Symbols (LF)

It has been my experience that most Christians look at the book of the Revelation and it is just a big question mark.  Others just simply repeat what ever they have heard or read in a book.  Most people on their own are just lost in the words.  However, there is a way the book of Revelation can become an open book.  Key to understanding the book of Revelation as well as the Lake of Fire is found in Revelation 1:1.

¹The Revelation of Yeshua Messiah, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

The key is in the word signify.  It comes from the Greek word semaino {say-mah’-ee-no}.  It means to give a sign and a sign is not literal, it is a symbol.  This explains why many people have a difficult time understanding the book of Revelation.  Many attempt to literalize a symbolic book.

To understand this principle, consider how semaino {say-mah’-ee-no} is used earlier in the Bible.  It is found in the New Testament six times.  First in John 12:33:

³³ This he said, signifying what death he should die.

Signifying is the Greek word semaino {say-mah’-ee-no}.  The verses prior to John 12:33 provide the symbols to explain why semaino {say-mah’-ee-no} was used, John 12:30-32.

³⁰Yeshua answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. ³¹Now is the judgment (krisis) of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. ³²And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Yeshua said He would be lifted up.  He did not say that He would die on the cross, be resurrected or that many would seek His name.  Yeshua was signifying or symbolically making known His death and that many would come to the faith.  When Yeshua said this the disciples did not understand.  Later, when the crucifixion and resurrection occurred, the disciples understood because of the symbols.

Another example in John 21:19:

¹⁹ This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

Again, signifying is the Greek word semaino {say-mah’-ee-no}.  Yeshua is speaking of someone’s death.  Reading a few verses before, John 21:17-18.

¹⁷He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Yeshua saith unto him, Feed my sheep. ¹⁸Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

Yeshua was speaking to Peter.  He made known that Peter would stretch forth his hands when he died and that Peter would have to be carried.  Yeshua was describing symbolically, Peter’s eventual death.  Church history recorded that Peter died on the cross upside down and was carried to the place he was to be crucified.  It is true that Peter choose to be upside down, but overall this was not of Peter’s own choosing.  When Yeshua stated these words not many would you have guessed how Peter was going to die.  However, when it occurred, it was quite evident that Yeshua’s words were symbolic of Peter’s death.

In each case, Yeshua provides a symbol and through the symbol, He makes known information.  However, the symbol is not literal.  These passages are not to be taken literally, they have a symbolic meaning as does most of the Bible.

This is true of the book of Revelation.  There are many symbols that should not be interpreted literally.  They are symbolic truths that require interpretation.  If one tries to understand it literally, they will end up with confusion and contradictions.  So many believers and nonbelievers alike assume that the book of Revelation as well as the whole Bible is literal.  That would mean the following will happen as written, Revelation 9:7-10:

⁷And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. ⁸And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. ⁹And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. ¹⁰And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.

There are many because of this actually believe that there will be locust that wear crowns, with faces like man, hair like a woman and will be wearing breast plates.  One individual stated that just because there are none today that does not mean that God will not create them in the future.  It is time to become true to the word and realize that one must study the word.

Knowing and applying this principle will make understanding the book of Revelation easier.

All the symbols in the book of Revelation are explained in the Bible.  And many, are explained right in the book of Revelation itself.  All one has to do is learn to compare scripture with scripture and the Bible will interpret itself

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