John MacArthur's eschatology book

[evangelist6589]

I ordered a copy of John's book entitled The Second Coming and anxiously await its arrival. Has anyone read it and what are your thoughts? Perhaps finishing this one may lead me to buy his book on Revelation (because the time is near), or his 2 book commentary on Revelation, however I'd prefer his single volume because the time is near instead. David Jeremiah is another excellent author, however for the most part he does not seem to be as deep as John, however his commentary on the book of Daniel, and his book on the New Age movement were very well written and definitely reads for the undergraduate level.

Okay on to more about John's book. Someone on amazon claimed that the book was a attack on preterism, and this reviewer was ticked. He also claimed that he felt God calling him to move to preterism, (which is beyond me) but regardless does the book do a good job refuting unbiblical theologies such as Preterism, PostMillennialism, Ammillenialism, and historic premillenialism?


John

 

[asterisktom]

I ordered a copy of John's book entitled The Second Coming and anxiously await its arrival. Has anyone read it and what are your thoughts? Perhaps finishing this one may lead me to buy his book on Revelation (because the time is near), or his 2 book commentary on Revelation, however I'd prefer his single volume because the time is near instead. David Jeremiah is another excellent author, however for the most part he does not seem to be as deep as John, however his commentary on the book of Daniel, and his book on the New Age movement were very well written and definitely reads for the undergraduate level.

Okay on to more about John's book. Someone on amazon claimed that the book was a attack on preterism, and this reviewer was ticked. He also claimed that he felt God calling him to move to preterism, (which is beyond me) but regardless does the book do a good job refuting unbiblical theologies such as Preterism, PostMillennialism, Ammillenialism, and historic premillenialism?


John

John MacArthur was one of the influences that helped turn me to Preterism. His mode of expositing those verses that supposedly counter Preterism really helped me to focus on those areas in the Bible. After thorough study I saw that his views on the topic were based on (among other things) circular reasoning and tradition. And on a system (dispensationalism) upon the Bible, instead of deriving a system from the Bible.

But I will give him credit in other areas. On several shows (I forget the host's name now) JM was the token Bible-thumper amidst several liberals. But MacArthur did a good job here, not afraid to be the odd man out.

But, no, I would not buy a book from JM on eschatology. But I guess you know that already.

 

[Bobby Hamilton]

I ordered a copy of John's book entitled The Second Coming and anxiously await its arrival. Has anyone read it and what are your thoughts? Perhaps finishing this one may lead me to buy his book on Revelation (because the time is near), or his 2 book commentary on Revelation, however I'd prefer his single volume because the time is near instead. David Jeremiah is another excellent author, however for the most part he does not seem to be as deep as John, however his commentary on the book of Daniel, and his book on the New Age movement were very well written and definitely reads for the undergraduate level.

Okay on to more about John's book. Someone on amazon claimed that the book was a attack on preterism, and this reviewer was ticked. He also claimed that he felt God calling him to move to preterism, (which is beyond me) but regardless does the book do a good job refuting unbiblical theologies such as Preterism, PostMillennialism, Ammillenialism, and historic premillenialism?


John

I got to hear him last week and it was wonderful. I used to hear him when I was at Cedarville. I'm blessed to hear him.

Do update us your thoughts on this book. I use one of his study Bible's and love it.

 

[Greektim]

I ordered a copy of John's book entitled The Second Coming and anxiously await its arrival. Has anyone read it and what are your thoughts? Perhaps finishing this one may lead me to buy his book on Revelation (because the time is near), or his 2 book commentary on Revelation, however I'd prefer his single volume because the time is near instead. David Jeremiah is another excellent author, however for the most part he does not seem to be as deep as John, however his commentary on the book of Daniel, and his book on the New Age movement were very well written and definitely reads for the undergraduate level.

Okay on to more about John's book. Someone on amazon claimed that the book was a attack on preterism, and this reviewer was ticked. He also claimed that he felt God calling him to move to preterism, (which is beyond me) but regardless does the book do a good job refuting unbiblical theologies such as Preterism, PostMillennialism, Ammillenialism, and historic premillenialism?


