Apocalypse. Interpretation of the XXI century. Valeriy Sterkh

pocalypse. Interpretation of the XXI century

      Valeriy Sterkh

      © Valeriy Sterkh, 2019

      ISBN 978-5-4496-6180-7

      Created with Ridero smart publishing system

      ¹I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. ²I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. ³For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. ⁴For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, ⁵and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. ⁶He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. ⁷He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. ⁸I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. ⁹I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. ¹⁰I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins ¹¹and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead ¹²and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Nicene Creed

      Verily, verily, it is much later now than we think. The Apocalypse is already unfolding.

Hieromonk Seraphim Rose

      Bible book abbreviations

      Old Testament

      Canonical books:

      Genesis – Gen

      Exodus – Ex

      Leviticus – Lev

      Numbers – Num

      Deuteronomy – Deut

      Joshua – Josh

      Judges – Judg

      Ruth – Ruth

      1 Samuel – 1 Sam

      2 Samuel – 2 Sam

      1 Kings – 1 Kings

      2 Kings – 2 Kings

      1 Chronicles – 1 Chron

      2 Chronicles – 2 Chron

      Ezra – Ezra

      Nehemiah – Neh

      Esther – Est

      Book of Job – Job

      Psalms – Ps

      Proverbs – Prov

      Ecclesiastes – Eccles

      Song of Solomon – Song

      Isaiah – Is

      Jeremiah – Jer

      Lamentations – Lam

      Ezekiel – Ezek

      Daniel – Dan

      Hosea – Hos

      Joel – Joel

      Amos – Am

      Obadiah – Obad

      Jonah – Jonah

      Micah – Mic

      Nahum – Nah

      Habakkuk – Hab

      Zephaniah – Zeph

      Haggai – Hag

      Zechariah – Zech

      Malachi – Mal

      Deuterocanonical books:

      1 Esdras – 1 Esd

      2 Esdras – 2 Esd

      Tobit – Tob

      Judith – Jdt

      Wisdom – Wis

      Sirach – Sir

      Baruch – Bar

      1 Maccabees – 1 Macc

      2 Maccabees – 2 Macc

      3 Maccabees – 3 Macc

      New Testament

      Matthew – Mt

      Mark – Mk

      Luke – Lk

      John – Jn

      Acts of the Apostles – Act

      Epistles:

      James – Jm

      1 Peter – 1 Pet

      2 Peter – 2 Pet

      1 John – 1 Jn

      2 John – 2 Jn

      3 John – 3 Jn

      Jude – Jude

      Pauline epistles:

      Romans – Rom

      1 Corinthians – 1 Cor

      2 Corinthians – 2 Cor

      Galatians – Gal

      Ephesians – Eph

      Philippians – Php

      Colossians – Col

      1 Thessalonians – 1 Thess

      2 Thessalonians – 2 Thess

      1 Timothy – 1 Tim

      2 Timothy – 2 Tim

      Titus – Tit

      Philemon – Phm

      Hebrews – Heb

      Revelation (Apocalypse) of John – Rev

      Prologue

      a. The Author of the Apocalypse

      The Apocalypse, or Revelation of John the Apostle, is the last book in the New Testament canon. It was written by John, the son of Zebedee, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, who is more commonly known as John the Theologian.

      John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace (Rev 1:4).

      I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev 1:9).

      And I John saw these things, and heard them (Rev 22:8).

      This nickname he got from the first lines of his other book – the Gospel of John: In the beginning was the Word [Logos], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not (Jn 1:1—5).

      Here is what we know about him from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John himself.

      He met Jesus under the following circumstances. And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, [called] the sea of Galilee, and saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: