Apocalyptic Teaching of Ezekiel

Apocalyptic Teaching of Jeremiah

Apocalyptic Teaching of Isaiah

Allegorical Readings, Symbols, and Codes

Isaiah 2

  1. The Apocalyptic Genre in Isaiah

Apocalyptic literature in the Book of Isaiah often revolves around themes of divine judgment and the eventual vindication of God’s righteousness. In Isaiah 24-27, a section sometimes referred to as the “Isaian Apocalypse,” there is a vision of a cosmic judgment encompassing the entire earth. The Church Fathers, such as Saint Jerome, perceived in these passages a prefiguration of Christ’s final judgment, which would separate the righteous from the wicked.

Isaiah 24:21-23 declares: “And it shall come to pass, that in that day the Lord shall visit upon the host of heaven on high, and upon the kings of the earth, on the earth. And they shall be gathered together as in the gathering of one bundle into the pit, and they shall be shut up there in prison: and after many days they shall be visited. And the moon shall blush, and the sun shall be ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Sion, and in Jerusalem, and shall be glorified in the sight of his ancients.”

  1. Restoration and Transformation of Creation

Apocalyptic elements in Isaiah also include vivid depictions of the renewal and transformation of the created order, often referred to as the “new heavens and new earth.” These passages resonate with Catholic eschatological teachings about the restoration of creation and the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan.

Isaiah 65:17-19 “For behold I create new heavens, and a new earth: and the former things shall not be in remembrance, and they shall not come upon the heart. But you shall be glad and rejoice for ever in these things, which I create: for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and the people thereof joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people, and the voice of weeping shall no more be heard in her, nor the voice of crying.”

 

  1. Messianic Hope and Redemption

The apocalyptic passages in Isaiah are intertwined with messianic hope and the promise of redemption. Catholic scholars, such as Saint Augustine, have illuminated the connection between these passages and the person of Jesus Christ, seeing in them a foretelling of His role as the Messiah.

Isaiah 35:4-6 “Say to the fainthearted: Take courage, and fear not: behold your God will bring the revenge of recompense: God himself will come and will save you. Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall be free: for waters are broken out in the desert, and streams in the wilderness.”

  1. Suffering Servant makes Atonement

Apocalyptic themes in Isaiah are also intricately connected to the concept of the “Suffering Servant.” Catholic theologians, like Saint Thomas Aquinas, have interpreted these passages as foreshadowing the redemptive suffering of Christ, particularly in Isaiah 53.

Isaiah 53:4-5 “Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows: and we have thought him as it were a leper, and as one struck by God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed.”

  1. Hope after Wrath

Apocalyptic passages in Isaiah offer hope amidst times of desolation and upheaval. They remind believers of God’s sovereignty over history and His ultimate victory over evil. This theme resonates with the Catholic understanding of God’s providence and the triumph of His plan.

Isaiah 61:1-3 “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me: he hath sent me to preach to the meek, to heal the contrite of heart, and to preach a release to the captives, and deliverance to them that are shut up. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God: to comfort all that mourn: To appoint to the mourners of Zion, and to give them a crown for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, a garment of praise for the spirit of grief: and they shall be called in it the mighty ones of justice, the planting of the Lord to glorify him.”

Apocalyptic Teaching of Isaiah

What is Eschatology? Study of End Times

A common feature of Apocalyptic Literature is “eschatology,” which comes from the Greek word “eschatos” meaning “last or final thing.” It is the formal study of the end times. Apocalyptic Literature therefore includes the progress of history from God’s point of view moving toward the final battle between Good and evil and the judgment of God and then eternal bliss for the elect and eternal condemnation for the reprobate

Not all apocalyptic literature is eschatological. Anything that peels back reality to a divine revelation is included. So the baptism of Christ, transfiguration of Christ, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ are apocalyptic realities.

Eschatology, the study of the ultimate destiny of humanity and the world, holds a central place in Catholic theology. Rooted in the teachings of Christ and elucidated through the writings of Catholic saints, eschatology provides insight into the culmination of God’s plan for creation and the human soul. This lesson delves into eschatology from a Catholic point of view, highlighting five key points with citations from Catholic saints: the reality of the Last Judgment, the concept of Heaven and Hell, the significance of purgatory, the resurrection of the body, and the eternal beatitude in union with God.

1. Reality of the Last Judgment: Catholic saints have consistently affirmed the reality of the Last Judgment, where every individual will stand before God to account for their actions and decisions. Saint John Chrysostom underscores the solemnity of this event: “We shall all be led before the judgment seat of Christ, not that he may examine into our life, but that he may openly set forth to men what each hath done.” This teaching reinforces the Catholic belief that ultimate justice will be meted out, with Christ as the just judge.

2. Concept of Heaven and Hell: Catholic eschatology includes the concepts of Heaven and Hell, reflecting the eternal destinies of the righteous and the wicked. Saint Teresa of Avila vividly describes the significance of these states: “In heaven, the beauty of God’s being shines forth without a veil. In hell, the will of God is obscured.” The saints’ writings remind us that Heaven is the ultimate communion with God, while Hell is the deprivation of His presence.

