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What is Revelation? How Does God Reveal Himself?

God loves to reveal Himself to us in a variety of ways. He is not only a historical God, he is a personal God of revelation here and now.

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

What is revelation? Revelation is simply God “unveiling” Himself to us.

He “discloses” to us more about Himself. And He does this in a variety of ways.

What theologians term “the doctrine of revelation” is the study of how God has revealed Himself to humanity through time and how He continues to reveal Himself to us today.

He is God; He does not have to reveal Himself.

However, the infinite God of the universe takes the initiative in making Himself known to us–His creation.

God Wants to Reveal Himself to Us

What we know of God is only because He is gracious to share Himself with us.

He desires to have fellowship with us; that’s why we were created.

From the beginning, He imparted His breath of life into humanity.

His nature is to impart revelation of Himself.

Even though our human nature is corrupted by sin, our Creator Father continues to desire to breathe Himself to us today.

He is the One who seeks out relationship with us!

God has longed for human fellowship since Adam and Eve spurned His love. He wants to make Himself known, and so He continues to pursue a closer relationship with us.

If you are reading this it is because He is drawing you to Himself, and you are curious.

He loves that! He is concerned that His creatures know about Him and know Him intimately!

None of the other so-called gods care if humanity knows them or even acknowledges their existence.

But the Living God is intimately concerned that His creation knows Him, even with the difficulties and boundaries constructed by sinful human nature.

Revelation means an uncovering or unveiling. [1]

God takes the initiative in making Himself known and continues to reveal more and more of Himself if we desire His company and are curious enough to seek Him (Jeremiah 29:13).

I think sometimes we humans try too hard, when all God wants is for us to relax and lean on Him, to rely on Him.

How Does God Make Himself Known to Us?

1. general revelation of god.

The Apostle Paul writes,

“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face” ( 1 Cor 13:12 ).

Ancient Corinth was famous for manufacturing the kind of ancient mirrors to which the Apostle Paul refers.

Unlike the mirrors of today, these mirrors were made of beaten and polished metal that required constant polishing. The vision was imperfect at best, clouded with scratches on an unclear surface. [2]

Like this imperfect mirror, the finite (limited) human being can only know in part the majestic and infinite God.

We see through this cloudy mirror of our sin nature, so what we know is scratchy, cloudy, and imperfect.

Yet, God has revealed much about Himself to humans generally and specifically.

The clear purpose of His revelation is that humanity might come to know Him in a personal, intimate relationship.

General Revelation of God to All Peoples

God’s revelation of Himself to humanity is classified as general (universal) revelation and special revelation.[3]

General revelation includes ways that God reveals Himself to all people in all places since creation. His divine providence, governance, and care for His creation throughout history reveal evidence of general revelation. [4]

God desires that all people everywhere come to know Him.

The two primary avenues of general revelation are creation and conscience.

The General Revelation of God in Creation

Paul refers to the general revelation of God in creation. God has made plain to humanity His eternal, invisible power and divine nature through the things He has made. [5]

Thus, humankind is without excuse as to a general revelation of God because God can be seen and understood in His creation.

Discoveries in science, nature, and medicine are evidence for the revelation of God.

Part of the promise of God is that all people will know God because His laws will be written on their hearts.

Instinctively, we have a certain revelation about right and wrong. Paul says that when the Gentiles do instinctively what is right according to the law, they demonstrate that the law of God is written on their hearts. [6]

The human conscience is the inner awareness and monitor of our actions and attitudes.

However, because of sin, the conscience is not trustworthy.

Our conscience can be “good” and “clear,” [7] but it can also be “guilty,” “corrupted,” “weak,” or “seared.” [8]

The General Revelation of God is Only a Starting Point

As C.S. Lewis points out, human beings have this inherent idea that they should behave in a certain way, which they just cannot get away from. Humans know right behavior, and still manage to behave wrongly. [9]

The general knowledge of God simply is not enough to bring humanity into an intimate relationship with God.

God’s people continually turn away from Him—the One who longs to comfort them and be with them.

God’s people through the ages have constantly denied the outstretched arms of their loving Father.

Even when they say they love Him, they continually stray from His side and have not known His ways.

God shared His frustration in Isaiah,

“An ox knows its owner, and a donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know, My people do not understand” (Isa 1:3).

Sin, of all kinds, towers between people and their God.

Humanity tends to neglect and suppress the truth in their heart and violate the conscience. The sinner distorts general revelation and tends to create his or her own idea of God—which is idolatry.

2. The Special Revelation of God

Into this vacuum, God sends forth special revelation. [10]

God revealed Himself to Abraham in special revelation, then Isaac, Jacob, then the whole nation of Israel, and then through the man Christ Jesus.

It is in Jesus that revelation occurs most fully.

His speech was divine, his message divine, and his actions divine.

In Jesus, the Word and Spirit are revealed to humanity.

He was the most complete revelation of God because He was God.

The Holy Scriptures Reveal God

The Scriptures have a unique role in preserving and communicating God-breathed revelation.

The greatest revelation, Jesus, Himself stressed that the Bible revealed Himself. [1 1 ]

The special revelation written in the Scriptures is the knowledge of God and His will that was given to a particular community, Israel, and the early church, then recorded.

The Scriptures, when taken into our hearts, remain alive and bring healing, wisdom, and strength.

The Scriptures are “life unto those that find them” ( Prov 4:22 ).

God Also Reveals Himself in Personal Ways

God also reveals Himself to humanity in personal ways.

One can feel His presence and have a personal experience with Him because revelation is personal.

God’s goal for special revelation has always been for humans to know and love Him. [12]

The importance of knowing about God helps us come to a more intimate knowledge of Him.

When we spend time with someone in our personal relationships we also get to know more about them.

The same is true with our Lord.

God Communicates to People Today

God is a God of communication, and He continues to speak to His people today.

God speaks in a variety of ways: an audible voice, a gentle whisper, through visions and dreams, through prophets, and through the gifts of the Spirit. He also speaks through circumstances (think Jonah) and through angels.

He does speak apart from the Bible, but never in contradiction to the Bible.

The Holy Spirit continues to reveal Christ through the Scriptures.

In fact, a major way the Spirit speaks to believers is through the illumination of the Scriptures. Clark Pinnock asserts:

“Revelation has not ceased. . . . If it had, we could not know Christ as Lord, because we would be left to our own cognitive powers. We have in us ‘the spirit of revelation,’ which causes the letter of the Bible to become charged with life and to become the living voice of God to us. The Spirit did not withdraw from the church after the canon was completed but remains in the church speaking through the Scriptures, revealing Christ to us afresh. Indeed, indications are that the Spirit continues to address us through one another, through gifts like prophecy, for example.” [13]

All revelations of the Spirit will align with the Scriptures and magnify the Scripture’s authority.

In fact, the Spirit’s communication will enhance and confirm the Bible to believers’ hearts.

God Reveals Himself in History and Here and Now

God loves to reveal Himself to us—His beloved people—in a variety of ways.

He is not only a historical God, but he is also a personal God here and now, and

He shows us more of His ways in nature, in Scripture, and in prayer when we become more aware of God’s dealings with us.

The first step is to become more aware of His presence in our lives.

Related Posts:

• Why You Might Not Be Aware of God’s Presence
• Learn How to Hear God’s Voice Clearly
• 3 Secrets to Knowing God
• God is Love: A Theology of God’s Love

Thank you for reading! I am praying for you and your Christian journey!

Bibliography:

• Larry D. Hart, Truth Aflame (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005), 42.
• David W. J. Gill, “1 Corinthians 13:12,” Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary , ed. Clinton E. Arnold, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002), 169.
• Millard Erickson, Christian Theology (Baker Academic, 2013), 177.
• Acts 14:16; 17:26-27
• Romans 1:18-20.
• Romans 2:14-16 .
• Acts 23:1; 1 Tim 1:5, 19; 1 Tim 3:9; 2 Tim. 1:3.
• Heb 10:22; Titus 1:15; 1 Cor 8:7, 10, 12; 1 Tim 4:2 .
• Heb 1:1-2 .
• Luke 24:27; 44-45; John 5:39 .
• Erickson, 202.
• Clark Pinnock, The Scripture Principle (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1984), 163; quoted in Larry D. Hart, Truth Aflame (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005), 68.

Nature Photos by Joshua Earle on Unsplash

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This We Believe

I. God and His revelation

1. We believe that there is only one true God (Isaiah 44:6). He has made himself known as the triune God, one God in three persons. This is evident from Jesus’ command to his disciples to baptize “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Whoever does not worship this God worships a false god, a god who does not exist. Jesus said, “He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him” (John 5:23).

2. We believe that God has revealed himself in nature. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1). “Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). So there is no excuse for atheists. Since the requirements of the law are written on people’s hearts, the consciences of people also bear witness that there is a God to whom they are accountable (Romans 2:15). However, nature and conscience present only a partial revelation of God and one that is not able to show the way to heaven.

3. We believe that God has given the full revelation of himself in his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known” (John 1:18). In Jesus, God has revealed himself as the Savior-God, who “so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

4. We believe that God has also given a written revelation for all people in the Holy Scriptures. His revelation in the Bible has two main messages, the law and the gospel. The law declares what is right and wrong, and it threatens God’s punishment for sin. The gospel presents the love of God, which he has shown especially by providing salvation from sin through Jesus Christ.

5. We believe that the entire Bible is Christ-centered. In the Old Testament God repeatedly promised a divine deliverer from sin, death, and hell. The New Testament proclaims that this promised deliverer has come in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus himself says of the Old Testament, “These are the Scriptures that testify about me” (John 5:39).

6. We believe that God gave the Scriptures through men whom he chose, using the language they knew and the style of writing they had. He used Moses and the prophets to write the Old Testament in Hebrew (some portions in Aramaic) and the evangelists and apostles to write the New Testament in Greek.

7. We believe that in a miraculous way that goes beyond all human investigation, God the Holy Spirit moved these men to write his Word. These men “spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). What they said was spoken “not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:13). Every thought they expressed and every word they used were given them by the Holy Spirit. Saint Paul wrote to Timothy, “All Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16). The church has called this miraculous process inspiration, which means “breathing into.” Since every word of Scripture was inspired, we also call this process verbal inspiration, or word-for-word inspiration. This is not to be equated with mechanical dictation, since the Holy Spirit guided the writers as they used their individual vocabularies and writing styles.

8. We believe that Scripture is a unified whole, true and without error in everything it says, for the Savior said, “The Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). Therefore it is the infallible authority and guide for everything we believe and do.

9. We believe that the Bible is fully sufficient, clearly teaching people all they need to know to get to heaven. It makes them “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15), and it equips them for “every good work” (2 Timothy 3:17). Since God’s plan of salvation has been fully revealed in the canonical books of the Bible, we need and expect no other revelations (Hebrews 1:1,2). The church is built on the teachings of the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20).

10. We believe and accept the Bible on its own terms, accepting as factual history what it presents as history and recognizing as figurative speech what is evident as such. We believe that Scripture must interpret Scripture, clear passages throwing light on those less easily understood. We believe that no authority–whether it is human reason, science, or scholarship–may stand in judgment over Scripture. Sound scholarship will faithfully search out the true meaning of Scripture without presuming to pass judgment on it.

11. We believe that the original Hebrew text of the Old Testament and the Greek text of the New Testament are the inspired Word of God. Translations of the Hebrew and Greek that accurately reflect the meaning of the original text convey God’s truth to people and can properly be called the Word of God.

12. Although the original documents themselves have been lost, we believe that the Lord in his providential care has accurately preserved the Hebrew and Greek texts through the many hand-copied manuscripts that exist. Although there are minor differences or “variants” between the various hand-copied manuscripts, these variants do not cause any changes in doctrine.

13. We believe that the three ecumenical creeds (the Apostles’, the Nicene, and the Athanasian) as well as the Lutheran Confessions as contained in the Book of Concord of 1580 express the true doctrine of Scripture. Since the doctrines they confess are drawn from Scripture alone, we are bound to them in our faith and life. Therefore all preaching and teaching in our churches and schools must be in harmony with these confessions, and we reject all the errors that they reject.

14. We reject any worship that is not directed to the triune God as revealed in the Bible. We reject the use of feminine names and pronouns for God because in Scripture God reveals himself as Father and Son. We reject the opinion that all religions lead to the same God.

15. We reject any thought that makes only part of Scripture God’s Word or that allows for the possibility of factual error in Scripture, even in so-called nonreligious matters such as historical or geographical details. We likewise reject all views that say Scripture is merely a human record of God’s revelation as he encounters mankind in history, and so is a record subject to human imperfections.

