The symbolism of Revelation [A]

In all the books of the Holy Bible, and especially in the prophets, symbolic expressions are found, which also characterize the apocalyptic texts. The abundance of symbolic expressions in the prophetic books is due to the fact that the prophets often receive prophecies from God in the form of symbolic representations (see Zech. 1:7-6,15; Dan. 7-8) and sometimes resort to the use of symbols themselves, because they cannot express their visions in the language of their time. It is therefore fitting that in the Revelation of John, a clearly prophetic book, the symbolic use of expressions, persons, colors, numbers and representations dominates. It is, in fact, characteristic that already in the first verse of the book the sacred author declares regarding its content that God “signaled by his angel to his servant” (Rev. 1:1). God revealed to John "what is and what will be after these things" (Rev. 1:19) through visions that contained signs, that is, symbolic images.

John, in fact, as well as the first recipients of the Revelation, “the seven churches which are in Asia” (Rev. 1:4), were familiar with the use of symbols; the Asian spirit was accustomed to expressing its ideas, religious and political, with symbols and types. This is attested to by the cistophori (coins) and other finds from the region, which bear symbolic representations. This Asian custom, which had also deeply influenced Asian Christians, is used by God to show “his servants what must soon take place” (Rev. 1:1). In reality, the initiative in the use of symbols belongs to God, who, during the expulsion of the first created beings from paradise, formulated the so-called proto-gospel in symbolic expressions: “he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Gen. 3:15).

With the symbolism of the Revelation, the churches of Asia are provided with a counterweight against the abundant use of symbols by the pagans. And it is not just a counterweight. Symbols common in the pagan world acquire in the Revelation a reflection with a high, divine or even weighty meaning. Something similar will happen later, when Saint John writes in his Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Hearing much talk in Asia Minor about the Word as the supreme of all, the holy evangelist says: “Behold, the Word is the Son of God, Jesus Christ, our own Lord.”

Symbolism performs a threefold function in Revelation: 1. It partially covers the prophetic word from the eyes of the Romans, the pagan conquerors, and protects John and the faithful from their wrath. Certainly, the recipients of Revelation understood very well John's symbolic references to antichrist Rome, since there had been prior oral teaching by the apostles who were active in Asia Minor. 2. It functions similarly to the parables used by the prophets and the Lord; it leaves those who are lukewarm or cold in faith indifferent and awakens the chosen remnant of God's people, so as to intensify their interest in understanding the divine word and obeying it. 3. It highlights the timelessness of what is symbolized, since it does not limit it to a single instance of a specific era. Thus, the term "Babylon" (Rev. 14:8; 16:19-17:5; 18:2.10.21), for example, refers not only to the antichrist Roman Empire, but also to every secular power that is directed against the Church, every spiritual or political power that becomes an instrument of Satan, to harm the faith of Christians and hinder the work of the Church.

The various events that John is about to announce and the spiritual meanings that he must convey to the believers, are certainly revealed to him by God under images and representations that belong to the circle of the evangelist's knowledge and experiences. And John describes exactly what he sees. The representations of the Revelation are reminiscent of images from all areas of nature and life. Animal and plant kingdoms, agricultural and commercial life, sea, sky, natural phenomena, precious stones, but also human life, with the mother and child, the virgin bride, the harlot, war, peace, and means of transportation, offer an abundance of images with which the truths of this divinely inspired book are expressed.

Certainly, similar images are also found in various texts of Jewish and Greek literature. This fact should not mislead us and lead us to the conclusion that John used various sources to record his visions. His only source is God, who showed him the visions. Of course, as I mentioned above, God offered John the revelations with symbolic images, which for the most part the prophet knew not only from natural life, but also from the Holy Scriptures. We can, therefore, distinguish the affinity of the symbolic representations of the Revelation to known representations:

1. Primarily and mainly from the Old Testament. Names of persons (Balaam, Jezebel) or cities (Jerusalem, Babylon, Sodom), place names (Mount Zion, Armageddon), but also places and objects of Israel's worship (the Tabernacle and the Temple with the altar, the censer and the Ark of the Covenant) appear in Revelation as symbols of events and situations of the Church, fighting and triumphing, and of the world.

2. From the New Testament. Of course, Revelation is the only prophetic book of the New Testament. However, prophetic elements are also found in the other New Testament books. In fact, in all the books of the New Testament, Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, Epistles, Revelation, there are historical, didactic and prophetic elements. The symbolic descriptions of Revelation show affinity with 2 Thess. 2:1-12, where the apostle Paul speaks of the antichrist, and especially with the so-called “little Revelation” (Mt. 24; Mk. 13; Lk. 2,1), where the Lord himself prophesies future events. These same events, which the evangelist John heard from the mouth of the Lord on earth, he describes graphically in his great Revelation, as the resurrected and glorified Jesus showed them to him “in spirit” (Rev. 1:10). And because the Revelation is his first work, he does not mention in his Gospel the “small Revelation”, which is also recorded by the three evangelists who preceded him.

I consider arbitrary and unfounded the claims that Revelation draws some images from the theme of the apocalypse. The fact that there are some elements common to Revelation and to Jewish or Christian revelations does not constitute proof that the former borrowed them from the latter. As I have already mentioned, several symbols are common in Asian traditions and also appear in Revelation. After all, the various revelations are mostly later than Revelation. Also unfounded are the views that Revelation contains influences from pagan religions, and even traces of syncretism. In any case, these speculations certainly lack an understanding of the spirit of the sacred book, its Christian character, which is incompatible with anything pagan. One reading of Revelation is enough for the well-intentioned reader to perceive the Lord's aversion to idolatry and the final condemnation of idolaters (see Rev. 21:8-22:15). John, who saw, heard and recorded all this and with the anguish of a spiritual shepherd commands the faithful, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols" (1 John 5:21), how could he resort to idolatrous loans?

It is noteworthy that even those who claim that John is influenced by foreign sources admit that the author of Revelation moves with complete independence and originality, since many of the images in the book are not found in either the Old Testament or other texts. They are images mainly from the earthly life of Christ (e.g. the woman with the child in chapter 12) and from the commercial movement of the Asia Minor cities (e.g. the enumerations of commercial items in chapter 18, of precious stones in chapter 21) towards the churches to which the book is addressed.