No book of the Bible causes quite the consternation and theorizing as Revelation. Before diving into the text, we need to understand that it was written in a way that would be inherently difficult to understand, as Christians were a persecuted minority at the time, and the words of this book point not only toward the restoration of all Creation, but also the downfall of the Roman Empire that was responsible for marginalizing the followers of Christ.
Revelation (though the best translation from Greek is “The Apocalypse of John”) presents a vision that the Apostle John saw while imprisoned on the island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea. It begins with John seeing the presence of God, who then gives the Apostle seven letters to the seven churches of Asia: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Each letter contains both encouragements to continue in some aspect of their faith and admonitions to fix some particular aspect of their life in Christ. These letters all end with the reminder, “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
The scene then shifts to a vision that is reminiscent of the prophecies of the Old Testament, as John beholds an image of God enthroned in heaven. Our Creator is surrounded by four living creatures, who appear identical to those described in Ezekiel 1 and similar to those described by Daniel in Daniel 7. Whenever the creatures offer praise, twenty-four elders who are also in Heaven add their adoration to the Lord.
John then sees a scroll that has been sealed with seven seals in the right hand of God, yet no one is found worthy to break the seals and open the scroll. The Apostle sees a Lamb that appears to have been slain, yet still lives. This Lamb is the slain-yet-raised Jesus, who alone is worthy to take the scroll.
John provides very specific numbers throughout this book, most often seven and twelve (or multiples thereof). In traditional Hebrew numerology, seven is the number of completion, as seen through the seven days of Creation; we should see seven of anything as a nod toward these things being complete and perfect. Twelve (and its multiples: twenty-four, one hundred forty-four, etc.) should point us toward the twelve tribes of Israel, showing us that the entirety of God’s Chosen
People are represented in these places.
From there our reading fast-forwards over thirteen chapters to the point where Babylon (which we can usually read as a pseudonym for Rome) has fallen, and a great multitude rejoices over the fall of their enemy. As the celebration comes to an end, John sees a rider on a white horse in heaven. The rider’s name is The Word of God and written on his robe and thigh is the name King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This rider, the leader of Heaven’s armies, is none other than Jesus. Before the armies of evil can make their attack, their leaders are captured and the forces of ill are overthrown by Christ.
Satan is then bound and sealed away for one thousand years, which in this context should be taken to mean for as long as God knows is best. After the thousand years are complete, Satan is released before all of those who have fallen victim to him are consumed by fire, and then he is imprisoned forever. At this point, evil has been overcome, and God passes judgment over all of those who have died.
And God makes all things new! As heaven and earth have passed away, the Lord makes a new heaven and a new earth; here God “…will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” John is then shown the Holy City, the new Jerusalem. This description of the city has been used as the basis for many of the popular images of heaven and has served as the inspiration for Renaissance artists, from which so many of our views are derived. The most important aspect of the new Jerusalem is the God Himself is present, face to face with His people; there is no longer anything that separates us directly from our Lord.