John

If I used the same terminology as you and called dispensationalism and premillenialism an "unbiblical theolog[y]", does it help the conversation any? NO. It seems more like pontification ex cathedra putting one in the role of theological arbitration. Did God make that a 3rd office of the church that I was unaware of???

BTW... I came out of dispensationalism in the midst of a PhD program in which my dissertation was going to be on a dispensational topic like a consistent understanding of Matthew's use of "kingdom" or something like that. I have read loads of books with many recommendations if you are interested. These will take you much farther than Jeremiah or MacArthur, who write at the lay level. If you want academic dispensationalism, you need to read a different set of books.

 

[markwaltermd]

I have Because the Time is Near, and I think that's a terrific book. Definitely grab any eschatology work by MacArthur that you can.

 

[preachinjesus]

He also claimed that he felt God calling him to move to preterism, (which is beyond me) but regardless does the book do a good job refuting unbiblical theologies such as Preterism, PostMillennialism, Ammillenialism, and historic premillenialism?

Lol...."unbiblical theologies" :BangHead::BangHead::BangHead::BangHead:

Really man? You're gonna call reasonable eschatological categories unbiblical? When dispensational premillennialism has yet to be able to locate anything about a seven year tribulation, a pre-tribulational partial rapture, a singular figure known as the Anti-Christ, etc. If you're gonna try to show theological disdain for a position you don't agree with you might want to be a but more prudent than picking eschatological issues to camp out on.

 

[evangelist6589]

I got to hear him last week and it was wonderful. I used to hear him when I was at Cedarville. I'm blessed to hear him.

Do update us your thoughts on this book. I use one of his study Bible's and love it.

The book will go into far more detail than his study Bible. Compare his study Bible notes in 1 Peter compared to his commentary and the study Bible just scratches the surface.

 

[evangelist6589]

If I used the same terminology as you and called dispensationalism and premillenialism an "unbiblical theolog[y]", does it help the conversation any? NO. It seems more like pontification ex cathedra putting one in the role of theological arbitration. Did God make that a 3rd office of the church that I was unaware of???

BTW... I came out of dispensationalism in the midst of a PhD program in which my dissertation was going to be on a dispensational topic like a consistent understanding of Matthew's use of "kingdom" or something like that. I have read loads of books with many recommendations if you are interested. These will take you much farther than Jeremiah or MacArthur, who write at the lay level. If you want academic dispensationalism, you need to read a different set of books.

Yes when I took a graduate level coarse on Eschatology I also read many, many books of all the major views. I have lists of more academic books, one of which I own called "A case for Premillennialism" by Campbell & Townsend. I also am aware of many other books. However for my personal study and time I found MacArthur, Jeremiah, & Lutzer to be far easier to read and understand, than the graduate level reads. The graduate level books are far more technical, while the books by the authors mentioned above are not as technical.

