Revelation
| Revelation | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | Rev |
| Class. | New Testament |
| Category | Book of Prophecy |
| Chapters | 22 Chapters |
| Record Related | |
| Writer | John |
| Date (Approx.) | AD 94–96 |
| Location | Patmos Island |
The Book of Revelation is the twenty-seventh and final book of the New Testament. It was written by Apostle John during his exile on the island of Patmos, where he had been banished due to Emperor Domitian’s persecution of Christians. In Revelation, John recorded the visions and revelations he received from Jesus.
John the Writer
Apostle John, the writer of the book of Revelation, is the son of Zebedee, a Galilean fisherman, and the brother of Apostle James. As one of Jesus Christ’s beloved disciples, along with Peter, he was among the twelve apostles and lived the longest, caring for the church. He was specially granted ears that were able to hear God‘s voice clearly,[1] and during the revelation, he heard and saw the mystery of the seven thunders. He also witnessed the gospel work that would take place in the last days and saw the redeemed saints standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion. In addition to the book of Revelation, John also wrote the Gospel of John and the three epistles of John: 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John.
Record Background
As Emperor Domitian severely suppressed Christianity, persecution of Christians expanded beyond Rome to the entire empire.[2] At that time, Apostle John, who was ministering to the church in Ephesus, was exiled to the island of Patmos.[3] The book of Revelation appears to have been written during that period. Patmos Island, located about 90 km southwest of Ephesus in Asia Minor on the Mediterranean coast, was a rough and desolate place of exile where Rome imprisoned political prisoners and enemy forces. The exiles there suffered hard labor in the mines, and John likely endured similar hardships.
Characteristics of Revelation
Revelation stands as the sole prophetic book in the New Testament. The Bible, which began with the creation of heaven and earth in Genesis, ends with the creation of the new heaven and new earth, that is, the advent of heaven, in the book of Revelation. This prophecy about the blessed future of those who would be saved, provided comfort, encouragement, and hope to the saints who were suffering severe persecution. As a book of prophecy, it contains numerous symbols, metaphors, and revelations, leading to a variety of interpretations. However, it is believed that only the Root of David can correctly interpret it and lead to salvation.[4]
Composition of Revelation
| Chapter | Content |
| Ch.1 | Greetings |
| Chs.2–3 | Letters to the Seven Churches |
| Ch.4 | The Throne in Heaven |
| Ch.5 | The Scroll Sealed With Seven Seals and the Root of David |
| Ch.6 | Seven Seals |
| Ch.7 | The Work of Salvation That Begins in the East |
| Chs.8–9 | Seven Trumpets |
| Ch.10 | The Angel Robed in a Cloud and the Seven Thunders |
| Ch.11 | Two Witnesses |
| Ch.12 | The Dragon and the Woman’s Offspring |
| Ch.13 | The Beast Against God and the Saints |
| Ch.14 | The Saints With the Lamb in Zion |
| Chs.15–16 | Seven Plagues |
| Chs.17–18 | Punishment of Babylon the Great |
| Ch.19 | The Heavenly Wedding Banquet and the New Jerusalem |
| Ch.20 | The Sabbath of a Thousand Years |
| Chs.21–22 | The New Jerusalem, a New Heaven, and a New Earth |
Letters to the Seven Churches
It is a letter sent to the seven churches in Asia Minor at the time—churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea, containing praise and rebuke. This is a prophecy that shows not only what will happen to the churches at the time but also what will happen to the churches in the future.[5]
The Scroll Sealed With Seven Seals and the Root of David
The scroll containing the secret of God is sealed with seven seals. No one is able to open the scroll or even look inside it, but when the Root of David comes, He will open the scroll and its seals.
The Work of Salvation That Begins in the East
When the four angels hold back the winds from every corner, an angel with the seal of God comes up from the east and puts the seal on the people of God. The seal is a sign that saves God’s people from the great disaster that will occur when the winds are released.
The Dragon Versus the Woman’s Offspring
The great dragon, Satan, who was cast out of heaven to the earth, deceives the whole world into worshiping him. He also stands on the shore of the sea and wages war against the rest of the woman’s offspring. The rest of the woman’s offspring are those who keep God’s commandments and hold fast to their testimony about Jesus; they are the people of Zion who are with the Lamb. In the end, Satan will be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where he will be tormented day and night forever and ever, while the people of God will reign with Christ in the kingdom of heaven.
Punishment of Babylon the Great
The great prostitute sits on many waters, and represents the great city of Babylon, which rules over the kings of the earth and seduces them. God calls His people out of Babylon, where they were imprisoned, and ultimately destroys Babylon.
The Heavenly Wedding Banquet and the New Jerusalem
When the appointed time for the wedding of the Lamb comes, the Lamb’s bride, wife, appears. The bride is Jerusalem, who comes down from heaven and gives the water of life to humankind together with the Lamb, who is the Holy Spirit. A new heaven and a new earth, where there is no more death, sorrow, or pain, comes to the people of God as the eternal kingdom of heaven.
References
- ↑ "John 12:28–30".
- ↑ Why Early Christians Were Persecuted by the Romans, History Today, August 8, 1966
- ↑ "Revelation 1:9".
- ↑ "Revelation 5:1–5".
- ↑ "Revelation 1:19".