In this post and the next I want to provide proof for these two points, especially
since they lead us away from the way the book has been most popularly
understood for the past century or so.
In this post we will look at proof for the first point.
1. Proof For The Symbolic Nature
Of The Book.
a. Proof Of
Symbolism In General.
There are several proofs we offer here.
(1)
As we have already seen, Revelation 1:1 tells us that God “signified” (or symbolized)
the truth in the book. We need not spend more time on this verse. Simply-put, because
of what we are told here, we should expect a good deal of symbolism.
(2)
In addition to being a prophetic letter, the genre that comprises the book is
what scholars call apocalyptic literature. There are other examples in
Scripture (in Isaiah, Daniel, and Zechariah, especially) and also in books
outside of Scripture between the testaments and in the first century A.D. These
works, with a great amount of symbolism, tend to “pull back the curtains” on
what is happening in history to reveal other-worldly visions of what is taking
place as God defeats his enemies, takes care of his people, and applies the
work of salvation and the work of judgment throughout history and into the age
to come. None of these works are meant to give to us merely chronological
depictions of what takes place either in history, at the end of history, or in
the age-to-come.
(3)
“The teaching of Balaam” is used in 2:14 to refer to false teaching that threatens
to lead astray the church in Pergamum, most likely for material gain. It is
highly doubtful that false teachers were literally going back to the literal
teaching of the diviner whose story is told in Numbers 22-24, but that the errors
of the false teachers in Pergamum resembled the errors of Balaam.
(4)
Likewise, in 2:20f. the label “Jezebel” for a false teacher in Thyatira most
likely is not intended to suggest her name literally was Jezebel, but that she
was very much like the infamous and idolatrous Jezebel, wife of King Ahab, whose
story is told in 1 Kings 16-2 Kings 9.
(5)
The “soiled garments” in Sardis (3:4), in the immediate context and the far context
of Revelation, would speak of unrighteous actions that are unfaithful to and disobedient
to God. The “white garments” of 3:5 would be just the opposite. Both speak of
important truths, but both are symbolic, not literal references.
(6)
In 3:15-16 the church in Laodicea is told its testimony and mission have been
so compromised, they are good for nothing. The way this is communicated is by
referring to two water sources in the area that were well known. There was cold
water that came by aqueduct that was useful for drinking and there were also
hot springs utilized for medicinal purposes. That they were neither hot nor cold
created a picture, then, of them being useless for service to God in the same
way the cold water mixed with the hot would be no good—either for drinking or
medicinal purposes. It would be good for nothing.
(7)
The vision of the locusts in 9:3ff., which in context, are clearly demons,
appear to be built upon both the book of Joel and the Exodus plagues before
that in the Old Testament. The intent does not appear to be that we can expect
such beings in the future (that is not how apocalyptic works). Nor is it
intended to be understood in light of some kind of modern or future helicopter
or the like. They are symbolic and to be interpreted by context and their Old
Testament background.
(8)
In chapter 12 “woman” (referring to the people of God ), “dragon,” and “serpent”
(referencing Satan) are all figurative—to be understood in light of their Old
Testament background and the rest of the book of Revelation, but clearly not
literal references.
(9)
In chapter 20 the text speaks of chains being used on spiritual beings who are
placed in a “prison” or abyss. How would such physical entities hold a spiritual
being? Most likely these are symbolic
reference.
(10)
“Babylon” (14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:1, 2, 10, 21) and “Euphrates” (9:14; 16:12) are
used figuratively and with universal implications—speaking of the kingdom (even
a city at one point, like in Is. 25:3: 16:19) that opposes God. These are
clearly symbolic.
(11)
In Revelation 21 we are told that the wall around the new Jerusalem is 216 feet
thick (and most likely intended that is also its height [v. 17]). However, the
city itself is just under 1,400 miles high (v. 16). What is more, the gates on
the wall are never shut (v. 25). So, when we put all these together, the most
likely conclusion is that the visions convey symbolic and yet very real truths,
but are not intended to be taken literally.
(12)
Interestingly enough, there are many bits of evidence in in Revelation 21 that
the temple pictured in the new heaven and new earth is the ultimate fulfillment
of the end-times temple Ezekiel envisions in Ezekiel 40-48 and it is clearly
not a physical or literal temple (see 21:22). If this is correct, not only do
we see symbolism here in Revelation 21, but it also leads us to see Ezekiel
40-48 as intended symbolically.
(13)
There are many other proofs for the presence of symbolism we could offer (in fact
we could take them from every page of Revelation, if not most paragraphs), but
the point is sufficiently made. When we say that Revelation is “highly
symbolic,” this is not merely an interpretation that we must follow in order to
achieve our desired understanding. No, it is taken from the text itself and
from the knowledge of other literature like Revelation.
b. Proof Of The
Symbolic Use Of Numbers.
