Last Days Madness: Obsession of the Modern Church

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Summary: Refreshing old view of a newly sensationalized subject.
Review: After a personal study of Mark 13 led me to question my own understanding of the Second Coming of Jesus I found this book. The author's approach and understanding was exactly what I needed. His objectivity and analytical ability to see beyond "proof texting" to "contexting" provided me with the information I lacked as I studied my way through this highly sensationlized and commercialzed issue. While the world needs and seeks a higher sense of "thrill" in many aspects of life, particularly spiritual, Mr. Demar takes a serious, logical, and consistent look at the Scriptures as they relate to Jesus' own words( as well as other biblical writers) concerning His coming again. Mr. Demar helps to clarify the non-biblical expression "end of time" with the Biblical idea of the "time of the end". This book was pivotol in my concluding the Preterist view of the Second Coming and while the author has not concluded the same his excellent treatment of the text has much merit and should not be overlooked. Read it and Rejoice! I also recommend The Parousia By JS Russell.

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Summary: Last Days Madness: Obession of the Modern Church
Review: Gary DeMar's book, Last Days Madness is simply the best book ever written on prophecy! (Much better than the "popular" books that are written "quickly" without much thought.) DeMar unquestionably PROVES by his excellent exegesis that the "Great Tribulation," "Armageddon," and the "Antichrist" are now all PAST! DeMar carefully (and lovingly) communicated his arguments cogently. He covers many aspects concerning "eschatology" and ALWAYS gives Scripture as the deciding factor in his exegesis. I have read many books on "end-times," but this one is the very best (and seems to me to be the most accurate), thus, this one is by far my favorite! If one is interested at all in prophecy, DON'T MISS THIS BOOK! And I wish it a WIDE CIRCULATION. THANK YOU GARY DEMAR! P.S. For a similar book, one may wish to read: Before Jerusalem Fell, by Kenneth L. Gentry which is the definitive study on the dating of the Book of Revelation. This is a volume that will stand the test of time and it will be difficult for anyone to disprove his arguments. He too did an excellent job in his research!

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Summary: only adds to the madness
Review: Gary Demar's dumbed down book says every thing occured in 70 A.D. Demar claims that Matthew 24 word for word describes everything that was to happen and come "shortly to pass" in the book of Revelation. Also the confused preterist like to say that Revelation is a past event because it says shortly to pass and Daniel says for many days but what DUMBMAR FORGETS IS THAT THEY BOTH SPEAK OF THE RESURRECTION SO BASED ON THAT THE RESURRECTION OCCURED IN 70 A.D. SATAN ON ALL UNBELIEVERS SHOULD BE IN THE LAKE OF FIRE NEW JERUSALEM SHOULD BE ON EARTH RIGHT NOW AND NOW. ETC. ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS WHAT ABOUT REV.21:4 REV.21:22 REV.22:5 I COULD GO ON AND ON.!!!!!!So based on this strict logic everything occured in 70 A.D. Yet the insane preterist do not seem to apply strict interpertation of Revelation 20:7 you can not have it both ways. Also he claims that Nero was the Beast and 666 was a spiritual number this is obviously not true. If he knew his bible he would know that one of the judgements of wrath would be sores on anyone who recieves the mark of the Beast. REV.16:2!!!!!!!! Dosent sound spiritual to me!!!!!! Nowhere do you find any body saying that Nero and the false prophet were cast alive into the lake of fire Rev. 19:20 Not only that but if Jesus did return in 70 A.D. then WE SHOULD BE IN ETERNITY NOW BECAUSE 70 A.D. WAS ALMOST TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO!!!!!!!! OBVIOUSLY THIS IS NOT THE CASE!!!!!!!!!!

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Summary: Outstanding Scriptural Response to "Rapture" Fever!!!
Review: In his work "End Times Fiction", Gary DeMar responds to the specific beliefs promoted in the "Left Behind" series. In this book, DeMar responds more extensively to the general beliefs of dispensational premillennialism. Before going any further I must add that a good understanding of dispensational eschatology is a pre-requisite for reading this book. If one needs a primer on eschatology, this work ISN'T it. If a person, however, needs a good Scriptural assessment of the amazingly popular dispensational eschatology, then this book is the absolute best!

DeMar's volume is annotated enough to be respectable to the average scholar, yet straightforward enough to be readable to the average student. He is thorough, yet concise. Even for persons who may not hold a preterist viewpoint, this book is a classic critique that no theological bookshelf should be lacking.

DeMar explores all the hot end-times themes, including the rapture, the great tribulation, the nation of Israel, the "seventy weeks" of Daniel, the antichrist, the dragon, the beast, the mark of the beast, the man of lawlessness, mystery babylon, the battle of Armageddon, and the "day of the Lord."

I have a very high regard for the Bible, believing it is God's inerrant word and MUST be allowed to speak for itself. I am very pleased with the way DeMar has simply sought to interpret what the Scriptures say, rather than trying to fit them into a preconceived system as so many other persons have done.

Get it! Read it! It will be money well-spent.

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Summary: Good argument for preterism
Review: This book is an argument for the preterist position with respect to eschatology (the end times or last days), and particularly the passage in Matthew 24. I approached this book as one relatively ignorant of the preterist position. After only the first three chapters, I found the arguments very compelling in favor of this position, though even now after reading the whole book I am not fully convinced of the full argument.

DeMar makes the argument in a systematic fashion, going through Matthew 24 and related passages in scripture, making the case that those events should be associated with the destruction of the Jewish temple in 70 A.D. Along the way, he makes frequent references to dispensationalism, another leading (and competing) theological stance with its own view of eschatology and Matthew 24. These references are typically to argue against the dispensationalist position, both on the issue at hand and against the underpinnings of the dispensational system of theology.

There are two reasons I do not give this book a full five stars. First, the author becomes somewhat repetitive to the point of annoyance. This is not in relation to the argument, but to the writing style. Conclusions of earlier arguments are brought up again and again (especially the claim that Matthew 24 only applies to the destruction of the temple) even though they don't necessarily apply to the current topic (in my opinion). Admittedly, this may be a pedagogical tool, but it is applied heavily. Second, in limited cases I think the author had a tendency to ignore other possible interpretations of passages that could be valid but do not support his position (e.g., a treatment of II Peter 3 in the appendices). These very limited cases do not necessarily detract from the overall argument, but require additional study on the part of the reader.

I recommend this book for those interested in learning about the case for preterism, as it has been very beneficial in my personal study of the issue.