Apocalyptic literature, which is a specific type of biblical prophecy, is one of the various genre types found in the Bible. General prophecy, which is far more common in the Bible than apocalyptic, communicates the “word of God” directly to the audience with a frequent “thus says the Lord” formula. Through prophecy, God announces judgment or salvation and how He will work that out in human history. (Also see “4 Tips to Understand the Prophets” and “Tips for Handling 8 Different Literary Genres.”)
Although fascinating, the apocalyptic style is more difficult and less direct than general prophecy. Rather than straight forward declarations, this genre uses dreams, elaborate visions, and strange symbolism to reveal God’s hidden future plans. The word “apocalypse” means “to uncover or reveal.” Although apocalyptic prophecy predicts literal future events, these events are not described in literal ways.
When we think about apocalyptic literature, our thoughts typically go to the book of Revelation. However, we also find this genre type in smaller portions of some of the Old Testament prophets like Daniel, Ezekiel, and Zechariah.
Six Tips for Understanding Apocalyptic Literature
Ready to dive in? Although this literature type is probably the most difficult in Scripture, it is not impossible. You just need the right approach and a few tools. Here are seven tips to help:
- Set realistic expectations – The meaning was far clearer to the book’s first audience than it is for us today. They would have been closely connected to the descriptions and symbolism used. Culture and history have created a big interpretive gap for the modern reader. Plus, the genre is intentionally symbolic. Although God reveals much of Himself and His plans to mankind, He also keeps some things veiled.
- Discover the original historical and cultural context – Although all prophecy has meaning for us today, it had immediate relevance for the first readers. Learn as much as possible about the situation of the original audience so you can properly understand what the prophecy meant for them. Only then can we identify timeless truths and principles to apply to our own lives today. Trustworthy resources can help with this. (See “When Should I Use Bible Study Resources to Aid My Study?”)
- Identify the author’s original purpose – Knowing why the biblical author wrote to this particular audience at that particular time will help us understand the original meaning. For instance, John wrote the book of Revelation to believers in Asia who were suffering under Emperor Nero’s persecution. John’s primary concern was to encourage those first-century believers who faced persecution to stand firm and to be assured that in the end Jesus would vindicate His martyrs. Sometimes the purpose is easy to identify by an overview of the book. If it’s not easily identified, check the book’s introduction in a study Bible or see “First Steps to Study a Bible Book.”
- Remember not all apocalyptic-style prophecy is future for us – Although all prophecy was in the future for the original audience, some of these events are now in our past. For instance, much of what Daniel predicted in chapters 7-12 played out historically between the two testaments. And much of the prophecy in Revelation pointed to events that were near-future for the first audience. While, prophecy often has multiple levels of fulfillment – including still future, end time events – we cannot properly understand it apart from recognizing its original meaning.
- Don’t “over-interpret” the symbols – Look for “big picture” understanding over assigning meaning to every detail. Consider the primary ideas God wants to communicate through the visions, symbols, and dreams. Also look for any interpretation given by the author. For instance, in Revelation John identifies multiple symbols throughout his letter like the seven lampstands (1:20), the dragon (12:9), the bowls of incense (5:8), and the ten horns (17:12).
- Don’t interpret the symbols through a modern lens – Although it’s tempting to impose our own worldview on the symbolism, it can never mean something incomprehensible to the original audience. For instance, the war-like locusts in Revelation 9:7-11 cannot be military helicopters.
I hope these tips help! We don’t have to avoid the apocalyptic literature in the Bible. God wants us to understand His Word.
What about you? Have you read much of the Bible’s apocalyptic literature?
For additional help check out the following articles:
- How to Read Apocalyptic Literature
- 5 Tips for Reading Apocalyptic Literature
- How to Read the Bible: Apocalyptic Literature by the Bible Project
Thank you for sharing. I have tried to read the book of Revelation but I had problems trying to decipher and understand what I was reading.
With the help of your article I will look again at the book of Revelation.
If you’d like to study Revelation I highly recommend Jen Wilkin’s study “Revelation.”