Two new books, just published in April 2018 both address the topic of the last generations of God’s followers on this planet. Judging by the discussions on blogs, this appears to be a hot topic among Adventists. I’ve been wrestling with the topic myself, so these books by respected scholars strike me as timely. 

End-Time Events and The Last Generation, 

by church historian George Knight, explores such topics as the following:Jo

• Why does Jesus wait?
• Does the last generation have anything to do with the delay?
• What about the 1888 message of A. T. Jones and E. J. Waggoner? 
• What was the significance of Questions on Doctrine? 
• How have the 1950s shaped Adventism’s continuing journey? 

It’s easy to see how Knight’s historian perspective is especially helpful for the last three points. 

God’s Character and the Last Generation by Jiri Moskala and John C. Peckham, and eight others. In the preface to the book, Andrews University President Andrea Luxton, notes that this collection of essays focuses on the intersection of the reality of Christ’s coming back to earth, and the role He plays in the lives of those of us who live in this generation. The essays are written by theologians who are passionate about the gospel as expressed through the theology of the church. She notes that “This book and its writers seek to remind us of the importance of keeping our focus on our faith and our mission at this important time of history.”

(Jiri Moskala is Professor of Old Testament Exegesis and Theology Dean at Andrews University. and John C. Peckham is associate professor of theology and Christian philosophy at Andrews university. The other eight authors are  make up Felix Cortez, Jo Ann Davidson, Richard Davidson, Denis Fortin, Martin Hanna, Darius Jankiewicz, Ante Jeroncic, Rako Stefanovic, H. Peter Swanson Woodrow Widden, an impressive list of current and retired scholars from Andrews University.)

The Sabbath School Lessons for April – June 2018 are devoted to studying Preparation for the End Time, and you may download the full lesson quarterly for studying Preparation for the End Time from Amazon in Kindle format. The lesson author is Norman R. Gulley, and he also wrote a companion book by the same title, Preparation for the End Time, which is available in both Kindle format and paperback. (Bible Bookshelf Series)If you prefer books you can actually hold in your hand, you can take advantage of Amazon’s free shipping by ordering other items at the same time.) You can also order the paper lesson in various formats from your Adventist Book Center (Call 1-800-765-6955).

You can read Kindle books on whatever device you are using to read this. I enjoy keeping books on my smart phone, because that way I can use spare minutes to good advantage. Enjoy!

Several years ago well-known evangelist Mark A. Finley published the book End-Time Hope: A Journey to Eternity. It is available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback format. Finley deals with end-time events from a hope perspective. He includes a chapter on how to prepare for the end-time. A good sharing book. 

Pastor, author, and Signs of the Times editor Marvin Moore comes at the subject from a different perspective. In light of all the hype and speculation about the end-time, he writes, “It’s imperative that we have a correct understanding of the prophecies. Because if we don’t, we will misunderstand the fulfillment of those prophecies even as we live through the events that fulfill them.” 

In How to Think About the End Time, Moore shares his thoughts on: What constitutes a valid sign that the final crisis and the second coming of Jesus are really near? How can we know what is and what isn’t a sign? 

Scott Christiansen, who served the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) as country director in Mongolia for five years and in China for three years, became interested in environmental issues while working for ADRA. He began investigation the role environmental degradation might play in the great controversy and in end-time events, and he has had a regular program on LLBN TV, as well as presenting seminars in various places. He shares his insight in Planet in Distress, blending scientific findings with biblical truth. You can watch a 2017 three-part series by Scott Christiansen beginning with “In the Beginning” and concluding with “How to Prepare” on YouTube. 

All Bible students know enough about the book of Revelation to associate it with the end-time, but many find it confusing and difficult to understand. In Seven Keys: Unlocking the Secrets of Revelation, Jon Paulien notes that the book of Revelation is full of excitement, battles, horror, and strange animals. But the final message is that God wins. Whatever you go through, whatever you experience in this life, at the end of the ultimate story God wins. No matter how out of control things get, God will make it right in the end. That assurance will go far in preparation for the end time. 

Are you stressed out about the end time? We suggest reading Waiting and Longing: Being Ready for the Redurn of Jeus, Whenever it Happens, by Randy Roberts. He shares a fresh view on the Second Coming, what it means to “wait”, and how to interpret the biblical prophetic sign posts. Recommended to every Christian who has felt the stress of living in the “end times.” Available in Kindle or Paperback format. 

The last chapters of The Great Controversy by Ellen White are probably the most important reference outside the Bible when considering preparation for the End time. In fact, the whole book is excellent reading on the subject. If you’ve not read it recently, we highly recommend that you do so now. If you prefer more modern language and a slightly condensed version, we suggest you check out Love Under Fire instead. It is very readable and faithful to the original. Also an enjoyable read for those already familiar with the original version. The title captures the idea that God’s character of love was challenged by Lucifer, the archangel who became Satan and has attacked God’s character ever since. A must-read for all Christians looking forward to the Second Coming of Christ.

How did it all begin? How did sin arise in God’s perfect creation? If you’re still wondering about that subject, the early chapters of Patriarchs and Prophets will answer the questions for you. 

And if you’ve read the book before and would like a fresh look, you might want to read the modern-language condensed version of Patriarchs and Prophets, with the title, Beginning of the End. 

If you’d like just the chapters dealing with the end time from The Great Controversy, you can get those as well as other material on the last days as the title, Last Day Events, by Ellen White. It was compiled by the trustees of the Ellen White Estate in 1992 and took statements from published books, manuscript collections, and material never before published. So there’s a good chance you’ll find something new in this volume, even if you’ve read The Great Controversy.

You may also find our Apocalypse/Revelation Resources helpful.

Other Resources on the end time

With a focus on the practical and a sense of humor, Karl Haffner has a knack for making the difficult simple and the frightening less so. The Cure for the Last Daze is written for seekers (not scholars!) who desire a working understanding of the events leading up to the apocalypse in order to survive the storm. It’s for common folk who get lost with the Greek and the charts and the eschatological theories but who still want to know what the Bible teaches about what in the world’s going on. It’s for the apocalyptically challenged who are serious about being ready when Jesus comes. 

Jon Paulien’s Blog School of Theology at Loma Linda University may prove to be very helpful this second quarter of 2018 since the study of Revelation is often his focus, and he is likely to post on topics related to the lesson. Besides, you can search for relevant phrases on his blog and associated web sites. (Jon Paulien is dean of the .)

How to Survive Armageddon, a 128-page booklet by John Brunt, is different from other studies of the end time because of his upbeat, joyful, and hopeful expectation of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. This is not to say that Brunt ignores the darker sides of the book of Revelation. He addresses the issues of
a) the delay, “How can the last days last so long?” (Chapter 3), “How long, O Lord?” (Chapter 4),
b) the secret rapture (Chapter 7),
c) the antichrist (Chapter 8),
d) the much dreaded `mark of the beast’ (Chapter 10), and, of course
e) the feared time of “pestilence, persecution and plagues” (Chapter 11).

General Conference President Ted N. C. Wilson calls for Reformation and Revival in his book, Almost Home: A Call to Reformation and Revival. Jesus wants to take us home, but are we ready to go with Him? It’s a question we all need to ask ourselves. 

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