The Book of Revelation is a record of John the Seer's experiences in altered states of consciousness.  He tells his contemporary audience where Jesus is now, and what he is doing now. As the initial edicts make clear (Rev 2--3), Jesus exhorts the people to endure, persevere and overcome the current distressing situations.  The cosmic Lord Jesus is much concerned about disloyalty and deviance among persons presently showing allegiance to him. They are to stand fast in the face of deception coming from a wide range of deceivers.
 

1. Altered states of consciousness

    Four times in Revelation (1:10; 4:2; 17:3; 21:10), the author says he was "in a trance" (literal  English translation of the Greek: in spirit). In this altered state of consciousness he received information and took sky journeys to a vantage point where he could see the cosmos from God's perspective.

    See John J. Pilch, "Visions in Revelation and Alternate Consciousness: A Perspective from Cultural Anthropology."  Listening 28 (1993): 231-244.

2. What did John see?

    John, the astral prophet, could read the will and designs of God in the sky, especially the constellations.

    See Bruce J. Malina, On the Genre and Message of Revelation: Star Visions and Sky Journeys.  Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1995.

    How does this artistic representation look in the sky?

Constellations of the Northern Sky. Text by Dr. Gary Mechler and Dr. Mark Chartrand. Astronomical Charts by Wil Tirion. National Audubon Society Pocket Guide. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1995. Page 75

    How did the ancients "flesh out" these stars? Where is the lamb here?

Constellations of the Northern Sky. Text by Dr. Gary Mechler and Dr. Mark Chartrand. Astronomical Charts by Wil Tirion. National Audubon Society Pocket Guide. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1995. Page 74.

    Aries is the second smallest constellation of the zodiac. The alpha star (located in the nose) is called Hamal (lamb in Arabic), which is also the Arabic name for the entire constellation.

    Notice also Triangulum, the Triangle on the blue-colored sky map above.  Malina (On the Genre and Message of Revelation, pp. 182-187) explains that this is the constellation John the Seer identifies as the Sea Beast (Rev 13:1) whose number adds up to six hundred sixty six (Rev 13:18 -- It was the Arabs in the 7th century who gifted us with "arabic" numberals.  In the Bible (as in all of antiquity), all numbers are words fully spelled out).

Hyginus states that "it is thought that Mercury situated the Triangle above the head of Aries so that the Triangle would by its brilliance signal the location of Aries, and so that forms the first letter of the name of Jupiter in Greek, Dios [the genitive of Zeus] (Astronomia 2.19 ed. A Le  Boeuffle, Belles Lettres 57, cited by Malina, p. 187)

3. From what was the cosmic Lord Jesus protecting his people?

    Deception of all kinds, e.g., the idolatrous sign just mentioned.  John's astral prophecies reveal the cosmos' underpinnings behind prevailing deceptions. The message: "Don't be deceived! and if you have been deceived, repent!"

    See John J. Pilch, "Lying and Deceit in the Letters to the Seven Churches: Perspectives from Cultural Anthropology." Biblical Theology Bulletin 22 (1992): 126-135.