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54 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Dies Irae
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- Latin for “Day of Wrath”
- First used by the prophet Zephaniah in the Book of Zephaniah in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible/Tanakh - Refers to an eschatological, final day of Judgement of the living and death. - Used in the Middle Ages and beyond as the title for particularly powerful music, one component of a Requiem or funeral mass, i.e. the Dies Irae of Verdi and Mozart |
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Preterist
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- Interpretation of Christian eschatology that holds all the prophecies concerning the end times refer to events that happened before the first century AD
- Ancient Israel finds continuation/fulfillment in the Christian church at the destruction of Jerusalem in 70CE - For example, preterist reading of Revelation: Babylon set on 7 hills really refers to Rome, which was on 7 hills as well. |
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Raelian
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- Refers to a practitioner of Raelianism
- Raelianism refers to the largest UFO religion in the world. - Believes that life on earth was created by a humanoid alien named Elohim, who made various historical figures prophets (Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, Ezekiel, Joseph Smith, etc.) When the Elohim came to visit their descendents, they were viewed as gods, cherubim, angels, etc. o Jesus Christ was resurrected by the Elohim through cloning. - Want scientists to follow path of Elohim and create life on other planets in the cosmos - we’re on a suicidal path since our arrival in the Nuclear Age in 1945, but we need to be ready by 2025 |
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Millenialism
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•Apocalypticism centered around calendrical change, but not necessarily directly
•Apocalyptic beliefs are called “millenarian,” as are apocalyptic follower •Obsessed with scenarios of radical change connected with a specific date around the end of a millennium •Events are seen as part of a meaningful plan •Offers an explanation for good and evil in the world •Promises salvation •Often short-lived as groups |
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Doomsday Cult
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•Preoccupation with the threat of annihilation, particularly nuclear annihilation and environmental destruction
•Sense of crisis and lack of confidence in the government •Cultural pessimism and emphasis on evil conspiracies •Feelings of powerlessness •A yearning for worldly transformation from otherworldly beings |
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Apocalypse
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- There are two types of apocalypses: an otherworldly journey, and a historical apocalypse. Most contain angels or divine beings. Divine beings explain or interpret. Judgment also an important aspect of Apocalypses (Gospels, Revelations, Ezekiel)
- Otherworldly journeys are hallmarked by a recipient of visions or “seer”, a divine mediator, a tour of the cosmos, the disclosure of private or secret knowledge. Of the last point, that secret knowledge provides the seer with increased power and authority - Historical apocalypses are typically characterized by a concern with time (especially with the periodization of time, that each successive age is getting degraded), a coded or veiled reference to political realities of the time (and that said reference or references is pushed to the extremes), often with an overthrow of the current order. o Prophecy Ex Eventu: a prophecy written in reverse, IE Daniel. |
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Eschatology
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- From the Greek word “eschatos”, which means “end” or “last thing”, and “ology”, which means “study of”. Eschatology is the study of the end of days in multiple
- Time is seen as periodized into different ages, where different realities are present. - Thus, eschatology, as the study of the “end of days”, is more appropriately the study of how ages transform into others, often violently. |
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Periodization
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- Refers to the dividing of time into periods
- Fundamental to eschatology, periodization is important because it is often used to study apocalypses as the transition of ages into one another - By schematizing history, it is shown that the greater number of period has already elapsed and that the turning point is at hand |
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Prophecy Ex Eventu
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- Refers to a “prophecy after the fact”, prophecy ex eventu are prophecies made after events have actually occurred, but set before the events have occurred, so as to seem like the prophet knew the future through a divine revelation.
- Prophets who create prophecies ex eventu are less like traditional prophets, and more like pundits, commenting on the events of the past. - An example of a prophecy ex eventu is the Book of Daniel, which was written in the 2nd century BCE but is set in the 6th century BCE. - Revealed knowledge as truth. |
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Nibiru/Planet X
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- Idea proposed by Nancy Lieder in 1995 that a large object would sweet through the solar system in 2003, causing a pole shift that would destroy humanity
- When nothing happened in 2003, changed the date to 2012 to tie into the mayan calendar (cognitive dissonence) - Nibiru derived from Sumarian mythology |
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Nancy Lieder
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- Founder of website “ZetaTalk” and originator of the Nibiru theory.
