BEMA Episode Link: 174: Revelation — A Book for Its Time
Episode Length: 29:11
Published Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2020 01:00:00 -0700
Session 4
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings prepare for a journey through the book of Revelation, remembering the function and method of apocalyptic literature and trying to remove the “crazy” from the study.

Discussion Video for BEMA 174

BEMA 68: Zechariah — Apocalyptic Literature

Christ and the Caesars by Ethelbert Stauffer

The Christians: Their First Two Thousand Years — A Pinch of Incense by the Christian History Project

The Seven Cities of the Apocalypse and Roman Culture by Roland H. Worth, Jr.

The Seven Cities of the Apocalypse and Greco-Asian Culture by Roland H. Worth, Jr.

Imperial Cult and Commerce in John’s Apocalypse by J. Nelson Kraybill

The Letters to the Seven Churches by William M. Ramsay

The Days of Vengeance by David Chilton

The Greco-Roman World of the New Testament Era by James S. Jeffers

Transcript for BEMA 174

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 174: Study Notes

Title & Source Summary

Episode: 174 - Revelation: A Book for Its Time Hosts: Marty Solomon and Brent Billings Focus: Introduction to the Book of Revelation, Revelation 1:1-20

This episode serves as the foundational introduction to a 16-episode series on the Book of Revelation. The hosts establish critical contextual and hermeneutical frameworks for understanding Revelation, emphasizing that it is apocalyptic literature written to a first-century church facing Roman persecution. They challenge common misconceptions about the book being primarily about future end-times events, instead positioning it as a message of encouragement to believers experiencing suffering and wondering if their faith is worth the cost. The episode walks through Revelation chapter 1 verse by verse, highlighting Old Testament connections and apocalyptic imagery.

Key Takeaways

  • The book is called “Revelation” (singular), not “Revelations” - John had one apocalypse, not many
  • Revelation is apocalyptic literature and must be read as such, requiring familiarity with the genre (particularly the book of Zechariah)
  • Revelation was written primarily to a first-century church being persecuted by the Roman Empire, not primarily about the future or end of the world
  • The consistent hermeneutic throughout BEMA applies here: seek authorial intent and what the original audience would have understood
  • John extensively quotes and references Old Testament apocalyptic literature (Daniel, Zechariah, Ezekiel, Isaiah) to connect his audience to previous experiences of suffering and God’s faithfulness
  • The core message of Revelation is: “It is worth it. You have to overcome because we know how this story ends”
  • Understanding eschatology (beliefs about the end) significantly shapes how believers live day to day
  • The seven stars represent a Greco-Roman concept of controlling the universe, which John subverts by placing them in Jesus’ hand
  • The lampstands/menorah imagery connects to the presence of God dwelling in the community of His people, especially significant after the AD 70 temple destruction
  • Very little material in Revelation is actually new - it draws heavily from Old Testament imagery and passages

Main Concepts & Theories

The Hermeneutic of Authorial Intent

The BEMA approach to scripture consistently seeks to understand what the author meant when writing and what the original audience understood when hearing it. This is described as the “inspired conversation” that is God-breathed and authoritative. While not dismissing the Holy Spirit’s contemporary work or mystical hermeneutics, the study focuses on contextual awareness and authorial intent as the foundation for proper interpretation.

For Revelation specifically, this means:

  • Understanding the historical context of Roman persecution
  • Recognizing the audience as believers facing literal execution
  • Interpreting apocalyptic imagery according to first-century Jewish and Greco-Roman understanding
  • Not imposing modern end-times speculations onto ancient text
Apocalyptic Literature as a Genre

Apocalyptic literature functions differently than narrative, poetry, or didactic teaching. Key characteristics include:

  • Highly symbolic and metaphorical language
  • Use of cosmic imagery to describe earthly events
  • Drawing heavily from previous apocalyptic texts
  • Written during times of suffering and persecution
  • Intended to encourage perseverance and faithfulness
  • Reveals hidden realities about spiritual warfare and God’s sovereignty

The episode directs listeners back to Episode 68 on Zechariah as essential preparation for understanding this genre.

Historical Context: The Reign of Domitian

Marty positions Revelation during the later reign of Emperor Domitian, who led one of the most brutal persecutions in early church history. The original audience consisted of:

  • Christians facing execution for their faith
  • Believers running for their lives
  • A community watching brothers and sisters be killed
  • People questioning whether standing against the empire was worth it
  • A largely Gentile church with significant Jewish presence (estimated 20% of Asia’s population was Jewish)

John wrote from the position of shared suffering, having himself been exiled to the island of Patmos. His past-tense reference (“I was on the island of Patmos”) indicates he wrote after his exile, not during it.

