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[[Image:Dürer Fourhorsemen.jpg|thumb|''The Four horsemen of the Apocalypse'' by [[Albrecht Dürer]]]]
[[Image:Dürer Fourhorsemen.jpg|thumb|''The Four horsemen of the Apocalypse'' by [[Albrecht Dürer]]]]
The '''Book of Revelation''',<ref>It's formal title is '''The Revelation of St. John the Divine''', also called '''The Revelation to John''', '''The Apocalypse of John'''.</ref> or simply '''Revelation''', is the final book of the [[Christian]] [[Bible]] (The [[New Testament]]). It records a series of visions received by [[John the Apostle|John]], an Apostle of [[Christ]], while John was imprisoned on the island of Patmos.<ref>In ancient writings as going back as early as [[Justin Martyr]], it was held that the author of this book was [[John the Apostle]].</ref><ref>The NIV Study Bible, Zondervan Press, 1985, Pg. 1923</ref> The visions describe the end times and the second coming of [[Jesus Christ]].<ref>[[Preterists]] disagree, believing the book describing events fulfilled at other points in history.</ref>
The '''Book of Revelation''',<ref>It's formal title is '''The Revelation of St. John the Divine''', also called '''The Revelation to John''', '''The Apocalypse of John'''.</ref> or simply '''Revelation''', is the final book of the [[Christian]] [[Bible]] (The [[New Testament]]).
It records a series of visions received by [[John the Apostle|John]], an Apostle of [[Christ]], while John was imprisoned on the island of Patmos.<ref>In ancient writings as going back as early as [[Justin Martyr]], it was held that the author of this book was [[John the Apostle]].</ref><ref>The NIV Study Bible, Zondervan Press, 1985, Pg. 1923</ref> Jesus Christ Himself provided the visions to John.
==Letters to the Churches==
Chapters 2 and 3 consist of seven letters written to congregations located in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey): the congregations at Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.
Four of the seven churches (Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, and Thyatira) are commended for their actions but also warned that if they did not repent of certain deeds done, punishment would come upon them. The church at Philadelphia is commended only and not admonished; the churches at Sardis and Laodicea are not commended at all but only admonished (the wording for the Laodicean church differs from the others in that they are either told or warned of impending punishment -- the KJV says that he "would spew them out of his mouth", while other translations state that it was a warning of future punishment -- then told to repent).
There are three historical interpretations for the letters, all of which could be simultaneously true:
*The most common interpretation is that the letters were to the congregations directing them of certain actions needed (all seven cities historically existed and each was known to have a local congregation in it).
*Another interpretation posits that it is intended to describe different types of churches which exist (the Ephesus church being one doing a lot of good and commendable works but not doing them with a love for God, for example).
*The third interpretation is that each congregation represents various periods within the Church Age (in order from Ephesus to Laodicea, the latter being either the church just before or during the prophetic events described beginning in Chapter 4).
==Prophetic Visions==
The visions describe the end times and the second coming of [[Jesus Christ]].<ref>[[Preterists]] disagree, believing the book describing events fulfilled at other points in history.</ref>
Revelation also describes the final rebellion of [[Satan]] (at [[Armageddon]]), the final defeat of Satan by [[God]], and the return of peace to the world.
Revelation also describes the final rebellion of [[Satan]] (at [[Armageddon]]), the final defeat of Satan by [[God]], and the return of peace to the world.