Revelation

The Lion of the tribe of Judah has overcome

The Book of Revelation concludes the New Testament and the whole Catholic Bible; its name comes from the Greek word “apokálupsis”: the content of the Book is in fact the “revelation” of the Resurrected Christ to John, through visions he received while he was exiled in the isle of Patmos «because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus» (Rev 1,9). Irenaeus, Father of the Church and a disciple of the II century John’s community, confirms that the author is the same apostle who wrote the fourth gospel; the text dating would be previous (the theology in the gospel of John is more advanced than the one in the Book of Revelation: see e.g. John 1,1-14), but still close to the end of the I century AD. The recipients are «the seven Churches» of Asia (Rev 1,4.11); however, since number “seven” points out what is complete and perfect, the Book’s message can be extended to the whole universal Church. We already met the apocalyptic literary form reading the Book of Daniel: the irremediably corrupt present time, in which the bad ones seem to reign and the upright ones are persecuted, awaits God’s decisive action to “overthrow” the situation (this is the literal meaning of the Greek word translated with “catastrophe”) and to definitely defeat evil. The message regarding the divine judgement over the world is entrusted to a man, through a supernatural “revelation”. From what we said, we can understand that the interpretations which see in the Book of Revelation images a forecast of the close/far future (or only a presentation of history’s last events: eschatology) are not satisfactory. The text is addressed to concrete communities that need God’s comfort in the present time of persecution.
This is the announcement of salvation that was given to them: «Do not weep. Behold, the Lion who is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome [...]» (see Rev 5,5). Christ, after His Easter, seats at the Father’s right and He is the Lord of history; the event that “overthrew” universe already happened: it is indeed Christ’s death and resurrection for mankind. The ending of the war against evil is decided in favor of the One who has «overcome the world» (see John 16,33); the remaining «oppression» to the good people is only the last ditch effort of a defeated and subjugated power.



