Chapter Vi Background And Basis For Interpretation
BACKGROUND AND BASIS FOR INTERPRETATION
THE Apocalypse is rooted in contemporary happenings in the sacred Scriptures which John and his readers knew well and in direct, special revelation of the mind and purposes of God. All these must be carefully considered if the book is to be rightly interpreted.
I. THE NEED TO NOTE THE CONTEMPORARY BACKGROUND
We shall never be able to understand the book of Revelation unless we interpret it in the light of contemporaneous events. We should always ask, how did the first readers understand this book? We should make an earnest attempt to appreciate the conditions and circumstances out of which this prophecy arose. The Apocalypse has as its immediate purpose the strengthening of the wavering hearts of the persecuted believers of the first century AD.[1] Therefore every paragraph of this glorious prophecy is filled with significance, instruction and comfort for the seven churches of proconsular Asia. This book is an answer to the crying need of that particular day, and we must permit contemporaneous circumstances to shed their light on its symbols and predictions. True, this book has a message for today, but we shall never be able to understand ‘what the Spirit is saying to the churches’ of today unless we first of all study the specific needs and circumstances of the seven churches of ‘Asia’ as they existed in the first century AD.
We find, then, that the Apocalypse is replete with references to contemporaneous events and circumstances. Believers were being severely and bitterly persecuted. Their blood was being poured out (6: 10; 7: 14; 16: 6; 17: 6; 19: 2). Some were pining away in dingy dungeons or were about to be imprisoned (2: 10). They were suffering from hunger, thirst or famine (6: 8; 7: 16). Some had been cast before the wild beasts (6: 8). Many had been beheaded (20: 4). At Pergamum, Antipas had been killed (2: 13). John had been banished to the isle of Patmos (1: 9). The Roman government encouraged persecution; its emperor-worship inspired false religion; its capital was the centre of lust (13: 7, 15; 17: 18). False teachers and sects were troubling the churches (2: 2, 14, 20, 24). Nevertheless, true believers were causing the light of Christ to shine in the darkness of superstition and unbelief. Philadelphia had ‘an open door’ (3: 8).
All these things were real; they were facts—many of them hard facts—for the Church of that day and age. These believers were not primarily interested in the great events of future centuries so much as in the struggle between light and darkness, the Church and the world, Christ and the dragon, truth and error, which was being waged in their own time. The Apocalypse is an answer to the crying needs of these persecuted, sorely afflicted believers.[2]
This does not mean that the seer was limited to matters within his own historical horizon. We must remember that the real Author of the book is not the apostle John but God Omniscient Himself. As we have proved abundantly, this book spans the entire dispensation and is intended for us as well as for believers in the first century AD. But it was occasioned by the need and suffering of Christians in the first century AD. It is definitely rooted in contemporaneous events and circumstances and must be interpreted in harmony with them. True, it speaks of forces that are constantly operative in the history of the world—for example, the beast—but it discusses these in terms that are expressive of the contemporaneous form in which these forces manifested themselves—for example, Rome. We can sum this up as follows:
PROPOSITION VII. The Apocalypse is rooted in contemporaneous events and circumstances. Its symbols should be interpreted in the light of conditions which prevailed when the book was written.
II. THE NEED TO HAVE REGARD TO THE WHOLE CONTEXT OF SCRIPTURE
We should interpret this book in the light of its background. It is rather strange, however, that the very interpreters who strongly insist upon this fail to do full justice to this principle.[3] They, as it were, see only the surface-soil: contemporaneous circumstances and events. But there is also a subsoil. The Apocalypse is firmly rooted in this subsoil! We refer to the sacred Scriptures. The mind of the seer was, as it were, immersed in these Scriptures. He was thoroughly acquainted with them. He lived them. They were hidden away in his heart. We maintain, therefore, that the Apocalypse is rooted not only in the surface-soil of contemporaneous events but also, and especially, in the subsoil of the sacred Scriptures. To be sure, the events of the particular day and age in which the apostle was living determined, to a certain extent, the mould in which this prophecy was cast. Nevertheless, they cannot begin to compare with the ages of history and prophecy with which the seer was so thoroughly familiar. We must explain this book in the light not only of external events but also of the entire religious heritage held in reverence by believers who lived when these visions were seen and recorded.