16. We reject any emphasis upon Jesus as the personal Word of God (John 1:1) that minimizes the role of the Scriptures as the written Word of God (Romans 3:2).

17. We reject every effort to reduce the confessions contained in the Book of Concord to historical documents that do not have binding confessional significance for the church today. We likewise reject any claim that the church is bound only to those doctrines of Scripture that are specifically addressed in these confessions.

This is what Scripture teaches about God and his revelation. This we believe, teach, and confess.

Continue with Creation, Man, and Sin

This We Believe © 1999 Northwestern Publishing House, Milwaukee WI.

The Lutheran church recognizes three ancient creeds as accurate expressions of Bible teaching: the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed.

LUTHERAN CONFESSIONS

Luther and others authored the six Lutheran confessions—to which we as WELS Lutherans still subscribe today because we believe they are a correct explanation of biblical truth.

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Understanding God’s Divine Revelation: A Journey of Faith and Salvation

What is Divine Revelation? Christians believe that God, in His infinite love and wisdom, freely chose to communicate Himself and His divine plan of salvation to humanity . This self-communication is known as divine or supernatural revelation. It is a gift from God, through which He invites us into a deeper life of love and understanding of His nature and will.

The Nature of Divine Revelation

Divine revelation is God’s way of disclosing His nature, His will, and His salvific plan to humanity. This revelation occurs gradually and is manifested through deeds and words that are inherently connected to each other. Unlike human knowledge, which can be attained through reason and experience, divine revelation is a gift that goes beyond human understanding. It is God’s initiative to make Himself known to us.

The Process of Revelation

God’s revelation began at the dawn of human history and continued progressively over time. The story of God’s self-disclosure and saving actions in history is known as salvation history. This history unfolds through various stages, beginning with God’s communication to our ancestors through the prophets. As it is written in the Bible:

This passage highlights the continuity and culmination of divine revelation.

Salvation History

Salvation history is the narrative of God’s interactions with humanity, revealing His desire to save us from sin and bring us into a relationship with Him. This history reached its high point in the coming of Jesus Christ, the fullness of God’s revelation. Jesus is the Word of God made flesh, the Son of God who lived among us. Through His life, teachings, death, and resurrection, Jesus fully revealed God’s nature and His plan for our salvation.

Jesus: The Fulfillment of Divine Revelation

Jesus Christ is the pinnacle of divine revelation. As the Word made flesh, He embodies the fullness of God’s self-disclosure. Jesus’ teachings, miracles, and actions provide us with a perfect understanding of God’s love, mercy, and justice. He is the ultimate expression of God’s desire to communicate with us and save us. Through Jesus, we come to know the Father and understand His will for our lives.

The Gift of Revelation

Divine revelation is a pure gift from God. It is not something we can earn or discover on our own; it is God reaching out to us, inviting us into a deeper relationship with Him. This revelation is not just a transmission of information but an invitation to experience God’s love and to participate in His divine life.

Divine revelation is the cornerstone of Christian faith, revealing God’s nature, His will, and His plan for salvation. Through a gradual process of self-disclosure, culminating in the person of Jesus Christ, God has made Himself known to humanity. This revelation is a profound gift, calling us to respond with faith, love, and obedience. By embracing divine revelation, we enter into a deeper relationship with God and experience the fullness of His saving grace.

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How Does God Reveal Himself? Another Look at Barth's and Levinas's Views on the Topic of God's Divine Revelation

God reveals himself in ways that we cannot always understand in our own language or knowledge. At the same time the scriptural witness declares a personal and revealing encounter with God, “an unveiling of what remains veiled and hidden.” The scriptural question is complex since the message is transmitted through time beyond the initial act of communication. But the message of God or Yahweh still lives beyond the moment of the act within the witness of Scripture. The question that arises is this: is the text the revelation, or only the medium or witness of the message that it contains?

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In light of the selected theme of the forthcoming meeting of the society, this paper will examine the philosophical nature of the idea of revelation. The paper will argue that revelation properly includes both the external object (i.e., Scripture) and the internal subject (i.e., illumination). It shall demonstrate the thesis first by broadly surveying the potential problems related to one-sided understandings of revelation, then by representing a more helpful way to formulate the concept of revelation, and finally by illustrating how speech act theory benefits this organically united conception of revelation. As the paper shall conclude, it will suggest that revelation, correctly conceived, is an organic act of God whereby he personally confronts the whole individual—his or her mind, heart, and will. Revelation is thus internal and external communication.

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Revelation is the truth disclosed by or about God. Christians assume, and sometime try to argue that God exists and freely and lovingly communicates with human beings publicly and perhaps privately for the sake of their well-being. Beyond that, questions rapidly scurry about. Does God disclose himself or a set of ideas? How can we rely on what we think is the truth disclosed or communicated by God?

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The Understanding of Revelation in “Dei Verbum” and the Response of Faith

While this notion of revelation, understood as the manifestation of … Christ himself, has been with the Church since the very beginning. There have been many confusions and reductions over time that have altered the very essence of the faith.

What Constitutes Revelation?

For the Christian, what constitutes God’s revelation, and how that revelation is mediated and perceived by man, is a long-standing problem that continues to reframe established principles of metaphysics and epistemology. What can be known of the unknowable God, and what kind of creature is it that has been given the capacity to experience and know not only things about God, but to know God in himself?

The Scriptures themselves tell of God’s revelation, his own Divine pedagogy, and his ultimate self-communication in the person of Christ Jesus. The author of the letter to the Hebrews opens by stating that, “In many ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son…” (Heb 1:1-2). Christ, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the incarnate Word of God, is both the object and the medium of God’s Self-Revelation. St. John of the Cross, commenting on the aforementioned opening passage in the letter to the Hebrews, wrote that:

In giving us his Son, his only Word (for he possesses no other), he spoke everything to us at once in this sole Word—and he has no more to say … because what he spoke before to the prophets in parts, he has now spoken all at once by giving us the  All, Who is his Son. Any person questioning God, or desiring some vision, or revelation, would be guilty not only of foolish behavior, but also of offending him, by not fixing his eyes entirely upon Christ, and by living with the desire for some other novelty. 1

While this notion of revelation, understood as the manifestation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Christ himself, has been with the Church since the very beginning. There have been many confusions and reductions over time that have altered the very essence of the faith. Many of these misunderstandings were addressed as part of the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council (Vatican II), 1962-1965.

Dei Verbum and the Ressourcement Movement

In the teachings of Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum ,the council fathers sought to address certain veins of thought running through Baroque and Neo-scholastic theology, then popular in Catholic seminaries and universities, and “debunk” the Scriptures coming from liberal protestant theologians and Scriptural exegetes, which were slowly infiltrating Catholic academia. Hearkening back to the Fathers of the Church, and the great medieval theologians, Sts. Thomas and Bonaventure, they attempted to reclaim a broader, and more personal notion, of revelation.

One of the goals of Dei Verbum was to correct a misunderstanding of the nature and content of revelation which had come to permeate the Neo-Scholastic seminary training and theological manuals of the 19th and 20th centuries. The misunderstanding, as it stood, was built on the teaching of the influential Jesuit theologian, Francesco Suárez (1548-1617), who saw revelation less as the person of Christ, and more as a simple list of propositions about God. This concept of revelation, which was formally taught in a variety of theology manuals, used in seminaries throughout the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, had a direct impact on the understanding, and subsequent practice of, faith and faith sharing. “For Suárez, revelation does not disclose God himself, rather it concerns pieces of information which God has decided to disclose and, whereas, for Saint Thomas, things revealed led to faith, for Suárez faith confirms what is revealed.” 2

As mentioned above, according to this Suárezian understanding, revelation points the faithful to facts about God, rather than actually revealing God himself. This notion of revelation was, among other things, the cause of much consternation amongst many of the most prominent of Catholic theologians in the 20th century. 3 These theologians sought the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas, and the ancient writings of the Fathers of the Church, in a more direct fashion, rather than through the lens of the various manuals which formed the basis of their seminary training. In doing so, they attempted to recover a more spiritual dimension to the reading of Sacred Scripture, and an understanding of God’s self-revelation. Their methodology was to attract some significant criticism, as it was perceived by many, including some within the pontifical Holy Office, as a further manifestation of the modernist heresy, and a revolt against the Angelic Doctor. For many of these theologians, however, the aim of this academic work was not to debunk the Scriptures, nor to usurp St. Thomas, but rather simply to recover a more ancient tradition—reading Thomas and the Fathers in their original setting without the commentary of the manualists.

Chief amongst these scholars of the ressourcement movement, as it came to be known, was the Jesuit priest, Henri de Lubac. De Lubac’s work concerning the understanding of revelation in the Fathers, most notably Origen of Alexandria, led to a recovery of the understanding of the five different senses of Scripture. 4 De Lubac’s “return to the sources” fuelled an increasingly spiritual understanding of revelation than what was presently popular in the seminary theology manuals of the time, and became tremendously influential amongst a growing circle of young scholars. Most notable among this group was the then Jesuit Fr. Hans Urs von Balthasar and, also, the young Fr. Josef Ratzinger, who later became Bishop, Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and eventually Pope Benedict XVI.  In a footnote of his book on the work of de Lubac, theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar highlights that for de Lubac, as for many of the great thinkers and saints of the Church throughout history, “Christianity is not, properly speaking, a ‘book religion’; it is the religion of the Word, but not uniquely, not even primarily, of the Word in its written form; it is the religion of the Logos, ‘not written and mute, but the incarnate and living Logos’” (Bernard). 5 This quote points out the Christocentric nature of the traditional understanding of revelation, which was the understanding of revelation that de Lubac sought to reclaim. As highlighted above, this is a concept that is, by no means, foreign to the great spiritual writers of the faith down through the ages, but which somehow was lost to the world of Neo-scholastic theology that followed Suárez. The impact of this understanding of revelation on the practice of theology, in itself, is tremendous, and recovers something of the ancient understanding of St. Evagrius Ponticus—the theologian as being one who prays, and the one who prays as being a theologian. 6

Revelation According to Saint Bonaventure

It was the young Fr. Ratzinger who, in his postdoctoral  second dissertation, or “ Habilitationsschrift,”   he took up this notion of revelation in a study of the theology of history and revelation as presented in the writings of St. Bonaventure. 7 His studies, up until that point in his life, had led him to the conclusion that “Revelation now appeared no longer simply as a communication of truths to the intellect, but as a historical action of God, in which truth becomes gradually unveiled.” Continuing, he writes that he “was to try to discover whether in Bonaventure there was anything corresponding to the concept of salvation history, and whether this motif—if it should exist—had any relationship to the idea of revelation.” 8

In this thesis, amongst other insights, the Suárezian notion of revelation was challenged, and what could be considered as a personalist understanding of God’s self-revelation, is developed. He writes that, for Bonaventure, “‘revelation’ is synonymous with the spiritual understanding of Scripture; it consists in the God-given act of understanding, and not in the objective letter alone.” 9 This spiritual (or anagogical) sense of Scripture that Ratzinger discusses in his treatment of Bonaventure is essentially that which de Lubac had recovered in his study of Origen. 10

Challenging the established and long held understanding of revelation as being synonymous with the objective letter of the Scriptures was a somewhat risky academic project for a young German scholar, and in the midst of the Modernist crisis, concerns were raised about his findings leading to the “subjectification of the concept of revelation.” 11 It becomes easy to see how Ratzinger’s thesis, containing such bold assertions, was considered by one of his supervisors at the time to be flirting with a “dangerous modernism.” 12 Cardinal Ratzinger, reflecting on the controversy surrounding his paper describes his project.