That message is repeated along the whole Book (whose setting is «the Lord’s day», Sunday, when the Church celebrates Christ’s resurrection: Rev 1,10), in a sort of “spiral” that continuously tells it with ever higher level of detail: first in the letters to the Churches (Rev 1,9-3,22), then in three groups of seven elements: the seals (Rev 4,1-8,1), the trumpets (Rev 8,2-11,19) and the bowls (12,1-22,5). Prologue (Rev 1,1-8) and epilogue (Rev 22,6-21), together with the many hymns and acclamations that are present in the writing, position the text in the Church liturgical celebration of the Resurrected Christ.
The Book of Revelation’s original language is a quite odd Greek, almost in the mold of the “sacred” Hebrew language of the Old Testament; the Scriptures are present in the text with countless implicit quotes, that are the key to interpret the many symbols John uses. They do not refer to real situations, as in his gospel, but they are “fictional”: they translate into images the biblical ideas the author wants to pass down; the reader often has to read them separately, one after another. Let us make an example: in Rev 5,6 we have the figure of «a Lamb», «standing» «in the midst of the throne» of God, yet «slain», with «seven horns, and seven eyes»: He is the Christ (see John 1,29.36; 19,36), who is resurrected («standing»), sharing God’s authority («in the midst of the throne»): thanks to His sacrifice («slain»), he has the complete and perfect («seven») power (the «horns») and knowledge (the «eyes»). Reading those symbol together and in a realistic way would instead result in a monstrous image, out of John’s intention.
The enemies who persecute John’s communities are three: the Roman empire, that deifies state power and the emperor as its supreme representative, putting them above any religion; the Jews (see e.g. Rev 2,9; 3,9) who reorganized themselves under the guidance of the Pharisees after the Jerusalem Temple destruction (70 AD) and who took a clear and hostile position against Christianity (they considered it a heresy); the gnostic tendencies among the same Christians: they did not consider the body important to the eternal salvation and so they were more open to compromises with the pagan practices that John considered unclean and idolatrous (see e.g. Rev 2,6.14-15). About that, we will examine more in detail chapter 13; we are after a great «war» in Heaven: «Michael and his angels» prevailed, the dragon (the devil) with his angels are thrown down on the earth (see Rev 12,7-9).
«I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads, blasphemous names. The beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. One of his heads looked like it had been wounded fatally. His fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. They worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” A mouth was given to him speaking proud words and blasphemies. There was given to him authority to act for forty-two months. He opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his dwelling, those who dwell in heaven. It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. If anyone has captivity, he will go into captivity. If anyone shall kill with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints». “Beast” translates the Greek word “thēríon”, calling to mind those wild animal forces which are out of man’s control (but in God’s, who permits and limits their activity: see the many repetitions of «was given to him») and often go against him. It comes «out of the sea», on whose beach the dragon/devil «stood» in the previous chapter (see Rev 12,18); the «sea» is here a symbol of “evil”, which from its «abyss» (see Rev 11,7; 17,8) makes the beast emerge. In the text we can even guess an allusion to the Mediterranean Sea, that in John’s times was under Roman dominion. The strange figure the author presents us combines the traits of the four beasts reported in chapter 7 of the Book of Daniel; as the last of them, it exercises its power for three years and half (half of seven: something incomplete). In Daniel, the beasts represented four powerful kingdoms that conquered and sometimes harshly persecuted the Hebrew people; here the beast that combines their traits (a real heap of evil) is a symbol for the Roman political power, exercised when the Book of Revelation was written. In an obscene parody the devil gives to the beast «his power, his throne, and great authority» (like God the Father did with Christ: see Rev 2,28; 3,21) and mocks Angel Michael’s name (which means “who is like God?”): «Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?». John is denouncing a political power that pretends to be absolute and to be worshipped like an idol, persecuting «the saints» (Christians) who do not bow before it.
«I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon. He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. He performs great signs, even making fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the sight of people [see Elijah - episode 2 and Elijah - episode 5]. He deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had been wounded by the sword and yet lived. It was given to him to give breath to it, to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast could both speak and cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given a mark on their right hands, or on their forehead; and that no one could be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six». The second beast comes «out of the earth» (maybe an allusion to Minor Asia, where John lied and where the worship of the emperor was widespread); it has the appearance of «a lamb» (the real lamb is Christ: see above), but the voice is the one of the «dragon» (the devil): under the disguise of a false religion hides the propaganda for the political idolatrous power, that uses «signs» and other eye-catching deeds. John’s accusation is against all those religions which are apparently pious and devout, but in reality are eager to please the time’s political power and promote its worship. The «mark» the worshippers of the beast receive is a parody of the “seal”, that God commands to put on the elected people destined to salvation (see Rev 7,3-4; 14,1); the text then refers to the economical discriminations against the Christians who did not commit such idolatrous practices: in fact, in the Roman society commerce, politics, and religion (with its feasts, sacrifices to the gods, the worship to the emperor) were tightly bound together. To interpret the number of the beast we have to resort to gematry, a well-known practice in John’s times that associates the Hebrew consonants to numbers; «six hundred sixty-six» «is the number of a man»: Nero Cesar (“nrwn qsr” = 50+200+6+50 + 100+60+200). He was the persecutor of the Christians par excellence (during his reign were sentenced to death Apostles Peter and Paul), who was considered still alive and ready to come back by a legend of the time, in spite of his suicide (see the first beast that «looked like it had been wounded fatally», but «was healed»). Beyond the precise historical identification, the first beast represents the corrupted political power that in all ages raises as a god; every time it seems to be defeated, but it continuously gets back in different forms until the real God’s definitive intervention. The repetition of number “six” in the first beast’s name, combined with the duration of its dominion we already examined above (three years and half), communicates the idea that evil works never come to their expected conclusion, they are destined to a perpetual defeat and incompleteness.
The Book of Revelation warns and comforts the Church that is persecuted in every age; the Catholic Bible ends in a similar way as it starts: to «the heavens and the earth» of creation (Gen 1,1) John sees substitute «a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea [the “evil”] is no more. I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband» (Rev 21,1-2).



«“Behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are they who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life [see Gen 2-3], and may enter in by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify these things to you for the Churches. I am the root and the offspring of David; the Bright and Morning Star.” The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” He who hears, let him say, “Come!” He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely. [...] He who testifies these things says, “Yes, I come quickly.” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen» (Rev 22,12-17.20-21).