About the book Apocalypse of John the Theologian - simply
The book of the Apocalypse of John the Theologian contains the Revelation of Jesus Christ about what will happen at the end of time. He gave this Revelation to the Apostle John, and also showed it in visions.
At the end of time, Satan will be defeated by the army of Archangel Michael, thrown from heaven to earth and, knowing that he does not have much time left, he will go to war against Christians. His goal is not even to take their lives, but to destroy their souls so that they do not inherit eternal life. To do this, he will use both intimidation and insidious lies.
A big terrifying war will be waged by a new very warlike empire of the beast from the earth. And the false prophet at this time will deceive and deceive precisely the faithful Christians. The task of which is to maintain the faith, the Word of Christ, white robes, not to bow to the image of the beast and not to receive the mark or “seal of the Antichrist.” In general, there is still one more quest to complete.
It will end, as promised, everything will be fine, ours will win: Jesus Christ will come and the Kingdom of God will come. Beautiful, new, perfect, in which there will no longer be any evil. The dead will be resurrected, and the living will be transformed. All those saved will receive eternal life with God, and their new transformed bodies will have all the extraordinary properties that Christ possessed after his resurrection. For example, they can easily move through walls, over distances and through the air. The new life, the new heaven and earth will be beautiful and amazing.
The Lord desires salvation for all sinners, but not all sinners want to be saved, and some will not succeed. For example, fearful and unfaithful. Therefore, stock up on faith, patience and fearlessness while there is still time. Because the one who overcomes will inherit everything, but “the fearful, the unbelieving, the abominable, the murderers, the fornicators, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars, will have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone.” This is what it says in the Revelation of John the Theologian.
A link to the article “How to Be Saved in the End Times” will appear soon at the end of this page. An article containing advice from Orthodox saints and elders about salvation is already in development. Do not miss.
But too much is still unclear, exactly how everything will happen. There are still many mysteries. And yet we are commanded to read and study the Word of Christ. Gradually everything will begin to become clearer. The interpretation on our website will definitely help you with this.
Read the Apocalypse of John the Theologian in a simple presentation: Apostle John the Theologian icon. Fragment. Byzantium, XIV century. Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos.
The third part
The third part describes God sitting on the throne, the Lamb, and heavenly worship. Secretly, the viewer sees an extraordinary book. There are seals placed on it, numbering seven. It takes a while for someone worthy to be found who can remove these seals.
“And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.”
(Rev.5:6)
Jesus Christ is described in the image of the Lamb. He is found worthy to break the seals and open the book.
Horsemen of the Apocalypse
How is the title of John the Evangelist's book Apocalypse translated?
The book was originally written in Greek because the Apostle carried the Word of God to the pagan Hellenes. And it was written on the Greek island of Patmos. Where John served his exile for preaching and witnessing Jesus Christ. Apocalypse is translated from Greek as “revelation.” This is the name of the book in Russian.
Now the word “apocalypse” has acquired its own meaning. For many people who do not know the Bible, it means “the end of the world.” It is associated in the consciousness of secular people only with various terrible events and disasters. It will end, according to various non-Christian theories, either with the destruction of the earth, or with the onset of a period of post-apocalypse, which is also described in a very gloomy way.
But for true Christians, the apocalypse is not at all terrible events at the end of the world, but this:
- Greek translation of the word revelation
- title of John the Evangelist's book about the end times
- events at the end of time preceding the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, when all sorts of “miraculous events” will occur, as the prophet Daniel called them
- time to test faith.
Although, to be honest, many Orthodox Christians also experience fear of the apocalypse. But obviously this is due to a lack of love for God and knowledge of the Word of God. Because perfect love casts out fear.
There are a large number of faithful who do not feel fear and do not force anything. Such fearlessness is explained by love for God and trust in Him:
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
And we knew the love that God has for us and believed in it. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
Love reaches such perfection in us that we have boldness on the day of judgment, because we act in this world as He does.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because in fear there is torment. He who fears is imperfect in love.
