To identify and understand the key personages in the Book of Revelation—divine, angelic, symbolic, and human—and their roles in the unfolding of the great controversy between Christ and Satan, so that God's people may be prepared to discern prophetic events and take their place in the closing work of the gospel.
This study will help:
Clarify symbolic representations in Revelation.
Strengthen faith in the prophetic word.
Equip the remnant to understand their identity and mission.
The Book of Revelation is more than a book of symbols and judgments—it is a drama of personages. These figures are central to understanding the conflict between good and evil and the victory of Christ over all powers of darkness.
Christ is central – Revelation is “the Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:1), and He appears repeatedly in symbolic form (Lamb, Rider on a White Horse, etc.).
Understanding prophecy through people – Many of the major messages in Revelation are delivered or enacted through distinct characters (e.g., the woman clothed with the sun, the dragon, the beast, the 144,000).
Each personage represents a principle, power, or group that plays a role in the final events of earth’s history.
The remnant must recognize their place among these personages, especially as they relate to the messages of the three angels and the sealing work.
According to the Spirit of Prophecy, “The books of Daniel and Revelation are one. One is a prophecy, the other a revelation” (TM 115). And in the Shepherd's Rod, we are told that these personages symbolize the actors in the final divine drama. To misidentify them is to misunderstand the final movements of the plan of redemption.
The Personages of Revelation
Son of Man: Rev 1:12-20
v “like a son of man” – see Dan 7:13-14 → being in God’s presence – Cf Ezekiel – “son of man” → prophet himself – cf Mark → Son of Man = Jesus – Jesus Christ
v attire – regal – kingly or royal presentation
v appearance – head and hair white as snow – eyes like blazing fire – feet like polished bronze – voice like waterfalls – face like noonday sun – hand holds seven stars – mouth holds two-edged sword – awesome appearance – pictures of power and glory
v names – First and Last – Living One – self-existent one – all-encompassing one activity – dead but alive forevermore – resurrected one – holds keys of death and hades
One sitting on Throne: Rev 4:1-11 – cp Dan 7:9-10 & Eze 1:22-28
v throne – regal – royal – kingly symbol
v appearance – jasper and carnelian (precious stones) → glorious – rainbow → cf Gen 9 – symbol of covenantal preservation – lightning & thunder → awesome manifestations – lamps → seven – burning
v 24 elders – on 24 thrones – white raiment – golden crowns – worship God
v 4 living creatures – eyes → intelligence – forms → varied – complex – composite – wings → flight – swiftness – proclaim praises to God → cf Isa 6:3 (seraphs) – cf Ezek 1 (supernatural beings around God’s throne)
v praise – God’s holiness – his creatorship
Lamb: Rev 5:1-14
Ø human ancestry – Lion of the tribe of Judah – Root of David – tribal and family ancestry – cf Matt 1; Luke 2:4
Ø appearance – looked as if killed yet alive – seven horns → symbols of total power/royalty – seven eyes → symbol of total divinity/wisdom
Ø presence – centre of throne – encircled by 4 living creatures – same position as God – expresses his divinity
Ø worshipped – 4 living creatures – 24 elders – cf Phil 2:9-11 – lyres (Gr. kithara) → instruments of praise – bowls of incense → prayers of saints – intercession – new song → voice of praise – celebrates the Lamb’s worthiness – myriads of angels do likewise – multitudes of creation also celebrate
Ø 3 fold praises – 3 fold category of praising ones – completeness of this praise – completeness of Lamb’s worthiness – climax in “Amen”
Ø basis of Lamb’s worthiness – his death – the atonement provided by his death – his having established God’s kingdom on earth
Two Witnesses: Rev 11:1-14
singularity of experience → v 3, 2 witnesses – v 10, 2 prophets – v 4, 2 olive trees & 2 lampstandswho? – Moses & Elijah – Joshua & Zerubbabel (Zec 4)
why two? – 2 witnesses required in Levitical law – kingly & priestly office
empowered – given power by God/Christ
prophesy – proclaim God’s word – certainty of witness – ‘measure temple’ → naos = temple proper – see 21:15-17 & 7:1-8 – see Ezek. 40-44
sackcloth – mourning
time period – 1260 days for 2 witness – 42 months for Gentiles (=nations/contrast to Jews/people outside covenant) – 1260 days = 42 months = 1260 years – same as power of Sea Beast in ch 13 – Elijah shut up the sky for 3½ years (Luke 4:25; Jas 5:17) – Christ: 3 year ministry, 3 days death – Church: 3½ years then 3½ days
2 olive trees – 2 lampstands – before the Lord – cf Zech. 4 – symbol of work of Holy Spirit – they are unquenchable
power over adversaries – vs 5-6 – they are the untouchables – they are invincible – see experiences of Elijah and Moses
target of Sea Beast – vs 7-9 -- 3½ days = ? (1260 years??)
