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Book Review - Christ and the Future
- 03/17/09
- 20
Cornelius Venema's The Promise of the Future, published in 2000 by Banner of Truth, has been hailed as the most important major Reformed study in biblical eschatology since Anthony Hoekema's The Bible and the Future (published in 1972). It is not coincidental, I am sure, that Venema is a former student of Hoekema. The Promise of the Future was expanded from a series of articles serialized in The Outlook magazine. Now Christ and the Future is an abridgement of the original edition. The publisher says, "While [The Promise of the Future] has justly received acclaim from numerous reviewers, its size and weight may discourage the less experienced reader from taking it up and benefiting from its contents. The publishers, therefore, are grateful to Dr. Venema for kindly agreeing to produce this abridgement of his original edition, and are now delighted to offer it to a wider readership in this smaller, paperback format." And, indeed, this volume, coming in at just over 200 pages, is far more accessible and far more likely to gain a wide readership. It is an ideal introduction to the subject of the Bible's teaching about the last things.
Where the original volume contained sixteen chapters divided into six parts, this book has just twelve chapters. It may be easiest to trace the author's argument by simply listing the chapter titles:
- The Future is Now
- The Future Between Death and Resurrection
- The Future of Christ
- The Future Marked by "Signs of the Times"
- The Future Marked by Signs of Antithesis and of Impending Judgment
- The Future of the Kingdom: Four Millennial Views
- The Future of the Kingdom: Revelation 20
- The Future of the Kingdom: An Evaluation of Millennial Views
- The Future of All Things: The Resurrection of the Body
- The Future of All Things: The Final Judgment
- The Future of All Things: The Doctrine of Eternal Punishment
- The Future of All Things: The New Heavens and Earth
Time would fail me, of course, to describe the nuances of the author's argument--the particulars of his views in each of these areas. After all, the various eschatological views, which seem to be just about as numerous as the number of Christians, often depend on small distinctions of interpretation. As with his earlier volume, Venema leans towards an "optimistic amillennialism." His evaluation of the four millennial views is fair, I believe, and he goes to great lengths to describe their beliefs accurately. When he considers the resurrection, the final judgment, eternal punishment and other such issues, he comes down squarely on the side of biblical orthodoxy, speaking out harshly against annihilationism and universalism, and affirming the reality of judgment. He looks constantly to Scripture to defend all that he teaches.
This is a very readable, enjoyable and biblical examination of what the Bible teaches about the last things. Dr. Venema has crafted a careful, nuanced book that covers the topic well but also briefly enough that it avoids becoming bogged down in detail. While he defends the amillennial view, he offers information that will help anyone, regardless of his eschatology, to better understand what is to come. It will help every reader better understand what the Scriptures teach about the end of this age and the age to come. I recommend it for any reader.
Those who are seeking more detail about the nuances of his argument may wish to read these reviews by Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. and Keith Mathison . Even better, buy it and read it for yourself. This book will make a great addition to your library.
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I write books and blogs for fun while doing web design and consulting for a living. I worship and serve at 
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Comments (20)
I like the cover. Very helpful review Tim, it is a good introduction to a book I'd never heard of. Thanks.
"It will help every reader better understand what the Scriptures teach about the end of this age and the age to come. I recommend it for any reader."
Unfortunately it is not the biblical view of eschatology, but for those willing to compromise and overlook the clear, literal teaching of scripture and use a more liberal hermeneutic to interpret scripture, enjoy the book. After all, you can follow the majority.
Unfortunately it is not the biblical view of eschatology, but for those willing to compromise and overlook the clear, literal teaching of scripture and use a more liberal hermeneutic to interpret scripture, enjoy the book. After all, you can follow the majority.
If anyone else has this to say, I'd prefer you just not bother...
Like the "2001"-styled cover.
Regarding the missing comments in this thread:
When you're asked to quit a certain topic, it's bad form to continue anyway.
Eschatalogical differences could be handled quit succinctly in: Jesus is coming back -- Hooray!
Though this book sounds right up my alley - in terms of wanting something on Revelation but not having the time to devote to a full blow Seminarian style studying of it.
Hey Tim,
Thanks for the review. I've only ever learned the dispensational position and I'd like to understand the Amil position. Would you say this is the best book to start with? Or do you have another suggestion? Thanks!
Hey Curtis,The Christian world can't be pressed into your scheme of Pre-millennial/Liberal. Besides, pre-mills are not nearly so "literal" as they like to think. For example, they really struggle coming to terms with how the Bible depicts the NT church as "the Israel of God" and as "God's holy nation" and "a royal priesthood." The Bible reveals that there is one God with one people and that there is one coming of Jesus Christ to judge the living and the dead and to make all things new. MacArthur reads prophecy through his built-in and pre-existing premillennial grid and does not do full justice to the Christological fulfillment of the OT in our Saviour Jesus Christ. And don't even get me going about dispenationalism. Believers who are waiting for a new temple and a new sacrificial system not only have a faulty hermeneutic but because of it end up degrading the sufficiency and finality of the work of Christ. Get the focus off of Israel and get it on to Christ who is the true Israel of God and then you are on the right path .... All who belong to Christ by a true faith are part of the Israel of God. Best popular level book on prophecy in my opinion is "The Israel of God" by Hans K. LanRondelle. Exegetical, inspirational, he offers sure-footed guidance to the vexing questions and even more vexing answers of American premillennialism.
