Symbolic Objects in Revelation
As we go further in our study of the symbolism of
Revelation let's keep in mind that the writer wrote
his message primarily for the encouragement and
edification of the Christians of his own time. We
must make a close study of the church of that day
and acquaint ourselves with the moral, religious,
social, and political conditions of the day when the
book was written and must understand the mind of the
people as they faced all the perplexities of a
government intent upon their annihilation.
In Revelation the
ordinary rules of interpretation cannot be followed.
Textural Criticism usually requires that the words
of any passage of Scripture must be understood in
their plain and natural sense unless there is some
reason to take them figuratively. The presumption is
always in favor of the literal meaning. If one
interprets it otherwise, he must show the cause.
This is not the case in Revelation. Because this
book is presented in pictorial form, one must assume
that the symbols are to be taken figuratively unless
there is good reason for regarding them as literal.
There are few places where literal language is used
in the midst of symbolic language, but these stand
out in the context just as Greek words stand out in
a context of English.
When we read the Bible story of David and Goliath we
see the boy, the giant, the armor, the sling and the
victory. This is the entire story and while it
teaches us that God was behind David's victory, the
story does not have any symbolic references and is
to be taken as a literal battle. But when we read in
the seventeenth chapter of Revelation about a
scarlet woman, riding on a beast with seven heads
and ten horns we must see not just the story but
what it symbolizes. We cannot take this as literal
information concerning a literal woman on a literal
beast, rather we must see that the scene symbolizes
some fact or truth in the spiritual life or
experience of Christianity. The interpreter who
starts out to understand Revelation literally starts
in the wrong direction, and the further he proceeds
in this direction the less he will understand the
The writer uses these symbols to communicate his
thoughts to those who will read and understand the
symbols and at the same time in order to conceal his
ideas from those outside the Christian circle. To us
living in the present time this concealment of
sensitive facts from outsiders may not appear to be
of great importance, but the conditions of the day
in which the work was written reveal that it was
extremely important and necessary. The meaning of
the greater part of the symbolism of Revelation is
quite clear to the modern reader who is willing to
see it. There are some symbols which are not so
easily understood and where there is much room for
diversity of opinion. About these one can ill afford
to be dogmatic. The wise thing to do is to seek
earnestly to find the most probable meaning of the
symbol to those who first received the book and
consider that as the most likely interpretation.
In order to
understand the true meaning of Revelation, we must
seek to grasp the visions or series of visions as a
whole without pressing the details of the symbolism.
It must be noted that many of the details are for
the dramatic effect and not for adding to the minute
meaning of a passage. The details of a vision may
have significance, but in many instances they are
used only to fill out the scenery. This same
principle applies in the interpretation of parables
and often in the books of poetry. For instance,
observe verses 5 and 6 of the Psalm 91:
"You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor
of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday."
Taken in connection with the whole purpose of the
Psalm the details reflect the idea that the believer
is always under the protective care of God. While
this is true, taking any one of the details by
itself and it is not true. Believers do fall in
battle, and are ill with contagious diseases as well
as others. The details of the Psalmist are not
intended that way! They are for the cumulative
effect to assure men that God cares for those who
trust in Him.
Similarly in Revelation the details are added to
make a tremendous impression of the things
discussed. In Revelation 6:12-17 we have an
overwhelming impression of approaching doom and
human terror. This is sufficient without asking the
minute symbolism of each falling star, the removal
of the heavens, and the moving of each mountain. The
safest policy is to consider the overall truth and
let the details of the symbolism fit in to complete
the picture in the most natural way.
As with numbers
discussed previously, there are some objects used in
the Revelation which carry with them a symbolic or
figurative meaning. For instance, a lamb is used to
represent Jesus Christ. Revelation 5:12, "...Worthy
is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and
riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and
glory, and blessing." Following is a list of
several objects used in the Revelation and what they
represented in the minds of the first readers.
Ark of the
It is called the "ark of His covenant"
in Revelation 11:19. This is taken from the Old
Testament as a symbol of God's covenant with
mankind. In John's day, as it will be until the end
of time, this was a direct reference to the New
was used by the apocalyptic Jewish writers to
symbolize the seat of government where all evil
befalling them emanated. Peter wrote: "The
church that is at Babylon , elected together with
you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son."
