No book from the Bible is more controversial than the Book of Revelation, the last book and the only apocalypse book of the New Testament. Authors of an apocalypse were given a revelation in a vision and passed it on in writing, a style that was not uncommon at the time the book was written. This style of writing results in language that is highly pseudonymous and rich in symbolic imagery, and furthermore the importance of the visions described are never in their immediate literal meaning.
For many, the purpose of the book of Revelation is a message of comfort during a time of conflict, which ultimately results in a conquest and a victory over the oppressor. Although directly written to the Christians of the First Century, the message is applicable throughout the ages.