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The Great Tribulation
Book by Chilton, David
211 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
8 people are currently reading
129 people want to read
About the author
David H. Chilton
11 books31 followersDavid Harold Chilton (1951–1997) was a Reformed pastor, Christian Reconstructionist, speaker, and author of several books on economics, eschatology and Christian Worldview from Placerville, California. He contributed three books on eschatology: Paradise Restored (1985), The Days of Vengeance (1987), and The Great Tribulation (1987).
His book Productive Christians in an Age of Guilt-Manipulators: A Biblical Response to Ronald J. Sider (1981) was a response to Ronald J. Sider's best-selling book, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: A Biblical Study (1977), which promoted various programs of wealth redistribution by the government. Chilton argued that the Bible either does not authorize such programs or explicitly teaches against them.
His book Power in the Blood: A Christian Response to AIDS (1987) was primarily dealing with the Church's relationship with the world.
David Chilton was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1951. At the age of one, he moved with his Christian missionary parents to the Philippines. At the age of 8, the family returned to the United States where his father became a pastor in Southern California. Growing up in California in the 1970s youth movement and hippie culture, he experienced a conversion to Christianity while listening to a missionary speak at his father's church. He began reading the Bible and teaching Bible studies. The young Chilton consequently became deeply involved in the nascent Jesus People movement, and started a singing group with his sister Jayn and some friends called The Children of Light. He frequently spoke, performed music, and taught Bible studies at Christian coffeehouses in Los Angeles, California region. He was ordained in the Jesus People Movement by Pat Boone.
Chilton came to prominence as a writer for the Chalcedon Report edited by R.J. Rushdoony after a Christian friend recommended one of Rushdoony's books. At the same time, Chilton discovered the writings of the Puritans, and was exposed for the first time to Reformed theology as a result of reading these books, and to the doctrines of predestination, election, and perseverance of the saints. After meeting Rushdoony, Chilton was asked to write a monthly column for Chalcedon Report while alternating speaking for Dr. Rushdoony at his church in Hollywood (which was affiliated with the Orthodox Presbyterian Church) while pastoring a church in Anaheim, California. At this time Chilton was also influenced by fellow Christian Reconstructionists Greg Bahnsen and James B. Jordan. He married his wife, Darlene, and had 3 children, Nathan, Jacob, and Abigail.
In 1981, after several years of pastoring in Anaheim, Chilton wrote his first book, Productive Christians in an Age of Guilt-Manipulators: A Biblical Response to Ronald J. Sider over the course of a month with a pencil and paper at a coffeehouse. Not long after the completion of the book, he moved to Placerville, CA to pastor a church for a year, during which he wrote a newsletter for Christian teachers and homeschoolers called The Biblical Educator. Chilton also used his influence to help launch World Magazine with Joel Belz and wrote a monthly column for the publication for years, which was very popular.
Although Chilton loved the people of Placerville and did not want to leave, he accepted a job offer from prominent Reconstructionist (and Rushdoony son-in-law) Gary North as a research assistant at The Institute for Christian Economics in Tyler, Texas. It was during his three year stay in Texas that North commissioned Chilton to write his two books for North's imprint Dominion Press: Paradise Restored and Days of Vengeance.
In 1986 Chilton accepted an offer to return to Placerville to pastor the church there. He continued to work in pastoral ministry, speak at conferences, write a weekly column for The Sacramento Union newspaper, was counsel for The Fieldstead Co. at an economic conference in Switzerland and wro
His book Productive Christians in an Age of Guilt-Manipulators: A Biblical Response to Ronald J. Sider (1981) was a response to Ronald J. Sider's best-selling book, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: A Biblical Study (1977), which promoted various programs of wealth redistribution by the government. Chilton argued that the Bible either does not authorize such programs or explicitly teaches against them.
His book Power in the Blood: A Christian Response to AIDS (1987) was primarily dealing with the Church's relationship with the world.
David Chilton was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1951. At the age of one, he moved with his Christian missionary parents to the Philippines. At the age of 8, the family returned to the United States where his father became a pastor in Southern California. Growing up in California in the 1970s youth movement and hippie culture, he experienced a conversion to Christianity while listening to a missionary speak at his father's church. He began reading the Bible and teaching Bible studies. The young Chilton consequently became deeply involved in the nascent Jesus People movement, and started a singing group with his sister Jayn and some friends called The Children of Light. He frequently spoke, performed music, and taught Bible studies at Christian coffeehouses in Los Angeles, California region. He was ordained in the Jesus People Movement by Pat Boone.
