Apocalypse, or Revelations of John the Theologian: the meaning of the book.

But more often it is called "Apocalypse". It is impossible to imagine a more mysterious book. And its second name inspires fear. The fact that the events of the coming end of the world are encrypted in “Revelation” is already clear from the title. But how can we find out what exactly John the Theologian wrote about, since the apostle spoke ambiguously about his visions?

A little about the author of "Apocalypse"

Among the twelve apostles who followed the Son of God everywhere, there was one to whom Jesus, already on the cross, entrusted the care of his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was John the Theologian.

The Evangelist was the son of the fisherman Zebedee and the daughter (Betrothed of the Virgin Mary) Salome. The father was a wealthy man, he had hired workers, and he himself occupied a significant place in Jewish society. The mother served the Lord with her property. At first, the future apostle was among the disciples of John the Baptist. Later, along with his younger brother James, John left his father's boat on Lake Gennesaret, responding to the call of Jesus Christ. The apostle became one of the three most beloved disciples of the Savior. Saint John the Theologian even began to be called a confidant - this is what they said about a person who was especially close to someone.

When and how was Apocalypse written?

After the ascension of Jesus, in exile, the apostle wrote the “Apocalypse” or “Revelation about the destinies of the world.” After returning from the island of Patmos, where he was exiled, the saint wrote his Gospel in addition to the already existing books, the authors of which were Mark, Matthew and Luke. In addition, John created three messages, the main idea of ​​which is that those who follow Christ need to learn to love.

The death of the holy apostle is shrouded in mystery. He, the only one of the Savior’s disciples, was not executed or killed. The saint was approximately 105 years old when John the Theologian himself insisted on his own burial alive. His grave was dug up the next day, but there was no one there. In this regard, we recall the words of Christ that the apostle will not die until the second coming of the Savior. Many believers are confident in the veracity of this statement.

"Apocalypse" by John the Theologian

The very name of the apostle’s book translated from Greek means “revelation.” The writing of the last part of the New Testament took place approximately 75-90 years after the birth of Christ.

Some Bible scholars doubt the apostle's attitude towards the authorship of the most mysterious book, since the style of writing and the Apocalypse are different. But there are arguments in favor of the saint.

1. The author calls himself John and says that he had a revelation from Jesus Christ on the island of Patmos (it was there that the saint was in exile).
2. The similarity of the "Apocalypse" with the Gospel on his behalf in spirit, style and some expressions.
3. Ancient evidence admits that John the Evangelist is the author of the last book of Holy Scripture. These are the stories of the disciple of the Apostle St. Papias of Hierapolis, and St. Justin Martyr, who lived for a long time in the same city with the holy elder, and many others.

The essence of "Revelation"

The last book differs from the entire New Testament in style and content. Revelations from God, which the Apostle John the Theologian received in the form of visions, tell about the appearance of the Antichrist on earth, his number (666), the re-coming of the Savior, the end of the world, and the Last Judgment. It gives hope to hearts that the last prophecy of the book describes the victory of the Lord over the Devil after a difficult struggle and the emergence of a new heaven and earth. Here will be the eternal kingdom of God and people.

It is interesting that the number of the beast - 666 - still understood literally, when interpreting the entire book, turns out to be only the key to unraveling the literal content of the name of the Antichrist. The right time will come - and the whole world will know the name of Christ’s adversary. A man will appear who will calculate each letter in Satan's name.

Interpretation of the Revelation of John the Theologian

It is necessary to know and remember that the Apocalypse, like any of the books of Holy Scripture, requires a special approach. You need to use other parts of the Bible, the works of St. Fathers, Teachers of the Church, in order to correctly understand what is written.

There are different interpretations on the "Apocalypse" of John the Evangelist. Many of them are contradictory. And in this light, according to the statement of one of the interpreters, Archpriest Fast Gennady, the reason for the contradiction is that each person, according to his own mind, tries to understand the meaning of the visions of the holy apostle, given by the Spirit of God. Therefore, the true deciphering of the mysterious book is possible only thanks to Him. And the saying of Saint Irenaeus of Lyons says that God’s Spirit is where the Church is. Only Her interpretation of the “Apocalypse” can be correct.

The main interpretation of “Revelation” is considered to be the work of the holy Archbishop of Caesarea, Andrew, dated to the 6th century. But there are books by other clergy and theologians that explain the meaning of what is written in the Apocalypse.

One of the modern authors of interpretations of the last book of Holy Scripture is Father Oleg Molenko. The Temple of St. John the Evangelist is the name of the church of which he is the rector. His explanations to the "Apocalypse" reflect the past works of the holy fathers, but at the same time they are passed through the prism of present events and today's life.

At the very beginning, “Revelation” talks about why the “Apocalypse” was written, where and how the Apostle John the Theologian received it. The importance of predictions of the future, given to people in order to have time to prepare for the Last Judgment, is emphasized.

The number 7 is not indicated by chance. It is sacred and chosen by God himself. Here is a warning about the abolition of Christian holidays and Sunday by the Antichrist. Instead, Saturday will be reserved for rest. The special place of the number 7 is indicated by many things in the Bible and the Church:

• 7 Sacraments;
• 7 in the Church;
• 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit (main);
• 7 His manifestations;
• 7 Virtues (core);
• 7 passions (sins that need to be fought);
• 7 words in the Jesus Prayer;
• 7 petitions of the Lord's Prayer.

In addition, the number 7 can be observed in life:

• 7 colors;
• 7 notes;
• 7 days of the week.

About the features of "Apocalypse"

The Church of St. John the Evangelist, whose rector is the author of the popular Commentary, Father Oleg Molenko, attracts many parishioners eager to understand the “Apocalypse.” It should be remembered that this book is prophetic. That is, everything she talks about will happen, perhaps in the near future.

It was difficult to read and comprehend prophecies in the past, but today it seems that everything said in Revelation is written for us. And the word “soon” should be taken literally. When will this happen? The events described in the predictions will remain only a prophecy until they begin to come true, and then they will develop rapidly, then there will be no time left at all. This will all happen, according to the interpretation of Father Oleg, who heads the Church of St. John the Evangelist, from the beginning of the Third World War, when all types of weapons existing in the world will be used. Chapter 9 of “Apocalypse” tells about it. The war will begin as a local conflict between Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria, into which the whole world will be drawn. And it will last 10 months, devastating the earth by one third of the people living on it.

Is it possible to correctly understand predictions without interpretation?

Why is the “Revelation of John the Theologian” so difficult for correct perception even by saints? It is necessary to understand that the apostle saw everything described in revelations more than 2000 years ago and spoke about it in words accessible to that time. As for the heavenly (or spiritual), it is impossible to convey it in simple language, hence the symbolism in the prophecy. Riddles and encrypted predictions are for people far from God. The true meaning of everything said in the Apocalypse can only be revealed to spiritual people.

We can talk a lot and for a long time about the prophecies of the holy apostle, but one article will not be enough for this. Interpretations do not always fit even into a whole book. The Church of John the Theologian (that is, the apostle, like Jesus, leads and patronizes it), which is considered modern Orthodoxy, can give up to eight different interpretations of the Holy Scriptures (according to the number of degrees of spiritual development). The evangelist himself belongs to the highest level of saints. But there are only a few people like him.

Whether or not to believe the predictions is everyone’s business. The prophecies of the holy apostle are needed to reflect on your life, repent of sins and fight against them. It is necessary to be kinder and try to resist evil, as if it were the Antichrist himself. Peace to you in your soul!

A book that stands alone

When a person studies the New Testament and begins Revelation, he feels transported to another world. This book is not at all like the other books of the New Testament. Revelation is not only different from other New Testament books, it is also extremely difficult for modern people to understand, and therefore it has often been either ignored as incomprehensible scripture, or religious madmen have turned it into a battlefield, using it to compile heavenly chronological tables and graphs of what will happen when.

But, on the other hand, there have always been those who loved this book. Philip Carrington, for example, said: “The author of Revelation is a greater master and artist than Stevenson, Coleridge or Bach. John the Evangelist has a better sense of words than Stevenson; he has a better command of unearthly supernatural beauty than Coleridge; he has a richer sense of melody, rhythm and composition than Bach... It is the only masterpiece of pure art in the New Testament... Its fullness, richness and harmonic variety place it above Greek tragedy.”

We will undoubtedly find that this is a difficult and shocking book; but, at the same time, it is highly advisable to study it until it gives us its blessing and reveals its riches.

Apocalyptic literature

When studying Revelation, we must remember that, for all its uniqueness in the New Testament, it is nevertheless representative of the most widespread literary genre in the era between the Old and New Testaments. Revelation is usually called Apocalypse/from the Greek word Apocalypse, meaning revelation/. In the era between the Old and New Testaments, a huge mass of so-called apocalyptic literature, the product of an irresistible Jewish hope.

The Jews could not forget that they were the chosen people of God. This gave them confidence that they would one day achieve world domination. In their history, they were waiting for the arrival of a king from the line of David, who would unite the people and lead them to greatness. “A branch will arise from the root of Jesse” (Isa. 11:1.10). God will restore to David the righteous Branch (Jer. 23.5). One day the people “will serve the Lord their God and David their king.” (Jer. 30:9). David will be their shepherd and their king (Ezek.34:23; 37:24). The Tabernacle of David will be rebuilt (Amos 9:11). From Bethlehem will come a Ruler in Israel, whose origin is from the beginning, from the days of eternity, who will be great to the ends of the earth (Mic. 5:2-4).

But the entire history of Israel has not fulfilled these hopes. After the death of King Solomon, the kingdom, already small in itself, split in two under Rehoboam and Jeroboam and lost its unity. The northern kingdom, with its capital in Samaria, fell in the last quarter of the eighth century BC under the blows of Assyria, disappeared forever from the pages of history, and is known today under the name of the ten lost tribes. The southern kingdom, with its capital Jerusalem, was enslaved and taken away by the Babylonians at the beginning of the sixth century BC. Later it was dependent on the Persians, Greeks and Romans. The history of Israel was a record of defeats, from which it became clear that no mortal could deliver or save her.

Two centuries

The Jewish worldview stubbornly clung to the idea of ​​​​the chosenness of the Jews, but gradually the Jews had to adapt to the facts of history. To do this, they developed their own history scheme. They divided all history into two centuries: present century, completely vicious, hopelessly lost. Only complete destruction awaits him. And so the Jews waited for his end. Moreover, they expected the coming century, which was, in their minds, to be excellent, the Golden Age of God, in which there would be peace, prosperity and righteousness, and God's chosen people would be rewarded and take their rightful place.

How should this present age become the age to come? The Jews believed that this change could not be accomplished by human forces and therefore they expected the direct intervention of God. He will burst upon the stage of history in great force to completely destroy and destroy this world and introduce His golden time. They called the day of God's coming Lord's Day and it was to be a terrible time of horror, destruction and judgment, and at the same time it was to be the painful beginning of a new age.

All apocalyptic literature covered these events: the sin of the present age, the horrors of the transitional time and the bliss in the future. All apocalyptic literature was inevitably mysterious. She invariably tries to describe the indescribable, express the inexpressible, depict the indescribable.

And all this is complicated by another fact: these apocalyptic visions flashed even brighter in the minds of people living under tyranny and oppression. The more the alien force suppressed them, the more they dreamed of the destruction and destruction of this force and of their justification. But if the oppressors realized the existence of this dream, things would get even worse. These writings would seem to them to be the work of rebellious revolutionaries, and therefore they were often written in code, deliberately presented in a language incomprehensible to outsiders, and many remained incomprehensible because there was no key to decipher them. But the more we know about the historical background of these writings, the better we can discover their intent.

Revelation

Revelation is the Christian apocalypse, the only one in the New Testament, although there were many others that were not included in the New Testament. It is written on the Jewish model and retains the basic concept of two centuries. The only difference is that the Day of the Lord is replaced by the coming of Jesus Christ in power and glory. Not only the outline of the book itself is identical, but also the details. Jewish apocalypses are characterized by a standard set of events that were supposed to happen in the last times; all of them were reflected in Revelation.

Before moving on to consider these events, we need to understand one more problem. AND apocalypses And prophecies relate to future events. What is the difference between them?

Apocalypses and prophecies

1. The Prophet thought in terms of this world. His message often contained protest against social, economic and political injustice and always called for obedience and service to God in this world. The Prophet sought to transform this world and believed that the Kingdom of God would come in it. They said that the prophet believed in history. He believed that in history and in the events of history the ultimate purposes of God are realized. In a sense, the prophet was an optimist, for, no matter how severely he condemned the actual state of things, he believed that everything could be corrected if people would do the will of God. In the minds of the author of apocalyptic books, this world was already incorrigible. He believed not in the transformation, but in the destruction of this world, and expected the creation of a new world after this one had been shaken to its foundations by the vengeance of God. And therefore the author of apocalyptic books was, in a sense, a pessimist, because he did not believe in the possibility of correcting the existing state of affairs. True, he believed in the advent of the Golden Age, but only after this world was destroyed.

2. The prophet proclaimed his message orally; The message of the author of apocalyptic books was always expressed in written form, and it constitutes a literary work. If it were expressed orally, people simply would not understand it. It is difficult to understand, confusing, often incomprehensible, it needs to be delved into, it needs to be carefully disassembled in order to understand.

Mandatory elements of apocalypses

Apocalyptic literature is created according to a certain pattern: it seeks to describe what will happen in the last times and the bliss that follows; and these pictures appear in apocalypses again and again. She dealt with the same issues over and over again, so to speak, and they all found their way into our Book of Revelation.

1. In apocalyptic literature, the Messiah is Divine, always existing, from another world, a Savior, strong and glorious, waiting for His hour to descend into the world and begin his all-conquering activity. He was in heaven before the creation of the world, sun and stars, and is in the presence of the Almighty (En.48,3.6; 62,7; 4 Esdras 13,25.26). He will come to throw down the mighty from their places, the kings of the earth from their thrones, and to judge sinners (En.42.2-6; 48.2-9; 62.5-9; 69.26-29). In the apocalyptic books there was nothing human and soft in the image of the Messiah; He was a Divine figure of vengeful power and glory, before whom the earth trembled in terror.

2. The coming of the Messiah was to occur after the return of Elijah, who would prepare the way for Him (Mal. 4,5.6). Elijah will appear on the hills of Israel, the rabbis asserted, and with a loud voice, heard from one end to the other, will announce the coming of the Messiah.

3. The terrible end times were known as the “birth pangs of the Messiah.” The coming of the Messiah should be like birth pangs. In the Gospels, Jesus predicts a sign of the last days and the following words are put into His mouth: “Yet this is the beginning of disease.” (Matt. 24:8; Mark 13:8). In Greek illness - one what does it literally mean birth pains.

