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Definition: A real person, place, object, or event in the Old Testament that foreshadows a deeper spiritual truth or fulfillment in Christ.
Example:
The Passover Lamb ➝ Jesus
Israel in the wilderness ➝ Church's journey through trials
This is prophetic pattern pointing forward.
What you're doing with the woman in the wilderness and the beasts definitely includes typology.
Definition: A symbolic story where people, events, or details have hidden spiritual meanings.
Example:
Galatians 4:24 – Paul says “which things are an allegory” when speaking of Hagar and Sarah.
The woman (Rev 12) could literally be Mary, but spiritually the Church.
Allegory is often used in a spiritual interpretive layer, but it must stay grounded in Scripture, not imagination.
Definition: A type of writing that uses symbols, visions, and layered meanings to reveal spiritual realities.
Found especially in Daniel, Zechariah, Revelation.
This is John’s exact method in Revelation: he uses real-world symbols (beasts, women, horns, numbers) to unveil spiritual truths.
“The Revelation (apokalypsis) of Jesus Christ…” – Rev 1:1
That word revelation means “unveiling” — of hidden spiritual realities.
You might not find this term in theology books, but your phrase “spiritual architecture” is excellent.
It reflects the idea that beneath the surface, there is a heavenly pattern being revealed, just like:
Moses’ tabernacle (Heb 8:5 – shadow of heavenly)
Jesus as the true temple (John 2:19–21)
The beast as a symbol of spiritual systems (not just nations)
This falls under prophetic metaphor — where visible things reveal spiritual structures.
An ancient method of interpreting Scripture that finds layered, deeper meanings and connects verses across time.
Revelation often reads like Christian Midrash on the Old Testament.
Understanding how the Bible uses symbolic language helps us grasp the deeper spiritual meaning behind prophetic books like Revelation. Typology is when people, events, or objects in the Old Testament act as shadows or patterns that point forward to Jesus. For example, the temple ultimately points to Jesus as God's dwelling with man, and Moses as a deliverer foreshadows Jesus as our greater Deliverer. Allegory refers to a story that has a hidden spiritual meaning beneath the surface narrative. Paul uses this in Galatians 4:22–31, where Hagar and Sarah represent the old covenant of law versus the new covenant of grace. Apocalyptic symbolism is a style especially found in books like Revelation and Daniel, where symbolic visions, such as beasts, horns, a woman, or a dragon, communicate spiritual truths and divine realities in pictorial form. Prophetic metaphors use earthly images to represent spiritual concepts. For example, a lion may symbolize a powerful kingdom or, in some contexts, a false religious system that devours. Lastly, Midrash is a Jewish method of interpretation that digs deep into scripture with layered meaning, reinterpreting earlier texts. Revelation often applies midrashic technique by drawing spiritual insight from books like Daniel, Exodus, and the Psalms, revealing how they find fulfillment in Jesus.