John didn't create the symbols, God did. John just wrote them down, trying to describe what he experienced. (I can't imagine trying to find worldly words to describe such an other-worldly experience!)
Apocalypse differs from prophecy in that prophecy foretells the ongoing history of the world whereas apocalypse tells about God stepping into history and changing it. That certainly describes the Book of Revelation! (I love the symbolism of this picture of God knocking over the chess board. Chess is a game of strategy involving kings, queens, knights, castles, bishops, and pawns. It is basically a war game. By the time God knocks the game off the earth, evil men in all venues will have created a "game" of wickedness, war, and unrighteous dominion. This is a fitting representation.)
Apostasy was already running rampant in the early Church. John along with other apostles saw it coming. They knew that their words would be subject to translation and interpretation by those holding no legitimate authority from God. Many plain things would be taken from the canon (think of the book burning at Nicaea.) and other things would be distorted. This is such an important and powerful message. How can it be protected? Using symbolic language insures that the spiritually prepared and matured can, with prayer, study, and meditation, understand God's message. The uninitiated won't understand it enough, even to mess it up! (Perhaps that is one reason that Jesus taught in parables: those who could digest meat, got meat; those who needed milk, got milk.)
Concepts learned from Opening the Seven Seals by Richard D. Draper, Deseret Book, SLC, UT
Picture of symbols from www.vivaciousvisionary.blogspot.com
Picture of God's hand changing the earth from www.lamblion.us. Painting by Pat M. Smith
Picture of Constantine burning books with opposing points of view at the Council in Nicaea. Illustration from a northern Italian compendium of canon law, circa 825 A.D. from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Council_of_Nicaea
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