power restored – vs 11.ff – after 3½ days (or 1260 years?) – empowered once more by God
Observations:
two witness are prophetic agencies – they proclaim God’s word – they embody God’s word – they are empowered by God
they are in conflict with and suppressed by Sea Beast over a 1260 year/3½ day period – same period as little horn of Dan 7 & 8 – conflict of the Medieval period?
their restoration coincides with the loss of power of Sea Beast – cf Rev 13 – prophetic mission restored
their work is directly associated with the Holy Spirit – they are the embodiment of the Holy Spirit
Possibilities – 2 real prophets – the Church – the Bible -- the church but problem with the number 2 – the Scriptures as the Holy Spirit inspired prophetic voice of God – the Holy Spirit at work through the Bible and prophetic agencies
The Woman: Rev 12:1-6, 13-17
Celestial attire – clothed with the sun = brilliance – moon under her feet – crown of 12 stars → 12 is the number of God’s people – 12 tribes of Israel – 12 apostles
Pregnant – puts in motion a sequence of events – ready to produce a descendant – becomes target of the Dragon – produced a male descendant → designated world ruler and miraculously preserved to be found in God’s presence – v.6 woman is persecuted and goes into hiding for 1260 days (same period as in chs 11 & 13) or 3½ times (1260 years) v.14 (cf Dan 7 & 8) – woman produces a remnant
Remnant identified by → obedience to God’s law → possession of testimony of Jesus – cf Rev 19:10 testimony of Jesus = spirit of prophecy or prophetic ministry – additional criterion is having the faith of Jesus (Rev 14:12)
Identification of woman – corporate entity of true believers throughout redemptive history = Israel, Church, ++
Dragon: Rev 12:3-4, 7-17
Anti-Michael – v.7
Fallen from heaven – vs 8-9 – cf Isa 14:12 & Eze 28:12-13, 14, 16-17
Captures ⅓ of stars – cf Rev 1:12 – stars = angels? – 12:9b -- ⅓ of angels? – is ⅓ literal? Or representational?
Work – fights against Christ (v.7) – deceives world (v.9) – accuses God’s people (v. 10) – persecutes God’s people (vs 13, 15)
Rage – the object is the church (v.17) – the reason is that he knows his fate (v.12)
Names – dragon – ancient serpent – devil – Satan (v.9)
Sea Beast: Rev 13:1-10
Origin – context of v.1 – out of the sea – cf Rev 17:15 – waters -- sea = peoples
Appearance – 10 horns – 7 heads – blasphemous names – composite animal (cf Dan 7)
Activity – empowered by Dragon (v.2) – was fatally wounded (in Revelation means “plague” as in divinely inflicted) but recovers (v.3) – world is astonished by him, follows him, and worships him (vs.3-4) – Qs → who is like the beast? – cf Dan 12 Michael = who is like God – Rev 1: 4; 5 Christ is like God -- Sea Beast assumes what only belongs to Christ – utters proud words and blasphemes (vs 5-6) – cf Dan 7 the little horn – against God’s name, dwelling place, and heavenly beings – exercises authorities for 42 months = 1260 days/years (v.5) – persecutes God’s people (v.7) – worshipped by all those who do not belong to Jesus – whose names are not in the book of life (v.8)
Identification – apostate Christianity – church in Middle Ages and its affiliates
Features
Dan 7 Dan 8 Dan 11 Rev 13
Human like
7:8 8:23 11:21 13:1, 5
Kingly
7:24 8:23 11:6 13:2, 4
Anti-God
7:25 8:25 11:36-37 13:6
Seeks worship
7:25 8:11 11:31 13:4
Oppresses God’s people
7:25 8:24 11:28, 44 13:7
Time factor
7:25 8:14 11:36b 13:5
Abruptly destroyed
7:26 8:25 11:45b 13:3
Little Horn/King of North/Sea Beast
Land Beast: Rev 13:11-18
Ø Origin – earth – (1) opposite of ‘sea’ or ‘waters’ – waters = peoples of the world – earth = people not of the world (i.e. people of God) – (2) opposite of sea – waters = inhabited/populated world – earth = uninhabited/unpopulated world
