Posted on 08/09/2007 7:47:51 AM PDT by topcat54
I was making my semi-annual trip through the local Christian bookstore (actually, a trinket store) when I saw the third reincarnation of John F. Walvoord's best-seller Armageddon, Oil and the Middle East. Originally published back in 1974 by Zondervan, the book was re-issued with a snazzy new cover after Operation Desert Storm in 1990.
Lo and behold, here it was again on the shelves of a Christian bookstore! This time published by Tyndale with an update (apparently) by Mark Hitchcock. I refused to buy it (since I've already purchased the two prior incarnations), so I can't tell you what has been updated. But the title says it all. Now that Saddam Hussein is pushing up daisies somewhere near Tikrit, the focus switches from a Soviet-Arab invasion of Israel and a revived Babylonian empire, to a more general Muslim threat to Israel and the new foil of dispensational end-times theorizing--Islamic terrorism.
Dr. Walvoord, who died in 2002 and now a member of the church triumphant, obviously, was not able to contribute to the new edition.
The shamelessness with which books like this can be corrected, updated and then republished with new covers and a new chapter or two, only to sell a gazillion more copies, is simply breathtaking. Doesn't it trouble people that the 1974 edition and the 1990 edition got many things wrong? I thought if we interpreted the Bible "literally" all the mysteries regarding the end-times would be cleared up.
The Soviet Union no longer exists . . . Saddam Hussein is dead . . . Militant Islam is the new menace from the east (displacing Communism and a revived Babylonian empire). Barring the return of our blessed Savior, I suspect another edition, with another new cover, is a mere ten years away. I can only imagine how the cover art and title will be tweaked this time.
As one who has written two books on eschatology, let me just say, if you see a new edition of A Case for Amillennialism or Man of Sin, in which my exegesis is "updated and corrected" to explain an as yet unforeseen world event that I failed to predict, don't buy it. It means I didn't know what I was talking about!
That being said, I am now hard at work on an expanded eschatology text which will deal with a broader range of eschatological issues, including preterism and postmillennialism. We do need a Reformed/covenantal/amillennial equivalent of the venerable J. Dwight Pentecost's Things to Come. Lord willing, this will come to fruition . . .
"For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled." (Luke 21:22)
I guess I fit into the category of a believer in preteristic eschatology (that most, if not all of Revelation was written about contemporary events to the author.)
I actually enjoy sequals. Ideas for future books:
Late Great Planet Earth-Still Kickin.
Late Great Planet Earth- What went wrong?
Pre-Mil, Pre-Trib INTREP
Choose your own Adventure:Late Great Planet Earth.
Should be a short book: “Whatever, whatever, whatever, Jesus comes back, whatever.”
On all OT prophecies: “Details, schmetails.”
Huh?
At least there wont be any need for revisions.
On all OT prophecies: Details, schmetails.
Right. What difference do details make if all these prophecy gurus can change the interpretation every few years to suit current events?
We just give a chuckle every time one of these guys cries out literal hermeneutic.
I loved those books as a kid.
A-mil is the traditional reformed view, although post-mil and historic pre-mil are acceptable under the confessions. I'd have to see what he actually writes to know whether or not I agree with his conclusions.
"I repeat, there is no imminent return, everything is getting better." American Vision Information Minister Gary DeMar, (AKA Don't worry/Be happy Gary")
Riddleblog Information Minister Kim Riddlebarger
"The information I received from American Vision was more precise and comprehensive than the information I got from the Bible. I was sincere in everything I said, even just before the imminent return." "The information was correct, but the interpretations were not," he said. "I did my duty up to the last minute." [the rapture was a] "very difficult time. Not just on one man, but on all."
Should be a short book: Whatever, whatever, whatever, Jesus comes back, whatever.
On all OT prophecies: Details, schmetails.
Given Calvinists sensibilities and ???willful??? (how can THAT be???) blindness about such matters, the following post is not directed to them. They can certainly attempt to snooze on through prophetically unfolding events as long as they can get away with it.
Dr. Walvoord’s excellent
EVERY PROPHECY IN THE BIBLE
is a wonderful resource for those unallergic to the Biblical facts of END TIMES issues, dyanmics, events.
Worth the time considering Israel becoming a nation again in 1948 as Biblically predicted.
Add in the MARK OF THE BEAST already being required by some employers for access to high security areas . . .
All the nations of the world finding Jerusalem a heavy burden around their necks . . .
The growing drama and unprecedented nature of VARIOUS signs in the heavens . . .
The looming one world government . . .
The unprecedented expansion and exchange of knowledge world wide . . .
The unprecedented expansion of rapid travel world wide . . .
The massively global effectiveness of the globalists defining evil as good and good as evil . . .
The looming completion of the task of communicating the Gospel to every people group on the planet within the next 12-25 years . . . likely within the next 12 . . .
Not all premill beleive in selling books that set dates, etc.
The names and faces have been changing for the pop prophecy gurus for 4 decades now (longer if you count all the pre-WWII old-school Scofield dispensationalists).
Don’t you guys ever get tired of having to reinvent your eschatology every time the folks at the Jerusalem Times write another essay? Or John Hagee gets another vision?
BTW, is that a “horse” over the shoulder of you rather Arab-looking friend? Or have you given up on a “literal hermeneutic”?
Some folks would like us to all believe that. The evidence is far less conclusive than the assertion.
An advantage of the CT/amil view is that, if you think Bible prophecy is meaningless, you’re never wrong. (Or won’t ever admit you’re wrong.)
A disadvantage is that it’s indistinguishable from lazy unbelief.
And the advantage of the dispensational view is that you probably be dead before you can be proven wrong, and no one will really care cuz the next new exciting theory of Israels future will already be turned into the best-selling fiction series.
Don’t you feel bad that “serious” dispensationalists like John MacArthur and the new breed at Dallas Seminary have to take a back seat to the crackpots with their ever-changing view of “end times”?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.