Customer Reviews

I Want to be Left Behind

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Ted Noel has compiled the worstand most confusing arguements ever for historicism. Ted states the during the millennium God will be put on trial! On page 163 he states such an insane claim! He bases this on one obscure verse Rom 3:3-6. If he had read the whole chapter and taken everything in context he would know that he is dead wrong. After the millennium when the saints are done putting "God on trial" as Noel states. Satan is released from the bottomless pit (Hell) Noel states that Satan and everyone in hell will be released (even though the BIBLE SAYS THAT ONLY SATAN IS RELEASED) and will attack Jesus in new Jerusalem even though he just contradicted his belief that the saints will be in heaven putting "God on trial" page 163. Ted Noel also states that the earth will be void and formless in the millennium based on Jer 4:23-26 NOTHING IN THE BIBLE STATES THAT THE EARTH WILL BE VOID AND FORMLESS AGAIN AS IT WAS IN GENISIS. He scripture twists Jer 4:23-26 saying it describes the millennium and the earth being without void or form when it is taken out of context just like when futurists use Ezekeil 38:9 for the rebirth of Israel. He also takes a page out of the preterist playbook when he states that the first five seals where opened in 34AD. He states that he dose not know how long the tribulation will last yet the bible is clear Reveliaton 11:3 14:12 13:5 the bible clearly states it will be 42 months! Revelation clearly states that only Satan will be released Revelation 20:7 and that he will decieve the NATIONS on the earth Revelation 20:8. The bible dose not say that Satan and everyone in hell will be loosed and will surround Jesus at new Jerusalem on a void and formless earth as Ted Noel will have you believe. I have read other prophecy books by futurists and preterists and even though I believe they are wrong they can at least base thier arguments up by more than one scripture. He scripture twists just like the furturist and the preterist he is supposedly debunking. He dose not discuss the beast or the false prophet nor the mark of the beast he dose not even discuss all of the seven seals in detail. He also includes one of the most confusing charts based on the tribulation ever. All in all one of the worst prophecy books I have ever read.

I don't have a problem with, 'No Rapture' arguments but I could only read an hour of this absolutly wordy and overly cross-referencing book. I'm sorry but this is just not worth it.

Ted Noel's "I Want to Be Left Behind" (not to be confused with a much shorter book with the same title that came out just before this one)is astonishing, eyeopening, a must read for anyone eagerly awaiting the return of Christ. I've read dozens of books about the end-times, Daniel, and Revelation, both popular and scholarly, and the major commentaries on those books take up about five feet of space on my shelves. Ted Noel's "I Want to Be Left Behind" is the VERY BEST and SOUNDEST FAITHFUL SCRIPTURAL STUDY of these topics for intelligent non-scholarly readers and pastors that I have ever read. When you read this you may be shocked at first, but then you will be amazed by how many questions are answered, how much of what you once thought certain is now questionable, how much of what once seemed confusing is now clear. Your faith in the God of Scripture will be strengthened, and your confidence in Christ's soon return will be confirmed.

If you've read Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins' "Left Behind" series, you owe it to yourself to read this book. It puts their work in a new perspective. It isn't a novel. It's very well written, but it's not a pot-boiler. It's for intelligent readers, pastors, people who search the prophecies and really want to know what they mean. You'll have to read carefully, and you'll want to stop to look up Bible texts here and there and prove things for yourself. The charts dealing with prophetic times, especially the chart comparing the seals, trumpets, and plagues, are excellent.

Most "Left Behind" readers don't know it, but very few of the real expert Evangelical commentators on Revelation still support the "Left Behind" scenario, even though lots of pastors do. (For example, see the recent major commentaries by Grant Osborne, Greg Beale, Simon Kistemaker, and Ranko Stefanovic). The "Left Behind" scenario's stronghold has long been Dallas Theological Seminary, where John Walvoord used to be President. However, a younger generation of scholars there rejects Walvoord's approach.

A lot of people read prophecy books because they really want to KNOW what is going to happen in the future. They want to know EXACTLY what is going to happen. However, correctly interpreting the Scriptures depends on knowing the rules. A lot of the "Left Behind" type of scenario breaks those rules, twisting verses, using verses out of context, failing to consider how a phrase or word is used elsewhere in Scripture. Far too often, wild speculative ideas get started by one person, passed around to a bunch of pastors, shared with millions by way of sermons in churches and on television, and then are assumed to be proven and true. Meanwhile, conservative scholars roll their eyes. A multitude of misinformed people saying the same thing, learned third hand from someone who had a "flash of inspiration," does not make an interpretation true. What good is it to KNOW what's going to happen step by step during the tribulation if what you KNOW is wrong?

