Most Christian Fathers from the first and second centuries accepted the Book of Revelation as authentic based on their belief that the apostle John authored the text.¹ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints accepts the apostle John as the author.² Most modern scholars agree,³ although some have their doubts because the genre⁴ and style of writing differs significantly from John's gospel.⁵ For that reason and other prejudices, not all Christians accept the Revelation as John's inspired writing.⁶

The Book of Revelation was canonized in the Bible during the Third Council at Carthage in 397 AD.⁷ Within two decades of its canonization on the eastern hemisphere, the prophet Moroni prophesied on the western hemisphere that the Book of Revelation would not be fully understood until the last days, saying: "then shall my revelations which I have caused to be written by my servant John be unfolded in the eyes of all the people. Remember, when ye see these things, ye shall know that the time is at hand that they shall be made manifest in very deed." (Ether 4:16)

To be sure, John's visions in the Book of Revelation were little understood by those who voted for its inclusion in the Bible canon in 397 AD. Had the members of the council at Carthage better understood its content, there is a high likelihood that the Book of Revelation would not be part of the Bible today and the prophesy of Moroni would have no way of fulfillment. The Book of Revelation was ultimately included in the Bible canon based on satisfactory evidence that the Revelation was inspired,⁸ and that the apostle John was its author.⁹ The content was accepted in large part because the Old Testament books of Daniel and Ezekiel had similar apocalyptic content.¹⁰

Today, the Book of Mormon bears a prophetic witness that the apostle John was the inspired author of the Revelation,¹¹ and other latter-day witnesses bear the same testimony¹² as the revelations of John continue to be unfolded in the eyes of all people in these last days.