(1 Peter 5:13). It is obvious that Peter had Rome
in mind when he wrote this. Mark was mentioned and
had been summoned to Rome by the apostle Paul (2
Timothy 4:11). The first reference of Babylon in
Revelation holds clues that positively identify it
for the rest of the book: "And there followed
another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen,
that great city, because she made all nations drink
of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."
(Revelation 14:8). Under the rule of king
Nebuchandnezzar, the Babylon of old forced her
citizens to bow down to a statue of the king, thus
making all the nations under her rule guilty of
spiritual fornication. The literal Babylon of the
first century was nothing more than a military
station. It was certainly not a great city that
could force all the nations under her to worship the
beast and his image (Revelation 14:9). Ancient
Babylon had been utterly destroyed never to be
rebuilt (Jeremiah 50). The Babylon of Revelation is
therefore Rome which, like the real Babylon,
participated in the false deification and worship of
literally a wild savage jungle brute, was used by
the Jewish apocalyptic writers to symbolize a ruler
or his government. See Daniel 7:3 through 8:4.
is an Old and New Testament symbol representing
God's people. The term "children of Israel"
occurs 644 times in the King James version of the
Bible with three of them in Revelation.
This word cloud or clouds occurs in the New
Testament twenty seven times in the KJV. In all but
a few, it is used in some relation to deity or of a
divine appearance, often in judgment.
is the general representation of death or impending
doom and despair. "My skin is black upon me,
and my bones are burned with heat" (Job 30:30).
"Look not upon me, because I am black , because the
sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were
angry with me; they made me the keeper of the
vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept"
(Song of Solomon 1:6). "For this shall the
earth mourn, and the heavens above be black :
because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and
will not repent, neither will I turn back from it"
(Jeremiah 4:28). Black is a dark color which is the
opposite of light, which represents all that is
good. Things that are described as being black or
dark are in contrast with things that are light.
"He that saith he is in the light and hateth his
brother, is in the darkness even until now. He that
loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there
is no occasion of stumbling in him. But he that
hateth his brother is in the darkness, and walketh
in the darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth,
because the darkness hath blinded his eyes"
(1 John 2:9-11).
represents sin (Isaiah 1:18), the severity of death,
warfare, and bloodshed. The dragon in Revelation was
described as "red" The red horse in
Revelation 6:4 went out to "take peace from
the earth". The ancient sacrificial worship
of the Israelites required that the blood of animals
be shed for the sins of the faithful. Jesus' blood
was also shed for the sins of the faithful of all
symbolizes purity or victory. In Revelation 7:14
John portrays those who "washed their robes,
and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
Isaiah wrote "Come now, and let us reason
together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they
be red like crimson, they shall be as wool"
(Isaiah 1:18). At the mount of transfiguration with
Peter, and James, and John, Jesus was "transfigured
before them; and his garments became glistering,
exceeding white, so as no fuller on earth can whiten
them (Mark 9:2-3).
is symbolic of a calm and tranquil setting of hope
and assurance amid a storm of persecution and
violence. The seas usually represent violent unrest
but the sea of glass or of crystal is just the
opposite, being smooth and quiet, representing in
the minds of the first century people the peace
which surpasses all understanding (Philippians
4:7). Revelation 4:6 "and before the throne,
as it were a sea of glass like a crystal;..."
This crystal sea or sea of glass is a figurative
barrier which stands between God's people on earth
and the throne. In the end of Revelation, this
crystal sea is not envisioned and the saved have a
direct and perfect fellowship with God in heaven.
In heaven, the saved do not need a calm crystal sea
of assurance and hope amid a world of persecution
and violence to stand upon, they stand in the
presence of God.
as used by OT writers carries with it the idea of
spiritual fornication which was idolatry. However,
the term woman must be taken in context with the
symbolism to determine its use because the term
woman can be used in different senses. Throughout
the Revelation, the worshipping of false Gods was
referred to as "fornication". Those who were never
"defiled with women" and were "virgins"
had never bowed themselves to idolatry. See
The diadem originated with the Persians and
signifies royalty. Monarchs of ancient Persia wore
a blue band interwoven or marked with white. In
time a diadem came to be ornamented with gold and
jewels and when worn identified one as a monarch or
royalty. Diadems were worn by the figures which
represent Satan in the Revelation. This is not to
be confused with the "stephanos" crown of the victor
which was worn by those who would win in the end.
