Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament which foretells the second coming of Christ, the end of the world, the Last Judgement, Armageddon and the establishment of a New Heaven and a New Earth. Angels of intricate symbolic power figure prominently. A very good example of Judgement can be found in Revelation 17, in which the Whore of Babylon is the main figure that others are accused of fornicating to.
The beast was given a mouth uttering proud boasts and blasphemies, and it was given authority to act for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling and those who dwell in heaven. It was also allowed to wage war against the holy ones and conquer them, and it was granted authority over every tribe, people, tongue, and nation. All the inhabitants of the earth will worship it, all whose names were not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life, which belongs to the Lamb who was slain.
"Whoever has ears ought to hear these words.
Anyone destined for captivity goes into captivity.
Anyone destined to be slain by the sword shall be slain by the sword.
Such is the faithful endurance of the holy ones."
~ Revelation 13:5 - 10.
Although a common tradition attributes the book to John the Apostle, there is vigorous scholarly debate as to the true author. Moreover, it is not agreed that the author of Revelation is also the author of the Gospel and Epistles of John. There are many stylistic and linguistic differences between the five Johannine writings, but there are striking similarities as well.
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show his servants what must happen soon. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who gives witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ by reporting what he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud and blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near.
~ Revelation 1:1.
Scholars agree that early readers of Revelation were well versed in the sort of symbolic allegory and imagery in which the book was written, able to read the language of myth because they knew well the traditions of Jewish apocalyptic writings and Greek and Roman literature. Yet decoding that symbolic language 2000 years later is no easy task.