Book Notice: Jim Hamilton’s Revelation: The Spirit Speaks to the Churches

James M. Hamilton
Revelation: The Spirit Speaks to the Churches
Ed. R. Kent Hughes
Crossway: Wheaton, IL, 2012
Available Amazon.com. (and for Kindle).

This book is an exposition of Revelation based on a series of sermon’s preached at Kenwood Baptist Church in Louisville, KY. It reads very easily with a definite verbal feel and gives good explanations and exhortations, but without going into the minutia of academic debate. Hamilton writes in a format that covers the need of the audience, the main point of the text, contextual matters, he exposits the text, exhorts from the text, and wraps things up with a brief conclusion. It is also full of wonderful illustrations, anecdotes, some charts for literary parallels, plus references to ancient and modern literature too. Hamilton takes a historic premillennial position position which shines through in places like Revelation 20, but this perspective does not over-power his exposition. If you’re studying Revelation or preaching through it yourself, this book would be a good compliment to something dense and detailed like Greg Beale’s NIGTC commentary since Hamilton offers a more sermonic and practical approach to the Book of Revelation. Here is one of many of Hamilton’s short conclusions (here on Rev 12.1-17):

Satan is at enmity with the woman and her seed. He wants to accuse before God, but Jesus has defanged the dragon, and all his accusations are now toothless against those of us who trust in Christ. The new exodus has happened, and God is carrying us, those who trust him, on eagles’ wings, sustaining us in the wilderness as we sojourn toward the promised land. Satan is making war on us, but the outcome will be as it has been throughout history. Strong as Satan may look, the seed of the woman will crush his head (p. 256).

Joshua

I find myself at a loss when you say that he “takes a historic premillennial position position.” Not because I disagree, but because I don’t understand. During my time studying as an undergrad., we haven’t studied the differing views on Revelation, and I’d like to know more. Do you know of any good books introducing the various views on Revelation (premillennialism, preterism, etc.)?

Jwhittum

Forgive me for jumping in on this, Joshua – we don’t know each other and I’ve never even been to this particular blog, but I saw your question and thought I’d attempt to help you.

Check out the Four Views book by Steve Gregg for a single author in parallel commentary format. Or you could check out the Zondervan Four Views book on Revelation, where each position is explained and defended by a proponent of that view. The four views are not identical in both books, however. Gregg’s commentary looks at the Preterist, Historicist, Idealist (Spiritualist) and Futurist views. The zondervan book leaves off the Historicist view which is no longer very popular and includes the dispensational and progressive dispensational view – both of which would fall under the broader banner of Futurism. Gregg deals with some of the nuances of each view as well.

For a Millennial views book (which is a separate issue, albeit related), I like the old “The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views” book edited by Robert Clouse.

Joshua

Thank you very much. I’ll have to check those out. I greatly appreciate the help.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Johnny-Ward/100002466030200 Johnny Ward

(Michael, I found the following while webbing away. Any reaction?)

Futurism Was, Is, and Is To Come

Preterists claim that the “Antichrist” and the “great tribulation” were fulfilled during the 70 AD period.
If so, why do we find that the arrival of the Antichrist was regarded as a future event by writers who lived during and after 70 AD?
Polycarp (70-167) wrote that “He comes as the Judge of the living and the dead.”
Justin Martyr (100-168) said that “[Antichrist] shall venture to do unlawful deeds on the earth against us the Christians….”
Irenaeus (140-202) wrote that the ten kings (Rev. 17)”shall give their kingdom to the beast, and put the church to flight.”
It’s not true that Francisco Ribera (1537-1591) “revived” futurism because it was never lost during the Middle Ages or prior to that period of time.
Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) stated: “There remains only one thing – that the demon of noonday [Antichrist] should appear.”
Roger Bacon (1214-1274) spoke of “future perils [for the Church] in the times of Antichrist….”
John Wycliffe (1320-1384) referred to “the hour of temptation, which is coming upon all the world, Rev. iii.”
Martin Luther (1483-1546): “[The book of Revelation] is intended as a revelation of things that are to happen in the future….”
(Google or Yahoo “Famous Rapture Watchers” to see quotes from many Christian leaders throughout the Church Age which prove that they expected a future Antichrist and a future great tribulation.)
Preterists use Matt. 24:34 (“This generation will not pass….”) to try to prove a 70 AD fulfillment of “Antichrist.” Since many of them see “these” (Matt. 25:46) fulfilled in the future in Rev. 20, why can’t they apply futurism as easily to Matt. 24:34? After all, the word “this” is the singular form of “these”!
To see something that preterists, historicists, and futurists can all agree on, Google “Pretrib Rapture Secrets.”