Revelation Is Prophecy, Not Allegory – 8 Biblical Arguments

This is the view you’ll hear at most universities today. Revelation? A bizarre book full of dragons, beasts, and numbers. Perhaps interesting as literature, but certainly not a map of the future. At best, a timeless allegory about the struggle between good and evil.

And it’s not just secular academics. Even among Catholics—in parishes, Bible study groups, conversations after Mass—you’ll hear similar opinions. “It’s just stories, symbols, you don’t need to take it literally.” Revelation has become a book that’s either ignored or treated as a literary curiosity.

What if they’re wrong?

What if Revelation really is prophecy—a specific announcement of events yet to come? What if John of Patmos wasn’t writing comfort literature but received a vision of actual future events?

In this article, we’ll confront three main objections to the prophetic character of Revelation:

Preterism – the claim that Revelation was already fulfilled in 70 AD
Allegorism – the belief that it’s merely symbols with no concrete reference
Skepticism – the view that it’s hallucinations or literary fiction

We’ll examine the arguments—and see why this book deserves to be taken seriously.

Revelation Calls Itself Prophecy

Let’s start with something fundamental. The book itself tells us what it is.

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place (…) Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

— Rev 1:1-3 (ESV)

“The words of this prophecy.” Not “the words of this allegory.” Not “comfort literature.” Prophecy.

And this isn’t a one-time mention. At the end of the book, John repeats it—as if to make sure we don’t miss it:

And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

— Rev 22:6-7 (ESV)

And a few verses later—a warning:

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life.

— Rev 22:18-19 (ESV)

Notice: John doesn’t say “the words of this allegory” or “the words of this apocalyptic literature.” He uses the word prophecy four times. And he warns against manipulating its content.

If Revelation claims to be prophecy—who has the authority to change that?

Jesus Foretold the Same Events

Critics often treat Revelation as something disconnected from the rest of the New Testament. As if John made it all up alone on Patmos. But that’s not true.

Let’s compare Jesus’s words from the Gospels with John’s visions.

The Great Tribulation:

For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.

— Matt 24:21 (ESV)

These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

— Rev 7:14 (ESV)

Signs in the Heavens:

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

— Matt 24:29 (ESV)

When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth (…) The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up.

— Rev 6:12-14 (ESV)

The Coming of the Son of Man:

Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

— Matt 24:30 (ESV)

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him.

— Rev 1:7 (ESV)

These aren’t coincidental similarities. This is the same scenario described by two authors.

Now the question: Do you take Jesus’s words in Matthew 24 seriously? Do you believe Jesus will actually return? That there will be judgment? That this age will end?

If so—why would Revelation be “just an allegory”? It describes exactly the same events, only in more detail.

If Jesus spoke about the future—John is also speaking about the future.

Old Testament Prophecies Were Fulfilled Literally

“But biblical prophecies are just symbols. You can’t take them literally.”

Really? Let’s check how the prophecies about the Messiah’s first coming were fulfilled.

Birthplace—Bethlehem:

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel.

— Mic 5:2 (ESV)

Fulfilled literally. Jesus was born in Bethlehem—not Jerusalem, not Nazareth, but in a small, insignificant village, exactly as foretold 700 years earlier.

Entry on a Donkey:

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

— Zech 9:9 (ESV)

Fulfilled literally. Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey—not a horse, not a chariot, but a donkey, exactly as foretold.

Thirty Pieces of Silver:

Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter.

— Zech 11:12-13 (ESV)

Fulfilled literally. Judas received exactly 30 pieces of silver. He returned them to the temple. The priests bought the potter’s field with them. Every detail in place.

Pierced Hands and Feet:

They have pierced my hands and feet.

— Ps 22:16 (ESV)

Written 1000 years before Christ. 800 years before crucifixion was invented as a method of execution. Yet—fulfilled literally.

Daniel’s 70 Weeks:

Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks (…) And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off.

— Dan 9:25-26 (ESV)

69 “weeks” (weeks of years = 483 years) from the decree of Artaxerxes (458/457 BC) leads exactly to the time of Jesus’s public ministry. The math works—to the year.