I had ascertained that in Bonaventure (as well as in theologians of the 13th century) there was nothing corresponding to our conception of “revelation,” by which we are normally in the habit of referring to all the revealed contents of the faith: it has even become part of linguistic usage to refer to Sacred Scripture simply as “revelation.” Such an identification would have been unthinkable in the language of the High Middle Ages. Here, “revelation” refers to the act in which God shows himself, not to the objectified result of this act. And because this is so, the receiving subject is always also part of the concept of “revelation.” Where there is no one to perceive “revelation,” no re-vel-ation has occurred, because no veil has been removed. By definition, revelation requires someone who apprehends it. These insights, gained through my reading of Bonaventure, were later on very important for me at the time of the conciliar discussion on revelation, Scripture, and tradition. Because, if Bonaventure is right, then revelation precedes Scripture and becomes deposited in Scripture, but is not simply identical to it. This in turn means that revelation is always something greater than what is merely written down. And this again means that there can be no such thing as pure sola scriptura (by “Scripture alone”), because an essential element of Scripture is the Church as understanding subject, and with this the fundamental sense of tradition, is already given. 13

This dense quotation brings out some of the key themes in Ratzinger’s Habilitationsschrift thesis , most particularly his understanding that revelation is something that precedes Scripture, and is deposited within it. A second key theme here is the notion that revelation refers to the act in which God shows himself,  and that by its nature, this act requires a receiving subject. The act of reception is, according to Ratzinger, the act of faith, and is part of what actually constitutes revelation. It is this notion of faith as the subjective response to revelation as a key component to revelation itself that was, no doubt, the cause of some consternation by Rev. Michael Schmaus, his supervisor. 14

In his thesis, Ratzinger presses into the mystery of revelation according to St. Bonaventure, and makes clear the distinction between revelation and Scripture. “Bonaventure holds that the content of faith is found not only in the letter of Scripture, but in the spiritual meaning lying behind the letter. Furthermore, we can see why it is that for Bonaventure, Scripture, simply as a written document, does not constitute revelation, whereas the understanding of Scripture, which arises in theology, can be called revelation, at least indirectly.” 15

The Nature of Revelation

Revelation, according to this account, requires the activity and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, both within the hagiographers, and also in the believer’s faith-filled reading of Scripture within the tradition. In coming to write of their experience of God’s self-revelation, the writers of Sacred Scripture necessarily had to clothe the naked spirituality of the Word that had been revealed to them. “This means that that which truly constitutes revelation is accessible in the word written by the hagiographer, but that it remains, to a degree, hidden behind the words, and must be unveiled anew.” 16 While the implications of this for exegetical work, and the methods of historical critical interpretation are far-reaching, for the theologian, and the ordinary believer, as well as for the professional exegete, what this really means is that the primary hermeneutic of Scripture must be that of faith. 17

Implications for the Historical Critical Method of Scriptural Exegesis

The increasing popularity of contemporary historical critical methods of Scriptural exegesis in the early-mid 20th century seems to have been among some of the principle concerns of the drafters of the Dogmatic Constitution, Dei Verbum . The heresy of modernism, which had been of considerable concern to the Church earlier in the 20th century, had seen an emphasis on the use of the social sciences and scientific methodologies to interpret, or debunk, the Scriptures in a way that treated them, not as the divinely revealed word of God for all men of all times, but as merely human writings of their time. Firmly acknowledging their inspiration and inerrancy, 18  Dei Verbum was careful to allow for the best of contemporaneous methodology to be applied to the study of the sacred page, all the while insisting that “Holy Scripture must be read and interpreted in the sacred spirit in which it was written.” 19

Ratzinger’s Theory of Revelation at the Council

As mentioned in the above quotation from his memoirs, Ratzinger’s work on the theology of history and revelation in St. Bonaventure, became tremendously influential for him in his assignment as a conciliar peritus , or theological expert, at the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). 20 As personal theologian to the influential Cardinal Frings, Ratzinger was assigned to the preparatory commission for the council’s Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum . To achieve some understanding of how this notion of revelation came to influence the young Fr. Ratzinger, and subsequently his work on the Dogmatic Constitution, Dei Verbum , it is helpful to look at some of the texts by Ratzinger as peritus, both before and during Vatican II.

Commenting on the Preparatory Theological Commission’s schema on revelation, Scripture, and tradition, Ratzinger advised Cardinal Frings that the title of the schema, De fontibus revelationis (On the Sources of Revelation), was itself problematic. “(T)he formulation,” he writes:

…even though it has become common, is not without its dangers, since it entails an astounding narrowing of the concept of revelation, which then has a decisive effect on the understanding of all that follows. Actually, Scripture and tradition are not the sources of revelation but, instead, God’s speaking and manifesting of himself, is the unus fons (one source), from which then the two streams, Scripture and tradition, flow out. 21

Ratzinger is clear to point out, and is emphatic about this notion, that “Scripture and tradition are for us sources from which we know revelation, but they are not in themselves its sources, for revelation is, in itself, the source of Scripture and tradition.” 22

These ideas come to the fore immediately in the Dogmatic Constitution, Dei Verbum . Paragraph two begins with the statement, “In his goodness and wisdom, God chose to reveal himself….” It is clear here that the object of God’s revelation is in fact his very self; he is both the source and the content of revelation. While this is by no means a new concept in the Church—it is seen within Scripture itself—the emphasis here shows that the more ancient concept of revelation is taking precedence over the Suárezian influenced, Neo-scholastic understanding.

More so, paragraph nine of the document highlights this notion of revelation preceding both Scripture and tradition by stating that, “there exists a close connection and communication between sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture. For both of them, flowing from the same divine wellspring, in a certain way merge into a unity, and tend toward the same end.” 23 Revelation, the Word of God (cf. Jn 1), is that “divine wellspring.” This sentiment is affirmed in the document’s following paragraph where it states that “Sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture form one sacred deposit of the word of God, committed to the Church.” 24 The univocal nature of both Scripture and tradition is the result of their unified origin in God’s self-revelation.

In commenting on Ratzinger’s fourth commentary on the “ Schema de fontibus ,” Fr. Jared Wicks, S.J., writes that the Schema “came from exponents of a teaching which consolidates more recent positions and formulations, especially those of the papal magisterium of the previous 70 years (i.e., the Suárezian notion of revelation as a set of propositions to which faith must give its ascent). But Fr. Ratzinger’s critique came from an exponent of doctrinal renewal by drawing afresh on the biblical, patristic, and liturgical sources of Catholic doctrine in ressourcement to produce simpler, more attractive, and spiritually more nourishing teaching.” 25

This “simpler, more attractive, and spiritually more nourishing teaching” on revelation, referred to in Wick’s commentary above, is this more personalized notion of revelation referred to earlier in this essay, that being Christ himself as the fullness of God’s self-revelation. While not absent from spiritual writings within the Church prior to the Vatican II Council, it was, for the most part, absent from the manuals of theology, which were fundamental to the seminary curriculum at the time.

What did occur … in the drafting of the document Dei Verbum , was the presentation of an account of revelation, and its relationship to Tradition, which represented a return to a more Patristic, and authentically Scholastic, understanding of the topic than that which came to dominance in the post-Tridentine era … In Dei Verbum , the standard pre-Conciliar Suárezian account of revelation was overhauled. 26

Ratzinger’s theology of revelation, which was to heavily influence the formulation of the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, was not a novelty, nor was it something that emerged within his mind, or in the mind of De Lubac, independent of the tradition of the faith. Their discovery was, perhaps, more rightly considered a re-discovery.

In Dei Verbum , the distinction between the Sacred Scriptures and the Word of God, God’s self-revelation, is shown clearly and, yet, the necessity of the Scriptures, in the transmission of the Word, is clearly emphasized. This is seen in the quotation of St. Jerome in the document, that “ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.” 27 Within this context, one can see that this refers to the understanding that it is in and through the Scriptures, read in the light of the tradition of the Church, that God’s self-revelation, the Word incarnate, is mediated to man.

God’s Self-Revelation: The Person of Christ

Far from God revealing merely knowledge about himself, God’s revelation is an act of superabundant love, revealing his very self (cf. 1 Jn4:16). Taking on human flesh, Christ is the essence and object of God’s self-revelation. He not only reveals the Father to man, but invites man to enter into the very life of the Most Holy Trinity, which is an eternal communion of love. “It pleased God, in his goodness and wisdom, to reveal himself, and to make known the mystery of his will. His will was that men should have access to the Father, through Christ, the Word made flesh, in the Holy Spirit, and, thus, become sharers in the divine nature.” 28 Revelation is then understood as the person of Jesus, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, who, being Love Incarnate, seeks to call man to himself and draw him into eternal life, and live with the Father in the Holy Spirit. This sentiment is echoed later in the first encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est : “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon, and a decisive direction.” 29 Elsewhere, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has elaborated:

(T)he light of the Pascal Mystery is fully revealed the center of the universe and of history: God himself, eternal and infinite Love. The word that summarizes all revelation is this: “God is love” (1 Jn 4: 8, 16); and love is always a mystery, a reality that surpasses reason without contradicting it, and more than that, exalts its possibilities. Jesus revealed to us the mystery of God: he, the Son, made us know the Father who is in Heaven, and gave us the Holy Spirit, the Love of the Father and of the Son. 30

The Role of the Receiver: The Response of Faith

As mentioned above, Ratzinger was quick to point out that “the receiving subject is always also part of the concept of ‘revelation.’ Where there is no one to perceive ‘revelation,’ no re-vel-ation has occurred, because no veil has been removed. By definition, revelation requires someone who apprehends it.” 31 The Word of God is, in its essence, both personal and relational, and it calls for a subjective response in the form of faith on the part of the hearer of the Word. This relational response is, in fact, essential to the structure of revelation. The question then arises: what does this subjective response to revelation look like? And, inevitably, this leads to a discussion on the role of faith and in revelation, and the role of faith in the study of revelation.

God cannot be reduced to an object. He is a subject who makes himself known and perceived in an interpersonal relationship. Right faith orients itself to open itself to the light which comes from God, so that reason, guided by love of the truth, can come to a deeper knowledge of God. The great medieval theologians and teachers rightly held that theology, as a science of faith, is a participation in God’s own knowledge of himself. It is not just our discourse about God, but first and foremost, the acceptance and the pursuit of a deeper understanding of the word which God speaks to us, the word which God speaks about himself, for he is an eternal dialogue of communion, and he allows us to enter into this dialogue. 32

Being both personal and relational, the document, Dei Verbum , affirmed that “prayer should accompany the reading of Sacred Scripture, so that God and man may talk together; for ‘we speak to him when we pray; we hear him when we read the divine saying.’” 33 In prayer, the reader or exegete of Sacred Scripture is united with the hagiographers, who wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It is in imitating the hagiographers in prayer that the believer, the theologian, and the exegete enter into the reality which they are studying, and in doing so, become the subject to which revelation is directed. Prayer, the manifestation of faith, is “the acceptance of revelation and the response to it.” 34

Bringing the teaching of the Council to his diocese, then Archbishop Wojtyła of Krakow, later Pope John Paul II, was to write that “the response to revelation is not simply a matter of intellectually accepting its content, but, as we read in the constitution Dei Verbum , is an attitude in which man ‘freely commits his entire self to God’” (DV §5). 35

One can see in this treatment that revelation is no longer understood merely as a list of propositions requiring a faith that is only the ascent of the will. Rather, revelation is now understood clearly as both personal and relational in the person of Christ, the Word of God Incarnate, to which the response of faith is not simply the ascent of the will, but the total commitment of self, in love.

God revealed himself, not only in order that all men should know him as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the unity of the Godhead, but also in order that through the Son—the Word of God made flesh—they might, in the Holy Spirit, have access to the Father, and become sharers in the divine nature, that is in the Godhead itself. 36

Hence, one can see, with Pope Francis, that “Faith is born of an encounter with the living God, who calls us, and reveals his love, a love which precedes us, and upon which we can lean for security, and for building our lives.” 37

Revelation, as understood from its presentation in the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation of Vatican II, Dei Verbum , is the personal communication of God’s very self to man, the only adequate response to which is man’s total self-commitment of faith in love (1 Jn4:16). As such, the model for this receptivity to God’s self-revelation is the Mother of God, Mary most Holy. Her response to the self-revelation of God was to keep “all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Lk2:19). Pope Francis, in closing his encyclical on faith, draws the reader’s attention to the parable of the sower in St. Luke’s Gospel. Mary, who in responding with such total self-surrender to the Word, is like the “good soil” of which Jesus speaks. “These are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance” (Lk8:15). 38

• St. John of the Cross, The Ascent of Mount Carmel 2,22,3-5 in The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross, tr. K. Kavanaugh, OCD, and O. Rodriguez, OCD (Washington DC: Institute of Carmelite Studies), 1979, 179-180. ↩
• Tracey Rowland, Benedict XVI: A Guide for the Perplexed . (London: T&T Clark International), 2010, 49. ↩
• Fergus Kerr, Twentieth-Century Catholic Theologians: From Neoscholasticism to Nuptial Mysticism . (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd), 2007, 26, 80, 101-102. ↩
• Ibid, 80 ↩
• Quoted in, Hans Urs von Balthasar, The Theology of Henri De Lubac . Translated by Joseph Fessio and Michael Waldstein. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press), 1991, footnote 52, 76-7. ↩
• Evagrius Ponticus, The Praktikos. Chapters on Prayer . Translated by John Eudes Bamberger (Collegeville: Cistercian Publications), 2006, 60. ↩
• Published as: Josef Ratzinger, Theology of History in St. Bonaventure . Translated by Zachary Hayes O.F.M. (Chicago, Illinois: Franciscan Herald Press), 1971. ↩
• Joseph Ratzinger, Milestones: Memoirs 1927-1977 . Translated by Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press), 1998, 104. ↩
• Ratzinger, Theology of History in St. Bonaventure , 63. ↩
• Kerr, Twentieth-Century Catholic Theologians , 80. ↩
• Ratzinger, Milestones , 113. ↩
• Ibid., 106. ↩
•  Ibid., 108-9. ↩
•  Ibid., 109. ↩
• Ratzinger, Theology of History in St. Bonaventure , 66. ↩
• Ibid., 65. ↩
• Joseph Ratzinger, “Biblical Interpretation in Crisis: On the question of the Foundations and Approaches of Exegesis Today”  January 27, 1988. http://www.christendom-awake.org/pages/ratzinger/biblical-crisis.htm (Accessed on 28 October, 2013). ↩
• Vatican II, Dei Verbum : Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation. 1965, 11. ↩
• Ibid., 12. ↩
• Ratzinger, Milestones , 108-9. ↩
• Jared Wicks, “Six texts by Joseph Ratzinger as peritus before and during the Vatican Council.” Gregorianum 89, 2 (2008) 233-311 – text 3 – Evaluation of the First Draft-Texts for Vatican II, prepared for Cardinal Frings and submitted by him to the Cardinal Secretary of State (September 1962), 270. ↩
• Ibid., 270 (Emphasis in the original). ↩
• Dei Verbum , 9. ↩
• Ibid., 10. ↩
• Wicks, Six texts, 243. ↩
• Rowland, Benedict XVI: A Guide for the Perplexed , 49. ↩
• St Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah, Prol.: 24,17. Cf. Benedict XV, encyclical “ Spiritus Paraclitus :” EB 475-480; Pius XII, encyclical “ Divino Afflante Spiritu :” EB 544, cited in Dei Verbum , n. 25. ↩
•  Vatican II, Dei Verbum , 2; cf. Eph 1:9; 2:18; 2 Pt 1:4. ↩
• Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est : God is Love, (San Francisco: Ignatius Press), 2005, n.1. ↩
• Benedict XVI, Angelus Address of 22 May, 2005, http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/angelus/2005/documents/hf_ben-xvi_ang_20050522_holy-trinity_en.html (accessed October 23, 2013). ↩
• Francis, Lumen Fidei: The Light of Faith (San Francisco: Ignatius Press), 2013, n.36. ↩
• Vatican II, Dei Verbum , 25. ↩
• Karol Wojtyła, Sources of Renewal: Study on the Implementation of the Second Vatican Council. Translated by P. S. Falla. (London: William Collins Sons & Co), 1981, 53. ↩
• Ibid., 53-4. ↩
• Ibid., 54. ↩
• Francis, Lumen Fidei , n. 4. ↩
• Ibid., n. 58. ↩

Thomas V. Gourlay is the president and co-founder of the Dawson Society for Philosophy and Culture Inc. ( www.dawsonsociety.com.au ), and the manager of Campus Ministry at the University of Notre Dame Australia. He holds Bachelors (BEd) and Masters (MEd) Degrees in education from the University of Notre Dame Australia, and has worked as a classroom teacher and faculty head of Religious Education in a number of Catholic schools in Western Australia. Tom also holds a Masters of Theological Studies (MTS) from The John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family Studies in Melbourne, Victoria. Tom and his wife Elizabeth live in Perth, Western Australia.

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Home > Bible Facts > What Is The Main Message Of The Book Of Revelation

What Is The Main Message Of The Book Of Revelation

Published: February 11, 2024

Written by: Mary Hughes

Ericka Andersen, an editor at Christian.net, expertly merges digital strategy with content creation, focusing on faith and societal issues. Her communication skills enhance the platform's engaging narratives, fostering meaningful dialogue on belief's impact on society.

Discover the main message of the Book of Revelation and gain valuable insights into its significance and relevance in understanding Bible facts. Explore the key themes and teachings of this profound biblical text.

• Book of Revelation

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Table of Contents

Introduction, historical context of the book of revelation, overview of the book of revelation, the main message of the book of revelation.

The Book of Revelation, the final book of the New Testament, is a captivating and enigmatic piece of literature that has intrigued and inspired readers for centuries. Also known as the Apocalypse of John, this profound text offers a glimpse into the divine revelations received by the apostle John while exiled on the island of Patmos. Its vivid imagery, symbolic language, and prophetic messages have sparked intense debate and speculation, making it a subject of fascination for theologians, scholars, and believers alike.

As we delve into the main message of the Book of Revelation, it is essential to recognize the historical context in which it was written and the overarching themes that permeate its verses. This ancient text, composed during a period of intense persecution of early Christians, serves as a beacon of hope and encouragement for believers facing adversity. Its apocalyptic visions and eschatological themes provide a profound perspective on the ultimate triumph of good over evil and the fulfillment of God's divine plan for humanity.

The Book of Revelation stands as a testament to the enduring power of faith and resilience in the face of tribulation. Its rich tapestry of symbolism and allegory invites readers to contemplate profound truths about the nature of spiritual warfare, the sovereignty of God, and the ultimate destiny of creation. As we embark on this exploration of its main message, let us approach the text with open hearts and minds, ready to uncover the timeless wisdom and enduring relevance encapsulated within its pages.

Read more : What Are The Three Main Themes Of The Book Of Revelation?

The historical context of the Book of Revelation is integral to understanding its profound significance and enduring impact. Authored by the apostle John, the book was composed during a tumultuous period in early Christian history. The Roman Empire, under the rule of Emperor Domitian, subjected Christians to brutal persecution, seeking to suppress the spread of the Christian faith. Against this backdrop of oppression and hostility, the Book of Revelation emerged as a source of solace and encouragement for beleaguered believers.

During John's exile on the island of Patmos, he received divine revelations that formed the basis of the apocalyptic visions recorded in the book. The persecution of Christians, coupled with the pervasive idolatry and immorality of the era, created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. In this context, the Book of Revelation served as a powerful testament to the sovereignty of God and the ultimate triumph of righteousness over evil.

The symbolic language and vivid imagery employed in the book resonated deeply with its original audience, offering hope and reassurance in the face of adversity. The seven churches addressed in the opening chapters of Revelation grappled with various challenges, including persecution, internal strife, and spiritual compromise. The letters to these churches reflected the real-life struggles and triumphs of early Christian communities, providing timeless insights into the enduring nature of faith and perseverance.

Furthermore, the historical context of the Book of Revelation underscores its relevance for contemporary readers. While the specific persecutions faced by early Christians may differ from present-day challenges, the overarching themes of spiritual warfare, divine justice, and the ultimate victory of God's kingdom remain profoundly pertinent. By delving into the historical milieu in which the book was written, we gain a deeper appreciation for its enduring message of hope, resilience, and unwavering faith in the face of adversity.

In essence, the historical context of the Book of Revelation serves as a compelling backdrop against which its timeless truths and prophetic visions unfold. By understanding the challenges and triumphs of the early Christian community, we can glean profound insights that resonate across the centuries, offering guidance and inspiration for believers navigating their own spiritual journeys.

The Book of Revelation, often shrouded in mystery and intrigue, is a profound and visionary work that holds a unique place within the New Testament. Comprising 22 chapters, this apocalyptic text unfolds as a series of vivid and symbolic visions, offering a glimpse into the divine revelations received by the apostle John during his exile on the island of Patmos. The book opens with a powerful prologue, emphasizing its prophetic nature and the blessings bestowed upon those who heed its words.

The structure of Revelation is marked by a sequence of visions and symbolic imagery, conveyed through the use of seals, trumpets, and bowls, each unveiling profound truths about the unfolding of God's divine plan. The central figure of the book is Jesus Christ, depicted in his exalted and triumphant glory, guiding and overseeing the events that lead to the ultimate establishment of God's kingdom on earth.

The book is replete with rich symbolism, including the iconic Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the Beast and the False Prophet, the Woman and the Dragon, and the New Jerusalem. These symbols convey profound spiritual truths and offer a compelling portrayal of the cosmic battle between good and evil, culminating in the ultimate victory of righteousness and the defeat of all forces opposed to God's reign.

Revelation also presents a series of letters addressed to the seven churches of Asia, offering commendation, exhortation, and warnings tailored to their specific circumstances. These letters provide valuable insights into the challenges faced by early Christian communities and offer timeless principles for spiritual renewal and perseverance.

The overarching themes of judgment, redemption, and the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom permeate the book, offering a profound perspective on the unfolding of human history and the consummation of God's purposes. The climactic vision of the New Jerusalem, with its resplendent imagery of a new heaven and a new earth, serves as a powerful symbol of hope and renewal, inspiring believers to persevere in the face of adversity and remain steadfast in their faith.

In essence, the Book of Revelation stands as a testament to the enduring power of faith and resilience, offering a compelling portrayal of the cosmic drama between the forces of light and darkness. Its visionary imagery and profound insights continue to captivate and inspire readers, inviting them to contemplate the ultimate fulfillment of God's redemptive plan and the eternal hope that it offers to all who embrace its transformative message.

The main message of the Book of Revelation can be encapsulated in the profound and enduring theme of divine sovereignty and the ultimate triumph of good over evil. At its core, Revelation offers a compelling portrayal of the cosmic battle between the forces of light and darkness, culminating in the establishment of God's eternal kingdom and the fulfillment of His redemptive purposes. Through its vivid imagery and symbolic language, the book conveys a message of hope, perseverance, and unwavering faith in the face of adversity.

Central to the main message of Revelation is the exalted and triumphant figure of Jesus Christ, depicted as the Lamb who was slain and yet reigns victorious. This portrayal underscores the overarching theme of divine sovereignty, emphasizing that God remains in control of human history and the ultimate destiny of creation. The book's apocalyptic visions serve to reassure believers that, despite the trials and tribulations they may face, God's purposes will ultimately prevail, and His justice will be fully realized.

Furthermore, Revelation conveys a message of encouragement and steadfastness in the midst of persecution and spiritual warfare. The letters to the seven churches of Asia, interspersed throughout the book, offer timeless principles for spiritual renewal and perseverance, underscoring the importance of remaining faithful in the face of adversity. The book's vivid portrayal of the ultimate victory of God's kingdom serves as a source of hope and assurance for believers, inspiring them to endure and remain steadfast in their faith, knowing that their ultimate vindication lies in the hands of a sovereign and just God.

Moreover, the Book of Revelation conveys a message of eschatological hope, pointing to the ultimate consummation of God's redemptive plan and the establishment of a new heaven and a new earth. The vision of the New Jerusalem, with its resplendent imagery of a city adorned as a bride, symbolizes the ultimate union between God and His people, ushering in an era of eternal fellowship and divine presence. This vision serves as a powerful reminder that, despite the trials and tribulations of the present age, a glorious and unshakable future awaits those who remain faithful to the end.

In essence, the main message of the Book of Revelation resonates across the centuries, offering timeless truths and enduring hope to believers of every generation. Its profound themes of divine sovereignty, perseverance in the face of adversity, and the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom continue to inspire and uplift, inviting readers to embrace its transformative message and find solace in the unchanging promises of a faithful and victorious God.

In conclusion, the Book of Revelation stands as a testament to the enduring power of faith and resilience in the face of adversity. Its profound and visionary message transcends the boundaries of time and space, offering timeless insights and enduring hope to believers across generations. Through its rich tapestry of apocalyptic visions, symbolic imagery, and profound theological truths, Revelation conveys a message of divine sovereignty, eschatological hope, and the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom over the forces of darkness.

The historical context of the book, set against the backdrop of intense persecution and spiritual warfare faced by early Christians, underscores the relevance and enduring significance of its message. The letters to the seven churches of Asia, with their exhortations, warnings, and promises, offer timeless principles for spiritual renewal and perseverance, resonating with believers navigating their own trials and tribulations.

The main message of Revelation revolves around the exalted figure of Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain and yet reigns victorious, symbolizing the ultimate triumph of sacrificial love and divine redemption. The book's portrayal of the cosmic battle between good and evil, culminating in the establishment of a new heaven and a new earth, serves as a source of hope and assurance for believers, inspiring them to remain steadfast in their faith and unwavering in their commitment to God's eternal purposes.

As we reflect on the enduring message of the Book of Revelation, we are reminded of the unchanging promises of a faithful and victorious God. Its profound themes of divine sovereignty, perseverance in the face of adversity, and the ultimate fulfillment of God's redemptive plan continue to inspire and uplift, inviting readers to embrace its transformative message and find solace in the unshakable hope it offers.

