The Book of Revelation

The imagery of the Book of Revelation – St John’s Apocalypse – has

inspired centuries of interpretation, much of it symbolic or

speculative. In this exceptional series of lectures, Rudolf Steiner

approaches the least understood of Christian texts from a

fundamentally different standpoint: that of direct spiritual

perception and experiential knowledge.

Steiner presents the Apocalypse not as a prophecy of distant events,

but as a living book of initiation that addresses the evolution of

human awareness, the sacramental life and the future tasks of

Christianity. The Apocalypse unfolds as a cosmic and historical

drama: the Alpha and Omega of consciousness, the meaning of its

sacred numbers, letters, seals and trumpets, and the downfall of the

powers opposing the Christ Impulse. The Michael and Sun

mysteries, the significance of 666 and the images of Babylon, the

Beast and the New Jerusalem are explored in relation to karma,

freedom and morality.

The Apocalypse emerges as a spiritual guide for our time,

demanding engagement of the will and conscious striving. Central

to this vision is the changing experience of the Communion service

through successive Mystery epochs, culminating in a future

knowledge of the human ‘I’. By revealing the unity of cosmic and

earthly processes, religion and knowledge, Steiner presents the

Book of Revelation as a living source for humanity’s future

development and the renewal of priestly work.