Warfare

The True	The Counterfeit	
		
God the Father, source and ruler	Satan	
		
Christ the image of God	The (Sea) Beast, the image of Satan	
		
The Holy Spirit, the persuader	The False Prophet, the propagandist	
		
The people of God, the worshipers	Babylon, the counterfeit church	

1. What is the most basic conflict in Revelation?
2. Who participates on the two sides of the conflict?
3. Where are you in the conflict?
4. How does understanding the conflict help in applying the message to ourselves?

  	The Challenge of Revelation

	Revelation challenges you to see the world and your life for what it is: a scene of spiritual warfare. There are no noncombatants, no truces, no mercy from the Satanic opponents. But there is victory, brought to a climax when Christ returns. In the meantime, you must be loyal to Christ, your commander and chief. You must obey him, worship him, honor him, praise him without compromise in all your life.
	You must beware primarily of two kinds of threats: from the Beast and from the Prostitute Babylon. The Beast represents persecuting power. The state, especially in totalitarian countries, threatens to make it difficult for Christians, to impoverish them, to cause them pain, even to kill them if they do not compromise. You must not give in to the Beast, and you must pray that your brothers and sisters in other countries would be strong in faith, looking to their reward from Christ.
	The Prostitute represents seduction by pleasure, prosperity, and economic advantage (see Rev 17:4, 18:3,19). In Western countries, the blandishments of unbridled pleasure seduce Christians into surrendering their purity. You must stir yourself up to see the consequences of unlawful pleasure (18:4-8), the beauty of holiness (19:7-8), and the superiority of the lasting pleasures of fellowship with God (22:1-5). Pray that your fellow Christians also would be pure in all their lives.

1. In what ways does the spiritual conflict appear in our own times and cultures?
2. How does Revelation help us to respond?

Major Options for Interpreting Revelation

	Over the course of church history, interpreters of Revelation have disagreed with one another primarily about the question of the time of fulfillment of the prophecies of Revelation. There are four major schools of interpretation.
	First, the Roman Empire interpretation (which scholars call "preterist") believes that the bulk of the prophecies were fulfilled in the first few centuries, especially in connection with the fall of the Roman Empire. The beast of Rev 13:1-8 represents the Roman Empire in its persecution of Christians. An alternate form of this approach connects the prophecies primarily with the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
	Second, the Final Crisis interpretation ("futurist") believes that the prophecies will be fulfilled at the second coming of Christ and in the events of final crisis immediately preceding the Second Coming. The beast represents the final Anti-Christ who will severely persecute God’s people during the final crisis.
	Third, the Church History interpretation ("historicist") believes that the prophecies are fulfilled in the history of the church from the first century until the Second Coming. The narrative of Revelation is assumed to be in exact chronological order. The early chapters (for example, Revelation 2, 3, and 6) relate to events in the first few centuries, the middle chapters (Revelation 13) relate to events of the Reformation, and the later chapters (Revelation 18, 19) related to events immediately before the Second Coming. The beast represents the Pope in Reformation times.
	Fourth, the General Principle interpretation ("idealist") believes that the prophecies depict general patterns of conflict that repeatedly occur throughout the period between the first and second comings of Christ. The beast represents state persecution of Christians throughout this age.
	In my opinion, all of these except the Church History interpretation have considerable merit. The Roman Empire interpretation is relevant, in view of the detailed knowledge of the seven churches displayed in Revelation 2-3, the threat of persecution that those churches experienced (2:10, 13), and the thematic connections between Revelation 2-3 and the rest of the book. We cannot ignore that Christ was expressing his concern and encouragement to those people back there, not merely writing directly to us now.
	The Final Crisis interpretation is relevant, in view of the fervent hope that Rev 22:20 expresses for the Second Coming, and the way in which earlier parts of the book all lead up to passages that use language associated with the Second Coming. Second Thessalonians 2 clearly indicates that a final crisis preceding the Second Coming will involve a climactic outbreak of a pattern of wickedness that exists earlier (2 Thess 2:6-8).
	The General Principle interpretation is relevant, in view of the fact that Revelation claims to be relevant to all the servants of Christ (1:1), and in view of the fact that Paul teaches us explicitly that there is a general pattern of conflict (2 Thess 2:7). The General Principle approach also explains how the Roman Empire interpretation and the Final Crisis interpretation can in a sense both be right, since both are looking at one manifestation of the general principle. Part of the power of the symbolism of Revelation lies in its fluidity: it is capable of being applied to a multiplicity of cases through church history, and thereby serving to encourage and instruct Christians in every generation. Even the Church History interpretation is not entirely wrong, since it too finds events that are one manifestation of the principles of Revelation.
	In view of the element of truth in these approaches, I recommend that we anticipate the possibility of fourfold fulfillment of the great bulk of prophecies in Revelation. (1) Any particular prophecy finds a fulfillment of a preliminary kind in the Roman Empire period. (2) The prophecy finds a climactic fulfillment in the Final Crisis. (3) The prophecy finds fulfillment throughout the age, in that it sets forth a general pattern delineating the character of spiritual war throughout. (4) The prophecy finds fulfillment now, in our time. Our time is not necessarily special, but simply because we live when we live, we are obliged to think through with greater care what the implications of Scripture are for our present situation.

1. What are the four major options for interpreting the book of Revelation that have been adopted over the course of church history?
2. Which have you heard about most from popular media?
3. In what way might there be some truth in each of them?

  	For Further Reading

Vern S. Poythress, The Returning King: A Guide to the Book of Revelation. Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R, 2000.

Dennis E. Johnson, Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation (Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R, 2001).