- Believed that as a child she had a device implanted in her brain by the Zetas, an alien race, that allowed her to communicate with them. |
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Dispensationalism
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- Protestant evangelical tradition based on the idea that history is a series of chronologically successive periods in which God relates to human beings in different ways under biblical covenants
- Founded in the writings of John Nelson Darby - Premillenialism - Belief that God has yet to fulfill promise to Israel regarding land promises. - “Premillennial Dispensationalism” - §A form of evangelicalism that emphasizes apocalyptic prophecy - §Espoused by most major televangelists, including the late Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, the late Oral Roberts, and Jack Van Impe - §Like Christian fundamentalism, characterized by its emphasis on biblical literalism and inerrancy, support for conservative political causes, and condemnation of communism, socialism, secularism and science |
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John Nelson Darby
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- Evangelist in the 19th century
- Father of modern dispensationalism - •God has issued a series of dispensations, each with its own means of salvation - •The present dispensation (the Church Age) is “silent”; the next begins with the Rapture and 7 years of hell on earth (Tribulation, from Mt 24:21); then the Battle of Armageddon; then the Millennium; and the Last Judgment - •Leader of the Plymouth Brethren or Darbyites - •From 1859 onwards, preaches in the United States - •Promotes Christian doctrine of dispensationalism - •Two salvation tracks for Christians and Jews: - •Sometime soon, Jews would reestablish a nation in their ancestral homeland and rebuild the Jerusalem Temple - •After a terrible persecution during the Antichrist’s reign, a surviving remnant of the Jews would convert to Christianity to finally embrace their Messiah - Darby’s belief that the Jews are at the heart of Christian dispensationalism wins support in high plances: - •Lord Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of Shaftesbury, argues in 1839 that the Jews must return to Palestine before the Second Coming - •Cooper arranges for the UK to open a consulate in Jerusalem - •The consul is a devout evangelical - 1845: a Colonial Office official argues that a Jewish nation would place England “in a commanding position in the Levant … to overawe our enemies and repel their advance.” - |
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Pretribulationism
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- Pretribulationists believe that all Christians then alive will be taken bodily up to Heaven (called theRapture) before the Tribulation begins. Those who become Christians after the rapture will live through (or perish during) the Tribulation. After the Tribulation, Christ will return.
- Darby, Hagee |
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Gematria
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- Gematria refers to the system of assigning a numerical value to certain words or phrases.
- Gematria is very applicable to apocalypses, especially historical apocalypses, where references to historical times were often coded. An example of this is how some believe the number of the beast (666) refers to the emperor Nero, because if you add the numerical values of his name in Hebrew together, they add up to 666. |
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Cognitive Dissonance
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- Uncomfortable feeling caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously
- People have motivational drive to reduce feeling by changing attitudes, beliefs, and actions - CogDis in action: o Study of an apocalyptic group in the 1950s centered around the prophecies of a woman who predicted global cataclysm. o What would happen after the prediction failed? • Ambiguity of original prediction • Conditional apocalypticism: the end may be avoided if certain directives are followed • Increased missionizing |
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David Koresh
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- Founder and final prophet of the Branch Davidians.
- Branch Davidian o Protestant sect originated that originated in 1955 o Belief that we live in a time when biblical prophecies of final judgment are coming to pass as a prelude to Christ’s second coming - Koresh’s unique interpretation of Branch Davidianism o Koresh believed himself to be the Lamb of God and thus able to open all 7 seals |
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Secular Apocalyptic
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- Secular apocalypse refers to an apocalypse separate from religion
o Secularization: raising humanity to the sovereign level: we are in charge of our own destiny - Elements of secular apocalyptic films o Human stupidity or greed – not divine wrath -- brings the world to the brink of apocalyptic disaster. Human beings therefore supplant cosmic beings in being the agents of (their own) destruction. o “The cinematic apocalypse depends on a human messiah who battles nature, aliens, the "other" in a variety of forms, or simply human stupidity to rescue humanity from those elements that threaten annihilation.” o “The secular film version of the apocalypse removes the divine element from the apocalyptic drama yet not religious symbolism, imagery, or language.” o “In light of religion's trivialization of apocalyptic thought, popular cultural forms have become significant, if not more effective, purveyors of our culture's eschatological consciousness and thus of a basic religious category. The result is a secular eschatological imagination wherein humanity and the earth itself are threatened by ‘projections’ of the contemporary imagination but are saved by science and heroism.” o Many films allude to the idea that religion has trivialized the apocalyptic threat and that religion itself capitulates to science in the attempt to deal with eschatology. |
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Disease Apocalypse
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- Refers to a kind of secular apocalypse where a disease, created by man, destroys the world
- Disease-Apocalypse films: 28 days/weeks later, I am legend, etc. |
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Ecological Apocalypse
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- Refers to another kind of secular apocalypse, where the end of the world is brought about by natural disaster (global warming, meteor strike, etc)
- Deep Impact, 2012, Armageddon, The Day After Tomorrow |
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Book of Ezekiel
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- Not technically an apocalyptic text (the Book of Ezekiel was one of the books of the prophets), Ezekiel contains several characteristics typical of apocalypses (throne vision, forces appearing together that could ordinarily not, wheels).
