Peter Bloomfield has done us all a great service in thoroughly tackling the issues that believers and the whole world face as we approach the future and our Lord’s return in glory. He answers from Scripture in 22 clear, uncompromising chapters many of the questions on many minds.
He deals helpfully with the Old Testament view of Christ’s coming. He shows that what appears to be, in anticipation, one event turns into two distinct events in its fulfilment. In this way he demonstrates that the kingdom of God has already come but it has not yet come in its ultimate form.
There is a tension between the ‘already’ and ‘not yet’. As he puts it: ‘The last days are here, but not the last day!’ Our author says that the proper mentality for Christians is optimistic realism — the kingdom is growing now, but the kingdom of Antichrist is with us right to the end.
Some of the chapter headings will give a flavour of the book: ‘Coming ready or not’; ‘The blessedness of the saints’; ‘The mark of the beast’; ‘Are the Jews special?’; ‘What about the rapture?’; ‘Endless punishment’; and ‘Where do we go when we die?’
This book is written from an uncompromisingly reformed point of view and those who take a strong dispensational or premillennial view will benefit from the author’s careful arguments, though they may not agree with him.
Some may question some of Bloomfield’s conclusions; it takes a brave man to disagree with Prof. John Murray on a future revival among the Jews! This book is clear and easy to read. It will be a great help to many. Warmly recommended.
