Revelations Books

This is the first Swedenborg book I read and it introduced me to the whole fascinating world of his visions. I have read numerous books on angelic encounters, life after death, near death experiences, etc., but this book is truly unique. In this book, Swedenborg speaks about his experiences as he passes into the realms of heaven and encounters angels. He relates answers to questions he poses to the angels, things like:"Please teach me what happiness is." The angels respond, "Love in action gives a feeling of happiness. In heaven it acts with widsom, in hell with folly. Either way it makes its subect happy."

Unlike some books about channeling and similar processes, I had no trouble believing and understanding that the messages in this book were genuine. I felt comfortable with the fact that Swedenborg really spoke with higher realms and wasn't just creating this in his own mind.

If you're looking for an inspiring book to help you understand life on many levels, and are tired of the myriad NDE and angelic encounter books that abound, you'll enjoy this one!

By all accounts Swedenborg was both a high genius and, in his later years, psychic...focused on developing a world view that encompassed heaven and hell, angels etc. As such this book is a collection of many of his remarks about the afterlife and heaven and hell. It has a dated feel in the sense that Swedenborgs views are firmly those of someone writing over 200 years ago...and it is a puzzle how to reconcile them with more "modern" writers/travellers on the path. The charitable view would be that, if what Swedenborg says is somehow true, then it is also filtered through the mindset of someone of his era (just as must be true of someone of our own era). This "dated" aspect of his ideas greatly reduced their value for me...but some of his ideas (eg about how we create our own heavens and hells) cannot be found elsewhere.

Unlike the previous reviewer, I find the organization of the book cogent, logical and refresingly easy to follow. Echols scholarship is sterling. This book should be in the library of any serious student of Revelation.

The teaching provided by Mr. Echols is fine. However, the most important thing I can say about the book for prospective buyers concerns its organization, or more accurately the lack thereof. Most prospective buyers will probably be students looking for commentaries on Revelation. This is definately NOT in that category. Mr. Echols takes several topics contained in Revelation and explains/comments on them. And the topics that he selects jump back and forth throughout the book of Revelation. Very hard to follow and therefore, more difficult to use than most. Hope this helps. God bless. Mike

Reading this book with a friend of mine who is a quadriplegic was tremendous! Marva made sense of what can be a perplexing book of the Bible, beautifully addressing the also-perplexing life of suffering, with a message of hope for us both. The short chapters with real-life tie-ins were ideal in conveying a message that launched our dialogue after reading it.

A wonderfully practical message for anyone challenged by disability!

I read this while preparing a series of Bible studies in the book of Revelation. I was looking for other viewpoints than the commonly available "prophetic" approaches to John's letter, and was handed this book as another option.

Overall I was mildly disappointed with this author's approach. While proposing to reveal, from the Revelation, a "doctrine of suffering", I felt that the reverse was what was actually done. It seemed that the author superimposed her sufferings onto her reading of this scripture.

While I have no problem with the viewpoint that God often uses suferings in our lives to both conform us into the image of His Son, and at the same time to demonstrate His saving and keeping power, I don't think the Revelation of Jesus Christ leads the way into this teaching.

There are some good highlights and insights that are valuable for the Church to remember in these days. One of which is a reminder that our prayers are compared to incense (creating an atmosphere) more than precision weapons (yielding targeted and immediate results).

Overall I would recommend this book, but without a lot of enthusiasm.

This is the one book my father read because it captured a time he lived. This book captures a dream come true when all things seemed lost. It is a part of Kansas City history so few know and is being slowly lost by time and forgetfulness. It is a story of a dream come true, a story of horses, a story of goodness in a desperate time for so many. It is a story worth reading many times.

Having just been shown a copy owned by my aged (82) aunt, I am amazed at the price this book seems to be commanding - anywhere from $190 to $340 at various out-of-print booksellers. The book does show an interesting portrait of the wealthy, landed horsey set of the early 1900s. Ms. Combs seems rather self-absorbed, to be sure, and her condescension to those less fortunate is in itself rather fun.
I also note that my now-deceased uncle, Horace Neal, was one of Ms. Combs' hired labourers, and is present in several vignettes. It is interesting that Ms. Combs protrays his grammer as representative of the worst of the American backwoods, while in fact Horace was quite well-spoken. Perhaps she could not imagine that one of limited education and lowly station would speak well. Such attitudes are no doubt as old as class distinction.
I recommend the book, but also suggest that the reader borrow instead of purchasing one.

