This book appears to have been written around 100 CE, most likely not by the Apostle John on Patmos (island just off Turkey). It is “apocalyptic” (unveiling), written during a time of great persecutions of Christians. The main message is simply that Jesus will conquer all evil (especially the Roman Empire). It continues the Hebrew apocalyptic tradition (cf. Daniel) Full of prophecies and symbolism about the future and would-be rulers. The characteristics of apocalyptic literature are: whole universe as cosmic dualism, good vs. evil, God is King, nonbelievers evil and will be eliminated. God violently punishes non-believers. Preoccupation with “end times”(eschatology), full of cosmic symbolism and code words (NOT LITERAL)
The Roman Emperor cult focused in Domitian time when he exempted Jews from persecution but persecuted Christians. He thought sacramental “eating body” and “drinking blood” were evil. Thousands of Christians were slaughtered by Emperor Trajan and his buddy Pliny. The more that were punished, the more Christians there were. The word “fish” became key symbol since it was spelled IXTHUS an acrostic for: “Jesus/Christ/God’s Son/Savior”. A fish could be drawn with two intersecting arches, one above the other, first one then the other if the first was recognized. If a stranger did not “see” the key meaning then nothing was lost, no danger, but if it was recognized a friend was made.
After the brief Prologue in Chapter 1 there are Letters to the key Seven Churches around the Empire in what is now Turkey (chaps. 2 and 3). Then 7 scrolls and seven trumpets announcing various coming events (cf. Ingmar Bergman’s film “The Seventh Seal”). Then huge symbolic signs will appear in the heavens: a woman, a dragon, a Lamb, and the Great Whore (Rome), a new Heaven and Earth and a new Jerusalem. The writer concludes by affirming the authenticity of this prophecy. The Lamb opens the Seals of the Scrolls for each individual Church. There will be 144,000 saved from the final Holocaust (12×12 tribes of Israel), a 1,000 year “interim” and resurrection then the of the dead and the punishment of the evil ones, and the final Wedding of the Lamb (the Church?)
There is a long tradition of apocalyptic literature (Jewish Old Testament, the Essenes of the Qumran Dead Sea community) and later Christians. In modern times there have been and remain many apocalyptic groups: All those groups that look forward to a “rapture” of believers into the heavens”: eg. Branch Davidians of Waco TX., the group that expected Jesus to meet them in the sky with a rocket ship, and many others. Standard fundamentalists talk of a period of 7 years interrupted by a violent tribulation, followed by another period of 7 years before the final Heavenly Kingdom will be ushered in. They disagree about just how many years will be involved in each stage and just who will be “raptured” when.
The main take-away here should be that this book was originally written for First Century Christians to give them hope in the midst of the persecutions by the Romans. It was not intended as a script for the ”end times.” It’s style is borrowed from the Old testament apocalyptic prophets like Ezekiel and Daniel. Several of the initial efforts to form the “canon” of the official New Testament actually left Revelation out because it was thought to have little or no real spiritual value for either doctrine or church development. It was eventually included in most editions but in my view it has little relevance for modern Christian belief.