But here are only a few of the books that I read.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
The Millennial Views
Dispensational Premillennialism
Robert Anderson, The Coming Prince (Kregel, 1969) [224.5 An24]
W. E. Blackstone, Jesus Is Coming (Revell, 1989) [232.6 B567]
D. Campbell and J. Townsend, eds., A Case for Premillennialism (Moody, 1992) [236.9 C266]
Charles Feinberg, Millennialism: The Two Major Views, 3rd ed. (Moody, 1980) [236.9 F327m]
Herman A. Hoyt, The End Times (Moody, 1969) [236 H855]
Alva McClain, The Greatness of the Kingdom (Zondervan, 1959) [231.7 M132]
Rene Pache, The Return of Jesus Christ (Moody, 1955) [232.6 P115]
J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come (Zondervan, 1961) [236 P388]
Erich Sauer, From Eternity to Eternity (Eerdmans, 1954) [220.1 Sa85]
John F. Walvoord, The Millennial Kingdom (Dunham, 1959) [236.3 W179]
________, Major Bible Prophecies (Zondervan, 1991) [220.15 W179m]
Nathaniel West, The Thousand Years in Both Testaments (Revell, 1880) [236 W52]
Leon Wood, The Bible and Future Events (Zondervan, 1973) [236 W85]
Covenant Premillennialism (Historical)
Henry W. Frost, The Second Coming of Christ (Eerdmans, 1934) [232.6 F9293]
George E. Ladd, Crucial Questions About the Kingdom of God (Eerdmans, 1952) [231.7 L122]
J. Barton Payne, Biblical Prophecy for Today (Baker, 1978) [220.15 P293]
A. Reese, The Approaching Advent of Christ (Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1937) [232.6 R259]
Amillennialism
Jay Adams, The Time Is at Hand (Presbyterian and Reformed, 1966) [228 Ad18]
William Cox, Biblical Studies in Final Things (Presbyterian and Reformed, 1967) [236 C839]
________, Amillennialism Today (Presbyterian and Reformed, 1972) [236.3 C839]
Floyd Hamilton, The Basis of Millennial Faith (Eerdmans, 1952) [236.3 H18]
Anthony Hoekema, The Bible and the Future (Eerdmans, 1979) [236 H671]
David Holwerda, Jesus and Israel: One Covenant or Two? (Eerdmans, 1995) [231.76 H747]
Philip E. Hughes, Interpreting Prophecy (Eerdmans, 1980) [220.1 H874]
R. Bradley Jones, What, Where, and When Is the Millennium? (Baker, 1975) [236.3 J724]
H. Ridderbos, The Coming of the Kingdom (Presbyterian & Reformed, 1962) [231.7 R431]
Kim Riddlebarger, A Case for Amillennialism (Baker, 2003) [236.9 R4319]
Stephen Travis, The Jesus Hope (InterVarsity, 1976) [236 T698]
Michael Wilcock, I Saw Heaven Opened (Inter Varsity, 1975) [228 W642]
Postmillennialism
Loraine Boettner, The Millennium, rev. ed. (Presbyterian & Reformed, 1984) [263.3 B632]
R. Campbell, Israel and the New Covenant (Presbyterian & Reformed, 1954) [220.1 C153]
John Jefferson Davis, Christ’s Victorious Kingdom (Canon, 1995) [236.9 D294]
Kenneth Gentry Jr., He Shall Have Dominion, 2nd ed (ICE, 1997) [236.9 G2897]
J. Marcellus Kik, The Eschatology of Victory (Presbyterian & Reformed, 1971) [236 K55]
Keith Mathison, Postmillennialism (Presbyterian & Reformed, 1999) [236.9 M4267]
Iain Murray, The Puritan Hope (Banner of Truth, 1971) [269 M963]
Gary North, Millennialism and Social Theory (ICE, 1990) [236.9 N811]
Rousas J. Rushdoony, God’s Plan for Victory (Ross House, 1977) [236.3 R895]
Andrew Sandlin, A Postmillennial Primer (Chalcedon, 1997) [236.9 Sa569]
The Rapture Views
Pretribulation Rapture
Thomas Ice, “Why the Doctrine of the Pretribulational Rapture Did Not Begin with Margaret MacDonald,” Bibliotheca Sacra 147 (April-June 1990): 155-68
J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come (Zondervan, 1959) [236 P388]
Renald Showers, Pre-Tribulation Rapture (n.p., n.d.) [236.9 Sh83]
________, Maranatha: Our Lord, Come! (Friends of Israel, 1995) [236.9 Sh83m]
John A. Sproule, In Defense of Pretribulationism (BMH Books, 1980) [232.6 Sp87]
Gerald B. Stanton, Kept from the Hour (Zondervan, 1956) [232.6 St26]
John F. Walvoord, The Return of the Lord (Zondervan, 1955, 1977) [236.9 W179]
________, The Blessed Hope and the Tribulation (Zondervan, 1976) [236.2 W179]
________, The Rapture Question, revised edition (Zondervan, 1979) [236.9 W179]
Leon Wood, The Bible and Future Events (Zondervan, 1973) [236 W85]
Post-Tribulation Rapture
Robert H. Gundry, The Church and the Tribulation (Zondervan, 1973) [236.2 G956]
George E. Ladd, The Blessed Hope (Eerdmans, 1956) [232.6 L121]
Dave MacPherson, The Great Rapture Hoax (New Puritan, 1983) [236 M241g limited]
Alexander Reese, The Approaching Advent of Christ (GR International, 1975) [232.6 R259]
Pre-Wrath Rapture
Marvin J. Rosenthal, The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church (Nelson, 1990) [236.9 R727]
Robert Van Kampen, The Sign (Crossway, 1992; 3rd revised edition 2000) [236.9 V32s]
________, The Rapture Question Answered (Revell, 1997) [236.9 V32]
Paul Karleen, The Pre-Wrath Rapture: Is It Biblical? (BF Press, 1991) [236.9 K146] (A critique)

