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The words ‘apocalypse’ and ‘revelation’ mean the same thing. Apocalypse means un-cover and, obviously, revelation means ‘to-reveal’. Both refer to the last days of human history, and both are catastrophic visions. The Book of Revelation, however, goes past a final catastrophe. It predicts (most think) a wonderful age following the last battle of Armageddon when the forces of good defeat the forces of evil. Apocalypse, however, though used in many ways, generally means it’s all over; the Horsemen have won.

The vision, Biblical or secular, of a final, catastrophic end to all things has been around a long time. Many have built reputations and followings on the idea, but predictions have failed, new ones have emerged, and as the years have passed, the fright and fear have lost their force. We can now, with Enlightenment condescension, even joke about the end of the world. However, modern weapons, environmental disorder, atmosphere pollution, political instability, social turmoil, etc., have made many think again of those ominous, thundering hoof beats. For many today the Four Horsemen seem less mythical and more real, less remote and more tomorrow.