Armageddon and the peaceable kingdom

599 Pages·1998·1.29 MB·English

by  Walter Klaassen

title: Armageddon and the Peaceable Kingdom
author: Klaassen, Walter.
publisher: Herald Press
isbn10 | asin: 0836190807
print isbn13: 9780836190809
ebook isbn13: 9780585183763
language: English
Bible--Prophecies--Eschatology,
subject
Eschatology--Biblical teaching.
publication date: 1999
lcc: BS680.E8.K52 1999eb
ddc: 236.9
Bible--Prophecies--Eschatology,
subject:
Eschatology--Biblical teaching.
Page 1
Walter Klaassen has rendered the church of Jesus Christ an invaluable
service with this volume. His critical analysis of current doomsday
thinking should go a long way in restoring a measure of sanity to
those who are caught up in speculations about the end-times.
With considerable courage, Klaassen confronts many of the unbiblical
views on how history will end, views made popular by writers who
have espoused the dispensational system of hermeneutics. In the
second part of his book, he offers a biblical alternative to some of the
bizarre interpretations of the Scriptures by those who lay out in detail
the scenario of how and when the present age will end.
I commend the author for tackling this controversial area of thought. I
recommend this book to those who take biblical eschatology seriously.
David Ewert, Emeritus Professor of Biblical Studies
Concord College, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Walter Klaassen's book provides an effective antidote to the one-sided
presentation of the Christian message given by premillennial
dispensationalists. His thorough analysis of their doctrines shows the
weakness of their interpretations of the Bible and the speculative
nature of their claims about the rapture and the second coming of
Christ. At the same time, Klaassen warns against the danger of a
secularized Christianity that neglects the spiritual aspect of its
heritage.
Klaassen offers an alternative vision of the kingdom of God, based on
a balanced interpretation of the New Testament. Instead of putting
undue emphasis on the book of Revelation, he gives full weight to the
teaching of the Gospels and the epistles, stressing both the spiritual
and the ethical dimensions of that teaching. Although Klaassen does
not neglect the theme of judgment, he depicts Jesus as essentially the
Prince of peace, whose kingdom is present as well as future, and
whose victories are won by peaceful means.
Arthur W. Wainwright, Professor of New Testament Emeritus
Candler School of Theology, Emory University
Klaassen's critique of the prophecy popularizers is certainly well
taken.
Paul S. Boyer, Author, When Time Shall Be No More:
Prophecy Belief in Modern American Culture
Page 3
Armageddon and the Peaceable Kingdom
Walter Klaassen
Page 4
Canadian Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Klaassen, Walter, 1926-
Armageddon & the peaceable kingdom
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8361-9080-7
1. EschatologyBiblical teaching. 2. BiblePropheciesEschatology.
3. Eschatology. I. Title. II. Title: Armageddon and the peaceable kingdom.
BS680.E8K52 1998 236.9 C98-932080-4
The paper used in this publication is recycled and meets the minimum
requirements of American National Standard for Information
SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI
Z39.48-1984.
Scripture quotations are used by permission and are from the NRSV: New
Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of
Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in
the USA; however, when tracking the forecasters, the King James Version
of the Holy Bible (KJV) is regularly employed. Others are used for brief
comparisons: NIV, New International Version; NKJV, New King James
Version; REB, Revised English Bible; RSV, Revised Standard Version; the
Hebrew Old Testament; the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint); the Greek
New Testament; the Latin Vulgate; and Die Bibel, Luther's German
translation.
ARMAGEDDON AND THE PEACEABLE KINGDOM
Copyright © 1999 by Herald Press, Waterloo, Ont. N2L 6H7.
Published simultaneously in the United States by Herald Press, Scottdale,
Pa. 15683. All rights reserved
Canadiana Entry Number: C98-932080-4
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 98-87266
International Standard Book Number: 0-8361-9080-7
Book design by Paula M. Johnson
08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 00 99 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Page 5
To my earliest mentors,
my mother, Judith G. (Epp) Klaassen,
18991936,
and my grandfather Jacob Klaassen,
18671948
Page 6
CONTENTS
Foreword by Donald E. Wagner 9
Preface 12
Toward the Year 2000 15
Part One: On the Last Stretch to Armageddon
1. Nothing New Under the Sun: The End-Times Through 23
the Centuries
From Hating the Empire to Loving It: 100400 24
The Restraining Roman Empire: 4001200 29
From Papal Antichrist to Antichrist Within: 12001650 35
Toward the Year 2000: 16001998 39
2. The Last Generation of History 46
Prophecy and Prediction 47
What Is Prophecy? 48
New Testament Prophecy 50
Modern Futurist Prophecy 52
3. The New World Order 60
Analyzing "Prophetic" Texts 61
Setting the Stage 61
Israel "Returns" Home 62
One-World Government, Economy, Religion 66
World Government and the Antichrist 68
World Economy 73
World Religion 76
4. The Rapture: Second or Third Coming? 83
Silent Rapture Leading to Chaos? 84
Trying to Complete the Puzzle 86
What Kind of God? 88
Page 7
5. A Time, Two Times, and Half a Time 89
Seven YearsThe First Half 92
Israel in the End-Times 94
Rebuilding the Temple 98
Russia Invades Israel 100
Seven YearsThe Second Half 103
The Great Tribulation 103
Seals, Trumpets, and Bowls in Sevens 107
Armageddon 108
6. Five Judgments, Seven Resurrections, One Millennium 121
The Judgments 121
The Resurrections 122
The Millennium 123
The Final Rebellion 129
The Judgment of the Great White Throne 131
The New Heaven and New Earth 135
The New Jerusalem 138
Taking Stock 141
Part Two: What Do the Scriptures Say?
7. Swords into Plowshares, and Nature Restored 145
Yours Is the Kingdom, O Lord! 149