Satan never wears the this crown, rather he wears
only the diadem because he never wins any permanent
Door: Used symbolically in Revelation 3:8;
3:20 and 4:1. "Behold, I stand at the door
, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the
door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him,
and he with me." (Revelation 3:20). The
symbol "door" is expressive of
Christ's patient, persistent and affectionate appeal
to men. The overall symbolic meaning of the word is
the means by which something worthwhile is obtained
Symbolized of Satan, the devil. This is one of those
figures that is identified within the Revelation in
more than one place. "And the great dragon
was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil,
and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was
cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast
out with him" (Revelation 12:9). "And
he laid hold on the dragon , that old serpent, which
is the Devil , and Satan, and bound him a thousand
years," (Revelation 20:2). The dragon was
never anything but Satan in the Revelation.
was used by the ancient mystic writers to represent
two different concepts - (1) swiftness or speed (see
12:13; Lev 11:13) and (2) as a bird of ill omen (see
Jeremiah 49:22; Hosea 8:1).
is a familiar Old Testament figure used to describe
God's judgment against the enemies of His people.
Against the enemies of Judah, God said, "Thou
shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder,
and with earthquake , and great noise, with storm
and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire"
(Isaiah 29:6). Joel said that "the heavens and
the earth shall shake" when God, "shall roar
out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem"
Represented a number of things in scripture.
Predominantly it was used as a purification
process. There were the burnt sacrifices, the
incense was burnt. In Zechariah 13:9 fire is used
symbolically to refine or to purify like silver is
purified. Fire also is a symbol of divine wrath in
destruction or punishment (Genesis 19:24, Exodus
9:23). Fire in the Old Testament is especially
associated with the divine presence (Genesis 15:17,
Exodus 3:2, Exodus 13:21, Exodus 19:18)
as seen in seen in Revelation 16:13. "The
unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of
the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and
out of the mouth of the false prophet."
Verse 14 goes on to explain what the unclean spirits
were. It is significant to note that it was not
frogs that came out of the mouths of satan and his
servants. The subject of this vision is the unclean
spirits. The Jewish people under the old law were
commanded to view frogs as an abomination. "These
shall ye eat of all that are in the waters:
whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in
the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. And
all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and
in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and
of any living thing which is in the waters, they
shall be an abomination unto you:"
(Leviticus 11:9-10). Anything that would be
described like a frog would be loathsome to a Jew
who lived in the first century, therefore the
unclean spirits would have been an abomination to
Gog and Magog:
are of Old Testament derivation (Ezekiel 38 ) and
were used by the Jewish apocalyptic writers as
symbolic of enemies of the Messiah. The terms were
used primarily to identify someone who rallied with
the devil and contaminated the worship of the
symbolizes power or authority. The
common figurative use of "horn" is
taken from the image of battling animals as seen in
Daniel 8:7 to denote aggressive strength. In
Zechariah 1:18-21 "horns" stand for
power in general. In Habakkuk 3:4 the "horns
coming out of his [God's] hand"
represent His power. When, in Daniel 7:7-24;
8:3,8-9,20-21; Revelation 13:1; 17:3,7,12,16, many
horns are given to the same animal, they symbolize
successive nations or rulers. But the seven horns in
Revelation 5:6; 12:3 denote the completeness of the
malevolent or righteous power. In Revelation 13:11,
however, the two horns of the lesser beast point to
power, but not to the degree of the power of the
greater beast, nor of God.
represents strength, war or the consequences
thereof. The horse is referred to figuratively in
Zechariah as well as Revelation. A chariot and
horses of fire take Elijah up to heaven (2 Kings
2:11 f). In Psalms 20:7; 33:17; and 76:6, the great
strength of the horse is recalled as a reminder of
the greater strength of God. In Job 39:19-25 we have
a magnificent description of a spirited war-horse.