4. The end times will be a time of horror. Then even the bravest will cry out bitterly (Zeph. 1:14); all the inhabitants of the earth will tremble (Joel 2:1); people will be gripped by fear, will look for a place to hide and will not find it (En. 102,1.3).

5. The end times will be a time when the world will be shaken, a time of cosmic upheaval, when the universe as men know it will be destroyed; the stars will be destroyed, the sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood (Isa. 13:10; Joel. 2:30.31; 3:15); the vault of heaven will be destroyed; there will be a furious rain of fire and all creation will turn into a molten mass (Siv. 3:83-89). The order of the seasons will be disrupted, there will be neither night nor dawn (Siv. 3,796-800).

6. In the last times, human relations will be disrupted, hatred and enmity will rule the world, and everyone’s hand will rise against the hand of his neighbor (Zech. 14:13). Brothers will kill brothers, parents will kill their children, from dawn to sunset they will kill each other (En. 100,1.2). Honor will be turned into shame, strength into humiliation, beauty into ugliness. The humble will become envious and passion will take possession of the man who was once peaceful (2 Var. 48:31-37).

1. The end times will be the days of judgment. God will come like a purifying fire and who will stand when He appears? (Mal. 3.1-3)1 The Lord will bring judgment on all flesh with fire and sword (Isa. 66:15.16).

8. In all these visions, the pagans are also given a certain, but not always the same place.

a) Sometimes they see the pagans completely destroyed. Babylon will come to such desolation that there, among the ruins, there will be no place for a wandering Arab to pitch a tent, or for a shepherd to graze his sheep; it will be a desert inhabited by wild beasts (Isa. 13:19-22). God trampled the pagans in His wrath (Isa. 63.6); they will come in chains to Israel (Isa. 45:14).

b) Sometimes they see how the pagans gather for the last time against Israel against Jerusalem and for the last battle, in which they will be destroyed (Ezek. 38.14-39.16; Zech. 14.1-11), The kings of nations will attack Jerusalem, they will try to destroy the shrines of God, they will place their thrones around the city and with them their unbelieving peoples, but all this is only for their final destruction (Siv. 3,663-672).

c) Sometimes they paint a picture of the conversion of the Gentiles by Israel. God made Israel the light of the nations so that God's salvation would reach to the ends of the earth (Isa. 49:6). The islands will trust in God (Isa. 51.5); the survivors of the nations will be called to come to God and be saved (Isa. 45:20-22). The Son of Man will be a light to the Gentiles (En. 48.4.5). Nations will come from the ends of the earth to Jerusalem to see the glory of God.

9. The Jews scattered throughout the world will in the last times be gathered again in the Holy City; they will come from Assyria and Egypt and worship God on the holy mountain (Isa. 27:12.13). Even those who died as exiles in a foreign land will be brought back.

10. In the last times, the New Jerusalem that existed there from the beginning will come down to earth from heaven. (4 Esdras 10:44-59; 2 Var 4:2-6) and will dwell among men. It will be a beautiful city: its foundations will be of sapphires, its towers will be of agates and its gates will be of pearls, and its fence will be of precious stones. (Isa. 54:12.13; Tov. 13:16.17). The glory of the last temple will be greater than the former (Hagg. 2, 7-9).

11. An important part of the end-time apocalyptic picture was the resurrection of the dead. “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awaken, some to eternal life, others to everlasting contempt and disgrace. (Dan. 12:2.3). Sheol and the graves will return those who were entrusted to them (En. 51.1). The number of those resurrected varies: sometimes it applied only to the righteous of Israel, sometimes to all of Israel, and sometimes to all people in general. Whatever form it took, it is fair to say that here the hope that there would be life beyond the grave first arose.

12. Revelation suggests that the Kingdom of the Saints will last a thousand years, followed by a final battle with the forces of evil, and then the Golden Age of God.

Beatitudes of the Age to Come

1. The divided kingdom will be united again. The house of Judah will come again to the house of Israel (Jer. 3:18; Isa. 11:13; Hos. 1:11). The old divisions will be eliminated and God's people will be united.

2. The fields in this world will be unusually fertile. The desert will become a garden (Isa. 32:15), it will become like heaven (Isa. 51.3);“The desert and the dry land will rejoice, ... and bloom like a daffodil” (Isa. 35:1).

3. In all visions of the new age, a constant element was the end of all wars. Swords will be beaten into ploughshares, and spears into sickles. (Isa. 2:4). There will be no sword, no war trumpet. There will be one law for all people and great peace on earth, and kings will be friends (Siv. 3,751-760).

4. One of the most beautiful ideas expressed in connection with the new century is that there will be no enmity between animals or between man and animals. “Then the wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the lamb, and the young lion and the ox will be together, and a little child will lead them.” (Isa. 11:6-9; 65:25). A new alliance will be made between man and the beasts of the field (Hos. 2:18).“And the child will play in the nest of the asp (snake), and the child will stretch out his hand into the nest of the snake.” (Isa. 11:6-9; 2 Var. 73:6). Friendship will reign throughout nature, where no one will want to harm another.

5. The coming age will put an end to fatigue, sadness and suffering. People will no longer languish (Jer. 31:12), and eternal joy will be over their heads (Isa. 35:10). Then there will be no premature death (Isa. 65:20-22) and not one of the inhabitants will say: “I am sick” (Isa. 33:24).“Death will be swallowed up forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces...” (Isa. 25:8). Diseases, anxieties and lamentations will disappear, there will be no pain during childbirth, reapers will not get tired, builders will not be exhausted by work (2 Var. 73.2-74.4).

6. The age to come will be an age of righteousness. People will be completely holy. Humanity will be a good generation, living in the fear of God in the days of mercy (Psalms of Solomon 17:28-49; 18:9.10).

Revelation is the representative of all these apocalyptic books in the New Testament, telling of the horrors that will happen before the end of time, and of the blessings of the age to come; Revelation uses all these familiar visions. They will often present difficulties for us and will even be unintelligible, but, for the most part, pictures and ideas were used that were well known and understandable to those who read him.

Author of revelation

1. Revelation was written by a man named John. From the very beginning he says that the vision he is about to recount was sent by God to His servant John (1,1). He begins the main part of the message with the words: John, to the seven churches in Asia (1:4). He speaks of himself as John, brother and partner in sorrow of those to whom he writes (1,9). “I John,” he says, “I saw and heard this.” (22,8).

2. John was a Christian who lived in the same area in which the Christians of the seven churches lived. He calls himself the brother of those to whom he writes, and says that he shares with them the sorrows that have befallen them. (1,9).

3. Most likely, he was a Palestinian Jew who came to Asia Minor in old age. This conclusion can be drawn if we take into account his Greek language - lively, strong and imaginative, but, from the point of view of grammar, the worst in the New Testament. It is quite obvious that Greek is not his native language; it is often clear that he writes in Greek but thinks in Hebrew. He immersed himself in the Old Testament. He quotes it or alludes to relevant passages 245 times; quotations are taken from almost twenty books of the Old Testament, but his favorite books are the Books of Isaiah, Ezekiel Daniel, Psalms, Exodus, Jeremiah and Zechariah. But he not only knows the Old Testament very well, he is also familiar with the apocalyptic literature that arose in the era between the Old and New Testaments.

4. He considers himself a prophet, and on this he bases his right to speak. The Risen Christ commanded him to prophesy (10,11); It is through the spirit of prophecy that Jesus gives His prophecies to the Church (19,10). The Lord God is the God of the holy prophets and He sends His angels to show His servants what is about to happen in the world (22,9). His book is a typical book of the prophets, containing prophetic words (22,7.10.18.19).

John bases his authority on this. He does not call himself an apostle, as Paul does, wanting to emphasize his right to speak. John has no “official” or administrative position in the Church; he is a prophet. He writes what he sees, and because everything he sees comes from God, his word is truthful and true (1,11.19).

At the time when John wrote—somewhere around 90—prophets occupied a special place in the Church. At that time there were two types of shepherds in the Church. Firstly, there was a local pastorate - they lived settled in one community: presbyters (elders), deacons and teachers. Secondly, there was an itinerant ministry, the scope of which was not limited to any particular community; this included the apostles, whose messages were spread throughout the Church, and the prophets, who were itinerant preachers. Prophets were greatly respected; to question the words of a true prophet was to sin against the Holy Spirit, says the Didache,"The Teachings of the Twelve Apostles" (11:7). In Didache the accepted order for administering the Lord's Supper is given, and at the end there is a sentence: “Let the prophets give thanks as much as they want” (10:7). Prophets were looked upon solely as men of God, and John was a prophet.

5. It is unlikely that he was an apostle, otherwise he would hardly have emphasized that he was a prophet. John looks back to the apostles as the great foundations of the Church. He speaks of the twelve foundations of the wall of the Holy City, and further: “and on them are the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.” (21,14). He would hardly have spoken about the apostles like that if he had been one of them.

Such considerations are further confirmed by the title of the book. Most translations of the book's title read: Revelation of Saint John the Theologian. But in some recent English translations the title reads: Revelation of Saint John, A Theologian omitted because it is absent from most of the oldest Greek lists, although it generally goes back to ancient times. In Greek it is theologos and used here in the meaning theologian, not in meaning saint. This very addition should have distinguished John, the author of Revelation, from John the Apostle.

Already in 250, Dionysius, a major theologian and leader of the Christian school in Alexandria, understood that it was extremely unlikely that the same person wrote both the fourth Gospel and Revelation, if only because their Greek languages ​​were so different. The Greek of the Fourth Gospel is simple and correct, the Greek of Revelation is rough and bright, but very irregular. Further, the author of the fourth Gospel avoids mentioning his name, but John, the author of Revelation, mentions him repeatedly. In addition, the ideas of both books are completely different. The great ideas of the fourth gospel—light, life, truth, and grace—do not occupy a central place in Revelation. However, at the same time, in both books there are enough similar passages both in thoughts and in language, which clearly shows that they come from the same center and from the same world of ideas.

[Elisabeth Schusler-Fiorenza, an expert on Revelation, has recently determined that, “From the last quarter of the second century until the beginning of modern critical theology, it was widely believed that both books (the Gospel of John and Revelation) were written by an apostle” (“Book Revelations: Justice and Punishment of God", 1985, p. 86). Such external, objective evidence was required by theologians because the internal evidence lying in the books themselves (style, words, statements of the author about his rights) did not seem to speak in favor of the fact that their author was the Apostle John. Theologians who defend the authorship of the Apostle John explain the differences between the Gospel of John and Revelation in the following ways:

a) They indicate the difference in the spheres of these books. One talks about the earthly life of Jesus, while the other talks about the revelation of the Risen Lord.

b) They believe that there is a large interval of time between their writing.

c) They claim that the theology of one complements the theology of the other and together they constitute a complete theology.

d) They suggest that linguistic differences are explained by the fact that the recording and revision of the texts was carried out by different secretaries. Adolf Pohl (Wuppertaler Studien - (bibel) states that sometime around 170, a small group in the Church deliberately introduced a false author (Cerinthus) because they did not like the theology of Revelation and found it easier to criticize a less authoritative author than the Apostle John.]

When Revelation was written

There are two sources for establishing the time of its writing.

1. On the one hand - church traditions. They point out that during the era of the Roman emperor Domitian, John was exiled to the island of Patmos, where he had a vision; after the death of Emperor Domitian, he was released and returned to Ephesus, where he enrolled. Victorinus wrote sometime at the end of the third century in a commentary on Revelation: “When John saw all this, he was on the island of Patmos, (condemned by the emperor Domitian to work in the mines. There he saw the revelation... When he was subsequently released from work in mines, he wrote down this revelation, which he received from God." Jerome of Dalmatia dwells on this in more detail: "In the fourteenth year after the persecution of Nero, John was exiled to the island of Patmos and wrote the Revelation there... After the death of Domitian and the repeal of his decrees by the Senate, as a result their extreme cruelty, he returned to Ephesus when Nerva was emperor." The Church historian Eusebius wrote: "The apostle and evangelist John told these things to the church when he returned from exile on the island after the death of Domitian." According to tradition, it is clear that John had visions during the time of his exile on the island of Patmos, but one thing is not completely established - and it does not really matter - whether he wrote them down during his exile, or on his return to Ephesus. Taking this into account, it will not be wrong to say that Revelation was written about the year 95.

2. The second evidence is the material of the book itself. In it we find a completely new attitude towards Rome and the Roman Empire.

As follows from the Acts of the Holy Apostles, Roman courts were often the most reliable protection for Christian missionaries from the hatred of Jews and angry crowds of people. Paul was proud to be a Roman citizen and repeatedly demanded for himself the rights that were guaranteed to every Roman citizen. In Philippi, Paul frightened the administration by declaring that he was a Roman citizen (Acts 16:36-40). In Corinth, the consul Gallio treated Paul fairly, according to Roman law. (Acts 18:1-17). In Ephesus, the Roman authorities ensured his safety against the rioting crowd. (Acts 19:13-41). In Jerusalem, the captain saved Paul, one might say, from lynching (Acts 21:30-40). When the commander heard that an attempt was being made on Paul's life during the transition to Caesarea, he took all measures to ensure his safety (Acts 23:12-31).

Desperate to achieve justice in Palestine, Paul exercised his right as a Roman citizen and complained directly to the emperor (Acts 25:10.11). In the Epistle to the Romans, Paul urges his readers to be submissive to the authorities, for the authorities are from God, and they are terrible not for good, but for evil. (Rom. 13.1-7). Peter gives the same advice to be submissive to authorities, kings, and rulers because they are doing the will of God. Christians should fear God and honor the king (1 Pet. 2:12-17). It is believed that in the Epistle to the Thessalonians, Paul points to the power of Rome as the only force capable of containing the chaos that threatens the world (2 Thess. 2:7).

In Revelation, only one irreconcilable hatred of Rome is visible. Rome is Babylon, mother of harlots, intoxicated with the blood of saints and martyrs (Rev. 17:5.6). John expects only his final destruction.

The explanation for this change lies in the widespread worship of the Roman emperors, which, combined with the accompanying persecution of Christians, is the background against which Revelation is written.

At the time of Revelation, the cult of Caesar was the only universal religion of the Roman Empire, and Christians were persecuted and executed precisely for their refusal to comply with its demands. According to this religion, the Roman emperor, who embodied the spirit of Rome, was divine. Every person had to appear before the local administration once a year and burn a pinch of incense to the divine emperor and proclaim: “Caesar is Lord.” Having done this, a person could go and worship any other god or goddess, as long as such worship did not violate the rules of decency and order; but he had to perform this ceremony of worshiping the emperor.

The reason was simple. Rome was now a diverse empire, stretching from one end of the known world to the other, with many languages, races and traditions. Rome was faced with the task of uniting this heterogeneous mass into a unity that had some kind of common consciousness. The strongest unifying force is a common religion, but none of the popular religions of that time could become universal, but the veneration of the deified Roman emperor could. It was the only cult that could unite the empire. To refuse to burn a pinch of incense and to say, “Caesar is Lord,” was not an act of unbelief, but an act of disloyalty; that is why the Romans treated so cruelly a person who refused to say: “Caesar is Lord,” and not a single Christian could say Lord anyone other than Jesus, because that was the essence of his creed.

