Apocalypse, Revisited: A Critical Study on End Times explores why and how Apocalypse has been revisited in myriad contexts from literature to history, religion to social life and media to popular culture.

After two thousand years of history in which we have faithfully expected the Second Coming of Christ, we have met with recurrent disappointments. Why is that? At the beginning of the end of the ages that is the first century of the Christian era, the apostles and the early Christians were living with the expectation of an imminent return of Christ. Jesus himself was expecting a quick return, but the Father had a different planning. At the end of the first century, the Father revealed to John the content of a scroll with Seven Seals. That scroll outlined the main events that will occur in every century of the Christian era. A thorough review of the manifestations of the Seven Seals in every century is exposed in my book. We also call attention to Gods judgments upon the whole creation in the visible and the invisible worlds. The Apocalypse Revisited introduces us to two realms of reality . It is written to make the symbols , the visions, the personalities and the time-table of historic events accessible to the readers. We should no longer establish dates for events that are kept secret by the Creator . Also some events described in the Apocalypse are already occurring in history. The very end of the cosmos and the earth is not around the corner. It is in the future probably after a thousand year following Armageddon.

Apocalyptic expectations of Armageddon and a New Age have been a fixture of the American cultural landscape for centuries. With the approach of the year 2000, such millennial visions seem once again to be increasing in popularity. Stephen O'Leary sheds new light on the age-old phenomenon of the End of the Age by proposing a rhetorical explanation for the appeal of millennialism. Using examples of apocalyptic argument from ancient to modern times, O'Leary identifies the recurring patterns in apocalyptic texts and movements and shows how and why the Christian Apocalypse has been used to support a variety of political stances and programs. The book concludes with a critical review of the recent appearances of doomsday scenarios in our politics and culture, and a meditation on the significance of the Apocalypse in the nuclear age. Arguing the Apocalypse is the most thorough examination of its subject to date: a study of a neglected chapter of our religious and cultural history, a guide to the politics of Armageddon, and a map of millennial consciousness.

An indispensable exploration of the runaway bestselling series! From Left Behind to Glorious Appearing, the books in the Left Behind series have sold over 60,000,000 copies worldwide and their popularity continues to grow. What makes the books about the apocalypse so popular? What is it about the end times that fascinates millions around the globe? And what does the Bible really say about the end of the world? In Rapture, Revelation, and the End Times, six experts gather to answer these provocative questions and more, guiding readers through the different Christian millennialist views and how they developed. They explore the historical, biblical, social and political issues raised by the Left Behind series' religious perspective, present broad questions that curious readers might ask, and encourage us to reflect on the issues the series raises. An entertaining and informative book for fans as well as skeptics, this is a top-notch resource you won't want to be without! Rapture, Revelation, and the End Times answers some of the most often-asked questions about this fascinating series of books: * How popular are the Left Behind books . . . and why? * What does the Bible say about the end times? * How did Left Behind's particular vision of the end times develop? * When do Christians think the end times will happen? * How are other religions treated in the Left Behind series? * What social and political messages appear in the Left Behind books? This MUST-HAVE book also includes a READER'S GUIDE with: * Reader's Group Discussion Questions * Full Glossary of Religious Terms * Suggestions For Further Reading from a Variety of Perspectives This book has not been approved, licensed, or sponsored by any of the writers, publishers, or distributors of the books in the Left Behind series nor by any person or entity involved in the creation, production, or distribution of any media based on the series.

The end-times error that leaves the Bible behind! Author David Currie grew up convinced that one day all true Christians will suddenly be snatched up to heaven. The unfortunate souls left behind by this "rapture" will endure seven horrible years of tribulation, at the end of which Christ will return to earth for a glorious thousand-year reign. Today, millions of Christians accept this end-times theology, assuming - as Currie did -- that the Bible clearly teaches it. Many plan their whole lives around it. But, after studying Scripture for decades, Currie has come to see that if you accept the Bible, you have to reject the rapture. In these remarkable pages - which constitute the world's most careful and thorough scriptural study of the rapture - Currie demonstrates why. He considers all the relevant verses (and there are hundreds!) and examines them in the light of ancient history, the writings of the earliest Christians, and the claims of rapturist theologians. With painstaking thoroughness, he unlocks the meanings of the key biblical prophecies that culminate in Christ's Messianic Kingdom - including those verses in Daniel, Matthew, and Revelation that rapturists turn to most. Marshalling evidence that's as startling as it is compelling, Currie argues that these prophecies of war and tribulation don't point to some still-unrealized apocalyptic future. Rather, most of them were fulfilled long ago: the spiritual, priestly Kingdom prefigured in the Old Testament was inaugurated on Calvary, consummated in 70 A.D. with the destruction of the Temple, and continues to exist today . . . in the Catholic Church! That may surprise you. Yet, shows Currie, it's the only conclusion that fits all the scriptural and historical evidence. Rapture: The End-Times Error That Leaves the Bible Behind makes Scripture, prophecy, and history come alive; and it demonstrates that if you open your Bible, you'll find that God's plan for the future of the world is not filled with darkness and disaster, but with light, mercy, and hope. "We can all learn much from David Currie, not only from what he says, which is wise, but from how he says it, which is Catholic and Christian." From the Foreword by Scott Hahn. Special features: Over 1,300 references to Scripture, the early Church Fathers, authors and events in ancient history, and contemporary rapturist theologians Ten detailed timelines relating biblical prophecy to key historical events The biblical case for the rapture (showing why so many accept it) A survey of the thoughts of the early Church Fathers about the end-times A history of the development of rapturist theories, showing how this heresy has been refuted time and again by the Church A short course in the proper methods of reading Scripture A survey of end-times hypotheses from the first century through 9/11/2001 Nine ground rules you must follow if you are to make sense of biblical prophecy and relate it to salvation history A 10-page annotated bibliography of rapturist sources ancient and new Plus, much more to help you understand and evaluate the claims of rapturists Among the sources cited: Julius Africanus • St. Athanasius • St. Augustine • Pope Benedict XV • Andreas of Cappadocia • St. Clement of Alexandria • G. K. Chesterton • St. John Chrysostom • St. Clement of Rome • St. Cyril of Jerusalem • St. Epiphanius of Salamis • Josémaria Escriva • Catechism of the Catholic Church • Dei Verbum • Enchiridion Symbolorum • Eusebius • St. Hippolytus of Rome • St. Ignatius of Antioch • St. Irenaeus • St. Jerome • Flavius Josephus • St. Justin Martyr • Tim LaHaye • Pope Leo XIII • C. S. Lewis • Hal Lindsey • Lumen Gentium • Origen • Blaise Pascal • Pope St. Pius X • Pope Pius XII • Bertrand Russell • St. Polycarp • St. Thomas Aquinas • St. Sulpicius Severus • Tacitus • Tertullian • Victorinus

"Apocalypse and Millennium argues that far from being a random sequence of bizarre statements, millennial schemes (including the setting of dates for the second coming of Christ) are more often characterised by highly complex and internally consistent interpretations of scripture. Such interpretations do not always result in positive outcomes. As an example, the work of David Koresh is examined at length. Koresh, styled by some the 'Wacko from Waco', clearly had views which some would find odd. However, his interpretation of scripture did not lack system or context, and to see him in that light is to begin to understand why his message had appeal, particularly to those of the Seventh-day Adventist tradition. The final three chapters in this book outline Koresh's thinking on end-time events and trace the line of his interpretative tradition from nineteenth-century Millerism through Seventh-day Adventism and Davidianism (which began in 1929)."--BOOK JACKET.