It's dangerous for me to read your reviews, Tim. Most of times, the only thing that prevents me from running to the bookstore is the fact that I'm in Chile and we don't have those books here...
I don't get why everyone feels so incredibly passionately about their respective eschatological (particularly millennial) views. When we read Revelation we should come away with a staggeringly high and powerful view of Jesus Christ and the unwavering covenant faithfulness of God. What we should not do is rest our entire theological grid on one chapter of the Bible (namely Rev. 20) - and a crytpic one at that - and then dismiss all other views as unorthodox, liberal, humanistic nonsense. I hate these discussions because people are so uncharitable in their interactions with opposing views. Nevermind that a discussion of eschatology is not the point of this post or thread.
I'm glad to hear of a worthy contribution from an amillennialist in the Reformed tradition. I'll pick this one up at some point.
I am currently reading George Eldon Ladd's commentary on Revelation (And enjoying it). I have just ordered a copy of this book per your review. I hope it will be a nice complement to Ladd's commentary.
Thanks.
I guess I fall into a middle camp- it seems that so many Christians either make their eschatological distinctives a matter of disproportional importance, and then there are those who reduce it to "It doesn't really matter- Jesus wins in the end!". I see problems with both points. I suppose that I like what Hank Hanegraaff says about this and similar issues: "These are things that we can and should debate vigorously, but don't have to divide over".
And Kyle, your point was fitting and very well made.
Thanks, Tim. Sounds like a great book.
Also, what Clark said yesterday in "Calvinism Old and New" was so good, in light of the current explosion of supposed conflicting ideals. I could not have said it better myself.
Jasonhttp://beggarsandbread.blogspot.com/
HA! As the guy representing the publisher here (Banner of Truth), I had to chuckle at the koodos for the cover of this Banner book. Music to my ears, especially after having heard just the opposite regarding our covers of the past. When asked about the newer covers and "look" to Banner of Truth books, I have often told people that we simply ran out of pretty gardens in Scotland to take pictures of! Anyway, thanks for the cover compliments - now go read the book!:-)Thanks for bringing this solid work to everyone's attention, Tim. Actually, what made me most anxious about this book's first arrival in our U.S. warehouse was the advance quote I received from Sinclair Ferguson. It's so telling, I hope it's ok to include it here. And look, if anyone has any suggestions or comments for us here at Banner of Truth, my inbox is most accessible - steve@banneroftruth.org. Thanks, much! Steve- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson, on "Christ and the Future"Dr. Venema's fine study is both comprehensive and careful. He is thoroughly biblical; he is also honest and fair in dealing with the variety of eschatological positions that are current in the Christian church. He does not shrink from tackling the hard questions which arise. Nor is he intimidated by the heavy artillery behind some of the views which he believes to be unbiblical. Furthermore, his commitment to serve the church, coupled with his background in pastoral ministry, guarantees that his exposition, even of complex issues, is expressed in a way that the average Christian should be able to follow. For these reasons and others, I believe that you will find the study on which you are about to embark both intellectually satisfying and spiritually enriching."-- Sinclair B. Ferguson
Oh Good.
Perhaps someone at a few seminaries and local churches might read these books so I stopped getting called a heretic and told not to apply to their conservative seminary because I don't take the Bible seriously.
If it were not so sad and pervasive, it is almost laughable about how positions held by strong, conservative theologians for centuries is decried as "liberal" and as a "compromise."
Potentially even more laughable is that these cries often come from whose who dogmatically defend a position that was never even dreamed about until 1830 and certainly not popular until this last century.
If you have a legitimate concern about this book, please present it, but simply casting it off as "liberal," "unbiblical," and "compromis[ing]" is completely unhelpful.
Potentially even more laughable is that these cries often come from whose who dogmatically defend a position that was never even dreamed about until 1830 and certainly not popular until this last century.
(Fred) You mean like preterism?
I'm not really interested (nor is this the correct forum) to discuss particular theological views/systems, whether they be hyper-preterism on one side or dispensational premillenialism on the other.
The point that I was trying to make (probably not very well) was that we need to have the humility to read and listen to other intelligent Christians and interact with their arguments without having a knee-jerk reaction which leads to unfounded attacks on other people/positions. Our degree of humility should be that much stronger when we see that our own view has only been held by Christians for a small fraction of the canvass of church history.
Thanks for your helpful reviews, Tim. I was particularly interested in this one and appreciated your insightful comments.