Understanding End Times Prophecy: A Comprehensive Approach [Paperback]

Paul N. Benware (Author), Charles Ryrie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1995

Many Christians think of end times prophecy as a gigantic, intimidating puzzle -- difficult to piece together and impossible to figure out. But every puzzle can be solved if you approach it the right way. Paul Benware compares prophecy to a picture puzzle. Putting the edge pieces together first builds the 'framework' that makes it easier to fit the other pieces in their place. According to Benware, the framework for eschatology is the biblical covenants. He begins his comprehensive survey by explaining the major covenants. Then he discusses several different interpretations of end times prophecy. Benware digs into the details of the Rapture, the Great Tribulation, the judgements and resurrections, and the millennial kingdom. But he also adds a unique, personal element to the study, answering questions as:-Why study bible prophecy?-What difference does it make if I'm premillenial or amillenial? If what the Bible says about the future puzzles you, Understanding End Times Prophecy will help you put together the pieces and see the big picture.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Do you think what happens in the future doesn’t matter today?

Think again.

 

The author of Revelation prefaced his vision with the encouragement that the person who knows prophetic truths—and orders his life according to those truths—will live better now. The study of Bible prophecy

… reminds us that God is sovereign.

… reminds us that God is good.

… motivates us to holy living.

… helps us establish proper priorities.

… gives us hope.

 

Paul Beware has these benefits in mind in this revised and expanded edition of his classic book. In this new edition he addresses the confusion and conflict surrounding the topic of prophecy, provides a biblical framework to clarify different interpretations—including pre-, a-, and postmillennialism, and includes an entire chapter on preterism. He also provides insight that can help you understand how these different explanations of Scripture have the power to shape your faith and offers tools to help you develop discernment.

 

 

This book is a remarkably readable, clear, concise, and yet comprehensive discussion of future events.  It is the best volume of its kind on the subject – whether for individual study, group discussion, or as a course text.

 

Thomas H. Cragoe, Th.D.

Interim Chair and Associate Professor of Bible

Cedarville University

 

For those seeking the broad panoramic view of future things, Understanding End Times Prophecy provides a valuable resource.  Benware, a veteran college teacher and conference speaker, effectively and clearly explains key definitions and critical issues related to the biblical narrative of prophetic truth.

 

W. Sherrill Babb

President

Philadelphia Biblical University                                                                        

 

 

PAUL N. BENWARE (BA, Los Angeles Baptist College; ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary; ThD, Grace Theological Seminary) is professor in the Biblical Studies Division at the Philadelphia Biblical University. Dr. Benware also wrote Survey of the Old Testament, Survey of the New Testament and The Believer’s Payday. He is married and has four children and five grandchildren.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

DR. PAUL BENWARE (B.A., Los Angeles Baptist College, Th.M., Dallas Theological Seminary, Th.D., Grace Theological Seminary) is currently teaching in the Bible department at Southwestern College in Pheonix, Arizona. A former faculty member of the Los Angeles Baptist College (now the Master's College) and Chicago's Moody Bible Institute, Dr. Benware has continued to be involved in several local churches, often holding pastoral or staff positions. Dr. Benware is the author of seven books including Understanding End Times Prophecy, The Believer's Payday, surveys of both the Old and New Testaments, and a newly published commentary on the Book of Daniel, as well as numerous articles published in journals and magazines. Dr. Benware lives with his wife, Anne, in Litchfield Park, Arizona. They have four children and six grandchildren.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Moody Publishers (August 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802490778
• ISBN-13: 978-0802490773
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.6 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,024,175 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Paul N. Benware (BA, Los Angeles Baptist College; ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary; ThD, Grace Theological Seminary) is professor in the Biblical Studies Division at the Philadelphia Biblical University. Dr. Benware also wrote Survey of the Old Testament, Survey of the New Testament and The Believer's Payday. He is married and has four children and five grandchildren.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling Analysis, June 26, 2001

By 

Richard Ogg (Santa Rosa, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Understanding End Times Prophecy: A Comprehensive Approach (Paperback)

This book addresses issue of differing views of future events (end times) with the readability of a typical high school book. Dr. Benware manages to be thorough while at the same time to keep moving.

He begins with a basic review of the principles of interpretation and why people's views differ. (If you have always assumed that scriptures are difficult to understand, otherwise there wouldn't be such varied opinions, this section will be very valuable to you. Scriptures are not so difficult to interpret; it is simply that each person approaches scripture with a particular set of rules for interpretation. Different rules give different results.)

Next he goes through all the major issues of end-time prophecy, presenting each significant view of the issue. For each view, he presents the arguments for it, and why others reject such an argument. While he treats each view evenly, he makes no pretense of hiding his own opinion. This frankness allows the reader to understand clearly what is being said without needing to wonder about hidden agendas. It seems to me that he is fair in his assesments, but I admit to being of the same school in terms of rules for interpretation.

(Dr. Benware approaches scripture assuming that it says exactly what it means. This literal approach permits figures of speech when obvious and allegories where indicated. However, if the plain sense of a passage makes sense, then the approach is not to seek some mystical meaning instead of what it plainly says. The first section of the book gives the clearest explanation I've ever read of how the allegorical approach to scriptural interpretation developed from an effort to reconcile Biblical teaching to Greek Gnosticism. This section alone is worth the price of the book, without consideration of end-times prophecies.)

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Foundation-Laying Breadth , Clarity, and Currentness, May 31, 2006

By 

Encompassed Runner (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Understanding End Times Prophecy: A Comprehensive Approach (Paperback)

"Understanding End Times Prophecy" is an overview that requires no prior knowledge yet is not dumbed down, since theological terms are not avoided, just explained. This book does more than lay out the usual amillenial-postmillenial-premillenial viewpoints; it goes deeper to first address the underlying theologies from which the differing endtimes interpretations arise, explaining the significance and present relevance of the different covenants God made with the nation of Israel. I very much appreciated that since how one views the covenants greatly affects worldview, the Church, Israel, and endtimes prophecy. The rapture, tribulation, and millenium are discussed as expected for this type of book, but Benware goes the extra mile in mentioning more recent rapture view variations. There's an interesting final section, "Understanding the Future of the Individual" that gets into death theories and the eternal state. I recommend this book for accessibility and breadth, but for more focused depth on the timing of the rapture, birth pangs, Day of the Lord, consider checking out "Maranatha" by Renald Showers, also a dispensationalist.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good overall book..., April 26, 2006

By 

Seth McBee (Maple Valley, WA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Understanding End Times Prophecy: A Comprehensive Approach (Paperback)

Writer is a dispensational pretrib author and so he definitely bends his thoughts in that direction. He starts off by talking about the covenants and their history and goes into great detail about each thought on the Millennium and each thought on the tribulation. Overall felt it was well put together and fair to each disposition, just remember that he does write and refute based on his theology, which I really liked. If you want a book that shows all sides from their own theologians pick up Zondervan's "Three Views on the Millennium"