Have you ever read The Revelation?   (Of St. John)  You should try it.  Every letter that John wrote, he validated by saying, "This is the record," or "I bore record," or "This is the testimony."  He wanted everyone who read what he had to say to know that he had been an eyewitness.  That he had seen and heard everything that he wrote about.  It wasn't second hand information.

In Rev. 1:3, he says, "Blessed is he that reads and those that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein..."  You get a blessing if you read it.  I don't know what kind of blessing, but every time I try to wade through it, I learn a little bit more.   And it is the last Prophecy that we will ever get.  There is no more prophecy, only teaching about Jesus, and the prophecy of the coming of Jesus.  Anyone who tells you they have a new prophecy is a quack.

I am not one of those who uses the book to predict the end of time.  I just try to understand what I can and go on.  And one of the first things you will learn occurs in 1:4.  That the number seven is going to be an important number throughout the book.

"John, to the seven churches which are in Asia...from the seven Spirits which are before his throne."  It is not until 4:5 that you figure out who those Spirits are.  "...there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God."

John ends the first chapter with 4:20, "The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks.  The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which you saw are the seven churches."  And then John proceeds with a message to each of those seven churches.  When you are through reading all that, you are ready to begin Chapter 4.  So, first time through, try and read chapters 1-3.

You get an idea of what God expects of churches.  And what displeases Him.  We, the church, can do better as a group.  Just as we can do better as individuals.  And you will be blessed for reading it.