This is an excellent resource for the serious Bible student who wants to dig more deeply into the prophetic elements of the scriptures. Within this single volume of manageable proportions (but with a larger-than-usual page size) can be found just about everything you could want on this important dimension of God’s word.
Altogether there are 119 different charts arranged in 13 sections, the first of which provides an introduction to prophecy in general - including an overview of prophetic books, a list of the parables relating to prophecy, a look at the practical aspects of prophecy and several charts about the covenants.
The next section considers the hermeneutics of prophecy, comparing various approaches to its interpretation and giving an historical account of how these emerged during the time of the ‘Early Church Fathers’, as well as the Qumran Community and the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Comparative Eschatology
From this it should be clear that this book is not just about end-time prophecies, though these inevitably feature strongly in its central part. There is a section on systems of eschatology, and several more on related themes such as the Rapture, the Tribulation, the Olivet Discourse, the Millennium and a rather longer collection of 17 charts on the books of Daniel and Revelation.
Perhaps rather more unexpected is a fascinating final section on ‘comparative eschatology’. Similarities and differences in Muslim, Jewish and Christian eschatology are presented, as well as two charts comparing Christian eschatology with Hindu and Buddhist eschatology.
It should be stressed that the word ‘chart’ has a varied meaning. These charts are not just diagrams or schematics (though there are several of these). A chart can simply be a list of texts or viewpoints, or a table. The concept of a ‘chart’ is adapted to whatever makes the content most easily read and grasped.
This book is not just about end-time prophecies, though these inevitably feature strongly in its central part.
Different Views Represented
Readers will want to know if the authors favour a particular slant on Bible prophecy and whether or not this colours the book they have produced. In the preface the authors acknowledge that within the Church many different systems of interpretation have arisen over the last 2,000 years. The view of the Jewish nation and the early Jewish-Christian Church was that of the ‘futurist’, ‘pre-millennial’ position. From the 3rd Century the predominantly Gentile Church favoured either the ‘historicist’ school (and ‘amillennialism’) or the ‘preterist’ view (and ‘post-millennialism’).
The authors admit that their viewpoint is futurist, lining up particularly with the later development known as ‘dispensationalism’. However, they have included charts representing every viewpoint (even ones they disagree with) and although most of the charts in the collection have been prepared by the authors themselves, some are reprinted or adapted from other published works (with due permission). A two-page list of these sources is provided so that students can follow these up for themselves.
Abundant Reference Guide
The authors state that the purpose of the book is to help clarify God’s word (with particular regard for the ancient context of the Bible) and draw out the relevance of its truth for today. These things they have certainly achieved. Here is a valuable aid for general study or an abundant reference guide for those preparing to teach or preach on some of trickier parts of Scripture.
It should be added that this volume is just one of a series of 14 such books. Others cover various periods of Church history, ethics, theology and doctrine, the Gospels and the life of Christ, plus several more. Going on this book alone, the whole series is well worth exploring.
‘Charts of Bible Prophecy’ (175pp, paperback) is available from Amazon for £14.99. Also on Kindle.