Was a new genre of prophetical writing that developed in post-Exilic Jewish culture and was popular among millennialist early Christians. “Apocalypse” is from the Greek word for “revelation” which means “an unveiling or unfolding of things not previously known and which could not be known apart from the unveiling” (Goswiller 1987 p. 3). The flaming poetry of the Book of Revelation that is ascribed to John is well known to many Christians who are otherwise unaware of the
literary genre it represents. The apocalyptic literature of Judaism and Christianity embraces a considerable period, from the centuries following the exile down to the close of the middle ages. Estimates to the great formative periods of this literature – in Judaism to 200 BC to AD 100, and in Christianity to AD 50 to 350 or thereabouts.