Let us love Him because He first loved us.
» 1 In. 4:18
So, the book of Revelation prophesies about the last time of human civilization before the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and the resurrection of the dead. And also that then the Kingdom of God will come in heaven and on earth in full power and glory.
It is customary in the world to call this time the end of the world, the apocalypse. But the world will not end. The light will only dim for a while, then shine with renewed vigor. And, on the contrary, the end of darkness will come, like the end of any evil on earth.
Sixth part. Armageddon
The author of the Apocalypse talks about a beast that will come out of the sea. Researchers are inclined to believe that in his image the evil secular power appears, while in the image of the Beast that will come out of the earth is religious power, disintegrated and degraded. The war against the church is led by the devil-dragon.
The following chapters of the apocalypse tell of worldwide moral decay. The war against the church is reaching its peak. According to the revelation, the final battle will take place in a place called Armageddon.
It is believed that this word comes from the ancient name of the mountainous area in Hebrew. Literally Har Megiddo, or "highlands of Megiddo". Today we can see Armageddon with our own eyes in a photo of a map or excavations in this area.
About the Author of the Book of Revelation
The book of the Apocalypse was written by Christ's beloved disciple John. The youngest of the Apostles, he saw the Transfiguration of Christ on Tabor. Jesus once said that there are those among the disciples who will not taste death until they see the Kingdom of Heaven come in power. I took three of them and they climbed the mountain. The disciples saw Christ in an unearthly radiance that their eyes could not even bear. And they fell prostrate to the ground in fear.
John, the only one of the disciples, was present at the crucifixion of Jesus. Along with his mother. The rest fled in fear. The Apostle Peter, trying to quietly follow the captive Teacher, by this time managed to deny Him three times.
The dying Jesus entrusted John with the care of his mother. The Blessed Virgin Mary lived with him as with her son.
What did the disciple think as he stood at the cross of his Teacher? I heard the jeers of the crowd shouting for the “King of the Jews” to save himself. I saw the bullying of the guards. I heard His last words. Shedding tears, he witnessed his torment and death.
It was his love for Jesus that kept him there at Calvary. And faith helped me endure this whole difficult, terrible day and the subsequent days of dreary ignorance and despair.
Great was the joy of John to see the risen Christ. Before his eyes, Jesus ascended into heaven, leaving his disciples in complete confusion. Then there were tongues of flame descending from heaven and fervent preaching to the pagans. Crowds of believers and converts. New Christian churches in Ancient Assia, where the saint carried his faith and the Word of Christ.
The apostle lived a long life. Experienced severe persecution. They even tried to execute him. He spent his old age in exile for the Word of Christ on the Greek island of Patmos. Where he was granted a new vision of not only Christ, but also the entire coming Kingdom of Heaven.
He was ordered to preach about languages, nations, kings and many nations. About the entire future of humanity. John was honored to see what no one in the world had seen before him.
You need to understand that the book of the Apocalypse is the Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, which God gave him to show how everything will be. Because it is the Lord who is the Creator of the entire universe, as well as of man and all living creatures. And only He knows and determines the meaning of everything that happens. And believe me, there is a great meaning. The truly faithful are, in general, promised eternal life. Instead of the current temporary, perishable, painful and mortal.
This Revelation was sent to the Apostle John the Theologian so that he would write it down and testify to the word of God. And he wrote down not only the words of Christ, but also the visions given to him of the events of recent times.
Read the Apocalypse of John the Theologian in a simple summary
In the first chapter, John the Theologian, through an Angel, receives a command from Jesus Christ to write down the upcoming vision in a book and send it to the churches located in Asia: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.
