Last Saturday, I reviewed the first volume of McGee's commentary on the book of Revelation. The second volume covers chapters six through thirteen. These are very intense chapters! The focus is on the Great Tribulation. McGee's approach is not to read our present into the interpretation of the Scripture. So you won't see McGee arguing that these Scriptures are being fulfilled in our days. He has definite ideas on what is important and what is less important. On what it is necessary to know and what is impossible to know.
What I have come to appreciate about the Thru the Bible commentaries is that even when I don't agree with every single little detail, every little point or insight made by McGee, I still find it of benefit overall. I enjoy his writing style, his accessibility, his enthusiasm.
Favorite quotes:
Do you know that the Lord Jesus is the only One who is able to judge this earth? He is the One who is able to judge, not only because of who He is—He is God manifest in the flesh—but also because of what He has done. He created this earth, and that gives Him a right. He is worshiped in chapter 4 as the Creator. But then He also redeemed this earth, and in chapter 5 He is worshiped as the Redeemer. Since He is the Creator and the Redeemer, He is the only One worthy to judge this earth. He is the only One who is able to rule this earth. What a reflection upon the consummate conceit of little men down here who want to be judges!
Antichrist does not appear as a villain. After all, Satan’s angels are angels of light. He is not going to have horns or cloven feet. Rather, he is going to be the most attractive man the world has ever seen. They will elect him, and the world will acclaim him because he has come in his own name. But when he takes over, it sure is going to be bad for the world.
When Antichrist comes to power, he is going to talk peace, and the world will think that it is entering the Millennium when it is actually entering the Great Tribulation. The Great Tribulation comes in like a lamb, but it goes out like a lion. A promise of peace is the big lie the world is going to believe.
Death evidently has an all–inclusive, three–fold meaning that we do not ordinarily attach to it. We think of death as referring only to the body. (1) This is physical death, and it refers only to the body. It comes to a man because of Adam’s sin. (2) Then there is what is known as spiritual death, which is separation from, and rebellion against, God. We inherit a dead nature from Adam; that is, we have no capacity for God and no desire for Him at all. (3) Finally, there is eternal death, which is eternal separation from God. Unless a man is redeemed, this inevitably follows. This is the second death that we will find later on in Revelation 20:14.
Since this book is the last book of the Bible, the only requirement is to have a working knowledge of the sixty–five books which go before. Then you will find that this book makes a great deal of sense and is quite logical.
Then, does anybody get saved in the Great Tribulation period? My friend, I believe that there will be a greater company saved in that period than in any other seven–year period in the history of the world.
A great company is going to be saved, and this reveals that these judgments will accomplish a purpose for God. It will cause multitudes to turn to Him in this period, and it will cause another multitude to turn against Him. It is just like the effect of the sun shining down on a piece of soft clay. What will the sun do to the clay? It will harden it. What would be the effect of that same sunlight upon wax? It would melt it. The sun has the opposite effect upon clay and wax. The judgments of God are the same. In our lives as believers, when trouble comes to us—I’ve discovered this in my own life—it will either draw us to God or drive us from Him.
The gospel is not God asking you to do something; it is God telling you that He has done something for you. The gospel is not your giving something to God; the gospel is God’s giving something to you. The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.
The Book of Revelation is the last book in the Bible because a working knowledge of the sixty–five books preceding it is the basic requirement for an understanding of its vivid language.
You do not interpret Revelation by itself; there are sixty–five books before it.
That all of God’s men are immortal until God is through with them is a wonderful comforting thought for today. And when He is through with you, He will remove you from the earth.
In the Gospels the emphasis is on the death of Christ. In the Epistles the emphasis is upon the resurrection of Christ. In the Book of Revelation the emphasis is upon the ascension of Christ. Protestantism, and even fundamentalism, has ignored the ascension of Christ, and this is one reason we have not had a great enough emphasis upon the present ministry of Christ.
© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible
1 comment:
I was very interested in your quotes since I'm reading the book of Revelation right now.
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