The Drama of Christianity, An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation by S.L. Morris. Baker Book House. 147 pages. $4.95. Reviewed by John Vander Ploeg.
There is a reason why many preachers shy away from preaching on Revelation, or otherwise do no more with it than have a few sermons on the letters to the seven churches and on certain texts here and there, on which they preach outside of the context in which these appear. The same reason applies to the sensational nonsense heralded by some who pose as prophets of precisely what is going to happen on the national or international scene. The reason is that they fail to see the overall plan or scheme of the book, according to which everything falls into place.
This little volume by Morris is valuable because it spells out this plan with unmistakable clarity. In the Preface to this 1982 paperback edition from the earlier 1928 edition, Morris states: “‘Revelation,’ once the most confused and confusing to him (Morris) of scriptural writings, is now a new book as clear as crystal. . . . Instead, therefore, of meaningless, haphazard arrangement of its contents, the Book of Revelation is now to him a perfect unity, the most methodical and symmetrical of all the inspired writings.”
Morris states further: “The first insight into its meaning was furnished by a hint of Professor William Milligan, of Aberdeen, Scotland, nearly forty years ago. In his treatise, ‘The Revelation of St. John,’ he suggested the thought that it consisted of a series of visions, each in the form of a panorama, not occurring in historic succession, but as repetitions of the same events in entirely new settings from different angles, each having a distinctive object in the various presentations.”
Those familiar with Dr. William Hendriksen’s More Than Conquerors will recognize that this interpretation of Revelation is virtually the same as Hendriksen’s so-called “progressive parallelism.” Having worked through Revelation for about a six–month series of sermons in each of the four congregations this reviewer served and also after having led discussions on Revelation at various church societies, it is my conviction that this approach is superior to any other that the various commentaries propose. This highly figurative last book of the Bible appears clearly to present seven visions of the New Testament period from the time of the first to the second coming of Christ, from as many different points of view.
While The Drama of Christianity is not necessarily correct in all details, it is of inestimable value in making the various parts of Revelation fall into place and in providing a sane and highly informative as well as comforting interpretation, Together with Hendriksen’s book, Morris’ work is recommended as being most helpful to the serious student of Revelation. Baker Book House has rendered a valuable service in making this reprint available.
