The Book of Revelation is written during a time of persecution — probably the persecution under the Emperor Domitian about the year 85AD or maybe during the persecution of Trajan after 100AD. The intention of the author, John the Seer, is to encourage Christians in the time of trial. He offers a glorious vision of God’s ultimate triumph after the suffering. “Come up here and I will show you what must happen afterwards.” What will happen is glorious. Of interest in the vision is the presence of “twenty-four elders.” If you add up the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles you get twenty-four. Thus in this vision of the future, Jews and Christians are united in their triumphal worship of the one, true God.