Do you see the pattern? Biblical prophecies are fulfilled concretely and literally. Not “approximately,” not “figuratively,” but exactly as written.

Why would Revelation be an exception?

Apocalyptic Genre Doesn’t Exclude Literality

“But Revelation is apocalyptic literature. This genre uses symbols and visions—it shouldn’t be taken literally.”

This is a common argument. And it contains a grain of truth—Revelation does use symbols. But the conclusion is wrong.

Take other apocalyptic books in the Bible:

Daniel: Visions of beasts, statues, angels. Are these “just symbols”? The vision of four kingdoms (Dan 2, 7) was fulfilled literally: Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome—in exactly that order. The symbol represented real reality.

Ezekiel: Visions of God’s chariot, the valley of dry bones, the new temple. Is this “just allegory”? The vision of Israel’s return from exile (Ezek 37) was fulfilled literally—the Jews returned from Babylon. The symbol pointed to a concrete event.

Zechariah: Visions of horsemen, lampstands, flying scrolls. Are these “just literary images”? The prophecies about the Messiah (Zech 9:9, 11:12-13, 12:10) were fulfilled in Jesus—literally, as we showed above.

The beast in Revelation is a symbol—but a symbol of something real. A specific political system and leader who is coming. Babylon the great is a symbol—but a symbol of a real religious-economic system. The thousand-year kingdom is an image—but an image of a real period in salvation history.

There’s also another reason why God may have used symbols instead of literal descriptions.

Imagine showing John—a man from the first century—a world full of computers, artificial intelligence, drones, satellites, chips implanted under the skin, a global internet. How would he describe it? With what words? John didn’t know electricity, had no concept of screens, processors, or algorithms.

When we read about “a mark on the right hand or forehead, without which no one can buy or sell”—doesn’t that sound like a description of technology John couldn’t name directly? When we read that “all tribes of the earth” will simultaneously watch the bodies of two witnesses in Jerusalem—doesn’t that assume global broadcasting that John couldn’t have imagined?

Literary genre doesn’t determine whether content refers to reality. It only determines the way that content is communicated.

Response to Preterism

Preterism is the view that most (or all) of Revelation’s prophecies were fulfilled in the first century—mainly during the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

It’s an attractive theory. The problem is, it doesn’t fit the texts.

Scale of Events

Revelation describes cosmic cataclysms: the sun going dark, stars falling, the sky rolling up like a scroll. It describes earthquakes destroying cities. It describes plagues affecting the entire earth.

Did anything like that happen in 70 AD? The destruction of Jerusalem was a local tragedy—cruel, but limited to one city. There were no cosmic signs, no global catastrophes.

The Second Coming of Christ

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True (…) On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

— Rev 19:11-16 (ESV)

When was this fulfilled? Jesus didn’t return in glory in 70 AD. He didn’t stand on the Mount of Olives. He didn’t defeat the world’s armies. He didn’t establish a visible kingdom.

Preterists must allegorize the second coming—claiming Jesus “came” spiritually, in judgment upon Jerusalem. But this requires ignoring clear texts about a visible, personal return.

The Thousand-Year Kingdom

Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed (…) They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years (…) This is the first resurrection.

— Rev 20:4-6 (ESV)

When did this happen? When did the saints resurrect and reign with Christ for a thousand years? Preterists have no answer—or they must reduce this to something completely different from what the text says.

New Heaven and New Earth

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away (…) He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore.

— Rev 21:1-4 (ESV)

Do we live in a world without death, mourning, and pain? Obviously not. This prophecy clearly was not fulfilled in 70 AD—or at any time since.

The Dating Problem

Preterists need Revelation to have been written before 70 AD—otherwise their theory collapses. But the earliest testimonies point to a later date.

Domitian reigned from 81-96 AD. If John wrote Revelation around 95 AD—more than 20 years after Jerusalem’s destruction—how could he be prophesying an event that had already occurred?

