The Late Great Planet Earth: The Classic Analysis of the Biblical Prophecies Leading Up To the Return of Jesus Christ

by Hal Lindsey, Carole C. Carlson (Contributor)

The impact of The Late Great Planet Earth cannot be overstated. The New York Times called it the "no. 1 non-fiction bestseller of the decade." For Christians and non-Christians of the 1970s, Hal Lindsey's blockbuster served as a wake-up call on events soon to come and events already unfolding -- all leading up to the greatest event of all: the return of Jesus Christ. The years since have confirmed Lindsey's insights into what biblical prophecy says about the times we live in. Whether you're a church-going believer or someone who wouldn't darken the door of a Christian institution, the Bible has much to tell you about the imminent future of this planet. In the midst of an out-of-control generation, it reveals a grand design that's unfolding exactly according to plan. The rebirth of Israel. The threat of war in the Middle East. An increase in natural catastrophes. The revival of Satanism and witchcraft. These and other signs, foreseen by prophets from Moses to Jesus, portend the coming of an antichrist . . . of a war which will bring humanity to the brink of destruction . . . and of incredible deliverance for a desperate, dying planet.

Genres: Religion, Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity, Theology, Christian Non Fiction, Spirituality

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Harold Lee Lindsey was an American evangelical writer and television host. He wrote a series of popular apocalyptic books – beginning with The Late Great Planet Earth (1970) – asserting that the Apocalypse or end time (including the rapture) was imminent because current events were fulfilling Bible prophecy. He was a Christian Zionist and dispensationalist.

Reviews

[Paul Bryant · Rating 1 out of 5]

And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon (Revelation 13:11)

*****

This book has been on my radar for years, always wondered what it was all about. It gets a namecheck in Fourth of July Creek (a recent 5 star novel) and that was the reminder I needed.

What’s it about? It’s about what’s happening right now, baby! Rapture! End Times! World’s greatest come-back tour! Heck! More heck!

I don’t understand how evangelicals like Hal Lindsey and his zillion followers think about God. Here’s the Bible and it contains this prophecy which literally will tell you what’s going to happen to the planet Earth in your lifetime but you have to be able to read it correctly and puzzle all the pieces together. When you do and the light dawns it’s like whoah, dude.

P89:

This writer doesn’t believe that we have prophets today who are getting direct revelations from God, but we do have prophets today who are getting special insight into the prophetic word.

Who might one of those guys be? I’m guessing Hal Lindsay.

But if God wants us to know about this stuff (and he must or he would have stretched forth his hand and squashed Hal Lindsey like a bug before he got to writing this book) then why allow the Bible to be composed in such a cloudy, uncertain, frankly difficult style? Why not lay it all down in black & white?

Say, something like this:

Isaiah then spake forth Hear ye O Israel, hear ye the word of the LORD. In the fifth decade of the 20th century after the birth of the Messiah whom as ye know ye rejected in the hardness of your hearts, there will arise Adolf Hitler and he will smite the nation of Israel. Yet a remnant shall be saved and shall returneth to Zion. But wars and strife and tumults shall besiege thee O Israel, even from the hills of Lebanon, and the pharaoh in Egypt that shall be named Nasser.

But the Lord shall dash the enemies of his people like a pot that is broken on the earth, mainly through the considerable grants of military assistance from the American Congress which shall includeth M48 Patton tanks and A-4E Skyhawks, and also the impressive combat skills of Ariel Sharon and Moshe Dayan.

But instead of being clear and naming names, God dodges, ducks and weaves like a middleweight boxer, he blows smoke like a 20 year old tractor, he’s foggy like a day in London Town (1895 – we have the Clean Air Act now). It’s like he doesn’t want us to understand, or he only wants people like Hal Lindsey to understand. Aw God, why you have to do like you do?

The general idea of this book is to sketch out how the political situation of mid-1970 (when it was written) was predicted exactly in Biblical prophecy, and what we may expect for the next few decades. He labels a few vague and cloudy references – the power in the East is China, Russia is The Kingdom of the North - so far so unexceptionable. But then he goes off his trolley completely by telling us that the Roman Empire is to be revived, right, and that this had already begun to happen, and is called, wait for it, the European Common Market! Yes, this is the successor state to the Roman Empire! And from this terrific revived empire there will burst forth a great world dictator who will be the Antichrist.

