John and the book of Revelation

Sara R. Hoagland and Sara H. Hunter

Have you ever tried to tell your friends about a wonderful experience you've had? It can be hard to explain it in a way that lets them feel just how wonderful it was. Sometimes words seem too weak or limited to do the job. Imagine the challenge for John who had the great, spiritual vision that good triumphs over evil and the responsibility of sharing this vision with the world!

The book of Revelation in the Bible was written by John, whom many believe to be the beloved apostle of Jesus. Revelation means "a revealing." It stands for the Greek word apokalypsis. An apocalypse, or revelation, is an uncovering of something that was covered or hidden. John and a few other Bible writers who wrote in this style usually described visions or dreams.

John was sent away by enemies in his later years to Patmos, a small, rocky island off the coast of Turkey. There, he was jailed for spreading the word of Christ Jesus. It was a time when even admitting to being a Christian was very dangerous. The Roman Empire was at the height of its glory, and people were supposed to worship the emperor, not God. On Patmos, John was not angry or bitter, though. Instead, he became more committed to telling people about the message of Christ Jesus.

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