In essence, the Book of Revelation invites us to contemplate the ultimate victory of God's kingdom, the restoration of all things, and the eternal fellowship between God and His people. Its message transcends the confines of a specific historical context, speaking directly to the human experience and offering a vision of hope, renewal, and unending triumph. As we journey through the enigmatic and profound pages of Revelation, we are beckoned to embrace its transformative message and find solace in the unchanging promises of a faithful and victorious God.

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Book of Revelation

The book of Revelation or the Apocalypse of John of Patmos is one of the most famous books in the New Testament. Written near the end of the 1st century CE, it is the only apokalypsis ( Greek : "unveiling of unseen realities") that was included in the New Testament canon and has been interpreted and reinterpreted for centuries, beginning in Late Antiquity, through the Middle Ages, and the modern world.

John of Patmos

An apocalypse was a text, not an event. By the 1st century CE, seers went into ecstatic trances in out-of-body journeys to heaven or had visions where they were shown what would happen when the God of Israel would institute his final intervention in human history and wrote them down.

Revelation is one of the few books in the Bible signed by its author. John opened the letter with the information that his name was John, in exile on the island of Patmos for being a Christian. This is the only clue we have regarding his social and economic status; he must have been upper-class or at least a citizen as common, lower-class criminals were executed in the arenas while Roman citizens had a more merciful punishment of enforced exile. He is not the same John who wrote the Gospel of John , the fourth gospel. Modern Christians make pilgrimages to the site of a Christian church built on the alleged cave on Patmos where John had his visions.

Historical Context

In 45 BCE, Julius Caesar had granted Jews exemption from the state cults of Rome as a reward for his Jewish mercenaries in his legions. At the end of the 1st century CE, the Roman emperor Domitian (r. 81-96 CE) mandated the imperial cult (the elevation of dead emperors who were now worshipped as divinities). In the formation of early Christianity , Christian communities, like Jews, ceased all traditional idolatry. But Christians were not ethnic Jews; they were not circumcised, and therefore Julius Caesar 's exemption did not apply to them. Christians were convicted for the crime of atheism, disbelief and non-participation in the state cults of the Roman Empire . Construed as angering the gods, this imperilled everyone and was equivalent to treason and carried the death penalty. We have evidence of the first trials and executions at the beginning of the 2nd century in the works of Pliny the Younger on Christianity .

Rome's response to the spread of Christianity produced the first Christian martyrs, those who died for their beliefs and practices. John claimed that there were 144,000 martyrs in heaven (144,000 as a multiple of the twelve tribes of Israel ). Martyrs were rewarded with being transported to heaven where they spent their time singing hymns and praises to God. The overall purpose of the book of Revelation was essentially to record John's visions and predictions of the return of Jesus Christ to earth, who would then take revenge upon Rome.

Scholars consider John of Patmos a Jewish Christian who utilized the prophetic books of Ezekiel and Daniel. In Revelation, Christ is the promised messiah of Davidic lineage. He is a conquering warrior-hero, who now fights against the enemies of the church. John included the predictions of the traditional prophets, that in the final days, violent tribulations would occur first. The tribulations consist of natural disasters (earthquakes, drought, famine, plague ), aligned with the ten plagues of Egypt in Exodus. But human disasters ('sins') occur as well; wars, greed, corruption, and deviant sexual bahavior. For John, like the prophets, only the righteous will be saved. He presents the idea of predestination; salvation comes to those who were written in the Book of Life at the time of creation.

Where the letters of Paul and the gospels emphasize the repentance of sins that leads to forgiveness and thus salvation, Revelation contains no concept of repentance, especially repentance at the eleventh hour. As a typical apocalypse, the world is so corrupted by evil that it is too late. All humans are polarized as either righteous or sinners.

Seven Letters

The book opens with seven letters to Christian communities in Asia Province (modern Turkey ) where imperial cult temples dominated the cities . Some of the communities were praised for their faithfulness in relation to persecution, while others were admonished for loss of faith. In one of the letters, John reviles those who belong to the "synagogue of Satan" (Revelation 2:9) Scholars debate what he meant by this. It could mean that some Christians were claiming to be Jews to avoid persecution. Or it could be a reference to what became a common Christian charge that Jews were ratting out Christians to the government, just as they did during the trial and crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth , when they handed Jesus over to Pilate.

Apocalyptic literature was subversive, a way to criticize the current regime. Using codes, symbols, analogies, and other literary devices, only a select community could understand it. There are approximately 500 symbols and analogies in Revelation.

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great whore who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have engaged in sexual immorality and with the wine of whose prostitution the inhabitants of the earth have become drunk. ... I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her prostitution, and on her forehead was written a name, a mystery: " Babylon the great, mother of whores and of earth's abominations. And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of the witnesses to Jesus." (Revelation 17:1-6)

"Babylon the great" refers to the destruction of Solomon 's Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The Second Temple was destroyed by the Roman Empire in 70 CE, and so the beast with "seven heads" refers to Rome and its seven hills. Throughout, Christians are warned not to mix with the dominant culture . They "are to get out of Babylon."

The reference to the "golden cup full of abominations" was incorporated into polemical condemnations of "sexual immorality" in the later Christian charge against pagans, i.e. those who had not yet converted. This included drunkenness, sexual orgies, and their continuing idolatry. Christians claimed that the traditional gods were Satan's agents, demons in disguise.

With symbols abundant, contemporary historical names and dates are rare. This has provided the book with an incredible elasticity that led to constant reinterpretation over time, usually in times of crisis. When the predictions are not manifest in a current age, it is not because the predictions were wrong. It is simply a matter of incorrect timing; God's final plan remains intact.

The Seven Seals & Seven Trumpets

Everything is in sevens, the perfect number with its reference to God's Sabbath of the seventh day. John has seven visions involving angels with seven seals and seven trumpets. The opening of the seals reveals the coming violence of the tribulations. When the first scroll is opened it unleashes four horses and riders, the four horsemen of the apocalypse. They represent, respectively, victory, war , food shortages (including monetary inflation), and death (the "sickly pale" rider, followed closely by Hades , the grave or Underworld).

As most of the world suffers, angels will mark the foreheads of the believers to protect them. This is most likely drawn from Ezekiel 9:4: "Go through the city , through Jerusalem , and put a mark on the foreheads of those who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it."

Upon opening the seventh seal there is silence in heaven. John was told to eat this last scroll. It has both the taste of honey and bitterness, a twofold message of relief for believers, but punishment for all the rest. Eating the scroll keeps the timing hidden; only God knows when he will institute his final intervention.

The Final Battle

In chapter 12, we have the visions that describe the cosmic battle between the Lamb and the Dragon. Commonly misunderstood as the final battle site, John claims that Megiddo is the site where the armies of God (angels and Christians) gather, but then march south to Jerusalem. He calls the site har-Meggido ("mountain of Megiddo"), which is the origin of the common term 'armageddon' for the final events. Thousands of modern Christian pilgrims continue to visit the archaeological excavations at Megiddo in Israel.

In the Jewish Scriptures there are references borrowed from Mesopotamia , particularly in the idea of the primordial dragon. In their creation story, Enuma Elish , the god Marduk destroyed Tiamat , the dragon of chaos. Allusions to this primordial time and myth are found in the Scriptures. We have the dark, watery abyss and passages in which God defeats the chaotic monsters Rahab, Behemoth, or Leviathan (Ps. 74:13, 89:9–10; Job 26:1–14; Isa. 51:9).

Like in the fourth gospel, the author pictured Christ as "the lamb of God," a sacrificial victim. Ironically, however, the lamb turns out to be a powerful and destructive entity who ultimately will destroy the dragon. The dragon "has seven heads and ten horns ... that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan" (Revelation 12:3, 12:9). The "ten horns" is a reference to the Roman emperors from Augustus to Domitian.

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From apocalyptic sources, John claims that the dragon had already been tossed out of heaven by the archangel Michael. As Satan, the dragon remained chained in the abyss (hell). But the dragon sends his agent as a beast from the sea, and a second beast appears to enforce worship of the first beast (the Imperial cult). Like the Christians who are marked with a special sign, John said that the followers of the beast will be marked with a special sign, too. In the nature of apocalyptic writings, this is a riddle: the beast's number is that of a "man's name, and the numerical value of its letters is 666."

Numerology & the Anti-Christ

Hellenistic writing had a fascination with numbers, or numerology. The Greek philosopher Pythagoras speculated that the universe was structured on a harmony of numerical relationships and that certain combinations of numbers held a mystical significance. The ancients numbered things not by figures, but by letters of the alphabet (the Greek alpha for 1, beta for 2, Romans letters such as I, V, X, etc). The letters of a person's name carried a numerical value. In the Jewish tradition, seven represented the days of creation, culminating in God's Sabbath ("seventh-day") rest. Hence, seven stood for completion or perfection, making 666 a symbol for incomplete and imperfect.

John's hint that the beast's cryptic number could be identified with a specific person has inspired more speculation than almost any other statement in his book. In virtually every generation from John's day until ours, apocalyptists have found men or institutions that they claimed fit the beast's description and thus fulfilled the role of this beast as the anti-Christ, whose appearance confirms that the world is near its end.

In fact, "anti-Christ" does not appear in Revelation. It only appears in the first Johannine letter in the New Testament, as someone who was "against Christ." John described this figure as "the great deceiver." He will deceive the people into believing that he is controlling the world for their good. Most New Testament scholars believe that John referred to a historical person of his own time. Who that person might have been, however, is debated. Some historians believe the man who best fits John's description of the beast is Nero (r. 54-68 CE), where tradition claims that he was the first emperor to persecute Christians. John's claim of a "beast who arises from the sea" may refer to popular rumors at the time. Following Nero's suicide in 68, several imposters claimed to be Nero and planned to gather an army to reassert his rule. Another theory is that John referred to both evil emperors; the dead tyrant Nero was 'reborn' in Domitian. John's point was the element of deceit. We should always look for someone who appears good and a benefactor but be alerted to recognize his evil in the disguise of good.

Visions of the Final Triumph

In chapter 20, when Christ returns to earth, he begins to institute the kingdom of God. During this time, the dead martyrs are resurrected, they join with the living faithful and help wage war against the beast. This lasts for 1000 years, a millennium. The dragon is finally released from his chains in the abyss to join in the final battle with the lamb. Fire from heaven destroys the enemies, including the dragon.

After the final battle, the resurrection of all the dead then takes place when they are judged. For the wicked, this includes the image of being tossed in the "lake of fire," a reference to the Dead Sea, which contained minerals that burned the skin. John's reward for the faithful is found in a metaphor of a wedding of the lamb and the city of Jerusalem. We will then have the idyllic utopia, the original plan of God for the Garden of Eden , not in heaven, but on earth. A new and restored Temple (with crystal streams of gold, and precious gems) descends upon Jerusalem.

In describing the dragon, John utilized Isaiah 's oracle against the king of Babylon. Kings in Babylon were associated with divinity. Isaiah castigated the king of Babylon for his hubris, for trying to attain the status of equality with the gods. Isiah prophesized that eventually the king would "be cast down" to the abyss. In addressing the king of Babylon, Isaiah used one of his throne names, "the day-star of his people."

The 5th-century church father, Jerome, translated the Hebrew of the Jewish Scriptures and the Greek of the New Testament into one volume in Latin (the Vulgate Bible of the Middle Ages). When he got to this section of Revelation, he knew that the Romans worshipped a "day-star" whose name was Lucifer. He simply translated it as Lucifer, the most popular name for the Devil in the Middle Ages.

As time passed, the "thousand years" was interpreted in the Middle Ages to be connected to the earth's clock. As the year 1000 approached, peasants neglected to plant their crops, with the belief that the impending catastrophe/glory was about to emerge. Subsequent crises, such as the Bubonic plague of the 14th century, were interpreted as "signs of the end."

The Rapture

Another concept that many people believe comes from the book of Revelation is not in the book. The concept of the 'rapture' was created by a 17th-century British minister who worried about the 'times of tribulation'. He turned to the letters of Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles . In the first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul described what would happen when Christ returned, in that those who are left alive at the time would be transported to the heavens to welcome Christ. Righteous Christians would be miraculously raptured up heaven to save them from the impending doom.

Legacy in Western History & Culture

The book of Revelation was debated by Christians leaders and was not included in the official canon until 400 years later. The debates concerned the alleged author and some of his mystical descriptions of heaven. It was finally canonized because of its teachings on the dire fate of sinners.

The book of Revelation unfortunately has been called upon to validate the history of violence by Christianity for 2000 years: The Crusades , the Inquisition against heretics, the religious wars of Europe , the near annihilation of Native cultures in the Americas, the institution of slavery for African Americans, and continuing polemic against Jews and Muslims. The rationale is found in the conviction that God will punish all of us because we continue to let evil exist. The abuse of this book (and the danger that it still carries) is that a sinner is anyone who disagrees with one's own interpretation of Christianity.