The Seven Stars and Lampstands

The seven stars had specific meaning in Greco-Roman culture:

  • Represented the sun, moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn
  • These seven celestial bodies moved differently than other stars/constellations
  • In the ancient cosmology, the sky was understood as a swirling ocean
  • Stars were thought to be souls of those who had gone before, floating on this celestial ocean
  • The seven stars that moved independently were connected to pagan gods and mythology
  • To hold the seven stars meant controlling the universe and destiny

By placing the seven stars in Jesus’ hand, John declares Jesus’ ultimate authority over all cosmic powers and pagan deities.

The seven lampstands (menorahs) symbolize:

  • The presence of God dwelling in His people
  • The seven churches of Asia Minor
  • A common post-AD 70 image for God’s community after temple destruction
  • Connection to Zechariah’s vision of the man among the myrtle trees
Old Testament Apocalyptic Connections

John deliberately quotes from other apocalyptic books to:

  1. Establish the genre he’s working in
  2. Connect current suffering to previous experiences of God’s faithfulness
  3. Create solidarity between his audience and ancient oppressed communities
  4. Build on established apocalyptic imagery his audience would recognize

Specific references in Revelation 1:

  • “Coming with the clouds” - Daniel 7
  • “Those who pierced Him will mourn” - Zechariah 12
  • “Golden sash around His chest” - Daniel
  • “Eyes like blazing fire” - Daniel
  • “Feet like bronze glowing in a furnace” - Daniel
  • “Voice like rushing waters” - Ezekiel
  • “Double-edged sword” - Isaiah
The Message: “It Is Worth It”

The central pastoral message of Revelation addresses believers asking if faithfulness to Jesus is worth death and persecution. John’s apocalyptic vision answers with a resounding yes by:

  • Revealing Jesus’ ultimate victory and authority
  • Showing that earthly empires are temporary
  • Demonstrating God’s sovereignty over history
  • Encouraging perseverance through tribulation
  • Promising that believers are on the winning side
  • Affirming that suffering has meaning and purpose

Examples & Applications

Modern Misreadings

The hosts address common contemporary misinterpretations:

  • Treating Revelation as a coded roadmap to future events
  • Attempting to match current political situations to Revelation’s imagery
  • Reading it as primarily about “the end of the world”
  • Ignoring the historical context and original audience
  • Approaching it with sensationalism rather than scholarly care
Tourist Misattribution

The example of Patmos tourism illustrates how traditions can obscure textual accuracy. Tour guides show visitors a cave where “John wrote Revelation,” but careful reading reveals John uses past tense (“I was on the island”), indicating he wrote after his exile, not during it. This demonstrates the importance of careful textual reading over accepted tradition.

The Power of Eschatology

The hosts emphasize that what we believe about “the end” profoundly shapes daily living. If we believe:

  • The world is doomed to destruction, we may disengage from cultural participation
  • God’s kingdom is advancing, we invest in kingdom work now
  • Suffering is meaningless, we may despair under persecution
  • God is sovereign over history, we persevere with hope

These eschatological frameworks directly influence ethics, mission, stewardship, and resilience.

Library vs. Amazon

Brent’s reminder about libraries illustrates how modern convenience (instant Amazon purchasing) can make us forget traditional resources. Inter-library loan systems can access nearly any book, especially through university libraries, making expensive or out-of-print resources accessible without purchase.

One in Five

The statistic that 20% of Asia’s population was Jewish helps modern readers grasp the significant Jewish presence in early Christian communities. This wasn’t a tiny minority but a substantial portion of the population, meaning many in John’s churches would have:

  • Known Hebrew scriptures deeply
  • Recognized Old Testament allusions immediately
  • Understood apocalyptic imagery naturally
  • Connected current persecution to Babylonian exile narratives

