What is the book of Revelation?
Revelation 1:1
ESV - 1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John.
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Asked November 15 2013
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Anonymous (via GotQuestions)
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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
Author: Revelation 1:1,4,9 and 22:8 specifically identify the author of the Book of Revelation as the apostle John.Date of Writing: The Book of Revelation was likely written between A.D. 90 and 95....
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Shantkumar S. Kunjam
Supporter
I fully endorse the first answer, but I would like to add some of my findings. 1). The use of the phrase 'in the Spirit' in vs. 1:10; 4:2; 17:3; and 21:10 makes the prophetic section of the book easily in four main divisions. 1. 1:9 to 3:22 - Jesus Christ, the Lord, and His Church today. 2. 4:1 to 16:21 - The Almighty God, the Triumphant Lamb and God's plan for the world. 3. 17:1 to 20:15 - The great Babylon, the mother of harlots versus the New Jerusalem, the Wife of the Lamb. 4. 21:1 to 22:5 - The New Jerusalem, the eternal hope of the believers. 2). The key to understand the prophetic message of this book is found in the phrase "For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (19:10). In fact this may be the key to understand the whole biblical prophecy. Moreover, the phrase above 'in the Spirit' makes it imperative that only spiritual, and not unspiritual, people will receive the message of this book. 3). The name, The Lamb, has been extraordinarily used for the Lord Jesus Christ. The word the Lamb has been used mostly in main prophetic section about 27 times, while in rest of the N. T. only about 5 times. This is, it seams, an indication that we must interpret the book of Revelation keeping in mind the Lamb characteristic of our Lord. 4). The name Church is hardly used in the prophetic section. It has occurred only in introductory section, letters to the seven Churches and in closing section. What is the significance of this? 5). Through out the book, believers are encouraged to be faithful to the end, specially in closing comments of the letters to the Churches in chapters 2 and 3 and in the seven "Blessed" utterances in 1:2; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7 and 22:14. 6). A special provision of salvation is made for the unbelievers to "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water" (14:7). This is also indicated by the phrases like "they did not repent" and "They blasphemed God" in 9:21; 16:9, 11, 21. That because of the tribulations they were expected to repent and worship God. This special provision is also indicated in the Gospels (see Mt. 10:40-42; 25:40). 7). The book of Revelation is a fitting closing book for the whole of the Bible. Many subjects, specially of O.T., untouched in rest of the Bible are taken up and given climactic conclusions, such as, The Tree of Life, the serpent, the city of God, etc. The hopes of the believers and promises of God are fittingly realized. Blessings upon all those who study this book of Revelation in the Spirit of Christ, our Lord.
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
I would add my thought on the book's author, Revelation's author, because an ebible question has been merged with this one. (https://ebible.com/questions/4864-who-was-john-in-revelation-1-1) John wrote the gospel and three epistles bearing his name, and also the Book of Revelation. HL He was a fisherman (Rev. 1:1 "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John":) "who wrote the last book of the Bible while exiled on Patmos Island near Ephesus." SMM John is exiled to a penal colony on Patmos Island. SMM Visual Bible This man named John said he wrote Revelation, the last book of the Bible, in exile: "I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God" (Revelation 1:9) Let me add more background here: His father was a fisherman owning his own vessel and prosperous enough to hire servants. John himself was also a successful fisherman. He was called to discipleship while plying his nets. He was the youngest of the disciples, the Benjamin among the Twelve. He was one of the select triumvirate, Christ’s inner cabinet of three, Peter and James being the other two. I call this "His inner circle." He was surnamed by Christ as a son of “Boanerges” because of his prophetic zeal and resolution to witness for Christ. He was treated by Christ with greater familiarity than the others enjoyed. He sat next to Christ at the Last Supper. He was entrusted with the care of the mother of Jesus. He died when he was almost 100 years of age. HL
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