Because of many persecutions, the church in the late first century was suffering. Many of the apostles had been martyred, and the apostle John had been arrested and placed in exile on the island of Patmos. The church needed spiritual, emotional, mental and physical encouragement and stability to get them through their trials. John's letter - the recounting of a vision he had while in exile - is meant to encourage believers experiencing suffering by highlighting the supremacy of Christ, God's ultimate sovereignty, and the promise of future justice and restoration. It is a symbolic book that uses a number of different images to communicate different points, but each section further illustrates that throughout time, even in the midst of great trials, God will reign supreme.