To gain power, this great European dictator will use a new “one world religion”, which will not be Christianity or anything else which exists now (sorry, Islam, it won’t be you). According to Hal it will be a combination of classical astrology and the Age of Aquarius, which, of course, was big in 1970:

Some may scoff at the idea that idol worship will become prevalent. Even in America, however, there are growing cults which actually do worship stone and metal idols.

Hal quotes a “major television station” which authoritatively reported

Nearly every respectable high school these days has its own witch

Anyway, for three and a half years (very precise) the new World Dictator will be a great success, resolving all world problems and ushering in global peace. Then he will declare himself to be God and things will turn ugly.

This period of time will make the regimes of Hitler, Mao and Stalin look like Girl Scouts weaving a daisy chain

but

we believe that Christians will not be around to watch the debacle brought about by the cruellest dictator of all time

That’s because the Rapture™ will have happened, and all Christians will be taken up to heaven and given a new body:

Just think how excited a woman can get about a new wardrobe. How much more excited we should be about acquiring a new body!

Hal (in my mind adopting the same tone of voice as his namesake in 2001 A Space Odyssey) says there is something that needs to be done before the Rapture and the 2nd coming and so forth can happen. The Third Temple has to be built, on the original site of the previous Temples.

There is one major problem…. That obstacle is the second holiest place of the Muslim faith, the Dome of the Rock… Obstacle or not, it is certain that the Temple will be rebuilt. Prophecy demands it.

Sorry, guys. If you would be so kind as to dismantle the al-Aqsa mosque and take it some place else, so we can get on with the end of the world, we’d be like, thanks, that’s awesome. Really. We’ll do the same for you one day.

Hal says : There will soon begin the construction of this Temple. (p57)

Well, ha ha, what is soon? This book was written in 1970, so it’s 45 years later, and really, there seems to be no movement with the dismantling of the mosque. I don’t think the Jewish authorities have even submitted a written request to the Grand Mufti. No earthquakes either. 45 years later for me is not soon.

You said you’d go to the supermarket, we’ve run out of cat food. Yes, I will, soon. In 46 years’ time.

It’s clear that Hal suffers from the theological version of GENERATIONAL NARCISSIM. This is a widespread affliction, characterized by the strong belief that your generation had the best music/movies/drugs/sex/travelling opportunities/mortgages/fashion etc and those who came after your gilded generation are a sorry bunch who don’t know what real music/fashion/sex/mortgages are. In the brain of Hal Lindsay as he was writing this book, his generation was just about to have the BEST APOCALYPSE. They would see with their own eyes the 2nd coming, it was gonna happen in a few months… couple of years at the most. Rilly. So, like Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock AND the gosh dang Apocalypse, all before you’re 30.

If I didn’t know him better, I’d think young Hal Lindsey had been eating those mushrooms again.

[Werner · Rating 1 out of 5]

Note, Oct. 16, 2020: I just edited this review (from 2008), not to change the rating or the substance of what I said, but to say it in a way that's more irenic and less combative. One lesson God has been striving to teach me, in the intervening years, is that when I try to present truth, as I see it, humility and love for those who disagree has to control the presentation, or it becomes about like "a resounding gong, or a clanging cymbal" (I Cor. 13:1).

Written in a world steeped in social injustice and oppression, a major theme of the Old Testament is that this deformation of society is a result of rebellion against God, and that God is on the side of the oppressed and will act decisively at the end of history to usher in a new order of justice and righteousness for those who respond to Him in faith and obedience. The New Testament builds on the same foundation, recognizing in Christ the promised King of the new order and looking forward to his return. This, not date-setting nor obsession with de-coding symbolic prophecies that supposedly give a detailed scenario of "end-time" events, was the substance of Christian eschatology; it appealed to the masses who knew the present order to be messed up, and inspired the believers to work for justice and righteousness here on earth in the meantime.

