Victory Through The Lamb: A Guide to Revelation in Plain Language

Reading or studying Revelation has always felt daunting and overwhelming to many Christians. But Mark Wilson has written "a guide to Revelation in plain language," as the title states. In the non-technical language of everyman, Wilson explains Revelation's many mysteries, which is so characteristic of apocalyptic literature. Most of the confusing signs, symbols and varied imagery of Revelation find its origins throughout the Old Testament. Victory Through The Lamb is readable, understandable and insightful, even for those who have not previously read or studied Revelation.

Each and every chapter begins with a martyr account, followed by Wilson's own English translation of the Greek text of Revelation. The martyr stories are gut wrenching, in particular the recent martyrdom of three Christians in eastern Turkey in the city of Malatya on April 18, 2007. This shocked Turkey's small Christian community as well as many Turkish citizens. Wilson and his wife have lived in Turkey since 2004 and were able to attend their funeral, together with many other Christians from around Turkey. The vivid stories of these and earlier martyrdoms set the mood of the reader into the correct frame of mind for understanding and interpreting Revelation.

Despite the suffering, persecution and martyrdom of countless Christians throughout the ages, it is indeed true that their premature, untimely and seemingly tragic deaths were not a defeat but a victory precisely because it was obtained thought the Lamb who was slain for the sins of the world. Together with the repeated themes of suffering, persecution, tribulation, trials and witness, Wilson emphasizes in each chapter the predominant theme of victory.

The Contents are:

• Prologue
• Chapter 1: Victory in the Seven Churches (1:1–3:22)
• Chapter 2: Victory of the Lamb (4:1–5:14)
• Chapter 3: Victory of the Large Multitude (6:1–9:21)
• Chapter 4: Victory of the Two Witnesses (10:1–11:19)
• Chapter 5: Victory of the Male Child, the Woman, and Her Offspring (12:1–17)
• Chapter 6: Victory over the Beasts (13:1–18)
• Chapter 7: Victory of the 144,000 and the Harvest of the Victors (14:1–20)
• Chapter 8: Victory in the Song of Moses and of the Lamb (15:1–16:21)
• Chapter 9: Victory over Mystery Babylon (17:1–19:10)
• Chapter 10: Victory over the Lamb's Enemies (19:11–20:15)
• Chapter 11: Victory in the New Heaven and New Earth (21:1–22:5)
• Chapter 12: Victory at Jesus' Second Coming (22:6–21)
• Epilogue - In the Presence of Martyrs: A Reflection from Turkey in 2007

Thanks to Weaver Book Company and Cross Focused Reviews for sending me a copy of this book to review.