by Dean Davis
in ePub, .mobi & .pdf formats
DISCOVERING THE MASTER KEYS TO THE GREAT END TIME DEBATE
Posted with permission of author
The High King of Heaven,by Dean Davis, is the most sweeping and comprehensive book on eschatology that I've ever encountered. The scope of this book is simply breathtaking. As is typical with all books on eschatology, no one will agree with everything he says. But everyone should wrestle vigorously and thoughtfully with his approach to reading prophetic texts. This isn't for bedside, late-night reading. In fact, it will probably keep you up at night! --Sam Storms, Ph. D.: Pastor, Bridgeway Church;author of Kingdom Come: The Amillennial Alternative (Mentor)
For the last 150 years the evangelical world has been embroiled in a Great Debate about eschatology, about the true biblical picture of God's ultimate purpose for the universe, life, and man. Much of the debate swirls around the Kingdom of God: What is its true nature? In how many stages does it enter history? How shall we interpret the Old Testament prophecies of the Kingdom-literally (in terms of Israel) or figuratively (in terms of the Church)? There is also controversy about the Consummation: Will our world get better and better, or worse and worse? Will Christ return once, twice, or even three times? When He does return, will it be before the millennium or after? How many resurrections should we expect? How many judgments? What will the universe be like when God finally creates the new heavens and the new earth? This book was written in the conviction that the High King of heaven has given his people certain master keys by which they may know the answers to these questions, and so be fully prepared for the awesome consummation of all things. In it, pastor and author Dean Davis seeks to place those keys in our hands, so that we may behold afresh the simplicity and glory of our Blessed Hope, and thereby resolve, once and for all, the Great End Time Debate.
High King of Heaven Seminar: 5 Part MP3 Seminar
From the Author
This book is the fulfillment of a longstanding dream.
It all began one Sunday morning back in the late 1970's. Thougha relatively new Christian, I had already embraced the eschatology of Hal Lindsay and the Scofield Reference Bible. This view (called Dispensationalism) teaches that the Consummation of our redemption will occur in four stages: The Secret Rapture of the Church, the Second Coming of Christ seven years later, the Millennium, and the Last Judgment at the end of the Millennium.
However, upon returning to our car after church, my wifeand I found that some bold soul had left a brochure on our windshield sharply challenging this view. Citing both Scripture and Church history, he proposed analternative idea that immediately captured my imagination: The Lord will indeed come again, but only once, in orderto raise the dead, judge the world in righteousness, destroy the present earthand its works by fire, and create new heavens and a new earth, the eternal homeof the redeemed.
At the time I was too young in the faith to know if the brochure was true. But one thing I knew right away: I wanted it to be true, because it was so much simpler than the Dispensational picture, and--to my beginner's mind--so much more radiant with the glory of Christ.
Today--after some forty years of theological study and pastoral ministry--I am fully persuaded that Amillennialism is indeed true. Moreover, I amnow pleased to be able explain to God's people why I believe it is true. I have done so in my latest (and longest) book: The High King of Heaven:Discovering the Master Keys to the Great End Time Debate (2014, Redemption Press).
My sincere hope and prayer is that the High King himself will bless it to your edification and joy.
About the Author
Dean Davis (1947- ) was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1969, he graduated from U.C. Santa Cruz with a degree in Philosophy. A true child of the 60's, he plunged headlong into the counterculture, practicing a wide variety of Eastern religions, especially Zen Buddhism. Then, in 1974, in the midst of a deep personal crisis, the God of the Bible graciously stepped in, turning a seeker into a finder, and an orphan into a beloved son, all through a life-changing revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Since then, Dean has followed the Lord down many roads, serving as a pastor, Sunday School director, Christian bookstore manager, and pro-life leader. In recent years, he has greatly enjoyed working as the Director of Come Let Us Reason, a Bible teaching ministry specializing in Worlvdiew Studies and Apologetics. He and his wife Linda currently reside in Santa Rosa, California. Believing with Luther Burbank that it is indeed "the chosen spot of the earth as far as nature is concerned," they hope to grow old there together, even as they keep careful tabs on their five far-flung kids: Mark, Beth, Jonathan, Rebekah, and Sara.
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Contents
Prologue and Acknowledgments
Introduction: The Blessed Hope in These Last Days
Part 1: Issues and Options in Biblical Eschatology
1. What is Biblical Eschatology?
2. Issues in Biblical Eschatology
3. Options in Biblical Eschatology
4. He has the Keys!
Part 2: Understanding the Kingdom of God
5. The Good News of the Kingdom
6. The Beginning and the Kingdom
7. The Covenant and the Kingdom
8. The OT Promise of the Kingdom
9. The Coming of the Kingdom
10. Salvation History: A Journey to the Kingdom
11. These are the Keys!
Part 3: Understanding Old Testament Kingdom Prophecy
12. The Nature and Stages of the Kingdom in Old Testament Prophecy
13. New Testament Principles for Interpreting OT Kingdom Prophecy
14. NT Examples of Interpreting OT Kingdom Prophecy
15. OT Kingdom Prophecies Considered: Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah
16. OT Kingdom Prophecies Considered: Ezekiel
17. OT Kingdom Prophecies Considered: Daniel
18. OT Kingdom Prophecies Considered: Zechariah
Part 4: Understanding the Millennium
19. The Revelation: Purpose and Literary Genre
20. The Revelation: Structure and Key Symbols
21. Revelation 20: The Meaning of the Millennium
Part 5: Understanding the Consummation
22. The Design, Structure, and Unity of the Consummation
23. Crucial NT Texts Pertaining to the Consummation (1)
24. Crucial NT Texts Pertaining to the Consummation (2)
25. The Consummation: A Biblical Scenario
Epilogue: Amillennialism: An Eschatology for These Last Days
Appendix 1: A Critique of Historic Premillennialism
Appendix 2: A Critique of Postmillennialism
Appendix 3: A Critique of Dispensational Premillennialism
Appendix 4: A Critique of Preterism
Appendix 5: Is the Modern State of Israel a Fulfillment of Biblical Prophecy?
Appendix 6: Old Testament Kingdom Prophecies Listed
Appendix 7: Old Testament Kingdom Prophecies Cited in the New Testament
Appendix 8: New Testament Texts Touching on the Parousia/Consummation
Appendix 9: Biblical Prophecies of the Last Battle
Appendix 10: The Creeds of Christendom on the Consummation
Endnotes
Subject Index
Scripture Index
Select Bibliography