This book is actually a second part of a trilogy beginning with "The Book of Splendours" and ending with "The Great Secret", in which Eliphas Levi expounds his experiences of magic, qabalah, tarot and the divine and universal energies. To explain the subtitle of this book, "The Mysteries of the Qabalah: Occult Agreement of the Two Testaments", is essentially there is a strong correlation between the prophecies of Ezekiel in the Old Testament and the Book of Revelations of St. John in the New Testament. As you read, you will notice that Levi quotes the scriptures somewhat loosely, however not miscontruing the nature of the text. The italicized are the scriptural, while the regular print is Levi's commentary. Within these pages are many symbolic drawings which help the reader understand some of the writings which can be abstract and elusive at times. Erudite occultists will immediately recognize some of the drawings from various tarot interpretations, qabalistic, alchemical and astrological relationships as well as magical symbols represented throughout the text. Through all of this formulaic instruction, Levi is attempting to empower the reader with special knowledge, which I will explain. First, the writers of both the Old Testament and New Testament had divine insight. That there is a universal consciousness at work in which both prophecies reveal similar experiences and visions (told in different cultural symbols). Second, the formulas at hand are a means towards the Great Work. That is, the design of the symbol is of utmost importance in understanding how one is to proceed in their Work. Lastly, that the relationship between Exekiel and St. John are only 2 examples, where Levi also gives other examples from the Hindu, Greek, Roman and Pagan societies that make for similar arguments. The writing style of Eliphas Levi is one that can easily be said of as creative and highly imaginative, but with no base in reality. Contrary one might describe it as divinely insightful, yet, ambiguous enough for any interpretation that one sees fit. Because there is no definitive quality in his writing, Levi is not for the beginning occultist or practitioner of the magical arts. While his writings are manditory for any serious magician, intelligence is duly needed when studying his works. In regards to 'The Mysteries of the Qabalah', while this being the second of the trilogy, there is no neccesity in following his arrangement, however, I would not suggest this book as a primer of Levi's works. In my personal experience, this book is not to be read, but studied in conjuction with a Greek and Hebrew Bible, and a dictionary of each of those languages for a fuller understanding as well as a to draw your own conclusions as to whether Eliphas Levi is correct in his revelation. While I am still in the course of exploring these issues personally, I enjoy Levi's work, not because I find him more right than wrong, but specifically because he sparks my intellect as well as my imagination. It allows me to keep searching for my own truths about myself and the universe.

It's a good book for people interested in the Revelations and its qabbalistical meaning, the whole book comments it.

This commentary is aimed for the young Christian and the group study leader. It is well designed and easy to navigate. It is also reasonably detailed and readable. Generally it gives the various alternative interpretations for difficult texts, including the rapture and millennium. The text of Revelation is in bold, and the comments are on one or two verses at a time, with the fragment of text being commented on highlighted in italics. It alternates between different modern bible versions, which I found annoying. It does a reasonable job of interpreting the meaning of the symbols. It includes additional tables and maps, an index, application notes and classic quotes from noted Christian thinkers.

There are instances of sloppy interpretation or editing, such as saying that the church at Ephesus was filled with pride, which is not what the text says, pride applies more to Laodicea. The mighty angel of 10:1 becomes an archangel by 10:2. On page 173 it misquotes Tertullian by saying, "The blood of the martyrs is seed" it should be "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church" (or seedbed of the church). However these are minor criticisms on what is basically a sound commentary.

Its strength is that it avoids the crass sensationalism and fiction of some modern interpretations and in general it follows the interpretation given by the more scholarly commentaries, which is to be welcomed. It is readable and not over technical and will help make Revelation meaningful to the young Christian. It is not so brief as to be useless but it packs quite a lot of information in its 284 pages making it worth buying.

