The Return of Jesus Christ

Richard Salmon has written an interesting book about future events but one that is difficult to review for it is not clear who the author intends his audience to be. The book could be used in an evangelistic context, speaking as those who are concerned about world events and the way in which the world is heading, and it could also be used to cover aspects of teaching in respect to future events for those with little previous knowledge or guidance.

The subject of future events is a notoriously difficult one on which to get agreement among expositors. For this reason there will be aspects of what the author writes that will not find favour with all readers. However, in the opinion of this reviewer, Mr. Salmon is orthodox in his teaching on such subjects as: the baptism of the Spirit, the rapture, creation in six literal days, the removal of the church before the tribulation, a future for Israel, and the millennial reign of Christ. His book is less clear about whether he believes that those who reject Christ during this present dispensation of grace will have a ‘second chance’, and who will form the bulk of those who follow Satan upon his release from the abyss. On his identification of the Antichrist, his interpretation of Matthew 13, his lack of comment upon the false prophet and his use of the New International Version throughout many will demur.

If Richard Salmon’s book is used to bring earnest enquirers after truth to find Christ, or young Christians ‘back to the word of God to see exactly what He says’, its publication will have been most worthwhile.