What remains problematic is who gets to decide who is a sinner. Revelation continues to be applied in modern debates concerning same-sex relationships, gender roles, gender identification, and abortion. Believers still turn to Revelation in times of crisis: wars, climate disasters, the fluctuating stock market and inflation, aligned with the four horsemen. Hollywood contributes to the popularity of Revelation in the dozens of science fiction films featuring dystopian, post-apocalyptic societies by incorporating elements of this book.

In relation to Christian theology, the text remains a source of inspiration for believers in the symmetry of its placement at the end of the New Testament. Beginning with creation in Genesis, God's plan for humans culminates in the hope that Christ will eventually institute his kingdom on earth, upending contemporary evils and restoring justice in the universe.

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Bibliography

• LaHaye, Tim & Parker, Timothy. The Book of Revelation Made Clear. Thomas Nelson, 2014.

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The Book of Revelation Summary By Chapter (1-22): Very Concise and Comprehensive

Welcome to this awe-inspiring book of Revelation summary by chapter. The Book of Revelation is the final book in the Holy Bible, and it’s a roller coaster of visions, symbols, and prophetic messages. Let’s dive straight into this glorious book!

( Also Read :  The Book of Jude Summary by Chapter )

Table of Contents

The book of revelation summary by chapter, chapter 1 – introduction to revelation.

In Chapter 1 , John, the beloved apostle, receives a divine call. He hears the voice of Jesus Christ, commanding him to pen down what he sees and send it to the seven churches in Asia. It’s a captivating start! John, on the Lord’s day, experiences the spirit and beholds a vision of the glorified Son of Man, who is among seven golden lampstands, holding seven stars.

Jesus instructs John to write what he sees, both things that are and things that are to come. The seven stars represent angels, and the lampstands are the seven churches. Through John, Jesus offers peace and grace and proclaims His eternal nature, “the Alpha and the Omega.”

Chapter 2 – Letters to the First Four Churches

In Chapter 2 , Jesus speaks to John, dictating letters to be sent to four of the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, and Thyatira. These letters aren’t ordinary – they contain commendation, criticism, and promises. Each starts by Jesus describing Himself in awe-inspiring terms.

Ephesus is commended for its perseverance, but criticized for losing its first love. Smyrna receives encouragement to remain faithful under persecution. Pergamum is applauded for holding fast to Jesus’ name, but chastised for adhering to false teachings. Thyatira is lauded for its love and service but rebuked for tolerating a false prophetess.

Chapter 3 – Letters to the Last Three Churches

Chapter 3 continues with letters to the remaining three churches: Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Sardis is warned to wake up and strengthen what remains, as they have a reputation for being alive but are dead. Philadelphia is encouraged and assured that they have an open door that no one can shut because of their little power and faithful nature.

Laodicea, however, receives a stern warning for being lukewarm – neither cold nor hot. Jesus advises them to buy gold refined in the fire, so they may become rich, and white clothes to wear, so they may cover their shameful nakedness. He beckons them to be earnest and repent.

Chapter 4 – The Heavenly Throne

In Chapter 4, the narrative takes us up to heaven! John sees a door standing open in heaven and hears a voice inviting him to witness events that are about to unfold. As he enters, he sees a magnificent throne with God sitting on it, surrounded by a rainbow.

Around God’s throne are twenty-four other thrones with elders in white robes and golden crowns. Thunder and lightning emanate from the throne. The center has four living creatures covered in eyes, each different, continuously saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.”

Chapter 5 – The Scroll and the Lamb

Chapter 5 continues in the heavenly scene. John sees a scroll in God’s right hand with seven seals. An angel proclaims, asking who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll. But no one in heaven or earth was found worthy. John weeps bitterly, but one of the elders tells him not to weep because the Lion of the tribe of Judah has triumphed.

John then sees a Lamb, looking as if it was slain, with seven horns and seven eyes. The Lamb takes the scroll, and the heavenly beings fall down, worshiping Him, singing a new song about His worthiness. Thousands upon thousands of angels join in, proclaiming the Lamb’s worthiness to receive power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise.

Chapter 6 – The Seals Begin to Open

Chapter 6 is a whirlwind of action. The Lamb begins to open the seven seals of the scroll. As each of the first four seals is opened, a horse and its rider are released. The first horse is white, symbolizing conquest. The second is red, representing war. The third horse is black, denoting famine, and the fourth is pale, signifying death.

When the fifth seal is opened, John sees the souls of those martyred for their faith. They cry out for justice, and each is given a white robe. The sixth seal reveals cosmic disturbances, with earthquakes, the sun turning black, and the moon turning blood red.

Chapter 7 – The 144,000 Sealed

As we step into Chapter 7, four angels stand at the earth’s corners, holding back the winds. Another angel ascends from the east with the seal of the living God and instructs the others not to harm the earth until God’s servants are sealed on their foreheads.

John hears the number of those sealed as 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. After this, he sees an enormous multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language standing before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches, praising God and the Lamb.

Chapter 8 – The Seventh Seal and the Golden Censer

Chapter 8 unfolds with the opening of the seventh seal. There is silence in heaven for about half an hour. Seven angels with seven trumpets stand before God. Another angel, with a golden censer, offers prayers of the saints on the golden altar before the throne.

The angel takes the censer, fills it with fire from the altar, and hurls it to the earth, causing thunder, rumblings, lightning, and an earthquake. The seven angels prepare to sound their trumpets. The first four trumpets cause various devastations on earth.

Chapter 9 – The Fifth and Sixth Trumpets

In Chapter 9 , the fifth angel blows his trumpet, and John sees a star fallen from heaven. The star opens the Abyss, and smoke rises with locusts that have the power to torment but not kill. They have a king, Abaddon.

The sixth angel sounds his trumpet, releasing four angels bound at the Euphrates River. These angels command an army of two hundred million, and a third of mankind is killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur.

Chapter 10 – The Angel and the Little Scroll

Chapter 10 presents another wonder – a mighty angel coming down from heaven, robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head. He holds a little scroll, and his feet are like pillars of fire. He shouts, and the seven thunders utter their voices.

John is about to write what the thunders said, but a voice from heaven stops him. The angel, raising his hand to heaven, swears that there will be no more delay. John is told to take the scroll from the angel and eat it; it tastes sweet but turns bitter in his stomach.

Chapter 11 – The Two Witnesses and the Seventh Trumpet

In Chapter 11 , John is given a measuring rod to measure the temple of God. But the outer court is left out, for it is given to the nations who will trample the holy city. Then, two witnesses, clothed in sackcloth, prophesy for 1,260 days. These witnesses have the power to shut the sky and turn waters into blood.

After they finish their testimony, the beast kills them. Their bodies lie in the street for three and a half days. Suddenly, they are resurrected and ascend to heaven in a cloud. Then, the seventh trumpet sounds, and loud voices in heaven proclaim that the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of the Lord and His Christ.

Chapter 12 – The Woman, the Dragon, and the Male Child

Chapter 12 is awash with vivid imagery. A great sign appears in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars. She is in labor. Another sign appears: a great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, ready to devour her child.

The woman gives birth to a male child, destined to rule the nations. The child is caught up to God’s throne. A war breaks out in heaven between Michael and the dragon. The dragon is hurled down to earth. The woman flees to the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God.

Chapter 13 – The Beast from the Sea and the Beast from the Earth

In Chapter 13, John sees a beast rising out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns. One of the heads seems fatally wounded, but its wound is healed. The whole world follows the beast, marveling at it. The beast blasphemes against God and makes war against the saints.

Then, another beast comes out of the earth, having two horns like a lamb but speaking like a dragon. It exercises authority on behalf of the first beast, causing people to worship it. It also forces all people to receive a mark on their right hand or forehead.

Chapter 14 – The Lamb and the 144,000, and the Three Angels

Chapter 14 opens with the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him, 144,000 who have His name and His Father’s name on their foreheads. They sing a new song. Three angels then fly in mid-air. The first proclaims the eternal gospel, the second announces Babylon’s fall, and the third warns against worshipping the beast and receiving its mark.

Next, a white cloud appears, and on it sits one like the Son of Man with a crown and sharp sickle. An angel calls for the harvest of the earth. Another angel with a sharp sickle gathers clusters of grapes and throws them into the winepress of God’s wrath.

Chapter 15 – The Seven Last Plagues

In Chapter 15, John sees seven angels with the seven last plagues. He also sees a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those victorious over the beast stand beside it, singing the song of Moses and the Lamb.

Then the sanctuary in the heavenly tabernacle opens, and out come the seven angels with the plagues. They are given seven golden bowls full of God’s wrath. The sanctuary is filled with smoke from God’s glory, and no one can enter until the seven plagues are completed.

Chapter 16 – The Bowls of God’s Wrath

Chapter 16 is a cascade of judgments. The seven angels pour out their bowls upon the earth. The first turns into ugly sores on those with the mark of the beast. The second turns the sea into blood. The third turns rivers into blood. The fourth causes the sun to scorch people with fire. The fifth plunges the throne of the beast into darkness. The sixth dries up the Euphrates River, preparing the way for the kings from the East. The seventh results in thunder, lightning, an earthquake, and hail.

During this time, unclean spirits resembling frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. They are demonic spirits performing signs and gathering kings for the battle on the great day of God Almighty, at a place called Armageddon.

Chapter 17 – The Great Prostitute and the Beas

In Chapter 17, one of the angels with the seven bowls talks to John, showing him the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters. John is carried away in the Spirit to a wilderness where he sees a woman sitting on a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns.

The woman, dressed in purple and scarlet, holds a golden cup full of abominations. On her forehead is written: “Babylon the Great.” The angel explains that the seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits and also seven kings, while the ten horns are ten kings who will receive authority.

Chapter 18 – The Fall of Babylon

Chapter 18 heralds the fall of Babylon. An angel with great authority comes down from heaven, illuminating the earth with his glory. He announces that Babylon the Great has fallen and become a home for demons. Another voice calls for God’s people to come out of her, so they don’t share in her sins or plagues.

Kings, merchants, and seafarers mourn over Babylon, as her destruction is swift. She is thrown down, never to be found again. The chapter ends with a call to rejoice over her fall, as God has avenged the blood of His servants.

Chapter 19 – The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

Chapter 19 is a celebration! A multitude in heaven shouts praises to God, rejoicing over the judgment of the great prostitute. They exclaim, “Hallelujah!” and prepare for the wedding of the Lamb. The Bride has made herself ready, clothed in fine linen.

Suddenly, John sees heaven open, and a white horse appears. Its rider, called Faithful and True, judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. The armies of heaven follow Him. The beast and false prophet are captured and thrown into the fiery lake.

Chapter 20 – The Thousand-Year Reign and Judgment

Chapter 20 unveils the binding of Satan for a thousand years. An angel seizes the dragon and binds him in the Abyss. During this time, those martyred reign with Christ. After the thousand years, Satan is released and gathers nations for battle, but fire from heaven consumes them.

The dead are then judged before the great white throne. Death and Hades give up their dead, and each person is judged according to their deeds. Death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire, the second death. Anyone whose name is not in the Book of Life is also thrown into the lake of fire.

Chapter 21 – A New Heaven and a New Earth

Chapter 21 paints a picture of the new heaven and new earth, for the old have passed away. The Holy City, New Jerusalem, comes down from heaven, prepared as a bride. God dwells with His people, wiping away their tears.

The city is made of gold and adorned with precious stones. It has twelve gates, with an angel at each gate, and the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. The city’s wall has twelve foundations, with the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The city has no need of the sun or the moon, for the glory of God illuminates it, and the Lamb is its lamp.

Chapter 22 – The River of Life and the Final Invitation

Finally, in Chapter 22, John sees a river of the water of life flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb, through the middle of the New Jerusalem. On either side of the river stands the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit.

Then the angel shows John that the curse will be no more. The servants of God will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. The chapter ends with a final invitation and warning. The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!” Let all who hear say, “Come!” Let all who are thirsty come!

The book closes with a promise from Jesus: “ Yes, I am coming soon. ” John replies with an eager plea that reflects the longing of believers throughout the centuries: “ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus .”

( Also Read :  The Book of Genesis Summary by Chapter )

This marks the end of our summary of the Book of Revelation chapter by chapter. Hopefully, you have found this summary enlightening and helpful in your reading and understanding of this profound book. While it is but a summary, may it ignite in your hearts a desire to delve deeper into the richness of God’s Word. Happy reading!