The study leader will find Keener useful for application and Johnson or Krodel useful for further detail, with Mounce as a more scholarly reference. Other useful commentaries for the layman are Hendriksen and Ladd.

As a pastor I highly recommend this commentary to anyone who is looking to delve into the mysteries of Revelation. I used it as a help in a 14 week study which we just concluded at my church.

The writing is such that most can understand it without too much trouble and the explinations and commentaries given are very well worded. It's easy to use layout makes it a perfect addition to any self study or small group study.

Not as engaging as Professor Ward "live" (be it lecture, luncheon or tutorial); but an endeavour worthwhile, nevertheless: his is a lucid articulation, quasi-rigorous examination, fair evaluation, and creative conceptualization of five major world religious traditions' (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism) concepts of revelation. Certain to evoke controversy and to stimulate dialogue both within and across these traditions, "Religion and Revelation" will appeal to theologians, philosophers of religion, and anthropologists, in particular; professional scholars and non-specialists, alike. Trig Johnson of Florida

The noble aspiration of this book is to give a theological (& eventually Christian) accountof revelation as an ubiquitous cultural phenomenon appearing in all manifestations of the spiritual. He deals excellently with the conundrums involved with comparing andencountering competing claims of religious truth and the ability of humans to find warrant to choose to believe one or the other. Admirably, he treat the religious traditions featured in his work fairly and even-handedly. He has taken great care not to misrepresent any tradition, and before publication, he employed the criticism of many experts in revising his work where it contained any fallacies concerning non-Christian faiths. While some criticism of them is present in his work, he never takes the tone of a polemicist.

His book begins with an examination of the general epistemological difficulties accompanying claims of revelation and then moves on towards specific examinations of Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and a special chapter on Christian revelation and our belief in God's Incarnation. His last section works out the conclusions of his examination and one is left with a strong argument for a non-provincial theology but, if one is a Christian, a strong grasp of how the doctrine of Incarnation makes Christianity as radical and distinct as it is.

Though I didn't agree with him on many small details, I found his general framework to be solid. I highly recommend this book for any Christian seriously wanting to explore revelation in the context of pluralistic market of religions in our post-modern societies.

Fascinating scenario. Great read.

Harbinson does a great job mixing politics with religion in a very interesting insight into mid-east politics

Michael's commentary deciphers the challenging text of The Book of Revelation. His work is not exhaustive, nor should it be given the purpose of the IVP Commentary Series. His comments elucidate the difficult without confusing the reader. Scriptural continuity is maintained while conservative textual elaboration is affirmed.

We use this commentary for a small men's group discussion. When stumped or for simple clarification, we refer to Revelation by J. Ramsey Michaels.

Retired seminary professor Michaels has written a sound commentary, as you would expect coming from IVP. He has the advantage of having taught Revelation over many years in seminary, college, and church; the result is a mature reflective commentary. The commentary is not over technical, or large, there are useful footnotes as required and he comments on a passage rather than verse by verse. His writing style is a bit like D M Lloyd Jones so he is not a quick skim. It is meant to be read as a book and not dipped into. The text of Revelation is in italics and appears in small sections or individual words as he discusses a passage. The commentary could do with more detail, but as he says "writing a book, like making fine sculpture, is about knowing what to leave out" and this is a commentary that needs to be savored not gulped. The commentary would be useful to the pastor having the time to study and digest the passages, especially for those who have not preached beyond Rev 3. At the time Revelation was written the greatest danger to the church was complacency just as it is today.

I found his transformation of the seven trumpets to the two witnesses to be interesting; the first being unsuccessful while the second successful in achieving repentance among some of the earth's inhabitants.

Worth getting for the pastor and the scholar, but not my first choice for the student, try Mounce, Krodel or Ladd.

Peter Jensen's The Revelation of God was a helpful book on understanding a Reformed perspective on revelation. Early in the book Jensen makes his reformed beliefs clear in stating that humans are unable to find God on their own (38). He then moves into a detailed and holistic description about the nature of the Gospel, stressing especially its covenantal nature. Such Gospel-centered discussions are refreshing.

