Revelation

IVP New Testament Commentary #20

by J. Ramsey Michaels

Interpretations of the book of Revelation are numerous and varied. The preterist view focuses on first-century social analysis of John's environment. The church-historical view sees the Revelation as a prophetic survey of the history of the church. The futurist view sees the book as a precise prediction of unfolding events in the yet-to-come end of the world. The trouble with all three, argues J. Ramsey Michaels, is that they make the Revelation of John irrelevant to Christians throughout much of history. Failing to take seriously what John saw, such interpreters do not comprehend the value of the Revelation to Christians in any age. Michaels strives to recapture the Revelation as a prophetic letter of testimony, a testimony as relevant to today's church as it was to John's as it faces evil and looks for the victory of the Lamb.

Genres: Christian, Reference, New Testament

265 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1997

Reviews

[Mel Foster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Revelation is by far the hardest book of the Bible for commentators to cover well. As apocalyptic literature and prophecy, it has generated many different particular theological stances. So one the one hand we desire a commentary that helps to explain those views. But we also desire some decisiveness at times. I read through this commentary and Mounce's (New International Commentary Series) as well as portions of others, in preaching through Revelation. Both were good. But they also left me a bit unsatisfied. Neither fell to partisan dogmatic pedantry as some commentaries on Revelation do however. Both were helpful resources. An index would have been handy. And also I would have preferred a more formal (even graphic) portrayal of the differing stances on doctrines such as the second coming and the millenial reign. The general introduction and the final pages are both great and lay the basic framework of the major approaches to and applications of the book.
Since I did read this concurrently with several other commentaries, my apologies to Mr. Michaels if I have forgotten any of his books best points.

"Christianity preaches a universal gospel of salvation, but not a gospel of universal salvation. All are invited to come, but not all do come."--J Ramsey Michaels

[Tcblack · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simpler and yet edifying commentary.