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Last Days Madness: Obsession of the Modern Church

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In his work "End Times Fiction", Gary DeMar responds to the specific beliefs promoted in the "Left Behind" series. In this book, DeMar responds more extensively to the general beliefs of dispensational premillennialism. Before going any further I must add that a good understanding of dispensational eschatology is a pre-requisite for reading this book. If one needs a primer on eschatology, this work ISN'T it. If a person, however, needs a good Scriptural assessment of the amazingly popular dispensational eschatology, then this book is the absolute best!

DeMar's volume is annotated enough to be respectable to the average scholar, yet straightforward enough to be readable to the average student. He is thorough, yet concise. Even for persons who may not hold a preterist viewpoint, this book is a classic critique that no theological bookshelf should be lacking.

DeMar explores all the hot end-times themes, including the rapture, the great tribulation, the nation of Israel, the "seventy weeks" of Daniel, the antichrist, the dragon, the beast, the mark of the beast, the man of lawlessness, mystery babylon, the battle of Armageddon, and the "day of the Lord."

I have a very high regard for the Bible, believing it is God's inerrant word and MUST be allowed to speak for itself. I am very pleased with the way DeMar has simply sought to interpret what the Scriptures say, rather than trying to fit them into a preconceived system as so many other persons have done.

Get it! Read it! It will be money well-spent.

If you're like most evangelicals, most of what you've been taught about Bible prophecy is wrong. If you're anything like me, you were taught dispensational eschatology as a Biblical "fact" and it never occurred to you to question it. If you've ever been bothered by any of the following:
- Why "date setters" have been wrong so many times
- The hopeless sensationalism of many Bible prophecy "experts"
- Why Jesus claims that the events described in Matthew 24 would occur during "this generation"
- Why the Book of Revelation claims to be describing things that would happen "shortly" and that the time was "near"
- Or anything else about eschatology
He shows that dispensational eschatology is neither the most straightforward reading of the Bible nor the historic position of the church. He points out that much of what is taught hangs on an exegetical thread and that dispensationalism imports a lot of ideas into the text that aren't there. For example:
- The New Testament NEVER teaches that the Temple will be rebuilt.
- There is no evidence for the Rapture. This was a doctrine that was made up in the 1830's and is the result of a pre-conceived grid being forced on the text, NOT an exposition of the Bible.
- Russia was often identified as an eschatological "bad guy" because the Bible refers to "Rosh," which "obviously" refers to "Russia." If you don't see the connection, you're not alone; the main "reason" that Rosh is supposed to refer to Russia is that they sound similar. Talk about reading ideas into the Bible.

The author exposes dispensational eschatology as a crock. He shows that most of their doctrines, such as the Rapture, the alleged gap in Daniel's 70 weeks, and the rebuilt Temple to name a few are not supported by the Bible. At the same time, he makes many compelling arguments for the partial preterist position (the idea that most of the prophecies in the Bible were already fulfilled). Among the many important concepts he addresses are:
- How to interpret Biblical time texts (which dispensationalists mostly ignore)
- The identity of the Beast, the Antichrist, and the Man of Lawlessness (which he argues aren't necessarily the same; most people try to combine them into a conglomerate figure, which Demar argues isn't really Biblical).
- Why we're not living in the end times. Also why attempting to set a date for the Second Coming or trying to guess when it will be never has worked and never will.
- What the Mark of the Beast is - in particular, is it a microchip or some other form of technology as so many people seem to believe? What is the number of the Beast?
- A very detailed exposition of Matthew 24, which is often interpreted to be referring to a future Tribulation culminating in the Second Coming.
- And many more important topics.

There were a few omissions though:
- Dating of Revelation - if partial preterist eschatology is true, then Revelation MUST have been written before A.D. 70 (rather than the later date in the 90's). I don't think that Demar covered this topic adequately though, and that's a potential Achilles heel in his argument.
- I suppose he was dealing with this throughout the book, I wish the author had dealt more explicitly with the "two-people" idea (the idea that ethnic Israel is still God's chosen people).
- Maybe have spent more time explicitly defining and explaining his hermeneutics.
Hank Hanegraaff deals with these three topics in more detail in his book "The Apocalypse Code," especially the last two topics. (Actually, the hermeneutics is the main point of the book, and he spends a lot of time dealing with the second point). Although there is a lot of overlap between these two books, I'd definitely recommend reading both books together. I think they really complement each other well and you'll get a more complete picture of eschatology if you do. If I had to pick one of the two, I'd say that Gary Demar's book is better written and more complete, but as I said, if you read both they will reinforce each other and you will get a more complete picture of eschatology. Another book that compliments this book is "Thine is the Kingdom", edited by Kenneth Gentry.