Let us give a very striking example. When we study Revelation 13: 1–10, we immediately notice that its symbolism is rooted in Daniel 7: 2–8. In both cases the same animals are referred to, though in Daniel they occur singly, one by one, while in the Apocalypse they are combined. Thus, the latter gives us the picture of a composite beast. It was ‘like a leopard, and its feet were as the feet of a bear, and its mouth as the mouth of a lion...’. Now in Daniel these beasts—lion, bear, leopard, and ‘anonymous’—indicate not kings but kingdoms, empires that arise in opposition to God’s people. They refer to the world-power in four successive phases of manifestation. So what is more logical than to infer that the composite beast of the Apocalypse also has this same meaning and refers to an antichristian power, the antichristian persecution movement, in successive phases and embodiments? Concerning this beast we read that five of its heads were fallen when the apostle saw the vision. One raised itself at that very time, namely, the sixth. The other had not yet arrived (17: 10). Now, on the basis of a comparison with the book of Daniel, is it not very evident that the heads of this composite beast of the Apocalypse must indicate empires in which the world’s persecuting power is successively embodied? For example, ancient Babylonia, Assyria, New Babylonia, Medo-Persia, Greco-Macedonia, and Rome. Yet many interpreters, who insist on explaining the Apocalypse in the light of its contemporaneous background, regard these heads as representing individual rulers, namely, Julius Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. These inter preters do not take sufficient account of the Old Testament basis of the Apocalypse. They see the surface-soil of contemporaneous history. They forget that there is such a thing as a subsoil, namely, the sacred Scriptures.
Let us permit Scripture to interpret Scripture.
First and foremost, we should do justice to the immediate context in which a passage occurs. This is often forgotten. But unless we interpret the various symbols in harmony with the context in which they occur, we shall never see the wonderful organic unity that characterizes the book. We shall miss the ‘thread’ of the discussion.
Once the context has been definitely determined and has received its full due, parallel passages should be consulted. First, and most important, parallels occur in the Apocalypse itself. When, for example, we interpret Revelation 20 in the light of what is in some respects its parallel, Revelation 12, the meaning becomes much clearer. The question concerning the devil’s captivity will not be so difficult to answer.[4]
There are also parallel passages occurring in other books of the New Testament. Some of those which are found in the Gospel of John have already been indicated.[5] There are others in the Synoptics. Among the most striking New Testament parallel passages are the following:
Rev. 1: 3.
Mt. 24: 6; Lk. 21: 9.
Rev. 1: 5.
Col. 1: 18.
Rev. 1: 7.
Mt. 24: 30.
Rev. 1: 16.
Mt. 17: 2.
Rev. 2: 10.
Jas. 1: 12.
Rev. 2: 20–24.
Acts 15: 28.
Rev. 3: 3.
Mt. 24: 42.
Rev. 3: 5.
Mt. 10: 32.
Rev. 6.
Mt. 24; Lk. 21.
Rev. 12: 9.
Lk. 10: 18.
Rev. 13: 8.
1 Pet. 1: 19, 20.
Rev. 16: 19.
1 Pet. 5: 13.
Rev. 17: 14.
1 Tim. 6: 15.
Rev. 18: 4.
2 Cor. 6: 17;
Eph. 5: 11.
Rev. 18: 24.
Lk. 11: 50.
Rev. 21: 4, 5.
2 Cor. 5: 17.
Rev. 22: 21.
Eph. 6: 24.
Finally, the Apocalypse is steeped in the thoughts and images of the Old Testament.[6] Let us mention just a few passages which, at least as far as their form is concerned, are patterned after and based on what is found in the Old Testament.
REVELATION
OLD TESTAMENT
Chapter 1.
The description of the Son of man.
Dn. 7: 9 ff.; 10: 5, 6; Ezk. 1: 7, 26 ff.; 43: 2.
Chapter 2.
Observe such Old Testament expressions as: ‘tree of life’, ‘paradise of God’, ‘Balaam’ and ‘Balak’, ‘Jezebel’, ‘rod of iron’.
Chapter 3.
The book of life.
Ex. 32: 33; Ps. 69: 28; Mal. 3: 16.
The key of David.
Is. 22: 22.
Chapter 4.
A throne set in heaven.
Is. 6: 1; Ezk. 1: 26, 28.
The four living creatures.
Ezk. 1: 10; 10: 14.
Chapter 5.
The scroll.
Ezk. 2: 9; Zc. 5: 1-3.
