While not all communication is to persuade, persuasion is an important part of communication.  Communication is a process of convergence (or divergence) as two or more individuals exchange information in order to move toward each other (or apart) in the meanings they ascribe to certain events.  Given the fact that the book of Revelation is the work of a prophet who experienced sky journeys and sky visions, the author obviously intended to persuade his audience by means of his report of his visionary encounters.  Rhetoric from Aristotle on is about persuasion.  How did the Book of Revelation function rhetorically?