Study 1: An Introduction to the Book

1. The Type of Writing

The book describes itself as a 'revelation...to show...what must soon take place' (1:1, 22:6), and as a 'prophecy' (1:3, 22:6,7,10,18). It is also a letter, addressed from John to the seven churches in Asia (1:4).

The names of the book, 'Revelation' or 'Apocalypse', come from the Latin and Greek terms for 'unveiling'. There was a whole class of Jewish religious writings called apocalyptic, which appeared between 200 BC and 100 AD. Parts of Daniel are apocalyptic in nature. They were highly symbolic, used lurid imagery and often (to us) bizarre figures and symbols. Numbers, places and names all had symbolic rather than literal meaning. These were used to unveil truths which could not be seen by normal investigation.

Apocalyptic was usually written by an author using the pseudonym of a famous hero. It tended to be pessimistic about the present situation, and deterministic about the future - God would triumph then but there was only defeat for God's people now. Current history was seen in dualistic terms - a battle between (nearly) equal but opposite powers, although the goal of history was secure in God's sovereignty. All this tended to make apocalyptic lack a radically ethical thrust in its teaching, and instead gave it a comforting and consoling tone. [These are generalities are not absolute statements about apocalyptic.]

The prophetic nature of Revelation marks it off from this usual kind of apocalyptic literature. Prophecy is not simply the prediction of the future, but the declaration of the direct Word of God, announcing the plan, action and character of God, declaring all that God has done, is doing and will do. And because God's action is focussed in Jesus Christ, 'the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus' - Rev. 19:10. 'Nothing in the prophecy of Revelation will refer to other than Christ and none of its action will be other than Christ's - i.e. linked with him and initiated by him.' yet we are those who belong to Christ who have been ransomed by Christ through his death and been made in him a kingdom and priesthood to God. So, prophecy has to do with now, and calls us on our part in response into action with the Lord Jesus now.

Revelation is not pseudonymous - John would not fit the category of 'famous hero'. It is not dualistic - the reign of God is asserted throughout the Book - not just at the end of history. It is not pessimistic - it asserts the final triumph of God as the outworking of His continued triumph in history. It calls for repentance and faith - and so is not entirely deterministic. And it has an ethical/exhortatory element to its teaching. It is not strictly Jewish apocalyptic - it is that genre transformed by the Gospel of Christ.