Why Does Revelation Use So Many Old Testament Images?
One of the most remarkable features of Revelation is how often it draws upon the Old Testament.
Unlike Matthew or Paul, John rarely says,
"It is written..."
or
"The prophet says..."
Instead, he fills his visions with images, expressions, and themes that come directly from the Old Testament.
The result is a book that is saturated with earlier Scripture.
John speaks of beasts, horns, lampstands, scrolls, trumpets, plagues, trees of life, temples, thrones, rivers, cherubim, and the New Jerusalem.
None of these ideas appear for the first time in Revelation.
They have already appeared throughout the Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets.
Daniel's visions help explain Revelation's beasts.
Ezekiel helps us understand many of John's visions of God's glory and the final city.
Zechariah explains lampstands, horses, and scrolls.
Exodus provides the background for many of the plagues.
Genesis introduces the tree of life and the ancient serpent.
Revelation brings all of these themes together.
That is why readers who know the Old Testament often find Revelation much easier to understand.
John assumes that his readers already know the Scriptures.
Rather than explaining every symbol, he expects them to recognize the language God had been using for centuries.
This also reminds us that Revelation does not stand alone.
It is the final book of the Bible.
It completes the story that began in Genesis and continued through the Law, the Prophets, the Gospels, and the letters of the apostles.
When we recognize those connections, many of Revelation's symbols become much clearer.
Instead of asking,
"What does this symbol mean in today's news?"
we first ask,
"Where have I seen this picture before in Scripture?"
Very often, the answer is found in the Old Testament.
This is another example of a principle we have emphasized throughout this library.
The Bible often explains itself.
God did not give Revelation as an entirely new language.
He used a symbolic vocabulary that His people had already been learning for generations.
The better we know the rest of the Bible, the better prepared we are to understand the final book of the Bible.
Continue Your Study
Who Was Revelation Originally Written To?
Revelation was first sent to seven churches in Asia.
Who were they?
What challenges were they facing?
And why is understanding their situation essential to understanding the rest of the book?
Related Bible Studies
Reading the Prophets
How Does the Bible Interpret Itself?
The Temple of God
The Story of Redemption
Companion Video
Why Does Revelation Use So Many Old Testament Images?
Read First. Conclude Later.