Read the Apocalypse of John the Theologian in a simple presentation: Fresco depicting the Apostle on the island when he heard the voice of Jesus Christ
Chapters 2 and 3 contain, directly, the messages themselves. Where Christ gives a brief description of each church, expresses his claims to the purity of faith, if He has them. Gives advice on how to improve and promises a reward to the winner. However, what He said concerns not only the indicated ancient churches, but also, of course, all Christians who lived on earth, and, even more so, those living at the end of times.
The rest of the book is devoted to describing exactly what will happen, how and what will need to be won. And the events will be very large-scale, in some places even critical and catastrophic. Any horror is resting.
The three main villains, the red dragon (Satan), the conquering beast with a healed mortal wound, and the false prophet (Antichrist), will strive in every possible way to destroy God's plans and destroy true faithful Christians. And the main character will be the best, there has never been, is not, and never will be better than him in the world - Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is a rider on a white horse. The villains will get, respectively, red, black and pale horses.
The opening of the first six seals from the book of life, in a simple statement, is very similar to the description of the characters in the play. When the first four seals are opened, we see four main characters with their own brief characteristics. These are the four horsemen of the apocalypse, which we have already mentioned.
When the next two seals are removed, we see the “extras” - four different groups of people:
- martyrs who await retribution, they are given white robes and told that their number will be replenished
- unrepentant people and thereby dooming themselves to the Day of Wrath
- Jewish righteous - 144 thousand from the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel, following Christ everywhere
- people in white robes - an innumerable number, “those who came from the great tribulation; they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,” which implies the cleansing of the soul in repentance and communion.
These four groups are very different and will face different fates in the apocalypse. Both in this century and in the future.
With the opening of the seventh seal, after a short silence in heaven, the main action begins. Seven Angels successively blow their trumpets and events begin that foreshadow the beginning of the apocalypse. Moreover, the first four pipes do not yet directly harm people, although the world, of course, is already changing and not for the better. Droughts, fires, environmental and climate disasters.
But when the fifth seal is opened, certain locusts emerge from the abyss, which are given the power to torment people for five months. Many see it as an epidemic of covid-19. Moreover, locusts have crowns, and the coronavirus has a “crown.”
After the sixth trumpet, events are described that are reminiscent of a modern war with missile strikes. It is said that a third of people will die, but those who survive will never repent of their sins so as not to worship demons, idols and earthly wealth.
Chapter 10 describes the appearance from heaven of an Angel, clothed in a cloud and with a face like the sun, holding an open prophetic book. John, directly, devoured this book and this gave him the knowledge to further prophesy about many, many nations, what would happen to them next.
Read the Apocalypse of John the Theologian in a simple presentation: An angel clothed in a cloud, two witnesses and a beast. Fresco from the Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Cross in Tutaev
The climax is described in chapter 11. John is given a reed to measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. It is said that for 42 months the pagans will trample the holy city.
Two witnesses, called prophets and lamps, prophesy for 1260 days, after which a beast comes out of the sea and kills them. After 3.5 days, God resurrects them and takes them to heaven. Many Christians believe that the prophets Enoch and Elijah will be witnesses. Who have not known death. Elijah, in general, was taken up alive in a chariot to heaven. Therefore, people believe that they will come to earth in the last time to preach the Gospel, prophesy about the Antichrist and the Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Apocalypse in simple terms: Two witnesses and the beast, resurrection and ascension on a cloud. Fresco from the Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Cross in Tutaev
The seventh angel sounded his trumpet - voices in heaven exclaim that the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of the Lord and His Christ. The temple of God was opened with the ark of the covenant in heaven.
In principle, the most important thing for the faithful has already happened. The advent of the Kingdom of Christ is accompanied by amazing events: the resurrection of the dead and the ascension of living faithful Christians to meet Jesus on a cloud, as the Apostle Paul writes about this, that “we will not all die, but we will instantly change” and “we will not precede the dead,” but after them we will ascend .
That's it, the Church of Christ is already in heaven! Although, it is said that not everyone will be resurrected this time, this is the first resurrection, and then there will be another general one.
