Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 164:654 (Apr 2007)
Article: Book Reviews
Author: Matthew S. DeMoss

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BSac 164:654 (April-June 2007) p. 242

Book Reviews

By The Faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary

Matthew S. DeMoss, Editor

A Case for Amillennialism: Understanding the End Times. By Kim Riddlebarger. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2003. 271 pp. $16.99.

Although accurately titled as a case for amillennialism, this book is also written as a case against premillennialism. And to a lesser degree it is a case against postmillennialism, especially in its points of similarity to amillennialism. Classic postmillennialism of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries has been modified at present in light of the chaotic and war-ravaged state of the world since World War I.

The basic difference between the author’s position as an amillennialist and the dispensational premillennialism he rejects and opposes is the hermeneutical difference between a primarily figurative system of biblical interpretation especially of the Old Testament and the primarily literal interpretive system of the entire Bible used by dispensationalists, which the author calls “literalistic” (p. 38). Riddlebarger agrees that “the differences between the two millennial viewpoints are, therefore, largely due to the hermeneutical presuppositions that their adherents bring to the study of the data” (ibid.)

Like most amillennialists Riddlebarger frequently identifies his system of interpretation as “the historic Protestant position” (ibid). He points out that amillennialism was “first given systematic expression by St. Augustine” and that “all major thinkers in Christian history have held something akin to the amillennial position” (p. 32). Though he acknowledges that “this does not mean that amillennialism is true, he considers it “an impressive point” (ibid.). Actually belief in a millennial reign of Christ following His return to earth (in effect, premillennialism) was the belief of most church fathers from Papias (A.D. 60–130) until Augustine.

“Amillennialists,” the author writes, “hold that the promises made to Israel, David, and Abraham in the Old Testament are fulfilled by Jesus Christ and his church during this present age” (p. 31). Furthermore, “The millennium is the period of time between the two advents of our Lord with the thousand years of Revelation 20 being symbolic of the entire interadventural age” (ibid.), in other words, this present church age. The same point is also made on pages 11, 19, 82, 87, in spite of the fact that Revelation 20:2–7 refers six times to the thousand years as a future event, a declaration obviously meant to be taken seriously.

BSac 164:654 (April-June 2007) p. 243

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