Steven Robinson has shared with his readers a wealth of useful insights in this voluminous study. It is the result of a lifetime’s prayerful study on his personal journey of faith thus far.

Helpful contribution

I have known Steven as a personal friend, with overlapping concerns and interests, for many years and have much respect for his zeal and integrity. We met first in the context of creation research, a subject that has been set at the foundation of this book to some degree, whilst the main purpose of the book is a commentary on the Book of Revelation.

Steven presents us with his view of how to interpret Revelation with, rightly, the sense of urgency that is needed for an understanding of this book in the world today. The author highlights the signs all around us, including natural disasters, the coronavirus, global wildfires and asteroid impacts. With the caveats that I will express below, this book can rightly be viewed as a contribution towards the discussions on the subject of what Revelation says and the signs that point to our Lord’s soon return. There is a growing number of Christians who would agree with this as a major topic for the Church today.

This book can rightly be viewed as a contribution towards the discussions on the subject of what Revelation says and the signs that point to our Lord’s soon return.

Brief overview

The study begins with a review of Creation and the Fall, the Flood and a brief overview of biblical history. This leads us to consider, via reference to the growing intensity of the falling away of mankind from God, the relevance of studying the final book of the Bible. Usefully, the author provides his own personal testimony as leading towards his study of Revelation, particularly noting his concern that science and theology should be in harmony.

We then have the full text of Revelation – a useful reference for the reader integrated into the book and possibly the author's preferred translation (though it is not stated which version is used). The remaining chapters go through the entire book step by step, the final chapter constituting a discussion of the seventy weeks of Daniel 9. Two appendices, one concerning God the Creator and the other concerning the theme of resurrection in the Old Testament, are included, followed by an extensive list of reference material.

No room for manoeuvre

A large amount of insightful and useful information can be found in this book, but I have one serious reservation concerning its style; the author leaves no room for manoeuvre. Every point is stated very directly. Of course, if this book is considered to be a direct prophecy, then the style is appropriate, so possibly I am challenging its authenticity as a prophecy, whilst the intention is to review it as a book in the normal sense. If the former, then my criticism is quite serious in the testing of prophecy. If the latter, then my comment on style is relevant.

A large amount of insightful and useful information can be found in this book, but I have one serious reservation concerning its style; the author leaves no room for manoeuvre.

A few examples will suffice. On the back cover we read “the vision of the four horsemen came to pass in 1870-1945”. Hmm – did it? On page 2 it is stated that after the Flood the earth was unstable for tens of thousands of years. This is an opinion and not a fact but is stated as the latter.

On pages 131-2 there is an interpretation of the 144,000 as unmarried members of the tribes of Israel witnessing for the Lord near the very end. Again, this is an opinion (with which I differ, whether rightly or wrongly). There are many examples throughout the book of similar unequivocal assertions, which a vulnerable reader may take as literal truth. To me, this spoils a study that is otherwise full of useful information, painstakingly written .

Essence of Hebraic mind-set

The book can be useful to those who are taking up, in a mature way, the study of Revelation in the context of these challenging days. Many such books are coming our way, but there is a general proneness to the Greek philosophical ways of thinking that has been dominant in the Western World. The Book of Revelation is the culmination of the prophetic books of the Bible, linked to other prophetic books, particularly in the Tanakh (Old Testament).

If we do not approach the study of Revelation through a Hebraic mind-set, where questions linger over many years which are prompted by the prophetic imagery, rather than approached with a mind-set that looks for definitive answers on all matters, we will fall into the author’s trap of thinking that even a lifetime study will bring us to the definitive book on the subject.

As a well-known author and personal friend once said, in the line of Hebraic thought, write your theology in pencil with an eraser near at hand.

As a well-known author and personal friend once said, in the line of Hebraic thought, write your theology in pencil with an eraser near at hand. Only in this way will we safely go through these tremendous days of prophetic fulfilment. Steven's book can be a great aid, but I do feel that it would have been more useful if it had been written in a more exploratory style rather than presented as a prophecy.

When the Towers Fall is published by Resource Publications and is available from Wordery for £25.99 (inc p&p)