The film is set in 90 AD and concerns Jesus Christ's last surviving disciple, John of Patmos, and his writings and visions from the Apocalypse of John. Emperor Domitian has declared himself to be God and ruler, over heaven and earth. The Christians do not recognize his divinity and face persecution, from the God Emperor. John has been imprisoned on, the island of Patmos, a Roman mining, penal colony, with many others. He writes out messages of his visions and sends the "Revelation of God", to the seven churches of Greek Asia Minor. The Christian church, in Ephesus, sends Irene to make sure John is alive and to confer with him in person. The movie depicts scenes from the Book of Revelation and links them to events happening to the church in Asia.