In the first century, the believers were rumored to be cannibals ("they eat flesh and drink blood"), atheists ("they don't believe in the gods"), and traitors ("they deny Caesar is Lord"). They were under immense societal pressure to recant their belief in the Jesus as Lord. Into that pressure and difficulty, the Lord met the apostle John in a vision designed to remind the Church that the King was always with them, that he never gave up (setting them an example to follow), and he would be returning to renew all things! With these truths firmly fixed in mind, the Church could patiently endure hardship and suffering.