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3 thoughts on “The Book of Revelation Summary By Chapter (1-22): Very Concise and Comprehensive”

This is a very good summary. Thank you for your hard work. God bless you.

An excellent summary highlighting the main points for each chapter is easier to comprehend. Thank you and God Bless KJ

This is exactly what I have been looking for. On my first reading of Revelations I found it particularly hard to understand and I thank you for producing this.

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Don Stewart :: What Is Progressive Revelation?

The things that God revealed to humanity were not all given at once. His revelation was given in stages. This is known as progressive revelation. The Apostle Paul wrote.

Now to the One who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith ( Romans 16:24 , 25 ).

Paul made a distinction between the revelation which God formerly gave and that which He was presently giving.

The Old Testament Is Incomplete

Progressive revelation means that God did not unfold His entire plan to humanity in the Book of Genesis or, for that matter, in the entire Old Testament. The Old Testament revelation, though accurate, is incomplete. The fullness of certain teachings cannot be found in the Old Testament.

In addition, the Old Testament records predictions that were still to be fulfilled. For example, the Old Testament ends with the promise of the coming of Elijah who will prepare the way for the promised deliverer - the Messiah.

See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse ( Malachi 4:5 , 6 ).

The Old Testament Is Not Less True

Progressive revelation does not mean to say that the Old Testament is somehow less true than the New Testament. The progress was not from untruth to truth - it was from less information to more full information. It merely states that the revelation found in the New Testament is complete. Jude wrote.

I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which has once for all delivered to the saints ( Jude 3 ).

The faith has now been once and for all delivered. Nothing needs to be added to it and nothing should be subtracted from it.

It is important to understand that progressive revelation does not contradict previous revelations but rather clarifies and develops the things previously revealed. Jesus said the Law would be entirely fulfilled, not broken.

For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished ( Matthew 5:18 ).

Jesus did not contradict the Old Testament law - rather he fulfilled it.

The Bible makes a distinction between the time before and after Christ.

The writer to the Hebrews said.

Before Jesus Christ died and came back from the dead, the things He revealed to His own disciples were limited. It would have been impractical for Jesus to give a full explanation of His death and resurrection before they actually occurred. After His resurrection the meaning of his death became more and more clear. God continued to explain the meaning of the cross and the resurrection to His people in the remainder of the New Testament era.

Consequently Jesus promised them that more revelation from God was to come after He left this world.

I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now ( John 16:12 ).

Jesus gave further revelation about God. He said.

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. he will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you ( John 16:13-15 ).

Jesus' Disciples Would Bear Witness Of Him

Jesus told His disciples that would bear witness of Him to the world.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth ( Acts 1:8 ).

In the past, Judaism was the true religion. Today it is not. It is through Jesus Christ that God speaks to humanity. The Bible says.

No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known ( John 1:18 ).

Paul wrote about the old system fading away.

Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns humankind is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! ( 2 Corinthians 3:7-11 ).

John made it clear who it is that can personally know God the Father.

No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also ( 1 John 2:23 ).

Therefore one can only know God the Father today through the person of Jesus Christ. There is no other way.

The Bible Would Seem Contradictory If Progressive Revelation Is Not Understood

Abraham's Descendants Were Commanded To Be Circumcised

In the Old Testament period the all the newborn males of Abraham's descendants were to be circumcised. The Lord said.

This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised ( Genesis 17:10 )

In the New Testament we are told that circumcision means nothing.

Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you ( Galatians 5:2 ).

Israel Was Commanded To Observe The Sabbath

The Lord told Israel to observe the Sabbath - the seventh day.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy ( Exodus 20:8 ).

In the New Testament age, the believers met on the first day of the week.

On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight ( Acts 20:7 ).

In addition, the laws connected with Sabbath are not something that believers are commanded to observe. Paul wrote.

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ ( Colossians 2:16 , 17 ).

For example Jesus told His disciples to only go to the Jews with his message - they were not to go to the Gentiles.

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: "The kingdom of heaven is near" ( Matthew 10:5-7 ).

He also told a Gentile woman that He was not sent to their people.

He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel" ( Matthew 15:25 ).

Later He told them to preach His message to all nations.

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you. I am with you always, even to the end of the age" ( Matthew 28:18-20 ).

Jesus Sent Out His Disciples With Limited Resources

When Jesus first sent out His disciples He told them to go out with limited resources.

And he said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece ( Luke 9:3 ).

Shortly before His death Jesus told them something different.

And he said to them, "But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one" ( Luke 22:36 ).

If a person rejects progressive revelation, then these passages will have to be considered as contradictory if one accepts them at face value.

We Are Not Told Why God Did It This Way

Finally we must note that the Scripture nowhere tells us why God chose to reveal His Word in sixty-six separate books over a fifteen hundred year span. Since He has not told us why He has revealed Himself in this manner, then we cannot really know why this is the case.

The Scriptures testify to a progression of God's revelation of Himself to humanity. He did not reveal the fullness of His truth in the beginning, yet what He revealed was always true. Each portion of Scripture was built on the previous one.

In the Old Testament God was saving people through the testimony of the nation Israel. However this is no longer the case. Only through Jesus Christ can a person now be saved. Christianity is now the true faith.

If one does not understand the progressive nature of God's revelation, then the Scripture will seem to be contradictory at a number of points. Once progressive revelation is understood, then the so-called contradictions disappear.

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Old Testament

New testament.

Revelation 16 English Standard Version

The seven bowls of god's wrath.

16  Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling ( A ) the seven angels, “Go and ( B ) pour out on the earth ( C ) the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”

2  So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful ( D ) sores came upon the people who bore ( E ) the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.

3  The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and ( F ) it became like the blood of a corpse, and ( G ) every living thing died that was in the sea.

4  The third angel poured out his bowl into ( H ) the rivers and the springs of water, and ( I ) they became blood. 5  And I heard the angel in charge of the waters [ a ] say,

( J ) “Just are you, ( K ) O Holy One, ( L ) who is and who was,      for you brought these judgments. 6  For ( M ) they have shed the blood of ( N ) saints and prophets,      and ( O ) you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!”

7  And I heard ( P ) the altar saying,

“Yes, Lord God the Almighty,      ( Q ) true and just are your judgments!”

8  The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people ( R ) with fire. 9  They were scorched by the fierce heat, and ( S ) they cursed [ b ] the name of God who had power over these plagues. ( T ) They did not repent ( U ) and give him glory.

10  The fifth angel poured out his bowl on ( V ) the throne of the beast, and ( W ) its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11  and cursed ( X ) the God of heaven for their pain and ( Y ) sores. ( Z ) They did not repent of their deeds.

12  The sixth angel poured out his bowl on ( AA ) the great river Euphrates, and ( AB ) its water was dried up, ( AC ) to prepare the way for the kings ( AD ) from the east. 13  And I saw, coming out of the mouth of ( AE ) the dragon and out of the mouth of ( AF ) the beast and out of the mouth of ( AG ) the false prophet, three ( AH ) unclean spirits like ( AI ) frogs. 14  For they are ( AJ ) demonic spirits, ( AK ) performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, ( AL ) to assemble them for battle on ( AM ) the great day of God the Almighty. 15  (“Behold, ( AN ) I am coming like a thief! ( AO ) Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, ( AP ) that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) 16  And ( AQ ) they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called ( AR ) Armageddon.

The Seventh Bowl

17  The seventh angel poured out his bowl into ( AS ) the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, ( AT ) “It is done!” 18  And there were ( AU ) flashes of lightning, rumblings, [ c ] peals of thunder, and ( AV ) a great earthquake ( AW ) such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. 19  ( AX ) The great city ( AY ) was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God ( AZ ) remembered ( BA ) Babylon the great, ( BB ) to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20  And ( BC ) every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. 21  And ( BD ) great hailstones, about one hundred pounds [ d ] each, fell from heaven on people; and ( BE ) they cursed God for ( BF ) the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.

• Revelation 16:5 Greek angel of the waters
• Revelation 16:9 Greek blasphemed ; also verses 11 , 21
• Revelation 16:18 Or voices , or sounds
• Revelation 16:21 Greek a talent in weight

Cross references

• Revelation 16:1 : See ch. 15:1
• Revelation 16:1 : Ps. 79:6; Jer. 10:25; Zeph. 3:8
• Revelation 16:1 : ch. 15:7
• Revelation 16:2 : ver. 11; Ex. 9:9-11
• Revelation 16:2 : ch. 13:16
• Revelation 16:3 : ch. 8:8
• Revelation 16:3 : ch. 8:9
• Revelation 16:4 : ch. 8:10
• Revelation 16:4 : Ex. 7:17-20
• Revelation 16:5 : Jer. 12:1; John 17:25
• Revelation 16:5 : ch. 15:4
• Revelation 16:5 : ch. 11:17; [ch. 1:4, 8; 4:8]
• Revelation 16:6 : ch. 18:24; [ch. 13:15]
• Revelation 16:6 : ch. 11:18
• Revelation 16:6 : [Isa. 49:26; Luke 11:49, 50]
• Revelation 16:7 : ch. 6:9
• Revelation 16:7 : ch. 15:3; 19:2; [Ps. 119:137]
• Revelation 16:8 : ch. 9:17; [ch. 14:18]
• Revelation 16:9 : ver. 11, 21
• Revelation 16:9 : [Dan. 5:22]; See ch. 2:21
• Revelation 16:9 : [Dan. 5:23]; See ch. 11:13
• Revelation 16:10 : ch. 13:2
• Revelation 16:10 : ch. 9:2; Ex. 10:21
• Revelation 16:11 : ch. 11:13
• Revelation 16:11 : ver. 2
• Revelation 16:11 : See ch. 2:21
• Revelation 16:12 : ch. 9:14
• Revelation 16:12 : Isa. 11:15; 44:27; Jer. 50:38; 51:32, 36
• Revelation 16:12 : [Isa. 41:2, 25; 46:11]
• Revelation 16:12 : ch. 7:2
• Revelation 16:13 : ch. 12:3, 9
• Revelation 16:13 : ch. 13:1
• Revelation 16:13 : ch. 19:20; 20:10; [ch. 13:11, 14]
• Revelation 16:13 : ch. 18:2
• Revelation 16:13 : [Ex. 8:6]
• Revelation 16:14 : [1 Tim. 4:1]
• Revelation 16:14 : See ch. 13:13
• Revelation 16:14 : ch. 20:8; [ch. 17:14; 19:19; 1 Kgs. 22:20]
• Revelation 16:14 : See ch. 6:17
• Revelation 16:15 : See ch. 3:3
• Revelation 16:15 : ch. 3:2, 3; See Matt. 24:42
• Revelation 16:15 : ch. 3:18
• Revelation 16:16 : ch. 19:19
• Revelation 16:16 : Zech. 12:11; See Judg. 5:19
• Revelation 16:17 : [Eph. 2:2]
• Revelation 16:17 : See ch. 10:6
• Revelation 16:18 : ch. 4:5; 8:5; 11:19
• Revelation 16:18 : ch. 6:12; 11:13
• Revelation 16:18 : Dan. 12:1; Joel 2:2; Matt. 24:21
• Revelation 16:19 : ch. 11:8
• Revelation 16:19 : [ch. 11:13]
• Revelation 16:19 : ch. 18:5; [Ps. 74:18]
• Revelation 16:19 : See ch. 14:8
• Revelation 16:19 : See ch. 14:10
• Revelation 16:20 : See ch. 6:14
• Revelation 16:21 : ch. 11:19
• Revelation 16:21 : ver. 9, 11
• Revelation 16:21 : Ex. 9:23-25

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

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The Existence of God

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The existence and attributes of God are evident from the creation itself, even though sinful human beings suppress and distort their natural knowledge of God.

The existence of God is foundational to the study of theology. The Bible does not seek to prove God’s existence, but rather takes it for granted. Scripture expresses a strong doctrine of natural revelation: the existence and attributes of God are evident from the creation itself, even though sinful human beings suppress and distort their natural knowledge of God. The dominant question in the Old and New Testaments is not whether God is, but rather who God is. Philosophers both Christian and non-Christian have offered a wide range of arguments for God’s existence, and the discipline of natural theology (what can be known or proven about God from nature alone) is flourishing today. Some philosophers, however, have proposed that belief in God is rationally justified even without theistic arguments or evidences. Meanwhile, professing atheists have offered arguments against God’s existence; the most popular is the argument from evil, which contends that the existence and extent of evil in the world gives us good reason not to believe in God. In response, Christian thinkers have developed various theodicies, which seek to explain why God is morally justified in permitting the evils we observe.

