Trusted Resources: The Revelation of Jesus Christ

A special word of caution is needed when one begins to delve into the resources available to us today concerning what the Bible teaches about the end times. As believers, we always need to use discernment as we read or listen to others about what the Bible teaches. We must be like the Bereans (Acts 17) who “received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”

Today, with the ability anyone has to post articles and teaching online, we must be especially alert to false teaching. Gone are the days of needing a publisher to get your material out for others to read. And there are so many books, articles, podcasts, YouTube videos and sermons available to us with the click of a mouse, that particular attention needs to be given to what we are listening to. Many of these resources are sound and consistent with the Scriptures, but there are many which will lead us away from the truth as well.

As we begin our study of the last book of the Bible, I will be using several reliable resources which use the literal or normal method of interpreting Revelation. Instead of spiritualizing its message, these teachers/resources approach the book seeking to understand its message in its historical context. They see the book as prophetic, looking at things that have yet to come to pass. And they recognize the distinction between Israel and the church.

I have found the following authors helpful.

•  Charles Ryrie (author of the notes of the Ryrie Study Bible and commentary on Revelation)
•  Paul Benware (former Moody Bible Institute professor and author of several books on the end times)
•  John Walvoord (past president of Dallas Theological Seminary with a commentary on both Daniel and Revelation)
•  Mark Hitchcock (pastor in Oklahoma and professor at DTS with many excellent books on the end times including 101 Answers to Questions about the Book of Revelation)
•  Tommy Ice (founder of the Pre-Trib Study Group and author of many books on prophecy including Charting the End Times)
  
  In addition, these authors/resources will also be helpful.
•  J. Dwight Pentecost (author of Things to Come)
•  Thomas Constable (author of free online notes on the Bible at SonicLight.com)