The Final Act
154 pages, $10.99 (paperback), ISBN 1-57782-140-8
Dispensationalism and millennial theories are a destructive agent in apologetics today (see “What Is the Real ‘Age of the Earth’ Issue?”). They are destructive because they dominate protestant churches and force political beliefs on Christians that lead people away from the spiritual. The notion that Jesus is returning to establish a political kingdom that restores Judaism and establishes David's throne in this world violates the whole spirit of Christ's teachings. This concept has spun off denominational Young Earth Creationism with its bad science and destructive emphasis on the rapture, tribulation, and political issues.
Steve Kinnard has put together a small book which explains this whole belief system and shows its biblical errors. The book is divided into four chapters, starting with the history of “end time prophecy” in church history. Kinnard explains three millennial theories — amillennialism, postmillennialism, and premillennialism. Then he explains in detail the concept of premillennialism as the dominant denominational end times teaching today. His explanations are brief, accurate, and easy to understand.
The remainder of the book is a biblical study of the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Book of Revelation showing that the Bible clearly does not teach what dispensational-millennial preachers claim. There is an appendix which has a useful outline of the book of Revelation. There are a number of useful charts in the book and some clear exposés of people like Tim LaHaye, John Hagee, Hal Lindsey, and Jerry Jenkins. This is an area of erroneous teaching that the church has contended with for over 100 years, and this book is a useful tool in combating what is still happening today.