Centuries later, however, as the Christian hierarchy became part of the establishment, and increasingly compromised its ideals of social justice, eschatology came to be ignored and marginalized in Christian thought, and its revolutionary aspect tended to be lost. In the early 1800s, when John Nelson Darby created the theology of dispensationalism, which this book uncritically propagates, his eschatology largely ignored the social ethics of the coming kingdom to focus instead on a peculiar, newly-devised interpretive system for Bible prophecy, focusing on a view of natural Israel as God's eternal chosen people, destined for world domination. (Given this view, the close connection between dispensationalism and extreme hardcore modern political Zionism is not surprising.) All the elements of Lindsey's eschatology as outlined in this book derive directly from Darby: the secret "rapture" (which was Darby's signature invention) of the Church seven years before the Second Coming, the distinctive interpretations of the "tribulation" and "Antichrist," the role of Israel in a pre-millennial battle of Armageddon, etc. Through much of the 19th century, followers of Darby's system were regarded by most of the evangelical church as theologically misguided. But with the turn-of-the-century popularity of the Scofield Reference Bible by Darby disciple C. I. Scofield, with its voluminous dispensationalist notes, this view went mainstream, and today it's the unchallenged "orthodoxy" of much of the conservative church. Lindsey's book provides its clearest popular presentation, but it also underlies the fictional Left Behind series.

Refuting the voluminous interpretive fallacies of this book would take a second book, not just a review. Suffice it to say that the author's exegesis typically bears no relation to the way the original readers of the Bible would, or could, have understood particular passages; that it ignores the historical and literary contexts of most of the material it purports to interpret, and that fundamentally it boils down to forcing (albeit unconsciously) a pre-chosen interpretation unto the text rather than letting the text speak for itself and shape the interpretation, rather than the other way around. IMO, it is of no value as anything but a drastic example of how NOT to approach Bible study!

[Seth Pierce · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Interesting book isn't it?" asked the man sitting next to me on the plane.

"Um...yes" I said, unsure of how to effective communicate the reality of this book's impact on Christian eschatology and the reality of its ridiculousness.

Steeped in Scofieldian Dispensationalism, this little work inspired the Left Behind novels and has altered the landscape of Bible believing fundamentalists everywhere--with the exception of scholars who wish this theological framework had never found the light of day.

Lindsey never mentions John Darby or Cyrus Scofield--the ones noted for spreading the idea that God has two distinct plans of salvation for Israel and the Church. He also assumes his reader believes in a 7 year tribulation period without ever establishing it from the book of Daniel. He acknowledged the 483 year (69 week) prophecy but then without explanation throws the 70th week of Daniel 9's prophecy into the distant future after an alleged "secret rapture" occurs.

After that, Lindsey looks at the political landscape of the 1970s and crams headline news into the apocalypse, cherry picking what he sees as literal and symbolic.

For example he interprets the 144,000 as being literal Jewish evangelist that exist post-rapture. The problem is that he never mentions/explains that according to Rev. 7 they are all "virgins"--a position he is either not wanting to admit or perhaps willing to "spiritualize"--which would only call his hermenuetic into question.

Dispensationalists take an literal view of the Bible as far as possible, ignore the idea of conditional prophecies, and insist on a dichotomy between Israel and the Church. This allows Lindsay to set up two plans of salvation that make little sense in light of books such as Romans and Hebrews. He goes so far as to say the church is God's "main program today"--leaving another program for the Jews.

Of course, my review is suspect, since I am college educated. Throughout the book Lindsay laments universities and seminaries and how they are doing away with Bible truth--a convenient argument that prevents him from actually having to deal with any substance. Fundamentalism is historically anti-intellectual, and while I acknowledge that not all scholars come to biblical conclusions, to write them off simply because they are educated is a shallow dismissal and a hasty generalization.

He displays an almost complete ignorance of Revelation's mixed literary genre, jumps back and forth only to texts that support his political conclusions.

His use of sources is questionable, citing McCall's and Redbook for their work in religious surveys, and tries to make a spurious link with "Rosh" (mentioned in some Bible versions, Ez. 38v2) and modern day Russia. This is the kind of stretching done throughout the book to build his end time scenario.

His treatment of Daniel 2 is lacking as well. Daniel 2 points out that after Rome there will be ten toes of mixed substance that will not cleave together. Ignoring this, Lindsay says they will unite in a 10 nation confederacy and revive Rome. No evidence is given as to how these powers, stated by prophecy to never unite, will in fact unite. He also completely misses the Holy Roman Empire, stating that it was never united nor a power to contend with--odd since all the Reformers recognized the prophetic significance of that religio-political power.

The book also smacks of racism. The chapter entitled "The Yellow Peril", describing Oriental armies was particularly noticeable. He is also extremely paranoid of Russia and nuclear weapons which fits his time period more than the author of Revelation's intent.

