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Apocalyptic Literature

Apocalyptic literature is often viewed as hard for people. We don’t think they can get their minds around it and we convince ourselves that there are just too many strange things going on that don’t make sense. But when we dig deep and start to appreciate the imagery, we find that this literature has an incredible capacity to bring hope in the triumph of Jesus Christ.

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A great way to earn seminary credit! Earn 2 graduate credits for successfully completing this course from either Trinity Evangelical Divinity School or Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

To enroll in the course for academic credit, simply click “Take Course Now” and select “Course [Academic Credit]”.

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Instructors

CARSON

D.A. Carson

Research Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Retired)

Don is the retired research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, where taught since 1978. He also previously served as professor and dean at Northwest Baptist Theological Seminary in Vancouver. Additionally, he has years of pastoral experience in Canada and the United Kingdom. He earned a BS in chemistry from McGill University, MDiv from Central Baptist Seminary in Toronto and DPhil in New Testament from Cambridge University. He is a member of the Tyndale Fellowship for Biblical Research, the SBL, the Evangelical Theological Society and co-founded The Gospel Coalition. He has written or edited more than 45 books including An Introduction to the New Testament and Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church.

HELM

David Helm

Lead Pastor, Christ Church Chicago

David serves as the senior pastor of Christ Church Chicago and Chairman of the Board of the Charles Simeon Trust, an organization dedicated to the sound preaching of God’s Word. Before that, he served as Lead Pastor in the Hyde Park congregation of Holy Trinity Church. A graduate of Wheaton College, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, David is ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). For Crossway, he authored 1 & 2 Peter and JudeThe Big Picture Story Bible, and contributed to Preach the Word: Essays on Expository Preaching in Honor of Kent Hughes. He also authored One-to-One Bible Reading for Matthias Media and the 9Marks volume Expositional Preaching.

LAWRENCE

Michael Lawrence

Lead Pastor, Hinson Baptist Church

Michael became Senior Pastor at Hinson Baptist Church in Portland, Oregon in September, 2010. Michael came to faith at an early age, but never understood that the Christian life was more than salvation until he was introduced to the InterVarsity campus ministry at Duke. Michael earned an MDiv at Gordon-Conwell and a PhD from Cambridge University in 2002. He served as Associate Pastor for more than 8 years at Capitol Hill Baptist in Washington D.C. He is the author of Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church: A Guide for Ministry, co-author of It Is Well: Expositions on Substitutionary Atonement (with Mark Dever), and contributed to Perspectives on Christian Worship: Five Views.

COPELAND

K. Edward Copeland

Pastor, New Zion Missionary Baptist Church

K. Edward Copeland serves as pastor of New Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Rockford, Illinois. He earned a BA from the University of Illinois, a JD from the University of California, an MDiv from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in Mill Valley, California, as well as a DMin from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has taught for the National Baptist Convention of America, USA Inc. as well as district associations, conventions, and conferences throughout the nation and across denominational lines. He is author of Riding in the Second Chariot: A Guide for Associate Ministers, and a contributing author to Entrusted with the Gospel by Crossway. He also serves as a Council Member of the Gospel Coalition.

TAYLOR

William Taylor

Rector, St. Helen's Bishopsgate

William studied at Cambridge University and served in the British Army as an officer in the Royal Green Jackets. He then studied theology at Ridley Hall, Cambridge and was ordained in 1991. He was then appointed curate at Christ Church, Bromley, in London. William joined St Helen’s Bishopsgate under Dick Lucas in 1995 and succeeded Dick as Rector in 1998. He authored Partnership (Christian Focus Publishers), a book on teaching the themes of Philippians as well as John’s Gospel: Read, Mark, Learn.

Overview

Apocalyptic literature is often viewed as hard for people. We don’t think they can get their minds around it and we c...More
Apocalyptic literature is often viewed as hard for people. We don’t think they can get their minds around it and we convince ourselves that there are just too many strange things going on that don’t make sense. But when we dig deep and start to appreciate the imagery, we find that this literature has an incredible capacity to bring hope in the triumph of Jesus Christ.
Download Syllabus
Lesson 1

Preaching Apocalyptic: Understanding an Alien Genre

D.A. CarsonWelcome to the Apocalyptic Literature unit. In this first lesson, Don Carson begins by taking a look at Apocalyptic Literature and how to get a handle on this alien genre.
Lesson 2

Preaching Apocalyptic: Its Function and Usefulness

D.A. CarsonIn this lesson, Don Carson explores the function and usefulness of Apocalyptic Literature.
Lesson 3

Finding Structure in Apocalyptic Literature

David HelmDavid Helm argues, in this lesson, that finding the divinely inspired structure of a passage is essential for discerning its emphasis, and teaching it well.
Lesson 4

How Context Helps in Apocalyptic Literature

Michael LawrenceMichael Lawrence uses this lesson to show how the literary, historical, and biblical contexts help us to handle even difficult passages in Apocalyptic Literature well. 
Lesson 5

Preaching Christ from Apocalyptic Literature

David HelmIn this instruction, Dave Helm shows how Apocalyptic Literature affords a Bible teacher opportunities to preach the fullness of the gospel. 
Lesson 6

Exposition 1: Daniel 12

K. Edward CopelandK. Edward Copeland gives an exposition at the church he pastors on Daniel 12. 
Lesson 7

Exposition 2: Matthew 24:29-43

William TaylorBe challenged to live for Christ by William Taylor's sermon on Matthew 24:29-43.
Lesson 8

Exposition 3: Revelation 14

David HelmListen as David Helm explores the fullness of the apostolic proclamation in his sermon on Revelation 14.
Bonus Feature

Women's Exposition: Revelation 4-5

Kathleen B. NielsonIn this lesson, Kathleen Nielson (Board Member of the Charles Simeon Trust) teaches from Revelation 4-5.
Bonus Feature

A Primer on Apocalyptic Literature

David HelmIn this lesson, Dave Helm addresses some why we avoid Apocalyptic Literature, why we should try it, and some helps in studying it.
Bonus Feature

And Where Is Jesus?

D.A. CarsonIn this lesson, Don Carson works through methods for seeing Jesus in Apocalyptic Literature.
Bonus Feature

Melodic Line of Revelation

Michael LawrenceIn this lesson, Michael Lawrence explores the melodic line of the book of Revelation.
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Course Resources

Here you'll find course documents and other helps for the course that are all available for download.