iUniverse, 542 pages, (paperback) $31.95, 9781491704264
(Reviewed: December, 2013)
A recurring theme in Dr. Boyd O. Gray’s lengthy book, Looking into the Revelation, is that mankind has lost sight of its first love, God. This is an idea that permeates the controversial book of Revelation, the last book in the Christian Bible. The author, a pastor for over 30 years, knows Revelation well, and in the course of over 500 pages unpacks the scripture line-by-line and chapter-by-chapter.
One must imagine that this was a daunting task, and Gray’s commitment to the text and his desire to reveal the enigmatic messaging in John’s Apocalypse is apparent. Moreover, there is a strong pastoral quality to the book to help lead people to a change of heart: “The only time Christians have unlimited power of the Holy Spirit at their disposal is when they are obedient to the will of God,“ he writes. “When they break their alliance with God and make their alliance with the world they are entering into a powerless state that will ruin them in effectiveness.”
Though the book could use editing to condense ideas and tighten lines, Boyd is a clear and articulate writer. He makes what is an extremely dense biblical work accessible to the general reader. The problem — and its one the author acknowledges in part in his foreword — is that there is no footnoting so it’s difficult to know exactly which are Boyd’s idea and which are the thoughts of those that have come before him. To be fair, the book is not written for academics, but this lack of citation can leave readers questioning the authority of the writing.
Nonetheless, Looking into the Revelation provides a useful jumping-off point for church groups looking for insight into a book that still perplexes people today.
Also available in hardcover and ebook.
Author’s Hometown
Saint James, Missouri
Author’s Current Residence
St. James, Missouri
Source: BlueInk Reviews
0 comments:
Post a Comment