Revelation: The Last Book of the Bible

by Luther Poellot

Hardcover

Published January 1, 1962

Reviews

[Gene · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's unlike me to read a commentary on the book of Revelation, and now I have read two of them this year. The one by Brent Lauder, Apocalypse: Then, Now, and Soon, was much better than this one by Luther Poellot. Both authors take a similar view of the meaning and symbolism of the book of Revelation in the New Testament, but Lauder's is much better organized and much better from the standpoint of making the content of Revelation relevant to today's believer. In addition, I feel Lauder does a much better job of providing evidence for his interpretations; Poellet seems to get by with less of a case for his interpretation. Both see the "end times" as having been from the time of Christ to the present. To Poellot, the beast and the false prophet are not individuals, but the reality of anti-Christian power and false teaching. I found it hard to accept that we are in the 1000 year (non-literal in terms of time) period in which Satan is bound. There are some real theological gymnastics that have to go on to try to persuade the reader of this stance.

But Poellot is truly an expert in the Bible. There is hardly a paragraph in which he does not tie a phrase in the verses he is covering with corresponding Bible passages. He knowledge of the Bible is exceedingly broad and would put most modern theologians and pastors to shame. It is liking having a running Bible cross-reference in parallel with his commentary.

Though the book seems in keeping with Lutheran theology, Poellot does not go out of his way to bring offense to other denominations or take cheap shots at Roman Catholicism the way some Protestants do when looking at the book of Revelation. It's not a very inspiring read, but it can be eduational.