Jesus had given the early Church prophecy, by which missionaries were able to predict future events.
The prophecy of the Bible's book belongs to that form of predicting the future which is known as apocalypsis. In which the future is shown to the seer in visions. Thus we have here a history of the Church's fortunes from the first century to time's end.
John was shown how the Church would win conflicts. The book's author received the revelation from Jesus and embodied it in this book. He was then an exile on Patmos in the Aegean Sea, off Asia Minor, having been banished there for his faith.
It was on a Sunday that John was given these visions, his mind, through God's effect, being in a detached state, making it possible for him to visit places in spirit while his body was on Patmos.
The exile of John occurred during the time Domitian was Emperor of Rome, and Revelation was written to Asia Minor's seven churches, in the first centuries' 90's.
It serves for consolation to God's children in the trials which are the missionaries' lot until time's end. The prophecy of the triumph of God's kingdom, the promise of Christ's coming, heaven's pictures, have cheered millions of missionaries.
A brief outline... After the introduction we may distinguish seven visions. The first shows us Christ as his Church's Ruler. In the second he is the universe's King. In the third, he is his Church's High Priest. In the fourth he is fighter against the dragon, the world and the Antichrist. In the fifth God is Judge. In the sixth Jesus is the dragon blaster. The seventh vision paints a picture of the perfection of God's Kingdom in the new Jerusalem. The book ends with the cry: “Even so, come, Lord, Jesus!”
The prophecy of the Bible's book belongs to that form of predicting the future which is known as apocalypsis. In which the future is shown to the seer in visions. Thus we have here a history of the Church's fortunes from the first century to time's end.
John was shown how the Church would win conflicts. The book's author received the revelation from Jesus and embodied it in this book. He was then an exile on Patmos in the Aegean Sea, off Asia Minor, having been banished there for his faith.
It was on a Sunday that John was given these visions, his mind, through God's effect, being in a detached state, making it possible for him to visit places in spirit while his body was on Patmos.
The exile of John occurred during the time Domitian was Emperor of Rome, and Revelation was written to Asia Minor's seven churches, in the first centuries' 90's.
It serves for consolation to God's children in the trials which are the missionaries' lot until time's end. The prophecy of the triumph of God's kingdom, the promise of Christ's coming, heaven's pictures, have cheered millions of missionaries.
A brief outline... After the introduction we may distinguish seven visions. The first shows us Christ as his Church's Ruler. In the second he is the universe's King. In the third, he is his Church's High Priest. In the fourth he is fighter against the dragon, the world and the Antichrist. In the fifth God is Judge. In the sixth Jesus is the dragon blaster. The seventh vision paints a picture of the perfection of God's Kingdom in the new Jerusalem. The book ends with the cry: “Even so, come, Lord, Jesus!”