Read this sound pre-millenialist book if you want your faith and your understanding to be based on a sound reading of the Bible. You may be disappointed to learn that there are some parts of prophecies that cannot yet be clearly understood, but that's far better than pinning your hopes on a misreading of a text. You will find that you can trust the Bible, and you can have a solid hope of Christ's return without necessarily swallowing all of the "Left Behind" scenario.

This could be one of the best book purchases you ever make.

Ted Noel's book "I Want to be Left Behind" was so clear that it Helped me understand the Bible better. God has given this soundness of mind but to few: but to Ted he as given him the mind to help people understand the Bible. Willingness to be taught what we do not know is the sure pledge of growth buth in knowledge and wisdom

Ted Noel, an advocate of the "Historicism" approach to interpreting Biblical apocalyptic prophecy, has compiled a volume worthy of the attention of anyone immersed in the study of the Bible's "end-times" messages. This book's motivation appears to be written primarily as a response to the "Futurism" approach to apocalyptic prophecy demonstrated by the popular "Left Behind" series. However, Noel also provides a cogent presentation of certain principles of Historicism as well.

Noel begins by discussing the important principle of "interpreting Scripture based on Scripture," which is highly important if one wants to get a grasp on the apocalyptic imagery as detailed in the book of Revelation, as well as throughout the Bible. Next, an intriguing chapter is included discussing the true identity of "Israel" throughout the Bible and how this need not necessarily apply in all cases to ethnic Jews. A discussion of Daniel's 70 weeks follows where the author provides a very powerful argument for the completion of the 70th week in A.D. 34 while debunking the alleged "7 year tribulation" widely attached to Daniel's 70th week by Futurists. I personally felt that this chapter was the strongest point of the book. Chapter 4 is entitled "Tribulation..." in which discussions of the 7 seals of Revelation, the church's tribulation throughout Christian history, and, of course, an excursis on Futurists' viewpoints on this issue are included. Chapter 5 is entitled "Great Tribulation" in which exegeses of the 7 trumpets of Revelation are provided. Noel then continues his discussion in a chapter entitled "...AND Wrath" in which he includes a discussion on the 7 bowls of Revelation. Next, a chapter is devoted in response to the Futurist idea that the Rapture is meant to be an event viewed only by believers where also the reader is provided with Scriptural evidence that the Rapture will be a one-time global cataclysmic event seen by all mankind. A detailed discussion of the 1,000 years of Revelation 20 comes next in sequence followed by a detailed discussion on the "New Jerusalem" described in Scripture and the eschatological fulfillment of the Feast of Booths, the final Jewish Fall festival on the calendar. Finally, the tenth and final chapter describes the danger inherent in the Futurists' assertions that the church will escape the tribulation to come.

Overall, Noel provides powerful arguments against common Futurist assertions in regards to apocalyptic prophecy while establishing a Scriptural basis for certain principles of Historicism. Students of Historicism may recognize a few differences in Noel's approach and the traditional Historicist approach, such as his treatment of the 7 trumpets. However, the author's presentations of these issues are worthy of consideration as well. The use of numerous cross-references among the different books of the Bible, particularly when interpreting apocalyptic and/or symbolic imagery, makes Noel's approach very enlightening. I highly recommend that every open-minded student of Biblical apocalyptic prophecy read "I Want to be Left Behind."

Ted Noel's detailed and scholastic painting of the thread connecting the Prophesies of Daniel, the Hebrew Culture of the Old Testament, and the consistent definition of Scripture compels one to take a critical look at contemporary 19th and 20th century Bibical theory concerning the detail of "End Times" prophecy. Noel's scholarly insight appears to straighten the time line and brings a sense of logic and consistancy to "Theological Discussion".

From the begining to the end this book was trash. I only gave one star because I had no other choice. Do not buy or read this book, unless you want to waste money on something. I however did read and enjoy the real left behind series by Tim Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, which I gave five stars for all. This book is just a copy version of a good book that the author Ted Noel made bad.

I have a lot of respect for the amount of study, research, and effort I have seen as my father put this book together. I have my personal autographed copy, and have read some here and there. Some of you may not appreciate this book, as it may come across as being more high level reading. But for those of you that are scholars, pastors, or laymen wanting an in-depth view of the end times, this is an excellent book. You will find very good charts, Biblical references, and even if you may have to read something twice, you will have a better understanding. If you would like to see more of my father's (Ted Noel) work, please visit http://www.bibleonly.org I'm sure that you will find something there that will interest you.