John may claim to have been shown these things in divine visions, but the data shows otherwise. John’s real skill was not that of a seer, but that of a writer who was able to mix and match bits of Jewish and Greco-Roman mythology to promote his own political and theological viewpoints. In this article, I examine some of the most famous elements of Revelation to see what they mean and where John really got them from. I also look at the ancient conspiracy theories about Nero’s death and expectations of his future return — a social phenomenon that explains some of the stranger passages in Revelation associated with the Antichrist.Presumably divine visions would make use of contemporary imagery. But a theological defense of John's visions is outside my remit. This essay has a thorough review of the mythological background of this chapter.
For PaleoJudaica posts on Leviathan and Behemoth, see here and links. For more on the Number of the Beast, see here and links, notably here. For more on the Nero-Rediturus and Nero Redivivus myths, see here.
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