Customer Reviews

What the world is coming to

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For anyone who has opened the bible to Revelation and found themselves overwhelmed by the symbolic images, this wonderful study guide takes, chapter by chapter, what it all means. I have re-read this book several times, especially as world events wax closer and closer to the prophetic messages from the bible. I will admit right up front that I am biased in favor of any of Pastor Chuck Smith's books, as I attend the Calvary Chapel he pastors. But I find his teachings to be informative, accurate, well thought out, and as a good bible teacher will always do, supported by other parts of scripture. This book is an excellent help to get through a section of the bible that can be particularly troublesome.

This is Chuck Smith's teaching through the book of Revelation. If you haven't seen or heard Pastor Chuck go deep into the book of Revelation then you really need to check this out! He breaks it down to where you can understand what it all means, and what it all means for us today. The book of Revelation is the only book of the Bible that promises a blessing on all who would read it and keep what it says. Be a seeker and find out what God has in store for those who believe, and for those who don't!

I have read many, many books on Revelation, and I still have yet to find one that I am satisfied with. That being said, I want you to understand why I give this book a mediocre review.

First off, let me preface this by stating that I have a lot of questions about the book of Revelation and interpretations put forth by people such as Chuck Smith and Tim LaHaye. Unfortunately, many of those questions were not answered in this book; too often it states things as "This is what this means," but doesn't seem to adequately explain why.

Second, Smith cites certain "prophecies" that are coming to fruition, yet offers no support or explanation for where these prophecies originate. FOR EXAMPLE: He proceeds to state that credit cards and debit cards are signs that the world is heading toward one world currency, yet offers no citation for where the Bible TEACHES of a one-world currency. Being unsure about this teaching, I want to know how and where Dispensationalists come up with this belief, yet I am offered no verses to support the view, just a statement about its reality. Does this make it false? Not necessarily. It just offers no support for the belief.

Furthermore, the belief in the Seven Churches of Asia as representing seven "Church Ages" is offered no Biblical support. Simply stating that that is what they represent without offering any Biblical reason for it being as such doesn't help me understand it, but rather to question further.

All that being said, this book isn't bad, just incomplete.

As a side note, I don't necessarily agree with the views put forth by this book, though I do not in any way condemn them. I am on a quest for understanding, and after reading this book, I feel I have much further to go.

I'll be honest, personally, I haven't read the book yet.... my husband grabbed it before I could. He keeps reading passages to me and we both agree that this book answers many questions.... even questions we didn't have. Very insightful. Even my 13 year old daughter is very interested in these prophecies.

I have read this book many years ago, and it is on my list as one of the best books I have ever read next to my Bible. Especially good for those who have never read anything like this.

I held a much higher regard for Chuck Smith before reading this book... I was doing a personal study on the book of Revelation and reading this book alongside for help, but the study became a lesson in discernment for me as I found Chuck Smith to be arrogant and word-twisting in much of his commentary. He makes sure he knocks on every Christian denomination even Protestants by making generalties. This only further divides the body of Christ. Also some of his thoughts I found a bit of a stretch based on the Word alone. I wouldn't trust a man that predicted the world would end in 1981!!! Read Revalation for yourself and use a good study guide like NavPress.