If theology is the study of God and his works, then the existence of God is as foundational to theology as the existence of rocks is to geology. Two basic questions have been raised regarding belief in God’s existence: (1) Is it true ? (2) Is it rationally justified (and if so, on what grounds)? The second is distinct from the first because a belief can be true without being rationally justified (e.g., someone might irrationally believe that he’ll die on a Thursday, a belief that turns out by chance to be true). Philosophers have grappled with both questions for millennia. In this essay, we will consider what the Bible says in answer to these questions, before sampling the answers of some influential Christian thinkers.

Scripture and the Existence of God

The Bible opens not with a proof of God’s existence, but with a pronouncement of God’s works: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” This foundational assertion of Scripture assumes that the reader not only knows already that God exists, but also has a basic grasp of who this God is. Throughout the Old Testament, belief in a creator God is treated as normal and natural for all human beings, even though the pagan nations have fallen into confusions about the true identity of this God. Psalm 19 vividly expresses a doctrine of natural revelation: the entire created universe ‘declares’ and ‘proclaims’ the glorious works of God. Proverbs tells us that “the fear of the Lord” is the starting point for knowledge and wisdom (Prov. 1:7; 9:10; cf. Psa. 111:10). Denying God’s existence is therefore intellectually and morally perverse (Psa. 14:1; 53:1). Indeed, the dominant concern throughout the Old Testament is not whether God is, but who God is. Is Yahweh the one true God or not (Deut. 4:35; 1Kgs. 18:21, 37, 39; Jer. 10:10)? The worldview that provides the foil for Hebrew monotheism is pagan polytheism rather than secular atheism.

This stance on the existence of God continues into the New Testament, which builds on the foundation of the uncompromising monotheism of the Old. In his epistle to the Romans, the apostle Paul insists that God’s “eternal power and divine nature” are clearly perceived from the created order itself. Objectively speaking, there can be no rational basis for doubt about the existence of a transcendent personal creator, and thus there can be no excuse for unbelief (Rom. 1:20). Endued with a natural knowledge of our creator we owe God our honor and thanks, and our failure to do so serves as the primary basis for the manifestation of God’s wrath and judgment. The apostle’s robust doctrine of natural revelation has raised the question of whether anyone can truly be an atheist. The answer will depend, first, on how “atheist” is defined, and second, on what precisely Paul means when he speaks of people “knowing” God. If the idea is that all men retain some genuine knowledge of God, despite their sinful suppression of natural revelation, it’s hard to maintain that anyone could completely lack any cognitive awareness of God’s existence. But if “atheist” is defined as someone who denies the existence of God or professes not to believe in God, Romans 1 not only allows for the existence of atheists – it effectively predicts it. Atheism might then be understood as a form of culpable self-deception.

Paul’s convictions about natural revelation are put to work in his preaching to Gentile audiences in Lystra and Athens (Acts 14:15–17; 17:22–31). Paul assumes not only that his hearers know certain things about God from the created order but also that they have sinfully suppressed and distorted these revealed truths, turning instead to idolatrous worship of the creation (cf. Rom. 1:22–25). Even so, his appeals to general revelation are never offered in isolation from special revelation: the Old Testament Scriptures, the person of Jesus Christ, and the testimony of Christ’s apostles.

Elsewhere in the New Testament, the question of the existence of God is almost never explicitly raised, but rather serves as a foundational presupposition, an unquestionable background assumption. One exception would be the writer to the Hebrews, who remarks that “whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (11:6). In general, the New Testament is concerned less with philosophical questions about the existence of God than with practical questions about how sinners can have a saving relationship with the God whose existence is obvious. As in the Old Testament, the pressing question is never whether God is, but who God is. Is Jesus Christ the revelation of God in human flesh or not? That’s the crux of the issue.

Arguments for the Existence of God

Consider again the two questions mentioned at the outset. (1) Is belief in God true ? (2) Is it rationally justified ? One appealing way to answer both questions affirmatively is to offer a theistic argument that seeks to infer God’s existence from other things we know, observe, or take for granted. A cogent theistic argument, one assumes, would not only demonstrate the truth of God’s existence but also provide rational justification for believing it. There is a vast literature on theistic arguments, so only a sampling of highlights can be given here.

The first generation of Christian apologists felt little need to argue for God’s existence for the same reason one finds no such arguments in the New Testament: the main challenges to Christian theism came not from atheism, but from non-Christian theism (Judaism) and pagan polytheism. Not until the medieval period do we find formal arguments for the existence of God offered, and even then the arguments do not function primarily as refutations of atheism but as philosophical meditations on the nature of God and the relationship between faith and reason.

One of the most famous and controversial is the ontological argument of St. Anselm (1033–1109) according to which God’s existence can be deduced merely from the definition of God, such that atheism leads inevitably to self-contradiction. One distinctive of the argument is that it relies on pure reason alone with no dependence on empirical premises. Various versions of the ontological argument have been developed and defended, and opinion is sharply divided even among Christian philosophers over whether there are, or even could be, any sound versions.

Cosmological arguments seek to demonstrate that that the existence of the universe, or some phenomenon within the universe, demands a causal explanation originating in a necessary first cause beyond the universe. St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) famously offered “Five Ways” of demonstrating God’s existence, each of which can be understood as kind of cosmological argument. For example, one of the Five Ways argues that any motion (change) has to be explained by some mover (cause).  If that mover itself exhibits motion, there must be a prior mover to explain it, and because there cannot be an infinite regress of moved movers, there must be an original unmoved mover : an eternal, immutable, and self-existent first cause. Other notable defenders of cosmological arguments include G. W. Leibniz (1646–1716) and Samuel Clarke (1675–1729), and more recently Richard Swinburne and William Lane Craig.

Teleological arguments , which along with cosmological arguments can be traced back to the ancient Greeks, contend that God is the best explanation for apparent design or order in the universe. Simply put, design requires a designer, and thus the appearance of design in the natural world is evidence of a supernatural designer. William Paley (1743–1805) is best known for his argument from analogy which compares functional arrangements in natural organisms to those in human artifacts such as pocket watches. While design arguments suffered a setback with the rise of the Darwinian theory of evolution, which purports to explain the apparent design of organisms in terms of undirected adaptive processes, the so-called Intelligent Design Movement has reinvigorated teleological arguments with insights from contemporary cosmology and molecular biology while exposing serious shortcomings in naturalistic Darwinian explanations.

In the twentieth century, the moral argument gained considerable popularity, not least due to its deployment by C. S. Lewis (1898–1963) in his bestseller Mere Christianity . The argument typically aims to show that only a theistic worldview can account for objective moral laws and values. As with the other theistic arguments there are many different versions of the moral argument, trading on various aspects of our moral intuitions and assumptions. Since such arguments are typically premised on moral realism —the view that there are objective moral truths that cannot be reduced to mere human preferences or conventions—extra work is often required to defend such arguments in a culture where moral sensibilities have been eroded by subjectivism, relativism, and nihilism.

Cornelius Van Til (1895–1987) gained some notoriety for his forceful criticisms of the “traditional method” of Christian apologetics which capitulated to “autonomous human reason.” Van Til held that any respectable theistic argument ought to disclose the undeniability of the triune God revealed in Scripture, not merely a First Cause or Intelligent Designer. He therefore advocated an alternative approach, centered on a transcendental argument for the existence of God, whereby the Christian seeks to show that human reason, far from being autonomous and self-sufficient, presupposes the God of Christianity, the “All-Conditioner” who created, sustains, and directs all things according to the counsel of his will. As Van Til put it, we should argue “from the impossibility of the contrary”: if we deny the God of the Bible, we jettison the very grounds for assuming that our minds have the capacity for rational thought and for reliable knowledge of the world.

Since the renaissance of Christian philosophy in the second half of the twentieth century, there has been renewed interest and enthusiasm for the project of developing and defending theistic arguments. New and improved versions of the classical arguments have been offered, while developments in contemporary analytic philosophy have opened up new avenues for natural theology. In his 1986 lecture, “Two Dozen (or so) Theistic Arguments,” Alvin Plantinga sketched out an entire A to Z of arguments for God, most of which had never been previously explored. Plantinga’s suggestions have since been expanded into a book-length treatment by other philosophers. The discipline of Christian natural theology is thriving as never before.

Basic Belief in the Existence of God

Still, are any of these arguments actually needed? Does confidence about God’s existence have to be funded by philosophical proofs? Since the Enlightenment, it has often been held that belief in God is rationally justified only if it can be supported by philosophical proofs or scientific evidences. While Romans 1:18–21 has sometimes been taken as a mandate for theistic arguments, Paul’s language in that passage suggests that our knowledge of God from natural revelation is far more immediate, intuitive, and universally accessible.

In the opening chapters of his Institutes of the Christian Religion , John Calvin (1509–1564) considers what can be known of God apart from special revelation and asserts that a natural knowledge has been universally implanted in mankind by the Creator: “There is within the human mind, and indeed by natural instinct, an awareness of divinity” ( Institutes , I.3.1). Calvin speaks of a sensus divinitatis , “a sense of deity,” possessed by every single person in virtue of being created in God’s image. This internal awareness of the Creator “can never be effaced,” even though sinful men “struggle furiously” to escape it. Our implanted natural knowledge of God can be likened in some respects to our natural knowledge of the moral law through the God-given faculty of conscience (Rom. 2:14-15). We know instinctively that it’s wrong to lie and steal; no philosophical argument is needed to prove such things. Similarly, we know instinctively that there is a God who made us and to whom we owe honor and thanks.

In the 1980s, a number of Protestant philosophers led by Alvin Plantinga, Nicholas Wolterstorff, and William Alston developed a sophisticated defense of Calvin’s notion of the sensus divinitatis . Dubbed the “Reformed epistemologists,” they argued that theistic beliefs can be (and normally should be) properly basic : rationally justified even without empirical evidences or philosophical proofs. On this view, believing that God exists is comparable to believing that the world of our experience really exists; it’s entirely rational, even if we can’t philosophically demonstrate it. Indeed, it would be quite dysfunctional to believe otherwise.

Arguments Against the Existence of God

Even granting that there is a universal natural knowledge of God, there are unquestionably people who deny God’s existence and offer arguments in their defense. Some have attempted to exposed contradictions within the concept of God (e.g., between omniscience and divine freedom) thereby likening God to a “square circle” whose existence is logically impossible. At most such arguments only rule out certain conceptions of God, conceptions that are often at odds with the biblical view of God in any case.

A less ambitious approach is to place the burden of proof on the theist: in the absence of good arguments for God’s existence, one ought to adopt the “default” position of atheism (or at least agnosticism). This stance is hard to maintain given the many impressive theistic arguments championed by Christian philosophers today, not to mention the Reformed epistemologists’ argument that belief in God is properly basic.

The most popular atheistic argument is undoubtedly the argument from evil. The strong version of the argument maintains that the existence of evil is logically incompatible with the existence of an all-good, all-powerful God. The more modest version contends that particularly horrifying and seemingly gratuitous instances of evil, such as the Holocaust, provide strong evidence against God’s existence. The problem of evil has invited various theodicies : attempts to explain how God can be morally justified in permitting the evils we encounter in the world. While such explanations can be useful, they aren’t strictly necessary for rebutting the argument from evil. It is enough to point out that given the complexities of the world and the considerable limitations of human knowledge, we are in no position to conclude that God couldn’t have morally justifying reasons for allowing the evils we observe. Indeed, if we already have grounds for believing in God, we can reasonably conclude that God must have such reasons, whether or not we can discern them.

Further Reading

• James N. Anderson, “Can We Prove the Existence of God?” The Gospel Coalition , April 16, 2012.
• Greg L. Bahnsen, “ The Crucial Concept of Self-Deception in Presuppositional Apologetics ,” Westminster Theological Journal 57 (1995): 1–32.
• John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion , Book I, Chapters 1-5.
• William Lane Craig and J. P. Moreland, eds, The Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology (Wiley-Blackwell, 2009).
• John M. Frame, Nature’s Case for God (Lexham Press, 2018).
• C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (Fontana Books, 1955).
• Alvin Plantinga, Knowledge and Christian Belief (Eerdmans, 2015).
• Cornelius Van Til, Why I Believe in God (Committee on Christian Education, Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 1966).
• Jerry L. Walls and Trent Dougherty, eds, Two Dozen (or so) Arguments for God (Oxford University Press, 2018).
• Greg Welty, Why Is There Evil in the World (And So Much Of It)? (Christian Focus, 2018).

This essay is part of the Concise Theology series. All views expressed in this essay are those of the author. This essay is freely available under Creative Commons License with Attribution-ShareAlike, allowing users to share it in other mediums/formats and adapt/translate the content as long as an attribution link, indication of changes, and the same Creative Commons License applies to that material.