Is the book of Revelation mostly literal or mostly symbolic?

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With so many of the things going on in Revelation having a literal and a symbolic meaning at the same time, I don’t know if there should only be two answers.
 
NotWorthy said:
With so many of the things going on in Revelation having a literal and a symbolic meaning at the same time, I don’t know if there should only be two answers.
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Yeah–can I answer “mostly symbolic of literal events”?
 
I cannot answer the poll based on the choices. Revelation is both literal and symbolic.
 
The Book of Revelation is a book of apocalyptic prophecy that describes true events using highly symbolic language.

The first twenty chapters or so are mostly describing events that would happen a few years after the book was written – the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple.

The last couple of chapters are about the Second Coming.

Overall it was written to encourage those who were undergoing persecution and strengthen them against the traumatic events to come.

The moral is: God will win in the End. In fact, He has already won.👍
 
Fidelis said:
The Book of Revelation is a book of apocalyptic prophecy that describes true events using highly symbolic language.

The first twenty chapters or so are mostly describing events that would happen a few years after the book was written – the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple.

The last couple of chapters are about the Second Coming.

Overall it was written to encourage those who were undergoing persecution and strengthen them against the traumatic events to come.

The moral is: God will win in the End. In fact, He has already won.👍
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Zooey said:
I voted for symbolic, but this was my:thumbsup: real answer!!
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Both of you are correct. You just explained it better than I was able to. 👍
 
lak611 said:
Both of you are correct. You just explained it better than I was able to. 👍
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I would reccomend you also read the Book of Daniel. Striking similarities but since both are apocalypses that should be expected I guess.
 
While I voted “mostly literal”, I only did so because I had to pick one of two, neither of which were accurate.

All of the Apocalypse can be interpreted in a literal sense, and can be considered a historical book, in my opinion. When speaking of the last days and HIs coming again, Jesus said in Matt 24:34

  1. *]Amen I say to you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.

    Indeed, He always tells the Truth. In this case, the Apocalypse is a record of what happened to “this generation” and describes the significance of what He has accomplished when he had said on the cross “It is consummated”.

    Yet, it is symbolic in every way as well and speaks about not only the early days of the Church; but, explicitly to our day as well. So much so that it scares the “Hell” out of many!

    There are almost too many commentaries on this book. Be very careful which ones you read. The 'Left Behind" series is not commentary and is decidely anti Catholic, besides not having anywhere near a proper undeerstanding of the book at all.

    Scott Hahn has a study of the Apocolyps called “the End” which is very exciting and informative, and in keeping with the teachings of the Church. St. Victorinus also wrote a commentary on the Apocalypse probably around 290 AD. It is neat. Reading it now, one can see where some of Catholic Liturgical Imagry comes from.👍
    This link to the Haydock commentary will help as well, haydock1859.tripod.com/index.html
 
Here are some resources to help you develop a well-balanced Catholic understanding of the Book of Revelation, biblical prophecy, and eschatology (the study of the Last Things"). All of these are HIGHLY recommended:

The Navarre Bible Commentary on the Book of Revelation
amazon.com/Navarre-Bible-Revelation-New-Testament/dp/1851820892/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-0594086-2229424?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1178889284&sr=8-1

The End: The Book of Revelation, tape/CD series and Study Guide by Dr. Scott Hahn.
saintjoe.com/more-info.php?product=177&Title=The-End

The Lamb’s Supper, by Dr. Scott Hahn.
amazon.com/gp/product/0385496591/sr=8-1/qid=1148926012/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-2381711-9848916?%5Fencoding=UTF8

Rapture: The End Times Fiction that Leaves Truth Behind, by David Curie
sophiainstitute.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SIP&Product_Code=72-5&Category_Code=Current

Revelation Revealed, tapes/CD series by Michael Barber
saintjoe.com/search-result.php

Coming Soon, a book on this same topic by Michael Barber
amazon.com/Coming-Soon-Unlocking-Revelation-Applying/dp/193101826X

Introduction To Prophecy, CD set by Steve Wood
familylifecenter.net/cart/product_detail.cfm?Id=613
 
need more choices,what do you mean ?.Revelations is filled with allegory’s ,symbolism ,and the literal ,and a word this thread do’s not like to hear me use.
jamannor, walt2000
 
Fidelis said:
Overall it was written to encourage those who were undergoing persecution and strengthen them against the traumatic events to come.

The moral is: God will win in the End. In fact, He has already won.👍
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That is the message of Revelation.

John, the last surviving Apostle was in prison on Patmos during Domitian’s persecution. Parenthetically, Domitian was much like Nero – even to launching an Imperial Persecution – and there was a legend that said Domitian come back to life, which goes a long way to explaining the role assigned to Nero in Revelation.

John is seeking to accomplish four aims:
  1. To strengthen the Church for the ordeal.
  2. To comfort those suffering under the persecution.
  3. To discourage volunary martyrdom.
  4. To answer the hardest question of all – If God loves us, why does He allow these bad things to happen to us?
John portrays a war between the forces of God and the forces of Man (personified by the Emperor). This is why bad things happen – there is a war, and we must expect to suffer in war.

He discourages martyrdom by the same approach – if a soldier must die, he must die bravely, it is his duty to survive if he can and soldier on, not to surrender and die.

Those suffering are comforted by knowing we will win (It is possible to read Revelation to see we have already won – with Christ’s sacrifice.)

And the epistles to the seven churches in Asia are to strengthen us for the ordeal.
 
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