Let's see how this worship of Caesar developed and why it reached its apogee in the era of the writing of Revelation.

One very important fact should be noted. The veneration of Caesar was not imposed on people from above. It arose among the people, one might even say, despite all the attempts of the first emperors to stop, or at least limit it. It should also be noted that of all the peoples inhabiting the empire, only the Jews were exempt from this cult.

The worship of Caesar began as a spontaneous outburst of gratitude to Rome. The peoples in the provinces knew well what they owed to him. Imperial Roman law and legal proceedings replaced arbitrary and tyrannical arbitrariness. Security has replaced dangerous situations. The great Roman roads connected different parts of the world; the roads and seas were free from robbers and pirates. The Roman world was the greatest achievement of the ancient world. As the great Roman poet Virgil put it, Rome saw its purpose as “spare the fallen and overthrow the proud.” Life has found a new order. Goodspeed wrote about it this way: “Such was package of the novel. The provincials could, under Roman rule, conduct their affairs, provide for their families, send letters, and travel in safety thanks to the strong hand of Rome.”

The cult of Caesar did not begin with the deification of the emperor. It began with the deification of Rome. The spirit of the empire was deified in a goddess called Roma. Roma symbolized the powerful and benevolent force of the empire. The first temple to Rome was erected in Smyrna back in 195 BC. It was not difficult to imagine the spirit of Rome embodied in one person - the emperor. Worship of the emperor began with Julius Caesar after his death. In 29 BC, Emperor Augustus granted the provinces of Asia and Bithynia the right to erect temples in Ephesus and Nicaea for the general worship of the goddess Roma and the already deified Julius Caesar. Roman citizens were encouraged and even exhorted to worship at these sanctuaries. Then the next step was taken: Emperor Augustus gave the inhabitants of the provinces, Not who had Roman citizenship, the right to erect temples in Pergamum in Asia and Nicomedia in Bithynia for the worship of the goddess Roma and to myself. At first, worship of the reigning emperor was considered acceptable for residents of the province who did not have Roman citizenship, but not for those who had citizenship.

This had inevitable consequences. It is human nature to worship a god who can be seen, rather than a spirit, and gradually people began to worship the emperor himself more, instead of the goddess Roma. At that time, special permission from the Senate was still needed to build a temple in honor of the reigning emperor, but by the middle of the first century this permission was increasingly granted. The cult of the emperor became the universal religion of the Roman Empire. A caste of priests arose and worship was organized in presbyteries, the representatives of which were accorded the highest honor.

This cult did not at all seek to completely replace other religions. Rome was generally very tolerant in this regard. Man could honor Caesar And their god, but over time, the veneration of Caesar increasingly became a test of trustworthiness; it became, as someone put it, a recognition of the dominion of Caesar over the life and soul of man. Let us trace the development of this cult before the writing of Revelation and immediately after that.

1. Emperor Augustus, who died in 14, allowed the worship of Julius Caesar, his great predecessor. He allowed the inhabitants of the provinces, who did not have Roman citizenship, to worship themselves, but forbade this to his Roman citizens. Note that he did not show any violent measures in this.

2. Emperor Tiberius (14-37) could not stop the cult of Caesar; but he forbade the building of temples and the appointment of priests to establish his cult, and in a letter to the city of Giton in Laconia, he decisively refused all divine honors for himself. He not only did not encourage the cult of Caesar, but also discouraged it.

3. The next emperor Caligula (37-41) - an epileptic and a madman with delusions of grandeur, insisted on divine honors for himself, tried to impose the cult of Caesar even on the Jews, who had always been and remained an exception in this regard. He intended to place his image in the Holy of Holies of the Jerusalem Temple, which would certainly lead to outrage and rebellion. Fortunately, he died before he could carry out his intentions. But during his reign, worship of Caesar became a requirement throughout the empire.

4. Caligula was succeeded by Emperor Claudius (41-54), who completely changed the perverted policy of his predecessor. He wrote to the ruler of Egypt - about a million Jews lived in Alexandria - fully approving of the Jews' refusal to call the emperor a god and giving them complete freedom in the conduct of their worship. Having ascended the throne, Claudius wrote to Alexandria: “I forbid the appointment of me as a high priest and the erection of temples, because I do not want to act against my contemporaries, and I believe that sacred temples and all that in all ages have been attributes of the immortal gods, as well as the special accord given to them honor".

5. Emperor Nero (54-68) did not take his divinity seriously and did nothing to consolidate the cult of Caesar. He, however, persecuted Christians, but not because they did not respect him as a god, but because he needed scapegoats for the great fire of Rome.

6. After the death of Nero, three emperors were replaced in eighteen months: Galba, Otho and Vitelius; With such confusion, the question of the cult of Caesar did not arise at all.

7. The next two emperors - Vespasian (69-79) and Titus (79-81) were wise rulers who did not insist on the cult of Caesar.

8. Everything changed radically with the coming to power of Emperor Domitian (81-96). It was like he was the devil. He was the worst of all—a cold-blooded persecutor. With the exception of Caligula, he was the only emperor who took his divinity seriously and demanding observance of the cult of Caesar. The difference was that Caligula was a mad Satan, and Domitian was mentally healthy, which is much more terrible. He erected a monument to “the divine Titus, son of the divine Vespasian,” and began a campaign of severe persecution of everyone who did not worship the ancient gods - he called them atheists. He especially hated Jews and Christians. When he appeared with his wife at the theater, the crowd must have shouted: “Everyone greets our master and our lady!” Domitian proclaimed himself a god, informed all provincial rulers that all government messages and announcements should begin with the words: “Our Lord and God Domitian commands...” Any appeal to him, written or oral, had to begin with the words: “Lord and God.” .

This is the background of Revelation. Throughout the empire, men and women had to call Domitian a god, or die. The cult of Caesar was a deliberately implemented policy. Everyone was supposed to say: “The Emperor is Lord.” There was no other way out.

What could Christians do? What could they hope for? There were not many wise and powerful among them. They had neither influence nor prestige. The power of Rome rose up against them, which no people could resist. Christians were faced with a choice: Caesar or Christ. Revelation was written to inspire people in such difficult times. John did not close his eyes to the horrors; he saw terrible things, he saw even more terrible things ahead, but above all this he saw the glory that awaits the one who refuses Caesar for the love of Christ.

Revelation appeared during one of the most heroic eras in the entire history of the Christian Church. Domitian's successor, Emperor Nerva (96-98), however, abolished the wild laws, but they had already caused irreparable damage: Christians found themselves outside the law, and Revelation turned out to be the trumpet call that called for remaining faithful to Christ until death in order to receive the crown of life .

A book worth studying

We cannot close our eyes to the difficulties of Revelation: it is the most difficult book of the Bible, but its study is extremely useful because it contains the burning faith of the Christian Church in an era when life was pure agony, and people were waiting for the end of the heaven and earth they knew, but still They believed that behind the horrors and human rage is the glory and power of God.

I. Introduction: "What did you see" (chapter 1)

A. Prologue (1:1-3)

Open 1:1. The first words: The Revelation of Jesus Christ define the theme of this entire book. The Russian word "revelation" corresponds to the Greek "apocalypse" and means "revelation of a secret." The words ...what should be soon show that the speech will not be about past events in their historical review, as in the four Gospels, but about a foreshadowing of the future. The Greek, en tachei, translated "soon" (compare 2:16; 22:7,12,20) has a connotation of sudden action and does not imply that it is necessarily about to happen. Once begun, the events of the end times will follow each other "suddenly", and in this sense - soon or "soon".

And He showed, corresponding to the Greek word "esemanen", meaning "showed by signs and symbols", and also - "informed by words."

The angel who brought the revelation is not named, but many believe that it was the Archangel Gabriel who brought Divine messages to Daniel, Mary and Zechariah (Dan. 8:16; 9:21-22; Luke 1:26-31) . The Apostle John (as well as Paul, James, Peter and Jude) calls himself a servant of Jesus Christ (compare Rom. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; Titus 1:1; James 1:1; 2 Pet. 1:1; Jude 1:1).

Open 1:2. This verse must be understood in the sense that John truthfully recounted everything he saw - as the word of God as a testimony of Jesus Christ. For what he saw was news from Jesus Christ and about Himself.

Open 1:3. The short prologue ends with a promise of bliss to those who read or listen to the words of this prophecy, provided that they fulfill what is written in it. The verse hints that the reader should read this book aloud so that other people can hear it and obey what is written in it.

The last phrase of the prologue is - the time is near. By kairos (“time”) is meant a period of time, more precisely, the period of the end times (Dan. 8:17; 11:35,40; 12:4,9). “Time” is understood in the same sense in Rev. 11:18 and 12:12. In Rev. 12:14 this word is used in a different sense, where it means "year" (compare Dan. 7:25); the phrase "for a time, times and half a time" (12:14) means: "for the duration of a year ("time") plus two years ("times") plus six months ("half a time""); we are thus talking about three and a half years, constituting the “time of the end.”

In 1:3 - the first promise of beatitude (there are seven of them in the book of Revelation: 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 217.14).

The prologue briefly touches on everything that makes up the book: its theme, purpose and those through whom this purpose is realized - angelic forces and the human factor. It is very important to note that the first purpose of the book was to teach a practical lesson to those who read and listen to it.

B. Greeting (1:4-8)

Open 1:4-6. In the greeting - as in the greetings with which the letters of the Apostle Paul and John himself begin in 2 John, the apostle names those to whom he is addressing. Its recipients were seven churches in the Roman province of Asia, located in Asia Minor (1:11; chapters 2 and 3).

The words of grace to the world express the position of a Christian before God and his inner state. "Grace" defines God's attitude towards believers; “peace” speaks both of the nature of the believers’ relationship with God and of their enjoyment of the Divine peace (Phil. 4:7) that fills their hearts.

The Seven Beatitudes in Revelation:

1. Blessed is he who reads and hears the words of this prophecy and keeps what is written in it; for the time is near (1:3).

3. Behold, I come as a thief: blessed is he who watches and keeps his clothes, lest he walk naked, lest they see his shame (16:15).

4. And the Angel said to me: Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, “These are the true words of God” (19:9).

5. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection: the second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and Christ and will reign with Him a thousand years (20:6).

6. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book (22:7).

7. Blessed are those who keep His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter into the city through the gates (22:14).

There is, however, something unusual in this greeting, namely, that it speaks of God the Father as the One who is and who was and who is to come (compare 1:8).

The seven spirits apparently refer to the Holy Spirit (compare Isa. 11:2-3; Rev. 4:5; 5:6); He is so unusually designated symbolically (note that the number seven is a special number in the Holy Scriptures; it expresses Divine fullness).

Of the Persons of the Trinity, Jesus Christ is mentioned here last, perhaps because He occupies a central position in this book. He is spoken of as a faithful Witness, that is, as the source of the proposed revelation; as the Firstborn from the dead (referring to His resurrection; compare Col. 1:18) and as the ruler of the kings of the earth (referring to His power over the earth after the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom).

The words “firstborn from the dead” used by John in his greeting mean that Christ was the first to be resurrected in a new eternal body, laying the “beginning” of future similar “resurrections” as good (Phil. 3:11; Rev. 20:5- 6) and the evil ones (Rev. 20:12-13).

Christ loved us so much that He gave His life for us on the cross, washing us from our sins with His Blood. He made believers kings (in the sense that He formed His kingdom out of them) and priests to His God and Father. This prompts John to give Him praise and glory, ending with the word Amen.

Open 1:7-8. Readers are encouraged to focus on the Savior who is coming. We are talking about His second coming - with the clouds or on the clouds - to the earth (compare Acts 1:9-11). And then every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. Of course, the direct culprits and participants in His crucifixion will long be gone by that time on earth, and they will resurrect only after the Millennial Kingdom, but here we are not talking about them, but about the pious “remnant” of Israel; it is the people of this “remnant,” as representatives of the whole nation, “who will look upon Him whom they have pierced” (Zech. 12:10). However, by those “who pierced Him”, weeping “before Him” at His second coming, we are entitled to understand not only the Jews, but precisely all the tribes of the earth, whose representatives, with their sinful life, their rejection of the Gospel, will crucify Christ a second time throughout human history.

The Second Coming of the Lord will be visible to the whole world, that is, even non-believers will see Him. In contrast to His first “coming” in Bethlehem and in contrast to the “rapture of the Church,” which will likely be hidden from the inhabitants of the earth at large (Rev. 1:7 and John 14:3).

I am the seven Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. The meaning of these words is that God is the first cause, and, therefore, the beginning of all things, and at the same time the end, the final goal of existence (“alpha” is the first letter, and “omega” is the last in the Greek alphabet). Everything created by Him must strive towards Him and, with His help, towards perfection.

Further, Christ is spoken of as the One who is and was and is to come, as the Almighty, that is, the Almighty (compare Rev. 4:8; 11:17). In the New Testament, the corresponding Greek word “pantocrator” appears 10 times, of which 9 are in this book (2 Cor. 6:18; Rev. 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16: 7.14; 19:6.15; 21:22). In essence, this is the main revelation of the book, which is already contained here, in the verses of greeting.

C. Glorified Christ in Patmos Vision (1:9-18)

The Apostle John received this stunning revelation on the island of Patmos, a small island in the Aegean Sea located between Asia Minor and Greece, southwest of Ephesus. According to the statements of Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria and Eusebius, John was exiled to this island because of his active pastoral work in Ephesus.

Victoria, the first commentator on the book of Revelation, wrote that John, while a prisoner on Patmos, worked in the mines there. After Domitian's death in 96, the new emperor Nerva allowed the apostle to return to Ephesus. So, in the dark days spent by John on Fr. Patmos, God gave him that amazing revelation, which is captured in this last book of the Bible.

Open 1:9-11. This part begins with the words: I, John. And this is the third reference in the first chapter to John as the person by whose hand Revelation was written, and the first place of three (Rev. 21:2; 22:18) where he speaks of himself as “I.” Let us remember that in 2 John. 1:1 and in 3 John. 1:1 the apostle writes about himself in the third person as an “old man,” and in John. 21:24 - as about “disciple” (also in the third person).

In the opening chapters of this book, addressed to the seven churches in Asia, the apostle presents himself as a brother sharing not only in the kingdom of Jesus Christ, but also in patiently enduring tribulations for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. John shared his suffering for serving the true God with other well-known biblical authors - such as Moses, David, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, the apostles Peter and Paul.

