The Book of Revelation
18 lectures by Rudolf Steiner

St. John’s Book of Revelation — the Apocalypse — has been subjected to countless interpretations by theologians over the years, mostly based on theory and speculation. In contrast, Rudolf Steiner spoke from his own direct experience and knowledge of the spiritual truths contained in St John’s mysterious pictures.

Although he had previously presented his insights into the Book of Revelation a number of times, in 1924 Steiner ventured to give a completely new perspective — in response to a request by priests of The Christian Community — by relating the subject closely to the work of the modern priest. ‘These priests felt the need to achieve a closer relationship with the Book of Revelation’, he wrote later. ‘I believed I would be able to contribute to such a closer relationship. The spiritual paths I follow had enabled me to trace the apocalyptist’s footsteps. So I felt that with this course of lectures I would be able to achieve a depiction that would convey this priestly book in its true sense as a spiritual guide for the priest.’

Includes eight colour plates of blackboard drawings.

Trans: J. Collis (18 lectures + conversations, Dornach Sept 1924, GA346); 282pp
Rudolf Steiner Press
ISBN: 978 1 85584 052 9; paperback

Summary of Contents:                                                                       Top

Lecture One, Dornach, 5 September 1924
The Act of Consecration of Man and the Book of Revelation. Meaning of the word ‘apocalypse'. The four ages of the Mysteries and of the Transubstantiation. The Cabeiri in the third age.

Lecture Two, Dornach, 6 September 1924
Changes in experiencing the Transubstantiation in the different Mystery ages.

Lecture Three, Dornach, 7 September 1924   
Future experiences of the Transubstantiation will be in the ‘I'-organization. The validity of anthroposophical truths. Alpha and Omega. Earlier and future conditions of consciousness. First words of the Book of Revelation.

Lecture Four, Dornach, 8 September 1924
The letters to the Angels of the congregations at Ephesus and Sardis. Understanding the numbers in the Book of Revelation: twelve, seven, twenty-four.

Lecture Five, Dornach, 9 September 1924
During the fifth post-Atlantean age human beings will increasingly develop an awareness of death as a companion. To read the Book of Revelation one must apply one's will.

Lecture Six, Dornach, 10 September 1924
Number secrets in the Book of Revelation. Humanity formerly encompassed by the cosmic number secrets; in today's stage of the earth's evolution humanity is extricating itself from the laws of number.

Lecture Seven, Dornach, 11 September 1924
The year 333. The apocalyptist's prophetic vision of a possible departure from the Christ Principle and return to the Father Principle. Mohammedan teachings. 666 - the number of the Beast. Transubstantiation and karma.

Lecture Eight, Dornach, 12 September 1924
Christ's connection with the sun. The Genius and the Demon of the Sun. Sorat and the number 666. The necessity to strive for spirituality. Michael mystery, Christ mystery, Sorat mystery.

Lecture Nine, Dornach, 13 September 1924    122
The Book of Revelation as a prophetic picture showing the development of Christianity after the Mystery of Golgotha. The essential difference between Christianity and other religious creeds. Building the Old and the New Jerusalem.

Lecture Ten, Dornach, 14 September 1924
Various pictures from the nineteenth chapter of the Book of Revelation. The work of the priest today.

Lecture Eleven, Dornach, 15 September 1924
The three stages in the fall of the powers opposing the Christ-Impulse: the fall of Babylon, the fall of the Beast and the False Prophet, the fall of the divine adversaries (Satan).

Lecture Twelve, Dornach, 16 September 1924
Transition from the fourth to the fifth post-Atlantean age. Coming age in which human beings will have conscious visions. The woman clothed with the sun.

Lecture Thirteen, Dornach, 17 September 1924
The principle of numbers. The age of the trumpets. Human beings with no `I'. The evolution of races and development of individuals.

Participants' Questions, 18 September 1924

Lecture Fourteen, Dornach,18 September 1924
Threefold human being and threefold humanity: cloud people, rainbow people and people with fiery feet. Humanity split into races and nations. Examples: Russia (Bolshevism), Czechs and Slovaks.

Lecture Fifteen, Dornach, 19 September 1924 Events in nature and history. The sea of glass. Love and light. Pouring out of the phials of wrath. Answers to participants' questions.

Preliminary Talk, 20 September 1924

Lecture Sixteen, Dornach, 20 September 1924
The unity of starry world and earthly world. Fixed stars, planets, comets. The seven-headed and the two-horned beast. The nature of comets; Biela's comet.

Lecture Seventeen, Dornach, 21 September 1924
The Book of Revelation as a book of initiation. The letters, seals, trumpets, divine love and divine wrath in their relation to physical world, soul world and spirit land. Perceiving the hierarchies and how they work. Religion and knowledge.

Lecture Eighteen, Dornach, 22 September 1924
The development of the consciousness soul. Intellectuality and Satan. The danger of forming new group souls: Gog and Magog. Impulses from the Book of Revelation in the work of the priest.

Appendix: 'To the Members' by Rudolf Steiner

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