There are many reason why symbolism is used in the Bible. First of all, symbolism is not weakened by time. The Apostle John was able to draw great "images" of God which encouraged saints in his century and every century since. Symbols live on. They never lose their meaning.
Symbols also arouse emotions. It's one thing to talk about a man as a dictator, but when you call him a beast, you get your point across more powerfully. As you study and understand the symbols in Revelation, those symbls conveg emotion and excitement.
Symbol function as a kind of spiritual code. During the time that Revelation was written. The political climate was very hostile to Christianity. Remember that John, the author of revelation, was in exile on the Isle of Patmos for his faith in Jesus, and his unwillingness to bow to the Roman emperor of his day. When we recognize the perilous political situation in which Revelation was written. We understand the reason for its mysterious and veiled pictoral language. They had own little code. Like thosr early Christians, we too can understand the symbolism found in Revelation if we take the time to study ig carefully.
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