The Returning King: A Guide to the Book of Revelation

by Vern Sheridan Poythress

Book Overview

Noted New Testament scholar Poythress provides an understandable and practical look into Revelation in this insightful commentary. Poythress focuses on Revelation's core message and ensures that its details do not cloud the big picture. He shows Revelation to be a picture book, not a puzzle book, relevant and applicable to the daily lives of Christians.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0875524621
• ISBN13: 9780875524627
• Release Date: November 2000
• Publisher: P & R Publishing
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

An uplifting and clear guide for study and devotions

This is an excellent book about revelation. It's clear, readable, with large print, and easy-to-understand language. It explains what the symbols in Revelation reference, and discusses different opinions on meaning. It highlights the view of Christ found in revelation, and it discusses how revelations shows God's love for us, and how we should live in view of that.

An Excellent Overview of the Book of Revelation

Vern Poythress has provided an excellent service for the church in not only removing much confusion often associated with Revelation but also, more positively, allowing the message of the book to shine clearly through. And what is that message? Christians must recognize that State power can corrupt its diviinely intended function and arrogate to itself authority and power that rightly only belongs to God. Christians must remain faithful in their witness to God despite political opposition (the beast), and be 'overcomers'. They are assured that victory over evil has, in principle, already been gained (through Christ's death and resurrection) and that a day is coming when evil will be finally vanquished, justice established, and God's original purposes for his human creation established in a new heavens and a new earth. I particularly appreciated his treatment of the theme of Satanic counterfeit - this motif makes references to the dragon and the beast quite meaningful. Poythress allows for all four perspectives of the traditional ways in which Revelation has been interpreted (Preterist, Futurist, Historicist, Idealist) to inform his overview, but (correctly) places a priority on the Idealist and thereby allows the books message to have enduring significance for all Christians at any time between the first and second comings of 'the Lamb'. I will be using this book as the primary source for an adult Sunday School class on the Book of revelation; it is very informative and insightful without being overly technical.

Short, Sweet & Refreshing book

This paperback on Revelation brings in a simple and refreshing perspective on Revelation. For example he suggests that children can understand Revelation...that we need to stop 'puzzling' over Revelation and enjoy the Panoramic pictures of this book. His 'down home' encouragement is exactly what this book is when laid side by side with Beale's NIGTC Commentary on Revelation. (The NIGTC is a technically dense work with many many references to all kinds of sources for each verse). Dr. Beale (2004's E.T.S. President) recommends this book as part of his course recommended reading on Revelation at Wheaton. Of the 8 or so books he recommends, this one sports a number of great visual concepts that do empower bible teachers and pastors. As a pastor who is preaching through Revelation from the Greek text, I found his material helpful on the application side of things. For example, on the four major views on Revelation Poythress supplies a great little visual diagram of how the four views look. Just the diagram alone can help many people understand the four different view (Preterist, Futurist, Historical, and Idealist) more than most commentaries would. The weakness is that you will not have comments of substance on every question in Revelation. It's not meant to be an exhaustive commentary on Revelation. Enjoy it. It's well written and worth owning a copy.

Great Introduction to Revelation

The Returning King is a great introduction the book of Revelation. The first 50 pages or so contain high level discussions on the various views of Revelation (idealist, futurist, preterist, historicist) as well as other controversial aspects such as the millennium (premil, postmil, amil). This survey of all the major viewpoints alone is worth the price of the book. The rest of book is a high level discussion of the text. Poythress takes an idealist, amil view but provides a very fair discussion of all the other viewpoints.It was written as an introduction and is very successful as such. It is not a thorough commentary of Revelation. If you have never studied Revelation this is a great place to start.

Concise Conservative Amil Overview of Revelation

Written by a first class scholar on biblical interpretation, The Returning King gives us more vintage Poythress. After many years of teaching this book for students at Westminster Theological Seminary (I was one of them), we now get the benefits in a form we can use in our own ministries and teaching! This book is a great, practical, and well-written introduction to the consecutive chapters of Revelation, suitable for pastors who want the basic themes, a Sunday School class, or college & seminary students. You will be able to grasp the main themes and contrasts and develop a sane appreciation for Revelation from a humble teacher who can appreciate other perspectives, yet still convince you of the value of his own interpretation. Of particular interest are Poythress's insights on how the dragon, beast, false prophet and harlot counterfeit & image the Trinity and the church respectively. This book will stimulate you to read and appreciate Revelation as a "picture book," not a confusing puzzle book. For a detailed verse by verse view in the same interpretive framework (recapitulationist/multiple fulfillment view of Revelation) see G.K. Beale's NIGTC The Book of Revelation at a thorough 1245 pages--a commentary which Poythress recommends in The Returning King.