Irenaeus was a disciple of Polycarp, who was a disciple of John. This is secondhand testimony from the book’s author.

Response to Allegorism

Allegorism is the view that Revelation doesn’t refer to specific events but presents a timeless struggle between good and evil. Every generation can see its own struggles in it.

Sounds attractive. But let’s look at the text.

Specific Numbers

Revelation is full of precise numbers. Would an allegory need such details?

And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben…

— Rev 7:4-8 (ESV)

144,000. From 12 tribes. Listed by name. 12,000 from each. This doesn’t sound like a “timeless symbol.” It sounds like a specific number of specific people.

1,260 days—the exact duration of the two witnesses’ ministry (Rev 11:3).

42 months—the time the beast has authority (Rev 13:5).

1,000 years—the period Satan is bound (Rev 20:2).

Why would the author give such precise numbers if they had no concrete meaning?

The Seven Churches

The first three chapters of Revelation contain letters to seven churches. These aren’t abstract symbols—they’re real churches in real first-century cities:

Ephesus – a great port and commercial center
Smyrna – a city famous for its loyalty to Rome
Pergamum – seat of the imperial cult (“Satan’s throne”)
Thyatira – center of trade guilds
Sardis – former capital of Lydia, a city of faded glory
Philadelphia – a city of earthquakes
Laodicea – a wealthy banking and medical center

John knew these cities. He knew their problems, their history, their specifics. The letters are full of allusions only understandable to the inhabitants of these specific places.

If the first part of Revelation refers to concrete, historical realities—why would the rest be “just allegory”?

The Dimensions of the New Jerusalem

The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, 144 cubits.

— Rev 21:16-17 (ESV)

12,000 stadia. 144 cubits. A cube with equal dimensions. John gives exact measurements. Would an allegory need such architectural details?

Response to Skepticism

Skepticism is the view that John simply had visions—hallucinations induced by isolation, fasting, perhaps psychoactive substances. Or that he consciously created literary fiction in a style popular in his time.

But the facts contradict this theory.

Consistency with All of Scripture

Revelation contains over 500 allusions to the Old Testament. Almost every verse references earlier texts—Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah, Isaiah, the Psalms.

Would a hallucinating person produce such a coherent, intertextual work? Would literary fiction require such biblical erudition?

John didn’t invent content. He received a vision that perfectly fits into the whole of biblical revelation—the culmination of history announced by the prophets.

John’s Martyrdom

According to tradition, John was the only apostle who didn’t die a martyr’s death—not because he avoided risk, but because he miraculously survived. Tradition speaks of being thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil.

Regardless of the details, John was exiled to Patmos “on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus” (Rev 1:9). He suffered for his faith.

Would a man risk his life for his own hallucinations? Would a fiction writer allow himself to be persecuted for made-up stories?

Acceptance by the Early Church

Revelation was accepted into the New Testament canon. Not without discussion—but ultimately the Church recognized it as inspired Scripture.

Justin—writing only 50-60 years after Revelation was written—treats it as an authentic prophecy of the apostle John. And he understands it literally: a thousand years, resurrection, judgment.

The Testimony of the Historical Church

“But literal interpretation is an invention of modern fundamentalists!”

Really? Let’s check what the earliest Christians said.

Irenaeus—a disciple of Polycarp, who was a disciple of John—understood Revelation literally: resurrection, the thousand-year kingdom, a rebuilt Jerusalem.

Tertullian (c. 200 AD) wrote about the literal thousand-year kingdom and the new Jerusalem descending from heaven.

Hippolytus of Rome (c. 200 AD) wrote a commentary on Revelation, interpreting it as prophecy of future events—the Antichrist, the tribulation, Christ’s return.

Methodius of Olympus (c. 300 AD) taught about the literal thousand-year kingdom.

The earliest Christians—those closest to the apostles—read Revelation as prophecy about the future. Allegory came later.

Signs of Our Times

Some of Revelation’s prophecies seemed impossible to fulfill for centuries. Today—for the first time in history—all of them are technically possible.