I definitely recommend this book. A lot of people try to avoid the topic of eschatology, either because they don't understand it very well, it's "too divisive", or they say "I'll find out when it happens", but the Bible talks a lot about the topic so God clearly intended us to understand it. If God spoke, it's our responsibility to find out what He said. This book will help clear the haze and bring common sense, sanity, and solid Biblical exegesis back into eschatology.

I recently did an extensive research project on the subject of Eschatology. As part of this project, I looked at a number of books including this one, as it was recommended to me. Although I'm generally receptive to DeMar's writings and vision, I did not find this book particularly useful for a serious investigation of the issue.

This is really more of a collection of articles dealing with specific dispensational claims than a book on eschatology. Although it has lots of information, it does not build up a connected case or argument which makes it hard to read. Although DeMar clearly is a partial preterist, it's very hard to get an overall sense of what he is advocating, because his purpose seems to be to attack specific dispensational ideas rather than build a postmillennial or preterist alternative. I found myself frequently asking "What is the context for this?" and "What's the big picture?" If you are looking for an article attacking dispensational views on one of issues listed in the table of contents, this book may be good for you, otherwise, look at one of the other of numerous books which do this as well a build a cogent case. Might I also add that it would have strengthened the book had DeMar used a more charitable tone towards proponents of views other than his own.

Personally, I liked Jack Davis' Victory of Christ's Kingdom, as the best short introduction to postmillennialism available, and although I do not agree with David Chilton, I would recommend his "Paradise Restored" as an excellent introduction to the kind of approach that DeMar is advocating. Very readable, thoughts are presented clearly.

Heed the simple time statements. This is the heart of DeMar's book. If you assume that the wide variety of eschatological timing indicators found in the New Testament should all be understood to be REALLY referring to "the next event on the prophetic calendar, which can happen at any moment (ever since the mid 1st century), although it may not actually happen for a very, very long time (even when relative to us in the 20th century), but once the next event does finally happen, then the rest of the prophetic chain of events will all subsequently come to pass in rapid succession," then this book is not for you. DeMar insists that the timing indicators are just ordinary and plain words found throughout the New Testament, not only in apocalyptic portions, and thus they should be dealt with consistently. While many people do, in fact, spiritualize and redefine the meaning of the timing indicators in order to literalize the New Testament's apocalyptic imagery, others, like DeMar, take these common timing statements literally, and thus spiritualize the vivid apocalyptic imagery. Which seems more reasonable? DeMar points out several Old Testament passages that employ similar imagery and are interpreted in a spiritual manner by nearly everyone. Why not in the New Testament?

A truncated synopsis of the timing indicators communicated by 1st century NT authors to their originally relevant 1st century audiences:

- "this generation will not pass away til all these things take place,"

- "things which must shortly take place,"

- "the time is near,"

- "the coming of the Lord is at hand,"

- "the end of all things is at hand,"

- "and when they persecute you in this city flee to the next. Truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes,"

- "I am coming quickly,"

- "If therefore you will not repent, I will come to you quickly,"

- "The Son of Man is about to come in the glory of His Father, with His angels, and will then render to every man according to his deeds. Truly I say to you, there are some of those standing here today who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom,"

- "and escape all of these things that are about to take place,"

- "I will keep you from the hour of testing which is about to come,"

- "as you see the day approaching,"

- "five have fallen, one is [thereby establishing the time frame of the angelic interpretation as being relative to the 1st century, and thus the angel later continues by speaking of...] ...the beast that is about to come,"

- "Christ, who is about to judge the living and the dead,"

and etc.

Compare this book to something like "Are we living in the End Times?" by LaHaye and Jenkins and you will see what a well written, well researched book DeMar has put forward for us to read.

If you have ever thought the predictions of propetic "experts" are a little bit weird pick up this book and you will be amazed. Despite what a previous reviewer has stated the book does inspire you. You are inspired by the trustworthiness of God's Word and to make this world a better place.

Get it and read it. I am glad I did!

Gary Demar's "Last Days Madness" is a knock-out punch of Tim Lahaye's view on end times (i.e., dispensational, pre-tribulation, pre-millennialism). Gary Demar has developed a refutation that is quick reading and systematic. Gary Demar exposes the weaknesses of the dispensational, pre-tribulation, pre-millennialism view of end times by showing example after example of their inconsistent interpretation of the Holy Bible (i.e., inconsistent hermeneutic).

