Revelation and the End of All Things

Rating:
Summary: The best book on the book of Revelation I've ever read.
Review: I've never read anything before that helped me understand the book of Revelation like this book does. Not only is it elegantly written in attention getting prose, but Craig Koester's interpretations are characterized by careful theological reflection. It is also happily free from many of the sensational and erroneous reflections that are heard coming from many of the apocalyptic television pulpits of America. I also like the way Koester understands the 7 cycles of visions in Revelation and how how one blends into the next one. He points out that every vision ends with a triumphant vision of Christ, which is something I hadn't quite noticed before, but won't soon forget.

A previous reviewer pointed out that this book has no study questions, and for this reason I would hesitate to use it as a textbook for a Sunday school class. This is the kind of book you would give to the well read member of your parish or your family. And if you happen to be in some kind of ministry, then this is would be one of the books I would want with me if I were preparing to teach a class on Revelation or if I was preparing a sermon. It is easy to read, hard to put down at times, and always thought provoking.

Rating:
Summary: Like putting on spectacles
Review: One of the world's leading experts on the apocalypse (I believe he is presently writing a replacement for Ford's commentary on Revelation in the Anchor Bible series), Koester has poured biblical scholarship, historical knowledge, cultural critique and pastoral care into this book. What emerges, however, is no inaccessible tome, but a delightful, sometimes humorous, piercingly relevant, remarkably brief read in engaging prose.

This book clears away the cobwebs surrounding the final book of the New Testament. The first 5th of the book (40 pages) is an enlightening synopsis of the history of interpretations and where they came from, as well as the impact they have had on world history. The rest of the book engages section by section with the text and is packed with deep insights simply expressed. Reading this book is like putting on the spectacles you always needed for the first time. For anyone wanting to understand John's revelation, I know of no better place to start.

Rating:
Summary: Thorough and Thoughtful
Review: Thorough and thoughtful, this is no pop-culture hype of the "end times" but it's not a white-wash either. It reads like a great professor's lecture notes -- measured, authoritative, yet clearly in touch with both his sbuject and with today.

The first 1/5 of the book is overview, then there are sections dealing with 3-5 chapters (of Revelation) at a time as the author takes us image by image through Revelation.

Koester uses his encyclopedic knowledge both to debunk the typical over-interpretation and predictions for Revelation, but also to evoke the biblical book's disturbing points of relevance for today.

This would be a great resource for any person or group studying the final book of the Bible. It doesn't include any study questions, though. It is scholarly yet very readable.