Customer Reviews

The Antichrist: A Systematic Study of Satan's Counterfeit Christ (Kregel Reprint Library)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book should not have been reprinted.

As Pink matured in his understanding of deeper bible doctrines, he turned from popular teachings about Antichrist, and he turned from popular dispensational teaching with its misunderstanding of the typical significance of Israel in Scripture and other problems. To explain why he altered his views, Pink later published a paper entitled "A Study of Dispensationalism" which should still be available on the Web. It is not an easy read, but worthwhile for those who themselves question popular dispensational teachings about how Israel was the chosen group of the past, and "the Church" is the chosen group now.

In his paper, Pink shows how dispensationalism results in believers losing their understanding of how the Old Testament scriptures apply to them, and are for them, and can teach them. Dispensationalism "wrongly divides the word of truth".

In the end, Pink came to view Antichrist more in accordance with the views of William Tyndale, whose teachings of Antichrist can be found in the facsimile copy of his book Parable of the Wicked Mammon, published in the early 1500's, at which time the Roman Catholic Church was teaching the same thing that the evangelical Church now teaches about the rising up of a wonder-working man in the future -The Parable of the Wicked Mammon

This, the first work by Arthur Pink I have read, is nothing short of incredible. He was (is) a superb communicator of Yahweh's Word. Read this and thoroughly educate yourself on numerous aspects of the antichrist, all of which make perfect sense, dispensation or no dispensation! Satan is behind the antichrist, and as such will try and deceive everyone (even the most elect). The jews will accept the antichrist, unlike their rejection of the true Christ. The antichrist will accomplish this by fulfilling biblical requirements, coming with all the power and glory that Yahweh's chosen people have always looked for, and showing great signs and wonders. The jews will actively promote the antichrist to the world (like they were supposed to do with the true Christ), thereby committing the ultimate "harlotry" amongst all the peoples and nations. The woman who rides the beast (The Harlot or "Mystery Babylon") is Jerusalem, the seat of the antichrist. For an excellent verse-by-verse presentation of who "The Harlot" is who rides the beast (antichrist), see the online video/written presentation by Chris White (truly blessed!), from Nashville, TN. In the bible, "Babylon" is "Babylon", and "Mystery Babylon" is Jerusalem.

If you purchase the Kindle edition, make sure you get the searchable TOC, of course. The paperback (I had to have it after reading the Kindle) by Wilder Publications is of very good quality with clear printing and a strong binding.

Delivery/billing by Amazon was perfect.

Read this book. It blows away the dust kicked up by Christians who've been playing pin-the-pitchfork-on-the-devil. It's an exposition of Scripture regarding the question: Who or what is the Antichrist? Pink answers the question by investigating the Bible while addressing the parallel question: Who or what is not the Antichrist?

A. W. Pink shows the development of the idea that the system of the Roman papacy is the Antichrist and demonstrates it as an error resulting from the papacy's persecution of Christians in the middle ages. He argues that the intensity of their experience led persecuted Christians to view the identity of the Antichrist as a system rather than as an individual person.

Against this error Pink constructs from Scripture a profile of the Antichrist. He demonstrates expository preaching and gives a clear example of how the Bible interprets itself. The book is a collection of lectures given by him between 1913 and 1923. His argument is laid out in the Introduction. The next two chapters show why he does not believe the Roman papacy can be the Antichrist; Chapters Three through Seven give a profile of the Antichrist's identity; and Chapters Eight through Seventeen are an exposition of the theme through the Bible. Through it all runs Pink's dry humor.

Arthur W. Pink was born in England in 1886 and died in Scotland in 1952. He attended Moody Bible Institute for six weeks, grew impatient, and moved to Colorado where he began pastoring a church. He pastored churches in America and Australia then returned to Great Britain. After his death his writings became influential in the American Evangelical churches. He was influenced by Protestant, Calvinist, premillennial dispensational and evangelical thinking. We don't hear much of Pink in American Mainline Protestant churches, probably because he wasn't credentialed by a major institutional church and because of his lack of academic pedigree. Pink, along with Calvin, has recently become "disendorsed" by a fundamentalist group. He was and remains an "outsider."

His pastorates were short, lasting about two years. With his wife, Vera, he spent his later years in the Scottish Hebrides and there he enjoyed a ministry of writing. He published a newsletter with about 1,000 subscribers and enjoyed a wide correspondence. Life in the harbor town of Stornoway allowed Pink both the stimulation and the solitude to think--luxuries not readily available to parish pastors. There he enjoyed both continued learning and the freedom to change his views from time to time.

It is regrettable that this volume does not include a bibliography. If you're a Bible fan, check out some of his references. If you are an American mainline minister, you probably won't like the book. For you, relativism has probably replaced a practical theology of Good and Evil. If you are a fundamentalist preacher, you probably won't like it, either. For you, the idea that Luther and the Puritans were wrong about the papacy is probably too much to bear. And, if you are an internet addict who loves to guess about the end of times online, this book probably won't appeal to you. For you, it will seem too intellectual, too academic, and you'll probably miss the humor in it.

However, for the vast majority of American Christians, Bible fans, and people who want to know what Christians believe this book is a masterful must. The logical flow is flawless, the addition of historical thought to Scripture is interesting, and the certainty of the faith is a welcome comfort in these uncertain times.

I first looked at A. W. Pink's "Gleanings in Genesis" which is more of a narrative than this book which I used as a study tool. There are numerous Scripture references and as I was reading through the book I looked up and marked comments in my Bible using this book as a guide. I learned on a new level that there are often dual applications to scripture, and according to Pink sometimes even tertiary application. For example a Scripture may have an application for the reader, an application for an event that has already occurred in the past, and an application for "the Day of the Lord" or the tribulation period which is yet future, although in my opinion closer than we think! While you may not agree with all of Pink's choices of Scripture that refers to the Antichrist I believe this book will inform you anyway. The Scripture says:

2 Corinthians 2:11

11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

The New King James Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1982, S.

This book will help you in this regard even though we are already spiritually aware of this fact.

If you like studying your Bible and digging deep into it, this book will help.

The Holy Spirit wouldn't have included these Scriptures unless He wanted us to be aware of them.

2 Timothy 2:15

15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

The New King James Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1982, S.

If you want a good study tool, I highly recommend this book. For the purest, Pink refers to the KJV and I believe it is helpful to have this translation available to compare as the meaning is sometimes more significant in the KJV.

Good Reading!

Realistically, this book thoroughly delves into the "deeper things" concerning scripture. Let he who "has an ear to hear" understand, and the less intellectual stand aside.

I purchased this for my husband as a Christmas gift and it was received in perfect, new condition in plenty of time. I would order from this provider again.