About Revelation
The Lamb who was slain is worthy to receive all power and glory - the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.
"Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll."
Revelation 22:7
Written
circa AD 95-96
Author
John
Genre
Apocalyptic / Prophecy / Epistle
Position
27th and final NT book - Apocalyptic / Prophecy
Authorship
John the Apostle, exiled to the island of Patmos during the Domitian persecution (1:9). He received the visions described in the book and was commanded to write what he saw.
Historical Context
Written during Domitian's reign (AD 81-96), when Christians faced intensifying imperial pressure to worship the emperor as divine. The seven churches of Asia Minor (chs. 2-3) all faced specific forms of this crisis.
Purpose
To assure suffering and compromised Christians that Christ is Lord over all history and all empires - that the Lamb who was slain has conquered, and that his people who overcome will share his victory.
Key Message
The Lamb who was slain is worthy to receive all power and glory - the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.
Book Structure
Interesting Facts
Revelation contains over 400 allusions to the OT but never directly quotes a single OT verse - yet is saturated with OT imagery.
The number 7 appears 54 times in Revelation - 7 churches, 7 seals, 7 trumpets, 7 bowls - symbolizing divine completeness.
The number of the beast (666) has been interpreted as Nero Caesar, the Roman Empire, and every subsequent tyrannical power.
Revelation 5 - the scroll with seven seals - is the pivotal theological moment: only the Lamb who was slain is worthy to open history's final chapter.
The New Jerusalem (ch. 21) is described as a perfect cube - the same shape as the Holy of Holies in Solomon's temple.
Revelation ends with the only invitation in the last book of the Bible: Come, Lord Jesus - the church's ultimate prayer (Maranatha).