Apocalyptic Images - Digitally Created Figurative Interpretations of the Word Images Presented in the Book of Revelation.

This website was updated in November 2006. It includes extended text, an additional image, and a number of the images already on the site have been modified.

An Introduction to this (ongoing) Study

The Book of Revelation is an ‘apocalypse’ of things to come. There is considerable evidence that from its earliest times it has been carefully studied by those seeking an understanding of that which is yet future.

The Book originated in a time of trouble. The inference of its writer, the Apostle John, is that he had been exiled to the Island of Patmos on account of his faith. “I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” Revelation 1: 9  (Unless otherwise stated, all quotations are from the New International Version).

The precise time of writing is not certain: but tradition would suggest a date around C.E. 96. For Christians, this was a time of persecution; furthermore, the Apostle John, although well-advanced in years, was still alive. The only alternative date would be during the reign of the Emperor Nero (54-68 C.E).

At either time, Christians would be seeking the assurance that, whatever their present tribulations, a time was ahead when God's judgments would be poured out on those who sought to hurt them. The Greek word 'apocalupsis', from which the title 'Revelation' comes, expresses a ‘revealing’ or ‘manifestation’, or literally, ‘to take off a cover’, and is ultimately associated with the second advent of Jesus Christ. This association is supported by such references as the following, from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Church at Corinth:

‘Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed’ (apocalupsin) 1 Corinthians 1: 7 or 1 Peter 1: 7: ‘These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed’ (apocalupsei).

The Book of Revelation is steeped in Old Testament language, symbols, and spiritual metaphors. Although, most obviously, its roots are within the Old Testament prophecies of Daniel and Ezekiel, these writings have their source firmly in the ancient Judaic Books of The Law. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Book of Revelation contains many allusions to other Bible passages and symbols. Even so, some concepts and imagery appear to be unique to the Apocalypse. A wide knowledge of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible is helpful in recognising the possible allusions when they appear. Nevertheless, even when an apparent allusion seems obvious, it is still important to study its context and the context of that to which it appears to be alluding, in order to determine the degree of support, or otherwise, for such an assumption.

It is evident that the book of Revelation is principally concerned with that ‘which is yet to come’ - having its consummation in the coming of Jesus Christ.

Some believe that there is only one substantive way of interpreting the texts, amongst whom are those who say - and with no small amount of compelling evidence - that the visions cover the period between their ‘revealing’ to the Apostle John, up to the present day and beyond until the time when ‘God will dwell with His People’ in a glorified earth.

Another view is that the Apocalypse was revealed prior to the fall of Jerusalem in CE 70, and that the Anti-Christ referred to is the Emperor Nero - limiting the prophecies to cover the short period up to Jerusalem’s fall.

Yet others find solace and reassurance in simply comparing the texts with other Bible texts and gaining exhortation through this arguably less ‘academic’ approach.

In my simplicity I am drawn to the conclusion that one of the wonders of the Apocalypse is that it can be approached in more than one way … and not necessarily at the denial of other understandings. That is not to say that some interpretations are, I feel, quite simply ‘wrong’. It is in such simplicity that I have chosen, for the purposes of this ‘visual’ study, to leave textual interpretation to others - concentrating principally on a visual interpretation of these truly remarkable texts. In either case, the texts are presented as metaphors - not to be viewed literally - albeit representing in figurative terms ‘real’ events - past, present and future.

In order to achieve my determinedly limited objective, I have had to go deep into other Bible texts, into Bible history and into the original Greek sources. Regarding this latter objective, I am indebted to Sheila Harris, who has a Master of Arts Degree in Literae Humaniores  (Oxford University) and is a Bachelor of Divinity (London University).    

Since the Apostle John received and graphically documented the series of visions received on the island of Patmos, there have been numerous artists and craftsmen who have been moved to create images based on, or inspired by, his text. As early as C.E. 798, the Spanish Abbot Beatus wrote a commentary, its manuscripts providing the iconography for eighty individual subjects from within the text.

In 1498, the German painter, Albrecht Durer, created a fine series of woodcuts loyally based on the text. More recently, the English landscape painter, Turner and the Russian painter and theorist, Kandinsky, found the text a source of inspiration for their own works. This accompanying exercise, although both an academic and theological study, is of great personal importance, not least because it deals with words and imagery surely beyond human imagining and presents, therefore, challenges - personal and intellectual.

In earlier times, there was only one substantive interpretation of Revelation and its imagery, usually described as the continuous historical interpretation. Now there are many interpretations, each one essentially different from the other. It is not the intention of this exercise to debate whether the Book of Revelation is credible. Neither is its object to present any opinion regarding the plethora of interpretations regarding the Apocalyptic imagery. It is, rather, to present the images in a visual form which is true to the original Biblical New Testament Greek texts which comprise Revelation.

If the Apocalypse is credible, it is important. If it is not, it is inexplicable. The exhortation at the beginning of the Book of Revelation states: "Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near" (Revelation 1: 3).

These words are reinforced at the end of the Book with this statement: "Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book." (Revelation 22: 7).

All English versions of the Bible text are, of course, translations - the Old Testament from Hebrew and the New Testament from Greek. Frequently, for the same Greek word, the various translators have offered differing English words, occasionally with quite differing meanings. It is often necessary, therefore, to attempt to get behind the English word by resorting to the original Greek text. One such example is in the fourth chapter. The throne in heaven is partially comprised of four 'living ones' or 'living creatures'. The translators of the King James Version opted for the translation, four 'beasts', which, whatever its understanding in 1611 (the year of its first publication), now has connotations far removed from the intent of the original text.

The Accompanying Images

My ongoing aim is to apply a variety of image-making techniques - principally photography and digital illustration - towards the creation of images based faithfully on the texts of ‘The Revelation of John’ - otherwise known as ‘The Apocalypse’. The endeavour is to avoid specific theological interpretation: rather to present a visual rendition created by one who himself seeks a fuller understanding, and in the hope that such will either generate new interest, or stimulate new thinking, or appreciation, in the hearts and minds of those familiar with these thrilling texts.

Even so - since some of the descriptive narrative can only be understood - and, therefore, visually ‘reconstructed’ through Biblical inter-textual analysis it is, to some extent, a theological study and it is hoped that, as such, it will also be of interest to theologians.

The images which this text accompanies are not primarily intended to be viewed in printed form. They are designed to be projected onto silk, or a similar material, to a scale of not less than ten metres in height, complemented by sound - including dramatic readings of the texts to which the individual images relate, sound effects produced to simulate the sounds so graphically described within the text, and specially commissioned music. The images will be projected in animatic form - including dissolves, panning, close-ups and containing overlaid sequences of real-time footage.

Sound Direction will be by BBC Radio 4 Producer, ‘Sony Sound Award’ winner and ‘Prix d’Italia’ nominee, Rosie Boulton. 

Although it is anticipated that eventually the series of images will total around sixteen in number, the text presents an ongoing revelation and should ideally be seen as a continuum. Its breaking up into visually manageable sections is largely for convenience and is, in truth, somewhat arbitrary.

The word images in the Apocalypse, though succinct, are rich in detail. Large-scale images are necessary to both show the detail and the visual magnitude of that which John witnessed on Patmos. Throughout this exercise, the major endeavour is to create images that are faithful to this remarkable text.