Other little things of note are how the "Ten Commandments were given primarily given to show us how perfect we would have to be in order to earn God's acceptance" (p. 20). Not only is this a brushing aside of biblical ethics, but a shallow treatment of their purpose. He suggests the "sign of the Son of Man" will be a gigantic celestial image of Jesus upon the heavens" (162) which is imaginative but not necessarily biblical.

Surprisingly, he defends the secret rapture very little, building his case upon that 70th week of tribulation when the church will be gone from the world--but sadly he doesn't spend time establishing this either.

The author, like many who are weak exegetically, says this is not a "scholarly work." apparently what this means is that he is not one of those "liberal" "allegorical" scholars we all hear about but someone who actually believes the Bible--so much so that he doesn't have to waste time establishing what we all know to be true.

Books like this stand as a wall between scholarly biblical dialogue and sensationalist propaganda.

Boo on this book.

[Susan Budd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lately I have been rereading some of the books of my youth, but my nostalgia has not been completely assuaged by rereading. Apparently it would also have me read some of the books I missed. The Late Great Planet Earth, published in 1970, is one of these.

It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that I missed this bestseller. At the peak of its popularity I would have been reading my paperback copy of The Way ~ the Catholic paraphrased Bible with the pictures of three groovy teenagers in the bubble letters of its cover. I would have been singing along with the long-haired sandal-wearing folk singers who strummed their guitars and sang songs from Godspell at folk mass. In religion class at school I would have been clapping along with Hippie Jesus and crying when he was betrayed by his best bud Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar. It was a good time to be a Catholic teenager.

In the first chapter of The Late Great Planet Earth, Hal Lindsey writes of the popularity of astrology, referring to the music of Hair, whose songs I would hum about as frequently as those of Jesus Christ Superstar. It was, after all, the Age of Aquarius.

♫ When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars.
This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius. ♫

“What’s your sign?” was the standard question upon meeting someone new. And in the spirit of the times I would read my horoscope in the daily paper, though no more seriously than I would consult my mood ring or a Magic 8-Ball.

But there were some serious attempts to predict the future, like Alvin Toffler’s Future Shock and E. F. Schumacher’s Small Is Beautiful. Lindsey was right when he said that there was a renewed interest in prophecy, an interest that ranged from the spiritual to the scientific, from the mystical to the material. He even mentions science fiction ~ a genre that characteristically projects present social, political, and environmental trends into the future.

I found the first three chapters of The Late Great Planet Earth ~ the chapters on prophecy and its resurgence in contemporary America ~ to be the most interesting. But what do I think about Lindsey’s interpretation of Biblical prophecy? What do I think of the message of Lindsay’s book? I have to disagree with a lot of it, but I found it educational nonetheless.

I had heard of Born-Again Christianity, yet I knew nothing about it except that it was a Protestant movement. As such, I was not surprised that Lindsey expounded the idea of sola fide (faith alone). But what I did learn from Lindsey was what the Rapture is. In his words:

“Someday, a day that only God knows, Jesus Christ is coming to take away all those who believe in Him. He is coming to meet all true believers in the air. Without benefit of science, space suits, or interplanetary rockets, there will be those who will be transported into a glorious place more beautiful, more awesome, than we can possibly comprehend. Earth and all its thrills, excitement, and pleasures will be nothing in contrast to this great event.

It will be the living end. The ultimate trip” (137).

I had heard of the Rapture, but I never knew whether it was meant to be taken literally or metaphorically. According to Lindsey, it is meant to be taken literally.

Fortunately I don’t have to agree with people to learn from them and I feel that this book helped me to understand a little of what Evangelicals believe. I also don’t have to agree with people to be entertained by them and Lindsey has an easy-going writing style and friendly manner that I enjoyed reading. In fact, I enjoyed it enough to read his sequel. After all, with the tempting title, Satan is Alive and Well on Planet Earth, how could I resist?

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is what answered the questions that I had about why we were here, what was wrong with the world and where we were heading...

in other words, after reading this book I gave my life to Jesus Christ... March 1975.

The problem with the world is sin. God provided a solution, found only in Jesus Christ.

[Sandi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this back in the late Seventies or early Eighties. It was very compelling reading at the time. Lindsey was so convincing in what he was saying, but it really was a bunch of bull.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is no greater subject than this. Written in the 1970s, there is much that has happened since it was written that alters somewhat our view of the path, but not of the destination. Maranatha.

