Oct
10
2007
Book Review: The Apocalypse Code
Hank Hanegraaff has done all non-Dispensationalists a service by writing The Apocalypse Code: Find Out What the Bible REALLY Says About the End Times . . . and Why It Matters Today
Though the title and the cover look somewhat “sensationalist,” The Apocalypse Code contains a rather simple premise. The code to unlocking Revelation’s secrets is in understanding the Old Testament. Indeed, Hanegraaff points out how Revelation quotes the Old Testament hundreds of times.
Hanegraaff does not set forth a scholarly system of eschatology. Because this book is intended for the layperson, it contains helpful suggestions for biblical interpretation. Hanegraaff calls the main one LIGHTS. In order to correctly interpret Revelation, one must understand five principles: the Literal principle, the Illumination principle, the Grammatical principle, the Historical principle, the Typological principle, and Scriptural synergy. As he takes the reader through this system of interpretation, he demolishes the Dispensationalist view. By the end of the book, Dispensationalism collapses under the weight of its own incredulous affirmations.
Hanegraaff’s eschatological views can be considered moderately preterist. He believes in an early date for Revelation. He sees much of New Testament prophecy fulfilled in the first century, and he avoids the sensationalist tendency of eschatological predictions that plague the church today.
But whether or not you are a preterist, you will benefit from The Apocalypse Code. Hanegraaff’s principles of interpretation are more beneficial than the system he sets forth. Rather than constructing a full theology of the End Times, Hanegraaff is content to give the reader principles for interpreting Revelation, allowing the reader the chance to form his or her own conclusions.
The only misstep in Hanegraaff’s work is the way in which he critiques LaHaye and other Dispensationalists. Rather than simply dealing on the level of ideas, Hanegraaff uses illustrations that link (for example) LaHaye’s grammatical conclusions to Bill Clinton’s testimony about the meaning of “is.” While this may be rhetorically effective, it is quite over-the-top, undermining much of the weightier matters that Hanegraaff addresses.
Still, TThe Apocalypse Code is a worthy effort from a well-known radio personality. It is one of the better books on eschatology to grace the bookshelves of your local Christian store. I recommend you pick it up, consider the exegetical rules found within, and then pass it on to some friends.
written by Trevin Wax © 2007 Kingdom People blog