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N e w T e s t a m e n t G u i d e
Apocalypse
By Antonio Fuentes
THE last book in the biblical canon of the New Testament is the
book of the Apocalypse (= Revelation), written by John toward the end of the
reign of Emperor Domitian (A.D. 95), when he was in exile on the island of
Patmos. John s authorship is affirmed by Justin, Irenaeus, Clement of
Alexandria, Tertullian and the Muratori fragment really by the entire tradition
of the Church from the second century forward. The doctrine contained in this
book and that in the fourth Gospel run parallel to each other, but naturally the
two books differ in language and style because they belong to different genres.
To give just one example: John is the only inspired New Testament writer to call
our Lord the Logos, a description which we find both in the Apocalypse
and in the fourth Gospel. Also both books have a pronounced preference for
contrasts, such as light and darkness, truth and lies, life and death, the Lamb
and the Beast, Jerusalem and Babylon, the archangel Michael and the Dragon.
The last book of the Bible belongs to the genre of apocalyptic literature, a
variant of prophetical literature differing from the latter in that prophecy
takes, as its point of departure, human events, judging them in the light of the
Covenant, whereas an apocalypse is a revelation which God communicates to man by
projecting a vision of the future, although sometimes it does make reference to
present, historical events insofar as they help to announce future events.
The aim of the Apocalypse, the most difficult book of the Bible to interpret, is
eminently practical. It contains a series of warnings addressed to people of all
epochs, for it views from an eternal perspective the dangers, internal and
external, which affect the Church in all epochs.
As far as external perils are concerned, the book uses as its starting point the
persecutions the early Christians suffered from the time of Nero onward,
particularly those experienced in Rome and in Asia Minor, which were the places
where Christianity had put down its deepest roots. Internally, the danger came
from heresies which were beginning to develop and from defections which were
beginning to undermine the unity of the Church, a situation not helped by those
who had lost the fervor of their first charity (2:3-7). Many Christians thought
that, after the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem (in the year 70), after
which Judaism was no longer a threat of any kind, the Church would enter into an
era of peace and tranquillity; instead, they had to cope with new and very
violent persecutions; more obstacles, and more formidable ones, seemed to face
them. Inevitably they asked: When will our Lord show himself and come to the
rescue of his own and establish his kingdom once and for all? In the Apocalypse
John,inspired by God, tries to answer this question. The first thing which God
has given him to "see" is that the Redeemer is indeed triumphant and
that the faithful are victors with him. But he also points out that the Church
will be persecuted throughout its pilgrim way on earth, and the faithful will
suffer the same lot, if they stay united to the Lamb. The powers of darkness
will make war unceasingly against the Spouse of Christ and will try to undermine
the faith of believers. But they should not be dismayed: The Church will always
triumph over its persecutors, and in union with the Church the faithful who stay
true to the end will also achieve victory.
John, therefore, identifies the prime enemy of the Church in his own time as the
Roman empire (= the beast), the tool of the Dragon (= Satan). Because it has
prostituted itself (Babylon = Rome) it cannot win. It will be completely
overthrown, and the Church is sure to triumph.
This prophecy is as it were the hub of the Apocalypse. Around it John gradually
unfolds the plan God has for the future of his Church. To do this he uses images
very like those used by the prophets of old (Ezechiel, Daniel, Zechariah) to
predict these persecutions, all these predictions being only an echo of what
Jesus himself foretold: "In the world you have tribulation, but be of good
cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33, Luke 18:7ff). Then, as now,
all that the faithful need do to obtain victory like their Master is to
persevere until the end. As our Lord promises: "Be faithful unto death, and
I will give you the crown of life" (Rev 2:10ff), for "behold, I am
coming soon, bringing my recompense, to repay everyone for what he has done
"(22:12)
In a series of elaborate and beautiful images John goes on to develop in
successive cycles the subject with which he opens his book. To understand his
meaning correctly it is important to realize that apocalyptic literature goes in
for a great deal of symbolism-concrete material things being used to convey
spiritual realities beyond the g.asp of man s mind. Among the symbols John uses
are:
1. Colors: White symbolizes victory and purity; scarlet, luxury and extravagance; red, violence; black, death; green, decomposition.
2. Numbers: Seven is the symbol of completeness or fullness six, of imperfection (7-1) twelve, of Israel, old and new four, of the created world (the four elements: air, earth, fire, water; the four parts: sky, earth, sea, abyss; the four points of the compass) one thousand, a figure used to represent a long period or something vast
3. Things: A lamp stand symbolizes a particular church seven burning lamps or
seven eyes, the seven spirits of God the seven heads of the Beast are the seven
hills (of Rome) or else seven kings the stars represent the angels linen, being
white, symbolizes the good work done by the faithful.
