Exiled on the island of Patmos, the apostle John wrote Revelation around 95 A.D. to offer hope to persecuted Christians. This book has puzzled generations of readers because of its highly symbolic language. However, it’s not that weird or unique; much of its symbolism is universal (red stands for war, for example), and much of its ideas come from familiar Old Testament books like Daniel and Isaiah.

Think of it as a combination of several forms—an apocalypse (meaning something is unveiled for the reader), a prophecy, and a letter to several churches. Some people have viewed the book as pertaining only to the times of John, others see it as gradually happening over the past two thousand years, still others see the events described as still ahead during the end times, while a fourth group believes the entire book should be taken as symbolic only, a representation of good struggling with evil.

No matter how it is interpreted, Revelation’s use of story and poetry will continue to dazzle its readers. It is the most literary book of the Bible and has been extremely influential as a  literary model for Milton, Blake, and others. With its awesome scenes of heaven and earth and mind-boggling confrontations, Revelation makes an appropriate place to conclude the Bible. Let’s dig into this book in future blogs. For now, sit back, get comfortable, pick this book up, and get ready for a roller-coaster of a ride.