Figuratively, incense was a symbol of ascending
prayer. The multitude were praying while Zacharias
offered incense (Luke 1:10), and in Revelation 5:8;
8:3, the incense in the heavenly temple is connected
and even identified (5:8) with "the prayers of
Isle or Islands:
The islands represented to
the 1st century people the outer reaches or most
remote lands and far away possessions of a nation.
At the fall of Tyre, God said the islands would
shake, "Thus saith the Lord Jehovah to Tyre:
shall not the isles shake at the sound of thy fall,
when the wounded groan, when the slaughter is made
in the midst of thee?" (Ezekiel 26:15) "Now
shall the isles tremble in the day of thy fall; yea,
the isles that are in the sea shall be dismayed at
thy departure" (Ezekiel 26:18)
The key or keys in scripture imply power and
authority, either within the subject individual or
delegated by another. Each time keys are claimed or
used, they imply the exercise of power from without,
or may be used to open from the outside.
Lake of fire and brimstone:
is a New Testament symbolism for hell. Used in
Revelation as the "lake of fire burning with
brimstone" (Revelation 19:20). Later in Revelation
20:10 we learn that this lake will be a place of
torment "forever and ever", and will be where the
devil, the beast and the false prophet will spend
eternity. Death and Hades will be cast into the
lake of fire, (Revelation 20:14).
is a religious symbol representing absolute purity
or goodness. The lamb is used in the New Testament
to symbolize Christ. "The next day John seeth
Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of
God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
(John 1:29). Jesus was compared to a lamb in
prophecy, (Isaiah 53:7) with this particular
prophecy being explained to the Ethiopian Eunuch by
Philip, (Acts 8:32).
Lightning, voices and
Are terror-striking signs showing the latent power
of the individual to which they are attributed. See
Exodus 19:16. Lightning and thunder are
representative of the power of God and His might.
"The thunder of his power who can understand?"
(Job 26:14); "The God of glory thundereth"
(Ps 29:3). God's foes were "visited of Jehovah
of hosts with thunder" (Isaiah 29:6).
Thunder was regarded as the voice of God "God
thundereth with the voice of his excellency"
(Job 37:4), and God spoke to Jesus in the thunder
"And there was opened the temple of God that
is in heaven; and there was seen in his temple the
ark of his covenant; and there followed lightnings,
and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and
represents great strength, boldness and bravery.
Lions are mentioned in the Bible for their strength
14:18), boldness (2
Samuel 17:10), ferocity (Psalms 7:2), and
stealth (Psalm 10:9; Lamentations 3:10). It is said
of certain of David's warriors (1
Chronicles 12:8) that their "faces were
like the faces of lions." David's enemy (Psalm
17:12) "is like a lion that is greedy of his
prey." "The king's wrath is as the roaring of
a lion" (Proverbs 19:12). God in His wrath
is "unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young
lion to the house of Judah" (Hosea
5:14). "The devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1
In Revelation Jesus
is represented as the "Lion of the tribe of
5:5). The beast in
Revelation 13:2 had the "mouth of a lion"
which represented great strength and boldness.
carries two symbolic meanings. It indicates a ruler
or magistrate of lesser rank than the major
authorities, less than a star, but still significant
(Revelation 12:1, Ezekiel 32:7).
were a symbol of permanence and unmovable
strength. They represented the very foundation of
the earth. To the Biblical writers they are symbols
of eternity (Genesis 49:26; Deuteronomy 33:15; Job
15:7; Habakkuk 3:6). They are strong and stedfast,
but they too are the creation of God, and they
manifest His power (Psalms 18:7; 97:5; Isaiah 40:12;
41:15; 54:10; Jeremiah 4:24; Nahum 1:5; Habakkuk
3:6). Daniel called God the "holy Mountain"
was used by ancient mystic writers to indicate a
short period of time. Today, we would use the
expression "in a little while" or "in a minute" to
portray this same idea.
Revelation 7:9, this is an Old Testament symbol
taken from the Feast of Tabernacles and represents
the joy resulting from deliverance and the peace
which comes from assurance of future preservation.