The Apostle John received Revelation on the Day of the Lord (as in the Greek text); in fact, nowhere in the Bible does this expression refer to the first day of the week (resurrection). According to one interpretation, this could be any of the days of the week that John and his flock were accustomed to spend in serving the Lord. This passage is also interpreted in such a way that “the day of the Lord” must be understood in the meaning in which this expression is used in both Testaments (Isa. 2:12; 13:6,9; 34:8; Joel. 1:15; 2: 1,11,31; 3:14; Amos 5:18,20; Zeph. 1:7-8,14,18; 2:3; Zechariah 14:1; Mal. 4:5; 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10).

That is, the phrase I was in the spirit (in a state of ecstasy; compare Rev. 4:2; 17:3) “on the day of the Lord” must be understood in the sense that with his inner “I” (and not bodily), in a vision, the apostle was transferred to the future day of the Lord, when God will pour out His judgments on the earth. For the soul-shattering events, the narrative of which begins in chapter 4 of Revelation, will “flow” precisely from the judgments of God that will take place on the day of the Lord.

It seems unlikely that everything said in the book of Revelation was communicated to John within one calendar day, that is, in 24 hours, especially in light of the fact that the apostle also had to write down everything he saw and heard. Apparently, prophetically transferred to the future day of the Lord, the Apostle John wrote down everything he experienced later.

A loud voice, as if from a trumpet, commanded John to write everything down in a book and send it to the seven churches located in Asia Minor. Here is the first of the commands in Revelation 12 for the apostle to write down what he saw and heard; and each seems to relate to another vision (compare 1:19; 2:1,8,12,18; 3:1,7,14; 14:13; 19:9; 21:5). One vision was an exception; it was not allowed to be written down (10:4).

Each of the seven churches spoken of in Revelation was an independent local church; and they are mentioned in "geographical" order (as they were located in the shape of a crescent), starting from Ephesus on the coast and further north - Smyrna and Pergamum, and then east and south - Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.

Open 1:12-16. John stood with his back to the speaker and, hearing the voice, turned (that is, turned around) to see the One who spoke to him, he saw seven golden lamps. Probably it was not an ordinary Jewish seven-branched candlestick, but separate lamps. They symbolically reflected the Divine nature ("God is light" - 1 John 1:5). Among them the apostle saw one like the Son of Man. We also find the same expression in Dan. 7:13, used by the prophet in relation to Jesus Christ.

The robe of the One Standing in the midst of the lamps is described as priestly and royal, with a golden belt not across the hips, but across the chest, which gave special grandeur to His entire figure. The whiteness of His hair matched that of the "Ancient of Days" in Dan. 7:9, where God the Father is meant, (This whiteness is compared to the whiteness of wool and snow.) It speaks of the purity and eternity inherent in both the Father and the Son. The Son's eyes sparkled like a flame of fire (compare 2:18), expressing His all-pervading power as an omnipotent and omniscient Judge.

The feet of Jesus Christ were, as it were, made of Lebanese copper, or rather, some kind of copper alloy (chalkolivan), heated in a furnace. Let us note in this regard that the altar (in the Jerusalem Temple) was also “copper,” the image of which was inseparable from the idea of ​​sacrifices for sin and God’s condemnation of sin.

His voice is like the sound of many waters... and His face is like the sun shining in its power. All these images again and again emphasize the greatness and glory of Christ. The mystery of the seven stars, which he held in His right hand, is revealed by Himself in verse 20: these are the “Angels of the seven churches.” The fact that the Lord held them in His right hand emphasizes His sovereign power over them.

The sword, sharp on both sides (compare 2:12,16; 6:8; 19:15; 21), which came ... from His mouth, perhaps symbolized the very revelation of the merciless judgment of God that Christ intended to convey to John; for he was no longer the Child born in the manger of Bethlehem, but a sorrowful Man crowned with thorns. He appeared to John as the Lord in the fullness of His glory.

Open 1:17-18. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as if dead, John further writes. The same thing happened to Saul when he saw Christ in His glory (Acts 9:4). Once upon a time, young John “fell” his head on the chest of Jesus (John 13:25), but now the Apostle John probably did not even think about the former human closeness that connected him with the One who appeared to him in glory.

Christ, however, encouraged the aged apostle by placing His right hand on him and saying to him: Do not be afraid. Then He told John that He was eternal (I am the first and the last; compare Rev. 1:8; 2:8; 21:6; 22:13), that once killed by people, He was resurrected and will never die again (and behold, he is alive forever and ever). Further, He confirmed to the apostle that He has the keys of hell and death, that is, power over death and the place where it reigns (compare John 5:21-26; 1 Cor. 15:54-57; Hebrews 2: 14; Rev. 20:12-14).

Man cannot help but bow in reverence and humility before the glorified Christ, but His faithful followers, like John, can rest assured that they have been accepted as the Son of God. Their death and resurrection are in His hands.

Striking, of course, is the dissimilarity between the Christ described in glory in the book of Revelation and the Christ who appears before us on the pages of the four Gospels (Phil. 2:6-8); the exception is the description of His transfiguration (Matt. 17:2; Mark 9:2).

D. The command to write... (1:19-20)

Open 1:19-20. After John received the "revelation" of Christ in glory, he was again commanded to write:

a) about what he has already seen;

b) about what is revealed to him in the present (what is) and

c) about what will happen in the future (what will happen after this).

This appears to be the plan (or scheme) of Revelation as "composed" by God Himself. The apostle was first to write down what he saw and felt at the beginning of the revelation (chapter 1); then - Christ's letters to the seven churches (chapters 2 and 3). And, finally, the main thing that, in fact, made the book prophetic: he had to record the events that preceded the second coming of Christ, determined its culmination and followed it (chapters 4-22).

The “chronological” division of the book of Revelation is significantly superior in its Divine plan to many of its arbitrary divisions, on the basis of which interpreters often seize on random phrases and figures of speech, “adjusting” the book to their own pre-compiled interpretation schemes - for the sake of one or another particular position.

The division proposed to John from above is perfectly consistent with the concept that most of Revelation (starting from chapter 4) corresponds to the description of actual events that will take place in the future, and not those that happened in the past, or to the description of some spiritual processes and a statement of certain principles clothed in symbols.

It is important to note that the consistency and logic of Rev. 4-22 can only be interpreted in terms of future events. And those theologians who adhere to an allegorical approach to the book rarely agree among themselves in the interpretation of the same passage. This applies equally to supporters of allegorical and historical methods of interpretation.

In Revelation the vision in its symbolic expression often appears first, but then the explanation of the symbols follows. So, for example, at first John was shown seven lamps and seven stars, but then the meaning of these symbols was explained to him: the seven lamps are the seven churches, and the seven stars are the seven Angels or messengers to these churches. (In ancient times, these “angels” were often understood as disembodied guardian angels; the later interpretation seems preferable, according to which we are talking about bishops of churches. On the pages of Revelation, Christian shepherds appear in this way as always being in the hand of God.)

So, this book is not a hopeless jumble of incomprehensible symbols and inexplicable phrases, but a thoughtful record of what John was given to see and hear - often accompanied by explanations of the spiritual and practical meaning of the revelations he received.

It seems that God intended the Apocalypse to be comprehended by thoughtful researchers of His entire word, provided that this book is compared with others in which symbolism is also widely used, for example, with the books of Daniel and Ezekiel. Just like the meaning of the book of the prophet Daniel, the meaning of Revelation will become increasingly clear as human history develops.

In terms of the truths set forth in it and their application to practical life, the book of Revelation is timeless, but despite this (or perhaps because of this) it is a source of consolation for those who, realizing that there is less and less time left until the second coming of Christ time, seek His guidance every day of their lives.

Revelation is the most mysterious book of the Bible. It completes the New Testament and all Christian Scripture. Also called the Apocalypse, the Book of Revelation of Jesus Christ (the source of predictions), the Apocalypse of John. The Apostle John was shown visions of the future, which he had to describe. The apocalypse predicts the future and speaks of the end of the world.

Historical Background on Revelation

The author of Revelation is John, one of the 12 close disciples of Jesus Christ. At the time of writing, as the text testifies, he was in exile on Fr. Patmos. By that time, the remaining 11 apostles had already suffered martyrdom (John was the only one who escaped this fate). Most researchers believe that the book was created at the end of the 1st century. - between 81 and 96 AD. John wrote several more works included in the Bible: one Gospel and three Epistles.

According to legend, the apostle did not eat for 20 days, after which he received a Revelation from God. The angel explained what he saw. The apostle dictated the text to his disciple, Prokhor. The canonicity of the Apocalypse has been in doubt for some time. The style is quite different from other books attributed to John. Some scholars attribute this to the extraordinary circumstances in which Revelation was written. In the 5th century the controversy ceased, and it entered the canon.

The only biblical book that is practically not read during services in the Orthodox Church. The exception is Lenten. Catholics use Revelation in the masses after Easter and in the Liturgy of the Hours.

Structure of the Apocalypse

Many Christians find the final chapters of the Bible to be the most difficult to understand. When reading, one must take into account the symbolic language of the visions. The images that the author uses are taken from the prophets of the Old Testament, so he maintains the connection between the holy books. Revelation tells believers about the invisible spiritual battles between Good and Evil:

• After a short introduction and greeting, the author describes Jesus Christ in divine glory. Then follow the messages to the seven churches (these are actually existing Christian communities).
• According to John, he was caught up (transferred, raised) to heaven - the place where God dwells. Chapters 4 through 5 describe the worship of the Lamb.
• The story of the opening of the seven seals (6:1 - 8:1).
• Seven trumpets preceding the Judgment (8:2 - 11:9).
• The description of symbolic visions takes up almost 3 chapters (12:1 - 15:8).
• The Last Judgment (17:1 to 22:5) and the Conclusion (22:6 - 21).

The book is small in length, only 22 chapters. Today, various options are available on the Internet - both in the original language (Greek) and translations (Church Slavonic, Synodal, modern Russian). There are a lot of parallel passages in the Apocalypse - references to other books of Holy Scripture (Psalms, Daniel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, New Testament Epistles).

Revelation describes important events predicted in other canonical books. They themselves became objects of study for theologians:

• Second coming of Jesus Christ.
• Birth, activity and destruction of the Antichrist.
• Rapture of the righteous to heaven.
• The Thousand Year Rule of the Believers.
• Last Judgment, New Jerusalem.

Many events are predicted in the Old Testament. For example, the prophets Isaiah, Habakkuk, and Zephanius wrote about the future life in Heaven. Jeremiah spoke of the destruction of the Antichrist.

Symbolic language of storytelling

Not a single Bible book should not be taken literally, especially Revelation. Her language is deeply symbolic. Incorrect interpretation leads to deep misconceptions. For example, Orthodox theologians reject the doctrine of chiliasm - the thousand-year reign of Christ on earth. Chiliasm is common among Pentecostals, Baptists, Messianic Jews, and Adventists.

The non-linearity of the narrative creates particular difficulty for perception. The author was taken to heaven. But time does not exist there, the laws of physics do not apply, it is an ideal world. The past, present and future can be observed simultaneously. Apparently this is the reason why chronological order of events in John's account absent. For example, the battle of the angels and the overthrow of the devil happened before the creation of the world. According to the apostle’s account, this happened after the resurrection of Christ.

How to Understand Scripture

Scripture Study It is better to carry out under the guidance of a clergyman. Today, many parishes offer special courses. Independent research is more difficult: there is no one to ask the questions that arise. In this case, the explanations of theologians will help. Interpretations of the Apocalypse of John The theologians wrote the fathers of the Christian church:

• Andrew of Caesarea;
• John Chrysostom;
• John of Kronstadt.

It takes a lot of time to study the Revelation of John the Theologian. Listening to an online interpretation is permitted by the Church, the main thing is that its author adheres to Orthodox doctrine. This will allow you to absorb knowledge anywhere, for example, on the way to work.

The works of modern theologians are also popular. Commentary on the Revelation of John Theologian Daniil Sysoev, for example, can be downloaded for free on his official website. The priest's works began to attract increased interest after he was shot in the Church of the Apostle Thomas (Moscow). The murder has still not been solved, but it is believed that it was caused by the missionary activities of the deceased.

Believers also show interest in the interpretation that was written by Archpriest Oleg Stenyaev. This is a famous missionary, host of Radio Radonezh. Initially, the priest did not plan a deep theological analysis, he simply held a series of educational conversations for believers. The parishioners made notes, which began to go from hand to hand. Then Oleg Viktorovich was asked to publish a separate book. The accessibility of the presentation makes it especially attractive to the modern reader.

Vision of Christ, seven seals

Seven is a symbolic number often found in the Bible. It denotes the full power of Jesus Christ as God and head of the Universal Church. The seven churches mentioned in the Apocalypse are real communities. But the warnings to them can be considered relevant today. The opening of the seven seals from the Book means the beginning of the war between Good and Evil. Only Christ is worthy to do this - He fully knew what sacrifice is, giving his life for the sins of all mankind.

Angel Trumpets

After Christ opens the book, Angels appear with trumpets in their hands. But before they start blowing, there is a lull. Only then do God's messengers one by one announce the beginning of the trials. Disasters are sent to earth because people have fallen into sin and apostatized from God. Christians who remain faithful to the Lord will receive a seal on their foreheads, saving them from the fate of the wicked.

Seven Signs

The population of the earth appears to the seer as two opposing camps. Supporters of good are members of the Church of Christ, minions of evil are under the leadership of the Antichrist. The frightening beast is described at the beginning of chapter 13: with seven heads and ten horns. According to the interpretation of the Orthodox fathers, it symbolizes secular power. Some researchers identify it with Roman Empire.

Another beast that will emerge from the sea is an image of the corrupted church elite. The devil is also shown in the form of a dragon, who deliberately does evil, trying to destroy the Church. The two witnesses are preachers of the Gospel. Some see them as the prophets Enoch and Elijah, who were taken alive to heaven. According to some theologians, saints will yet appear on earth and be killed for their faith.

Final chapters

The war between Good and Evil will end in the defeat of the devil. The martyrs have already won a spiritual victory; now they reign physically. God-fighting forces perish during the second coming of Christ. The serpent (the image of the devil) receives eternal condemnation. There comes a general resurrection, followed by the Last Judgment. Not only people will come to it, but also fallen angels. The book ends with a description of the blessed life of the righteous in the renewed world - after all, the old one will be destroyed.

Although the Apocalypse remains the most mysterious book, it is not difficult to understand the main ideas contained in it. The culprit of man's troubles is the devil, who uses lies, pride, passions and doubts against the righteous. However, he is unable to defeat those in whom faith is strong enough. To receive spiritual benefits, do not get too carried away and try to understand every detail. Then even a sophisticated reader will become confused and begin to become despondent. And reading the Bible should bring comfort. Essentially, the Revelation of John is a hopeful book that tells of the final victory of the Lamb (Christ the Savior).

