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What is the “Apocalypse?”

Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

WHAT IS THE “APOCALYPSE?”

by Shawn Brasseaux

We hear the term quite frequently, but what is the “Apocalypse?”

THE CONFUSION

“Apocalypse” is a terribly abused word. Outside of the Holy Bible, it is used to convey the idea of catastrophic destruction or devastation. The Oxford English Dictionary identifies the problem: “1 (often the Apocalypse) the complete final destruction of the world, as described in the biblical book of Revelation: ▪ (the Apocalypse) (especially in the Vulgate Bible) the book of Revelation. 2 an event involving destruction or damage on a catastrophic scale.”

Due to the common sloppy usage of the term, “Apocalypse” is greatly misunderstood. For example, people speak of a “retail apocalypse” to refer to a large number of stores permanently closing. (This is actually a gross distortion of the word.) Others talk about the “Apocalypse” as being the end of the world. Such fallacies are then fed back into the Bible, thus greatly distorting God’s Book. All will be crystal clear when we ask and answer, “For what saith the Scriptures?”

THE CORRECTION

You do not find the word “apocalypse” in the English Bible, but you do find the idea. Being a Greek word, it is in the Greek Bible. For example, the first word in the Greek version of the Book of the Revelation is “apocalypsis.” Hence, in “scholarly” circles, you will find people referring to the Book of Revelation as “The Apocalypse.” “Apocalypse” is not exclusive to the Book of the Revelation though. It appears throughout the Greek New Testament. Before we read those verses, however, we want to analyze the word itself.

Strong’s Greek Dictionary has the following entry for apokalypsis: “G602 ἀποκάλυψις apokalypsis, ap-ok-al’-oop-sis; from G601; disclosure:—appearing, coming, lighten, manifestation, be revealed, revelation.” The word “apokalysis” is derived from “apokalypto,” meaning “to take off the cover; reveal; disclose.” (“Apo” is “off, away;” “kalupto” means “cover, hide.”) Our King James translators rendered apokalypsis as follows: “revelation” (12 times), “be revealed” (2 times), “to lighten” (with G1519) (1 time), “manifestation” (1 time), “coming” (1 time), and “appearing” (1 time). In total, the word appears 18 times in the Authorized Version:

As was easily proved above, various “Apocalypses” are presented in Scripture. In order to make that material more digestible, this author took the above 18 verses, categorized them into their respective “manifestations,” and listed those “uncoverings” in chronological order below:

  1. The Apostle Paul’s special insight into God’s plan for the ages was a series of direct revelations to Paul by Jesus Christ Himself (Romans 16:25; 1 Corinthians 14:6; 2 Corinthians 12:1,7; Galatians 1:12; Galatians 2:2; Ephesians 3:3). These have been preserved in the Pauline epistles, Romans through Philemon.
  2. We gain “revelation,” or better see Jesus Christ through Bible doctrine, as we study the verses that have been revealed to the Bible writers, which words the Holy Spirit inspired and now explains to us (Ephesians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 2:9-16).
  3. The Rapture of the Church the Body of Christ, our resurrection as believers in Christ in the Dispensation of Grace, are described as a “manifestation” or “coming” of Christ (Romans 8:19; 1 Corinthians 1:7). Here, not only is Jesus Christ Himself manifested, but He is manifested in and through us as we receive our new glorified bodies!)
  4. The glorious Second Coming of Christ to Earth, future beyond our day, is both an appearance of His wrath to His enemies (Romans 2:5, 2 Thessalonians 1:7) and an exhibition of His Person to Israel’s believing remnant (1 Peter 1:7,13; 1 Peter 4:13). As its first Greek word shows, the entire Book of the Revelation is an uncovering of Jesus Christ’s glory, the presentation of all that He is through a vision given to the Apostle John (Revelation 1:1). What John saw in a prophetic vision, will be literally brought to pass after our Dispensation of Grace.
  5. Israel’s Messiah “lighting,” or showing Himself to, the Gentiles as per the Abrahamic Covenant (Luke 2:32; cf. Genesis 12:1-3) in the Millennium (after the Second Coming).

THE CONCLUSION

As you saw for yourself, friend, in the Bible, contrary to popular belief, “the Apocalypse” is not the end of the world—although in one sense it leads to the end of this present evil world system. “Apocalypse” refers to the manifestation or unveiling of Jesus Christ in some manner. It is a Greek word that simply means, “to uncover.” (I like the illustration of a total solar eclipse here. When the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, and temporarily blocks the sunlight, the Moon continues orbiting before “uncovering” the Sun. What was impossible to see, the Sun and its light, is now visible.)

The Bible’s “uncoverings” or “manifestations” can be in the form of divine doctrine revealed directly to Paul, the insight we gain by reading Scripture, the exhibition of Jesus Christ at the Rapture and then through us at our subsequent resurrection, His Second Coming in fiery wrath, and God showing Himself to Gentiles in the Millennium through Christ.

Usually, when people speak of “the Apocalypse” in a Bible sense, they are referring to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1, for example). We want to take a few brief moments to elaborate on that. Today, Jesus Christ is hidden, living in the third heaven, far beyond the edges of our universe. Human eyes have not seen Him in 2,000 years! All this time, God has been silent. There have been no angelic visitations, no visions, no audible voice of God heard. The heavens have been totally quiet. One day, though, that will change. Jesus Christ’s literal face will appear one day. He will be physically present on Earth.

In the Book of the Revelation, we see the capstone of Bible prophecy. Embodied in that last piece of the prophetic puzzle, there is one concise summary of how the end-times scenario will play out. It is the culmination of everything God’s prophets have spoken since the world began. There will be at least seven years of trouble, the rule and the reign of the Antichrist—commonly called “the Tribulation period.” Jesus Christ will return to conclude those seven years—“the Second Coming of Christ” (as opposed to His First Coming to be rejected and die on Calvary’s cross). This Second Coming is “the Revelation” spoken of in the first verse of the Book of the Revelation. The door between the second heaven (outer space) and the third heaven (God’s throne) is opened for the first time in 20 centuries. Jesus Christ has returned to be the rightful heir of Earth’s governments (see Hebrews 1:1-4; Colossians 1:16-20; Revelation 11:15). This is the consummation, when God’s original goal in creation is finally brought to fulfillment.

In secular contexts, the word “apocalypse” means “disaster; catastrophe devastation.” Scripture, however, uses it in the sense of a revelation, uncovering, or unveiling of “hidden” Jesus Christ in one of the following ways: (1) in the form of divine insight committed first to the Apostle Paul, (2) at the Rapture, (3) instruction gained through reading the Scripture, (4) His manifestation at the Second Coming to appear to both save believing Israel and consume His enemies, or (5) Him showing divine truth to Gentiles via the Abrahamic Covenant in the Millennium. In all these instances, Jesus Christ is showing more and more of Himself. His wrath is being shown, His face is being seen, His wisdom is being shared, and so on.

1 Timothy 6:14-16
“That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew [as in reveal!], who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.”

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Also see:
» Are we “doom and gloom” prophecy believers?
» Is Revelation 4:1 a preview of the Rapture?
» What does 2 Peter 3:8 mean?

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