The book of Revelation is an apocalypse, literature which deals with end times; things which lie beyond the ordinary range of human knowledge, things altogether foreign to human experience, or events in human history which has not yet come to pass.

Basically, all apocalyptic literature has the same plot: an evil force controls the earth; the faithful are in trouble, God goes to war against the evil force, everything is up for grabs. In one gigantic battle between good and evil