Jensen strikes a good balance in this book in many ways, especially in connecting issues of Lordship with the Word. He reminds us that when we obey and trust the Word, we are obeying and trusting Christ since He rules His people by His given Word (88, 212). Thus, it is completely inconsistent to accept Jesus as Lord and not accept His Word (153). We cannot separate Christ's authority in our lives from biblical authority in our lives. He also strikes a balance between experience and the Word, again putting priority in the Word. Jensen shows that while people do encounter God, our experience must be shaped and tested by the Word, not the reverse (131). He also gives an indictment on many churches today in noting that the lack of experiencing God is deadening. (138). Jenesen's balance also appears when he warns about the dangers of either letting tradition determining interpretation or tradition having no say (171). As he reminds us, innovations in theology imply that all the previous generations have misunderstood God.

Jensen also is great at revealing the heart of issues related to revelation. He states that people who reject the authority of the Bible are doing so out of a desire for human autonomy more than out of having problems with the Bible itself (153). Similarly, he shows that people who raise questions about the unity of the Bible do so because they do not believe in inspiration (186). I found such statements insightful and helpful in knowing how to respond to people who raise such objections.

While I found all of these points helpful, I must say that I was disappointed in the final two chapters. Back in chapter 6 I began to pick up on his cessationist views. However, Jensen makes such views clear in his chapter on the role of the Holy Spirit and on contemporary revelation. While evangelicals may disagree on these issues, I did not feel that Jensen's final chapter dealt fairly or completely with the issue. After accusing Grudem of providing "insufficient" Scriptural evidence for his views (270), Jensen discounts Grudem's beliefs without using any Scripture himself. He goes on to say that Grudem's view directs us away from the Word of God (270) but gives little explanation. My continuationist beliefs drive me back to the Word, not away from it. Similarly, discounting tongues and prophecy by pointing to counterfeit examples and failed prophecies does little more than build a straw man to destroy. Does not the enemy counterfeit many truths? Does not Paul tell us to test prophecies (implying that they can be wrong and that the Word is our standard)? I still struggle to see biblically how Jensen can conclude from the evidence he provides here that it is a myth to believe that God speaks to people today by His Spirit.

Peter Jensen, formerly Principal of Moore Theological College, Sydney, Australia has written a fine book. He attempts to give a biblical theological appraisal of divine revelation using the Bible and the Gospel as his guide while critiqueing Schliermacher, Barth and experientialist views of revelation.

The writing is clear and understandable, though a bit repetitive at times. But his general thesis is that the revelation of God is percieved primarily through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but contra Barth, actually has a locus in Scripture itself. He defines the Gospel in terms that are fairly typical of the Sydney Anglicans (Goldsworthy, Dumbrell). Primarily for Jensen, the Gospel is about the establishment of the Kingdom of God, through the King-Savior-Judge Jesus Christ.

He sets out to define the Gospel in the first part of the book by looking at the work of Christ in a redemptive-historical and soteriological fashion. He concludes by stating that the Gospel, therefore, is revelation because in it God's Kingdom-establishing project is revealed.

The next two parts of the book talk about hermeneutics and the place of experience in the Christian life. This was the more enjoyable part of the book for me because the first section was more of a review for me. He discusses general revelation, general religious experience and the reality of particular Christian experience. He concludes by saying that Christian experience must be understood in terms of the Gospel as revelation. With respect to general revelation, he holds to a less than optomisitic view that it can be redemptive for people in any complete way - only the Gospel can function as saving revelation. There is also a chapter on the authority of Scripture which is interesting for an evangelical to read to get a different perspective on the authority of Scripture that isn't so widely expressed.

I felt that at certain points Jensen could have been more thorough in his discussion. I'm still not quite clear on what similarities and differences he has with Barth. Also, he does make reference toward the end of the book to Post-modern hermeneutics and it is clear that Kevin VanHoozer's "Is There a Meaning in this Text" is very important in his thinking.

Overall it's a good read and one that ordinary readers will be able to appropriate without too much trouble and one that could be used in theological education at the undergraduate level.