If there is a better book on this book's subject matter, I am unaware of it. BTAIM, issued in 1920, some observations of the world are somewhat dated (this is a minor point). OTOH, it lays out for the reader in both (wonderful) graphical and (adequate) text format in considerable detail how the Bible (mostly prophecies) can be divided (sectioned) up. The author, Clarence Larkin, was a true believer of a pre-millennial disposition and the results tell in how he sees things aligning in the Bible, history, etc.
Of course, Larkin, as a Christian, takes the Augustinian position (p. 153) "The New is in the Old contained; The Old is by the New Explained." He does not imagine that the New Testament's various interpretations of the Old Testament are the imaginations of its various authors--whose waking (and dreaming) lives were submerged in their cultish milieu--which is a plausible explanation especially in contrast to the notion that the spiritual economy got totally changed around with the New Testament in the way St. Augustine imagined. For instance, Why would the Lord God not offer an afterlife in the Old Testament? Why keep an afterlife secret? Were the Old Testament "saints" a lower form of life than those living later and an afterlife just not something they could use?
Having read the Bible as a believer cover-to-cover over 20 times myself, but being introduced to critical thinking ~25 years ago, I now recommend to those who insist on reading it, or getting an unbiased read of the Bible, to start at the beginning, Genesis 1:1 and pay attention to what is actually written rather than what anyone says. If one does that, I don't think one would be inclined to believe what the New Testament is selling.
Larkin, however is useful, not to disillusion would be Christians, but to succinctly (as much as possible) put forth the divisions (sections) in the Bible per a pre-millennial viewpoint.
A great book that should be on every Dispensational Bible teacher's shelf. And a book that might help non-Dispensationalists see the absurdity of their rejection of Dispensations.
And while this is an important book for the Bible believer to read, it is a permanent reference. I find myself returning to this book over and over as I prepare my studies. Although, at times I pull up on-line versions of this same work for the same purpose. I will never give up my love for physical books and the ability to read, highlight, make notes and flip pages with my fingers. And most of the time, sipping on coffee or tea as I do so.
I deduct one star for a couple of places that I feel he was a little "off" and for his tendency from time to time to correct the King James reading using the "R.V.". Just ignore those instances and stick to the meat of the work.
The most thorough book on dispensationalism, title is accurate.
Enjoyed the book immensely. He is on par with Bullinger when it comes to RAW scriptural knowledge.
I say RAW because whenever he inserts TRADITION into it I disagree with his resultant interpretation i.e. universe cosmology, “space”, the shape of the earth, incarnation Trinity/Yahuah is same Entity as Yahusha.
But it wasn’t for his generation to see the depths of the lies of the modern age, just to ensure that the historical knowledge of the Divine Log is made accessible to the generation of the Rapture.
Brother Clarence, like Brother Bullinger, was extremely successful toward that objective.
Larkin takes a huge leap into a theory debunked by Young- Earth creation scientists. They have concluded that the earth is approximately 6000 years old and not billions of years old. His dispensation doctrine isn't a problem for me since God does use specific time periods to accomplish His will for mankind. Pre-Adamic theology is simply an unprovable theory. Revelation 22:18 and 19 should be taken more seriously when such wild suppositions are put forth regarding Bible truth. Be therefore forewarned.
This is an interesting read if for no other reason than the fascinatingly detailed charts drawn by the author. While there is some truth to be gleaned here, there is also much that is cringeworthy (the "dispensational truth" of the Great Pyramid and that of "Scripture Numerics" both come to mind). As a representation of dispensational thought, Larkin is quite outdated, but he may have some historical value.
Clarence Larkin has the greatest Biblical charts that have ever been made. This book is the greatest culmination of all of them, A must have for the Pastor