[Lee Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting to see the pagan reviews on this one. Funny how they say "none of this has happened". Just wait! ;-) They themselves are fulfilling scripture with their very comments! (2 Peter 3:3-14; Jude 17-19)

[Steve · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolute Rubbish!!

[Scott Holstad · Rating 1 out of 5]

Utter trash! I still can't believe how this POS swept over America during the 1970s, resulting in millions, I'm sure, for Lindsey, that asshole, as well as a horrible POS wildly fantastic, mythological horror show of a movie that was traumatic as shit to kids like me and others I knew whose fundie parents forced them to go see it. In retrospect, it was a total joke, a hoax, and Lindsey was and remains an utter fraud. Personally, I think those of us who are "fundie survivors" from the 1970s -- and there are a LOT of us: read Seth Andrews -- should file class action lawsuits against Hal and his publisher, as well as those assholes responsible for that shitty movie, A Thief In The Night, which traumatized me and tons of people and kids like me, not only at that time, but to this day, resulting in decades of therapy which has never been effective, scarring me for life. Another target of a wished for class action lawsuit would be the publisher of those damn Chick tracts, which also scared the shit out of me and most of the other people I knew. All those awesome cartoons and drawings of demons, the flames of Hell, drugged out '70s hippies destined for Hell, etc. All of these and much more contributed to fucking ruining my life and tens of thousands like me, of driving us away from fundie/evangelicals forever, of feeling nothing but disgust and disdain, if not outright hatred for the hypocritical, lying fire and brimstone manipulators trying to use prehistoric rubbish to scare everyone possible into doing their damn will (and filling their pockets at the same time). I'll never forgive them and I'll never forgive Lindsey for this wretched joke of a piece of total shit book that did so much permanent damage to untold legions of people. If you wonder why people are leaving the churches in the US in droves these days and why over 20% of the American population are called the "Nones," as in no church, no mythological supernatural tooth fairy in the sky, etc., you can thank Lindsey, those responsible for the other atrocities mentioned here, and the assholes who carry on their tradition, like Tim Lehay , who field a softer brand, but still put through the same apocalyptic message (while raking in millions on the side). If it were possible, I wouldn't give this book a "0" - I would give it a "-1,000" or onward to infinity. If you value reason, logic, sanity, human decency, facts, etc., and if you frown upon or even despise those theistic religionists (particularly conservative Christians in the western world) who use terms like "love," "morals," "peace," "family values," etc., when they're too lazy and stupid to read their own holy book and discover the atrocities committed by the god of the old testament while claiming their Jesus was a holy man of peace and love, while he stated he came with a sword to split up families and turn parents against children, etc., bragged that he spoke in parables so his idiot disciples literally wouldn't be able to understand anything he said, and left no writings or proof of his existence, and none from any witnesses were ever written down so much could be said about the gospels, etc., aside from the millions of literal lies, discrepancies, untruths, fraud, etc., in their holy book and especially the new testament, then by all means, avoid this idiocy. I couldn't recommend it any less than I am doing now. Truly one of the most despicable books in history by one of the most despicable humans in history... If there were an actual hell their mythology describes, he and his ilk would be destined for it.

[Ned · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the meat of the "Left behind" series. Consider it the adult version. Hal Lindsay does a great job of researching and quoting the research of others regarding the biblical prophesies of the end times. He makes it interesting by applying what he discovers to his current time,the late 60's. He is not a prophet, he freely admits that, but he tries to apply the prophesies to the then current times. Israel's emergence as a nation, the Soviet union and the rise of a European common market.

I give this book 5 stars not for the quality of the writing but for it's ability to make us think. Think of the really big, if not biggest of all issues. Why are we here and what happens after we die. I only wish I would have read it when I was younger as this material is often referenced in one way or another in so much of literature.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting look at the End TImes from the perspective of the social, cultural, political climate of the late 1960's early 1970's.
I read this when I was 18 years old and had grown up never hearing about the End Times in general and the rapture in particular.
I was so facinated I became a voracious reader of anything end-times related.
Several non-Christians that I lent the book to in college ended up accepting Jesus because of the urgency of the message.
I heard Hal Lindsey speak many times when he was a regular teacher at Melodyland Christian Center in Anaheim, Ca.
He also laid hand on me, along with Dr. Ralph Wilkerson, when I was ordained a minister at Melodyland in 1982.

[Alex Strohschein · Rating 1 out of 5]

Trash theology. How, almost 50 years after the publication of "The Late, Great Planet Earth" does Hal Lindsey STILL have an audience?

