falsely ascribed to a famous person of faith, and (6) history written as if it were prophecy. These are the most frequently occurring elements in the literature. Yet not all apocalyptic writings contain every one of these characteristics. The effect of apocalyptic literature is to allow persons to gain perspective on their world by glimpsing realities of the heavenly realms. Readers can contemplate their place in the unfolding drama of history. They can see their struggles with evil in the context