- Written in the 4th century BCE post-exile by Ezekiel, who was probably a priest. - The purpose of the book is, as the Jewish people, to make sense of what happened with the Babylonian exile - The book asserts that God has not abandoned his people, that he must have gone willingly from the temple. |
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Hal Lindsey
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- Refers to an American evangelist, dispensationalist author
- Wrote of how the US would not play a major role come the time of tribulations, and how Europe would become the United States of Europe - Predicted the end of days in the 80s, then the 90s. - In his work, suggests that the creation of Israel is a pivotal event in the Second Coming |
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John Hagee
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- Christian evangelical televesion pastor
- Believes in the creation of the Jewish state as sign of the apocalypse |
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Premillennialism
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- an interpretation of humanity as unrecuperably evil
- An inherently sinful world can only be “redeemed” through catastrophe and God’s intervention - Prior to the Second Coming, humanity will become increasingly evil - §The Antichrist will rise to power, persecute Christians, and wreak havoc on the world - §The Antichrist will be destroyed at the Battle of Armageddon, when Christ returns with his legions - §Christ will then establish a millennial reign (i.e. 1000 years) - §Another battle will occur as Satan reasserts himself, but Christ will be victorious - §Resurrection of the Dead; Final Judgment, and Creation of a New Heaven and a New Earth |
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Maimonides
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- Moses Ben Maimon (Maimonides)
•1135-1204 •Born in Cordoba, Spain and dies in Egypt •Known as RaMBaM •In his commentary on the Mishneh, Maimonides composes his 13 Principles of Faith lRaMBaM's 12th Principle of Faith: “I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Moshiach , and although he may tarry, I will eagerly await his coming every day.” - Important because he was a pusher of Jewish Messianism |
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Moshiach
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- Refers to the Jewish Messiah, the belief that the Messiah will return
- Signs of Moshiach o Arrival of Elijah the Prophet (e.g., Mal 3:23-24[4:5-6]) o lIn-gathering of Jewish exiles to Israel (e.g., Is 11:1; Deuteronomy 30:3-5): "G d, your G d, will bring back your exiles and He will have mercy upon you. He will once again gather you from all the nations, where He had dispersed you. Even if your exiles are at the end of the heavens, He will gather you from there, and He will take you from there. And He will bring you to the land which your forefathers possessed...”) o Reunification of Judah and Israel into one people (e.g., Ezek 37:22) o World peace (e.g., Is 2:4) o Universal knowledge of G-d (e.g., Is 11:9) o Resurrection of the dead (e.g., Is 26:19) o The prophet Ezekiel describes a climactic war, the Battle of Gog and Magog, that will occur prior to the arrival of the Moshiach. This topic is shrouded in mystery: we are uncertain as to the identity of Gog and Magog, whether Gog and Magog are the names of nations or individuals, whether this battle will be a physical or spiritual battle, and even whether it has already occurred or not. o Building of the Third Temple |
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Messianism
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- Belief in a messiah
o A savior or redeemer - New testament messianism: o Messiah = Jesus - Moshiach o Messiah has yet to come, but there are biblical signs that point to his existence. |
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Rabbi Schneerson
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- Refers to a Hasidic rabbi who some believed, and continue to believe, to be the Jewish messiah
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Millerites
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- Refers to the followers of William Miller who, using the prophecies of Daniel and using the year-day conversion, came to believe that the second coming of Jesus would occur in 1843
- When the 2nd Coming failed to occur, the “great disappointment” happened |
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Great DIsappointment
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- Refers to the lack of fulfillment of William Miller’s prophecy of Christ’s return
- An example of cognitive dissonance o When the 2nd coming didn’t occur, new prophecies and beliefs were created to ease the sense of tension |
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1 Enoch
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- 1 Enoch refers to the first book of Enoch, the Book of the Watchers.
- Within the Book of the Watchers, angels descend from heaven, take wives and create children, and provide man with knowledge that ultimately leads to earthly destruction. The angels try and use Enoch as a mediator between God and themselves, which ultimately leads to Enoch’s vision of God. - Characteristics of Enoch’s vision include a throne vision, forces existing together that could not ordinarily, curious angelic beings. Enoch’s vision is similar to Ezekiel’s vision in many ways, but is derived from a different social context. What is the social context from which Enoch was derived? |
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Enoch
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- Enoch refers to the Book of Enoch in its entirety, which includes the Book of the Watchers, the Book of Weeks (not heavenly cosmology, but rather an overview of history, divided into ten periods but the 7th is the most important, with the election of the “chosen righteous”, a historical elaboration of 1 Enoch 10 the Astronomical Book (mostly cosmological speculation, but also includes the eschatological concern of the punishment of sinners, etc), the Dream Visions (animal apocalypse), and the Epistle of Enoch.