But...but this is an important book to read. After the Bible it was the best-selling Christian book of the 1970s. To read it in all of its dated glory is a "trip." But one also finds clues as to why a certain strand of Christians are suspicious of the UN, EU, and the papacy, obsessed with events in the Middle East, and favour spiritual individualism as they cast aspersions upon denominational Christianity (Lindsey didn't necessarily originate these ideas, but he certainly popularized or reinforced them). I'd give it a 2/5 for its imaginative speculation.

[Tim]

Just like reading the end of the year horoscopes the following year, nothing that Hal presented at prophecy ever came to pass. He simply did what a great many people did during the 70's; he rode the coat tails of former fear mongers and wrapped his book with the supposed reliability of the bible. Let's face it, the language of the Old Testament invokes fear because it is nearly always synonymous with doom, the end of things, catastrophe, disaster, etc.
Sigh.
Reminds of the book, "88 Reasons why the rapture will happen in 1988'.
I think I missed it, thankfully.

[Bill Forgeard · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got right into this book at high school! It became the topic of a running debate between an atheist friend and myself. I recall making bold predictions about world events that were going to leave him speechless when they were inevitably fulfilled! Yes, well, about that... :) Let's just say I won't be recommending this book to anyone nowadays.

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty much started with my high school days search for the truth. Read it and act accordingly.

[Curtis Chamberlain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book the first time way back in 1988, I think. I was amazed then, and I am still amazed now!

What an accurate Biblical accounting of end times prophecy! Hal Lindsay leaves no stone unturned---no mystery to be discovered---in his explanation of what is to come according to the Bible.

Fact-filled, historically and scientifically accurate, this book leaves no doubt as to the future for believers and non-believers alike. Every believer should be praying that non-believers get hold of this book, and take its contents seriously, for if they remain in their unbelief, their future is a certain apocalypse, and the "second death" mentioned in Revelation 2:11.

Great book! I'd give it a hundred stars if I could!!!

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hal Lindsey wrote this book decades ago to warn believers and non-believers. Decades later, it still resonates with impact and applicability. It is a faith-provoking book about the end times as foretold in the Bible. Given that it cited then-current events in some instances, some may shrug this off as fantasy. But, I would argue that it is even more applicable today.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do like this book. It is very interesting if you are interested in biblical prophecy. It is a classic and it's interesting how much of what Hal talked about 40 years ago is still applicable to what is happening in the world today.

[Libertine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Fundamentalist claptrap...

[Stephen Hayes · Rating 2 out of 5]

My first impression was that this was simply another crackpot thing like the British Israelites and the Seventh-Day Adventists, but then I thought no, this is more than that. As an exegetical work it is virtually valueless, but that is not how one should look at it. It must rather be seen as an almost liturgical proclamation of dispensationalism.

It is not a commentary on the Bible, because the author reads too much of his own ideas into it for it to be that. No, it is rather an apocalypse in its own right. It is like some of the Western apocalypses and movements mentioned in The pursuit of the millennium by Norman Cohn. To the author, it is clearly non-fiction , but I've also classified it as dystopian fiction, since it most often appeared on the science fiction sections of bookshops when I first read it.

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly interesting read. The book is based on a fairly literal read of prophecy and an attempt to apply modern political forms to match it to an end time picture.

Oddly later I read some of the same ideas elswhere and wondered who wrote it first.

Read, enjoy. i to am a Christian and believe prophecy is in the Bible for a reason, but I also believe Christ when he said His return would be a t a time "you think not". I sort of think prophecy may be there somewhat so God can say "see I told you so." But that's just me.

[Mae Clair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in the late 70s, again sometime after the year 2000s and now a third time. Each time I’ve read it, I’m amazed at the accuracy of the Biblical prophecies related to the end times. The prophecies from the books of Daniel, Ezekiel and Revelations are especially intriguing, considering the author of this book analyzed them in 1970. The author doesn’t take a heavy hand at preaching, merely at sharing Biblical prophecy and examining how they measure into the core of the modern day world—starting in 1970, but relevant today. An excellent read!

[Kris Middaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone needs to read this book, Christian or non-Christian only 188 pages, it follows bible prophecy regarding the times we live in, and times to come how upcoming events will affect us and our planet. The rebirth of Israel, the threat of war and on going war in the Middle East, the problem of over-population, pollution, breakdown of the morale fiber in our Country, its all right in front of us. Although this book was written awhile ago, we’re living this right now. Fascinating, illuminating, couldn’t put the book down.

