Hi Phoneman. Your words, "It never ceases to amaze me how people can open a symbolic book, read things like "a third part of the trees" and then look around to see whether one third of the earth's trees have been destroyed. Revelation is SYMBOLIC."
Is symbolism used? Yes! In most cases, is the symbolism explained within the context? Yes! For the most part Revelations is to be taken LITERALLY, not symbolically! Here is an example of explanations within the context.
Rev. 17:7-12 - "And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. (the symbolism)
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. (symbolism explained)
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast." (symbolism explained)
If there is no similar explanation within the context of a particular passage then the passage should be taken literally.
Is symbolism used? Yes! In most cases, is the symbolism explained within the context? Yes! For the most part Revelations is to be taken LITERALLY, not symbolically! Here is an example of explanations within the context.
Rev. 17:7-12 - "And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. (the symbolism)
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. (symbolism explained)
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast." (symbolism explained)
If there is no similar explanation within the context of a particular passage then the passage should be taken literally.