Chilton came to prominence as a writer for the Chalcedon Report edited by R.J. Rushdoony after a Christian friend recommended one of Rushdoony's books. At the same time, Chilton discovered the writings of the Puritans, and was exposed for the first time to Reformed theology as a result of reading these books, and to the doctrines of predestination, election, and perseverance of the saints. After meeting Rushdoony, Chilton was asked to write a monthly column for Chalcedon Report while alternating speaking for Dr. Rushdoony at his church in Hollywood (which was affiliated with the Orthodox Presbyterian Church) while pastoring a church in Anaheim, California. At this time Chilton was also influenced by fellow Christian Reconstructionists Greg Bahnsen and James B. Jordan. He married his wife, Darlene, and had 3 children, Nathan, Jacob, and Abigail.
In 1981, after several years of pastoring in Anaheim, Chilton wrote his first book, Productive Christians in an Age of Guilt-Manipulators: A Biblical Response to Ronald J. Sider over the course of a month with a pencil and paper at a coffeehouse. Not long after the completion of the book, he moved to Placerville, CA to pastor a church for a year, during which he wrote a newsletter for Christian teachers and homeschoolers called The Biblical Educator. Chilton also used his influence to help launch World Magazine with Joel Belz and wrote a monthly column for the publication for years, which was very popular.
Although Chilton loved the people of Placerville and did not want to leave, he accepted a job offer from prominent Reconstructionist (and Rushdoony son-in-law) Gary North as a research assistant at The Institute for Christian Economics in Tyler, Texas. It was during his three year stay in Texas that North commissioned Chilton to write his two books for North's imprint Dominion Press: Paradise Restored and Days of Vengeance.
In 1986 Chilton accepted an offer to return to Placerville to pastor the church there. He continued to work in pastoral ministry, speak at conferences, write a weekly column for The Sacramento Union newspaper, was counsel for The Fieldstead Co. at an economic conference in Switzerland and wro
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 30, 2017
This is Chilton's mini-commentary on the Olivet Discourse and key sections of Revelation. It serves as a nice gateway for his larger commentary on Revelation. He doesn't make an irrefutable case for a partial-preterist reading, but he makes a very strong one.
Revelation (and the Olivet) is a covenantal lawsuit against Harlot-Israel. The key judgments happened in the hearers' lifetime. And Chilton nicely cuts off any "double-fulfillment" language, since Jesus said "nor shall they again experience."
The strength of Chilton's work is that he ties the Apocalypse in with Christ's Ascension. He ties the priestly elements in with Christ's Ascension. He notes: " The point is simply that this great judgment upon Israel, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, will be the sign that Jesus Christ is enthroned in heaven at the Father's right hand, ruling over the nations and bringing vengeance upon His enemies” (21)."
Highly recommended.
Revelation (and the Olivet) is a covenantal lawsuit against Harlot-Israel. The key judgments happened in the hearers' lifetime. And Chilton nicely cuts off any "double-fulfillment" language, since Jesus said "nor shall they again experience."
The strength of Chilton's work is that he ties the Apocalypse in with Christ's Ascension. He ties the priestly elements in with Christ's Ascension. He notes: " The point is simply that this great judgment upon Israel, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, will be the sign that Jesus Christ is enthroned in heaven at the Father's right hand, ruling over the nations and bringing vengeance upon His enemies” (21)."
Highly recommended.
May 8, 2009
Excellent.
July 5, 2024
Absolutely excellent! This was Chilton’s summary of his larger work on Revelation in his commentary The Days of Vengeance. I highly recommend this shorter work. Chilton is one of the clearest writers out there, and his depth of biblical theology is beautifully displayed as he argues for the Great Tribulation being in our past not future!
November 11, 2021
This is a decent shorter book that explains why most of the book of Revelation was likely fulfilled between the period of 30-70 AD (minus Resurrection and Second Coming ), also called partial preterism.