Then the Apostle begins to describe in more detail some images, events and phenomena. Obviously, so that the essence of what is happening is clear.
In the book we meet two women. This is a woman clothed with the sun, the mother of all Christians who are born spiritually in baptism and who try in their lives to become like Christ. And her rival is the Whore of Babylon, who is insidiously trying to make them drink the wine of fornication so that they will begin to worship other gods.
Chapter 12 describes a phenomenon in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun. The red dragon, which is Satan, will strive to destroy her. But she will receive help and be saved in the desert.
Read the Apocalypse of John the Theologian in a simple presentation: The woman clothed with the sun and the red dragon. Fresco from the Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Cross in Tutaev
In heaven there is a war between Archangel Michael and his Angels, and the dragon and his angels. The dragon (Satan or the devil) is cast down to earth by them and tries to pursue the wife who gave birth to the baby. But the wife will be saved again in the desert. And then the dragon will begin a war against those born of her, that is, it turns out, against Christians.
Chapter 13, probably the most terrible, describes the emergence from the sea of a terrible beast with seven heads, to which the dragon gave his strength and his throne. And this beast is given the power to act for 42 months, including defeating the saints. This is a state that acts as a conquering beast.
This beast has existed and been active for a very long time, since the time of the Babylonian Empire. Its main feature is the conquest of the people of God and the Holy Land. His heads are the conquering empires that successively conquered the people of God and the Holy Land. That is, when a beast is described as having seven heads, you need to understand that it is shown in historical retrospect.
Now these empires no longer exist. But such a description allows us to understand with whom we are dealing. The conquering beast was absent for some time because he was mortally wounded. But now the wound has healed and he appeared again. The fact that the beast comes out of the sea means that out of many nations, this is not one country.
And then from the earth, that is, from one country, a beast with lamb’s horns appears, forcing people to worship the first beast and performing great signs. This is a false prophet or antichrist. And he will make it so that people will receive a mark (or the name of the beast, or the number of his name - 666) on their right hand or on their forehead. And it is said that no one will be able to buy or sell except those who have this mark. This is no longer state power, but spiritual power.
The forces of evil will have such power and authority that they will first defeat the true believers, who are called saints in the book. The false prophet will try to trick them into worshiping himself instead of Jesus Christ. And many will be deceived and worship.
Apocalypse in a simple statement: The appearance of an angel speaking about the eternal torment of those who worship the beast and his image. Fresco from the Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Cross in Tutaev
So, worshiping the beast is the most important danger of recent times. Because such worship is equivalent to betrayal of the One God. It will not be forgiven either in this century or in the future. And the wrath of God will be very terrible. The beast and the false prophet can only harm the saints for 3.5 years in this life. While the traitors will drink the seven cups of wrath here, and will receive full retribution there, after the trial. In general, the Wrath of God is the most terrible thing that can happen. Not even death can save you from it. Therefore, the Angel flying in the middle of the sky categorically warns that under no circumstances should one worship the beast and its image.
In general, in a simple statement, despite such an intense struggle between the forces of evil, all those who did not worship and preserve the word of God, the whitened robe and the true faith will still win, as Christ promised.
Because when it seems that there is no hope left, when the evil forces begin to rejoice in anticipation of victory, the seventh trumpet will suddenly sound.
The lost saints will be resurrected and ascended to heaven on a cloud. And behind them are the truly faithful survivors. And Jesus Christ Himself will enter the battle with His all-conquering army, having come to earth already in full strength. Because then His Kingdom will come. The three main villains will be captured. The beast and the false prophet will be thrown into the lake of fire, the dragon will be chained to the abyss for 1000 years. And their army is completely defeated and birds of prey will flock to the feast from all over the area.
The victory will be crushing and will be marked by the triumph of the New Eternal Kingdom in which Christ will reign. And His wedding will be with the Bride who turns out to be the most worthy. In general, there is also a love line in Revelation.
