Revelations is thought to be written by John the apostle. John was not a writer in the conventional sense. John was a storyteller. He shared narratives and wisdom passed down through oral tradition.

Remember, the oldest known Christian writings that scholars have dated are from around 50 years after the crucifixion—a letter written by Paul to his churches.

Revelation, one of the most debated books of the Bible, wasn’t a prophecy in the way many people think today. Instead, it served as a warning for the people of its time, approximately 2,000 years ago. It was addressed to early Christian churches, cautioning them about the challenges they were facing.

John often communicated these messages through a young assistant who accompanied him. This assistant would write down John’s words and deliver them to the intended churches. However, traveling across the Roman Empire wasn’t simple or safe. Roman soldiers patrolled the countryside and frequently searched travelers. To protect the messages, John used coded language, often rooted in Jewish numerology.

For example, when applying Jewish numerology to the name “Nero,” it translates to 666. John’s warning about the “beast” was a direct reference to Nero, the Roman emperor notorious for his persecution of Christians. The vivid imagery in Revelation—the horsemen, the pestilence, and the chaos—depicted the suffering and destruction Nero would bring to the Christian community. Even modern biblical archaeology has uncovered alternate translations of Revelation where the numerology also points to Nero, reinforcing this interpretation.

John continued to send these warnings, even from exile on the island of Patmos, where Revelation is believed to have been written. The book’s vivid descriptions of tribulations served as urgent messages to protect these fledgling churches.

One of the most misunderstood aspects of Revelation is the term “Armageddon.” The word is derived from “Har Megiddo,” which means “Hill of Megiddo.” Megiddo is a real place—a hill overlooking a valley where a significant battle was believed to occur. This wasn’t a symbolic or metaphorical concept for the end of the world but rather a specific location tied to historical and spiritual significance.

It’s essential to understand that 2,000 years ago, there was no concept of mass communication or widespread publication. Revelation was a letter meant for a specific audience—a single church. It wasn’t intended to be a universal prophecy for all time but a targeted warning for the Christian communities of that era.

When we examine these writings through the lens of history, it becomes clear that many of the terrifying interpretations people ascribe to Revelation today were not its original purpose. Instead, it was a message rooted in the struggles and dangers of its time—a call to be vigilant and resilient against the looming threats of persecution.