- Composed in between 300 BC and the 1st century AD - Is not used in any canonical sense, except for the Ethiopian Orthodox church |
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Animal Apocalypse
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- refers to the second dream vision in the 4th book of enoch
- The history of mankind and of Israel is presented allegorically with animals representing human beings, and human beings representing angels. The history is played out from Adam and Eve to the final judgement. |
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Semihazah
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- Semihazah (also Semyaza) refers to the leader of the band of angels descended from heaven in the Book of the Watchers.
- It is Semyaza who convinces the angels to descend from heaven and fornicate with women, creating the Nephilim. - Semyaza is particularly mentioned by God as being bound for a thousand years and thrown into darkness. - You could make point that either Semihazah or Azazel lead the Watchers - Re-read all the chapters of the Apocalyptic Imagination that have to do with the texts we’ve read (Daniel, Enoch) |
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Azazel
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- Azazel refers to one of the leaders of the band of angels descended from heaven in the Book of the Watchers.
- He has distinction for teaching man secrets of heaven; he teaches man how to make weapons, and how to use cosmetics. His teachings degrade the human race. - Azazel is punished by God by chaining him to jagged rocks and leaving him in darkness. |
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Diaspora
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- Diaspora refers to the dispersion of the Jews, or specifically to the Jews dispersed from outside of Palestine.
- Referred to the exile of the Jews from Israel by the Babylonians in 607 BC and then again from Judea by the Romans in 70 CE - Writings that occurred as a result of the Diaspora include Daniel, all of the apocryphal apocalypses (Mark, Matthew, Luke) |
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70 CE
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- Refers to the year in which the culminating event of the Jewish Revolt (66AD to 70AD) occurred: the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem
- The Romans looted the temple and then razed it to the ground (the modern day Western Wall is all that remains of the Second Temple) - The razing of the temple had an influence on the Gospels (Mark, Matthew, and Luke), as well as 4 Ezra, 2 Baruch, and the Apocalypse of Abraham. |
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Jerusalem Temple
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- Refers to the Second Temple that was destroyed during 70 CE by future-emperor Titus
- The temple was destroyed in response to the Jewish Revolt. It’s destruction marked the end of the revolt. |
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Abomination of Desolation
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- Refers to a phrase used in both 1 Maccabees and in the Book of Daniel
- Phrase is used in reference to the desecrations of the temple by Antiochus Epiphanes IV, specifically the erection of a statue of Zeus in the Temple. - Used in the context of a prophecy ex eventu. |
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Pseudopigraphy
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- In this context, pseudopigraphy refers to the false attribution of text to esteemed prophets in order to give ones work legitimacy.
- An additional goal of Pseudopigraphy is to link a work to an earlier work. - Examples of pseudopigraphical texts include the Book of Enoch. Enoch was a figure in Genisis, who was modeled after an ancient king who had associations of the sun and of knowledge. - can be used for legitimacy and also to draw attention to other parts of the bible. You pick someone who is important and also, something you want to say is associated with the person. Enoch: he is taken into heaven. In Genesis, modeled on a certain king of ancient who had associations of the sun and knowledge. |
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Prophet
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- A prophet has two meanings, one from ancient Judaism, and one from early Christianity.
- Jewish prophet: A prophet in the Jewish sense was someone who denounced what was occurring around them, not necessarily someone who saw the future (Daniel) - Christian prophet: a Christian prophet was someone who talked in coded terms about what was to occur in the future. (Jesus) |
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Throne Vision
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- A throne vision is a common characteristic of apocalyptic literature
- Generally, the seer is presented with a magnificent throne (on which seats God), surrounded by angels or other divine beings. - Examples of throne visions occur in texts like Revelation and 1 Enoch |
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Mediator
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- Refers to one of the characteristics of an apocalypse, a divine mediator
- The divine mediator (often an angel or some other otherworldly being) leads the seer and delivers a the message of God, or leads the seer to the place where he hears the message of God |
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Seer
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- A seer is the recipient of the vision of the divine.
- He is led by a mediator (often an angel or an otherworldly creature) - The vision he receives grants him increased authority |
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Antiochus IV Epiphanes
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- Antiochus was a Seleucid ruler who supported the Hellenization of the jewish people.
