As society teeters on the brink of nuclear apocalypse, Markus Moksha, an oversexed alcoholic anthropologist, encounters Dordogne, a telepathic woman from the future who recognizes his import to the fate of humanity. She recruits him to join her team of time-traveling scientists aboard their UFO, as they venture back through the distant past, seeking to enact a change that will bring peace to his time and avert the Great War. Along the way, Markus discovers that his loathsome christian upbringing, together with an unabashed love of alcohol, drugs, and promiscuous sex, have inexplicably imbued him with the perfect set of tools for furthering the mission. However, mounting hardship and clashes for control of the timeline force every member of the team to look within and reflect on what it means to be human. As civilization’s last hope of avoiding Armageddon, they must persevere in the face of pervasive challenges and devastating loss, with the wish of returning home to find a new and brighter world, where the political and religious feuds of the troglodyte past have given way to an enlightened, Superhuman future.
Could “UFOs” and “Aliens” simply be us, but from the future? This provocative new book cautiously examines the premise that extraterrestrials may instead be our distant human descendants, using the anthropological tool of time travel to visit and study us in their own hominin evolutionary past. Dr. Michael P. Masters, a professor of biological anthropology specializing in human evolutionary anatomy, archaeology, and biomedicine, explores how the persistence of long-term biological and cultural trends in human evolution may ultimately result in us becoming the ones piloting these disc-shaped craft, which are likely the very devices that allow our future progeny to venture backward across the landscape of time. Moreover, these extratempestrials are ubiquitously described as bipedal, large-brained, hairless, human-like beings, who communicate with us in our own languages, and who possess technology advanced beyond, but clearly built upon, our own. These accounts, coupled with a thorough understanding of the past and modern human condition, point to the continuation of established biological and cultural trends here on Earth, long into the distant human future.
The final book of the Bible, Revelation prophesies the ultimate judgement of mankind in a series of allegorical visions, grisly images and numerological predictions. According to these, empires will fall, the "Beast" will be destroyed and Christ will rule a new Jerusalem. With an introduction by Will Self.
The Book of Revelation is a work of profound theology. But its literary form makes it impenetrable to many modern readers and open to all kinds of misinterpretations. Richard Bauckham explains how the book's imagery conveyed meaning in its original context and how the book's theology is inseparable from its literary structure and composition. Revelation is seen to offer not an esoteric and encoded forecast of historical events but rather a theocentric vision of the coming of God's universal kingdom, contextualised in the late first-century world dominated by Roman power and ideology. It calls on Christians to confront the political idolatries of the time and to participate in God's purpose of gathering all the nations into his kingdom. Once Revelation is properly grounded in its original context it is seen to transcend that context and speak to the contemporary church. This study concludes by highlighting Revelation's continuing relevance for today.
"[The Book of] Revelation has served as a "language arsenal" in a great many of the social, cultural, and political conflicts in Western history. Again and again, Revelation has stirred some dangerous men and women to act out their own private apocalypses. Above all, the moral calculus of Revelation—the demonization of one's enemies, the sanctification of revenge taking, and the notion that history must end in catastrophe—can be detected in some of the worst atrocities and excesses of every age, including our own. For all of these reasons, the rest of us ignore the book of Revelation only at our impoverishment and, more to the point, at our own peril." The mysterious author of the Book of Revelation (or the Apocalypse, as the last book of the New Testament is also known) never considered that his sermon on the impending end times would last beyond his own life. In fact, he predicted that the destruction of the earth would be witnessed by his contemporaries. Yet Revelation not only outlived its creat∨ this vivid and violent revenge fantasy has played a significant role in the march of Western civilization. Ever since Revelation was first preached as the revealed word of Jesus Christ, it has haunted and inspired hearers and readers alike. The mark of the beast, the Antichrist, 666, the Whore of Babylon, Armageddon, and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are just a few of the images, phrases, and codes that have burned their way into the fabric of our culture. The questions raised go straight to the heart of the human fear of death and obsession with the afterlife. Will we, individually or collectively, ride off to glory, or will we drown in hellfire for all eternity? As those who best manipulate this dark vision learned, which side we fall on is often a matter of life or death. Honed into a weapon in the ongoing culture wars between states, religions, and citizenry, Revelation has significantly altered the course of history. Kirsch, whom the Washington Post calls "a fine storyteller with a flair for rendering ancient tales relevant and appealing to modern audiences," delivers a far-ranging, entertaining, and shocking history of this scandalous book, which was nearly cut from the New Testament. From the fall of the Roman Empire to the Black Death, the Inquisition to the Protestant Reformation, the New World to the rise of the Religious Right, this chronicle of the use and abuse of the Book of Revelation tells the tale of the unfolding of history and the hopes, fears, dreams, and nightmares of all humanity.
