Is there biblical evidence for a thousand-year earthly kingdom (the Millennium) ruled by Christ before the fulfillment of the new heaven and new earth? Revelation chapter 20 seems to suggest so, but few books of the Bible are so difficult to interpret. And a discussion of the Millennium branches out into many other theological questions about the end times (eschatology): Are these the last days? What must happen before Jesus returns? What part does the church play? This Counterpoints volume compares three views of the Millennium: Premillennial: Christ will come again before this kingdom is established. Postmillennial: our present age represents that kingdom and that the church is and must move toward the fulfillment of this kingdom. Amillennial: a future Millennium is not a literal kingdom, and when Christ returns, he will usher in an immediate new heaven and new earth. Robert B. Strimple, Kenneth L. Gentry Jr., and Craig A. Blaising offer their perspectives, giving their exegetical reasoning. Each of them then responds to the views held by their peers in a respectful and informative setting, making it easy for you to compare their beliefs and gain a better understanding of how this aspect of Christianity's great hope--the return of Jesus--is understood by the church. The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

Of all the books of the Bible, few are as fascinating or as intimidating as Revelation. Four grim horsemen, the Antichrist, the ten-horned beast, the ultimate battle at Armageddon, the "mark of the beast." It's no wonder that these images have griped the imagination of so many--and have been variously interpreted as symbolizing everything from Hitler and Gorbachev to credit cards and the Internet. Is the book of Revelation a blueprint for the future? A book of powerful symbolic imagery with warnings for the church? Is it essentially an imaginative depiction of historical events in the first century? Four Views on the Book of Revelation explores four interpretations of the book of the Apocalypse: Preterist - a historical interpretation, arguing that most of John's prophecies occurred in the first century, soon after his writing of them. Idealist - a spiritual or symbolic interpretation, arguing that the events in Revelation are not literal, and that apocalyptic literature requires a different approach than the Gospels or Epistles. Classical dispensationalism - a literal interpretation based on a reading of Revelation that pays close attention to the rules of grammar and the separate eras of covenantal history. Progressive dispensationalism - a modification of classical that has its root in the understanding of Christ's reign beginning immediately after the resurrection. The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

This book carefully studies Jesus' Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20). It shows that the Christian enterprise in a fallen world is to win men and nations, individuals and whole cultures to the Christian faith. It shows the optimism for success inherent in Jesus' commission, as well as demonstrating the universal applicability of the Christian worldview.

A technical study on issues arising in the interpretation of the Book of Revelation. This book takes the position that Revelation was a prophecy regarding the approaching destruction of the Jewish temple in AD 70. The studies within demonstrate the significance of AD 70 in redemptive-history as the old covenant closes and the new covenant opens. It argues that John is taking upon himself the prophetic mantle and is following the pattern of the Old Testament prophets who rebuke Israel for unfaithfulness to God.

This work analyzes charismatic claims to continuing prophetic revelation today. It does so by considering key charismatic texts in the New Testament. It shows by careful analysis of charismatic arguments that the gift of prophecy in the Apostolic church involved inspired revelation and that the gift ceased with the closing of the canon. It provides a special analysis of and rebuttal to the major arguments in Wayne Grudem's important work, "The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today."

"Before Jerusalem Fell: Dating the Book of Revelation" is a doctoral dissertation seeking to demonstrate that Revelation was written prior to the destruction of the Jewish Temple in AD 70 and that it was prophesying that event. It proves this early date for Revelation by providing both internal evidence from within Revelation and external evidence from Church history and tradition. It provides much exposition of the text of Revelation. A large part of the argument deals with the identity of the beast (666) as Nero Caesar, the first imperial persecutor of the Church.

In-depth exegetical studies of five key biblical prophecy passages: Daniel's Seventy Weeks (Dan 9: 24-27); Jesus' Olivet Discourse (Matt 24:1-36); Paul's Man of Sin (2 Thess. 2:1-10); Revelation's the Beast (Rev. 13); and Revelation's Babylonian Harlot (Rev. 17). In these studies the author shows that each of these prophecies were fulfilled in the first century and were closely linked to the destruction of the Jewish temple in AD 70. The presentations are thoroughly evangelical and rigorously biblical.

This work defends the continuation of God's Law in the new covenant economy. It defends Theonomic ("God's Law") ethics over against Intrusion Ethics (associated with Meredith Kline). It particularly responds to Dr. T. David Goron's philosophical, exegetical, and theological objections to theonomy. It shows not only that Theonomic Ethics is within the mainstream of Reformed, confessional theology, but is also firmly rooted in the covenantal Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.

Este libro explora las cuatro principales corrientes de interpretacion del Apocalipsis: la preterista, la idealista, la futurista dispensacionalista clasica y la dispensacionalista progresiva. Cada autor no solo presenta su propia postura, sino que comenta brevemente las otras posturas presentadas. Este enfoque es ideal para comparar y contrastar las interpretaciones, de modo que se pueda llegar a una conclusion personal sobre la interpretacion y significado del Apocalipsis."