Israel

Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months.”

— Rev 11:1-2 (ESV)

Revelation’s prophecies assume the existence of Israel as a nation, Jerusalem as the center of events, the temple (or at least the possibility of rebuilding it).

For 1,900 years, this was impossible. Jews were scattered across the world. Jerusalem was under foreign control. The temple lay in ruins.

In 1948, Israel was reborn as a nation. In 1967, Jerusalem returned to Jewish control. For the first time in 2,000 years, all elements are in place.

No other nation in history was scattered for 2,000 years and returned to its land. This is an unprecedented event—and exactly what the prophecies assume.

Global Observation Technology

For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies (…) and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them.

— Rev 11:9-10 (ESV)

How can “peoples and tribes and languages and nations” simultaneously watch the same event in Jerusalem?

For centuries, this was unimaginable. Today—you have it in your pocket. Smartphone. Internet. Live broadcasts. For the first time in history, the whole world can observe one event in real time.

Control of Commerce

Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark.

— Rev 13:16-17 (ESV)

A system where no one can buy or sell without a special mark? For centuries, this sounded like fantasy.

Today we have payment cards, mobile payments, biometric systems, cryptocurrencies with blockchain tracking. A cashless society is no longer theory—it’s reality in an increasing number of countries. The technology for total economic control exists.

Global Evangelization

And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

— Matt 24:14 (ESV)

The gospel proclaimed to “all nations”? For most of history, entire continents were inaccessible. The Americas, Australia, most of Africa and Asia—unknown or unreachable.

Today the Bible is translated into over 3,000 languages. The internet reaches the most remote corners. Missionaries are present almost everywhere. For the first time in history, it’s physically possible to reach every nation.

Think about this for a moment. How could fishermen and tax collectors from the first century know that their small sect from Palestine would become the world’s largest religion? How could they predict that the Gospel would reach “all nations”—at a time when half the globe was unknown?

How could John know that global observation of a single event would one day be possible? That commerce could be controlled through marks on the body? That Israel—scattered and persecuted—would return to its land after 2,000 years?

These aren’t lucky guesses that happened to come true. They’re too precise, too consistent, too improbable. Either the biblical authors had incredible luck—or they had access to knowledge they couldn’t have possessed on their own. These prophecies add credibility to all of Scripture. If these “impossible” predictions are proving possible—what does that say about the source of these words?

It says that the Bible is the inspired Word of God—a God who knows everything, including the future.

Why Does This Matter?

You might be thinking: “OK, interesting academic discussion. But what does this change in my life?”

It changes everything.

If Revelation Is Prophecy

If Revelation truly describes the future—we have urgency. Jesus will return. Judgment is coming. Time is running out. This isn’t “someday, somewhere, somehow”—these are concrete events that could happen in our lifetime.

Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.

— Rev 22:12 (ESV)

We have hope. Evil won’t last forever. The beasts will be defeated. Babylon will fall. Christ will triumph. History is heading toward a good ending—not through human progress, but through divine intervention.

We have motivation. If the Lord is coming soon—how should we live? What should we do? What priorities should we have?

We also have a warning. Revelation is not a fairy tale with a happy ending for everyone. It’s a serious warning: there will be false prophets, there will be great tribulation, there will be persecution. God says plainly—it will be hard. But whoever endures to the end will be saved (Matt 24:13).

For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.

— Matt 24:24-25 (ESV)

Jesus warns: false prophets will be so convincing that “if possible” they would deceive even the elect. They will perform signs and wonders. They will appear pious, speak religious language, invoke God’s name. And yet—they will lead people to destruction.

Revelation adds more warnings. The beast will require a mark on the hand or forehead—without it you won’t be able to buy or sell. This will be real economic pressure: either accept the system or be excluded from society. Many Christians will face a choice: material comfort or faithfulness to Christ.

Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark.

— Rev 13:16-17 (ESV)

Two witnesses will be killed, and the world will rejoice and exchange gifts (Rev 11:10). The saints will be persecuted and killed. The beast was “allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them” (Rev 13:7). These are not metaphors—they are announcements of real persecution.