3. Significance of Purgatory: The concept of purgatory, a temporary state of purification for souls destined for Heaven, is a distinctive aspect of Catholic eschatology. Saint Catherine of Genoa offers insight into this process: “Nothing defiled will ever enter into the presence of God. The soul that is attached to anything however much good there may be in it, will not arrive at the liberty of divine union.” The Catholic view of purgatory demonstrates the understanding of God’s mercy and the purification required to fully embrace His presence.

4. Resurrection of the Body: Catholic eschatology affirms the resurrection of the body, a belief rooted in the resurrection of Christ. Saint Augustine expounds on this truth: “The resurrection of the flesh is a great and marvelous thing, but a truth that is difficult to understand. To believe it requires great faith.” The saints’ writings emphasize the continuity between the earthly and resurrected bodies, indicating the fulfillment of the human person in body and soul.

5. Eternal Beatitude in Union with God: The pinnacle of Catholic eschatology is the eternal beatitude achieved through union with God. Saint John of the Cross poignantly expresses the heart’s desire for this union: “At the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love.” The writings of saints reveal that the ultimate goal of human existence is to attain the unending joy of being united with the source of all love and goodness.

Conclusion

Let me close by saying “Eschatology” should not be sad, depressing or scary. It should be joyful! The earliest Christians greeted each other with the term “Maranatha”.

“Maranatha” is an Aramaic word that appears in the New Testament of the Bible. It is found in the First Letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 16:22) and is often considered to have eschatological significance. The word itself is a transliteration of the Aramaic phrase “מָרָנָא תָּא” (maranâ thâ), and it literally means “The Lord is coming” or “Lord come!” The early Christians were excited and anticipating the coming of the Lord Jesus and the end of the world. It was a good thing. We need to reorient ourselves to a joyful take on eschatology. Say it with me: Maranatha!”

Let’s not go deeper into Eschatology by studying how it is fulfilled in the Past Tense and in the Future Tense. Our next video is Preterist and Futurist.

What is the Apocalypse?

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Step 2: Practice Quiz

Step 1: How to Keep Track of Your Progress in Your Certificate

Welcome to the NSTI certificate course in Apocalyptic Studies. Let me make two promises to you as you begin this exciting topic. You are about to become fluent in some of the most difficult concepts in biblical studies. I have endeavored to present to you not my ideas or opinions, but the quotations and summaries from Scripture, the Church Fathers, Councils, and Popes. My promise is that this is a historical, traditional, and biblical approach to the study of Apocalypse, Antichrist, and the End of the World. My goal is not to give you sensationalism, but a sober and well-researched account that remains faithful to orthodox, Catholic faith.

That being said we will cover the following topics: the Old Testament Apocalyptic genre, Christ’s teaching on the Antichrist, as well as Saint Paul and Saint on the Antichrist. Then we will run through the book of the Apocalypse with the 7 churches, 7 seals, 7 trumpets and seven plagues. In your final module, we will cover private revelation and apocalyptic literature such as 1 Enoch, 3 Days of Darkness, the message of the Eclipse of the Church at La Salettte, the Third Secret of Fatima and more.

You are going to experience an in-depth course covering the riches of Catholic theology from heaven’s point of view and the final culmination of all things when Jesus Christ announces “Behold I make all things new.”

My second promise is that you will grow closer to Christ as your King, Lord and Savior. This is not about tickling the ears or exciting the emotions. This is a theological course centered on Jesus Christ and His work from beginning to end – Alpha and Omega. Many treatments of “end times studies” are about contingencies and not on God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This course is entirely Christ-centered. And that’s my promise.

Practically, this course, like all NSTI courses is not based on semesters, contracts, deadlines, or obligations. You may go as fast or slow as you like.

The Certificate course you are about to take consists of Modules that contain about 3-7 video units. After you complete a video unit, there is a “Mark as Complete”. Always be sure to click that completion button and the NSTI site will keep track of everything you have completed and also reveal to you a “progress bar” of how much you have completed to finishing the course. Our students find this completion progress bar very helpful and encouraging as they move through their course.

You can begin with this Apocalyptic Studies course, but I recommend you begin with our NSTI Old Testament and our NSTI New Testament courses to be more conversant in biblical concepts.

If you are a Basic student or below, you have access to the videos but none of the Quizzes, Review, Final Exam or ability to earn your Certificate. If you are Premium or higher, you have access to Quizzes, review, Final Exam and can earn your Certificate. If you have a lower student membership and you want to upgrade to premium or above to gain full access, please contact us at support@nsti.com and we will upgrade you ASAP.

If you are a Premium or higher member students you will be able to take the Quizzes at the end of each module to discern how well you are comprehending the material. These quizzes are not held against you if you perform poorly. If you don’t do well, you may want to review that module again before moving on.

For Premium or higher member students, you will have a final exam at the end of the course. We will unlock a review sheet for you and the final exam. The review sheet will provide you everything you must know to pass. NSTI requires a 80% score to pass and receive you certificate. The exam is timed and you can only take it once so please be sure to study thoroughly before clicking “begin the test.”

Let’s now get started. Below this video, click on “Mark as Completed” and move on to Module 2 to begin “Symbols, Codes, and Mysteries”