REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.

 THE INEVITABLE CONFLICT BETWEEN CHRISTIANITY  AND THE ROMAN EMPIRE WAS LONG POSTPONED THROUGH IMPERIAL POLICY OF RELIGIOUS TOLERATION AND THE POLITICAL QUIETISM OF THE CHRISTIANS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF PAUL. PERSECUTION CONFINED TO SUCH INDIVIDUALS  SUCH AS PAUL AND PETER., NOW OVERTOOK ALL CHRISTIANS WHO WERE UNWILLING TO PURCHASE SAFETY CONFORMING TO THE ROMAN RELIGION. IN THIS DARK HOUR OF SUPPRESSION AND THREATEN EXTINCTION, THE BOOK OF REVELATION WAS WRITTEN BY JOHN, A PROPHET OF EPHESUS, IN CIRCUMSTANCES SIMILAR TO THOSE IN WHICH THE BOOK OF DANIEL HAD BEEN COMPOSED TWO CENTURIES EARLIER. STEEPED IN THE APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE EZEKIEL, ZECHARIAH, AND DANIEL, THE AUTHOR CONSTRUCTED A PICTURE OF THE APPROACHING OVERTHROW OF ROME AS THE VERITABLE KINGDOM OF ANTICHRIST FORETOLD BY THE PROPHETS. THOUGH THE INFLUENCE IS EVIDENT IN THE PROLOGUE, THE SPIRIT OF THE WORK IS ESSENTIALLY HEBRAIC RATHER THAN CHRISTIAN.
JOHN TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES WHICH ARE IN ASIA: GRACE BE UNTO YOU, AND PEACE, FROM HIM WHICH IS, AND WHICH WAS, AND WHICH IS TO COME AND FROM THE SEVEN SPIRITS WHICH ARE BEFORE HIS THRONE.; AND FROM JESUS CHRIST, WHO IS THE FAITHFUL WITNESS, AND THE FIRST BEGOTTEN, AND THE PRINCE OF THE KINGS OF THE EARTH. UNTO HIM THAT LOVED US, AND WASHED US FROM OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BLOOD, AND HATH MADE US KINGS AND PRIESTS UNTO GOD AND HIS FATHER, TO HIM BE GLORY AND DOMINION FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN.
BEHOLD HE COMETH IN THE CLOUDS; EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM, AND THEY ALSO WHICH PIERCED HIM: AND ALL KINDREDS OF THE EARTH SHALL WAIL BECAUSE OF HIM. EVEN SO:amen. "I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE BEGINNING AND THE ENDING,"
SAITH THE LORD, WHICH IS, AND WHICH WAS, AND WHICH IS TO COME, THE ALMIGHTY.
I  JOHN, WHO ALSO AM YOUR BROTHER, AND COMPANION IN TRIBULATION, AND IN THE KINGDOM AND PATIENCE OF JESUS CHRIST. THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE; BUT PERFECT LOVE CASTETH OUT FEAR:  BECAUSE FEAR HAS TORMENT. HE THAT FEARETH IS NOT MADE PERFECT IN LOVE. WE LOVE HIM, BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US. IF A MAN SAY, " I LOVE GOD AND HATES HIS BROTHER, HE IS A LIAR; FOR HE WHO LOVES NOT HIS BROTHER, WHOM HE HAS SEEN? HOW CAN HE LOVE GOD WHOM HE HAS NOT SEEN.AND THIS COMMANDMENT HAVE WE FROM HIM, THAT HE WHO LOVES GOD, MUST LOVE HIS BROTHER ALSO. DOMINATED BY CONCEPTIONS OF WAR AND REVENGE, THE WORK IS ETHICALLY ON A LOWER PLANE THAN THE REST OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, BUT FROM THE STRICTLY LITERARY POINT OF VIEW.
IT IS THE MOST MAGNIFICENT OF THE LATER BOOKS OF THE BIBLE. IT IS FITTING THAT THE BIBLE SHOULD CLOSE WITH THIS CULMINATING EXAMPLE OF THE APOCALYPTIC FORM, SO DEEPLY INFUSED WITH THE PROPHETIC SPIRIT, A KIND OF RESURRECTION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT IN CHRISTIAN GUISE.