Revelation – Part Five – Echoes of Prophetic Voices
Revelation – A Book of Visions
Introduction – Part Five
Old Testament Imagery: Echoes of the Prophets’ Voices
Among the many prophetic voices echoed in Revelation, the books of Zechariah, Ezekiel, and Joel are especially important.
Read: Zechariah, Ezekiel, Joel, and then, Re-Read Revelation
1. Zechariah: Visions of Restoration, Lamp-stands, and Horses
Zechariah, writing to a people returning from exile, offers a series of strange and vivid night visions—just like Revelation.
- Lamp-stands and Olive Trees:
In Zechariah 4, the prophet sees a vision of a golden lamp-stand flanked by two olive trees—symbolizing God’s Spirit and anointed leaders. Revelation 1 and 11 echo this image. The churches are lamp-stands (Rev. 1:20), and the two witnesses in Rev. 11 are called “the two olive trees and the two lamp-stands”—a direct reference to Zechariah. Both texts point to the power of God’s Spirit sustaining his people through opposition. - Four Horsemen:
Zechariah 1 and 6 describe colored horses patrolling the earth, representing God’s watchful presence and coming judgment. Revelation 6 expands this idea into the famous Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse—symbolizing conquest, war, famine, and death. In both texts, the horses represent God’s sovereign hand moving through history, not chaos or randomness. - Measuring Jerusalem:
Zechariah 2 describes a man with a measuring line to measure Jerusalem, symbolizing God’s protection and future restoration. Revelation 11 picks up this theme—John is told to measure the temple, symbolizing God’s care for His people even amid judgment.
2. Ezekiel: Temple, Thrones, and Cosmic Judgment
Ezekiel’s prophecy begins in exile with a dramatic vision of God’s throne—wheels within wheels, lightning, and fire. Revelation 4 and 5 recall this with their dazzling throne room scene: living creatures, lightning, and ceaseless worship around God’s throne. The imagery is cosmic, overwhelming, and meant to say: God is still on the throne—even in exile.
- The Scroll and the Eating of the Book:
In Ezekiel 2–3, God gives the prophet a scroll and tells him to eat it—symbolizing the internalizing of God’s message. Revelation 10 mirrors this exactly: John is given a little scroll, which he eats, sweet to the taste but bitter in his stomach. This represents the prophet’s burden—the sweetness of God’s truth and the bitterness of its consequences. - The New Temple:
Ezekiel ends with a vision of a massive, renewed temple and the glory of God returning to it. Revelation also ends with a city-temple—the New Jerusalem—but in a twist, “I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb” (Rev. 21:22). What Ezekiel saw in symbol, John sees fulfilled: God’s presence now fills all in all. - Gog and Magog:
Ezekiel 38–39 speaks of a great battle against God’s people, led by Gog and Magog. Revelation 20 names these same forces as enemies in the final battle before the new creation. John uses Ezekiel’s imagery to describe the final defeat of evil.
3. Joel: Apocalyptic Signs and the Spirit Poured Out
Joel is often seen as one of the most apocalyptic of the minor prophets, and Revelation reflects his intense, end-of-days vision.
- The Day of the Lord:
Joel’s central theme is “the Day of the Lord”—a time of both terrifying judgment and potential renewal. Revelation’s language of the great and terrible day of God’s wrath (Rev. 6:17) echoes Joel 2:11. - Cosmic Signs:
Joel speaks of blood, fire, smoke, darkened sun, and a blood-red moon (Joel 2:30–31)—precisely the imagery Revelation draws on when describing the sixth seal (Rev. 6:12–14). These signs are not just theatrical—they’re declarations that God is intervening in history. - The Army of Locusts:
Joel describes a locust plague as both natural disaster and divine judgment. Revelation 9 reimagines this with a terrifying horde of demonic locusts unleashed from the Abyss. The parallel is unmistakable—chaos that looks out of control but is still under God’s sovereignty. - The Outpouring of the Spirit:
Joel 2:28–29 promises that God will pour out His Spirit on all people. While Revelation doesn’t quote this directly, it assumes it: the prophetic witness of the Church, the vision-filled community, and the strength to endure suffering all flow from a Spirit-empowered people. Revelation’s visions come not from fear, but from the Holy Spirit alive in the Church.
Conclusion: Prophets in the Background of the Apocalypse
Revelation is not a departure from the prophetic tradition—it is the climax of it. John writes like a prophet, sees like a prophet, and suffers like a prophet. His book is filled with symbols, judgments, songs, and promises that only make full sense when seen in light of Zechariah, Ezekiel, and Joel.
Discussion and Reflection Questions
Revelation – A Book of Visions: Old Testament Echoes in the Apocalypse
- Vision and Reality:
Revelation draws heavily on symbolic visions from Zechariah, Ezekiel, and Joel. What do these symbolic visions communicate that plain speech might not? Why might God choose to reveal truth through images? - Zechariah and the Church Today:
Zechariah’s visions speak to a community returning from exile. In what ways does the image of lamp-stands sustained by the Spirit (Zech. 4; Rev. 1 and 11) challenge or encourage our understanding of the Church’s mission today? - The Sovereignty of God in Chaos:
Both Zechariah and Revelation portray colored horses representing God’s movements in history. How does this imagery help us think about current global events? What does it say about God’s control over times of conflict, scarcity, or fear? - Prophets Who Eat the Word:
Ezekiel and John both eat scrolls (Ezek. 2–3; Rev. 10). What does this act represent for those called to share God’s word? How might this inform our own approach to Scripture? - No Temple—Only God:
Ezekiel’s vision of a renewed temple culminates in Revelation’s vision of a city with no temple—because God and the Lamb are its temple (Rev. 21:22). What does this say about the future of worship? How might this impact our view of sacred space today? - The Final Battle: Myth or Reality?
Gog and Magog appear in both Ezekiel and Revelation. What might this repeated imagery teach us about spiritual opposition and final justice? Is Revelation predicting one final battle—or revealing the spiritual struggle behind all history? - Joel and the Spirit-Filled Church:
Joel 2 is fulfilled in Acts 2—but Revelation shows its ongoing implications. What role does the Holy Spirit play in shaping the endurance, hope, and prophetic witness of the Church? - Cosmic Disturbance as Divine Message:
Blood moons, darkened suns, and falling stars may seem terrifying—but they are signs of divine intervention. How might God be using both visible events and spiritual upheaval today to call His people to deeper faith? - Prophetic Continuity:
John’s Revelation doesn’t replace the prophets—it fulfills them. Why is it important to read Revelation in light of the Old Testament? How does this continuity shape your trust in the Bible’s unity and message? - Personal Reflection:
Which prophetic image from Zechariah, Ezekiel, or Joel most resonates with your life right now? Why?