It is no coincidence that the date of the end of earthly history is hidden from people. If it were known, many would begin to live carelessly, postponing repentance until the last moment. But for everyone there will come a personal end of the world - physical death. The Holy Fathers recommend thinking about how a personal meeting with the Savior will go, and not trying to unravel what the Lord has hidden for the time being. Since He considered it necessary to leave something a secret, it means that it is not of decisive importance for the salvation of the soul. And this is the purpose of the Christian life.

Apocalypse(or translated from Greek - Revelation) of St. John the Theologian is the only prophetic book of the New Testament. It predicts the future destinies of mankind, the end of the world and the beginning of eternal life, and therefore, naturally, is placed at the end of the Holy Scriptures.
Apocalypse- the book is mysterious and difficult to understand, but at the same time it is the mysterious nature of this book that attracts the attention of both believing Christians and simply inquisitive thinkers trying to unravel the meaning and significance of the visions described in it. There are a huge number of books about the Apocalypse, among which there are many works with all sorts of nonsense, this especially applies to modern sectarian literature.

Despite the difficulty of understanding this book, the spiritually enlightened fathers and teachers of the Church have always treated it with great reverence as a book inspired by God. Thus, Saint Dionysius of Alexandria writes: “The darkness of this book does not prevent one from being surprised by it. And if I don’t understand everything about it, it’s only because of my inability. I cannot be a judge of the truths contained in it, and measure them by the poverty of my mind; Guided more by faith than by reason, I find them only beyond my understanding.” Blessed Jerome speaks in the same way about the Apocalypse: “It contains as many secrets as words. But what am I saying? Any praise for this book would be beneath its dignity.”

The Apocalypse is not read during divine services because in ancient times the reading of Holy Scripture during divine services was always accompanied by an explanation of it, and the Apocalypse is very difficult to explain.

Book author.

The author of the apocalypse calls himself John (Rev. 1:1, 4 and 9; 22:8). According to the general opinion of the holy fathers of the Church, this was the Apostle John, the beloved disciple of Christ, who received the distinctive name “Theologian” for the height of his teaching about God the Word. ” His authorship is confirmed both by data in the Apocalypse itself and by many other internal and external signs. The Gospel and three Council Epistles also belong to the inspired pen of the Apostle John the Theologian. The author of the Apocalypse says that he was on the island of Patmos “for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:9). From church history it is known that of the apostles, only Saint John the Theologian was imprisoned on this island.

Proof of the authorship of the Apocalypse. John the Theologian is served by the similarity of this book with his Gospel and epistles, not only in spirit, but also in style, and, especially, in some characteristic expressions. So, for example, the apostolic preaching is called here “testimony” (Rev. 1:2, 9; 20:4; see: John 1:7; 3:11; 21:24; 1 John 5:9-11) . The Lord Jesus Christ is called “the Word” (Rev. 19:13; see: John 1:1, 14 and 1 John 1:1) and “Lamb” (Rev. 5:6 and 17:14; see: John 1:36). The prophetic words of Zechariah: “and they will look on Him whom they have pierced” (12:10) both in the Gospel and in the Apocalypse are given equally according to the Greek translation of the “Seventy Interpreters” (Rev. 1:7 and John 19:37). Some differences between the language of the Apocalypse and other books of the Apostle John are explained both by the difference in content and by the circumstances of the origin of the writings of the holy Apostle. Saint John, a Jew by birth, although he spoke Greek, but, being imprisoned far from the living spoken Greek language, naturally left the stamp of influence of his native language on the Apocalypse. For an unprejudiced reader of the Apocalypse, it is obvious that its entire content bears the stamp of the great spirit of the Apostle of love and contemplation.

All ancient and later patristic testimonies recognize the author of the Apocalypse as Saint John the Theologian. His disciple Saint Papias of Hieropolis calls the writer of the Apocalypse “Elder John,” as the apostle himself calls himself in his epistles (2 John 1:1 and 3 John 1:1). The testimony of Saint Justin the Martyr, who lived in Ephesus even before his conversion to Christianity, where the Apostle John lived for a long time before him, is also important. Many holy fathers of the 2nd and 3rd centuries cite passages from the Apocalypse as from a divinely inspired book written by St. John the Theologian. One of them was Saint Hippolytus, Pope of Rome, who wrote an apology for the Apocalypse, a student of Irenaeus of Lyons. Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian and Origen also recognize the holy Apostle John as the author of the Apocalypse. The later Church Fathers were equally convinced of this: St. Ephraim the Syrian, Epiphanius, Basil the Great, Hilary, Athanasius the Great, Gregory the Theologian, Didymus, Ambrose of Milan, St. Augustine and St. Jerome. The 33rd rule of the Council of Carthage, attributing the Apocalypse to St. John the Theologian, places it among the other canonical books of Holy Scripture. The testimony of Saint Irenaeus of Lyons regarding the authorship of the Apocalypse to Saint John the Theologian is especially valuable, since Saint Irenaeus was a disciple of Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, who in turn was a disciple of Saint John the Theologian, heading the Smyrna Church under his apostolic leadership.

Time, place and purpose of writing the Apocalypse.

An ancient legend dates the writing of the Apocalypse to the end of the 1st century. So, for example, Saint Irenaeus writes: “The Apocalypse appeared shortly before this and almost in our time, at the end of the reign of Domitian.” The historian Eusebius (early 4th century) reports that contemporary pagan writers mention the exile of the Apostle John to Patmos for witnessing the Divine Word, attributing this event to the 15th year of the reign of Domitian (reigned 81-96 after the Nativity Christ's).

Thus, the Apocalypse was written at the end of the first century, when each of the seven churches of Asia Minor, to which St. John addresses, already had its own history and one way or another determined direction of religious life. Their Christianity was no longer in the first stage of purity and truth, and false Christianity was already trying to compete with the true one. Obviously, the activity of the Apostle Paul, who preached for a long time in Ephesus, was already a thing of the long past.

Church writers of the first 3 centuries also agree in indicating the place where the Apocalypse was written, which they recognize as the island of Patmos, mentioned by the Apostle himself, as the place where he received revelations (Rev. 1:9). Patmos is located in the Aegean Sea, south of the city of Ephesus and was a place of exile in ancient times.

In the first lines of the Apocalypse, Saint John indicates the purpose of writing the revelation: to predict the fate of the Church of Christ and the whole world. The mission of the Church of Christ was to revive the world with Christian preaching, to plant true faith in God in the souls of people, teach them to live righteously, and show them the way to the Kingdom of Heaven. But not all people accepted Christian preaching favorably. Already in the first days after Pentecost, the Church faced hostility and conscious resistance to Christianity - first from the Jewish priests and scribes, then from unbelieving Jews and pagans.

Already in the first year of Christianity, a bloody persecution of preachers of the Gospel began. Gradually, these persecutions began to take an organized and systematic form. The first center of the fight against Christianity was Jerusalem. Starting from the middle of the first century, Rome, led by Emperor Nero (reigned 54-68 after the Nativity of Christ), joined the hostile camp. The persecution began in Rome, where many Christians shed their blood, including the chief apostles Peter and Paul. From the end of the first century, persecution of Christians became more intense. Emperor Domitian orders the systematic persecution of Christians, first in Asia Minor, and then in other parts of the Roman Empire. The Apostle John the Theologian, summoned to Rome and thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil, remained unharmed. Domitian exiles the Apostle John to the island of Patmos, where the apostle receives a revelation about the fate of the Church and the whole world. With short breaks, the bloody persecution of the Church continued until 313, when Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan on freedom of religion.

In view of the beginning of persecution, the Apostle John writes the Apocalypse to Christians to console them, instruct and strengthen them. He reveals the secret intentions of the enemies of the Church, whom he personifies in the beast that came out of the sea (as a representative of a hostile secular power) and in the beast that came out of the earth - a false prophet, as a representative of a hostile pseudo-religious government. He also discovers the main leader of the struggle against the Church - the devil, this ancient dragon who groups the godless forces of humanity and directs them against the Church. But the suffering of believers is not in vain: through fidelity to Christ and patience they receive a well-deserved reward in Heaven. At the time determined by God, forces hostile to the Church will be brought to justice and punished. After the Last Judgment and punishment of the wicked, eternal blissful life will begin.

The purpose of writing the Apocalypse is to depict the upcoming struggle of the Church with the forces of evil; show the methods by which the devil, with the assistance of his servants, fights against good and truth; provide guidance to believers on how to overcome temptation; depict the death of the enemies of the Church and the final victory of Christ over evil.

Content, plan and symbolism of the Apocalypse

The Apocalypse has always attracted the attention of Christians, especially at a time when various disasters and temptations began to agitate public and church life with greater force. Meanwhile, the imagery and mystery of this book makes it very difficult to understand, and therefore for careless interpreters there is always the risk of going beyond the boundaries of truth to unrealistic hopes and beliefs. So, for example, a literal understanding of the images of this book gave rise and now continues to give rise to the false teaching about the so-called “chiliasm” - the thousand-year reign of Christ on earth. The horrors of persecution experienced by Christians in the first century and interpreted in the light of the Apocalypse gave some reason to believe that the “end times” had arrived and the second coming of Christ was near. This opinion arose already in the first century.

Over the past 20 centuries, many interpretations of the Apocalypse of the most diverse nature have appeared. All these interpreters can be divided into four categories. Some of them attribute the visions and symbols of the Apocalypse to the “end times” - the end of the world, the appearance of the Antichrist and the Second Coming of Christ. Others give the Apocalypse a purely historical meaning and limit its vision to the historical events of the first century: the persecution of Christians by pagan emperors. Still others try to find the fulfillment of apocalyptic predictions in the historical events of their time. In their opinion, for example, the Pope is the Antichrist and all apocalyptic disasters are announced, in fact, for the Roman Church, etc. The fourth, finally, see in the Apocalypse only an allegory, believing that the visions described in it have not so much a prophetic as a moral meaning. As we will see below, these points of view on the Apocalypse do not exclude, but complement each other.

The Apocalypse can only be properly understood in the context of the whole of Holy Scripture. A feature of many prophetic visions - both Old Testament and New Testament - is the principle of combining several historical events in one vision. In other words, spiritually related events, separated from one another by many centuries and even millennia, merge into one prophetic picture that combines events from different historical eras.

An example of such a synthesis of events is the prophetic conversation of the Savior about the end of the world. In it, the Lord speaks simultaneously about the destruction of Jerusalem, which occurred 35 years after His crucifixion, and about the time before His second coming. (Matt. 24th chapter; Mr. 13th chapter; Luke 21st chapter. The reason for such a combination of events is that the first illustrates and explains the second.

Often, Old Testament predictions speak simultaneously of a beneficial change in human society in New Testament times and of new life in the Kingdom of Heaven. In this case, the first serves as the beginning of the second (Isa. (Isaiah) 4:2-6; Isa. 11:1-10; Is. 26, 60 and 65 chapters; Jer. (Jeremiah) 23:5-6; Jer. 33:6-11; Habakkuk 2:14; Zephaniah 3:9-20). Old Testament prophecies about the destruction of Chaldean Babylon also speak about the destruction of the kingdom of the Antichrist (Isa. 13-14 and 21 ch.; Jer. 50-51 ch.). There are many similar examples of events merging into one prediction. This method of combining events based on their internal unity is used to help a believer understand the essence of events based on what he already knows, leaving aside secondary and non-explanatory historical details.

As we will see below, the Apocalypse consists of a number of multi-layered compositional visions. The Mystery Viewer shows the future from the perspective of the past and present. So, for example, the many-headed beast in chapters 13-19. – this is the Antichrist himself and his predecessors: Antiochus Epiphanes, so vividly described by the prophet Daniel and in the first two books of Maccabees, and the Roman emperors Nero and Domitian, who persecuted the apostles of Christ, as well as subsequent enemies of the Church.

Two witnesses of Christ in chapter 11. - these are the accusers of the Antichrist (Enoch and Elijah), and their prototypes are the apostles Peter and Paul, as well as all preachers of the Gospel who carry out their mission in a world hostile to Christianity. The false prophet in the 13th chapter is the personification of all those who propagate false religions (Gnosticism, heresies, Mohammedanism, materialism, Hinduism, etc.), among which the most prominent representative will be the false prophet of the times of the Antichrist. To understand why the Apostle John united various events and different people in one image, we must take into account that he wrote the Apocalypse not only for his contemporaries, but for Christians of all times who had to endure similar persecutions and tribulations. The Apostle John reveals common methods of deception, and also shows the sure way to avoid them in order to be faithful to Christ until death.

Likewise, the judgment of God, which the Apocalypse repeatedly speaks of, is both the Last Judgment of God and all the private judgments of God over individual countries and people. This includes the judgment of all mankind under Noah, and the trial of the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah under Abraham, and the trial of Egypt under Moses, and the double trial of Judea (six centuries before the birth of Christ and again in the seventies of our era), and the trial of ancient Nineveh, Babylon, the Roman Empire, Byzantium and, more recently, Russia. The reasons that caused God's righteous punishment were always the same: people's unbelief and lawlessness.

A certain timelessness is noticeable in the Apocalypse. It follows from the fact that the Apostle John contemplated the destinies of mankind not from an earthly, but from a heavenly perspective, where the Spirit of God led him. In an ideal world, the flow of time stops at the throne of the Most High and the present, past and future appear before the spiritual gaze at the same time. Obviously, this is why the author of the Apocalypse describes some future events as past, and past ones as present. For example, the war of angels in Heaven and the overthrow of the devil from there - events that happened even before the creation of the world, are described by the Apostle John, as if they happened at the dawn of Christianity (Rev. 12). The resurrection of the martyrs and their reign in Heaven, which covers the entire New Testament era, is placed by him after the trial of the Antichrist and the false prophet (Rev. 20). Thus, the seer does not narrate the chronological sequence of events, but reveals the essence of that great war of evil with good, which is going on simultaneously on several fronts and covers both the material and angelic worlds.

There is no doubt that some of the predictions of the Apocalypse have already been fulfilled (for example, regarding the fate of the seven churches of Asia Minor). The fulfilled predictions should help us understand the remaining ones that have yet to be fulfilled. However, when applying visions of the Apocalypse to certain specific events, one must take into account that such visions contain elements of different eras. Only with the completion of the destinies of the world and the punishment of the last enemies of God will all the details of the apocalyptic visions be realized.

The Apocalypse was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. A correct understanding of it is most hindered by people’s departure from faith and true Christian life, which always leads to dulling, or even complete loss of spiritual vision. The complete devotion of modern man to sinful passions is the reason that some modern interpreters of the Apocalypse want to see in it only one allegory, and even the Second Coming of Christ itself is taught to be understood allegorically. Historical events and personalities of our time convince us that to see only an allegory in the Apocalypse means to be spiritually blind, so much of what is happening now resembles the terrible images and visions of the Apocalypse.

