03. The Apocalypse (Revelation)

3. THE APOCALYPSE (REVELATION)[1]

[Handout: Greek page: Revelation 1:1].

 The apocalypse (apokaluyiV),[2] means ‘disclosure: appearing, coming, lighten, manifestation, be revealed, revelation’. 

Root of the word is kalu, meaning ‘a veil’.  The prefix apo means ‘off, away, from’.  The sense of the word, then, is ‘to remove the veil’.

 Question: What are the veils that keep us from seeing God?  Following are four veils mentioned in the Bible and the Book of Revelation shows Christ REVEALED through them all.

 I. THE VEIL OF MORTALITY, HUMANITIES GREATEST ENEMY:

             A.  A Prophecy of Jesus Christ as described in Isaiah 25:7-8: “And He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations.  And He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.”

            1. Note these words: ‘Destroy’ = ‘Swallow up’.[3]  This is the same Hebrew word.

            2. ‘Covering’ and ‘veil’ are synonyms,[4] both including the meaning of a veil or covering.

            3. See also the prophecy in Hosea 13:14: “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

 B. These prophecies are both declared to be fulfilled in Christ:

            1. READ: 1 Corinthians 15:26, 54-57 AMP.  These pertain to the resurrection of the body, but may also apply to the resurrected life in the Spirit.

             2. Christ promised “everlasting life” to those who believed in Him and kept His commandments: John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

                        READ: John 5:24-26.  

                        READ: John 6:47-51.

                        READ: Galatians 6:8.[5]

             3. The Book of Revelation shows the fulfillment of the removal of this veil of mortality:

                        READ: Revelation 7:13-17.

                        READ: Revelation 21: 2-7.

 II. THE VEIL OF THE TEMPLE: Reference Exodus 26:30-35.

Matthew 27:51: When Christ was crucified: “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks were rent.”

            A. Christ removed this veil: READ: Hebrews 9:1-12.

             B. This veil was Jesus’ own flesh: READ: Hebrews 10:19-22.

             C. Gentiles accepted into the presence of God: Ephesians 2: 11-22.

  III. THE LAW: A VEIL.

             A. READ: Exodus 34:29-35.  Moses had to veil his face, but …

             B. READ: 2 Corinthians 3:2-16: The veil is removed in Christ’s revelation.

             C. But the Gospel is hidden from unbelievers: 2 Corinthians 4:3-4.

 


[1] For additional material see RIC pp. 63-70, 489-494, 612, 633-634.

[2] Strong’s Greek Concordance #602.

[3] Strong’s Hebrew Concordance #1104.

[4]  Hebrew #3875 and 4541.

[5] More Scriptures regarding “everlasting life”: Matthew 19:29; John 4:14; 6:27, 40; 12:50; Romans 6:22; 1 Timothy 1:16.

[6] Psalm 104:2: ‘Garment’= #8008 and 104:6 ‘garment’ =#3830. 104:2 ‘curtain’ =#3407, Isaiah 40:22 ‘curtain’ = #1852 ‘very thin cloth’.

                Psalm 105:39 ‘covering’ = #4539. The Shekinah glory cloud was a curtain, a veil.

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