The Lion that is of the tribe of Judah.
Gn. 49: 9; Is. 11: 10.
Chapter 6.
The horses and their riders.
Ps. 45: 3, 4; Zc. 1: 8; 6: 3.
Chapter 7.
Sealing the servants of God upon the forehead.
Ezk. 9: 4.
The blessedness of the redeemed.
Is. 49: 10; 25: 8; Je. 20: 13; 31: 16; Ezk. 34: 23.
Chapters 8, 9.
The trumpets of judgment.
Ex. 7 ff.; the plagues.
Chapter 10.
The angel’s sworn testimony.
Dn. 12: 7.
The little book.
Ezk. 2: 9; 3: 3.
Chapter 11.
Chapter 12.
The woman, the child, and the dragon.
Gn. 3: 15.
The angel Michael.
Dn. 10: 13, 21; 12: 1.
Chapter 13.
The beast out of the sea.
Dn. 2: 31; 7: 3.
Chapter 14.
The white cloud; One like unto a Son of man.
Dn. 7: 13; 10: 16.
The wine-press.
Is. 63: 3.
Chapter 15.
The song of Moses.
Ex. 15.
Chapter 16.
Har-Magedon.
Jdg. 5; 2 Ch. 35.
Chapters 17-19.
The fall of Babylon.
Is. 13; 14; 21; 46; 47; 48; Je. 25; 50; 51; Dn. 2; 7; Hab. 3. Compare also Ezk. 27; the fall of Tyre.
The invitation to the birds.
Ezk. 39: 17–20.
Chapter 20.
Gog and Magog.
Gn. 10: 2; Ezk. 38; 39.
The books of judgment.
Dn. 7: 10; 12: 1; Ps. 69: 28.
Chapter 21.
The new heaven and earth.
Is. 65: 17 ff.; 66: 22 ff.
The new Jerusalem.
Ezk. 48: 30 ff.
Chapter 22.
The river of water of life; the tree of life.
Gn. 2; Ezk. 47: 1–12.
This is just a beginning. Westcott and Hort[7] give nearly four hundred references or allusions to the Old Testament, and an intensive study of any chapter of the Apocalypse soon reveals that this list of four hundred references is itself incomplete.
It is on the basis of these sacred Scriptures that we must interpret the Apocalypse. Nevertheless, we must be very careful: the seer is not a copyist. He receives visions. To be sure, these visions are of such a character that they can be received by an apostle of Jesus Christ whose mind and moral consciousness are saturated with the teachings of the Old Testament. John, however, is writing down what he sees and hears. The Old Testament teachings, moreover, are often poured into new moulds and acquire a slightly modified meaning in the Apocalypse. Whether or not this is true in any given case is determined by the immediate context.[8]
In emphasizing this basis of the Apocalyptic visions in the subsoil of the sacred Scriptures we must always bear in mind that it is wise to proceed from the clearer to the more obscure and never vice versa.[9] This has often been forgotten. A passage which by itself is rather obscure is seized on; for example, Revelation 20: 2. It is given a most literal interpretation. Then—to cap the climax—all the clear passages in the more didactic portions of Scripture are distorted in such a fashion that they will agree with the meaning which the ‘interpreter’ has poured into the obscure passage.
The result is that we get a good many novelties, that is, items of information which are not clearly derived from the plain teachings of Scripture elsewhere. A sound method of interpretation will endeavour to steer clear of novelties. The historical method of interpretation furnishes thousands of warning examples. Even parallelists who have written excellent commentaries have not always avoided them.[10]
This leads us to our eighth proposition which we formulate as follows:
PROPOSITION VIII. The Apocalypse is rooted in the sacred Scriptures. It should be interpreted in harmony with the teachings of the entire Bible.
III. THE ORIGIN OF THE BOOK IN THE MIND OF GOD
The Apocalypse is rooted in contemporaneous circumstances and in the sacred Scriptures. In the final analysis it is rooted in direct, special revelation. It has its origin in the mind of God. It was God who prepared and formed the soul of the apostle John so that he was able to receive this glorious prophecy. It was God who gave this vision. The God who inspired all the sacred writings so that they are all God-breathed is also the Author of the Apocalypse.
PROPOSITION IX. The Apocalypse is rooted in the mind and revelation of God. God in Christ is the real Author, and this book contains the purpose of God concerning the history of the Church.[11]