The mysterious book of Revelation is a bit like Don McLean's 1972 song "American Pie" -- if you get the allusions and cryptic references it's cool and makes sense; but if not it's just confusing. The book of Revelation is best understood as a first century prophetic critique of the Roman Empire. As such it serves as a Christian critique of all beastly empires. In Revelation we discover that God's kingdom does not come by the violent means of the beast, but by the self-sacrificing way of the Lamb.
