Rob Dalrymple

Could the cry "Come out of her My people" (Rev 18:4) not be needed more today than it was when John penned the Apocalypse?The book of Revelation begins and ends with the affirmation that God is the world's true Lord, not Caesar. In telling this story, John lays out for us the fact that Christ's kingdom is not like the kingdoms of the world. The kingdoms of the world rule by force and at the expense of the masses and for the benefit of those in power. Jesus's kingdom, however, comes through love. In Christ's kingdom, power is demonstrated by laying down one's life for one's enemies. Jesus, of course, demonstrated this kind of love on the cross, and he calls us to do the same. We have nothing to fear. After all, Jesus was dead and now he is alive and he has the keys to Death and Hades. Unfortunately, many interpreters have come to believe that the devastation and destruction depicted in the book of Revelation--in particular, in the accounts of the Seven Seals and the Seven Bowls--are God's end-times wrath. But have we ever stopped to consider that this portrait of God is fundamentally at odds with the gospel? And with Jesus's call for us to love one another even as he loved us? The book of Revelation tells a different story.

Could the cry "Come out of her My people" (Rev 18:4) not be needed more today than it was when John penned the Apocalypse? The book of Revelation begins and ends with the affirmation that God is the world's true Lord, not Caesar. In telling this story, John lays out for us the fact that Christ's kingdom is not like the kingdoms of the world. The kingdoms of the world rule by force and at the expense of the masses and for the benefit of those in power. Jesus's kingdom, however, comes through love. In Christ's kingdom, power is demonstrated by laying down one's life for one's enemies. Jesus, of course, demonstrated this kind of love on the cross, and he calls us to do the same. We have nothing to fear. After all, Jesus was dead and now he is alive and he has the keys to Death and Hades. Unfortunately, many interpreters have come to believe that the devastation and destruction depicted in the book of Revelation--in particular, in the accounts of the Seven Seals and the Seven Bowls--are God's end-times wrath. But have we ever stopped to consider that this portrait of God is fundamentally at odds with the gospel? And with Jesus's call for us to love one another even as he loved us? The book of Revelation tells a different story.

Many evangelicals have come to embrace a populist eschatology that has neither the support of the historical church, nor of the scholarly world today. For some, this has led to a disillusionment with eschatological speculations. For others, the results are apathy and a failure to understand the mission of God's people. This is tragic For when the entirety of the New Testament is read and understood from an eschatological perspective, the grand narrative of Scripture and its fulfillment in Jesus comes clearly into focus. A proper framework for understanding eschatology directly correlates to a proper understanding of the mission of God's people, who are themselves carrying forth the biblical story as we approach the New Jerusalem. To fail to comprehend eschatology is to fail to comprehend our mission. This book has two objectives: First, to provide a proper hermeneutical framework from which we may discern a biblical eschatological worldview. Second, to demonstrate that a proper eschatological framework relates to the mission of God's people and the demand for holiness. Thus, eschatology matters ""I am pleased to recommend Understanding the New Testament and the End Times to anyone ranging from an inquisitive church member to a seasoned biblical scholar. In this book, Rob Dalrymple offers a solid hermeneutical methodology, a biblical theology of eschatology, and an exegetical survey of many key texts and themes in a manner that is fully Christocentric."" --Alan S. Bandy, Assistant Professor of New Testament and Greek, Oklahoma Baptist University ""Understanding the New Testament and the End Times is a breath of fresh air for a world jaded by apocalyptic sensationalism. Rob Dalrymple provides a solid, sane, and sensible survey of the field from the perspective of the biblical authors themselves. Delving into the nature of prophetic utterances and using the lens of the person and work of Christ, Dalrymple opens up a seldom-acknowledged vista that focuses on Christ as the fulfillment of the promises and the inaugurator of the kingdom."" --M. James Sawyer, Professor of Theology, Pacific Islands Evangelical Seminary ""Eschatology matters. It's our future, after all. Dalrymple is a reliable guide to help us understand the biblical view of the future, and he is right and helpful as he shows us that Jesus is the heart of our future hope. I recommend this book to all who want to know what the Bible really teaches about the return of Jesus."" --Tremper Longman III, Professor of Biblical Studies, Westmont College Rob Dalrymple is a pastor and professor. He has taught at the church, college, and seminary levels for more than twenty-three years. He is currently a Pastor at Cornerstone Fellowship in Livermore, California. He is the chairman for the Eschatology and Ethics consultation group for the Evangelical Theological Society and is the author of Revelation and the Two Witnesses (2011).

Many evangelicals have come to embrace a populist eschatology that has neither the support of the historical church, nor of the scholarly world today. For some, this has led to a disillusionment with eschatological speculations. For others, the results are apathy and a failure to understand the mission of God's people. This is tragic For when the entirety of the New Testament is read and understood from an eschatological perspective, the grand narrative of Scripture and its fulfillment in Jesus comes clearly into focus. A proper framework for understanding eschatology directly correlates to a proper understanding of the mission of God's people, who are themselves carrying forth the biblical story as we approach the New Jerusalem. To fail to comprehend eschatology is to fail to comprehend our mission. This book has two objectives: First, to provide a proper hermeneutical framework from which we may discern a biblical eschatological worldview. Second, to demonstrate that a proper eschatological framework relates to the mission of God's people and the demand for holiness. Thus, eschatology matters ""I am pleased to recommend Understanding the New Testament and the End Times to anyone ranging from an inquisitive church member to a seasoned biblical scholar. In this book, Rob Dalrymple offers a solid hermeneutical methodology, a biblical theology of eschatology, and an exegetical survey of many key texts and themes in a manner that is fully Christocentric."" --Alan S. Bandy, Assistant Professor of New Testament and Greek, Oklahoma Baptist University ""Understanding the New Testament and the End Times is a breath of fresh air for a world jaded by apocalyptic sensationalism. Rob Dalrymple provides a solid, sane, and sensible survey of the field from the perspective of the biblical authors themselves. Delving into the nature of prophetic utterances and using the lens of the person and work of Christ, Dalrymple opens up a seldom-acknowledged vista that focuses on Christ as the fulfillment of the promises and the inaugurator of the kingdom."" --M. James Sawyer, Professor of Theology, Pacific Islands Evangelical Seminary ""Eschatology matters. It's our future, after all. Dalrymple is a reliable guide to help us understand the biblical view of the future, and he is right and helpful as he shows us that Jesus is the heart of our future hope. I recommend this book to all who want to know what the Bible really teaches about the return of Jesus."" --Tremper Longman III, Professor of Biblical Studies, Westmont College Rob Dalrymple is a pastor and professor. He has taught at the church, college, and seminary levels for more than twenty-three years. He is currently a Pastor at Cornerstone Fellowship in Livermore, California. He is the chairman for the Eschatology and Ethics consultation group for the Evangelical Theological Society and is the author of Revelation and the Two Witnesses (2011).