Judgment in the book of revelation
The book of Revelation is filled with descriptions of judgment, and it can look at first glance like the whole point is to scare unbelievers into repenting. That impression, however, turns out to be wrong on almost every count.
Some common misunderstandings about judgment
The table below sets four widespread assumptions about judgment in Revelation against what the text actually supports.
| Assumption | Reality |
|---|---|
| The book is addressed to unbelievers, to bring them to repentance. | No — it is addressed to the church(es), so that believers become more committed. |
| It is meant to create fear and scare people. | No. Fear and manipulation are not attributes of the church; they are shown throughout the book to be attributes of the beast instead. The church and this book operate instead through worship, testimony, perseverance, and prayer. Once again, the book is directed at the church, not at outsiders. |
| The only purpose of judgment is to punish. | No. Judgment scenes are used to expose the devil, to shake false securities, and to challenge people to make a clear decision. Punishment is certainly part of the picture, but not in the way most people assume — see the topic of heaven and hell. In many cases, too, the cause of suffering is not God at all, but demons or the devil. Even in the Old Testament, blessings and curses are laid out as an educational device: “If you still do not listen.” |
| Judgment is the main theme of Revelation. | It isn’t. The main theme is worship, coupled with testimony and witness. |