Best introductory eschatology book for teen?

[thistle93]

Hi! I am looking for a good eschatology book for my teen son. His class at Christian school has been watching "Left Behind" and seems like class and teacher assume everyone is dispensational. He knowing his Bible has many issues and questions with this. I personally lean in an amillennial direction but not dogmatically.

3 books that I am thinking might be helpful are:
3 Views Of Millennialism & Beyond (good introduction to 3 major views)
G.K. Beale Revelation Shorter Commentary (don't want to scare him away with the big dog)
Jesus Wins by Dayton Hartman (which is short and simple and very helpful for people with little knowledge of eschatology)

Any comments on these or any other recommendations?

For His Glory-
Matthew

 

[PaulCLawton]

Might want to check out The Future of Everything: Essential Truths about the End Times by William Boekestein.

 

[jwithnell]

Sinclair Ferguson has an excellent series on Revelations on SermonAudio. You might consider listening with your son, then discussing it. The series is fairly long, but if your son is in a school watching Left Behind, he is likely hearing a continuous stream on the topic. A wholistic approach to the Scriptures will give a more solid answer than arguing doctrine, especially if he's facing proof-texting. With my sons, studying something over time gives multiple opportunities to reassert key information in context.

 

[Jerusalem Blade]

Hello Matthew,

Hands down I think the best book for a teenager would be William Hendriksen's, More Than Conquerers: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation. I say that because it's not only a classic of sound Amillennialism, but easy reading, not too long, and understandable. Amillennialism is the only view that speaks to all the ages of the NT church, not just to the early church or only to the "end-times" church.

Beale's shorter Rev Commentary is still difficult to get through for a beginner. Jesus Wins is too simple for someone who's already been introduced to the Left Behind series.

 

[Jo_Was]

In general, I think a great way to address premillennial dispensationalism is with the positive affirmations that the Reformed tradition has of how God relates to his people through the generations. Thus, I think one of the best aids in understanding and interacting with dispensationalism in American evangelicalism is grounding in Covenant theology. I think Keith Mathison's book "Dispensationalism: Rightly dividing the people of God?" is simple, concise and does a good job of addressing dispensationalism through a covenantal lens. Especially for those who might not be as familiar with the nuances of the conversation, and more than merely going through millenial viewpoints, I think getting the heart of the phenomenon of American evangelical assumption of pre-mil dispensational thought really comes down to how we believe God works through his church in the generations and what "the church" is in times past, present, and future. Thus, I think exploring covenant theology is actually a good starting place to start with the root of how we believe God relates to his people across generations, then conversations about eschatological time frames can come later on. I grew up pre-mil dispensational charistmatic, and it was really exploring Covenant theology in my adulthood that made me go "aha!" at many of the questions and uncomfortable uneasiness I, too, felt as a teenager in these social situations where premil dispensationalism is assumed de-facto.

 

[Grant]

Not a book..BUT, I would recommend Voddie Baucham’s sermon series on the book of Revelation. Extremely clear and helpful. Voodie is Amil and his sermons were really helpful for me to become more confident in reading and understanding the book.

Exposition of the Book of Revelation (MP3 Series) by Voddie Baucham | Monergism

Voddie Baucham wears many hats. He is a husband, father, pastor, author, professor, conference speaker and church planter. He currently serves as Pastor of

www.monergism.com

 

[Stephen L Smith]

Hands down I think the best book for a teenager would be William Hendriksen's, More Than Conquerers: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation.

Without question Hendrickson's work is beloved for good reasons. But I think Poythress' "The Returning King: a guide to Revelation" and Joel Beeke's commentary on Revelation would be even easier to read. Also Richard Philip's commentary on Revelation.

​

We are spoilt for choice for good commentaries on Revelation.

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

W. J. Grier's The Momentous Event.

 

[JM]

Left Behind: The Kids by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye

 

[JM]

jk