Not only do we find symbolism in general, but also the symbolic use of
numbers in the book, which would fit with all that we have seen about the
expectation of symbolism.
(1)
There are several uses of “seven” in the first chapter, a number that
symbolically depicts perfection or fullness: “seven spirits (1:4)…seven stars( 1:16)…seven
golden lampstands…the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the
seven lampstands are the seven churches” (1:20).
(2)
The use of “ten days” in 2:10, to speak of a time of tribulation, is most
likely drawn from the book of Daniel—as one of the many times in the book of
Revelation in which we see what Daniel looked forward to in the far future is
now being fulfilled—and yet it is not necessarily to be taken as literally 10
days. The point seems to be that God will take care of the believers in Smyrna
as he did Daniel and his friends when they were tested for ten days (Dan. 1:12,
14, 15).
(3)
The Twenty-four elders of 4:4 (12 x 2), as well as the twelve patriarchal/tribal
names on the New Jerusalem gates (21:12) and the twelve apostle names on the wall
foundations of the new city (cf. 21:14) all depict the presence of the full people
of God (Old and New Covenants [12 x 2]).
(4)
As we have already seen in the previous two weeks of study, the seven spirits and
seven lamps of 4:5 are symbolic—referring to the Holy Spirit, through the eyes
of the Zechariah 4 vision.
(5)
In 7:1-8 careful observation of the 144,000 redeemed in heaven (esp. as we look
at the use of the tribes, the perfect numeration of 12,000 of each, the 12 x
12,000, and the parallelism between it and “a great multitude that no one could
number” in 7:9) shows we almost certainly have a figurative or symbolic use of
numbers in this text. It represents the full number of the people of God.
(6)
Of course the book structure of seven seals…seven trumpets, seven histories…seven
plagues/bowls…all speak of both symbolism and a very tight structure for the
book.
(7)
In Rev. 10:6 the clause “that there
would be no more delay” is parallel to the clause, “it would be for a time,
times, and half a time” (in its Old Testament source, Daniel 12:7). Elsewhere
(Rev. 12:6, 14) it appears that 1,260 days (3.5 years with a 360 day year) is
parallel to “a time, times, and half a time.” This coupled with the many times
in Revelation when it appears that Revelation unfolds the fulfillment of
Daniel’s end-times prophesies (including his seventy weeks of 9:24-27, that
include the last week divided into two halves of 3.5 years)—and the strong
indications that Revelation deals with events of this current inter-advent
age—all suggests that the 3.5 years (and the implied seven years if we consider
its doubling in Daniel) is a symbolic use of numbers. See also in Rev. 11:3, 9,
11, where 1,260 days (v. 3) is used in conjunction with 3.5 days (vv. 9, 11),
in the context of the witness of God in this inter-advent age proclaiming God’s
word and also being killed, but also be raised. When all this is put together,
the 3.5 years or the 7 (if doubled) are pictures of trials, tribulations, that
take place throughout this present age (although they are intensified toward
the end). The 3.5 years also has special significance as roughly the same
period of time Antiochus Epiphanes greatly persecuted the people of God and
desecrated the temple a couple centuries before the days of Jesus.
(8)
In 11:9 the “three and a half days,” understood in context, is symbolic—meaning
a short period of time and most likely drawing upon the parallel between the
saints’ death and resurrection, and that of Jesus. It also is contrasted with
the 3.5 years of v. 2—as a much shorter period.
(9)
In 11:13 we find the statement, “there
was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people
were killed,” is clearly symbolic. The inference is that 1/10 = 7,000, which
means 70,000 people = the total population. That much too low for Jerusalem or
any other literal city to which this could refer. At the same time, the
presence of 7 and 70 (7x10) all suggests completion or fullness. In other
words, this is the city of fear-inspiring nations (cf. Is. 25:3).
(10)
In 13:18 the number of the beast (666), which also equals his name, expresses
this full state of being incomplete and evil. Though the dragon-beast-false prophet
seek to be a counterfeit Triune God and Savior, they fall short, they are
incomplete. They, working on humanity and like humanity (sinful) mark and rule
their followers and their followers share in their character. These are all
intended as symbolic depictions.
(11)
What we see from this list is that Revelation has a strong tendency for using numbers
in the same manner it does many other things—symbolically. Again, we are not
reading this into the book so that we can make it say something we desire it to
say. Rather, we are deriving this from the book itself, seen in accordance with
its structure, in light of Old Testament background, and in some cases in
accordance with clear use of symbolism in numbers in some cases. Where this
will become very significant in reference to a large current debate is when we
get to the “thousand years” of Revelation 20:2, 4, 5, 6. If we discover there
is strong evidence in that text and its context for understanding that number
symbolically and to refer to a current period of time that spans from the first
to second coming of Christ (which is what we will affirm when we get there), we
are not all of a sudden treating numbers in a way that runs counter to how John
uses them elsewhere in Revelation.
Tom
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