February 3, 2013
You could call this Chilton's commentary on Matthew 24:1-35 (or further), but he also includes a fair overview of Revelation, and a ton of history. AND he leaves space for Gary North's lengthy Publisher's Preface and Epilogue! There's a ton of information packed in Chilton's little book, and yet it's very readable (North's contributions somewhat less so).
This is Chilton's "short" book on The Great Tribulation. His long one is "Days of Vengeance," his "Exposition on the Book of Revelation," which I am reading now. Both are available online at Gary North's ICE Free Books site:
http://www.garynorth.com/freebooks/si...
Not a huge fan of Gary North or of some of the other books you can read there, but I have enjoyed all the Chilton I have read.
This is Chilton's "short" book on The Great Tribulation. His long one is "Days of Vengeance," his "Exposition on the Book of Revelation," which I am reading now. Both are available online at Gary North's ICE Free Books site:
http://www.garynorth.com/freebooks/si...
Not a huge fan of Gary North or of some of the other books you can read there, but I have enjoyed all the Chilton I have read.
February 17, 2014
This book is terrible.
David Chilton begins the book by seeking to correct what he sees as a faulty interpretation of the Olivet Discourse (Jesus's eschatological teaching to his disciples). Chilton writes as if he were but pointing out the obvious, yet by writing so he merely points out how little he understands the Olivet Discourse as well as the viewpoint that he so flippantly criticizes. Chilton repeatedly pigeonholes those who don't see things his way as those who don't understand the Old Testament, but it is painfully obvious that the one who in fact fails to understand the Old Testament is Chilton himself, for had he understood it he could never have written a book as ridiculous as this one. Had he understood the Jewish context and mindset of Jesus and his disciples he could never have imagined his incredible idea that the disciples equated the "the end of the age" with the destruction of Jerusalem. This would be the last thing any Jew in the first century would think. According to the Old Testament the coming of the Messiah and the dawning of the new age meant salvation for Jerusalem, the opposite of what Chilton imagines the disciples of Jesus believed. By saying this Chilton reveals how little he understands the Old Testament hope and how little he appreciates what Jerusalem means to God and the Jews.
Furthermore, Chilton fails to see the strength of the opposing view regarding the Olivet Discourse. He fails to see that there are better ways of understanding Jesus' words that are more reasonable than the far-fetched and outlandish interpretations that he sets forth. Chilton is left straining and bending the texts to fit them within the historical setting of the 1st century. His explanations are simplistic and not well thought through. A comparison of his view side by side with the opposing view would be instructive, but the reader must not expect to find such a comparison presented in this book.
In essence Chilton has flippantly disregarded the main message of the Old Testament regarding Israel, carelessly handled the clear teachings of the Lord Jesus and his apostles in the New Testament, and staked the weight of his argument upon a wholesale reinterpretation of the Book of Revelation. It is unwise to put all of your weight upon an apocalyptic book like Revelation, the symbolism of which has baffled commentators for millennia. A far wiser policy would be to interpret the less clear passages in the Bible by the clear passages in the Bible, rather than the other way around as Chilton does. But it is precisely in the clear passages of the Bible that Chilton stumbles, and he must take refuge in the apocalyptic.
Nonetheless Chilton's interpretation of Revelation is as strained as his interpretation of the Olivet Discourse, as he attempts to make every jot and tittle of John's apocalypse a vitriolic imprecation against the nation of Israel. There are two things that can be said about Preterists like Chilton: 1) they don't believe Israel is significant anymore, and 2) they still hate them. Remarkably, Chilton argues that the early Christians prayed ardently for the destruction of Jerusalem and the nation of Israel. They got on their knees and begged God for this because only when Israel was gone would "the new age of the Church" and "the New World Order" begin, when the Church can finally assert its authority and dominate the world. This is in direct opposition to the prayer and longing of Paul the apostle for Israel in Romans 9:1-3, 10:1 and 11:1-36. This is also fanciful thinking which is evidently false, for the Church did not need to wait for the destruction of Israel to be the missionary Church that she is called to be by the Lord, nor has the destruction of Israel in 70 AD seen any marked change in the world for the Church. As the years have rolled on Chilton's imagined triumph has been shown to be but a dream. And what of the establishment of Israel again in 1948? Did the sovereign God - whom Chilton rightly declares is in control of every motion in heaven and on earth - make a mistake by reversing the once and for all supposed declaration in Israel's destruction of the "the age of the New Covenant"? Such views are at odds, not only with Scripture, but with plain common sense.