This is radically different from contemporary “Christianity,” which is sweet, comfortable, and conflict-free. Today from many pulpits you mainly hear that God loves you, that you should be yourself, that everything will be fine, that we’re all brothers, and that all “good people” will go to heaven—regardless of faith.

Where is the cross in this picture? Where is self-denial? Where is the narrow gate?

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

— Matt 7:13-14 (ESV)

Revelation reminds us of this uncomfortable truth: no, it won’t be easy. There will be spiritual warfare. There will be casualties. You will have to choose—Christ or the world, comfort or faithfulness, the mark of the beast or exclusion. And that choice will have eternal consequences.

God warns us because He loves us. Not so that we would be afraid, but so that we would be prepared. A soldier who knows he’s going to war prepares differently than one who thinks he’s going on a picnic.

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it.

— Rev 1:3 (ESV)

A blessing promised to those who read, hear, and keep. Not those who allegorize. Not those who dismiss. Those who take these words seriously.

If Revelation Is Just Allegory

If Revelation is merely timeless symbols, a timeless struggle between good and evil—what do we lose?

We lose concrete expectation. “Jesus will return” becomes a vague idea, not a living hope. “Someday, somehow, in some sense”—it’s hard to live in expectation of something so undefined.

We lose urgency. If it’s just allegory, there’s no hurry. The world keeps turning, the Church keeps functioning, life goes on. Where’s the room for “Come, Lord Jesus”?

We lose Jesus as judge. The apocalyptic Christ is a warrior on a white horse, with a sword from his mouth, eyes like flames of fire. This is not a gentle Sunday school teacher. This is Lord and Judge, before whom every knee will bow. Allegory softens this image—and strips it of its power.

Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

— Matt 24:42 (ESV)

How do you stay awake for someone who “comes” only figuratively?

And Maybe That’s the Point?

Maybe the systematic diminishing of Revelation—reducing it to allegory, symbols, “comfort literature”—isn’t accidental. Maybe it’s part of the same deception Jesus warned about. False prophets don’t have to come with horns on their heads. They can come with theological degrees and say: “Don’t worry about Revelation, it’s just imagery. Focus on the here and now. God is love, everything will be fine.”

And so the Church falls asleep. Lulled by sweet sermons about love without justice, grace without repentance, heaven without hell. Unprepared for tribulation. Surprised when hard times come.

While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day (…) So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.

— 1 Thess 5:3-6 (ESV)

Let us not sleep. Let us stay awake. Let us be sober.

Summary

We’ve come a long way. Let’s see where we are.

8 Arguments for the Prophetic Nature of Revelation:

Self-identification – the book calls itself “prophecy” four times
Parallels with Jesus’s teaching – Revelation describes the same events as the eschatological discourse in Matthew 24
Pattern of fulfilled prophecy – prophecies about the Messiah’s first coming were fulfilled literally
Genre doesn’t exclude literality – Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah also used symbols, and their prophecies were fulfilled
Preterism doesn’t fit – the scale of events, the second coming, the thousand-year kingdom, the new creation—none of this happened in 70 AD
Allegorism doesn’t explain the details – specific numbers, tribes named by name, precise measurements, real cities
Skepticism ignores the facts – consistency with all of Scripture, the author’s martyrdom, acceptance by the early Church
The testimony of the earliest Christians – literal interpretation dominated for 200-300 years

And additionally: the signs of our times indicate that all the elements are in place. Israel exists. The technology is ready. For the first time in history, everything can happen.

Does this mean we understand every detail of Revelation? Of course not. Some symbols remain mysterious. Some prophecies will only become clear when they’re fulfilled.

But one thing is certain: John wasn’t writing allegory. He was writing prophecy. He received a vision of the future—and passed it on to us.

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

— Rev 22:20 (ESV)

Maranatha – “Come, our Lord!” This is how the first Christians prayed. This is how we can pray too.