CRN.Info and Analysis

Over the Christmas break, I took some time to finish A Case for Amillennialism by Kim Riddlebarger.  The subject of eschatology is brought up here quite frequently, so I felt like it would be suitable to post a review of this book here.

As the title suggests, the book is a straightforward explanation of the Amillenniallist view of eschatology.  The book comes in at just under 250 pages, and Riddlebarger’s fluid no-nonsense writing style makes for a relatively quick read.  If you aren’t familiar with the Biblical passages that are referenced, it would be a good idea to have your Bible nearby for quick reference.

First, a little detail about the author.  Dr. Riddlebarger is senior pastor of Christ Reformed Church in Anaheim, California, and visiting professor of systematic theology at Westminster  Seminary California. He is also a co-host of the White Horse Inn radio program, which is broadcast weekly on more than fifty radio stations.  The rest of his bio can be found here on his blog.  One thing I find most interesting is that he is firmly in the Reformed camp, and he is one of the few voices I have heard speak out against the Dispensationalist theology that seems to have gotten the most press recently.

I will not spend the time here to describe all the different views on eschatology, as I think this Wiki page does a fair job of describing the basics.

According to Riddlebarger:

Amillenniallists hold that the promises made to Israel, David, and Abraham in the Old Testament are fulfilled by Jesus Christ and his church during this present age.  The millennium is the period of time between the two advents of our Lord with the thousand years of Revelation 20 being symbolic of the entire interadvental age.  At the first advent of Jesus Christ, Satan was bound by Christ’s victory over him at Calvary and the empty tomb.  The effects of his victory continued because of the presence of the kingdom of God via the preaching of the gospel and as evidenced by Jesus’ miracles.  Through the spread of the gospel, Satan is no longer free to deceive the nations.  Christ is presently reigning in heaven during the entire period between Christ’s first and second coming.  At the end of the millenial age, Satan is released, a great apostasy breaks out, the general resurrection occurs, Jesus Christ returns in final judgment for all people, and he establishes a new heaven and earth.

pp. 31-32

Even if you don’t have a background in Biblical eschatology, Dr. Riddlebarger makes it easy for all readers to come to a point of understanding.  He systematically goes through the Prophets, the Olivet Discourse, and of course, the Revelation.  The book is well footnoted throughout (the chapter on Revelation 20 has 100 notes alone), and he is a careful researcher.  At every point, Dr. Riddlebarger dismantles potential arguments against his point, and he does so convincingly.

Throughout the book, Dr. Riddlebarger makes the point that the Biblical authors consistenly wrote with a “two-age” model in mind - “This Age”, and the “Age to Come”.  Basically, when Christ came the first time, it was the beginning of “The Age to Come”.  We are stil living in the period when “The Age to Come” is here in some sense, but yet we still await final consummation when Christ returns and Heaven, Earth, and all Creation are restored.  This tension is paralled by Jesus’ now but not-yet descriptions of the Kingdom of God.  When viewed through this lens, in my opinion, Biblical prophecy becomes much clearer.  The Scriptures become unified in a way that I didn’t see earlier.

My background in the End Times puzzle is rooted in the Pre-Mill/Dispensational camp.  I grew up with the charts and graphs on flannelgraphs, and we expected to be raptured hopefully before the Tribulation.  Through the years, I’ve come to question that view, but I’ve been unsure as to where to start.  I feel that this book not only helped me on this journey, but it has given me tools to help me further down the road.

I could go into a lot more detail about the book, but for the sake of space I will not here.  I will answer any questions to the best of my ability, but I would really recommend this book to anyone who is confused or wants to learn more about Biblical eschatology.