Although Jesus Christ, because he was God, knew the entire course Church history
would take, he never wanted to speak very explicitly about future events. This
is why, like the prophets, he chose apocalyptic language-then in frequent
use-when he predicted the destruction of Jerusalem and the perils his disciples
and their whole generation would experience. Thus, for example, he had warned:
"For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so
will be the coming of the Son of man. . . . Immediately after the tribulations
of these days the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, and
the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken; then
will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven" (Matt. 24:27-30).
Our Lord is referring here not only to the end of the world nor to this being
the result of some sort of cosmic cataclysm, though that could be a legitimate
thesis. He is simply (cf. Daniel and Ezechiel telling us to be on guard again
unfaithfulness: he uses the event of the fall of Jerusalem in the year 70 as a
vivid illustration.
As a revelation of the course Church history will take the Apocalypse seems to
divide into three parts: an introduction (1:1-8), an epilogue or conclusion
(22:6-21) and a series of teachings (1:9-22:5) which in turn can be divided into
three parts:
1. In a vision in which he sees the Redeemer (1:9-3:22), John is charged with
writing to the seven churches of Asia Minor. These letters stresses the danger
resulting from incipient heresy, opposition from the Jews (the synagogue of
Satan) and some Christians' lack of zeal and true charity. It should be pointed
out that John writes to only seven churches but the figure seven symbolizes
totality, completeness, and therefore in fact he is addressing the entire Church
on behalf of "him who is and who was and is to come" ; Jesus is lord
of time, because he is eternal-which is reminiscent of the revelation God gave
to Moses when Moses asked him what his name was: "I am who I am "(Ex.
3:14).
2. In the central part of the book John has a series of visions:
A. Transported to heaven, he sees God s throne and court (chap. 4). Here Jesus
will be enthroned as Redeemer, symbolized by a slain Lamb.
B. The Lamb opens the seven seals, letting loose all the evils which will plague
the world (6-8:1).
C. Then comes the vision of the seven trumpets, which are sounded to announce a
series of divine punishments (8:2-11:18).
D. John also sees the seven signs of the incarnation of the Son of God, the
incarnations of the dragon, and, finally, the visitation of God s judgment
(11:19-14:20).
E. Another portent is the seven bowls of God s wrath again Rome (15- 16), with
the announcement of the judgment which will be meted out to Rome, of the
destruction of Rome and the consequences which will follow it (17:1-19:21).
F. Finally, we are given the prophecy of the millennium and of the battle again
Gog and Magog (20:1-10).
Over the centuries, many interpretations have been offered of the thousand years
, but most have made the mistake of identifying it with a particular time when
the world will come to an end.
John refers to the power of the dragon (Satan) being controlled by a superior
power (Jesus Christ, who will vanquish the devil by dying on the cross) for a
thousand years (a symbolic number indicating the time that must pass between the
beginning of Christianity and the end of the world). Before the world comes to
an end Satan will be let loose for a while (the reign of the Antichrist) and
then he will be destroyed for all eternity.
3. This central part of the book closes with the la judgment (20: 11), the new
Jerusalem and the glory the saints will enjoy in heaven. We should remember that
this glory, in which the bodies of the saints will share on the day of the final
resurrection, involves also the renewal of all creation (" a new heaven and
a new earth" ), because thanks to the redemption all created things will
share in the incorruptibility of glorified bodies (cf. Acts 3:20-21): this is
the new Jerusalem, of which the Church during its sojourn on earth is the type
and figure.
To sum up, we can say that the message of Revelation is a message full of hope,
albeit in the mid of tests which those who remain firm in the faith will always
undergo. It is a message which applies to all men of all periods, because all
will be besieged by a series of external perils and particularly internal
hazards, hazards whose source lies in the after-effects of original
sin-ambition, pride, greed, sensuality, indolence.
But Jesus Christ will always stay with his Church, and therefore the Church s
ultimate victory is assured, which is why the Apocalypse, the "eternal good
news" (it has been called the eternal Gospel ) is to be proclaimed to those
who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and tongue and people" (Rev.
14:6).
The entire theology of the book of Revelation consists in an inspired poem about
the Son of God. The sacrificed and risen Lamb is the focus of the struggle
between the city of God and the city of Satan: to him will go both heaven and
earth. Revelation is the final synthesis of the ideals and.aspirations of the
New Testament, and the prophecy of the new or la times, that is to say, of the
messianic era, the definitive era ushered in by the incarnation of the Word.
This was the hope which inspired John s life and which he passed on-as he
expressly states in the la verse of the book. These echo the original source
from which the revelation comes, to him who bears witness to everything that has
been revealed and who says: " Surely I am coming soon."
For John this is what really matters, as he logically expresses in his final
prayer: "Come, Lord Jesus!" , which is, a sort of la golden c.asp on
the Apocalypse and on the entire revelation begun with the books of the Old
Testament.
It is a prayer which should be frequently on our lips, to have the Lord fill our
lives, our actions, sufferings and joys, until that day comes when-by his good
grace-we see him face to face in heaven.
Antonio Fuentes teaches theology at the University of Navarre, Spain.