WHY I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK: It’s a foundational reference on eschatology (the study of the end times), with specific attention directed at methods of interpretation across all major events. I call it one of the best books on prophecy to ever rope me into reading it. For the early Bible student as well, it further clarifies Daniel’s 70 week prophecy.
Where DeHaan’s 35 Simple Studies on Revelation (reviewed HERE) focused primarily on headlines and lead-in paragraphs, Pentecost’s work takes a much more detailed analysis of interpretation and commentary of, well, Things to Come.
Why Things to Come is a Must-Read for Prophecy Study
Pentecost’s chapter titled, “The Pretribulation Rapture Theory,” is worth the price of the book alone.
I remember sharing an excerpt from this chapter with a brother in Christ some years ago, and it was one of the most profound statements I’ve ever shared.
But before I get to that, I need to point out that this book details MUCH on methods of interpretation. This can be most valuable when grasping the entirety of a prophecy discussion, especially when itemizing related Scripture.
Figure 1
Figure 1. One sample index page out of a total of 18, showing multiple interpretations and their resulting different chronologies.
I’ve heard many a good Christian man say that just because another holds a different view on interpreting prophecy doesn’t mean they’re a bad person — they just have a different opinion.
So when I recommend a weighty volume (633 pages including index) such as Pentecost’s, I want to thrust forth the proposition that knowing multiple sides of a discussion can be of great benefit in understanding Scripture pertaining to your interpretation even more.
But as I was saying, my most memorable reason for sharing the excerpt was because it highlighted what I believe to be one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned — that a literal interpretation is often the best interpretation. Here’s a quote from pps. 193-194:
“[Oswald T.] Allis says, ‘The question of literal versus figurative interpretation is, therefore, one which has to be faced at the very outset.’ He admits that if the literal method of interpretation of the Scriptures be the right method premillennialism is the correct interpretation.”
Things to Come encompasses such a vast canvas, and prophetic discussions about the significant details of each event are all fair game in this rich resource. To wit: how Daniel’s 70 week prophecy plays right into its final week — also known as Revelation’s Great Tribulation.
A Thorough, Scripture-Rich Guide to Daniel, Revelation, and Beyond
Take a look at the thorough approach Pentecost uses, based on his index listing of subchapters dealing with the Tribulation:
The tribulation period in Scripture 232
A. The nature of the tribulation 233
B. The source of the tribulation 235
C. The purpose of the tribulation 237
D. The time of the tribulation 239
1. The importance of Daniel’s prophecy of the seventy weeks 239
2. The important factors in Daniel’s prophecy .. 240
3. The meaning of “weeks” 242
4. The beginning of the sixty-nine weeks 244
5. The fulfillment of the sixty-nine weeks 245
6. Is there a gap between the sixty-ninth and seventieth week? 246
7. The beginning of the seventieth week 249
8. The program of the seventieth week 250
Mind you, this is not the end of his coverage of the 70 weeks, only an itemized closeup! Dispersed throughout Pentecost’s work are subtopics buoying for attention in how they connect to this major prophecy: times of the gentiles, premillennialism, pretribulationism.
The Millennium gets top billing here, too. Besides his examination of the Scriptural doctrine of the Millennium, Mr. Dwight shows a wide angle view of the many aspects to consider: the covenants, relation of Satan, relation of Christ, conditions existing, and so forth.
There is no shortage of things to come. And special thanks to Mr. Pentecost, we can see the details a lot better.
Finally, the Scripture Index at the end of the book is a most perfect reference and has blessed this reader many times in researching challenging Bible verses.
Related Books on Prophecy:
Clarity on Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy: The Coming Prince, by Sir Robert Anderson
Christ’s Imminent Return: The Rapture Question, by John Walvoord
The Conclusion of History: 35 Simple Studies on the book of Revelation, by M.R. DeHaan
This review was part of my 9 Lifelong Bible Companions Series. See related recommendations.
Things to Come, by Dwight Pentecost