Apocalyptic literature is an ancient literary form or genre in literature. The word apocalypse means revelation. Please note, the word is singular. Usually, an apocalypse is a first-person narrative in which the author relates one or more revelatory visions about the present, future, heavenly world or all three. Jewish apocalypses often reflect a sharp distinction between the present evil age and the imminent future age of blessing. The conflict between a righteous minority and wicket majority is understood as representing a clash between God and Satan. After a period of intense conflict and great suffering, God will decisively intervene in history to vindicate and reward His people and punish or eliminate their earthly oppressors. Further, most Jewish apocalypses use a great deal of symbolism, often quite bizarre.

Apocalyptic literature as noted above is its own genre. If I told you that a "paid political advertisement" was about to come on the television, you would know what to expect. You would expect to hear the degradation of the opposing candidate along with the adulation of the candidate for whom the ad is written. As another example, if I told you the Star Wars movies were being played, you would know that they depict a universe that has been subjected to evil forces; that the high tech background mirrors our society; and that even though the power of good seems to be reduced to one young man, good will triumph over evil.

If you haven't seen a paid political advertisement or the Star Wars trilogy, you might not know what to expect; and the language, illusions, and symbolism would be lost to you. Apocalyptic literature is the same. It is full of images that have a long history stretching from ancient Near Eastern myth through the Old Testament prophets to Jewish apocalypses like the book of Daniel. These images were also used in the New Testament.

Apocalypse is the Greek word for revelation. From Daniel at the end of the Old Testament to Revelation at the end of the New Testament, we have a wide variety of such visionary writings from both Jewish and Christian circles. Their audiences were familiar with this form of expression, just as people today are familiar with the two examples used above of t.v. ads and movies. Their audiences understood the symbolism used: numbers, colors, horses, messengers, wars, good and evil, names of ancient battle sites, corrupt government, beasts, dragons, lambs, eyes, heads and horns, and so forth. They knew that an apocalypse with symbolic visions of world history was about to unroll the plan of God. The audience understood that they were much closer to the end of history than to its beginning. The apocalypse would reassure the audience that their suffering would visited with divine judgment, that the faithful are not forgotten, and that their reward was to be happiness, fulfillment, and blessings in the future.

Apocalyptic literature comes from people oppressed by imperial powers. That situation is, of course, another reason that they used highly symbolic language, which only people familiar with the tradition of interpreting such images could understand. Criticism of political rulers could be a dangerous business! In fact, oftentimes in ancient apocalyptic writings, the author would hid behind a pseudonym or ancient sage. In the New Testament book of Revelation we see a "revealing angel" instead.

This type of literature involves then more than just a style. It is a specifically religious response to the experience of persecution from without and erosion from within. In literary terms, apocalyptic answers the question posed by the choice between "king" and God. To those suffering for God, it says, be comforted; to those tempted to leave the faith, it says hold fast. There is tension between conviction and experience. The people of the Old Testament knew the law. They knew that to obey it meant they were blessed. But soon came the experience of persecution. They were being put to death simple because they were obeying the law; not because they were impious but because they were pious! Their children and possession were being ripped away and their own taken. God did not seem to be in control. This conflict between experience and conviction was real. It was usually addressed the literary form called apocalyptic.

The key to a proper appreciation of the apocalyptic tradition lies in the realization that apocalypses are more of the nature of poetry than dogma. They are works of art and imagination which are not in general sources of factual information. They were not written with that purpose. Rather, their value lies in their ability to envision alternatives to the world of present experience and thereby provide hope and consolation. As such, they speak to enduring human needs and are a vital part of our religious heritage and experience.