Kim Riddlebarger has become part of an ever increasing chorus of scholars who are challenging much of the pop eschatology that has come to define much of service level evangelicalism. This book, I believe, is possibly the best defense of amillennialism since Hoekema and as such, is a book that all dissenters of amillennialism will have to reckon with.
This book attempts to build a comprehensive defense of amillennialism from the ground up. It is very systematic in its presentation and I found this to be a highly attractive approach to eschatology. He spends a good amount of time in the first two sections of the book laying much needed groundwork for meaningful eschatology by getting into issues of terminology as well as biblical theology. Folks looking for a popular level of treatment here might get bogged down and even bored, but I found Riddlebarger's discussion to be very stimulating and intellectually rigorous.
Riddlebarger's treatment of the already/not yet tension of the kingdom of God is outstanding (including his linear comparison of the 'this age/the age to come' dynamic of eschatology). It is clear that Riddlebarger has been greatly influenced by the likes of Vos and Ridderbos in his presentation of inaugurated eschatology, and is therefore in good company. In the process, he advances a decidedly covenantal theology. Riddlebarger clearly understands that amillennialism relies a great deal on the groundwork he erects in the first 2 parts of the book. As he repeatedly notes, if the inaugurated eschatology that is based on a covenantal hermeneutic is biblically sound, those who dissent from amillennialism are going to be left scrambling.
Riddlebarger then moves on to Part 3, which is an exposition of key Biblical texts such as Daniel 9, Matthew 24, Romans 9-11, and Revelation 19-21. The novice to eschatology might find some rough sledding in these sections, particularly the Daniel and Romans sections, but I have to say that Riddlebarger's exegesis is thorough, logical, and compelling. This is no surface level treatment of these texts, but is rather an in-depth and well thought out presentation that interacts with a variety of views and a variety of Biblical texts in the process. Very good section.
In the end, while I will note a few minor weaknesses below, this book is a 'must have' on eschatology, even if one dissents from amillennialism. This book provides a framework upon which all scholars who are interested in presenting a meaningful eschatology ought to follow. He builds a case from the ground floor, offers rigorous Biblical exegesis, takes on dissenting views, and arrives at well thought out conclusions. Riddlebarger's critique of Ladd's premillennialism is very good, and his argument in favor of a substantive role for ethnic Israel in the consummation of the Kingdom from an amillennial perspective is provocative. His critique of Robertson in particular represents, I think, where the future of amillennial scholarship is headed.
I will note some weaknesses of the book that, while regretable, do not detract from the otherwise outstanding presentation given here. First, his critique of dispensationalism was overstated. There is no question in my mind that the brand of dispensationalism championed by the Walvoord, LaHaye, and Ice wing of dispensationalism is thoroughly beaten to a pulp in here. And while this is certainly an exercise that has merit, the fact is that this brand of dispensationalism has been in steady retreat for the last 50 years because of the problems that have been exposed by other scholars that long predate Riddlebarger. Riddlebarger's book could have been better had he interacted more substantively with the progressive dispensational movement that is likely where the future of respectable dispensationalism is headed. He interacts with Blaising and Saucy a little bit, but not as much as I would have liked.
Second, Riddlebarger is occasionally guilty of employing the argument from silence to advance his points (actually to critique dissenting perspectives). While it's true that the argument from silence is not always a logical fallacy, it must be used very carefully and tightly in order to be a legitimate debate tactic. Unfortunately, Riddlebarger's use of it, though sparingly, struck me as getting too close for comfort to slipping into an informal fallacy. Lastly, as others have pointed out, the book cries out for a Scripture index and topical index that isn't there.
So while the book isn't perfect, it is predominately outstanding and is definitely a book that will have to be contended with by those who hold to postmillennialism and all forms of premillennialism. It's definitely not the last word on the subject, but it's one of the more thoughtful and rigorous resources to hit the field of eschatology in several years.
