Valeriy Sterkh - Apocalypse. Interpretation of the XXI century

Apocalypse. Interpretation of the XXI century

Valeriy Sterkh

Translator Evgeniy Terekhin

Translator Valeriy Sterkh

© Valeriy Sterkh, 2021

© Evgeniy Terekhin, translation, 2021

© Valeriy Sterkh, translation, 2021

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

1I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. 2I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. 3For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. 4For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, 5and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. 6He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 7He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. 8I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. 9I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. 10I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins 11and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead 12and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Verily, verily, it is much later now than we think. The Apocalypse is already unfolding.

Bible book abbreviations

Old Testament

Canonical books:

Genesis  Gen

Exodus  Ex

Leviticus  Lev

Numbers  Num

Deuteronomy  Deut

Joshua  Josh

Judges  Judg

Ruth  Ruth

1 Samuel  1 Sam

2 Samuel  2 Sam

1 Kings  1 Kings

2 Kings  2 Kings

1 Chronicles  1 Chron

2 Chronicles  2 Chron

Ezra  Ezra

Nehemiah  Neh

Esther  Est

Book of Job  Job

Psalms  Ps

Proverbs  Prov

Ecclesiastes  Eccles

Song of Solomon  Song

Isaiah  Is

Jeremiah  Jer

Lamentations  Lam

Ezekiel  Ezek

Daniel  Dan

Hosea  Hos

Joel  Joel

Amos  Am

Obadiah  Obad

Jonah  Jonah

Micah  Mic

Nahum  Nah

Habakkuk  Hab

Zephaniah  Zeph

Haggai  Hag

Zechariah  Zech

Malachi  Mal

Deuterocanonical books:

1 Esdras  1 Esd

2 Esdras  2 Esd

Tobit  Tob

Judith  Jdt

Wisdom  Wis

Sirach  Sir

Baruch  Bar

1 Maccabees  1 Macc

2 Maccabees  2 Macc

3 Maccabees  3 Macc

New Testament

Matthew  Mt

Mark  Mk

Luke  Lk

John  Jn

Acts of the Apostles  Act

Epistles:

James  Jm

1 Peter  1 Pet

2 Peter  2 Pet

1 John  1 Jn

2 John  2 Jn

3 John  3 Jn

Jude  Jude

Pauline epistles:

Romans  Rom

1 Corinthians  1 Cor

2 Corinthians  2 Cor

Galatians  Gal

Ephesians  Eph

Philippians  Php

Colossians  Col

1 Thessalonians  1 Thess

2 Thessalonians  2 Thess

1 Timothy  1 Tim

2 Timothy  2 Tim

Titus  Tit

Philemon  Phm

Hebrews  Heb

Revelation (Apocalypse) of John  Rev

Prologue

a. The Author of the Apocalypse

The Apocalypse, or Revelation of John the Apostle, is the last book in the New Testament canon. It was written by John, the son of Zebedee, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, who is more commonly known as John the Theologian.

John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace (Rev 1:4).

I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ (Rev 1:9).

And I John saw these things, and heard them (Rev 22:8).

This nickname he got from the first lines of his other book  the Gospel of John: In the beginning was the Word [Logos], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not (Jn 1:15).

Here is what we know about him from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John himself.

He met Jesus under the following circumstances. And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, [called] the sea of Galilee, and saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simons, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not. And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And when they had brought their ships to land, straightway left their nets, they forsook all, and followed him. And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. And straightway he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him (UG 36 [United Gospel]; Mt 4:1822; Mk 1:1620; Lk 5:111). This is how John became a disciple of Jesus.