Allen Ng

May 31, 2011

Apocalyptic Literature

Wild, dark times are rumbling toward us, and the prophet who wishes to write a new apocalypse will have to invent entirely new beasts, and beasts so terrible that the ancient animal symbols of Saint John will seem like cooing doves and cupids in comp

 -Heinrich Heine

            When we hear of the world apocalyptic images of fire, destruction, and chaos rings in our ears; yet, that is not the true definition of apocalyptic literature.  The term “apocalyptic” is derived from a Greek word meaning “to uncover, to reveal” (Coogan 430) and literature is derived from a Latin word meaning “letter”.  The concrete definition of apocalyptic literature is “revealing letter” more precisely a prophetic written work, as shown in many books of the Hebrew Bible. 

            Apocalyptic literature in the Hebrew Bibles is different from those views of the Christian Bible.  In oracles of Amos, Hosea, First Isaiah, and Jeremiah, a concentration of imminent punishment and occasionally forgiveness by Yahweh is found that can be considered as apocalyptic literature.  However, they do not contain any literary element of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse as the book of Revelation does in the New Testament. 

            Apocalyptic books are “used in earlier prophets to describe divine judgment on Israel and Judah in the near term because of their failure to observe divine commands”  (Coogan 432).  They are similar to stories we tell to correct misbehaving behavior, such as the Santa Claus giving lumps of coal to bad children.  Although some readers “often attempt to read [them] literally….” (Coogan 432).  This is a widely misinterpreted phenomenon. The true end is when we, the human race, consume all the resources, sucking the environment dry, barren, and dead.