Synopsis: The outstanding popularity of the Left Behind novels (and other eschatological fiction), and the widespread acceptance of an impending “secret rapture” of the Church, after which will transpire seven years of tribulation, have combined to make the book of Revelation an intricate schematic in which all but the most gifted scholar will lose his way. Poythress’s invitingly simple introduction to the last book of the New Testament dispels the myth that one must be brainy scholar to follow its progression, and offers encouragement to all who would benefit by its comfortingly Christ-centered teachings.
Dispensationalism, with its dauntingly complicated expectation of the future events connected with Christ’s coming to win an everlasting victory over the kingdoms of this world, has had the unfortunate effect of making prophetic literature, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ in particular, a hopelessly obscure and complicated analysis of the future of the world, in which the most gifted scholar alone can hope to find his way. In the midst of this overwhelming confusion, Poythress’s brief exposition of the book of Revelation is refreshingly simple and remarkably Christ-centered. His basic premise is that Revelation is both sufficiently understandable to benefit the most uneducated Christian and substantive enough to sustain our most intensive inquiries into the eschatological realities that God has planned for his Church. It truly is a fitting conclusion to the remarkable conglomeration of writings that we possess today as the canonical scriptures.
The greatest tragedy of the complicated and esoteric eschatological constructions that hold sway in today’s Church is that they tend to minimize the centrality of Christ’s reign and everlasting Kingdom throughout all of history. And an equally tragic side-effect of this tendency is that it destroys any practical significance and applicability that biblical eschatology should hold forth for modern Christianity. In the modern dearth of practically meaningful eschatological writings, Poythress argues passionately for an interpretation of Revelation which holds forth concrete applications and benefits for the common believer. His simple guide is scripturally-sound, eminently Christ-centered, and practically-motivational. It would certainly be a helpful introduction to any Christian who seeks to understand the future events that God has determined for the world, as well as the current realities which hold sway over the world, as the outworkings of the eternal reign of Christ, the Davidic King.
To all those who question, “Can the book of Revelation be understood?”, Poythress answers with resounding emphasis, “Yes, it can. Its message can be understood in one sentence: God rules history and will bring it to its consummation in Christ. If you read it with that main point in mind, you will be able to understand it.” To which we respond, “Amen. Now let all of us who love the appearing of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, read it, understand it, and be blessed by it.” And to this end, The Returning King: A Guide to the book of Revelation, by Vern Poythress, will be an invaluable resource.
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