Jewish Apocalyptic Literature

Apocalyptic Literature

Introduction

Apocalyptic Literature is “literature that expounds prophetic revelations, and especially that predicts the destruction of the world.” (Apocalyptic Literature. Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature). Throughout history, there has been many reasons and ways writers use to give us an idea of apocalyptic literature, to some, it is quite confusing with each writer talking about their idea of the apocalypse based on their individual religion. To better understand the apocalypse, articles are dealing with Christianity and The Book of Revelations, Medieval Jewish Apocalyptic theories and The Church of England or better known in the 17th century asThe Beast of England. The religions form their perception

A related featured of this literature is the sense that historical and messianic events have a life or their own, independent of the behavior of human beings.” (Jones). The Jewish learned some of their idea about the apocalypse from medieval times, but most of their beliefs are somewhat similar the beliefs of Christians. “ The messianic speculation found in these and other works is characterized by several distinctive features, which when taken together, provide a shape to Jewish medieval apocalyptic literature.” (Jones). From a literary point of view, “the apocalyptic treatises are, like their themes, extravagant, They reveal in fantastic descriptions of their heroes and antiheroes, richly narrating the events that they show, and often regard their protagonists as symbols for the cosmic forces of good and evil.” (Jones). As in the Book of Revelation, when it spoke on how Jesus marched with the forces of good to go against the forces of evil. Now as of getting into the medieval of the apocalypse, Medieval apocalyptic literature had at least two important historical consequences. “First, it played a highly significant role in shaping the vision that Jews had concerning the events leading up to the end of days. Second, apocalyptic literature developed in a religious climate

These religions that are listed may say they support or believe in the same idea of apocalypse. Well anyone can say this and that, but it is the research that provides the answer. For example, Christians believe in the revelations which means that they believe Jesus will rise, wage war on hell and there begins the apocalypse well that is what “ Christians” believes. Now the way the English Church their idea of apocalypse may also be war, but they take the negative meaning of apocalypse and turn it into a positive. The English Church uses the information received from the revelations to create a better Europe not to follow a path of religion, But as for the Jewish culture they followed the same route of Christians, but they believe there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to understanding Jesus which they refer to as Messiah. As for the Roman Catholic, they are just the complete opposite of The English Church. All in all though. The end times or Apocalypse is a complex subject, and it is very easy to be deceived about its meaning even if study the Bible with the best of intentions, or study other religions