The Book of Revelation is a book of the Bible that many people argue about. Non-Catholics often read it as a book foretelling the future. This is incorrect and not consistent with how the Catholic and Orthodox Churches have read the Book of Revelation since the early days of the Church. What follows is what the Churches founded by the Apostles and their successors believe about the Book of Revelation. Televangelists, the local preacher of the "Congregation of What's Happening Now", the minister of the latest "pop up” congregation or protestants in general misinterpret the Book of Revelation.
If you are truly Catholic, go to the Church to learn what is true. Moreover, in the Catholic Church itself, all possible care must be taken, that we hold that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, by all. - St. Vincent of Lerins (died c. 445 AD)
The Book of Revelation (traditionally called by Catholics the “Apocalypse”, meaning “to uncover” or “reveal”) is the last book of the New Testament. It was written by St. John the Beloved (the youngest Apostle who laid his head on Christ’s chest at the Lord’s Supper). This same St. John is believed to have written the fourth gospel. St. John was the only Apostle not to die by martyrdom. The Apocalypse was written in the last half of the first century.
Saint John received his vision “on the island called Patmos” (near Greece). He was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” (praying with the congregation at Sunday Eucharist). St. John received God’s command to write the letters “to the seven churches of Asia Minor” (1.4–10). Each of the seven messages contains the words of Christ for the specific church (2–4).
Asia Minor was the area around the Mediterranean Sea basin modern day. (Asia Major is India and China)
The seven churches are:
Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7): known for having labored hard and not fainted, and separating themselves from the wicked; admonished for having forsaken its first love (2:4)
Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11): admired for its tribulation and poverty; forecast to suffer persecution (2:10)
Pergamum (Revelation 2:12-17): located where "Satan's seat" is; needs to repent of allowing false teachers (2:16)
Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-29): known for its charity, "whose latter works are greater than the former"; tolerates the teachings of a false prophetess (2:20)
Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6): admonished for - in contrast to its good reputation - being dead; cautioned to fortify itself and return to God through repentance (3:2-3)
Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13): known as steadfast in faith, keeping God's word and enduring patiently (3:10)
Laodicea, near Denizli, (Revelation 3:14-22): called lukewarm and lacking in fervor and devotion (3:16)
Following the seven letters in the book of Revelation, the apostle records his vision of God on His throne in heaven being hymned unceasingly by angels, the “living creatures”, and the “twenty four elders”: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come” (Chapter 4)
There then follow the prophecies of the seven seals and the seven angels (5–11), and the visions of the “woman clothed with the sun” and Archangel Michael and his angels engaged in battle with the “dragon” (Rev. 12). Next come the images of the “beast rising from the sea” and the “other beast rising from the earth” (Rev. 13). Then comes the vision of the Lamb and those who are saved by God, with the angels coming to earth from heaven bearing their “bowls of wrath” (Rev. 14–16). The image of the “great harlot” follows (Rev. 17), with the final prophecy about the “downfall of great Babylon” (Rev. 18). The end of the book of Revelation describes the wonderful vision of salvation, with the multitude of those “blessed. . . who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” in the midst of the great celestial assembly of angels who sing glory to God and to Jesus, His word and His Lamb, the Alpha and the Omega, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. It is the image of the Kingdom of God and of Christ, the Heavenly Jerusalem foretold by the prophets of old in which the righteous shall reign forever with God (19–22).
“Alleluia! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exalt and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has begun, and the Bride (the Church) has made herself ready. . . .” (Rev. 19.6–7).
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. . . . And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a great voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them and they shall be His People, and God Himself will be with them; He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away”’ (Rev. 21.1–4).
“And He Who sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new”’ (Rev. 21.5). “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without price from the fountain of life. He who conquers shall have this inheritance, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. (Rev. 21.6–7)
How to interpret the Book of Revelation
When I use the term “Church” with a capital “C” I am referring to the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, founded by the Apostles or their successors, not to protestant groups which only began in the 1500’s or later.
It is difficult to interpret the Book of Revelation, especially if one is unfamiliar with the images and symbols of the apocalyptic writings of the Bible, that is the Old Testament, and of the Judeo-Christian Tradition. There exists, however, a traditional approach to the interpretation of the book within the Church which offers insight into its meaning for the faithful. It is good to remember that, unlike our protestant friends believe, there is no private (each person decides what the texts mean) interpretation of the Bible. The Bible is the book of the Church, the Church existed before the Bible and the Church compiled the books that are considered divinely inspired.
The wrong method of interpreting the Book of Revelation is to give some sort of exclusive meaning to its many visions, equating them with specific, concrete historical events and persons, and to fail to understand the symbolical significance of the many images which are used by the author following biblical and traditional sources.
Many of the events and words found in the Book of Revelation are found in books of the Old Testament. In the New Testament these events and words are completed and fulfilled in Christ. In the Old Testament the people saw only the shadows of what was to come. In Christ in the New Testament we see things with clear, bright vision in the fullness of the reality. For example, in the Old Testament, a lamb was sacrificed at Passover; in the New Testament the fullness of the reality is revealed and Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. (1 Cor 5-7)
First of all, the letters to the seven churches have both a historical and a universal meaning. The messages are clear and remain relevant to situations which have always existed in the Church and which exist today. For example, many older churches (dioceses or even parishes) in all ages of history can he identified with the Church of Ephesus. Those under persecution can be compared with the Church in Smyrna. And not a few—perhaps some in America right now—can be judged with the Church in Laodicea. The seven letters remain forever as “typical” of churches that will exist until Christ’s kingdom comes.
The visions and prophecies of the main body of the book of Revelation present great difficulties, but mostly to those interpreters who would attempt to apply them to one or another historical event or person. If the general vision and prophecy of the book is seen as revealing the correlation between events “in heaven” and events “on earth,” between God and man, between the powers of goodness and the powers of evil, then, though many difficulties obviously remain, some will also immediately disappear.
In the book of Revelation, one comes to understand that the Kingdom of God is always over all and before all. One sees as well that the battle between the righteous and those who chose evil is perpetually being waged. There are always the faithful who belong to the Lamb, being crowned and robed by Him for their victories. There are always the “beasts” and the “dragons” which need to be defeated. The “great harlot” and the “great Babylon” are forever to be destroyed. The “heavenly Jerusalem” is perpetually coming, and one day it will come in its fullness and the final victory will be complete.
One notices as well that there is a universality and finality about the symbols and images of the book of Revelation, a meaning to be applied to them which has already been revealed in the scriptures of the Old Testament. Thus, for example, the image of Babylon stands for every society which fights against God, every body of persons united in wickedness and fleshliness. The image of harlotry universally applies as well to all who are corrupted by their passions and lusts, unfaithful to God Who has made them and loves them. The symbolic numerology also remains constant, with the number 666 (Rev. 13:18), for example, symbolizing total depravity, unlike 7 which is the symbol of fullness; and the number 144,000 (Rev. 14.3) being the symbol of total completion and the full number of the saved, the result of the multiplication of 12 times 12—the number of the tribes of Israel and the apostles of Christ. Thus, through the images of the Book of Revelation, we can see the depth into universal spiritual realities is disclosed which is greater than any specific earthly reality. The insight into the meaning of the book depends on the inspiration of God through the Church and the purity of heart of those who have eyes to see and ears to hear and minds willing and able to understand.
End of Part 1
Part 2 continues tomorrow