- Interested in the Temple Treasury to pay for his war with Egypt, he appoints Jason as the high priest. However, when Jason wouldn’t allow him to rob the temple, he deposes Jason and replaces him with Menelaus, who isn’t even technically eligible to be a priest. - Jason returns and, with the rumor that Antiochus is dead, sparks a revolt. Antiochus, who is not dead, crushes the rebellion and makes various decrees to punish the Jews (pagan altars built in the temple, ban on reading the torah, ban on keeping the Sabbath, Jews forced to eat unclean mean, all markers of Judaism removed, etc.) - The Book of Daniel was written to attempt to come to terms with the decrees of Antiochus |
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Daniel
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- Daniel refers to a character in the Bible who was enslaved by the Babylonians, taken to the kingdom of Nebuchanezzer, where he was used to interpret Nebuchanezzer’s dreams.
- Later was used by Darius the Mede for the same purpose, who was forced to send Daniel into the lions den for not complying with his edicts - Daniel has a series of Apocalyptic prophecies: the vision of the four beasts (representing the four kingdoms, the fourth of which devours the whole earth), the vision of the ram and the goat (Persia and Greece), and the Prophecy of Seventy Weeks - Pseudopigraphal, the Book of Daniel was written shortly before the death of Antiochus, as an attempt to come to terms with the destruction wrought by him. |
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Parousia
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refers to the second coming of Christ during the end of days
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Domitian
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- Roman emperor from 81 – 96
- Brother of Titus, who gained renown for his crushing of the Roman-Jewish uprising - Christians and Jews were heavily persecuted during Domitian’s reign - Some think that Revelation was written during his reign and persecution |
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Revelation
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- Date is unclear, but probably post-70 CE under the reign of Domitian
- Written by John of Patmos. Unclear whether or not he’s Jewish or Christian, as the dates point to the very beginning of the split of Christianity from Judaism - Possibly a Jew living outside of the Diaspora, could have been a refugee. His worldview was very Jewish, but clear he suffered a very traumatic event. o Beasts as roman rempire, lack of cohesion as the synagogue of satan o The author is looking for comfort and vindication - Composed of letters to the 7 churches of asia, and then two visions - First vision is the Son of Man giving 7 warnings to each of the 7 christian communities - The second vision is of the Great Tribulation, the Campaign of Armageddon, and the Second Coming of Christ (parousia). |
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Apocalypse of Zephaniah
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- Pseudopigriphal text detailing the prophet Zephaniah being taken, by the angel of the lord, to see what happens to souls after their death
- Main Ideas: the soul’s transition into the afterlife (Apocalypse of Paul), trumpets (where else are these used? Enoch) scrolls (see also: Revelation), angels as soldiers, distress at the sight of Hell (Apocalypse of Peter) - Related terms: Coptic (was written in dialects of Coptic), pseudopigraphy (the book wasn’t really written by Zephaniah), Dies Irae. |
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Apocalypse of Abraham
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- Pseudopigraphal text detailing Abraham’s encounters of history, and a heavenly Journey. Originally written around the destruction of the second temple.
- Main Ideas: the beast with four faces - Related terms: Aramaic (originally written in), periodization, Azazel, heavenly journey |
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Apocalypse of Peter
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- Text framed as a discourse of the Risen Christ detailing to Peter the pleasures of Heaven and the tortures of Hell
- Main Ideas: distress at the sight of Hell (Apocalypse of Zephaniah), torture, heavenly journey - Related Terms: Mark 13 (set in the scenario described in), Nekiya |
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Apocalypse of Paul
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- An apocryphal expansion and rearrangement of the Apocalypse of Peter—the text contains a detailed description of Heaven, and then Hell, and details the torments within.
- Main Ideas: soul’s transition into the afterlife (Apocalypse of Zephaniah, Apocalypse of Peter), Heavenly Descriptions (Enoch), Thrones (Enoch), Torture (Peter, Zephaniah), Throne vision with elders and beasts worshipping God (Revelation) - Related terms: coptic |
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Book of Ezekiel
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- Contents include Ezekiel having a vision of the Heavens, and then making a series of announcements
- Contains several characteristics of apocalyptic texts: o Throne Visions: Apocalypse of Paul, Enoch (Right?) Where else throne visions? o Disparate Forces Coming Together: Enoch, Where Else o Wheels - Historical purpose was to make sense, to the Jewish people, of what happened in the Babylonian exile. The text attempts to make sense of how the Jewish people could worship when their temple had been destroyed, and to assert that God had not abandoned his people. Also contributed to a growing sense of comfort in Babylon - Related terms: Babylon, Babylonian Exile, Destruction of 2nd Temple. |