 

[evangelist6589]

I have Because the Time is Near, and I think that's a terrific book. Definitely grab any eschatology work by MacArthur that you can.

Thanks.. I cant wait to read the book I ordered. I may read this book you mention after I read the Second coming. I hear that The time is near is more of a abridged version of his 2 volume Revelation commentaries.

 

[evangelist6589]

Lol...."unbiblical theologies" :BangHead::BangHead::BangHead::BangHead:

Really man? You're gonna call reasonable eschatological categories unbiblical? When dispensational premillennialism has yet to be able to locate anything about a seven year tribulation, a pre-tribulational partial rapture, a singular figure known as the Anti-Christ, etc. If you're gonna try to show theological disdain for a position you don't agree with you might want to be a but more prudent than picking eschatological issues to camp out on.

I have no interest in any debates with non Premillennialists. The book I ordered is supposed to give me more confirmation of my own views, and is not a debate book between the views. For that there are several books in the counterpoints series that would be of help.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TFE2ES/?tag=baptis04-20

 

[mandym]

John MacArthur was one of the influences that helped turn me to Preterism. His mode of expositing those verses that supposedly counter Preterism really helped me to focus on those areas in the Bible. After thorough study I saw that his views on the topic were based on (among other things) circular reasoning and tradition. And on a system (dispensationalism) upon the Bible, instead of deriving a system from the Bible.

But I will give him credit in other areas. On several shows (I forget the host's name now) JM was the token Bible-thumper amidst several liberals. But MacArthur did a good job here, not afraid to be the odd man out.

But, no, I would not buy a book from JM on eschatology. But I guess you know that already.

Of course he could have landed on Preterism and then he would be whole lot worse off.

 

[Greektim]

Yes when I took a graduate level coarse on Eschatology I also read many, many books of all the major views. I have lists of more academic books, one of which I own called "A case for Premillennialism" by Campbell & Townsend. I also am aware of many other books. However for my personal study and time I found MacArthur, Jeremiah, & Lutzer to be far easier to read and understand, than the graduate level reads. The graduate level books are far more technical, while the books by the authors mentioned above are not as technical.

