REVELATION: THE ORIGIN OF THE APOCALYPSE

This uncommon noun comes from the Greek apokalupto [apokaluptv], “to reveal.” It consists of two word segments: apo, “away from,” and kalupto, to cover. Very simply, it means “to uncover,” or “reveal.” The same roots form the Greek name for the Bible’s final book: It is called The Apocalypse, from the Greek Apoklupsis [ApokaluyiV], or more simply, The Revelation. Sometimes, this monumental book is called, The Revelation of John, or in longer form, The Revelation of St. John the Divine. Over the past half-century, an astonishing number of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic motion pictures have been fed to an apprehensive public. Looming asteroids, alien invasions, worldwide pandemics (producing the living dead – zombies), ecological disaster, rampaging monsters (perhaps the progeny of genetic manipulation), Solar explosions, atomic wars, rampant overpopulation, technology run amok, perhaps instigated by self-aware cyber-organisms, out-of-control robots, and above all, World War III. The fear of global nuclear holocaust has hung over the heads of mankind since the end of World War II. Its mega-deaths and the Jewish Holocaust set the stage for the State of Israel, as well as the persistent march toward the coming great, final world war that is so often mentioned in Scripture. The Book of Revelation breathes awesome life into the writings of the Old Testament prophets. All of the above relate to biblical Scripture. The popular use of the word “apocalypse” comes straight from the Bible. Do you believe that prophecy is being revealed for the latter days? In particular, do you believe that prophecy points to the near fulfillment of end-time events, including the rapture, Great Tribulation and Second Coming of Christ? If the answer to these questions is yes, you are fascinated by apocalypticism. In fact, you are an apocalypticist. In fact, this is the greatest prophetic unveiling in the Bible. All the threads of prophecy – from Genesis to Jude – come to convergence in twenty-two chapters of Revelation. Its Greek title has become an Anglicized word: Apocalypse. All believers deeply desire the privilege of being witness to their fulfillment. Our constant temptation is to develop Scriptural connections that will allow us to construct a latticework of likely times for His arrival. We study and observe with great hope. Paul perfectly expressed our position when he wrote: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). We watch for Christ’s appearance, optimistically believing that we’ll be alive to personally witness the actual moment when a cosmic key is turned, allowing a door to open into the new world that will be our eternal home. At that moment, everything will change. Judgment will come. We shall be called home, and the world will be restructured, restored and reconstituted by the Righteous Judge. Since you are an apocalypticist, the blessed hope is real and revelation is not just the name of a book of the Bible. Thus, by both time and place, the contemporary apocalypticist is separated from an event that doesn’t concern him anyway. (By the way, the apocalypticist doesn’t attempt to calculate the day and hour of the rapture. But the general time … and the season … yes). The cold fact that Jesus is not referring to the rapture does not stop the scoffer. He will quickly add that even if you believe in the rapture (which he doesn’t), it’s a signless event. This being the case, why study prophetic Scripture with any hope of discovering significant clues? The answer to this question goes to the very nature of God. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (II Timothy 4:7,8). Here, near the end of Paul’s life, he reminds Timothy that there is to be a special reward for those who deeply love (and here, the word for “love” is agape) the idea of the Lord’s soon appearance. In other words, living in the constant hope of His return is central to the life of a faithful Christian. Put another way, those who really love the Lord, simply cannot refrain from thinking that He might appear at any moment. To Paul, this truth lies at the very center of a righteous life. His promise to return is called the “blessed hope” of the church. We yearn for His revealing. The Bible views apocalypticists as righteous, not silly. Even so, the world regards those who long for the return of Jesus as hopeless idealists, at best. The great subjects of sin, redemption, resurrection and judgment must all be understood in terms of prophecy, both in past fulfillment and future discovery. God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the inspiration of the Word, the Virgin Birth, Israel in History and Prophecy must all be fitted within the context of the ages. Satan, the angels (both good and evil), the Body of Christ, stewardship, reward and service, sanctification, personal tribulation, international tribulation and ultimate glorification are parts of the eschatological picture. Eschatology comes from two Greek words, eschatos, meaning “last,” and logos, meaning “word, or discussion.” It is a discussion of last things, in other words, apocalypticism. To the apocalypticist, the term “last days” holds no clue as to timing or dating. But it does indicate a trend, as when Peter wrote: “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the Earth standing out of the water and in the water” (II Pet. 3:3-5). Yeshua the messiah is coming soon