REVELATION AND SYMBOLISM, PART II

1. Moments Ago three passages from Rev. were read.

2. One of these passages was Rev. 6:13.

3. this reference speaks of “stars falling from heaven.”

4. Hal Lindsey has suggested that these falling stars are symbolic.

5. He has said that the falling stars may be meteors or “
”orbital bombs.”

6. Mr. Lindsey also has an explanation for Rev. 19:20.

7. This well known author says that “fire & brimstone” equals nuclear warfare.

8. My favorite comment from Mr. Lindsey is based upon Rev. 9:3.

9. Hal Lindsey thinks

10. that these locusts may actually be helicopters.

MANY HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION WE HAVE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE. SYMBOLS ARE USED THROUGHOUT THIS BOOK. LAST WEEK I PRESENTED SOME GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT SYMBOLISM.

A. Tonight we will deal with some more specific information about symbolism.

B. Anyone can go to the book of Rev. and say, “This symbol means this…”

C. Mr. Lindsey has done and in so doing thinks Rev. speaks of helic

D. If we are interested in truth, this approach is unacceptable.

E. We need to have a basis (standard) for interpreting symbols.

F. Tonight I hope to help us establish a basis and offer some specific

G. One of the things to keep in mind in interpreting symbols is this:

H. Some symbols are explained right in the text.

I. This is not done too often, but it does occur.

J. Let’s look at some examples.

K. The first one comes from Rev. 1.

(1) Rev. 1 is a good text to start with because it is easy.

(2) John gives the symbol and immediately follows that with an explanation.

(3) In other texts, the symbol and the explanation = ~given, or se

(4) Rev. 1:20 - READ

(5) This verse shows us that John’s message includes symbols.

(6) The 7 stars were not literal stars – “angels”.

(7) The candlesticks were not literal – represented 7 churches.

L. In Rev. 4 we have a text which is similar to Rev. 1.

M. John gives us a symbol and then immediately explains it.

N. Rev. 4:5 - READ

O. 7 lamps of fire symbolized the “7 spirits of God.”

(1) In the foyer there is a sheet that I prepared.

(2) This sheet offers some basic information about the symbol.

(3) Part of this material includes facts about Bible numbers.

(4) “7” is a number of perfection: fullness

(a) God used a 7 day week at the beginning of time.

(b) Our weeks have 7 days.

(d) We also know what the number “7” means.

(e) Thus, we will say that this text shows complete/full power.

P. In the next chapter we have another symbol which is explained.

Q. Rev. 5:8 - READ

R. No one needs to wonder what the “bowls of incense” are.

S. John says that these are the “prayers of the saints.”

T. This is cut and dry. Here interpretation is easy.

U. Sometimes the explanation and the symbol are next to each other

V. This is not always true.

W. Let’s skip over to Rev. 17.

(1) This chapter has some strange things in it.

(2) There is a woman sitting upon a scarlet colored animal.

(3) This woman is clothed in purple and scarlet.

(4) She is wearing gold, precious stones, and pearls.

(5) She had a “golden cup full of abominations.”

X. Verse 3 is where I will start reading - READ

Y. We have a number – 10 – what does that mean in scripture?

Z. If you look at the sheet in the foyer, power; authority; control.

AA. This is exactly what John says in verse 12 - READ

BB.We do not need to huess about the 10 horns.

CC. If we keep reading the text offers an explanation. Horns = kings

DD. We can take another example from Rev. 17.

EE. Go back to verse 1 - READ

FF. In 1C we see the words, “many waters.”

GG. What are these “waters”? Look at verse 15 - READ

HH. John does away with the need for interpretation.

II. A final example of where a symbol is explained is Rev. 20:2.

JJ. Here the symbol and the explanation of it are back to back.

KK. READ

LL. The “old serpent” is identified as “Satan”.

I. WHEN THE EXPLANATION IS IN THE TEXT, THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT AS TO WHAT IS MEANT. WHAT ABOUT THE TEXTS WHICH HAVE A SYMBOL, BUT NO EXPLANATION?