But here are only a few of the books that I read.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
The Millennial Views
Dispensational Premillennialism
Robert Anderson, The Coming Prince (Kregel, 1969) [224.5 An24]
W. E. Blackstone, Jesus Is Coming (Revell, 1989) [232.6 B567]
D. Campbell and J. Townsend, eds., A Case for Premillennialism (Moody, 1992) [236.9 C266]
Charles Feinberg, Millennialism: The Two Major Views, 3rd ed. (Moody, 1980) [236.9 F327m]
Herman A. Hoyt, The End Times (Moody, 1969) [236 H855]
Alva McClain, The Greatness of the Kingdom (Zondervan, 1959) [231.7 M132]
Rene Pache, The Return of Jesus Christ (Moody, 1955) [232.6 P115]
J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come (Zondervan, 1961) [236 P388]
Erich Sauer, From Eternity to Eternity (Eerdmans, 1954) [220.1 Sa85]
John F. Walvoord, The Millennial Kingdom (Dunham, 1959) [236.3 W179]
________, Major Bible Prophecies (Zondervan, 1991) [220.15 W179m]
Nathaniel West, The Thousand Years in Both Testaments (Revell, 1880) [236 W52]
Leon Wood, The Bible and Future Events (Zondervan, 1973) [236 W85]
Covenant Premillennialism (Historical)
Henry W. Frost, The Second Coming of Christ (Eerdmans, 1934) [232.6 F9293]
George E. Ladd, Crucial Questions About the Kingdom of God (Eerdmans, 1952) [231.7 L122]
J. Barton Payne, Biblical Prophecy for Today (Baker, 1978) [220.15 P293]
A. Reese, The Approaching Advent of Christ (Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1937) [232.6 R259]
Amillennialism
Jay Adams, The Time Is at Hand (Presbyterian and Reformed, 1966) [228 Ad18]
William Cox, Biblical Studies in Final Things (Presbyterian and Reformed, 1967) [236 C839]
________, Amillennialism Today (Presbyterian and Reformed, 1972) [236.3 C839]
Floyd Hamilton, The Basis of Millennial Faith (Eerdmans, 1952) [236.3 H18]
Anthony Hoekema, The Bible and the Future (Eerdmans, 1979) [236 H671]
David Holwerda, Jesus and Israel: One Covenant or Two? (Eerdmans, 1995) [231.76 H747]
Philip E. Hughes, Interpreting Prophecy (Eerdmans, 1980) [220.1 H874]
R. Bradley Jones, What, Where, and When Is the Millennium? (Baker, 1975) [236.3 J724]
H. Ridderbos, The Coming of the Kingdom (Presbyterian & Reformed, 1962) [231.7 R431]
Kim Riddlebarger, A Case for Amillennialism (Baker, 2003) [236.9 R4319]
Stephen Travis, The Jesus Hope (InterVarsity, 1976) [236 T698]
Michael Wilcock, I Saw Heaven Opened (Inter Varsity, 1975) [228 W642]
Postmillennialism
Loraine Boettner, The Millennium, rev. ed. (Presbyterian & Reformed, 1984) [263.3 B632]
R. Campbell, Israel and the New Covenant (Presbyterian & Reformed, 1954) [220.1 C153]
John Jefferson Davis, Christ’s Victorious Kingdom (Canon, 1995) [236.9 D294]
Kenneth Gentry Jr., He Shall Have Dominion, 2nd ed (ICE, 1997) [236.9 G2897]
J. Marcellus Kik, The Eschatology of Victory (Presbyterian & Reformed, 1971) [236 K55]
Keith Mathison, Postmillennialism (Presbyterian & Reformed, 1999) [236.9 M4267]
Iain Murray, The Puritan Hope (Banner of Truth, 1971) [269 M963]
Gary North, Millennialism and Social Theory (ICE, 1990) [236.9 N811]
Rousas J. Rushdoony, God’s Plan for Victory (Ross House, 1977) [236.3 R895]
Andrew Sandlin, A Postmillennial Primer (Chalcedon, 1997) [236.9 Sa569]
The Rapture Views
Pretribulation Rapture
Thomas Ice, “Why the Doctrine of the Pretribulational Rapture Did Not Begin with Margaret MacDonald,” Bibliotheca Sacra 147 (April-June 1990): 155-68
J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come (Zondervan, 1959) [236 P388]
Renald Showers, Pre-Tribulation Rapture (n.p., n.d.) [236.9 Sh83]
________, Maranatha: Our Lord, Come! (Friends of Israel, 1995) [236.9 Sh83m]
John A. Sproule, In Defense of Pretribulationism (BMH Books, 1980) [232.6 Sp87]
Gerald B. Stanton, Kept from the Hour (Zondervan, 1956) [232.6 St26]
John F. Walvoord, The Return of the Lord (Zondervan, 1955, 1977) [236.9 W179]
________, The Blessed Hope and the Tribulation (Zondervan, 1976) [236.2 W179]
________, The Rapture Question, revised edition (Zondervan, 1979) [236.9 W179]
Leon Wood, The Bible and Future Events (Zondervan, 1973) [236 W85]
Post-Tribulation Rapture
Robert H. Gundry, The Church and the Tribulation (Zondervan, 1973) [236.2 G956]
George E. Ladd, The Blessed Hope (Eerdmans, 1956) [232.6 L121]
Dave MacPherson, The Great Rapture Hoax (New Puritan, 1983) [236 M241g limited]
Alexander Reese, The Approaching Advent of Christ (GR International, 1975) [232.6 R259]
Pre-Wrath Rapture
Marvin J. Rosenthal, The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church (Nelson, 1990) [236.9 R727]
Robert Van Kampen, The Sign (Crossway, 1992; 3rd revised edition 2000) [236.9 V32s]
________, The Rapture Question Answered (Revell, 1997) [236.9 V32]
Paul Karleen, The Pre-Wrath Rapture: Is It Biblical? (BF Press, 1991) [236.9 K146] (A critique)

