INTRODUCTION TO APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE

Mighty angels, a voice from heaven, the number seven, prophecies about “people, nations, languages and kings” (Rev 10:1-11) – all these are typical features of what is called apocalyptic literature. Such literature takes its name from the Greek word translated “revelation” in the opening words of the last book of the Bible. Apocalyptic literature sets out to reveal mysteries about heaven and earth, humankind and God, angels and demons, and the world today and the world to come.

In the Bible, the book of Revelation in the NT is clearly apocalyptic and so are parts of the books of Ezekiel, Zechariah and Daniel in the OT. Some other books of the Bible also contain apocalyptic passages. For example, Jesus’ discourse in Mark 13 (see also Matt 24; Luke 21) has frequently been called “a little apocalypse”.

Between 200 BC and AD 200 a number of other early Jewish and Christian writers produced apocalyptic texts that were modeled on these biblical books and claimed to have been written by ancient heroes. These pseudo-apocalyptic works include the books of Enoch, the Sibylline Oracles, 2 Baruch, 4 Ezra and the Apocalypse of Abraham.

The distinguishing features of the apocalyptic style include the following:

• Visions in which the writers are given particular insight into spiritual realities with regard to the present and the future.

• Angels who act as guides to the one seeing the visions and explain the meaning of the visions. God does not speak in person, but gives his instruction through these heavenly messengers. Sometimes the recipient of the vision is said to have been caught up into heaven; on other occasions an angel descended with the revelation.

• Symbols and images are used to describe realities that cannot be communicated in any other way. For example, the book of Revelation mentions numbers like 7, 12, 666 and 144,000; colours like white, red and green; and symbolic objects like crowns, trumpets and a throne. Those for whom the books were originally intended presumably knew the meaning of these symbols, although we sometimes are less sure of their exact meaning.

• Stark contrast between good and evil. In apocalyptic books, the antagonism between God and Satan is sharply emphasised. Every person, nation and supernatural being is seen as either an ally of one or the other. In the book of Revelation, for example, one is either on the side of God, who is holy, righteous and just, or on the side of Satan, who is surrounded by abominations, idolatries and wickedness.

• Concern with the end times. The future figures prominently in apocalyptic writings. The authors look ahead to coming events, on the one hand offering hope to those who long for justice and delivery from evil, and on the other issuing warnings to those who are in rebellion against God’s ways.

These literary features are used to deal with certain standard themes. For example, the writers frequently connect the arrival of the end times with the near future. They long for God to shorten the present evil days and quickly usher in his kingdom. Thus apocalyptic writers speak of “what will happen in days to come” (Dan 2:28; compare Rev 1:1) and ask questions like, “How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?” (Dan 12:6). The end of the world is seen as something that affects the whole cosmos.

Apocalyptic literature takes the view that history has been determined by God before creation. The history of the world has been divided into fixed time periods, the most prominent of which are the present era and the world to come. The former is ruled by Satan and his legions and contaminated and corrupted by sin and evil. In the latter, wickedness will be abolished and God will rule supreme.

Whereas prophetic eschatology sees God working within human history to accomplish his purposes for humanity, apocalyptic writers believe that there is not enough in human history worth salvaging, and so God must begin again with something totally different if he is to accomplish his purposes and vindicate the faithful. Thus apocalyptic writers speak of a new heaven and a new earth, that is, a new creation where God will rule.

Many of the apocalyptic writings speak of a Messiah or mediator between God and human beings who will accomplish the final salvation of the world. In the book of Revelation, the Messiah is shown to be Christ, the “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Rev 19:16).

Understanding these features and themes will help us to see that the book of Revelation is not an isolated work. It exists as part of a complex literary genre, and needs to be interpreted in light of that genre. This means that certain elements must be treated as symbolic rather than as literal representations of future events.

Like the rest of the inspired Scriptures, the book of Revelation is reliable and authoritative. It draws together a massive amount of OT and NT theology. In the profundity of its visions, it has no equal.

Finny Philip