The method of presentation of the Apocalypse is shown in the table attached here. As can be seen from it, the apostle simultaneously reveals to the reader several spheres of existence. To the highest sphere belongs the Angelic world, the Church triumphant in Heaven, and the Church persecuted on earth. This sphere of good is headed and guided by the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Savior of people. Below is the sphere of evil: the unbelieving world, sinners, false teachers, conscious fighters against God and demons. They are led by a dragon - a fallen angel. Throughout the existence of mankind, these spheres have been at war with each other. The Apostle John in his visions gradually reveals to the reader different sides of the war between good and evil and reveals the process of spiritual self-determination in people, as a result of which some of them become on the side of good, others on the side of evil. During the development of the world conflict, God's Judgment is constantly being carried out on individuals and nations. Before the end of the world, evil will increase excessively, and the earthly Church will be extremely weakened. Then the Lord Jesus Christ will come to earth, all people will be resurrected, and the Last Judgment of God will be carried out over the world. The devil and his supporters will be condemned to eternal torment, but for the righteous, eternal, blissful life in Paradise will begin.

When read sequentially, the Apocalypse can be divided into the following parts:

1. Introductory picture of the Lord Jesus Christ appearing, commanding John to write down the Revelation to the seven churches of Asia Minor (chapter 1).
2. Letters to the 7 churches of Asia Minor (chapters 2 and 3), in which, along with instructions to these churches, the destinies of the Church of Christ are outlined - from the apostolic age to the end of the world.
3. Vision of God seated on the throne, the Lamb and heavenly worship (chapters 4 and 5). This worship is supplemented by visions in subsequent chapters.
4. From the 6th chapter the revelation of the destinies of humanity begins. The opening of the seven seals of the mysterious book by the Lamb-Christ serves as the beginning of a description of the different phases of the war between good and evil, between the Church and the devil. This war, which begins in the human soul, spreads to all aspects of human life, intensifies and becomes more and more terrible (until the 20th chapter).
5. The voices of the seven angelic trumpets (chapters 7-10) herald the initial disasters that must befall people for their unbelief and sins. The damage to nature and the appearance of evil forces in the world are described. Before the onset of disasters, believers receive a seal of grace on their forehead (forehead), which preserves them from moral evil and from the fate of the wicked.
6. The Vision of Seven Signs (chapters 11-14) shows humanity divided into two opposing and irreconcilable camps - good and evil. Good forces are concentrated in the Church of Christ, represented here in the image of a Woman clothed with the sun (chapter 12), and evil forces are concentrated in the kingdom of the beast-Antichrist. The beast that came out of the sea is a symbol of evil secular power, and the beast that came out of the earth is a symbol of decayed religious power. In this part of the Apocalypse, for the first time, a conscious, extra-worldly evil being is clearly revealed - the dragon-devil, who organizes and leads the war against the Church. The two witnesses of Christ symbolize here the preachers of the Gospel who fight the beast.
7. The Visions of the Seven Bowls (chapters 15-17) paint a grim picture of worldwide moral decay. The war against the Church becomes extremely intense (Armageddon) (Rev. 16:16), the trials become unbearably difficult. The image of Babylon the harlot depicts humanity that has apostatized from God, concentrated in the capital of the kingdom of the beast-Antichrist. The evil force extends its influence to all areas of the life of sinful humanity, after which God’s judgment on the forces of evil begins (here God’s judgment on Babylon is described in general terms, as an introduction).
8. The following chapters (18-19) describe the judgment of Babylon in detail. It also shows the death of the perpetrators of evil among people - the Antichrist and the false prophet - representatives of both civil and heretical anti-Christian authorities.
9. Chapter 20 summarizes spiritual warfare and world history. She speaks of the double defeat of the devil and the reign of martyrs. Having suffered physically, they won spiritually and are already blissful in Heaven. It covers the entire period of the existence of the Church, starting from apostolic times. Gog and Magog personify the totality of all the God-fighting forces, earthly and underworld, which throughout Christian history fought against the Church (Jerusalem). They are destroyed by the second coming of Christ. Finally, the devil, this ancient serpent who laid the foundation for all lawlessness, untruths and suffering in the Universe, is also subject to eternal punishment. The end of chapter 20 tells of the general resurrection of the dead, the Last Judgment and the punishment of the wicked. This brief description summarizes the Last Judgment of mankind and the fallen angels and sums up the drama of the universal war between good and evil.
10. The final two chapters (21-22) describe the new Heaven, the new Earth, and the blessed life of the saved. These are the brightest and most joyful chapters in the Bible.

Each new section of the Apocalypse usually begins with the words: “And I saw...” and ends with a description of God’s judgment. This description marks the end of the previous topic and the beginning of a new one. Between the main sections of the Apocalypse, the viewer sometimes inserts intermediate pictures that serve as a connecting link between them. The table given here clearly shows the plan and sections of the Apocalypse. For compactness, we have combined the intermediate pictures together with the main ones. Walking horizontally along the table above, we see how the following areas are gradually revealed more and more fully: The heavenly world; Church persecuted on earth; sinful and godless world; underworld; the war between them and the judgment of God.

The meaning of symbols and numbers. Symbols and allegories enable the seer to speak about the essence of world events at a high level of generalization, so he uses them widely. So, for example, eyes symbolize knowledge, many eyes - perfect knowledge. The horn is a symbol of power and might. Long clothing signifies priesthood; crown - royal dignity; whiteness – purity, innocence; the city of Jerusalem, the temple and Israel symbolize the Church. Numbers also have a symbolic meaning: three symbolizes the Trinity, four symbolizes peace and world order; seven means completeness and perfection; twelve - the people of God, the fullness of the Church (numbers derived from 12, like 24 and 144,000, have the same meaning). One third means some relatively small part. Three and a half years is a time of persecution. The number 666 will be discussed specifically later in this booklet.

New Testament events are often depicted against the background of homogeneous Old Testament events. So, for example, the disasters of the Church are described against the backdrop of the suffering of the Israelites in Egypt, temptation under the prophet Balaam, persecution by Queen Jezebel and the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans; the salvation of believers from the devil is depicted against the background of the salvation of the Israelites from Pharaoh under the prophet Moses; the atheistic power is represented in the image of Babylon and Egypt; the punishment of the godless forces is depicted in the language of the 10 Egyptian plagues; the devil is identified with the serpent who seduced Adam and Eve; future heavenly bliss is depicted in the image of the Garden of Eden and the tree of life.

The main task of the author of the Apocalypse is to show how evil forces operate, who organizes and directs them in the fight against the Church; to instruct and strengthen believers in fidelity to Christ; show the complete defeat of the devil and his servants and the beginning of heavenly bliss.

For all the symbolism and mystery of the Apocalypse, religious truths are revealed in it very clearly. So, for example, the Apocalypse points to the devil as the culprit of all temptations and disasters of mankind. The tools with which he tries to destroy people are always the same: unbelief, disobedience to God, pride, sinful desires, lies, fear, doubts, etc. Despite all his cunning and experience, the devil is not able to destroy people who are devoted to God with all their hearts, because God protects them with His grace. The devil enslaves more and more apostates and sinners to himself and pushes them to all sorts of abominations and crimes. He directs them against the Church and with their help produces violence and organizes wars in the world. The Apocalypse clearly shows that in the end the devil and his servants will be defeated and punished, the truth of Christ will triumph, and a blessed life will come in the renewed world, which will have no end.

Having thus made a quick overview of the content and symbolism of the Apocalypse, let us now dwell on some of its most important parts.

Letters to the Seven Churches (chap. 2-3).

The seven churches—Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamon, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea—were located in the southwestern part of Asia Minor (now Turkey). They were founded by the Apostle Paul in the 40s of the first century. After his martyrdom in Rome around the year 67, the Apostle John the Theologian took charge of these churches, who cared for them for about forty years. Having been imprisoned on the island of Patmos, the Apostle John from there wrote messages to these churches in order to prepare Christians for the upcoming persecution. The letters are addressed to the “angels” of these churches, i.e. bishops.

A careful study of the epistles to the seven churches of Asia Minor suggests that they contain the destinies of the Church of Christ, starting from the apostolic age until the end of the world. At the same time, the upcoming path of the New Testament Church, this “New Israel,” is depicted against the backdrop of the most important events in the life of Old Testament Israel, starting with the Fall in Paradise and ending with the time of the Pharisees and Sadducees under the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle John uses Old Testament events as prototypes of the destinies of the New Testament Church. Thus, three elements are intertwined in the letters to the seven churches:

b) a new, deeper interpretation of Old Testament history; And

c) the future fate of the Church.

The combination of these three elements in the letters to the seven churches is summarized in the table attached here.

Notes: The Ephesian church was the most populous, and had metropolitan status in relation to the neighboring churches of Asia Minor. In 431, the 3rd Ecumenical Council took place in Ephesus. Gradually, the lamp of Christianity in the Ephesian Church died out, as the Apostle John predicted. Pergamum was the political center of western Asia Minor. It was dominated by paganism with a magnificent cult of deified pagan emperors. On a mountain near Pergamum, a pagan monument-altar stood majestically, mentioned in the Apocalypse as the “throne of Satan” (Rev. 2:13). The Nicolaitans are ancient Gnostic heretics. Gnosticism was a dangerous temptation for the Church in the first centuries of Christianity. Favorable soil for the development of Gnostic ideas was the syncretic culture that arose in the empire of Alexander the Great, uniting East and West. The religious worldview of the East, with its belief in the eternal struggle between good and evil, spirit and matter, body and soul, light and darkness, combined with the speculative method of Greek philosophy, gave rise to various Gnostic systems, which were characterized by the idea of ​​​​the emanation origin of the world from the Absolute and about the many intermediate stages of creation connecting the world with the Absolute. Naturally, with the spread of Christianity in the Hellenistic environment, the danger arose of its presentation in Gnostic terms and the transformation of Christian piety into one of the religious and philosophical Gnostic systems. Jesus Christ was perceived by the Gnostics as one of the mediators (eons) between the Absolute and the world.

One of the first distributors of Gnosticism among Christians was someone named Nicholas - hence the name “Nicolaitans” in the Apocalypse. (It is believed that this was Nicholas, who, along with the other six chosen men, was ordained by the apostles to the diaconate, see: Acts 6:5). By distorting the Christian faith, the Gnostics encouraged moral laxity. Beginning in the mid-first century, several Gnostic sects flourished in Asia Minor. The apostles Peter, Paul and Jude warned Christians not to fall into the snares of these heretical debauchees. Prominent representatives of Gnosticism were the heretics Valentinus, Marcion and Basilides, who were opposed by the apostolic men and early fathers of the Church.

The ancient Gnostic sects disappeared long ago, but Gnosticism as a fusion of heterogeneous philosophical and religious schools exists in our time in theosophy, cabala, Freemasonry, modern Hinduism, yoga and other cults.

Vision of heavenly worship (4-5 chapters).

The Apostle John received revelation on the “Day of the Lord,” i.e. on Sunday. It should be assumed that, according to apostolic custom, on this day he performed the “breaking of bread,” i.e. Divine Liturgy and received communion, so he “was in the Spirit,” i.e. experienced a special inspired state (Rev. 1:10).

And so, the first thing he is honored to see is, as it were, a continuation of the divine service he performed - the heavenly Liturgy. The Apostle John describes this service in the 4th and 5th chapters of the Apocalypse. An Orthodox person will recognize here the familiar features of the Sunday Liturgy and the most important accessories of the altar: the throne, the seven-branched candlestick, the censer with smoking incense, the golden cup, etc. (These objects, shown to Moses on Mount Sinai, were also used in the Old Testament temple). The slain Lamb seen by the apostle in the middle of the throne reminds a believer of the Communion lying on the throne under the guise of bread; the souls of those killed for the word of God under the heavenly throne - an antimension with particles of the relics of the holy martyrs sewn into it; elders in light robes and with golden crowns on their heads - a host of clergy celebrating the Divine Liturgy together. It is noteworthy here that even the exclamations and prayers themselves, heard by the Apostle in Heaven, express the essence of the prayers that the clergy and singers pronounce during the main part of the Liturgy - the Eucharistic Canon. The whitening of the robes of the righteous with the “Blood of the Lamb” is reminiscent of the sacrament of Communion, through which believers sanctify their souls.

Thus, the apostle begins the revelation of the destinies of humanity with a description of the heavenly Liturgy, which emphasizes the spiritual significance of this service and the need for the prayers of the saints for us.

Notes. The words “Lion of the Tribe of Judah” refer to the Lord Jesus Christ and are reminiscent of the prophecy of Patriarch Jacob about the Messiah (Gen. 49:9-10), “Seven Spirits of God” - the fullness of the gracious gifts of the Holy Spirit (see: Is. 11:2 and Zechariah 4th chapter). Many eyes symbolize omniscience. The twenty-four elders correspond to the twenty-four priestly orders established by King David for serving in the temple - two intercessors for each tribe of New Israel (1 Chron. 24:1-18). The four mysterious animals surrounding the throne are similar to the animals seen by the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:5-19). They appear to be the creatures closest to God. These faces - man, lion, calf and eagle - were taken by the Church as emblems of the four Evangelists.

In the further description of the heavenly world we encounter many things that are incomprehensible to us. From the Apocalypse we learn that the angelic world is immensely large. Disembodied spirits - angels, like people, are endowed by the Creator with reason and free will, but their spiritual abilities are many times greater than ours. Angels are completely devoted to God and serve Him through prayer and the fulfillment of His will. So, for example, they lift up the prayers of the saints to the throne of God (Rev. 8:3-4), assist the righteous in achieving salvation (Rev. 7:2-3; 14:6-10; 19:9), sympathize with the suffering and persecuted (Rev. 8:13; 12:12), according to the command of God, sinners are punished (Rev. 8:7; 9:15; 15:1; 16:1). They are clothed with power and have power over nature and its elements (Rev. 10:1; 18:1). They wage war against the devil and his demons (Rev. 12:7-10; 19:17-21; 20:1-3), take part in the judgment of the enemies of God (Rev. 19:4).

The teaching of the Apocalypse about the angelic world radically overthrows the teaching of the ancient Gnostics, who recognized intermediate beings (eons) between the Absolute and the material world, which govern the world completely independently and independently of Him.

Among the saints whom the Apostle John sees in Heaven, two groups, or “faces,” stand out: martyrs and virgins. Historically, martyrdom is the first kind of holiness, and therefore the apostle begins with the martyrs (6:9-11). He sees their souls under the heavenly altar, which symbolizes the redemptive meaning of their suffering and death, with which they participate in the suffering of Christ and, as it were, complement them. The blood of the martyrs is likened to the blood of the Old Testament victims, which flowed under the altar of the Jerusalem Temple. The history of Christianity testifies that the suffering of the ancient martyrs served to morally renew the decrepit pagan world. The ancient writer Tertulian wrote that the blood of martyrs serves as the seed for new Christians. Persecution of believers will either subside or intensify during the continued existence of the Church, and therefore it was revealed to the seer that new martyrs would be added to the number of the first.

