How is the Book of Revelation interpreted?

Answer 1

A:The Book of Revelation contains a number of startling visions written down by a person called John, whom the second-century Church Fathers decided must be John the Apostle. Many Christians believe these visions to be prophecies of things to happen, most popularly prophecies of the end of the world. The early Christians weren't so sure and many disputed its authenticity. Likewise, there was disagreement about whether to include the book in the New Testament canon, with the final decision based largely on the belief that the writer could have been John the apostle.

In his Ecclesiastical History (VII, xxv), Eusebius quotes Bishop Dionysius the Great of Alexandria (d. 264-265): "Some indeed of those before our time rejected and altogether impugned the book, examining it chapter by chapter and declaring it to be unintelligible and illogical, and its title fake. For they say that it is not John's, no, nor yet an apocalypse, since it is veiled by its heavy, thick curtain of unintelligibility; and that the author of this book was not only not one of the apostles, nor even one of the saints or those belonging to the Church, but Cerinthus, the same who created the sect called 'Cerinthian' after him, since he desired to affix to his own forgery a name worthy of credit. . . . But for my part I should not dare to reject the book, since many brethren hold that the interpretation of each several passagies in some way hidden and more wonderful."

Martin Luther said that Revelation is neither apostolic nor prophetic and resembling the dreams of the Abbot Joachim, a wild visionary of the end of the world. According to an opinion poll in 2002, a majority of Americans believe that apocalyptic predictions in the Book of Revelation will come true.

Additional Comments:

There is no doubt that many consider Revelation one of the most (if not the most) difficult-to-understand books in the Bible. This has caused some to simply dismiss its complicated narrative and vivid descriptions as mere allegory - a human way of reasoning away or discounting something one cannot comprehend. There are some who assume Revelation recounts a past history. But there are many today, as the words of Daniel (similar book of prophecy in the Old Testament) seem to be coming more true that the sealing up of the understanding of these future prophecies are getting clearer (Daniel 12:9).

Consider the opening of the Book which clearly states that this revelation of the end-times is from God the Father (as Jesus noted only He knew the end) and given to Jesus as the revelator to mankind. Remember, God does nothing without first letting man know what is about to occur giving him time to repent (Amos 3:7). So Revelation is a divine warning of future events upon all mankind. God asserts that He declares the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), and Revelation speaks of the time of a culminating battle between 3 Kings or peoples (multiple nations) bringing global devastation and death to most of the life on the planet. Mankind seems set to destroy itself and then the 2nd Coming of Jesus happens. The warring nations unite to fight Him and are destroyed. The Government of God is implemented and a millennial rule begins and ends with the Judgement process of all mankind. Most all will become sons and daughters of the God Family in the spirit world. Unfortunately, there will be some incorrigible who will be thrown in the Lake of Fire - this is their 2nd and final death (Matthew 10:27-29; Revelation 21:8)

Answer 2

A:Doubts about the authenticity of Revelation were raised by Eusebius and others in antiquity. In his 'Ecclesiastical History' (VII, xxv), Eusebius quotes Bishop Dionysius the Great of Alexandria: "Some indeed of those before our time rejected and altogether impugned the book, examining it chapter by chapter and declaring it to be unintelligible and illogical, and its title fake. For they say that it is not John's, no, nor yet an apocalypse, since it is veiled by its heavy, thick curtain of unintelligibility; and that the author of this book was not only not one of the apostles, nor even one of the saints or those belonging to the Church, but Cerinthus, the same who created the sect called 'Cerinthian' after him, since he desired to affix to his own forgery a name worthy of credit. . . . But for my part I should not dare to reject the book, since many brethren hold that the interpretation of each several passages in some way hidden and more wonderful."

There are three main schools of thought in how the symbolism, imagery, and contents of the Book of Revelation should be interpreted.

• The biblical prophecy school of thought holds that the contents of Revelation, especially when interpreted in conjunction with the Book of Daniel and other eschatological sections of The Bible, constitute a prophecy of the end times.
• The historical-critical approach, which became dominant among critical scholars of religion since the end of the 18th century, attempts to understand Revelation within the genre of apocalyptic literature, which was popular in both Jewish and Christian tradition since the Babylonian diaspora, following the pattern of the Book of Daniel.
• Recently, aesthetic and literary modes of interpretation focus on Revelation as a work of art and imagination, viewing the imagery as symbolic depictions of timeless truths and the victory of good over evil.

