V. 1. John's vision begins with a door opened into heaven; — looking into heaven. The vision he sees is introductory to what follows. He is now preparing his readers for the immediate and main purpose of his writing. The immediate purpose is to meet the moral needs of God's persecuted people, not to amuse them with splendid pictures, not to sketch a scheme of world events, but to lift their hearts and thoughts above the deadly decrees of tyrants, and their souls above the fear of prison, sword, and stake. A voice said, "Come up and I will show you things that must be after this." The words "after this" imply soon after.