Gary Demar's Preterist view needs further discussion and study as discussed by R.C. Sproul's in "The Last Days According to Jesus". Both should be required reading for anyone that is studying and attempting to develop their own position on end times and end times theology.

NOTE: I'm still undecided on acceptance of Demar's Preterism but am continuing to study and develop my own view on end times theology.

I had an inclination to a partial preterist viewpoint before I read this book, but reading it gave me a greater understanding into preterist reasoning and eschatology in our modern sphere. It opened up my eyes to new ways of understanding Scripture, albeit I will not press some of the preterist hermeneutic further than it should (especially in regard the New and Old Testament's teaching on the New Heaven and the New Earth; 2 Peter 3, Isaiah 65-66). I would highly recommend the book to students of biblical prophecy, you don't have agree with everything but at least it will give you a wider scope to current trends in eschatology and how it is applied to a modern context. The manner in which the book is written is more polemic in nature than simply a statement of preterist eschatology. It is focused, as the title suggests, on "last days madness", which is seems to be inherent in dispensational and premillennial schools of eschatology. I would recommend the books discussion o Matthew 24 (which takes up most of the book, each chapter dedicated to a certain phrase or verse(s) taken from that chapter) but it doesn't take up the whole book. Discussions on time texts and the use of "generation" in the New Testament were helpful as well as the appedixes (the discussion of Zechariah 14 is a good example). I was less convinced by Demar's postulations in some areas than in others (his discussion of "Armageddon Theology" is one area where he did not convince me; his use of biblical symbols is good but placing Armageddon (Har-Mageddon)at the time of the persecution of Jews at the time of Esther when they were perecuted under Haman did not convince me totally). All round it is a really though provoking book and worth the buy, but remember it is a book written in the form of a theological case against dispensationalist's and futurist's view of world events and prophecy so don't be disappointed if you buy thinking its something its not, namely, a pure statement of preterist eschatology.

Gary DeMar's book, Last Days Madness is simply the best book ever written on prophecy! (Much better than the "popular" books that are written "quickly" without much thought.) DeMar unquestionably PROVES by his excellent exegesis that the "Great Tribulation," "Armageddon," and the "Antichrist" are now all PAST! DeMar carefully (and lovingly) communicated his arguments cogently. He covers many aspects concerning "eschatology" and ALWAYS gives Scripture as the deciding factor in his exegesis. I have read many books on "end-times," but this one is the very best (and seems to me to be the most accurate), thus, this one is by far my favorite! If one is interested at all in prophecy, DON'T MISS THIS BOOK! And I wish it a WIDE CIRCULATION. THANK YOU GARY DEMAR! P.S. For a similar book, one may wish to read: Before Jerusalem Fell, by Kenneth L. Gentry which is the definitive study on the dating of the Book of Revelation. This is a volume that will stand the test of time and it will be difficult for anyone to disprove his arguments. He too did an excellent job in his research!

This book is an argument for the preterist position with respect to eschatology (the end times or last days), and particularly the passage in Matthew 24. I approached this book as one relatively ignorant of the preterist position. After only the first three chapters, I found the arguments very compelling in favor of this position, though even now after reading the whole book I am not fully convinced of the full argument.

DeMar makes the argument in a systematic fashion, going through Matthew 24 and related passages in scripture, making the case that those events should be associated with the destruction of the Jewish temple in 70 A.D. Along the way, he makes frequent references to dispensationalism, another leading (and competing) theological stance with its own view of eschatology and Matthew 24. These references are typically to argue against the dispensationalist position, both on the issue at hand and against the underpinnings of the dispensational system of theology.

There are two reasons I do not give this book a full five stars. First, the author becomes somewhat repetitive to the point of annoyance. This is not in relation to the argument, but to the writing style. Conclusions of earlier arguments are brought up again and again (especially the claim that Matthew 24 only applies to the destruction of the temple) even though they don't necessarily apply to the current topic (in my opinion). Admittedly, this may be a pedagogical tool, but it is applied heavily. Second, in limited cases I think the author had a tendency to ignore other possible interpretations of passages that could be valid but do not support his position (e.g., a treatment of II Peter 3 in the appendices). These very limited cases do not necessarily detract from the overall argument, but require additional study on the part of the reader.

I recommend this book for those interested in learning about the case for preterism, as it has been very beneficial in my personal study of the issue.

This is an excellent expose of the weakness of dispensationalism and all of it's attendant misconceptions. While it is written in a "negative" tone (it's purpose is to debunk unbiblical assumptions), Demar takes care to offer more plausible interpretations each time he dismantles futurist position. This book would be a great introduction to the preterist point of view. It is logical and funny, and each chapter includes many footnotes for those interested in further investigation.