The feast of the tabernacles was the most joyous of
all Jewish festivals. This feast occurred in the
fall of the year after the harvests of fields and
fruits. It followed the annual atonement when the
sacrifices were offered for the sins of the people
(Leviticus 23:26-32, 39-44). On the first day of
this week, the people were to take the branches of
palm trees and boughs of other trees, and "rejoice
before Jehovah your God seven days"
represents hope or mercy. God used a rainbow to
signify He would never again destroy the earth with
a flood in Genesis 9:13-17. God told Noah that when
he saw the rainbow, he "will remember my
covenant, which is between me and you and every
living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall
no more become a flood to destroy all flesh."
The foundation for the interpretation of the bow in
this way seems to be that while His bow is hung in
the sky God must be at peace with His people. The
glory of God is likened to "the appearance of
the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain"
In the tradition of the early Jewish people, the
sea represented uncontrollable chaos. The sea
represented something that could appear calm but
from which could come terrible storms and
unpredictable bad circumstances. The sea came to
signify the powers of evil and the powers of
represents that the item under question belongs to
the one who sealed the item (2 Corinthians 1:22). In
some instances a seal is used to indicate that which
is hidden from view as in the sealed scroll in
was a old testament symbol for judgment. Seen in
Revelation 14:14-19. Explained in Joel 3:13;
"Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe:
come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats
overflow; for their wickedness is great."
Star or stars:
Occurring fourteen times in Revelation represented a
major ruler or authority. In Isaiah 13:9-11 we read
of God coming in judgment on the evil world. He
says that the "stars of heaven and the
constellations thereof shall not give their light:"
(Isaiah 13:10). The stars are not literally going
to stop giving light, obviously the rulers or
authorities are in view here. This same imagery is
used by Jesus when warning His disciples of the
impending destruction of Jerusalem in Matthew
Represents something from which emanates power,
authority and majesty. It symbolizes:
(1) The exalted position of earthly kings, rulers,
judges, etc., their majesty and power (of kings:
Genesis 41:40; 1 Kings 2:19; Job 36:7)
(2) The majesty and power of God as the true king of
Israel; He "is enthroned above the cherubim" (1
Samuel 4:4); Solomon's throne is really God's throne
(1 Chronicles 29:23).
(3) The rule of Jesus in everlasting glory and
righteousness. He "shall rule upon his throne"
(4) The matchless glory, power and absolute
sovereignty of God (and Christ); Micaiah "saw God
sitting on his throne" (1 Kings 22:19). Isaiah and
Ezekiel had similar visions (Isaiah 6:1; Ezekiel
1:26); compare also Daniel 7:9 and Revelation 4:2
(and often); in trying to depict the incomparable
greatness of the King of kings, the Bible tells us
that His throne is in heaven (Psalms 11:4, etc.)
and, moreover, that heaven itself is His throne
(Isaiah 66:1; Matthew 5:34).
"And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice
of many waters, and as the voice of a great
thunder..." (Revelation 14:2). Thunder
signifies authority, power and volume. "Lo,
these are parts of his ways: but how little a
portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his
power who can understand" (Job 26:14). See
also Exodus 19:16.
was used as a symbol for announcing important events
or actions. In Revelation 1:10 Jesus was said to
have a voice "as of a trumpet". It was clear, it
was audible, easy to hear and it signified a call to
attention. Something important is about to be
spoken. "And when the voice of the trumpet
sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses
spake, and God answered him by a voice"
(Exodus 19:19). The first century Christians
familiar with Moses and the reception of the
Levitical law would associate the sound of a trumpet
as heralding the voice of God.
was used to represent peoples or nations. We see
this in Isaiah 8:7-8; 57:20, Revelation 17:1 and
are an Old Testament symbol which was symbolic of
the action of God or divine retribution. See
Jeremiah 4:11-12;18:17;49:32,36; Ezekiel 5:2; 12:14;
Psalm 106:27; Job 38:24; Isaiah 41:16. As the wind
is invisible and effects things, God is likewise
invisible and effects things on earth. Passages
such as John 3:3-8, Revelation 7:1 and Isaiah 29:6
support this. In Exodus 10:13,19; 14:21; 15:8,10,
we see God using wind in bringing judgment on
was an old testament figure of a method of
punishment by God where He was said to tread His
enemies out in the winepress of His wrath. "I
have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people
there was none with me: for I will tread them in
mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their
blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I
will stain all my raiment" (Isaiah 63:3).