How to Interpret Revelation by Examining Its Structure
By Pastor Jon Mark Olesky
How do we interpret the book of Revelation?
As one reads of beasts, prostitutes, and bowls of wrath, the apocalyptic details can quickly confuse even the most studious Christians. However, understanding the literary structure of the book is a huge clarifier of all the smaller descriptions.
I want to recommend you read Revelation as seven parallel sections.
First, because this tends to guard against the prophecy extremists, and those who abuse Bible prophecy, especially apocalyptic writings, by imposing extra-biblical concepts upon them. The view below is nothing new, it has been accepted and taught by some of the best theologians of the 19th and 20th centuries, including Warfield, Berkhof, Martyn Lloyd-Jones and others. William Hendriksen popularized it best through his classic, 'More Than Conquerors.'
This view refuses to divorce Scripture from a solid biblical foundation recognizing Revelation's links to the Old Testament. In the 19th century, certain cult and sect founders went to war against solid biblical exegesis—and shamelessly used Daniel and Revelation in particular—to introduce all manner of extra-biblical concepts; J.N. Darby afforded no small abuse to proper hermeneutics. But I digress.
I’m suggesting a very simple reading of Revelation, which involves seeing it as a seven parallel sections from the time period of the First to the Second Comings of Christ. The parallels are spiritually progressive, with the seventh and final section dealing with The New Heavens and the New Earth.
The Structure of Revelation: 7 Parallel Sections
Section 1: Christ in the Midst of the Lamps
Rev 1:1-3:22
The age of the church. The lampstands represent the 7 churches; these are typical of all churches throughout this age ending in Christ's return (3:20-22).
Section 2: The Vision of Heaven and the Seals
Rev 4:1-7:17
The church will be triumphant. This passage introduces the 144,000 and closes in chapter seven with the return of Christ.
Section 3: The Seven Trumpets
Rev 8:1-11:19
The world will be punished for its rejection of God. This is revealed through the Seven Trumpets on both those who reject God and upon the saved. Wrath coming on the God-rejecting world, God’s people rejoicing. As in all of the other sections, the narrative leads to Christ's return at the seventh trumpet (11:15).
Section 4: The Persecuting Dragon
Rev 12:1-14:20
The church’s expectation of persecution. The woman and the Man-child are persecuted by the dragon and others. At the birth of our Savior (12:5), the dragon threatens to devour the Man-child (Christ), but He is caught up to heaven, so the dragon now persecutes the 'woman' (the Church) through the agencies of the 'beast' and the 'harlot.'
The warning is that Christians must expect persecution in the “church age”. This section, like each before it, closes with the Second Coming and impending judgment (14:14-20).
Section 5: The Seven Bowls
Rev 15:1-16:21
Final judgment. As in all previous sections, more is progressively revealed regarding the final judgement, Armageddon (16:16), and the seven bowls (which I believe refer to the same event as the seven trumpets, but from different perspectives); Christ returns at the seventh bowl and seventh trumpet.
Section 6: The Fall of Babylon
Rev 17:1-19:21
Babylon’s confusion finally removed from the world. The Babylonian system is blinded to spiritual truth. Godless ideologies such as Darwinism, Marxism, Secularism and false religions operate as worldviews.
Babylon’s autonomy and self-earned justification is destructive to themselves and others, and an affront to God. Babylon will finally be destroyed for her evil works of deception. The return of Christ occurs in (19:11), again confirming these are parallel sections, not consecutive occurrences.
Section 7: The Great Consummation
Rev 20:1-22:21
The Bride and Groom are finally united in kingdom reign. The final section goes back to the start of the Church age to show how Satan has been restricted during this age. We even see the saints in heaven awaiting the resurrection (20:4-5), the final battle and destruction of the beast, false prophet and Satan himself (20:7-11).
The Great White Throne of Judgment, where every man, woman and child will stand before God (20:11-15). This leads into the symbolic and yet unspeakable glory of the New Jerusalem and the New Heavens and New Earth (chapters 21-22).
How do we know these are 7 parallel sections?
1. The similarities between Revelation 12 and 20 are striking. The approximate time period is covered, but from differing perspectives, with a focus on differing events during the period: the former focusing on the persecution which believers must expect, the latter focusing on the indestructibility of God's eternal kingdom to finally be established upon earth (as it currently is in heaven).
2. According to the third period, 42 months (11:2), or 1,260 days (11:3), we find the same time period in the fourth parallel section (chapters 12-14), where it is 1,260 days (12:6), or, 'a time, and times and half a time' (12:14). All these are periods of exactly the same length. This very strongly suggests that the period of the trumpets being blown (Section 3), is parallel with Section 4, in which Christ battles the dragon. We have strong indications of parallels between Section 3 (the Seven Trumpets), Section 4 (Christ battles the dragon), and Section 7 (the Great consummation).
3. Additionally, Section 3 (the seven trumpets) seems to parallel with Section 5 (the bowls of wrath). How? The first trumpet (8:7) affects the earth, so does the first bowl (16:2), the second trumpet affects the sea, so does the second bowl, the third trumpet refers to the rivers, so does the third bowl, the fourth trumpet refers to the sun, so does the fourth bowl, in both cases the fifth refers to the pit of the abyss, the sixth to the Euphrates and the seventh to the Second Coming! Those are strong literary connections. The seven trumpets and seven bowls refer to exactly the same events but with different emphases and viewpoints.
4. The final defeat of the dragon, the beast out of the sea, the beast out of the earth, and the great harlot are effectively described in Sections 6 & 7, which seem to parallel.
5. Lastly, The bowls of wrath Section 5, ends with a great battle, 'the battle of the great day of God Almighty' (16:14), Section 6, ends with a great battle (19:19), finally, in Section 7, one may read, 'to gather them together to battle' (20:8). Therefore it seems reasonable to conclude that those sections are indeed at least roughly parallel describing the same events.
Conclusion
Discerning these seven parallel sections does not answer every question one will have in this Apocalyptic book. An amillennial eschatology, or partial preterism (classic preterism), doesn’t solve every difficulty.
However, finding a consistent literary framework is essential if we are to marvel at John’s inspired revelation of Christ’s supreme rule and reign over all.
His Kingdom Come… on earth as it is in heaven!