Where Revelation Is More Straightforward

The Apocalypse of John is filled with symbolism that only those not educated in apocalyptic might take to be literal. However, there are certain places in the Apocalypse that one should interpret it more literally. For the most part, the "literal" part in apocalyptic books in general is when the interpreter deciphers the signs for the one seeing the vision. There are texts in Revelation that do this, but some may miss the fact that the praises and hymns of the book fall under this category. This is not to say that the hymns do not still use some imagery to a degree, but usually the only imagery used is of a more obvious nature (e.g., the lamb = Christ, the scrolls = God's decrees concerning judgment and salvation, wedding = consummation, bride = church, etc.). In other words, these images have clear referents and do not have ambiguous referents as some of the others throughout the book. Even if symbols are used, therefore, they are straightforward in that the book provides literal interpretations to the symbols or these referents are made obvious by the context. There are quite a few hymns and praises in the book, and scholars have noted this connection for some time.

It is noteworthy that the heavenly worship scenes, and the hymns that are so central to them, “always occur at critical junctures in the book and provide commentary on the significance of the action.”28 They thus perform the function of interpreting the events that unfold in the narrative sections of the prophecy. Consequently, “all the major events of the book are accompanied by heavenly hymns.”29 The five hymns found in chapters 4–5, in particular, not only “stand at the beginning of the vision section, functioning as an impressive portal into the rest of the apocalypse, but they set the tone for the following chapters (6–21).”30 The hymns, more broadly, have also been shown to connect both to each other and to the larger narrative theme of cosmic conflict. (Robert S. Smith, "Songs of the Seer: The Purpose of Revelation's Hymns" Themelios 43.2 [2018] 197)

Here are the hymns/praises in the book. One can see for himself how subdued they are in any symbolism that they might use, and how their purpose is more to frame and interpret what the reader is to take away from their preceding, symbolic narratives.

“Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God, the All-Powerful,

Who was and who is, and who is still to come!” (4:8)

“You are worthy, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

since you created all things,

and because of your will they existed and were created!” (4:11)

“You are worthy to take the scroll

and to open its seals

because you were killed,

and at the cost of your own blood you have purchased for God

persons from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

You have appointed them as a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” (5:8-10)

“Worthy is the lamb who was killed

to receive power and wealth

and wisdom and might

and honor and glory and praise!”(5:12) 

“To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb

be praise, honor, glory, and ruling power forever and ever!” (5:13)

“Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”(7:10)

“Amen! Praise and glory,

and wisdom and thanksgiving,

and honor and power and strength

be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” (7:12)

“The kingdom of the world

has become the kingdom of our Lord

and of his Christ,

and he will reign for ever and ever.” (11:15)

“We give you thanks, Lord God, the All-Powerful,

the one who is and who was,

because you have taken your great power

and begun to reign.

The nations were enraged,

but your wrath has come,

and the time has come for the dead to be judged,

and the time has come to give to your servants,

the prophets, their reward,

as well as to the saints

and to those who revere your name, both small and great,

and the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth.” (11:17-18) 

“The salvation and the power

and the kingdom of our God,

and the ruling authority of his Christ, have now come,

because the accuser of our brothers and sisters,

the one who accuses them day and night before our God,

has been thrown down.

But they overcame him

by the blood of the Lamb

and by the word of their testimony,

and they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.

Therefore you heavens rejoice, and all who reside in them!

But woe to the earth and the sea

because the devil has come down to you!

He is filled with terrible anger,

for he knows that he only has a little time!” (12:10-12)

“Great and astounding are your deeds,

Lord God, the All-Powerful!

Just and true are your ways,

King over the nations!

Who will not fear you, O Lord,

and glorify your name, because you alone are holy?

All nations will come and worship before you

for your righteous acts have been revealed.” (15:3-4)

“You are just – the one who is and who was,

the Holy One – because you have passed these judgments,

because they poured out the blood of your saints and prophets,

so you have given them blood to drink. They got what they deserved!” (16:5-6)

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

because his judgments are true and just.

For he has judged the great prostitute

who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality,

and has avenged the blood of his servants poured out by her own hands!” (19:1-2)

“Praise our God

all you his servants,

and all you who fear him,

both the small and the great!” (19:5)

“Hallelujah!

For the Lord our God, the All-Powerful, reigns!

Let us rejoice and exult

and give him glory,

because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come,

and his bride has made herself ready. (19:6-7)

“Look! The dwelling of God is among human beings. 

He will live among them, 

and they will be his people, 

and God himself will be with them. 

 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, 

And death will not exist any more – or mourning, or crying, or pain, 

for the former things have ceased to exist.”  (21:3-4)

There are a few proclamations used that also function this way in the book (the last one I cited may be one of them as well).

 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy aloud, and blessed are those who hear and obey the things written in it, because the time is near! (1:3)

(Look! He is returning with the clouds,

and every eye will see him,

even those who pierced him,

and all the tribes on the earth will mourn because of him.

This will certainly come to pass! Amen.) (1:7) 

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God – the one who is, and who was, and who is still to come – the All-Powerful! (1:8)

If anyone is meant for captivity,

into captivity he will go.

If anyone is to be killed by the sword,

then by the sword he must be killed.

This requires steadfast endurance and faith from the saints. (13:10)

Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this:

‘Blessed are the dead,

those who die in the Lord from this moment on!’”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “so they can rest from their hard work, because their deeds will follow them.”  (14:13)

(Look ! I will come like a thief!

Blessed is the one who stays alert and does not lose his clothes so that he will not have to walk around naked and his shameful condition be seen.) (16:15)

(Rejoice over it, O heaven,

and you saints and apostles and prophets,

for God has pronounced judgment against it on your behalf!) (18:20)

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints) (19:8)

Blessed and holy is the one who takes part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. (20:6)

(Look ! I am coming soon!

Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy expressed in this book.) (22:7)