Is this a list you call a "few books" or a list of which you have only read a "few" of them?

 

[preachinjesus]

I have no interest in any debates with non Premillennialists. The book I ordered is supposed to give me more confirmation of my own views, and is not a debate book between the views. For that there are several books in the counterpoints series that would be of help.

Ah yes, why explore other views when clearly the NT only teaches this one, rather recent innovation in theology. Thanks I carry on from here.

:type:

{shakes head in dismay}

 

[JonC]

I have read loads of books with many recommendations if you are interested. These will take you much farther than Jeremiah or MacArthur, who write at the lay level. If you want academic dispensationalism, you need to read a different set of books.

If you don’t mind, I’d be interested in knowing your top few recommendations.

 

[TadQueasy]

I have a hard time believing that anyone other than maybe a seminary Prof has read all those books on Prophecy.

 

[JonC]

I have a hard time believing that anyone other than maybe a seminary Prof has read all those books on Prophecy.

I get a tad queasy just thinking about reading that many books on eschatology.

 

[Grasshopper]

http://americanvision.org/1679/john-macarthurs-defense-of-dispensationalism/


Last Days Madness answers every argument raised by MacArthur, arguments which he studiously avoids addressing in this poorly conceived book. Some might claim that MacArthur is unaware of my work, and so he was unable to respond to my arguments. This debate has been around for centuries. Anyone writing on this topic should be aware of the current literature. And since he quotes from an internet article by me, he knows what’s going on. MacArthur doesn’t even interact with R. C. Sproul’s The Last Days According to Jesus. John MacArthur might be able to fool the dispensational faithful, but he won’t even be able to do that much longer. The Second Coming is just one more example that dispensationalism cannot be defended when principles of sound scholarship are followed and applied.

 

[Yeshua1]

Does he hold though to a pre trib rapture for the Church?

Thought he was a historic pre mil ?

 

[Yeshua1]

Think that IF one follows the practice of understanding the Bible prophetic books from the perspective of coming of the Messiah, the postphoned Kingdom to isreal, partial intermediate/later full fullfilment, and of course the plain and literal meaning intended of the texts...

Would find it easier to see the futuristic prophetic element within the bible!

 

[JonC]

I think that many see “scholarly” sources to be those sources that are in agreement with their theology (which is unfortunate).

I am not saying that MacArthur would be a good study on this topic; his work is more pastoral and what I have read of his materials (supporting Calvinism) I can’t help but see a little dishonesty in the presentation (I agree with much of his conclusions, but he does misrepresent opposing views to make his points).

There are legitimate arguments for pre-post- and a-millennialism. There are scholarly sources that support each (as well as for and against dispensationalism). I was never overly interested in studying the matter, but I should take the time. I do hold a specific view, but I have to admit that I could not adequately defend that view or address it in light of other positions.