My Thoughts on Apocalyptic Language and the Word Apocalypse
A very interesting note is that the Greek word for revelation is apokálypsi (αποκάλυψη). When people speak of the apocalypse - they speak of the end of the world. The word apocalyptic refers to the ultimate destiny of the world or foreboding imminent disaster or impending doom. Isaiah, as a prophet, was speaking of apocalyptic prophecies (which he also spoke of what may be the Millennium Kingdom in Isaiah 11) way before Daniel spoke them while in exile in Babylon. The Greek word also means reveal (hence the word revelation) or uncover. Revelation is a book that reveals the future to come. The unidentified angel (probably Gabriel) was revealing things to come to John while in exile in Patmos.
It would be interesting that earlier translators of the Bible (or maybe even earlier versions of the King James Version) used the caption "The Apocalypse of St. John" instead of the word revelation. Both are synonymous since the Greek word for revelation is apocalypsi where you get the word apocalypse. the word apocalypse which originally means revelation of future events ends up getting associated with doomsday. The Book of Revelation talks about the end of this old world and a new world to come. The Book of Revelation is a book of the end times that talks about events that lead to the end of this present world to the eternal kingdom to come.
The phrase "end of the world" is used in Biblical translations. Matthew 12:39-49 uses the harvest of the wheat and the tares to describe the end of the world. Revelation 14 also talks about the great harvest at the end of the world. Matthew 24 talks about the end of the world and the signs to look out for. The end of the world is really a future event that nobody but only the Father knows. The Lord Jesus was already talking about the end of the world days before His arrest and crucifixion.
What would be interesting to know is that the Apocalypse is also often associated with Armageddon. Armageddon tends to be synonymously associated with the end of the world. Armageddon is defined by Strong's concordance as the hill or city of Megiddo. Megiddo is spoken in the Old Testament. The definition of Armageddon can be seen as the coming of the Apocalypse. Armageddon is the very place where the final battle between Jesus Christ and the forces of the Antichrist takes place. Armageddon is where the Antichrist and the False Prophet will be the first to be thrown into the Lake of Fire. It is also where Satan will be caught and be bound for a thousand years before the Millennium Kingdom can even begin. There will be a 75-day internal in Daniel 12 (1,330 days - 1,260 days) which happens in-between the end of the Battle of Armageddon and the beginning of the temporal, Millennial Kingdom. Today, the word Armageddon is often used to describe as a terrible downfall of something. The word Apocalypse is often referred to as the end of the world.
Language evolves over time and the word apocalypse gets associated with not just revealing something but also the end of all things. Yes, the world is really coming to an end. The Book of Revelation is really about the end of the world. Judgment is at hand. Everything in God's prophetic calendar is far more accurate than all the so-called doomsday clocks in the world. The Mayan Calendar was used in an attempt to determine when the Rapture will take place and failed. It would be a good question to ask people is "Are you sure you're going to be on the right side when the world ends?"
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