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This is a direct continuation of the series on 2 Peter and Jude.

\nApocalyptic literature refers to writings that reveal the hidden things\nof God. It is a new term, not one that apocalyptic writers applied to\nthemselves, and there is some debate as to which works are apocalyptic\nand which are merely prophetic. It is found in canonical and\nextra-canonical writings of both the Old and New Testaments, mainly\nafter the Babylonian Exile, usually in times of persecution, especially\nthe time from 200BC to 200AD, and deals with the end times\n(eschatology).
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\nApocalyptic visions are dramatic and often wild and highly symbolic,\nand often mediated through an angel. There is no definitive list of\napocalyptic literature, but commonly cited as examples are Daniel,\nIsaiah, Ezekiel, Zephaniah, Revelation, 2 Thessalonians, The Olivet\nDiscourse (found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke), as well as the\nextra-canonical books of 1 and 2 Enoch, Jubilees, Testament of the\nTwelve Patriarchs, 4 Esdras, 2 Baruch, The Testament of Abraham, and\nthe Apocalypse of Abraham. The extra-canonical books are called\npseudepigrapha (or falsely ascribed writings) to distinguish them from\nthe deuterocanonical books sometimes called apocrypha by Protestants.
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\nApocalyptic eschatology differs from prophetic eschatology in a few\nways, but one difference is that some see prophetic eschatology as more\npersonal and more naturalistic, while apocalyptic eschatology is more\nobviously supernatural and deals with God breaking into history in\ncataclysmic ways coming from above. Others would note that even in\nprophetic eschatology, it is God's will which the prophecy follows.\nApocalypse is often less well-accepted into the mainstream than other\nprophecy, but none of these criteria should be viewed as absolute;\nthere is much room for dispute.
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\nSome believe these apocalyptic writings were composed in part to give\nan answer to why the pious were continuing to be persecuted and the end\nof prophecy. This is probably true of the pseudepigraphal works, though\nit must be clear that apocalyptic prophecy is given by God, and not\nbrought down by man. There was a rise in apocalyptic writing in the\n19th century in an attempt to understand why some Christian sects were\nbecoming more liberal.

The closing theme is Gerard Satamian's Chansons Sans Paroles Op. 2 Pastorale, from the album Dry Fig Trees. www.magnatune.com