The book of Revelation, among the New Testament writings, stands out as the most debated due to its prophetic nature, yet it remains the least understood. Its content, filled with symbols requiring interpretation and literal descriptions to be taken at face value, poses significant challenges. The timing of its visions is uncertain, with a general linear progression interrupted by insets and asides that can confuse if misapplied. Despite these difficulties, Revelation declares its purpose in the opening verses: to show God's servants things that must shortly come to pass, indicating God's intent for it to be understood, though much of its value emerges after prophesied events occur. Revelation, or the Apocalypse, centers on the visible unveiling of Jesus Christ when He returns from heaven with His angels to take vengeance on those who do not know God and disobey the gospel. This unveiling signifies His appearance in glory and the glorification of His saints, who will be resurrected and exchange earthly for heavenly glory. The book ties closely to the gospel message of Jesus Christ, which focuses on the establishment of God's Kingdom on earth. When Christ is revealed, the Kingdom of God will be at hand, and Revelation details how the world's governments will come under God's rulership. For those who reject the gospel, Revelation foretells judgment for idolatry and disobedience, presenting news that is far from good. However, for true followers, it offers wonderful news, not in a pleasant or attractive sense, but as a zealous, righteous goodness—a deliberate pursuit of what benefits mankind by replacing broken human governments with a King who will impose all that is good. The book predominantly concerns the Day of the Lord, the period of Christ's revelation and the events immediately preceding it, focusing on the end time when this present age concludes and a new one begins. The concept of revelation, or apocalypsis, links Christ's unveiling with the future and the Father's overarching plan. It connects to the hope of resurrection, an incorruptible inheritance safeguarded by God, and the salvation to be revealed in the last time. This gives cause for rejoicing despite trials, which test the genuineness of faith to be proven at Christ's unveiling to the world. Though currently unseen, the anticipation of His return, when every eye will see Him, fuels love and joy among believers. Thus, Revelation remains almost entirely focused on the Day of the Lord and the triumphant return of Jesus Christ to intervene in human affairs and establish His Kingdom on earth.

The belief that Revelation 2 and 3 describe seven eras of the church from its founding to Christ's return is a concept that has been questioned for its accuracy. This interpretation was notably used by Herman Hoeh, who traced doctrinal similarities among various historical religious groups to fit them into the list of churches in Revelation 2 and 3, suggesting a chain of spiritual ancestry linked through centuries. However, the text suggests that this eras method of interpretation might not be the most accurate or important understanding of these chapters. Revelation 2 and 3 are more accurately understood within the context of the Lord's Day, a period of time just prior to Christ's return, rather than as successive eras. The seven churches mentioned existed simultaneously in the first century, located in what is now western Turkey, and were connected by a circuitous mail route. The message to these churches, as indicated in Revelation 2:23, implies that all the churches are in existence at the same time, just before Christ's return. The Lord's Day, mentioned in Revelation 1, is not a day of the week but refers to the time just before Christ's return, during which Christ stands in the midst of all seven churches. This understanding positions the entirety of chapters 2 and 3 within the Lord's Day, suggesting that these churches represent types and models of spiritual attitudes that exist just prior to Christ's return. The text concludes that the seven churches are not to be seen as eras but as representations of attitudes that can be found in the church throughout history and in the present. Each person called by God is encouraged to learn from the examples of these churches and to evaluate and change their own spiritual flaws accordingly.

The concept of church eras in the Book of Revelation, specifically in chapters 2 and 3, has been a significant belief among some who left the Worldwide Church of God, suggesting that the seven letters to the churches represent seven long periods from the church's founding by Jesus Christ up to the present and continuing until His return. This idea, potentially originating from the Church of God, Seventh Day, and elaborated in a 1959 booklet by Dr. Herman Hoeh titled *A True History of the True Church*, proposes a historical progression of church groups linked by common doctrines, fitting them into the sequence of churches mentioned in Revelation 2 and 3. However, the Bible does not explicitly support this era interpretation, and it is not considered the most accurate or primary application of these passages. In Revelation 2:23, within the letter to Thyatira, Jesus implies that all the churches exist simultaneously, stating that they shall know His judgment and that He will give to each according to their works. This, along with references to His imminent return in the first five letters, suggests that the seven churches are not scattered over long eras but coexist at the end time, mirroring their simultaneous existence in the first century in western Asia Minor as stops on a Roman mail route. The Book of Revelation, as an end-time book, focuses on the Day of the Lord, a period of God's judgment, during which Jesus stands in the midst of all seven churches, indicating their concurrent presence just before His return. The seven churches, while physically existing in the first century, serve as types and representations of spiritual attitudes present in the churches of God today, rather than successive stages over centuries. Jesus instructs in each letter to listen to what He says to all the churches, emphasizing that these attitudes can be found whenever and wherever a remnant of God's true church exists. Each church today likely has members reflecting multiple attitudes mentioned in the letters, though one may dominate a particular group. Despite the mixture of good and bad in His evaluations, Jesus still considers each as His church, expecting individual members to address their flaws within their current church context.