A. Here is where the work begins.

B. One tool to help us in cases like this is the rest of scripture

C. If we are reading something in Matthew & the matter is not clear,

D. We can often go to a parallel account.

E. We can do a similar thing with symbolism.

F. Here are some examples.

G. God is pictured as a stone in Rev. 4:3.

H. John makes it clear that he was not being literal.

I. He said that God was like some stones.

J. Here is what the verse says - READ

1. If you were unable to look up these stones in a Bible dictionary

2. You might have a Bible with good center column references.

3. In my Bible the word “jasper” has a little letter beside it

4. This letter takes me to a cross reference, Rev. 21:11.

5. I am going to move to that passage and read it for you - READ

6. A “jasper stone” to John, seems to have been clear.

7. Think of a transparent stone that defies beauty.

8. Transparent crystal would suggest purity, holiness, just.

9. What about the other stone – sardus?

10. A Bible dictionary would be of great aid here.

11. This stone was a deep re/brownish-red.

K. You might be able to get by without using a Bible dictionary for

L. Ezek. 28:13 describes the same stone.

M. In some editions of the Bible, “ruby” appears as a

N. We can use just the Bible to identify the color o these stones.

O. Can scripture help us any more with these rocks and their meanings?

P. Are there any passages we can tie in with Rev. 4:3?

i. What about Rom. 11:22?

ii. QUOTE

iii. Paul describes God in two ways: good and severe.

iv. This is the picture that is suggested in Rev. 4:3.

v. God is good – like a jasper stone.

vi. God is also severe – like a red stone: war, blood, destruction.

Q. If we use scripture, we have a basis for explaining symbols.

R. Connecting scripture to symbols in Rev. takes time and effort.

S. There are few short cuts.

T. Let’s look at a few more examples.

i. Rev. 2:20 (which I will not read) refers to Jezebel.

ii. This Jezebel called herself a “prophetess”.

iii. When most readers come to this reference, they think of the Old Testament.

iv. They go back to I Kings 16:31 & II Kings 9:22.

v. From the Old Testament it is seen that Jezebel was a terrible woman.

U. From what is said in the Old Testament, Jezebel has a very negative meaning.

V. If this approach works in Rev 2 and it does, it will work.

W. We can let the rest of scripture help explain parts of Rev.

X. Let’s look at one more example – Rev. 1:7.

i. This verse, if taken literally, does not make much sense.

ii. After one reads the words, one wonders what it meant.

Y. Here is what the text says - READ

Z. That text says that Jesus would “come with the clouds”.

AA. What does this mean?

BB. Did John mean to say that Jesus would ride on clouds?

CC. Would He be surrounded by clouds?

DD. The word “cloud” is a symbol.

i. Listen to Matt. 24:30 - READ

ii. In Matthew 24, “clouds” are associated with power, authority, glory.

iii. This parallel text would help explain Rev. 1:7.

II. I HAVE OFFERED TWO WAYS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO UNDERSTAND SYMBOLISM IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION. ONE WAY IS TO LOOK AT THE TEXT ITSELF AND SEE IF AN EXPLANATION IS GIVEN. IF AN EXPLANATION IS NOT GIVEN, WE CAN GO TO OTHER PARTS OF THE BIBLE. AS WE DO THESE TWO THINGS, THERE IS A THIRD TACTIC WHICH WILL HELP US: COMMON SENSE, REASON, LOGIC.

A. Here are some quick examples of what I call common sense interpretation.

B. Rev. 4:1 says that a “door opened in heaven”.

i. Doors grant access; they allow entrance.

ii. Hence, access to heaven was given to John.

C. Rev. 7:1 speaks of four angels “holding four winds”.

i. If this is literal; the picture is bizarre.

ii. Listen to the text:- READ

iii. If we think about this, we can make sense out of the text.

iv. Wind can be connected with devastation, destruction.

v. John 4:8

vi. In the book of Rev. we read about a lot of destruction.

vii. The “holding back of the four winds” thus suggests…

viii. That destruction was temporarily held back.

D. In Revelation, many words suggest images/pictures.

E. Here are some more quick examples:

i. “Brass” suggests strength (compare Jer. 1:18).

ii. “Cup” (often good things of God, Ps. 23 – “my cup…”).

iii. “Dog” (generally a bad term.) can describe Gentiles. Often describes negative habits of dogs: barking, biting, vomiting.

iv. “Drunkenness” - Rev., intoxicated with ways of world. The word indicates stupidity and mental confusion.

v. “Earthquake” – the overthrow of political powers and nations.

vi. “Egypt” – describes wickedness (takes one back to the Hebrews).

vii. “Hail” – killing, destruction, fighting or war.

viii. “Locusts” – armies of men who ravage an area (Joel 1:7).

ix. “Nakedness” – poverty, shame, disgrace.

x. “Dried up rivers” – death, sorrow, affliction.

xi. “Color scarlet” – most bloody kind of cruelty.

xii. “Seal/sealing” – preservation and security.

xiii. “Trumpet” – declaration of war or peace.

CONCLUSION:

1. Revelation has its hard points, but it can be studied and understood.

2. Starting next week we will do just that.

3. We have laid a sufficient foundation to study this marvelous book. Think about symbolism.

4. Tonight we close with a thought which comes through again and again: GOD ALWAYS WINS