The book What You Need
to Know About Bible Prophecy by Max Anders is one installment of his ten
part series called What You Need to Know. This book is published by Thomas
Nelson Publishers.
Anders’ book can be used as a Bible study course, complete
with not only 12 lessons, but with discussion questions, fill in the blanks,
information for additional study, and “speed bumps” to slow down and focus on
the main point.
This book was not written as a way to say that the author
has cracked the code of Bible prophecy; Anders humbly presents multiple
viewpoints and lets the reader decide for himself. Anders, who was the general
editor of the Holman Bible Commentary, has a high view of the authority of
inspired Scripture, so he rejects prophecy that does not have it’s roots in the
Word of God.
In this book Anders tackles some of the biggest biblical
prophecies, such as the rapture, judgments, the afterlife, and the Millennium.
He presents the leading schools of thought within each group: for example, in
his chapter about the rapture he presents arguments for a pre-tribulation,
mid-tribulation-and post-tribulation rapture. In his chapter on the Millennium
he lays out the pre-millennial, post-millennial, and a-millennial views.
Dealing with the afterlife Anders demonstrates how some interpret hell
literally, some symbolically, and some hold to an annihilation concept.
In addition to looking at these major events on the
prophetic calendar, Anders also has chapters that discus the need for studying
prophecy, getting the big picture of prophecy, accounting for the differences
in interpretation of prophecy, and he ends with understanding the universals
upon which we all agree. Far from being ecumenical, this final chapter was an
appeal to deal peaceably with those who might not hold to our own
interpretation of prophecy, realizing that whether pre- , mid-, or
post-tribulation, we all serve the same God and will one day live with him
forever in heaven.
Anders makes his point by concluding: “When prophecy is used
to beat non-Christians over the head, when it is used to create animosity among
Christians, when it is used as an interesting subject to be studied as an end
to itself, then the purpose of prophecy is not being realized.”
And finally, I want to leave the reader with this appeal
from Anders’ conclusion. He admonishes the reader to “plan as though Jesus were
not returning in our lifetime but live as though he were returning tomorrow.”
This book is available through Amazon.com
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