I have not studied this book yet, because of all the symbolism, it has been very hard for me to understand. So, what is the correct way to study this book so that I can understand all of it's meanings?
The short answer -- with and by the guidance of the Holy Spirit - and no one else.
A study of the book of Revelation can be a very rewarding experience. Only, be aware of the following:
~ It is not a short study, by any means. Do not think that you will arrive at "a full and complete conclusion" (or understanding) without much time and effort and prayer and...
Plan on having a very long, very detailed, study.
It depends mostly on how much you already know and understand about a lot of things written in the Bible as well as a few things that are not written in the Bible. (more on this follows)
~ A good study of Revelation will take you to many other books in the Bible - old and new testaments - and back again - over and over again.
~ Some of it is 'literal'. Some of it is 'symbolic'. Some of it has come to pass. Some of it has not. The 'key' to understanding "what is which" - I believe - rests in the very 'manner' and 'approach' you take when you read and study it. (more on this follows)
~ There are many 'pitfalls' that can easily steer you away from the truth - if you do not sufficiently understand the "full" context, including the "time perspective" of John's day and the historical events and "significant players" (on the world stage) from the time it was written until now.
As for 'manner' and 'approach' - I suggest the following... (as a start, anyway)
In terms of how literal or symbolic the book of Revelation is - I believe that it must be viewed in "levels" (of sorts). And, naturally, one must begin at the 'surface' level - and then, from there - into the "depth" of it.
The 'surface' level is 100% literal - in the sense that, what John is "seeing" (and hearing), is literal. Whether it is a these-are-the-facts description of an actual future event that God is showing him, or symbolic imagery that represents or identifies something over-the-course-of-time (more abstract) - it is
literal in the sense that what God showed to John, He did so in the form of "visual imagery" - and then,
John wrote down exactly what he saw (and heard).
And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. ~ Revelation 13:1
This is a description of EXACTLY what John
saw. There is
NO "pre-interpretation" involved whatsoever. The interpretation of the "symbols" is for us to make -
after we have re-created, in our minds, the
visual image that John
saw.
This is very important!
I believe that God used the visual imagery this way for this reason - so that the reader of Revelation could
reconstruct,
without error, what John
saw and
recorded (without "pre-interpretation") - and
then, proceed to interpret properly based on the context of scripture, etc.
It is very important that we "see" what John
saw FIRST - without "pre-interpretation" - or we risk error.
THEN - we seek to determine what is literal and what is symbolic.
The point is, that we MUST begin with the
visual image that John
saw and
recorded -
anything else will lead to error.
An example of a very common error that is made by not following this simple ordered-thought process is the meaning of the word 'candlesticks':
The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. ~ Revelation 1:20
These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. ~ Revelation 11:4
In terms of the
visual imagery, what
is a candlestick? It is a 'light' - something that serves to "illuminate" or to be a "beacon" (depending on the point of reference).
In Revelation 1:20, the candlesticks
represent churches. It tells us that plainly. However, in terms of the
visual imagery - what a candlestick
is and what it
represents are two different things.
In Revelation 1:20 - a candlestick
is "a source of illumination" - and
represents a church.
In Revelation 11:4 - a candlestick
is "a source of illumination" - and
represents a witness.
Both are "a source of illumination" (of the gospel, to the world). But, to assume from Revelation 1:20 that a 'candlestick'
is (always, by definition) a
church - is not any different than to assume from Revelation 11:4 that a 'candlestick'
is (always, by definition) a
witness.
(Please understand the proper definition of the words 'church' and 'witness' as they are used in the context of these verses.)
What a candlestick
is - is the same in both verses. What a candlestick
represents is different in the two verses.
By "skipping over" this all-important "first step" -
effectively ignoring the importance of the visual imagery - and, "pre-interpreting" the
word '
candlesticks'
instead of interpreting the visual image - people can improperly assign the meaning of
candlesticks to 'churches'. Then, when they get to Revelation 11:4, they
erroneously determine that the two
candlesticks mentioned in this verse MUST be churches.
(
"I'm sure there is more I could write, if I could think of it right now..." )
