Author: John, (cf. 1:1, 4, 9; 22:8)

Date: ca. AD 95, during the latter part of Emperor Domitian's reign (AD 81-96)

Place: on the small island of Patmos (about four by eight miles) located in the Aegean Sea about 50 miles SW of Ephesus in ancient Asia (present-day Turkey) - probably a Roman penal colony

Theme verse: "Look, He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen." 1:7

Occasion: Jesus' plan to encourage believers to persevere in their faith and practice by means of letters and revelation of events to come in the end time

Style: apocalyptic - the unveiling or revelation of what is to come by means of visions which include much symbolism (some of which is explained and some of which is not) signifying real things (cf. Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah).

Methods of interpretation: preterist, events described belong to contemporary Roman history; historicist, events described begin in Roman times and continue to the end times; idealist, events described basically highlight the eventual triumph of good over evil; futurist, events described are largely future in nature (the view taken in this paper)

Structure: four visions which begin with the words, "in the spirit," 1:10; 4:2; 17:3; 21:10

Outline: key verse: "Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later." 1:19

I. Prologue: 1:1-8

II. What you have seen: 1:9-20 (the vision of Jesus Christ)

III. What is now: 2-3, (the letters to the seven churches)

IV. What will take place later: 4-22

A. God's throne room, 4-5 (the center of action)
B. The Great Tribulation, 6-19, cf. Matthew 24:21 Chapter 19 includes the Rapture of the Church, the Coming of Christ, the Battle of Armageddon - all to take place near the end of the Tribulation.
N.B. I will be taking a posttribulational view regarding the Rapture of the Church.
C. The Millennium and the Great White Throne Judgment, 20
D. The New Heaven and New Earth - to be understand as Heaven.

V. Epilogue: 22:7-21