Bible Course 35th. session. The Apocalypse Author: P Antonio Rivero LC the overall development ... all invited to delve into it to discover a hidden message. On the other hand, reading leads to confusion evident in a cluster of questions: What exactly do the many symbols of the book? Why a hidden message? Is it possible to decipher and understand it today, after so many years?
The word apocalypse comes from a Greek word that means removing the veil, to uncover the mystery behind a person, thing or event. Therefore, in Revelation God wants to reveal something. II. DOCTRINAL OBJECTIVE:
discover what lies behind this book, open hearts to the truth. 
III. LIVING OBJECTIVE: Finish
our lives to God saying, "Maranatha," meaning, "Come, Lord."
IV. THESIS
Revelation is a great summary of the Bible. There are issues of the prophets, the sages, of the Gospels and the Epistles. Revelation means announcement of what will happen. Apocalypse means revelation, lift the veil that hides or obscures anything. Revelation describes the struggle that all Christians must wage against the powers of hell, to qualify for the final crown of life that never fades. The victory is certain for those struggling with Christ.
V. EXPLANATION OF THE THESIS:
1. Author, date and target
San Juan is the author of this book . He was exiled to Patmos by Emperor Domitian, probably about 96 years. The chase goes destroying all the Churches of Christ and John anguished question: Why does God allow so much evil, so much persecution
?
One Sunday afternoon, God gives the answer by four visions, which are like four thrilling movies which reveal all the bad and good things will happen.
The date of composition of the book is towards the end of the first century, between AD 95-98 the book are addressed to the persecuted Christians in order to encourage them in the fight. Christians threatened by persecution and seduction, with the risk of death and desertion. The threat comes from outside (of political power as embodied in the Roman Empire), but also from within (Christian circles who have strayed from the true faith).
2. Literary characteristics a) symbolic character
: St. John speaks in symbols, because it is a message from a prisoner to a Christian people persecuted terribly, it was therefore necessary for all to use a special language of symbols and codes that Christians do understand, but not the persecutors. Here are some of these symbols:
The 6:
is something imperfect, inability to reach 7. Therefore, the enemy of Christ beast called 666, that is, he never manages to reach perfection in anything.
On 7: is a number that signifies perfection, completeness. 3 and a half:
or half of 7: is a sign of something is short and then passes. So the persecution of good last 3 ½ years. 1,000: is the huge number, undefined. Great Dragon:
Satan.
Beasts:
the enemies of God, very powerful and they are everywhere. But in the end are defeated. There are two beasts: the first
is the Roman Empire, with the authorities (10 heads) and a lot of power (seven horns), but also the personification of all human and political power that oppresses the Church.
The second beast is a false lamb, or impersonation of false religions and false doctrines and false teachers who lure people.
She is the Church. The tradition also sees her as Mary. Star
means an angel. A chandelier is a particular church. The seven lamps of fire evoke the 7 spirits of God. Tobias seem the same as 12, 5. San Victorino, whose commentary is the oldest written in Latin, sees in these seven Spirits as the seven lamps (4, 5), the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit.
The 7 horns and 7 eyes of the Lamb:
indicate fullness of power (horns) and perfection of Science (eyes).
The book is human history itself, that hides within it the mysterious plan of God over events.
The four horses
horses, red, black and green, indicating the great scourges of mankind: violence, social injustice and death, with all the evils they entail. And the white horse represents the risen Christ who will fight and defeat those other horses.
The Seven Seals:
the fifth seal martyrs are seeking justice by His shed blood. The sixth seal shows the arrival of the great day of wrath of God over the pagan gods (stars) and the defeat of evil (the powerful). The seventh seal with the seven trumpets that announce formally the presence of God in history, which is destroying all evil forces and encouraging the conversion of men.
hundred and forty-four thousand
are the result of multiplying the twelve tribes of Israel for twelve, and then one thousand which is the figure in the history of salvation. This figure represents Christians who have been indelibly marked by the seal of baptism and enjoy a very special divine protection. The 24 elders
:
are the 12 tribes of Israel plus the 12 Apostles of the Lamb, representing all the saints who have been active in the history of salvation.
