Who is Revelation for?

Imagine you are a Christian living in the 60’s or 70’s of the first century. You are part of a vibrant church. You know the miraculous power of God moving through the Church into the world around you. You are living in a time where signs and wonders are a present reality; the Church has not yet learned to consign them to the past. You experience the presence and power of God in your own life as well. Life has been good.

But all hell seems to have broken loose. The great persecutions initiated by the Emperors Nero and Domitian are in full swing. Christians are being crucified or facing wild animals in the arenas. Many of your friends have disappeared – in prison or ‘gone underground’ you don’t know. You may be next. You live in terror of soldiers kicking your door down and dragging you and your family away to who knows what horrible fate.

Worse still, you hear that Paul, the great writer of all those wonderful letters, has been killed; Peter too – they even crucified him upside down! John the Beloved Disciple is getting old. If Jesus is coming back in John’s lifetime, as He is supposed to have said, He had better get on with it. Rumours are beginning to reach you that John has been taken away and incarcerated on Patmos, the notorious prison island. Not many make it back from there. 

God seems to have lost the plot.

This book is for you.

Imagine you are Christian living in the early years of the 21st century. For all the talk of revival, it’s not looking good. Whilst there is great affluence, there is also great poverty. The West is decaying from within, progressively cutting loose from its Christian roots. Russia is making trouble wherever it can. China is growing in might and influence daily. Militant forms of Islam are spreading terror. Corrupt and tyrannical governments are oppressing their people all over the world.

Worse still, from North Korea to the Middle East and beyond, Christians are suffering horribly for their faith; ostracised by their communities; locked up; put to forced labour; tortured; killed. 

Even at home, life is uncomfortable for Christians, discriminated against at work; derided in the media; historic liberties such as freedom of speech and religion are being eroded; the family, once the cornerstone of society, is under attack as never before. You fear for your children.

God seems to have lost the plot.

This book is for you. 

It’s a book of hope; to make sense of the world around you; to remind you that it’s God’s world, and He is working His plan. God’s love is on you. The power of God is still backing you to spread the gospel, serve your community and disciple the nations. And then the end will come.

Take heart! This book is for you.

Copyright © 2019 Henry Cairns-Terry. All rights reserved.