[Joshua Williams · Rating 1 out of 5]

Move over cursed child and behind her eyes, this might be the worst book Ive ever read to completion. I found a copy at a thrift shop, and after hearing every podcast mention that this was a seminal book read by countless cult leaders, I had to know what it was about. Turns out it was just some overly literal and extremely dated zionist end times analysis. The only thing I really gathered from this is that Donald trump might be the antichrist. Lol but seriously do not read this mess.

[Donald Weaver]

I like this book, and I feel that what Lindsey has written... supports what is written in the bible. If you have a bible in hand, as you read Lindsey's book TLGPE... I just don't see how anyone can say he is off track.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brought all the accounts in the Bible about the Rapture into a simple and easy-to-read book.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

My second time reading this particular book because it was so memorable to me from so many years ago, only to learn this was ghost written by Carol C. Carlson. I now want to read more of her writings. I can't get enough of these prophecy books because we are seeing them fulfilled before our eyes. I had a 30-ish fellow who grew up in church send me a video made by another guy from the same demographic on a common phenomenon, "Why I Left Christianity." Most of his reasoning involved the fact the church culture is no different than our unengaged culture at the West Coast. I noticed his outer locus of control is an echo of the culture as well, blame those around you rather than actually getting into the Bible itself. The quality of education in general is so pitiful here. But truly, not once did he ever mention any sort of decision to wrestle with God, himself, for answers. I'm feeling 😕 honoured this young man chose to reach out to me. I get what he means. This will be continued in "The Kingdom Unleashed."

[Kyle&Jenn Beckrich · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book for a couple reasons:
1. I’m currently taking a class on Revelation(and the general epistles) and this book has an extreme futurist/dispensational perspective.
2. This book has sold over 30 million copies and is one of the most read books in the history of the church. It’s influence on the American church cannot be understated.

As a preface, I don’t consider myself an expert(on much) on eschatology. The only reason I gave this a rating is because of its evangelistic emphasis. Hal Lindsey was a former Cru staffer and it was evident throughout the book. I appreciated his consistent reminder that “today is the day of salvation” and to not wait to trust in the Gospel.

I would not recommend this book to anyone looking to better understand the Bible, theology or eschatology. If you are looking for entertainment, there are better choices.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, that was a blast from the past! For some reason unknown to me Ned ordered this book on inter-library loan and so it was right in front of me when I finished my last book and I thought, why not read this 1970 vintage "classic"? It sure reminded me of the way things were back then. Interest in astrology, man landing on the moon, worry about the "population explosion", the Russian (actually USSR)communist threat, the mysterious communist Chinese, the threat of nuclear war. Yep, those were the days all right.

This book is actually about Bible prophesy, specifically the end times. The author explained in detail how the current events of the day were signs that we were nearing the last 7 years of tribulation before the return of Christ. He gave Bible references from the Old and New Testaments for what he was saying, and I looked up some of them, but certainly not all. According to Lindsey's interpretation of prophetic scripture 3 things need to happen before the end can occur. 1.The Jewish nation would be reborn in the land of Palestine (Israel established in 1948) 2.Jews would repossess old Jerusalem (1967 6 day war) 3.Temple will be rebuilt upon its historic site--hasn't happened yet

He expounds quite a lot on world powers and what their roles will be in the battle of Armageddon, also gets into the rapture, the Antichrist and such. An interesting note on 666 which is the mark of the beast (that everyone will need on their hand or forehead in order to buy and sell). 6 is said to be the number of man in scripture and a triad or 3 is the number of God. Consequently, when you triple "six" it is the symbol for man making himself God. The beast is the same as the Antichrist who according to Lindsey's interpretation is a man who will be worshiped and whose authority comes from Satan.

I wondered if Hal Lindsey was still around so I googled him and found the Hal Lindsey Report where he is still looking at how the events of the day are fulfilling Bible prophesy. The most recent report focused on the fighting in Gaza. And by the way, this book is still in print!

I can't say whether any of this is a correct interpretation of scripture. Prophesy seems vague to me and it seems that there are many events that could be taken as a "literal" interpretation of what was foretold by a prophet. I do agree with his final conclusion, though, that we all need to be ready for the end. Each day brings us one day closer. Maranatha!