The Lamb The Beast The Devil

Revelation is notoriously difficult to understand. Dogmatism abounds as different groups insist on their own interpretation. This introduction explains its relevance to modern readers.

The final book of the Bible, Revelation prophesies the ultimate judgement of mankind in a series of allegorical visions, grisly images and numerological predictions. According to these, empires will fall, the "Beast" will be destroyed and Christ will rule a new Jerusalem. With an introduction by Will Self.

"The Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour."--1 John 2:18 We see evidence of the Antichrist and his spirit in the chaos, fear, hate, deceit, arrogance and cruelty both in news headlines and in the world around us. Our ancient enemy is cunning, and his subtle deceptions can infiltrate an unsuspecting heart--and church. When we don't know or take seriously the daily relevance of the Bible's teaching on Satan and the end times, we can unwittingly get swept up in his schemes. In this eye-opening book, trusted Bible scholar Derek Prince reveals what the Scriptures really say about Satan, the Antichrist and the mark of the Beast--and why Jesus Christ as the Lamb is so important. Derek also gives you the tools you need to · defend against confusion and fear · guard your heart with purity and assurance · hold fast in the midst of great opposition Today and in the days ahead, a destiny-determining choice lies before you: Will you give in to the nature and deception of the Beast? Or will you stand firm in the nature of the Lamb, preparing yourself for the day He returns?

Most evangelical Christians believe that those people who are not saved before they die will be punished in hell forever. But is this what the Bible truly teaches? Do Christians need to rethink their understanding of hell? In the late twentieth century, a growing number of evangelical theologians, biblical scholars, and philosophers began to reject the traditional doctrine of eternal conscious torment in hell in favor of a minority theological perspective called conditional immortality. This view contends that the unsaved are resurrected to face divine judgment, just as Christians have always believed, but due to the fact that immortality is only given to those who are in Christ, the unsaved do not exist forever in hell. Instead, they face the punishment of the "second death"--an end to their conscious existence. This volume brings together excerpts from a variety of well-respected evangelical thinkers, including John Stott, John Wenham, and E. Earl Ellis, as they articulate the biblical, theological, and philosophical arguments for conditionalism. These readings will give thoughtful Christians strong evidence that there are indeed compelling reasons for rethinking hell.

"...the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour." (1 John 2:18) We see evidence of the Antichrist and his spirit in the chaos, fear, hate, deceit, arrogance and cruelty, both in news headlines and in the world around us. Our ancient enemy is cunning, and his subtle deceptions can infiltrate an unsuspecting heart - and church. When we don't know or take seriously the daily relevance of the Bible's teaching on Satan and the end times, we can get swept up unwittingly in his schemes. In this eye-opening book, trusted Bible teacher Derek Prince reveals what the Scriptures really say about Satan, the Antichrist and the mark of the Beast - and why Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God is so important. Derek also gives you the tools you need to: Defend against confusion and fear Guard your heart with purity and assurance Hold fast in the midst of great opposition Today and in the days ahead, a destiny-determining choice lies before you. Will you give in to the nature and deception of the Beast? Or will you stand firm in the nature of the Lamb, preparing yourself for the day He returns?

The act of martyrdom in the worldview of the Apocalypse has been considered to be an exemplification of non-violent resistance. Paul Middleton argues here, however, that it is in fact a representation of direct participation by Christians, through their martyrdom, in divine violence against those the author of Revelation portrays as God's enemies. Middleton shows that acceptance of martyrdom is to grasp the invitation to participate in the Revelation's divine violence. Martyrs follow the model laid down by the Lamb, who was not only slain, but resurrected, glorified, and who executes judgement. The world created by the Apocalypse encourages readers to conquer the Beast through martyrdom, but also through the experience of resurrection and being appointed judges. In this role, martyrs participate in the judgement of the wicked by sharing the Lamb's power to judge. Different from eschewing violence, the conceptual world of the Apocalypse portrays God, the Lamb, and the martyrs as possessing more power, might, and violent potential than the Emperor and his armies. Middleton believes that martyrdom and violence are necessary components of the worldview of Revelation.

The book of Revelation is not about what the future holds, but about who holds the future. It lays out contrasting visions of the world'the world of the Lamb and the world of the beasts'and expresses the magnitude of our choice with inspired imagery. Reading Revelation momentarily gives us the eyes of God to glimpse the heavenly meaning of our worship, to look evil in the face and see its full reality, to gaze upon the cosmic meaning of Christ's sacrifice, and to envision the world renewed by the hope of God's victory. Revelation offers the world a wakeup call and teaches us how to live in joyful hope.