Revelation

This is a phrase-by-phrase commentary of Revelation.  The only book of prophecy in the New Testament, Revelation uniquely challenges both readers and commentators.

• Revelation 1:1 announces itself as being given in symbolic language.  Symbols make comparisons, and Revelation uses things from the physical world to illustrate spiritual truths.  As he recorded the various visions, the Apostle John has given us a book filled with signs and figurative language, concerning both people and events.  However, because symbols and figurative language are non-literal, their interpretation can be innately difficult.
• John’s visions cover an expansive timeline.  Over and over, John's visions take us from Jesus’ time on earth to the final judgment at the end of the age, while giving us glimpses of his own present, the near-future, the end times, and even of eternity to come. 
• Throughout, John interweaves a variety of perspectives:  the earthly and heavenly, of Christians living on earth and Christians presently in the intermediate state, of the physical and spiritual dimensions, and of men , angels, and demons, and even of God Himself.

This commentary uses the Progressive Parallel, or Historical Cycle, method of interpretation.  That is, John sees the course of history revealed in six sets, or cycles, of overlapping, complementary visions.  Parallel means various symbols are often the subject of two or more visions, and different visions cover similar time periods.  Progressive means later visions often reference earlier visions, and the spiritual conflict John witnesses intensifies as Revelation advances.

Eschatology, the study of the end time, is central to Revelation.  While Revelation is the only book of prophecy in the New Testament, the NT contains other prophetic passages and the Bible itself contains other prophetic books.  In both the Introductory Studies and within the commentary itself, Dr. Reese harmonizes his interpretation of Revelation with other, less symbolic, passages.  A Glossary of Key Symbols connects Revelation’s symbols to other Scriptures.  And the Language of Prophecy appendix identifies the key Biblical passages anyone must wrestle with while studying Revelation.

The words of Revelation are not just John's own; they reflect what John was told to write by the Lord or by the angel sent to help him interpret what he was seeing.  Again employing the time-honored grammatical-historical hermeneutic, Dr. Reese works to let the Word of God itself impress upon our minds the intent the Divine Author had in mind.