What is "Apocalyptic" Literature?

(Sermon preached on May 7, 2017 based on two readings from scripture - 

Daniel 7:1-8, 15 Isaiah 35:1-10 - The first of a five part sermon series.)

Think back to those times in your life when you felt despair, when you felt life was against you, when you felt persecuted, or when you felt the future was bleak. Maybe you’re living through that right now. We’ve all had these times, some more than others. There are people in our world facing poverty, abuse, and war who feel this all the time. What brings hope? What helps us to look forward to tomorrow, to have hope in a brighter day and a future with joy?

Words like those in the book of Isaiah are meant for times like these: 

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,

and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer,

and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,

and streams in the desert;
the burning sand shall become a pool,

and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp,

the grass shall become reeds and rushes. (35:5-7)

When I began telling people that I was going to be doing a sermon series on the Book of Revelation, I had one of three reactions. Some thought it was a great idea and said they were looking forward to it; others seemed mystified as to why I would want to do this, and one person asked incredulously, “Why?”

I can understand the different reactions. This final book of the Christian Bible is interpreted in very many ways and these interpretations usually have many different followings. Most people in the United Church tend to avoid the book altogether. It’s usually described as violent, unjust, and as showing the vengeful and wrathful side of God that most of us don’t like to think about. We like to think of God as gentle, peaceful, and even friendly, but this is not the God of the Book of Revelation; it is not the God of apocalyptic literature.

Couldn't resist sharing this.

Most people outside of the church encounter the Book of Revelation in books of fiction or on screen. Usually pieces are pulled out, like the four horsemen, usually named as war, pestilence, famine, and death. Some refer to the Anti-Christ, which is usually a figure of evil or deception. Then we have the number 666 and know that is usually refers to something demonic and then there is the place of the final battle of this world, Armageddon. All of these images come from the Book of Revelation.

For those who haven’t read it, don’t. Not yet anyway, not without any preparation or background. I think most would be shocked to read of the horrific images of monsters, blood, violence, a wrathful God, a slain lamb, Christ the warrior, and most wonder why such a book was put into our bible.

This book in our bible is filled with symbols that are difficult for us to understand. It’s why we need to put in into context. The author, John, was a pastor and a prophet. He shared his revelation with other communities of Christ followers. He wouldn't have sent them a message that was unintelligible or confusing. He would have wanted them to understand what he was trying to share with them, but for us, so removed from this time, almost 2000 years ago, the symbols are strange and indecipherable, almost like they’re in code. We can never be a first century Jesus follower, but through study and investigation of the time, and of the Hebrew bible, we can come closer to understanding what is occurring in this writing.

Before I go further, I want to correct a couple of common mistakes. The last book of the Bible is called, The Revelation of John, no ’s’; it’s not plural. It is a description of one person’s vision. Secondly, the meaning of the word apocalypse has come to mean the end of the world or the final battle or event that will bring about the end of the world. Apocalypse is from a Greek word, which means revelation, an unveiling or unfolding of things previously unknown. It is the lifting of a curtain or a veil. “Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me.”1 An apocalypse is a revelation, a vision.

Apocalyptic literature is a revelation but it usually refers to a revelation of a coming time, of God breaking into this world and either creating a new one or just perfecting the old. One of the reasons we have difficulty understanding apocalyptic literature is that we are not an oppressed people. We are not a persecuted people. We are not being martyred for our faith or persecuted and killed by an unjust empire. Most of us don’t know what it’s like to live surrounded by soldiers and an occupying army and a dictator in power. We are privileged to live in Canada and the U.S. Apocalyptic literature is most relevant to nations oppressed and persecuted, but it can also speak to us. We all have our hardships; we all struggle in our own ways. Apocalyptic literature is for those looking for hope in their despair.

Wes Howard Brooks, a theologian, wrote that there are two aspects to apocalyptic literature, the mystical and the political. For the first aspect, he writes,

“...there is more to life than meets the eye - or the ear. No matter how smart or astute we may be, we cannot on our own look at the world with God’s perspective. But from time to time, certain people have been given the gift of such perspective.”2

Howard Brooks names John as one of those people. Sometimes, we refer to people with godly visions as mystics. You may have heard or read of such people like Hildegard of Bingen or Julian of Norwich. Mystics are popular in some ages and ridiculed and even despised in other times. Joan of Arc, who saw visions, was put to death by the church.

The second aspect, as described by Howard-Brooks, was “the political task of stripping away illusions generated by empire which seduced and threatened God’s people into submission.”3  We like to think that “Empire” was something that happened a long time ago and that the fall of the Roman Empire was the last of the great empires, but this wouldn’t be accurate. Empires have continued throughout the ages and many would say the empire with which we live now is our southern neighbour. The United States has a far-reaching effect with hundreds of military bases and thousands of troops stationed all over the world. It has the ability to punish other nations militarily. It has a world presence through advertising and media, and it also has the ability to use its power to manipulate and coerce policy across the globe. Before we look down our noses at the empire of America, Canada may want to take a good look at it’s own policies and privileges it receives from being a neighbour. Apocalyptic literature is a vision from those who are oppressed by empire, those who are seduced by empire, and those who are complicit in empire.

The Revelation of John is one piece of “Apocalyptic literature,” and it is not the only piece in our bible. We heard two others today, Isaiah, to which I referred earlier and the book of Daniel. Both were written during difficult times in the history of the Hebrew people. The empire of Babylon had conquered Jerusalem, destroyed the beloved temple, which is where they believed their God took residence, and then took the leaders of the city into exile in Babylon. Both the books of Daniel and, another book called Ezekiel, are from the perspective of those who were living in Babylon, far from their home and far from their God, or so they believed.

The similarities between the writings in Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and the Revelation of John are many: their reporting of a dream or vision, their symbolic language with monsters and plagues, their triumph over the many monsters and an arrogant king, and the new creation that follows where evil and death are banished and all the nations worship and glorify God. They are expressions of frustration with the current way of life and a way of believing that this is not all there is. There is more. There will be more. Their faith in God’s abundant love, forgiveness, and compassion and their expression of God’s salvation are what bring them through these difficult times.

And this is what makes these stories relevant to us today. When you need to hear that God is on your side, when you need to hear that your enemies will get what they deserve or that evil will be vanquished, when you need to know that a messy life can be transformed into something beautiful, apocalyptic literature might be exactly what you need. You might come across a passage like this one from the 21st chapter of John’s Revelation:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;

mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.”
And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.”(21:1-4)

Apocalyptic writings try to lift the veil from our eyes, attempt to uncover what we do not, or cannot, see. Can apocalyptic literature from writings of thousands of years ago help us to unveil what needs to be seen in our lives today, to offer the keys that you need to set you free? As the hymn goes, “Silently now I wait for thee, ready, my God, thy will to see. Open my eyes, illumine me; Spirit divine!”4 May it be so. Amen.

1 “Open My Eyes That I May See.” Hymn written by Clara H. Scott in 1895. Verse 1
2 Howard-Brooks, Wes. “Revelation: Claiming the Victory Jesus Won Over Empire.” The New Testament - Introducing the Way of Discipleship, edited by Howard-Brooks, Wes and Ringe, Sharon H., Orbis Books, 2002, pg 189.
3 Howard-Brooks, pg 190.

4 “Open My Eyes That I May See.” Hymn written by Clara H. Scott in 1895. Verse 1