Apocalypse

https://odb.org/2026/05/04/the-purpose-of-the-apocalypse

Revelation 1:12–18 (NIV): 12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

The ominous word apocalypse intrigues us. It’s the Greek title of the book of Revelation (apokalypsis). But the word doesn’t only mean a catastrophe or the end of the world. As the title Revelation implies, it also refers to an unveiling, a revealing. The book opens, “The revelation from Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:1). Revelation reveals Jesus as the Lamb of God, a term John uses in the book more than twenty-five times to describe Him. Revelation also reveals Christ as one whose “eyes were like blazing fire. (Bill Crowder, Our Daily Bread 4th May 2026)

Although the Greek word of apokalypsis has given rise to the English word apocalypse, which means end of the world, apokalypsis originally meant revelation or an unveiling. Thus, the Greek didn’t name the book of Revelation written by Apostle John as end of the world. However, if they had done so, they wouldn’t be far too wrong either as indeed Revelation speaks of the end of this world, the world as we know it. The world that we know today with its various human advancements like the internet and artificial intelligence, air travel, electric cars and smartphones, to name a few, will come to an end when Jesus Christ comes again as Lord and King.

It will culminate in the new heaven and new earth and the new Jerusalem where God will once again dwell amongst His people. The Tree of Life which enables eternal life will once again be available and accessible to humanity again. Except that only those whose names are written in the Book of Life will continue to live on this earth, including believers and followers of Jesus Christ throughout the ages who will now be resurrected to their glorified bodies. To some, this end time scenario may seemed far-fetched or even illusionary but that’s the bitter truth as revealed by the book of Revelation or Apokalypsis in Greek. We may choose not to believe but unbelief by itself will not change things as we all know very well because truth does not depend on our belief. But wait, there is even more to this – the end-time scenario may even start during our lifetime when the events predicted and revealed by the book of Revelation start to unravel one by one.

Apocalypse as it is understood today is not something to be feared because in the new heaven and new earth, there will no longer be tears or sadness or evil or injustice. Satan would have been banished to hell and sin and death will no longer exist. How the new world will look like, we do not know but as believers, we know that we will be a part of it because we believe and put our trust and hope in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Whatever age we are today and whatever struggles or troubles we face today, always remember that so long as we keep our Lord Jesus Christ in our hearts and abide by His Word, we have no fear if our lives were to end tomorrow or the world as we know it comes to an end. For example, if the Iran War in the Middle East somehow leads to a devastating nuclear war killing millions – whether we survive in that aftermath or perish with the millions, we have no fear because our LORD God is with us and we will be with Him again at the end of time. Practically, we must cling on to our faith come what may! Never give up on God, keep on striving and moving ahead, serving Him and worshipping Hin until our very last breath!