Revelation Unveiled

17 years ago

Disappointing

I was enthralled by LaHaye?s interpretation of Revelation from the ?Left Behind? series and purchased this title, really, just looking for answers. LaHaye offers us a straight forward chapter-by-chapter commentary on Revelation rather than an exposition which comes across as a vast sermon, not a bona fide study. He gives the absolute minimum of coverage to alternative interpretations and these are quickly glossed over in the text. LaHaye?s understanding of Revelation is based on very old, usually out-dated (and often discredited) theological interpretation: in his bibliography of twenty-three entries, the newest is ?The Beginning of the End? from 1972 ? and this is his own work! Most are from the 1950s (seven out of the twenty-three), five are from the 1960s and all but two of the remainder come from before the second world war. Ultimately LaHaye?s ?Revelation Unveiled? is theologically very thin and unconvincing. Claims like ?most of Revelation unfolds chromatically? (page 17) are summarily dismissed by modern commentators who do not accept that you can interpret Revelation so literally. For an accessible and powerfully useful introduction into this area, I recommend John Drane?s ?Introducing the New Testament?, which is up to date and well balanced. (It is easier and much more beneficial to start apocalyptic study with the Gospels ? for instance Mark 13 ? and Drane covers all the Gospels and their influences wonderfully.) If, like me, you are looking for answers, those that LaHaye offers will be disappointing.

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