Read the Apocalypse of John the Theologian in a simple presentation: The Last Judgment on the fresco of the Rostov Kremlin.
All saved saints will receive eternal life. And sinners will appear before the Court of God. And then the books will be opened, describing the life and deeds of everyone. Everyone will be judged according to their deeds. Everyone will be justified whose name is found in the Book of Life, written there from the beginning of the century. That is, our destiny in eternity depends on how we live this life of ours. The Lord can blot out our sins if we repent of them and are cleansed of them through Holy Communion, which is called “whitening our robes.” Or, on the contrary, our name can be blotted out from the Book of Life if we worship the beast and his image.
Throughout Revelation we see worship performed in heaven before the Throne of God. Twenty-four elders participate in the Divine Eucharist. These are, as is commonly believed, the twelve elders of the twelve tribes of Israel, who recognized Christ as the Son of God, and the twelve Apostles, disciples of Christ.
As the story progresses, huge groups of saved faithful Christians join the worship service, which, soon, can no longer even be counted. Which delights the soul of those who love worship, is very encouraging and shows us that the saints will prevail and everything will end well. The spoiler is such that it won’t be too scary while reading.
In general, the spectacle is absolutely fantastic, even supernatural, everything that happens is difficult to describe, and even more so, to human understanding, imagination and imagination. It is even more difficult, they say, to imagine the wonderful Kingdom that the Lord is preparing for His chosen ones.
Therefore, you can read this book all your life, and it will always be interesting and mysterious.
There are indeed a lot of mysteries here and all of them have not yet been solved. And the latter, obviously, will be solved only just before the event.
Nobody will be bored, for sure. Simply, understanding the apocalyptic prophecy of St. John the Theologian is not given immediately. You need to read for a long time, carefully and repeatedly. Be sure to pray to the Lord to give you an understanding of the book. Gradually it will come.
But at the same time, we repeat, first you must definitely study the Gospel and the Apostles from the book “New Testament”. The Apocalypse cannot be read and interpreted on its own, in isolation from all Christian teaching as a whole.
In general, in simple terms, those who want to be saved need to try very hard. Because this is not a movie, not a game, not a quest, but a real life story. In which many will have the honor to participate. So it would be good for the soul to prepare for those who have not yet prepared. Orthodox churches, thank God, are still open and waiting for you.
Man cannot be saved by his own strength alone. But what is impossible for man is possible for God. Therefore, we hope for His mercy and pray to Him for forgiveness and salvation. And the Lord, you know, wants everyone to be saved!
Lord, have mercy on us sinners and the damned, save us and bring us into Your eternal Kingdom.
Read more articles:
What is the main meaning of the book Apocalypse of John the Theologian and its significance
The number of the beast is 666 according to the Bible and Gospel
Read the Apocalypse of John the Theologian - the text is entirely in Russian in the Synodal translation.
Fourth part. Opening the seals
The prophecy of John the Theologian says that after the first seal is opened, a rider on a white horse will appear - Plague, after the second seal is opened - a red horse and the rider on it - War, Famine on a black horse and Death on a pale horse will appear after the third is opened and fourth seals. They are endowed with the power to wreak havoc and destruction.
When the Lamb opened the fifth seal, the Apostle John saw the souls of the righteous who asked to avenge them and judge their offenders.
“And white robes were given to each of them, and it was said to them that they should rest still for a little while, until their fellow servants and their brothers, who would be killed like them, would complete the number.”
(Rev. 6:11)
True believers will receive a seal of grace on their foreheads, protecting them from the fate of the wicked.
Seven Angels of the Apocalypse
After the next, sixth, seal is opened, an unprecedented earthquake will occur, the sun will darken, and the moon will become like blood.
It is believed that after the seventh and final seal is broken, the end of the world will occur. At this moment, all conflicts between good and evil will be settled, the second coming of Christ will take place and the hour of the Last Judgment will begin.