The four living creatures:
(lion, bull, man, angel) mean the world of creatures, which God rules and that serve the Almighty. The tradition of the Church has always seen in these four living symbols of the four evangelists: Mark (lion), Matthew (man), John (eagle
) and Luke (bull
).
666: is most cruel beast. Under the rules of the symbolism of numbers, read in Hebrew characters, this number corresponds to Nero Caesar. The figure is 777, ie total cruelty, but 666, that refers to a cruel violence, but not total.
The Three Angels: are the preachers of the Kingdom of God, prophets, missionaries, announcing conversion. They are the messengers of God announcing the trial on human history.
Babylon prostitute. Directly is Rome and the Roman Empire. But political power is all that is opposed to God's saving plan in Christ. The 7 heads are the 7 Hills of Rome and its 7 emperors Nero is the sixth and the seventh is Domitian. The three unclean spirits like frogs as: are the messengers of the infernal trinity, as opposed to the celestial Trinidad and act like frogs in darkness and in secret. Gog and Magog
:
is the proverbial symbol of all the powers hostile to God's people, which are fighting the Church with worldly powers, encouraged by Satan.
b) Gender is the apocalyptic
, special way of telling what will happen in the future. Is not the same the apocalyptic genre and gender prophetic. Intensifies the apocalyptic genre symbols, visions, and plans are closer to history seen in an overall sense that transcends this particular event, while prophecy usually is to interpret a certain historical facts.
c) Different interpretations of Revelation:
A, thinking that this is contemporary history of the author, exposed apocalyptic colors. This interpretation would remove the ads of John all his prophetic significance and consequently its spiritual value to the believer.
The second theory, called wrap-up, look in the book of St. John the various phases of church history, past or future, or at least to the early history of the Church until centuries IV and V, including in the end times . The third interpretation sees in the Apocalypse only an eschatological prophetic book, as did his early commentators and interpreters, ie, Irenaeus, St. Hippolytus, St. Victorino, Gregory the Great. This interpretation has now imposed on others. And since the 404 verses in Revelation are 518 quotations from the Old Testament, of which 88 are taken from the prophet Daniel, is necessary to find the lights of divine interpretation of this prophecy in the Bible itself, especially in the Old Testament
3. Division and thematic content
a) Prologue
b) Part One: the seven letters to the church (1-3): The process of conversion in the presence of the risen Christ. This is the outline of the letter:
Address the letter.
self-presentation of Christ.
Praises.
reproaches. call to conversion.
Promise Winner. Formula
notice.
c) Part Two:
(4-21): development and outcome of the story of salvation. The crucial point is the clash of opposing forces (the forces of evil), the outcome is a victory for the wife (the Church of Christ).
d) Epilogue
(22) in the form of liturgical dialogue, which involved the sacred author, the angel, Jesus and the assembly.
4. Theological and spiritual content
End of book:
On the one hand, John wants to remove the veil and reveal the meaning of history, of events that are happening in human life and the Church, and, secondly, wants to alert Christians to stand firm, not discouraged despite the persecution, for Christ's triumph will come. Revelation is like a sound of trumpets and drums announcing the largest and most spectacular battles of the victories: the victory of Christ over the forces of evil.
Content:
a) The center of the whole book is Christ Jesus
their message, their struggles, their friends, their enemies, the immense success that you will get. It comes as the Lamb slain, as a rider on a white horse, as the Son of man full of immense majesty. Thus is described:
With long tunic, because priest.
With gold belt, as king. with white hair, he is eternal.
With brass feet, it is unshakable and firm.
With seven stars in his hand, because it governs all the churches.
it with their tongue a sharp sword, that is his word penetrates to the heart. That language says, "I died and I am alive." Bring for each of your friends a reward for good works provided that each has made.
b)
Revelation presents itself as the story of a great battle, a struggle between good and evil, and whose characters are:
On one side: Christ Jesus, St. Michael and his angels. A woman clothed with the sun, moon and 12 stars under their feet. 144,000 who have the pure soul, all who have suffered martyrdom. Two witnesses of Jesus that are dead but return to live ("Saint Peter and Saint Paul?). All the heavenly Jerusalem. Venerable 24 elders.
On the other hand: Satan fell from heaven and filled with rage and bitterness. Released by a thousand years to attack. Can attack (temptation) but can not kill. Babylon, or badness of the big city. A huge dragon with his whole army of evil spirits. The beast from the sea: the persecution. The beast of the earth: the heresies and errors that always attack the Church.