Later, the Apostle John sees in Heaven a huge number of people whom no one could count - from all tribes, tribes, peoples, and languages; They stood in white clothes with palm branches in their hands (Rev. 7:9-17). What this innumerable host of righteous people have in common is that “they came out of great tribulation.” For all people, the path to Paradise is one - through sorrow. Christ is the first Sufferer, who took upon Himself as the Lamb of God the sins of the world. Palm branches are a symbol of victory over the devil.

In a special vision, the seer describes virgins, i.e. people who have given up the pleasures of married life for the sake of wholehearted service to Christ. (Voluntary “eunuchs” for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven, see about this: Matt. 19:12; Rev. 14:1-5. In the Church, this feat was often accomplished in monasticism). The viewer sees the “name of the Father” written on the foreheads of virgins, which indicates their moral beauty, reflecting the perfection of the Creator. The “new song,” which they sing and which no one can repeat, is an expression of the spiritual heights that they achieved through the feat of fasting, prayer and chastity. This purity is unattainable for people of a worldly lifestyle.

The song of Moses, which the righteous sing in the next vision (Rev. 15:2-8), is reminiscent of the hymn of thanksgiving that the Israelites sang when, having crossed the Red Sea, they were saved from Egyptian slavery (Ex. 15 ch.). In a similar way, New Testament Israel is saved from the power and influence of the devil by moving into a life of grace through the sacrament of baptism. In subsequent visions, the seer describes the saints several more times. The “fine linen” (precious linen) in which they are clothed is a symbol of their righteousness. In the 19th chapter of the Apocalypse, the wedding song of the saved speaks of the approaching “marriage” between the Lamb and the saints, i.e. about the coming of the closest communication between God and the righteous (Rev. 19:1-9; 21:3-4). The book of Revelation ends with a description of the blessed life of the saved nations (Rev. 21:24-27; 22:12-14 and 17). These are the brightest and most joyful pages in the Bible, showing the triumphant Church in the Kingdom of glory.

Thus, as the destinies of the world are revealed in the Apocalypse, the Apostle John gradually directs the spiritual gaze of believers to the Kingdom of Heaven - to the final goal of earthly wandering. He speaks, as if under duress and reluctantly, about the gloomy events in a sinful world.

Opening of the seven seals.

Vision of the Four Horsemen (6th chapter).

Who are the four horsemen of the Apocalypse?

The vision of the seven seals is introductory to the subsequent revelations of the Apocalypse. The opening of the first four seals reveals four horsemen, who symbolize the four factors that characterize the entire history of mankind. The first two factors are the cause, the second two are the effect. The crowned rider on the white horse “came out to conquer.” He personifies those good principles, natural and grace-filled, that the Creator invested in man: the image of God, moral purity and innocence, the desire for goodness and perfection, the ability to believe and love, and the individual “talents” with which a person is born, as well as grace-filled gifts The Holy Spirit, which he receives in the Church. According to the Creator, these good principles were supposed to “win,” i.e. determine a happy future for humanity. But man already in Eden succumbed to the temptation of the tempter. The nature damaged by sin passed on to his descendants; Therefore, people are prone to sin from an early age. Repeated sins intensify their bad inclinations even more. Thus, a person, instead of growing and improving spiritually, falls under the destructive influence of his own passions, indulges in various sinful desires, and begins to envy and be at enmity. All crimes in the world (violence, wars and all kinds of disasters) arise from internal discord in a person.

The destructive effect of passions is symbolized by the red horse and rider, who took the world away from people. Giving in to his disorderly sinful desires, a person wastes the talents given to him by God and becomes poor physically and spiritually. In public life, hostility and war lead to the weakening and disintegration of society, to the loss of its spiritual and material resources. This internal and external impoverishment of humanity is symbolized by a black horse with a rider holding a measure (or scales) in his hand. Finally, the complete loss of God's gifts leads to spiritual death, and the final consequence of hostility and wars is people and the collapse of society. This sad fate of people is symbolized by a pale horse.

The Four Apocalyptic Horsemen depicts the history of mankind in very general terms. First - the blissful life in Eden of our first parents, called to “reign” over nature (white horse), then - their fall from grace (red horse), after which the life of their descendants was filled with various disasters and mutual destruction (crow and pale horses). Apocalyptic horses also symbolize the life of individual states with their periods of prosperity and decline. Here is the life path of every person - with its childish purity, naivety, great potential, which are overshadowed by stormy youth, when a person wastes his strength, health and ultimately dies. Here is the history of the Church: the spiritual fervor of Christians in apostolic times and the efforts of the Church to renew human society; the emergence of heresies and schisms in the Church itself, and the persecution of the Church by pagan society. The Church is weakening, going into the catacombs, and some local churches are disappearing altogether.

Thus, the vision of the four horsemen summarizes the factors that characterize the life of sinful humanity. Further chapters of the Apocalypse will develop this theme more deeply. But by opening the fifth seal, the seer also shows the bright side of human misfortunes. Christians, having suffered physically, won spiritually; Now they are in Paradise! (Rev. 6:9-11) Their exploit brings them eternal reward, and they reign with Christ, as described in chapter 20. The transition to a more detailed description of the disasters of the Church and the strengthening of the atheistic forces is marked by the opening of the seventh seal.

Seven pipes.

Imprinting the chosen ones.

The beginning of disasters and the defeat of nature (chap. 7-11).

Angelic trumpets foretell disasters for humanity, physical and spiritual. But before the disaster begins, the Apostle John sees an angel placing a seal on the foreheads of the sons of New Israel (Rev. 7:1-8). “Israel” here is the New Testament Church. The seal symbolizes chosenness and grace-filled protection. This vision is reminiscent of the sacrament of Confirmation, during which the “seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit” is placed on the forehead of the newly baptized. It also resembles the sign of the cross, by which those protected “resist the enemy.” People who are not protected by the seal of grace suffer harm from the “locusts” that emerged from the abyss, i.e. from the power of the devil (Rev. 9:4). The prophet Ezekiel describes a similar sealing of the righteous citizens of ancient Jerusalem before its capture by the Chaldean hordes. Then, as now, the mysterious seal was placed with the purpose of preserving the righteous from the fate of the wicked (Ezek. 9:4). When listing the 12 tribes of Israel by name, the tribe of Dan was deliberately omitted. Some see this as an indication of the origin of the Antichrist from this tribe. The basis for this opinion are the mysterious words of the patriarch Jacob regarding the future of the descendants of Dan: “a serpent is in the way, an asp in the way,” (Gen. 49:17).

Thus, this vision serves as an introduction to the subsequent description of the persecution of the Church. Measuring the temple of God in chapter 11. has the same meaning as the sealing of the sons of Israel: the preservation of the children of the Church from evil. The Temple of God, like the Woman clothed in the sun, and the city of Jerusalem are different symbols of the Church of Christ. The main idea of ​​these visions is that the Church is holy and dear to God. God allows persecution for the sake of the moral improvement of believers, but protects them from enslavement to evil and from the same fate as those who fight against God.

Before the seventh seal is opened, there is silence “for about half an hour,” (Rev. 8:1). This is the silence before the storm that will rock the world during the Antichrist. (Isn’t the current process of disarmament as a result of the collapse of communism a break that is given to people to turn to God?). Before the onset of disasters, the Apostle John sees saints earnestly praying for mercy for people (Rev. 8:3-5).

Disasters in nature. Following this, the trumpets of each of the seven angels are sounded, after which various disasters begin. First, a third of the vegetation dies, then a third of fish and other sea creatures, followed by poisoning of rivers and water sources. The fall of hail and fire, a flaming mountain and a luminous star onto the earth seems to allegorically indicate the enormous extent of these disasters. Is this not a prediction of the global pollution and destruction of nature that is observed today? If so, then environmental catastrophe foreshadows the coming of the Antichrist. More and more desecrating the image of God within themselves, people cease to appreciate and love His beautiful world. With their waste they pollute lakes, rivers and seas; spilled oil affects vast coastal areas; destroy forests and jungles, exterminate many species of animals, fish and birds. Both the guilty and the innocent victims of their cruel greed get sick and die from the poisoning of nature. The words: “The name of the third star is wormwood... And many of the people died from the waters because they became bitter” are reminiscent of the Chernobyl disaster, because “Chernobyl” means wormwood. But what does it mean that a third of the sun and stars are defeated and eclipsed? (Rev. 8:12). Obviously, here we are talking about air pollution to such a state when sunlight and starlight, reaching the ground, seem less bright. (For example, due to air pollution, the sky in Los Angeles usually looks dirty brown in color, and at night almost no stars are visible above the city, except for the brightest ones.)

The story of the locusts (fifth trumpet, (Rev. 9:1-11)) emerging from the abyss speaks of the strengthening of demonic power among people. It is headed by “Apollyon,” which means “destroyer,” the devil. As people lose the grace of God through their unbelief and sins, the spiritual emptiness that forms in them is increasingly filled by demonic power, which torments them with doubts and various passions.

Apocalyptic wars. The trumpet of the sixth angel sets in motion a huge army beyond the Euphrates River, from which a third of the people perish (Rev. 9:13-21). In the biblical view, the Euphrates River marks the boundary beyond which peoples hostile to God are concentrated, threatening Jerusalem with war and extermination. For the Roman Empire, the Euphrates River served as a stronghold against the attacks of eastern peoples. The ninth chapter of the Apocalypse was written against the backdrop of the cruel and bloody Judeo-Roman war of 66-70 AD, still fresh in the memory of the Apostle John. This war had three phases (Rev. 8:13). The first phase of the war, in which Gasius Florus led the Roman forces, lasted five months, from May to September 66 (the five months of the locust, Rev. 9:5 and 10). The second phase of the war soon began, from October to November 66, in which the Syrian governor Cestius led four Roman legions, (four angels at the Euphrates River, Rev. 9:14). This phase of the war was especially devastating for the Jews. The third phase of the war, led by Flavian, lasted three and a half years - from April 67 to September 70, and ended with the destruction of Jerusalem, the burning of the temple and the scattering of captive Jews throughout the Roman Empire. This bloody Roman-Jewish war became a prototype of the terrible wars of recent times, which the Savior pointed out in His conversation on the Mount of Olives (Matt. 24:7).

In the attributes of the hellish locusts and the Euphrates horde one can recognize modern weapons of mass destruction - tanks, guns, bombers and nuclear missiles. Further chapters of the Apocalypse describe the ever-increasing wars of the end times (Rev. 11:7; 16:12-16; 17:14; 19:11-19 and 20:7-8). The words “the river Euphrates was dried up so that the way for kings would be ready from the rising of the sun” (Rev. 16:12) may indicate the “yellow peril.” It should be borne in mind that the description of apocalyptic wars has the features of actual wars, but ultimately refers to spiritual war, and proper names and numbers have an allegorical meaning. So the Apostle Paul explains: “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12). The name Armageddon is made up of two words: “Ar” (in Hebrew - plain) and “Megiddo” (an area in the north of the Holy Land, near Mount Carmel, where in ancient times Barak defeated the army of Sisera, and the prophet Elijah destroyed more than five hundred priests of Baal), ( Rev. 16:16 and 17:14; Judges 4:2-16; 1 Kings 18:40). In the light of these biblical events, Armageddon symbolizes the defeat of the godless forces by Christ. The names Gog and Magog in the 20th chapter. reminiscent of Ezekiel's prophecy about the invasion of Jerusalem by countless hordes led by Gog from the land of Magog (in the south of the Caspian Sea), (Ezek. 38-39; Rev. 20:7-8). Ezekiel dates this prophecy to Messianic times. In the Apocalypse, the siege of the “camp of saints and the beloved city” (i.e., the Church) by the hordes of Gog and Magog and the destruction of these hordes by heavenly fire must be understood in the sense of the complete defeat of the atheistic forces, human and demonic, by the Second Coming of Christ.

As for the physical disasters and punishments of sinners, often mentioned in the Apocalypse, the seer himself explains that God allows them for admonition, in order to lead sinners to repentance (Rev. 9:21). But the apostle notes with sorrow that people do not heed the call of God and continue to sin and serve demons. They, as if “having the bit between their teeth,” rush towards their own destruction.

Vision of two witnesses (11:2-12). Chapters 10 and 11 occupy an intermediate place between the visions of the 7 trumpets and the 7 signs. In the two witnesses of God, some holy fathers see the Old Testament righteous Enoch and Elijah (Or Moses and Elijah). It is known that Enoch and Elijah were taken alive to Heaven (Gen. 5:24; 2 Kings 2:11), and before the end of the world they will come to earth to expose the deceit of the Antichrist and call people to loyalty to God. The executions that these witnesses will bring on people are reminiscent of the miracles performed by the prophets Moses and Elijah (Exodus 7-12; 3 Kings 17:1; 2 Kings 1:10). For the Apostle John, the prototypes of the two apocalyptic witnesses could be the apostles Peter and Paul, who shortly before suffered in Rome from Nero. Apparently, the two witnesses in the Apocalypse symbolize other witnesses of Christ, spreading the Gospel in a hostile pagan world and often sealing their preaching with martyrdom. The words “Sodom and Egypt, where our Lord was crucified” (Rev. 11:8) point to the city of Jerusalem, in which the Lord Jesus Christ, many prophets and the first Christians suffered. (Some suggest that at the time of the Antichrist, Jerusalem will become the capital of a world state. At the same time, they provide an economic justification for this opinion).

Seven signs (chap. 12-14).

The Church and the Kingdom of the Beast.

The further, the more clearly the viewer reveals to the readers the division of humanity into two opposing camps - the Church and the kingdom of the beast. In previous chapters, the Apostle John began to introduce readers to the Church, speaking of the sealed ones, the Jerusalem temple and the two witnesses, and in chapter 12 he shows the Church in all its heavenly glory. At the same time, he reveals her main enemy - the devil-dragon. The vision of the Woman clothed with the sun and the dragon makes it clear that the war between good and evil extends beyond the material world and extends to the world of angels. The apostle shows that in the world of disembodied spirits there is a conscious evil being who, with desperate persistence, wages war against angels and people devoted to God. This war of evil with good, permeating the entire existence of mankind, began in the angelic world before the creation of the material world. As we have already said, the seer describes this war in different parts of the Apocalypse not in its chronological sequence, but in different fragments, or phases.

