Author GRAEME GOLDSWORTHY
Publisher PATERNOSTER PRESS
ISBN 0-85364-630-9
This small volume of one hundred and seventy pages is not a commentary on the Book of the Revelation. It was first published almost thirty years ago, the result of various Bible Studies undertaken by its author who was a lecturer at Moore Theological College in Sydney, Australia. As the title indicates, he intends to show that it is the first coming of the Lord Jesus, His living, dying and resurrection that are the key to all history and this gospel of Christ is the heart of the book of the Revelation. Of all the New Testament writings it has more allusions to the Old Testament than any other and the can be broken down into four main types of literature, the letters, the hymnic passages, apocalyptic visions and prophetic oracles.
With these four divisions in mind Goldsworthy shows how it is Jesus the Crucified/ Resurrected one Who is the heart of everything and He is the key to the whole book. The gospel and justification is shown in the way the redeemed had washed their garments in the blood of the Lamb, that Christ is the path to overcoming as revealed in the seven letters. The inevitability of continuing warfare and victory as revealed in the visionary passages about the beasts and the way this moves into the climax of Armageddon and the victory of the Lord that in turn leads to the new heaven and the new earth.
The style of this author is lucid and because his particular discipline is Old Testament studies he shows how much the book of the Revelation is the fitting culmination of all the scriptures. I think he succeeds in loosing this last book of the Bible from the complexities that have surrounded it and helps us home in on its centralities so that the purpose and contemporary relevance contained in it are brought before the reader.