The fight has three phases:
suffering for good. patience and heroism of those who follow Christ
exciting prizes in the heavenly Jerusalem for all who remained faithful to the Lord Jesus. The book ends with the most beautiful prayer: "Come, Lord Jesus." c) The Revelation speaks of this, for project into the future: it seeks to embrace the entire history of mankind.
talks about the persecution there, but goes beyond, sees the struggle of the forces of evil, death, the witnesses of life. This has been called the historical and eschatological thrust of the Apocalypse. d) Revelation is a cry of hope:
immersed in the difficulties of this, Christians may fall into despondency. Evil seems to be victorious. However, his time is counted, its power is limited. The final winner of this singular struggle between good and evil is God, along with those who remained faithful to Him So Revelation is the great book of Christian hope, for from first to last page flutters the cry of hope: "Be patient, be strong in the test, because evil will be defeated, Christ, the Lamb will lead them to victory to be faithful to Him! John invites all Christians of all times not to give up and keep alive the hope of the Church of Christ.
VI. CONCLUSION: The Christian needs to read Revelation not looking for dates for the end of the world, or the number of how many will be saved ... because the biblical book gives no information about it. Christians read the Book of Revelation as the Word of God I want to encourage in times of trial, pessimism, and find in this wonderful book inspired great hope of the victory of good of Christ and an invitation to remain faithful to the Lord and the testimony of their faith. You have to read this book, not in haste, but slowly, interspersed with breaks deep and thoughtful silences. You must understand the contents of the symbol from the concrete situation that the reader is living: personal history of the Christian community, church, men. It is necessary to compare this symbol with its history. Otherwise end in a disembodied fiction, without the power to illuminate and guide contains our Walk the World to eternity of God. The Revelation is not an easy book, nor is written for people curious, is the divine answer to the cry of humanity and the persistent witness to the faith of the Church.
VII. PRAYER:
Lord, my life is in your hands. I have no fear of the trials of life, for you are with me, encouraging me, comforting. Nor do I have to worry about the final day, then you come to pick me and give me the award to my good works, which I made with the help of your grace. Come, Lord Jesus! Continues to support your Church, which is attacked from all sides. The gates of hell shall not against it, because you are God. Becomes the enemy of your beloved Church, as they are also your children, so they can enjoy all the tenderness and solicitude of your Church. Amen.
______________________________
Other exegetes say that the author is rather a disciple from the Johannine community, which is covered under the moral authority of the Apostle John.
is the persecution of the Roman emperors Nero and Domitian.
San Juan draws his symbols the Old Testament and Jewish literature of the time. There are symbols - a) Cosmic, meaning the heavenly realm, the presence of God, lightning, black sun, or earthquake.
b) The animal world: refer to superhuman forces, huge as the presence of the forces of evil, but always controlled by God (dragon, beast, etc). c) In colors, the colors take on a spiritual significance: red means violence and cruelty, the white evokes the supernatural world especially the resurrection, the green indicates the forfeiture of life is death the black, red or scarlet Purple evokes the ill-gotten wealth, prostitution spots spiritual. d) In numbers: the numbers illustrate spiritual realities: the 3 indicates abundance, wholeness, perfection and wholeness to 7 (the seven days of creation, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit), the 12 recalls the history of salvation (12 tribes, 12 apostles)
-
Because begins by saying that Jesus fasted in the wilderness and wild animals were company -
because his Gospel begins by listing the ancestors that Jesus was a man.
- For as the eagle is the bird that gets more height and more the evangelist who rose to the secrets of the Divine has been John.
- because his Gospel begins narrating the sacrifices that were made in the temple, where every evening they sacrificed an animal. In addition, the ox is meek, and Luke describes perfectly the gentleness of Jesus
- Apocalyptic literature arose to feed the people's hope in critical situations and difficult
CUESTIONARIIO 1. What is the main objective of Revelation, what we mean John in this book? - 2. What purpose does this "combat" that occurs in Revelation between good and evil?
3. Can you clear that it is important not to remain with the symbols, not to be a fiction, but lived history to illuminate our lives for eternity?
So Moses says: 
IV. THESIS: 
