The Apocalypse: Controversies and Meaning in Western History by Craig R. Koester PhD.

The Great Course, The Apocalypse: Controversies and Meaning in Western History provides a thorough review of the last book of the new testament, The Book of Revelation.

I appreciated Professor Koester's efforts to place the book in historical context helping to interpret the figurative text as viewed from a person reading in the early first and second century A.D.  Attempts by many individuals in later centuries to use it to describe the current situation are probably misplaced although it highlights that the struggles noted in the book are universal and often faced by people thorough out history. 

Although Revelation is often thought of as a book that provides a fearful vision of the future, it offers a vision of hope that things will turn out alright in the end.  The struggle outlined is an adventure where evil forces attempt to cause misery but never succeed in the ultimate goal.

Before this lecture series I was unaware that the Book of Revelation was a source for many church hymns and religious music including Handel's Messiah. There are choral interludes between many of the significant passages in the book.

Apocalypse, Archeology, and the Dead Sea Scrolls - 54 minutes