Another Answer:

Basically, the message of the book of Revelation is really simple if you let the Bible interpret itself. The various symbolism used in the book is defined in Scripture and does not need any other interpretations. It promises that God will institute universal peace, prosperity and cooperation over all the Earth immediately after the return of Jesus Christ. This final book reveals how this wonderful 'new world' will be established and why it will never be destroyed or superseded by any other way of life or social order as all mankind are now either part of the Family of God as spiritual 'sons and daughters' or are no more- faced the 2nd death in the ever-growing Lake of Fire - physical ashes.

Revelation also describes an incredibly deceptive and deadly alliance of internationally powerful political (beast) and religious (final antichrist) entities attempting to prevent Jesus' reign from ever being established. Their opposition to Him and His saints will result in a time of international turmoil and suffering unlike anything the world has ever seen - WW III in effect.

Revelation is rooted in the prophecies of the Old Testament, so we find clues to the meaning of many of its symbols in Daniel and other Old Testament prophecies. Also, Jesus Christ is the Revealer, the One who opens the seals is closely aligned with His Olivet Prophecy in Matthew 24 (Mark 13, Luke 21 also). The Olivet Prophecy helps by providing a 'framework' for the time line within Revelation itself.

We must always remember that:

Amos 3:7New King James Version (NKJV)

7 Surely the Lord God does nothing,

Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

Answer:In spite of man's attempts to interpret the Apocalypse [Revelation]... most simply refuse to let Jesus Christ do it for them. Because He clearly qualifies it from the start that IT'S HIS REVELATION -- not man's:

"THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, which God [the Father] gave unto Him, to SHEW HIS SERVANTS things which must shortly come to pass..." (Rev.1:1).

In other words... the Apocalypse is written down for JESUS' SERVANTS to know His intentions, and what must come to pass before He returns. It's written for "His servants" -- those who are His, and who follow Him.

It's NOT for everyone!

Like all the parables Jesus told during His earthly ministry that were intended for the general public to NOT understand... so, is the Apocalypse, also recorded as a parable, for most men to NOT understand.

"...'Why do you speak to them in parables?' He replied, 'The knowledge of the SECRETS of the Kingdom has been given to you, but NOT TO THEM... This is why I speak to them in parables: 'Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving... But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear." (Matt.13:10-16 & Isa.6:9 NIV)

Jesus would always take His disciples ASIDE... alone with them in PRIVATE, away from the pressing crowds... to explain His parables to them.

The book of Revelation is a parable. So, if the reader is "Jesus' servant" he has to "go to Jesus PRIVATELY" to hear His explanation of the Revelation parable. Revelation is about the END TIME events that shall precede Jesus' return to earth with the Kingdom of God.

So, "Jesus' servants" need to go in the Bible where Jesus "explained these end time events PRIVATELY to His disciples!!!"

Matthew 24; Mark 13 and Luke 21.

There is only ONE END TIME... so, Jesus' "PRIVATE screening" and explanation of this soon-to-occur events to His servants, the disciples [and any future servant of His; His called-out-ones, in the church that He has been building these past centuries], is found in these places in His Word.

"As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him PRIVATELY. 'Tell us,' they said, 'WHEN WILL THIS HAPPEN, and WHAT WILL BE THE SIGN OF YOUR COMING and OF THE END OF THE AGE?" (Matt.24:3 NIV)

What follows this question posed to Him by His servantsin this chapter and the next... as well as Mark 13 and Luke 21 [different perspectives on the SAME END TIME events of which Revelation speaks in its parable] -- is Jesus' PRIVATE EXPLANATION TO HIS SERVANTS OF THE SYMBOLS AND MYSTERIES OF THE REVELATION PARABLE.

That's how the Book of Revelation is interpreted -- by LETTING JESUS DO IT!

Since it's His revelation, anyway.