Ø Character – deceptive – lamblike yet dragon-like – blend of opposites – gentleness of lamb – ferocity of dragon (v.11) – Matt 7:15 cf Rev 16:13; 19:20; 20:10
Ø Activity – serves as proxy of Sea Beast (v.12) – forces world to worship Sea Beast (v.12 cf Dan 3) – performs miraculous signs and wonders (v.13) – deceives the nations (v.14) – persecutes those who would not worship Sea Beast (vs 14-15) – forces everyone to receive mark of the beast – mark = name of beast = number of his name – uses economic leverage (vs 16-18) – 666 → form of ancient Hebrew game of gematria, eg, Heb nahash (serpent) = mashiach (messiah) – Nero Caesar in Hebrew = 666
Ø Identification – a deadly superpower – an economic and political entity
Observations:
ü The Dragon, the Sea Beast, and the Land Beast are all one of a kind
ü Dragon is inspiration for Sea Beast and Sea Beast is inspiration for Land Beast
ü Dragon = fallen angel – a heavenly/spiritual power – Sea Beast = a human agency – a religious-political power – Land Beast = a human agency – a political-economic power
ü All three stand in opposition to God and his peoples – their purpose is the same – their task is the same --- they form the trinity /axis of evil
Prostitute: Rev 17-18
² Appearance – outlandish attire – purple, scarlet, gold, jewels (v.4) – holds cup filled with wickedness (v.4) – many names (v.5)
² Activity – 17:6 she persecutes God’s people (cf 18:24) – 17:18 she rules over the kings of the earth – 18:5ff she commits great sins – 18:3 she intoxicates kings and merchants (cf 18:19ff.)
² Judgement – 18:2, 20 a divine sentence – 18:6, 18 a fiery sentence – 18:10, 17-19 a quick judgement – 18:10, 15, 17 a terrifying judgement – 18:21ff a violent judgement
² Relationship to Sea Beast – 17:3 initial supremacy over and alliance with Sea Beast – 17:16-17 alliance turns sour – Sea Beast and allies turn against her – 17:12-14 & 18:10, 17, 19 allies arise who lend support to Sea Beast and help bring down Babylon – this conflict also coincides with a major battle against Christ (cf 17:14) – same as battle of Armageddon? (see Rev 16:12-16)
² Relationship to God’s people – 17:6 persecutes – executes this with relish – 18:24 also kills God’s servants – 18:4 some of God’s people are found in her – they are called to leave
² Identification – worldly system – corporate entity of unbelievers
Rider on White Horse: Rev 19:11-21
l Warrior-King – v.11 makes war – rides on horse (cf 2:16) – v.14 armies of heaven follow him (cf Jude 9) – v.15 sharp sword to strike nations (cf Rev 1:16) – rules with iron sceptre (cf Ps 2:9; Gen 49:10) – treads winepress of God’s wrath (cf Isa 5:5-6) – v.19 makes war against Sea Beast and False Prophet (=Land Beast cf Rev 16:13, cf description of miraculous powers) – destroys them – same conflict as Armageddon in Rev 16 :14-16 & 17:14
l Note: Dragon = Satan; Sea Beast = apostate Christianity; Land Beast = superpower proxy
l Awesome appearance – v.12 blazing eyes (cf 1:14) – v.13 robe soaked in blood (cf 1:13; 5:6) – v.15 sword out his mouth
l Special names – v.11 Faithful and True (cf 1:14) – v.13 Word of God (cf John 1:1-3) – v.16 King of Kings and Lord of Lords (cf 17:14; Dan 2:47; Deut 10:17)
l Identification – Jesus Christ
Christ and Sea Beast: Theological Characterisation
Both wielded swords – 2 & 13
Both had followers with names on their foreheads – 13 & 14
Both had horns – 5 & 13
Both were slain – 5 & 13
Both risen to new life and authority – 1; 11; 13
Both given power over every nation, tribe, people, tongue, and kings of earth – 1; 7; 13; 17
Two Witnesses (Holy Spirit) and Land Beast
Designation of prophet
Use of number 2
Phrase “stand before”
Both bring fire from heaven
Both associated with “breath”