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

Deeper Study of Apocalyptic Genre
  • Examine other apocalyptic literature: Daniel, Zechariah, portions of Ezekiel, Isaiah
  • Study intertestamental apocalyptic writings (1 Enoch, 4 Ezra, 2 Baruch)
  • Compare apocalyptic imagery across different texts
  • Understand ancient Jewish apocalyptic expectations
  • Explore how Jesus used apocalyptic language in the Gospels
Roman Imperial Context
  • Research Emperor Domitian’s persecution policies
  • Study Roman emperor worship and the imperial cult
  • Examine the phrase “Caesar is Lord” vs. “Jesus is Lord”
  • Investigate economic pressures on Christians who wouldn’t participate in emperor worship
  • Explore the social consequences of refusing to offer “a pinch of incense”
The Seven Churches of Asia
  • Study the archaeological and historical background of each city: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea
  • Understand the specific challenges each church faced
  • Examine the cultural, economic, and religious context of each city
  • Consider visiting these sites or studying them through virtual tours
  • Read the individual letters in Revelation 2-3 with city-specific context
Numerology and Symbolism
  • Understand the significance of the number seven in Jewish thought
  • Explore other symbolic numbers in Revelation
  • Study the meaning of colors in apocalyptic literature
  • Examine the significance of creatures, beasts, and cosmic imagery
  • Investigate the symbolic use of precious metals and stones
First-Century Christian Persecution
  • Study the historical accounts of Christian martyrdom
  • Understand the legal status of Christianity in the Roman Empire
  • Examine the social cost of Christian identity
  • Explore how early Christians responded to persecution
  • Read early Christian writings about martyrdom and faithfulness
Old Testament Background
  • Conduct a thorough study of Daniel and Zechariah
  • Examine exile narratives and their themes
  • Study Old Testament passages about God’s sovereignty over nations
  • Explore prophetic literature about God’s ultimate victory
  • Understand covenant faithfulness during oppression
Comparative Hermeneutics
  • Compare preterist, historicist, futurist, and idealist interpretations of Revelation
  • Examine how different theological traditions read Revelation
  • Study the development of end-times theology through church history
  • Understand how Revelation has been used (and misused) throughout history
  • Consider how cultural context influences interpretation

Comprehension Questions

  1. Why does John deliberately quote from other apocalyptic books (Daniel, Zechariah, Ezekiel) rather than from any Old Testament book, and what does this tell us about his intended genre and message?

  2. How does understanding that Revelation was written to a first-century church facing Roman persecution change the way we should interpret its imagery compared to reading it primarily as predictions about our future?

  3. What is the significance of the seven stars in Greco-Roman culture, and what theological claim is John making by placing them in Jesus’ hand?

  4. Explain the hermeneutic principle of “authorial intent” and why the hosts insist on applying the same interpretive method to Revelation that they use throughout the rest of scripture.

  5. What is the core pastoral message of Revelation to its original audience, and how does understanding this message shape how contemporary believers might apply it to their own contexts of suffering or uncertainty?

Summary

BEMA Episode 174 establishes the essential foundation for studying the Book of Revelation by dismantling common misconceptions and providing proper contextual frameworks. The hosts emphasize that Revelation must be understood as apocalyptic literature written to a specific first-century audience - Christians in Asia Minor facing brutal Roman persecution under Emperor Domitian. These believers were watching fellow Christians executed and questioning whether faithfulness to Jesus was worth the cost.

John’s apocalyptic vision, rich with Old Testament imagery drawn particularly from Daniel and Zechariah, delivers a clear message: “It is worth it. You have to overcome because we know how this story ends.” Rather than being a coded blueprint for future end-times events, Revelation functions as pastoral encouragement rooted in God’s sovereignty over history and ultimate victory over oppressive empires.

The opening chapter introduces Jesus with cosmic authority - holding the seven stars (representing control over the universe in Greco-Roman thought) and walking among the seven lampstands (representing the presence of God in His communities). John deliberately uses apocalyptic language from previous books written during exile and suffering, creating solidarity between current and ancient experiences of oppression while pointing to God’s faithfulness.

Understanding Revelation properly requires commitment to the same hermeneutical approach used throughout scripture: seeking authorial intent and what the original audience would have understood. This demands substantial contextual study of Roman imperial culture, first-century persecution, apocalyptic literary conventions, and Old Testament background. The hosts provide an extensive reading list and emphasize that nearly all of Revelation’s imagery draws from earlier scripture, making Old Testament knowledge essential.

This foundational episode sets the stage for a verse-by-verse journey through Revelation’s seven churches and beyond, promising to “remove the crazy” from Revelation study by grounding interpretation in historical context, literary genre, and theological purpose rather than speculative end-times predictions.

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