The tone of this book is shockingly hateful. It reminds one of Jesus' statement to the sons of thunder who wanted to call down fire and brimstone upon those cities that rejected Christ: "You know not what manner of spirit you are of." (Luke 9:55) Chilton believes the Church has the power and responsibility, through liturgy and prayer, to cause God to destroy evildoers and evil nations. He urges passionately that the Church should be doing just that: praying imprecatory prayers for the destruction of the ungodly. The liturgical power he attributes to the Christian Church in order to curse and destroy reminds me of the Hindu spells Brahminical priests claim to have possession of and use to dispose of undesirables. According to Chilton, I wonder if the Church should be spreading the gospel of God's grace to sinners at all, or just praying for their destruction. The world might become a better place faster if we stopped trying to persuade unbelievers and just annihilated them (through prayer of course, for the glory of God). The message and tone of this book is just ugly.
David Chilton did the Body of Christ and the world a disservice by writing this book and his others that are like it. Perhaps the one redeeming thing that comes out of books like these is that it helps us sharpen our understanding and grasp more deeply what the true is in contrast to the false. False teaching has an interesting way of doing that.
David Chilton begins the book by seeking to correct what he sees as a faulty interpretation of the Olivet Discourse (Jesus's eschatological teaching to his disciples). Chilton writes as if he were but pointing out the obvious, yet by writing so he merely points out how little he understands the Olivet Discourse as well as the viewpoint that he so flippantly criticizes. Chilton repeatedly pigeonholes those who don't see things his way as those who don't understand the Old Testament, but it is painfully obvious that the one who in fact fails to understand the Old Testament is Chilton himself, for had he understood it he could never have written a book as ridiculous as this one. Had he understood the Jewish context and mindset of Jesus and his disciples he could never have imagined his incredible idea that the disciples equated the "the end of the age" with the destruction of Jerusalem. This would be the last thing any Jew in the first century would think. According to the Old Testament the coming of the Messiah and the dawning of the new age meant salvation for Jerusalem, the opposite of what Chilton imagines the disciples of Jesus believed. By saying this Chilton reveals how little he understands the Old Testament hope and how little he appreciates what Jerusalem means to God and the Jews.
Furthermore, Chilton fails to see the strength of the opposing view regarding the Olivet Discourse. He fails to see that there are better ways of understanding Jesus' words that are more reasonable than the far-fetched and outlandish interpretations that he sets forth. Chilton is left straining and bending the texts to fit them within the historical setting of the 1st century. His explanations are simplistic and not well thought through. A comparison of his view side by side with the opposing view would be instructive, but the reader must not expect to find such a comparison presented in this book.
In essence Chilton has flippantly disregarded the main message of the Old Testament regarding Israel, carelessly handled the clear teachings of the Lord Jesus and his apostles in the New Testament, and staked the weight of his argument upon a wholesale reinterpretation of the Book of Revelation. It is unwise to put all of your weight upon an apocalyptic book like Revelation, the symbolism of which has baffled commentators for millennia. A far wiser policy would be to interpret the less clear passages in the Bible by the clear passages in the Bible, rather than the other way around as Chilton does. But it is precisely in the clear passages of the Bible that Chilton stumbles, and he must take refuge in the apocalyptic.
Nonetheless Chilton's interpretation of Revelation is as strained as his interpretation of the Olivet Discourse, as he attempts to make every jot and tittle of John's apocalypse a vitriolic imprecation against the nation of Israel. There are two things that can be said about Preterists like Chilton: 1) they don't believe Israel is significant anymore, and 2) they still hate them. Remarkably, Chilton argues that the early Christians prayed ardently for the destruction of Jerusalem and the nation of Israel. They got on their knees and begged God for this because only when Israel was gone would "the new age of the Church" and "the New World Order" begin, when the Church can finally assert its authority and dominate the world. This is in direct opposition to the prayer and longing of Paul the apostle for Israel in Romans 9:1-3, 10:1 and 11:1-36. This is also fanciful thinking which is evidently false, for the Church did not need to wait for the destruction of Israel to be the missionary Church that she is called to be by the Lord, nor has the destruction of Israel in 70 AD seen any marked change in the world for the Church. As the years have rolled on Chilton's imagined triumph has been shown to be but a dream. And what of the establishment of Israel again in 1948? Did the sovereign God - whom Chilton rightly declares is in control of every motion in heaven and on earth - make a mistake by reversing the once and for all supposed declaration in Israel's destruction of the "the age of the New Covenant"? Such views are at odds, not only with Scripture, but with plain common sense.