The vision of the Woman reminds the reader of God's promise to Adam and Eve about the Messiah (the Seed of the Woman) who would wipe out the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15). One might think that in chapter 12 the Wife refers to the Virgin Mary. However, from the further narrative, which talks about the other descendants of the Wife (Christians), it is clear that here by the Wife we ​​must mean the Church. The Sunshine of the Woman symbolizes the moral perfection of the saints and the grace-filled illumination of the Church with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The twelve stars symbolize the twelve tribes of the New Israel - i.e. a collection of Christian peoples. The Wife's pangs during childbirth symbolize the exploits, hardships and sufferings of the servants of the Church (prophets, apostles and their successors) suffered by them in spreading the Gospel in the world and in establishing Christian virtues among their spiritual children. (“My little children, for whom I am again in the throes of birth, until Christ is formed in you,” said the Apostle Paul to the Galatian Christians (Gal. 4:19)).

The Firstborn of the Woman, “who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron,” is the Lord Jesus Christ (Ps. 2:9; Rev. 12:5 and 19:15). He is the New Adam, who became the head of the Church. The “Rapture” of the Child obviously points to the ascension of Christ to Heaven, where He sat “at the right hand of the Father” and has since ruled the destinies of the world.

“The dragon with his tail drew a third of the stars from Heaven and threw them to the earth,” (Rev. 12:4). By these stars, interpreters understand the angels whom the proud Dennitsa-devil rebelled against God, as a result of which a war broke out in Heaven. (This was the first revolution in the universe!). The good angels were led by Archangel Michael. The angels who rebelled against God were defeated and could not stay in Heaven. Having fallen away from God, they became demons from good angels. Their underworld, called the abyss or hell, became a place of darkness and suffering. According to the opinion of the holy fathers, the war described here by the Apostle John took place in the angelic world even before the creation of the material world. It is presented here with the purpose of explaining to the reader that the dragon that will haunt the Church in further visions of the Apocalypse is the fallen Dennitsa - the original enemy of God.

So, having been defeated in Heaven, the dragon takes up arms against the Woman-Church with all his fury. His weapon is various temptations, which he directs at his Wife like a stormy river. But she saves herself from temptation by fleeing into the desert, that is, by voluntarily renouncing the blessings and comforts of life with which the dragon tries to captivate her. The two wings of the Woman are prayer and fasting, with which Christians are spiritualized and made inaccessible to the dragon crawling on the earth like a serpent (Gen. 3:14; Mark 9:29). (It should be remembered that many zealous Christians, already from the first centuries, moved to the desert in the literal sense, leaving noisy cities full of temptations. In remote caves, hermitages and laurels, they devoted all their time to prayer and contemplation of God and reached such spiritual heights that modern Christians have no idea. Monasticism flourished in the East in the 4th-7th centuries, when many monasteries were formed in the desert places of Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Asia Minor, numbering hundreds and thousands of monks and nuns. From the Middle East, monasticism spread to Athos, and from there - to Russia, where in pre-revolutionary times there were more than a thousand monasteries and hermitages).

Note. The expression “a time, times and half a time” - 1260 days or 42 months (Rev. 12:6-15) - corresponds to three and a half years and symbolically denotes the period of persecution. The public ministry of the Savior continued for three and a half years. The persecution of believers continued for approximately the same amount of time under King Antiochus Epiphanes and the emperors Nero and Domitian. At the same time, the numbers in the Apocalypse should be understood allegorically (see above).

The beast that came out of the sea and the beast that came out of the earth (Rev. 13-14 chapters)

Most of the holy fathers understand the Antichrist by the “beast from the sea”, and the false prophet by the “beast from the earth”. The sea symbolizes the unbelieving human mass, eternally worried and overwhelmed by passions. From the further narrative about the beast and from the parallel narrative of the prophet Daniel (Dan. 7-8 chapters). it should be concluded that the “beast” is the entire godless empire of the Antichrist. In appearance, the dragon-devil and the beast that came out of the sea, to which the dragon transferred his power, are similar to each other. Their external attributes speak of their dexterity, cruelty and moral ugliness. The heads and horns of the beast symbolize the godless states that make up the anti-Christian empire, as well as their rulers (“kings”). The report of a fatal wound to one of the beast’s heads and its healing is mysterious. In due time, events themselves will shed light on the meaning of these words. The historical basis for this allegory could be the belief of many of the contemporaries of the Apostle John that the murdered Nero came to life and that he would soon return with the Parthian troops (located across the Euphrates River (Rev. 9:14 and 16:12)) to take revenge on his enemies. There may be an indication here of the partial defeat of atheistic paganism by the Christian faith and the revival of paganism during the period of general apostasy from Christianity. Others see here an indication of the defeat of God-fighting Judaism in the 70s AD. “They are not Jews, but the synagogue of Satan,” the Lord said to John (Rev. 2:9; 3:9). (See more about this in our brochure “Christian Doctrine of the End of the World”).

Note. There are common features between the beast of the Apocalypse and the four beasts of the prophet Daniel, who personified the four ancient pagan empires (Dan. 7th chapter). The fourth beast referred to the Roman Empire, and the tenth horn of the last beast meant the Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes - a prototype of the coming Antichrist, whom the Archangel Gabriel called “despicable,” (Dan. 11:21). The characteristics and actions of the apocalyptic beast also have much in common with the tenth horn of the prophet Daniel (Dan. 7:8-12; 20-25; 8:10-26; 11:21-45). The first two books of Maccabees provide a vivid illustration of the times before the end of the world.

The seer then describes a beast that came out of the earth, which he later refers to as a false prophet. The earth here symbolizes the complete lack of spirituality in the teachings of the false prophet: it is all saturated with materialism and pleasing the sin-loving flesh. The false prophet deceives people with false miracles and makes them worship the first beast. “He had two horns like a lamb, and spoke like a dragon” (Rev. 13:11), - i.e. he looked meek and peace-loving, but his speeches were full of flattery and lies.

Just as in the 11th chapter the two witnesses symbolize all the servants of Christ, so, obviously, the two beasts of the 13th chapter. symbolize the totality of all haters of Christianity. The beast from the sea is a symbol of civil atheistic power, and the beast from the earth is a combination of false teachers and all perverted church authorities. (In other words, the Antichrist will come from the civil environment, under the guise of a civil leader, preached and praised by those who betrayed religious beliefs by a false prophet or false prophets).

Just as during the earthly life of the Savior both of these authorities, civil and religious, in the person of Pilate and the Jewish high priests, united in condemning Christ to be crucified, so throughout the history of mankind these two authorities often unite in the fight against faith and to persecute believers. As has already been said, the Apocalypse describes not only the distant future, but also a constantly recurring one - for different peoples at one time. And the Antichrist is also his own for everyone, appearing in times of anarchy, when “he who holds back is taken.” Examples: the prophet Balaam and the Moabite king; Queen Jezebel and her priests; false prophets and princes before the destruction of Israel and later the Jews, “apostates from the holy covenant” and King Antiochus Epiphanes (Dan. 8:23; 1 Macc. and 2 Macc. 9), adherents of the Mosaic law and Roman rulers in apostolic times. In New Testament times, heretical false teachers weakened the Church with their schisms and thereby contributed to the conquering successes of the Arabs and Turks, who flooded and ruined the Orthodox East; Russian freethinkers and populists prepared the ground for the revolution; modern false teachers are seducing unstable Christians into various sects and cults. All of them are false prophets who contribute to the success of the atheistic forces. Apocalypse clearly reveals the mutual support between the dragon-devil and both beasts. Here, each of them has his own selfish calculations: the devil craves self-worship, the Antichrist seeks power, and the false prophet seeks his own material gain. The Church, calling people to faith in God and to strengthening virtues, serves as a hindrance to them, and they jointly fight against it.

Mark of the Beast.

(Rev. 13:16-17; 14:9-11; 15:2; 19:20; 20:4). In the language of the Holy Scriptures, wearing a seal (or mark) means belonging to or subordinating to someone. We have already said that the seal (or the name of God) on the forehead of believers means their chosenness by God and, therefore, God’s protection over them (Rev. 3:12; 7:2-3; 9:4; 14:1; 22: 4). The activities of the false prophet, described in the 13th chapter of the Apocalypse, convince us that the kingdom of the beast will be of a religious and political nature. By creating a union of different states, it will simultaneously implant a new religion instead of the Christian faith. Therefore, to submit to the Antichrist (allegorically - to accept the mark of the beast on your forehead or right hand) will be tantamount to renouncing Christ, which will entail the deprivation of the Kingdom of Heaven. (The symbolism of the seal is drawn from the custom of antiquity, when warriors burned the names of their leaders on their hands or foreheads, and slaves - voluntarily or forcibly - accepted the seal of the name of their master. Pagans devoted to some deity often wore a tattoo of this deity on themselves) .

It is possible that during the time of the Antichrist, advanced computer registration will be introduced, similar to modern bank cards. The improvement will consist in the fact that the computer code, invisible to the eye, will be printed not on a plastic card, as it is now, but directly on the human body. This code, read by an electronic or magnetic “eye,” will be transmitted to a central computer in which all information about that person, personal and financial, will be stored. Thus, establishing personal codes directly in public will replace the need for money, passports, visas, tickets, checks, credit cards and other personal documents. Thanks to individual coding, all monetary transactions - receiving salaries and paying debts - can be carried out directly on the computer. If there is no money, the robber will have nothing to take from the person. The state, in principle, will be able to control crime more easily, since the movements of people will be known to it thanks to a central computer. It seems that this personal coding system will be proposed in such a positive aspect. In practice, it will also be used for religious and political control over people, when “no one will be allowed to buy or sell except the one who has this mark” (Rev. 13:17).

Of course, the idea expressed here about stamping codes on people is an assumption. The point is not in electromagnetic signs, but in fidelity or betrayal of Christ! Throughout the history of Christianity, pressure on believers from anti-Christian authorities took a variety of forms: making a formal sacrifice to an idol, accepting Mohammedanism, joining a godless or anti-Christian organization. In the language of the Apocalypse, this is the acceptance of the “mark of the beast:” the acquisition of temporary advantages at the cost of renouncing Christ.

The number of the beast is 666.

(Rev. 13:18). The meaning of this number still remains a mystery. Obviously, it can be deciphered when the circumstances themselves contribute to this. Some interpreters see the number 666 as a decrease in the number 777, which in turn means threefold perfection, completeness. With this understanding of the symbolism of this number, the Antichrist, who strives to show his superiority over Christ in everything, will in fact turn out to be imperfect in everything. In ancient times, name calculation was based on the fact that the letters of the alphabets had a numerical value. For example, in Greek (and in Church Slavonic) A equaled 1, B = 2, G = 3, etc. A similar numerical value of letters exists in Latin and Hebrew. Each name could be arithmetically calculated by adding up the numerical value of the letters. For example, the name Jesus written in Greek is 888 (possibly denoting supreme perfection). There are a huge number of proper names, which the sum of their letters translated into numbers gives 666. For example, the name Nero Caesar, written in Hebrew letters. In this case, if the Antichrist’s own name were known, then calculating its numerical value would not require special wisdom. Maybe here we need to look for a solution to the riddle in principle, but it is not clear in which direction. The Beast of the Apocalypse is both the Antichrist and his state. Perhaps at the time of the Antichrist, initials will be introduced to denote a new worldwide movement? By the will of God, the personal name of the Antichrist is hidden from idle curiosity for the time being. When the time comes, those who should decipher it will decipher it.

The talking image of the beast.

It is difficult to understand the meaning of the words about the false prophet: “And it was given to him to put breath into the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should speak and act, so that everyone who would not worship the image of the beast would be killed” (Rev. 13:15). The reason for this allegory could have been the demand of Antiochus Epiphanes that the Jews bow to the statue of Jupiter, which he erected in the Temple of Jerusalem. Later, Emperor Domitian demanded that all inhabitants of the Roman Empire bow to his image. Domitian was the first emperor to demand divine veneration during his lifetime and to be called “our lord and god.” Sometimes, for a greater impression, priests were hidden behind the statues of the emperor, who spoke from there on his behalf. Christians who did not bow to the image of Domitian were ordered to be executed, and those who bowed to be given gifts. Maybe in the prophecy of the Apocalypse we are talking about some kind of device like a television that will transmit the image of the Antichrist and at the same time monitor how people react to it. In any case, in our time, movies and television are widely used to instill anti-Christian ideas, to accustom people to cruelty and vulgarity. Daily indiscriminate watching of TV kills the good and holy in a person. Isn't television the forerunner of the talking image of the beast?

Seven bowls.

Strengthening the atheistic power.

Judgment of sinners (chap. 15-17).

In this part of the Apocalypse, the seer describes the kingdom of the beast, which has reached its apogee of power and control over people's lives. Apostasy from the true faith covers almost all of humanity, and the Church reaches extreme exhaustion: “And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them” (Rev. 13:7). To encourage the believers who remained faithful to Christ, the Apostle John raises their gaze to the heavenly world and shows a great host of righteous people who, like the Israelites who escaped from Pharaoh under Moses, sing a song of victory (Exodus 14-15 ch.).

But just as the power of the pharaohs came to an end, the days of anti-Christian power are numbered. Next chapters (16-20 chapters). in bright strokes they depict God's judgment over those who fight against God. The defeat of nature in the 16th chapter. similar to the description in the 8th chapter, but here it reaches worldwide proportions and makes a terrifying impression. (As before, obviously, the destruction of nature is carried out by people themselves - wars and industrial waste). The increased heat from the sun that people are suffering from may be due to the destruction of ozone in the stratosphere and an increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. According to the Savior’s prediction, in the last year before the end of the world, living conditions would become so unbearable that “if God had not shortened those days, no flesh would have been saved” (Matt. 24:22).

The description of judgment and punishment in chapters 16-20 of the Apocalypse follows the order of increasing guilt of the enemies of God: first, the people who received the mark of the beast and the capital of the anti-Christian empire, “Babylon,” are punished, then the Antichrist and the false prophet, and finally the devil.

The story of the defeat of Babylon is given twice: first in general terms at the end of the 16th chapter, and in more detail in chapters 18-19. Babylon is depicted as a harlot sitting on a beast. The name Babylon is reminiscent of Chaldean Babylon, in which the atheistic power was concentrated in Old Testament times. (Chaldean troops destroyed ancient Jerusalem in 586 BC). Describing the luxury of a “harlot,” the Apostle John had in mind rich Rome with its port city. But many features of apocalyptic Babylon do not apply to ancient Rome and, obviously, refer to the capital of the Antichrist.

Equally mysterious is the angel's explanation at the end of chapter 17 about the “mystery of Babylon” in detail relating to the Antichrist and his kingdom. These details will probably be understood in the future when the time comes. Some allegories are taken from the description of Rome, which stood on seven hills, and its godless emperors. “Five kings (the heads of the beast) fell” - these are the first five Roman emperors - from Julius Caesar to Claudius. The sixth head is Nero, the seventh is Vespasian. “And the beast that was and is not, is the eighth, and (he is) from among the seven” - this is Domitian, the revived Nero in the popular imagination. He is the Antichrist of the first century. But, probably, the symbolism of the 17th chapter will receive a new explanation during the time of the last Antichrist.