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Hank Hanegraaff’s The
Apocalypse Code begins by noting some of the more radical
interpretations of Revelation by Hal Lindsey. He follows by claiming that
Tim LaHaye (co-creator of the Left Behind series) has become the
leader of modern prophecy in Lindsey’s place. Yet, even from the start there
is a major problem here as these two men hold vast differences regarding the
interpretation of the end times, yet The Apocalypse Code begins by
suggesting they are very similar in their teachings.
Furthermore, page xx in the
Introduction states that to hold to a distinction between Israel and the
church is a form of racial discrimination, suggesting that LaHaye’s writings
(and those similar to his) are racist in their interpretation. Does holding
to a view of dispensationalism really cause people to suggest, “Furthermore,
there is the very real problem of discrimination” (p. xx)?
In addition, page xxii
notes that early dispensationalists believed Jews would be regathered to
Israel because of their belief in their Redeemer. However, this is not the
norm in dispensational writings. It is rather due to their unbelief.
In fact, dispensationalists teach that Israel would return to its nation in
large numbers without converting to Christianity. In this instance, this
interpretation has nothing to do with race, as suggested by The
Apocalypse Code.
In Chapter 1, “Exegetical
Eschatology,” page 5 suggests a pretribulational rapture is the by-product
of a fertile imagination: “In chapter 2 you will be equipped to determine
whether the pretribulational rapture is the product of faithful illumination
or the by-product of a fertile imagination.” Really? A brief survey
of this chapter shows remarks that are very anti-LaHaye, with at least 12
specific references to him as a person in the first chapter. Is this a fair
and accurate representation of the pretribulational rapture or a personal
attack? Even a reader unaware of the viewpoints involved might wonder what
LaHaye did to upset the author so much.
Chapter 2, “Literal
Principle,” notes that “Tim LaHaye’s definition of literalism is virtually
meaningless” (p. 15). Why? Because “…it is so vague as to be utterly
useless” (p. 16). Since Dr. LaHaye has written at length in other works on
Bible interpretation, and the author of The Apocalypse Code is very
aware of this fact, this comment comes across as very pointed and
inaccurate.
Chapter 3, “Illumination
Principle,” begins by comparing the growth of Darwin’s evolutionary theory
with John Darby’s growth of dispensational eschatology, noting that Darby
even left the Church of England the same year Darwin left England aboard the
HMS Beagle. Why does he believe the two are similar?
Dispensationalism teaches that God has two distinct peoples (Jews and
Gentiles) with two distinct plans and two distinct phases. This chapter also
attacks the research of Grant Jeffrey that the pretrib view was held as
early as the 300s AD (p. 56), though more research would be necessary to
adequately defend this claim.
The remaining four chapters
chronicle many traditional Bible interpretation concepts, along with
occasional further examples noted throughout to discredit dispensational
beliefs. Chapter 5, “Historical Principle,” for instance, argues heavily for
an early date for Revelation in order to disprove pretribulationalism and
promote a preterist viewpoint. Chapter 6, on typology, is perhaps the most
problematic in terms of interpretation since it claims that all major
typology was fulfilled in Jesus.[1]
In summary, The
Apocalypse Code suggests it is about exegetical eschatology, or
interpreting prophecy based on the context of Scripture. However, the text
of the book reveals that the major focus consists of personal attacks
against Tim LaHaye and deconstructing dispensationalism. Why? The
answer is not clearly given. Interestingly, there is not even a conclusion
offered to end The Apocalypse Code. However, the motives appear to be
to focus attention on Hanegraaff’s preterist view put forth in his own
coauthored end times novel series, of which the third title is promoted in
the back of the book to release later this year.
Unfortunately, this book
has already sold several thousand copies and reached the Top 50 Christian
Bookseller’s Association list. I say “unfortunately” because this title,
unlike many of Hank Hanegraaff’s other quality books, relies heavily on
personal attacks and his own predetermined biases for the evidence presented
in many of his arguments. Rather than develop his own theological viewpoint
for the reader to evaluate, he deconstructs and criticizes dispensational
authors (especially LaHaye) with extreme examples that strengthen his
argument with little support for his own viewpoints.
As another review has
pointed out, the book, “…is not only filled with factual error throughout,
but teaches that most Bible prophecy has already been fulfilled and
advocates…Nero was the beast of Revelation, Christ’s Olivet Discourse and
most of the book of Revelation were fulfilled by the events surrounding the
A.D. 70 destruction of Jerusalem, and the Tribulation was also fulfilled in
the first century.”[2]
As Dr. Norman Geisler has further mentioned, “In general The
[Apocalypse] Code repeatedly takes the Old Testament promises to Jews
out of their original context by replacing Israel with the New Testament
church. The ‘Replacement Theology’ is a classic example of taking texts out
of their context.”[3]
Two additional extreme
exaggerations are important to note as well. On page 44, The Apocalypse
Code makes the grossly unfair comment dispensationalism is associated
with the “cultic fringe” like Mormonism. A second highlight labels
pretribulationalism (the belief in rapture before a seven-year literal
tribulation) as “blasphemous” (see pages 63-64).
In conclusion, while the
encouragement to interpret the Bible in light of itself and its exhortation
toward exegetical study are to be commended, the author fails to take the
advice himself in some of his own examples, leaving more questions than
answers for the reader and more confusion and clarity for those desiring
helpful information regarding Bible prophecy.
[1]
For more on this issue of typology, see Norman Geisler, “Review of Hank
Hanegraaff’s The Apocalypse Code.” Accessed at
http://www.normgeisler.com.
[2]
Thomas Ice, “Hank Hanegraaff’s The Apocalypse Code,” Midnight
Call, July 2007, pp. 22-27.
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