Description - Garland's work is one of the best commentaries available on the book of the Revelation. Garland approaches the text from a literal perspective and also assesses the weaknesses of various non-literal interpretations. If you really want to understand this great book, Garland's commentary will not disappoint! Audio messages are also available to complement your study. I have recommended this commentary to a number of individuals who sought to truly understand the Revelation of Jesus Christ and the feedback to date has been uniformly positive. One physician, a practicing anesthesiologist, said "I gained a very clear understanding of a book which had previously been very mysterious to me." If you are serious about knowing what the Spirit intended for John to convey to God's people, Garland's in depth (~1172 pages) and fair analysis (non-literal interpretations are fairly critiqued) of this great book of the Bible will not disappoint! But be prepared to spend several weeks (even months) on this material which goes into considerable detail. That said, while it is a detailed study, it is not highly technical and any layperson will have no difficulty with the material.
I might also add that while Dr Garland does sell this commentary (print and digital formats), he has graciously made it available online at no charge because his heart is not to make money but to edify and equip God's saints with the truth about this great book which for far too long has been cloaked in mystery and considerable confusion. I personally own over 180 commentaries on Revelation and Garland's is (IMO) by far the best commentary ever written on this book. I say that having spent almost 3 years leading Precept classes on Daniel and Revelation, during which time I logged over 2000 hours of study and preparation (this is not to impress you but to give you some perspective on my statement that Garland's work is the best work ever written on the Revelation). If you don't believe me, I challenge you to set aside the next 3-6 months and carry out a serious study on the book of the Revelation. I would encourage you to first print out a copy of the 22 chapters (click here) on which you can prayerfully carry out your own inductive Bible study, reading the text literally, making your observations of the text, marking key words, listing questions, etc. Then you can begin to work your way through Garland's commentary and in that way you will gain a greater insight into John's record of the Consummate Victory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Or you might consider working through the 52 lesson Precept Ministries study on the Revelation (or click here to find a local Precept class going through this study - note I am not affiliated with Precept ministries) and supplement your personal study with Dr Garland's verse by verse analysis.
Here is a link to the customer reviews of Garland's commentary that were available as of 2020. While there are only 10 reviews, it is notable that both gave Garland's commentary a 5 star rating! This is hands down the best commentary on the Revelation of Jesus Christ (yes, it is better than my commentary below -- my focus is slightly different and less technical than Dr Garland's work.)
Related Resource:
- More Revelation Commentary - not the same as the study below - this work by Bruce Hurt,MD is under construction...
- Revelation 1 Commentary
- Revelation 2 Commentary