REVELATION: NARRATIVE

The book of Revelation is, in fact, difficult to understand. It is not easy comprehend even the linearity of its narrative. See, for example, that after all the destruction that happens during the Great Tribulation, "the new heavens and the new earth" (21:1) are expected to come, that is, the end. But no, what comes is a thousand-year reign of Christ, on earth, while Satan is in prison.  Only after this period, after he is released and deceives the nations, again, and a final battle occurs and Satan is launched into the "lake of fire" comes the final judgment and restoration of creation with "the new heavens and new earth". This indicates that Revelation cannot be interpreted literally, for, as apocalyptic literature, its narrative is not sequential. It is the understanding of Revelation 20:1-6 that opens the comprehension of all prophecy. 

For this reason, each interpretation presents a different sequence of events. However, here, will be given the sequence that appears in the book, not considering the interpretations. The first part of the narrative begins with John, exiled on the island of Patmos because of Christ's witness. On the Lord's Day, that is, on Sunday, he, in Spirit, sees Jesus in his heavenly form who orders him to write in a book what he sees and to send it to the seven churches of Asia (1-3). Thus, the vision of the glorified Christ and the seven letters constitute the subject of the first three chapters.

Then comes a second part of the book where John sees an open door in the sky and a voice invites him in. Suddenly he finds himself in the room of God's throne, which looked like a jasper and sardius stone. God holds in his right hand a book sealed with seven seals.  Jesus, receiving this book from the hands of the Creator, is adored by "thousands of thousands and millions and millions" of angels around the throne. In this book are the divine decrees about the end of the present world order, marked by sin and evil. This is the content of chapters four and five.

The third part of the narrative is composed of the execution of the divine orders, that is, the opening of the seven seals, the sounding of the seven trumpets and the pouring out of the seven bowls, which occur from chapter six to sixteen. The fourth part, chapters 17 to 19, talks about details of the struggle for destruction of the human system and Jesus' encounter with the Church, that is, "the wedding of the Lamb". The fifth part constitutes chapter 20. In it, It speaks of Jesus' thousand-year reign, Satan's arrest during that period, his release at the end of that period, his work of deceit to the nations, a final struggle, Satan's casting into the "lake of fire" and the final judgment.

The sixth and last part is composed of chapters 21 and 22. There is talk of a new world, "new heavens and a new earth", for the first heaven and the first earth had passed. A world in which God himself will live with men, where there will be no more tears, no more death, no more pain, no more suffering, for the old order has passed away. And "He who was seated on the throne said, I am making everything new (Apocalipse 21:5). And so the book of Revelation closes the cycle of this idea that permeates all Scripture, that is, the idea that the present world lives on the influence and effects of evil, but that it will be eliminated and all Creation will be restored.

Antônio Maia – M.Div.

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