Symbolism in Revelation

There are many symbols in Revelation. These symbols serve many purposes, and their representative meanings are crucial when interpreting Revelation. The history being each symbol could have many sources, and John draws from previous traditions in order to help drive his point home.

General Symbols

woman - a people (12:1ff) or a city (17:1ff)

horns - power (5:6; 12:3), especially of a dynasty (13:1; 17:3ff)

wings - mobility (4:8; 12:14)

eyes - knowledge (1:14; 2:18; 4:6; 5:6)

trumpet blasts - superhuman divine voices (1:10; 8:2ff)

sharp sword - the Word of God that judges and punishes (1:16; 2:12, 16;

19:15, 24)

palm - sign of triumph (7:9)

crowns - dominion and kingship (2:10; 3:11; 4:10; 6:2; 12:1; 14:14)

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Read Revelation 4:8.

-------> What can be known about these creatures?

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Colors

purple - luxury and kingship (17:4; 18:12, 16)

black - death (6:5, 12)

white - joy, victory, purity (1:14; 2:17; 3:4-5, 18; 4:4; 6:11; 7:9, 13;

19:11, 14)

Numbers

three - perfection and also describing God when he acts. (Gen 18:2);

"third day" (Ex 19:11); "Trinity" (Mt 28:19).

three and a half (one half of seven) - incompleteness, imperfection,

failure. (Rev 11:9; 11:11)

four - (16 times) whole world (four corners) and the universality of the

statement or element.

six (seven minus one) - exasperating failure, cannot be less than perfect.

seven - (listed 54 times in Revelation) fullness and perfection.

ten - completion, basis of number systems, etc.

twelve - (23 times) recalls the twelve tribes of Israel, together with other

multiples of twelve, this signifies the people of God in end-time

perfection. This also involved the apostles of Jesus, and human

completion.

three sixes (666) - unquestionable 'perfect' failure.

John understood the symbolism that was tied to these numbers when writing, and employed them in order to describe, or signify the meaning he desired. Furthermore, these basic numbers are used as building blocks for the larger numbers. For instance, the number 24 (Rev 4:4, 10; 5:8; 11:16; 19:4), is typically a Christian symbol for completion and restoration. There is much history behind this, but basically it boils down to the fact that there are 12 tribes of Israel, followed by 12 apostles of Jesus.

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Rev 14:1

Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.

Using this as a brief glimpse ahead, consider the number 144,000 (Rev 7:4; 14:1, 3). John used this number because it breaks down to 12 x 12 x 10 x 10 x 10.

------> What would this number mean symbolically?

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The Point:

The numbers that are used in Revelation are much like other symbols like wings, and eyes. They are less about literal observations. Numbers and symbols are used as literary devices to convey a point, a meaning. John is more interested in the meaning behind the numbers, for instance 144,000, rather than reporting a statistical or demographical analysis.

To illustrate this, read Revelation 5:11, and 9:16.

200 million is the English equivalent for 20,000 x 10,000, there is no word in Hebrew or Greek for "million" or "billion."

---->What would John's message be in these passages? Do you feel this is a good way to view the numbers?

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There is much controversy over the meaning of the number 666. I would like to wait until we get a book for this one, simply so that everyone can read about it themselves, and then we can have dialogue about it afterward. Another reason to wait is in regard to Gematria.

Gematria:

This is an ancient practice that involves assigning numbers to letters of the Greek, Latin, and Hebrew alphabets. "666" equates to Neron Caesar in Greek. Early manuscripts have both 666, and the number 616, which equates to Neron Caesar in Latin.

In ancient tradition perfection is "777", a set of three sevens. Christ, who tops perfection, had the number "888."