The book of Revelation is the most fascinating book ever written. It claims to be a vision of the end of the world. The reader is swept up into another time and another place as the panorama of the future unfolds before us. This final book of the biblical record is the capstone of divine revelation. In it, God reveals the great end-times drama that leads to Armageddon and beyond.
Is there a book of the Bible more often discussed and yet less understood than the Book of Revelation? The "seven seals." The "dragon." The "beast." The "sea of glass." The fantastic imagery found in the Book of Revelation has long captivated Christians but remains mysterious to many. In the midst of so much discussion about the end times, what does Revelation teach us about living in the present moment, with our eyes focused on the heavenly Jerusalem? Michael Barber's Coming Soon explores these questions by taking a detailed look at Revelation and its rich tapestry of prophecy, history, and biblical allusion. Barber explores the profound link between the Mass celebrated here on earth and the eternal reality of heaven, demonstrating that the Apocalypse reveals truth that has practical implications for today and points to a firm hope in tomorrow. Coming Soon is a verse-by-verse commentary on the Book of Revelation using the Revised Standard Version: Catholic Edition of the Bible. Barber provides a Catholic interpretation, which sees the liturgical background of this book of Scripture-a perspective missing in many Protestant commentaries.
Tour the Final Book of the Bible Revelation was written because God wants us to know what the future holds. For Christians, the prophetic truths within provide wisdom, reassurance, and discernment—while for unbelievers, Revelation is a plea to receive God’s grace while there is still time. Bestselling author Amir Tsarfati examines what Revelation makes known about the end times and beyond. Guided by accessible teaching that lets Scripture speak for itself, you’ll take a closer look at the timeline of what believers and nonbelievers will experience before, during, and after the tribulation plan that the Lord has specifically prepared for the people of Israel in the end times encouragements, challenges, and warnings Jesus Himself gave to prepare us for His return Revealing Revelation provides an eye-opening look at what lies ahead for every person in the end times—either in heaven or on earth. Are you prepared for what is to come?
All Things New is not just another book on Bible prophecy. Are we the terminal generation? Are we the generation of mankind that will see the fulfillment of its prophecies? This book answers those questions. The book of Revelation needs to be engaged, more now than in any era of human history. However, many recent books on the subject of Revelation take a much too scholarly approach to a book that was written to be understood by the common man. All Things New is a verse-by-verse commentary/guide for the Christian or non-Christian reader who may simply want to know what the book of Revelation is all about and what its significance is for us today. Included are definitions of the basic terms related to the Church and Christianity that a non-believer might not understand but are necessary for a clear, comprehensive understanding of Revelation. This book is not just about scary beasts, incomprehensible images, and mind-boggling catastrophes and judgments. Its also a book of vindication for the people of God, a demonstration of God's eternal justice, and most importantly, a book of hope for a world that seems to have lost its way. There are storm clouds on the horizon, and a cold night of despair will follow, but the night is never so cold as just before the dawn. May everyone who reads this book find joy, peace, and tranquil hope for the future in the person of Jesus Christ. A new day is coming, and a new world will dawn in which God will indeed make All Things New. To read a Kirkus review for this book copy and paste this address into your browser: http://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/tim-snider/all-things-new-snider/#review
A startling exploration of the history of the most controversial book of the Bible, by the bestselling author of Beyond Belief. Through the bestselling books of Elaine Pagels, thousands of readers have come to know and treasure the suppressed biblical texts known as the Gnostic Gospels. As one of the world's foremost religion scholars, she has been a pioneer in interpreting these books and illuminating their place in the early history of Christianity. Her new book, however, tackles a text that is firmly, dramatically within the New Testament canon: The Book of Revelation, the surreal apocalyptic vision of the end of the world . . . or is it? In this startling and timely book, Pagels returns The Book of Revelation to its historical origin, written as its author John of Patmos took aim at the Roman Empire after what is now known as "the Jewish War," in 66 CE. Militant Jews in Jerusalem, fired with religious fervor, waged an all-out war against Rome's occupation of Judea and their defeat resulted in the desecration of Jerusalem and its Great Temple. Pagels persuasively interprets Revelation as a scathing attack on the decadence of Rome. Soon after, however, a new sect known as "Christians" seized on John's text as a weapon against heresy and infidels of all kinds-Jews, even Christians who dissented from their increasingly rigid doctrines and hierarchies. In a time when global religious violence surges, Revelations explores how often those in power throughout history have sought to force "God's enemies" to submit or be killed. It is sure to appeal to Pagels's committed readers and bring her a whole new audience who want to understand the roots of dissent, violence, and division in the world's religions, and to appreciate the lasting appeal of this extraordinary text.
