Revelation and the End of All Things (Paperback)

~ (Author) "The power of a book can be seen in what it does to people, and few books have affected people more dramatically than Revelation..." (more)
Key Phrases: beast from the land, heavenly throne room, beast from the sea, Old Testament, New Jerusalem, Asia Minor (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Here is a readable, reliable guide to the book of Revelation that thoughtfully engages the questions people most often ask about this difficult book of the Bible.

Craig Koester provides sound, informed commentary on each section of the book of Revelation, drawing on the best recent scholarship and contemporizing his discussion with references to events like the siege at Waco, the phenomenal sales of the Left Behind series, and the use of Revelation in hymnody and art. Based on two decades of teaching Revelation to seminary students, pastors, and lay groups, this finely tuned discussion strikes an ideal balance between taking the text’s first-century context seriously and making Revelation relevant to twenty-first-century readers.

Notable for its clarity and insight, Revelation and the End of All Things makes an excellent resource for church, group, and personal Bible study.

Product Details

• Paperback: 209 pages
• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; illustrated edition edition (May 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802846602
• ISBN-13: 978-0802846600
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #222,802 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book on the book of Revelation I've ever read., February 4, 2002

By	Marc Axelrod (Potter, Wi USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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I've never read anything before that helped me understand the book of Revelation like this book does. Not only is it elegantly written in attention getting prose, but Craig Koester's interpretations are characterized by careful theological reflection. It is also happily free from many of the sensational and erroneous reflections that are heard coming from many of the apocalyptic television pulpits of America. I also like the way Koester understands the 7 cycles of visions in Revelation and how how one blends into the next one. He points out that every vision ends with a triumphant vision of Christ, which is something I hadn't quite noticed before, but won't soon forget.

A previous reviewer pointed out that this book has no study questions, and for this reason I would hesitate to use it as a textbook for a Sunday school class. This is the kind of book you would give to the well read member of your parish or your family. And if you happen to be in some kind of ministry, then this is would be one of the books I would want with me if I were preparing to teach a class on Revelation or if I was preparing a sermon. It is easy to read, hard to put down at times, and always thought provoking.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like putting on spectacles, September 4, 2002

By	Mr. Matthew J. Williams "mattjw" (Sydney, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

One of the world's leading experts on the apocalypse (I believe he is presently writing a replacement for Ford's commentary on Revelation in the Anchor Bible series), Koester has poured biblical scholarship, historical knowledge, cultural critique and pastoral care into this book. What emerges, however, is no inaccessible tome, but a delightful, sometimes humorous, piercingly relevant, remarkably brief read in engaging prose.

This book clears away the cobwebs surrounding the final book of the New Testament. The first 5th of the book (40 pages) is an enlightening synopsis of the history of interpretations and where they came from, as well as the impact they have had on world history. The rest of the book engages section by section with the text and is packed with deep insights simply expressed. Reading this book is like putting on the spectacles you always needed for the first time. For anyone wanting to understand John's revelation, I know of no better place to start.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book for All Ages, May 25, 2001

By	Stephan K. Turnbull (Durham, NC USA) - See all my reviews

Thoroughgoing, balanced, compelling, and most importantly, Christ-centered, Craig Koester's book on Revelation is top-notch.

Recognizing that Revelation was originally a letter to seven specific churches in ancient Turkey, Koester takes the historical context of Revelation seriously and, by careful research, helps his readers to understand what the book's complicated symbolism would have meant to its original readers. Koester has written a previous book on symbolism in the Gospel of John, and he shows his literary expertise again here.

But Revelation is not only a book for people who lived 2000 years ago. Koester also brings home the function of Revelation as it shapes our lives today. Although most famous as one of today's best New Testament scholars, Craig Koester's heart as a church pastor shines through as he shows how Revelation call us over and over again to have faith in the God who in Christ was and is saving the world.

As a Christian and a Ph.D. student in New Testament, I appreciate this wonderful new book on Revelation. Without the sensationalism that has characterized much recent work with Revelation, Koester offers a reading of the book that is both compelling and responsible, well suited for both first-time reader and seasoned expert.