The tone of this book is shockingly hateful. It reminds one of Jesus' statement to the sons of thunder who wanted to call down fire and brimstone upon those cities that rejected Christ: "You know not what manner of spirit you are of." (Luke 9:55) Chilton believes the Church has the power and responsibility, through liturgy and prayer, to cause God to destroy evildoers and evil nations. He urges passionately that the Church should be doing just that: praying imprecatory prayers for the destruction of the ungodly. The liturgical power he attributes to the Christian Church in order to curse and destroy reminds me of the Hindu spells Brahminical priests claim to have possession of and use to dispose of undesirables. According to Chilton, I wonder if the Church should be spreading the gospel of God's grace to sinners at all, or just praying for their destruction. The world might become a better place faster if we stopped trying to persuade unbelievers and just annihilated them (through prayer of course, for the glory of God). The message and tone of this book is just ugly.
David Chilton did the Body of Christ and the world a disservice by writing this book and his others that are like it. Perhaps the one redeeming thing that comes out of books like these is that it helps us sharpen our understanding and grasp more deeply what the true is in contrast to the false. False teaching has an interesting way of doing that.
April 12, 2020
El libro me decepcionó un poco. No me malinterpretes. El autor, de manera convincente, argumenta que el pasaje de Mateo 24 y sus paralelos, hablan de la destrucción de Jerusalén en el año 70dc y no del fin del mundo como otras escuelas proponen. Los primeros capítulos son fascinantes y esclarecedores. Pero luego, en los capítulos posteriores, todo el argumento pasa al libro de Apocalipsis y su relación con la destrucción de Jerusalén. Aquí es donde el libro se torna un tanto oscuro, no porque no tenga similitud con los pasajes de Mateo 24, sino por la gran cantidad de material en tan pocas páginas. En ocasiones se vuelve un tanto cansón y repetitivo. Pero además, la manera que en fue organizado, suele ser abrumadora.
Pero, de manera general, concuerdo con los postulados del autor.
Pero, de manera general, concuerdo con los postulados del autor.
July 25, 2022
This is an amazingly clear explanation of the Great Tribulation leading to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Everything Jesus said would happen to “this generation” happened to them exactly as He said. Projecting all of Jesus’ words into the future distorts them and renders them meaningless to His hearers. The way that the Olivet Discourse dovetails with the The Revelation is breath taking. And seeing the way the OT is fulfilled in both was so strengthening to my faith in the integrity of the Scriptures.
This book is taken from the author’s longer commentary on the whole book of Revelation called Days of Vengeance. Highly recommended if you want a scriptural understanding of eschatology.
This book is taken from the author’s longer commentary on the whole book of Revelation called Days of Vengeance. Highly recommended if you want a scriptural understanding of eschatology.
July 7, 2019
Chilton is a good writer and makes a decent case for partial preterism. His commentary on the Olivet Discourse was the strongest point in my opinion, his commentary on certain sections of Revelation was hit or miss. The temple destruction in AD 70 is strongly supported as the fullfilment of the prophecies in Matthew 24.
August 14, 2025
Chilton argues from Scripture that Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 24 was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. He walks through the text with careful exegesis, showing how “tribulation” language fits the events of the first century, not some distant future. It is very readable, and sharp. Honestly a good introduction to preterism, though at times it moves quickly through objections.
February 28, 2020
A great mini-commentary on the Olivet Discourse and the book of Revelation.
May 2, 2025
This is a great book for those unfamiliar with church history from 66-70 A.D.
March 7, 2010
Excelente!
October 21, 2013
He's so mad you can't take him serious.
August 27, 2015
This tool is a must read, and I feel this tool is a great Benefit for your library it's a great resource Spirit food from cover to cover.
March 17, 2016
An absolutely remarkable book. Amazing stuff.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews