UNDERSTANDING APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE

UNDERSTANDING APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE: METHOD AND INTERPRETATION FOR BIBLE STUDY STUDENTS

What is Apocalyptic?

• The word comes from the Greek word apokalupto meaning to reveal or to unveil.

• It is a kind of writing that uses symbolic imagery to reveal God’s coming plan.

• Apocalyptic writings sometimes take large portions of certain biblical books.

Examples:

• Old Testament: The Book of Daniel.

• New Testament: The Book of Revelation.

• It was especially popular during the Second Temple period.

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1. Understand the Characteristics of Apocalyptic

a. The use of an angelic mediator between God and the recipient.
Example: Gabriel came to Daniel to give him understanding:
“Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. He instructed me and said to me, ‘Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding’” (Daniel 9:21–22).

b. An experience of a chosen human entering heavenly realms and communicating with the angelic mediator.
Example 1: John in heaven:
“At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it” (Revelation 4:2).
Jesus said, “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16).

Example 2: “But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it” (Revelation 5:3).

c. Highly symbolic visions or dreams.
Old Testament example: Daniel saw a dream and said,
“After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns” (Daniel 7:7).

New Testament example: John saw
“a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head” (Revelation 12:1).

d. Warnings of coming distress and faith challenges.
John himself suffered on the island of Patmos:
“I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus” (Revelation 1:9).

John’s seven messages to the churches encouraged perseverance and faithfulness:

• To Ephesus: “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7).

• To Smyrna: “The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death” (Revelation 2:11).

• To Pergamum: “To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it” (Revelation 2:17).

• To Thyatira: “To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations” (Revelation 2:26).

• To Sardis: “The one who is victorious will be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life” (Revelation 3:5).

• To Philadelphia: “The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God” (Revelation 3:12).

• To Laodicea: “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne” (Revelation 3:21).

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2. Helpful Guidelines to Understand Apocalyptic Literature

a. Understand Revelation’s allusions to Old Testament apocalyptic writings.
The most helpful Old Testament apocalyptic texts are Isaiah 24–27, Ezekiel 38–39, Zechariah 1–6, and Daniel 7–12.
Out of 405 verses in Revelation, 278 contain allusions to the Old Testament.

b. Symbolic images should not be understood literally.
Many images are self-interpreted or explained by heavenly beings.

Examples:
In Daniel:

• The four beasts (Daniel 7): “The four great beasts are four kings that will rise from the earth” (Daniel 7:17).

• The two-horned ram, the shaggy goat, and the large horn (Daniel 8):
  “The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is the first king.”

In Revelation:

• The seven stars and seven lampstands:
  “The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches” (Revelation 1:20).

• The great dragon:
  “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray” (Revelation 12:9).

c. The book of Revelation is not intended to be read chronologically.

• Revelation 2–3 speak of seven real churches in the first century: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

• Revelation 12 speaks of Christ’s birth.

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3. Recognizing the Goal of Apocalyptic Books

Recognizing the purpose of apocalyptic literature helps us better understand and apply God’s Word.

a. Declaration of God’s authority and sovereignty.
Example 1: Daniel’s visions proclaim God’s sovereignty over kings and nations.
“All the earthly kingdoms are temporary, but there is one eternal kingdom.”
(Daniel 7:13–14)
“... a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven... He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is everlasting.”

Example 2: Revelation ends with God’s ultimate victory:
“The devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur... They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Revelation 20:10).

b. Encouragement for perseverance and faithfulness.
“Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown” (Revelation 2:10).

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4. Applying Lessons from Apocalyptic Literature

a. If individuals, churches, kings, nations, and empires practiced faith and righteousness — follow their example.
b. If they practiced evil and pride — avoid their example.
c. From knowing the prophecies and their fulfillment — it is best to submit to God’s sovereignty.

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Bibliography

Plummer, Robert. 40 Questions about Interpreting the Bible.
Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2010.