Opening Reflection
Have you ever opened the book of Revelation or Daniel and felt overwhelmed by the language? Maybe you read about dragons, beasts, or strange numbers and thought, What does all of this mean? You are not alone. Many believers through the years have wrestled with these passages, often feeling confusion—and sometimes even fear.
I know this personally. Growing up, I often listened to teachings that were rooted in fear. Preachers and teachers would dwell on the images in Revelation—dragons, fire, plagues, and battles—and as a young person, I carried those pictures with me. I believed the world was heading toward catastrophic disaster and that I was going to witness it all in my lifetime. Instead of hope, I grew up anticipating the worst. My heart longed for peace, but what I heard left me bracing for doom.
Looking back now, I wish I had been given theological teaching of Scripture instead of emotional, fear-based interpretations. The truth is, apocalyptic writing was never meant to fill us with dread. It was written to anchor us in courage, peace, and hope—reminders that God’s Kingdom stands above every earthly trial.
Clarifying My Hope in Christ’s Return
I want to be very clear: I believe with all my heart in the return of Jesus Christ. His return is the anchor of our faith and the fulfillment of God’s promise. As Philippians 3:20–21 (NLT) reminds us:
“But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.”
This is our blessed hope. But I’ve also learned that Jesus did not call us to spend our days fixated on fear of the “end times.” Living that way is a sad existence that robs us of the “rich and satisfying life” He promised in John 10:10. Until the day He returns, we are called to live fully, faithfully, and hopefully—free in Christ, not bound by dread.
What Is Apocalyptic Writing?
The word apocalyptic comes from the Greek word apokalypsis, which means unveiling or revelation.
🌸 Word Spotlight: Apokalypsis
Literal meaning: an unveiling, a pulling back of the curtain
Purpose: To reveal God’s truth, not to hide it
Where we see it: Revelation begins, “This is a revelation from Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:1, NLT).
✨ Think not of doom, but of God lifting the veil to show His plan of hope and victory.
📖 Secular Definition
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, apocalypse can mean “a revelation of great knowledge” or “an uncovering of what was hidden.” Only later, in popular culture, did the word shift to mean “disaster or catastrophe.”
✨ This explains why so many misunderstand Revelation today. In the Bible, apocalyptic is about revealing God’s plan, not predicting destruction.
Historical Context of Apocalyptic Literature
Apocalyptic writing wasn’t unique to the Bible. It was actually a common Jewish literary style between 200 BC and 200 AD. Writers of the time used visions, symbols, and numbers to help people understand God’s action in history and to give courage in times of persecution.
Some well-known examples outside of Scripture include:
The Book of Enoch — written before the time of Jesus, filled with visions of heaven, angels, and judgment.
2 Esdras (4 Ezra) — written around 100 AD, wrestling with why evil prospers.
The Apocalypse of Baruch — written after Jerusalem’s destruction in 70 AD, offering visions of God’s justice.
📖 These writings show us that apocalyptic literature was a familiar language. When people of the first century read about beasts, horns, or heavenly visions, they recognized the style. It was a way to speak hope into chaos.
✨ What makes the Bible’s apocalyptic writings different is this: they are God-breathed Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16). They do not just reflect human longing for justice, but reveal God’s authoritative promise that Christ has already won.
The Language of Numbers and Symbols
When early believers read these passages, they understood the imagery clearly. These numbers and symbols carried meanings they recognized, even if they feel foreign to us today.
Numbers:
Seven — completion or perfection
Twelve — God’s people (tribes of Israel, apostles)
Forty — a season of testing or trial
One thousand — fullness or vastness
Symbols:
🌸 Word Spotlight: The Lamb
Symbol of innocence and sacrifice
In Revelation, the Lamb is Jesus Christ (Revelation 5:6)
✨ A reminder of the gentle, self-giving love of God.
🌸 Word Spotlight: The Lion
Symbol of strength and kingship
Jesus is the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5)
✨ A reminder that Christ is not only gentle but also mighty and victorious.
🌸 Word Spotlight: The Sea
Symbol of chaos and the unknown
In Revelation 21:1, John writes, “The sea was also gone.”
✨ A reminder that all fear, unrest, and turmoil will one day be stilled by God’s hand.
🌿 Free Download: The Hidden Language Guide
Want a simple way to understand the numbers and symbols in Daniel and Revelation?
📥 Grab your free Hidden Language Guide—a quick reference to help you see God’s imagery with clarity and hope.
The Power of Visions
Throughout Scripture, God used visions to lift His people’s eyes to a bigger reality:
Ezekiel saw wheels within wheels, covered in eyes.
Daniel saw beasts rising from the sea.
John saw the Lamb, standing as if slain.
Peter saw a sheet filled with animals, showing God’s welcome to the nations.
Each vision carried truth in a picture that words alone could not capture.
Why God Used This Writing
God’s people were facing persecution, exile, and suffering. They needed hope. Apocalyptic writing reminded them:
The kingdoms of this world will rise and fall.
Evil will not have the final word.
God’s Kingdom will endure forever.
🌸 Word Spotlight: Fear of the Lord
Hebrew (OT): Yare’ — to fear, stand in awe, revere
Greek (NT): Phobos — fear, respect, reverence, awe
✨ In Scripture, “fear of the Lord” means reverence, awe, and worshipful honor—not dread or terror.
📖 “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.” (Proverbs 9:10, NLT)
➡️ Think of it as standing in awe before God’s greatness and holiness, not shrinking away in panic.
The Message for Us Today
When life feels chaotic, when the world looks darker by the day, apocalyptic writing reminds us of one powerful truth:
✨ Evil will not win. God reigns. Christ is victorious. ✨
Books like Revelation and Daniel do not end in fear. They end in victory. They point us beyond the chaos of this world and fix our eyes on the certainty of God’s eternal Kingdom.
Reflection Questions
Have you ever been taught Revelation through a lens of fear, like I was? How did it affect the way you saw God and the world?
How does it encourage you to know that these writings were given to strengthen God’s people with hope, not frighten them with fear?
In your current season of life, where do you need to be reminded that God still reigns?