The overriding theme of Revelation is that Jesus is the one who will receive all power, glory and honour, from his ascension, throughout all the ages of this world, and on throughout all eternity. True power over all aspects of God's creation is not in the hands of earthly or satanic powers. It is in the hands of King Jesus. The first and last word will always be His.

"Revelation" means the unveiling of something hidden; the making known of what human beings could never find out for themselves. And this book is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which means it was delivered by Him, that it is about Him and that it belongs exclusively to Him. In it He is presented as:

• THE KING OF ALL THE NATIONS

• THE KING OF ALL THE AGES

• THE KING OF ALL KINGS – DEFEATING THEM

• THE KING OF ALL KINGS – RULING & REIGNING OVER THEM

• THE KING WHO HAS DEFEATED & DESTROYED THE DEVIL & ALL HIS WORKS

"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive blessing and honour and glory and power and riches and wisdom and strength and thanksgiving and worship and praise!" (Rev 4:11; 5:12). 

What is the main purpose of the book? Leon Morris writes: "We must not think of Revelation as a kind of intellectual puzzle (spot the meaning of this symbol) sent to a church with time on its hands and an inclination for solving mysteries. It was sent to a small, perplexed church; one which did not know what to make of the situation in which it found itself."

Phil Moore writes: "Revelation is not primarily about weird beasts, strange allegories, or encoded details about the final years of Planet Earth. It is a book which focuses on one great fact which trumps all others. Our God has always reigned over the whole universe and always will."

Its purpose was to inspire, encourage and strengthen the faith of the persecuted and despised church of the first century. Its symbolism and language – known as apocalyptic – belongs to that era and was understood by them, but is not clear to us. We simply do not know how to interpret much of its symbolism, but we can understand the principles it teaches. Every chapter was relevant to them, just as it has been, and will be, to every generation since. John Stott writes: "It is the solid conviction of the New Testament authors that the 'last days' arrived with Jesus Christ." The church has always been in the 'last days'.

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, which Peter explained as fulfilling the prophecy of Joel 2:28-32, occurred in the 'last days'. Hebrews 1 begins: "Long ago … God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son". Paul wrote: "You should know this that in the last days [in which we now live] there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money … Stay away from people like that!" (2 Tm 3:1-5). Jesus wants us to live each day as though He might return tomorrow.