"Left Behind": A Review

by Travis L. Quertermous

INTRODUCTION

One of the most popular series of novels in the history of religious publishing has been the "Left Behind" series. The first book in this series, entitled Left Behind, hit the market in 1995 and there have been a total of six books published so far. This series has been a publishing phenomenon--over 18,000,000 books have been sold in the series and each one has shot to the top of the bestseller lists. A companion series for kids has been published in addition to videos and audio tapes of the books. In addition, a movie entitled Left Behind: The Movie has also been recently released to video and is scheduled for a February 2001 theatrical release.

All of that is very interesting, but why be concerned about it? The simple reason is this: even though the "Left Behind" series is marketed as fiction, they are really nothing more than propaganda pieces designed to teach the heresy called dispensational premillennialism. Now what is that? Dispensationalism is the false doctrine that divides the history of the world into seven different eras, or dispensations, based on the seven days of creation. The seventh era, parallelling the seventh day on which God rested, is supposed to be the utopian 1000-year reign of Christ on the earth over a literal kingdom. Premillennialism is the doctrine that allegedly reveals the events leading up to Christ's second coming and the establishment of His millennial kingdom on the earth. This includes things like the Rapture, the Great Tribulation, the Antichrist, the battle of Armageddon, etc. Dispensationalism is currently the most popular brand of premillennialism and is widely believed by most evangelical denominations and many cults like Mormonism and the Jehovah's Witnesses. It even caused a split in the Lord's church in the 1930's and has some advocates even today, though they are small in number.

Much has been said and written by gospel preachers in refutation of premillennialism. I have had much to say against it myself. It is not our intent to rehash all of that in this review. But as we said earlier, the "Left Behind" series is really nothing more than a thinly-disguised attempt to teach this false doctrine. The writers of the series are Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye. LaHaye is one of the leading dispensational scholars in the evangelical world. He conceived the "Left Behind" series and is its theological light. Jenkins is the actual author and is the writer-at-large for Moody Bible Institute, an evangelical publisher. Note some of the recommendations for Left Behind found in the inside cover. "Many scenes in this book could easily be the lead stories in tomorrow's news. Fascinating fiction."--Dr. Charles C. Ryrie. "The main features of this story are not fiction. Those not prepared will be left behind. This book describes the dramatic days ahead. Here is a book that demands to be read."--Dr. John F. Walvoord. Both Ryrie and Walvoord are leading, influential dispensationalists. This is why these books deserve a review. They are popularizing the dispensational heresy as nothing else has done in our day and many souls may be deceived and lost as a result. I know many members of the church, including our young people, are reading them as well. We must not allow the seeds of this false doctrine to take root again. It has split the church once and we must be on guard lest it arise again and trouble us anew.

PLOT SYNOPSIS

Book one in the series is called Left Behind. It sets the table for what follows and gives its name to the rest of the series as well. The focus of Left Behind is the Rapture. The Rapture is allegedly a secret, invisible coming of Christ wherein He snatches His church out of the world and takes them to Heaven, including those who have died in the Lord and all the children. They will remain there for seven years while the rest of the planet experiences the Tribulation under the domination of the evil Antichrist. The Rapture occurs in the first few pages of the book. Among those "left behind" by the Lord after the Rapture are the four heroes of the novel: Captain Rayford Steele, a pilot, and his daughter Chloe, "Pastor" Bruce Barnes, and reporter Cameron "Buck" Williams. All of these were unbelievers before the Rapture, even "Pastor" Barnes, a self-admitted hypocrite. But after the Rapture, all of them loosing loved ones therein, they all eventually repent and are saved by saying "the sinner's prayer." Left Behind follows these four as they investigate the world-wide disappearances, discover "the truth" about the Rapture, come to "faith" in Christ, and eventually meet one another. Also introduced is the sinister Nicolae Carpathia, later revealed as the Antichrist, and his rapid rise to world power. Rayford, Chloe, Buck, and Bruce form the Tribulation Force to resist Carpathia's evil plans as the book ends.

A RESPONSE

The Rapture has absolutely no basis in the Bible and it is interesting that in the whole book only one passage is introduced to justify it, 1 Corinthians 15:51-57. The context shows that Paul is teaching on the resurrection of the dead. This he places at the second coming of Christ (1 Cor. 15:23). Note carefully the next verse: "Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power" (1 Cor. 15:24). The return of Christ marks the end of His reign, the end of the world (2 Pet. 3:10) and the delivering up of the kingdom to the Father. But the Rapture doctrine contradicts this by teaching, "Then comes the seven-year Tribulation at the end of which Christ will return a third time to establish His earthly, millennial kingdom." Even the above "proof-text" refutes the Rapture for it mentions the sounding of the last trumpet at the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:52). But the Rapture is supposed to be a secret and silent phenomenon. Needless to say, Left Behind makes no reference to the blowing of the last trumpet because dispensationalists do not believe it would actually be the last trumpet! Furthermore, if the Rapture is true, then there will be three comings of Christ, whereas the Bible speaks of only two (Acts 1:11; Heb. 9:28).

Left Behind also shows the absurdity of the Rapture doctrine. The books graphically describes planes falling out of the sky and thousands of car wrecks after their pilots and drivers were raptured. Thousands die as a result. Multitudes more commit suicide grieving over their vanished loved ones. Millions of people disappear before the astonished eyes of others, leaving behind their clothes and even their hearing aids, fillings, and pacemakers. All the children vanish, even the unborn and those being born! Graves of Christians all around the world are opened and their coffins are found empty. World-wide confusion and hysteria is the result. Not one word of Scripture is given to support any of this, even though the Bible allegedly predicted it. But as I read the book, one verse came immediately to mind: "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints" (1 Cor. 14:33). If the Rapture is anything, it is the ultimate in confusion!

CONCLUSION

There are other errors taught in this book, like endorsing denominationalism, branding dispensationalism the only true form of Christianity, and salvation through the sinner's prayer, but the Rapture is the major focus. One thing that must be emphasized is that the "Left Behind" series is what it claims to be, namely, fiction. If you or your children are reading them, this must be kept in mind. Despite what the books repeatedly claim, they have no real basis in the Bible. To the credit of the authors, Jenkins and LaHaye write a compelling page-turner. If one reads and enjoys them as fictional, there is little danger. In fact, I think they do a good job of illustrating the absurdity of dispensationalism and its habit of literalizing the figurative language and prophecies of the Scriptures. In this, they may be of some small service, providing one is well- versed in what the Bible actually teaches about end-time events. Book two in the "Left Behind" series is called Tribulation Force; look for our review of it in a future issue of POWER.