The Left Behind series written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins offers a uniquely terrifying glimpse into what the end times may look like from an evangelical Christian perspective. Spanning 16 volumes and released between 1995 to 2007, this fictional account grounded in biblical interpretations of the apocalypse has sold over 80 million copies worldwide.
As someone who grew up attending Sunday school, I must admit the Left Behind books piqued my childhood curiosity about the book of Revelation. And while the theological interpretations can be debated, the series succeeds at portraying a suspenseful narrative around the events surrounding the Rapture.
You can find Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins on your favorite bookstore, including Amazon.com and Amazon UK.
Reverend Tim LaHaye and writer Jerry B. Jenkins are the co-authors behind the immensely popular Left Behind series of Christian apocalyptic fiction novels which have sold over 65 million copies worldwide. This 16-volume series dramatizes the Rapture followed by the Tribulations as prophesied in the Book of Revelation.
Dr. Tim F. LaHaye was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1926. An evangelical Christian minister noted for his staunch political conservatism as well as his eschatological views, Rev. LaHaye received a Doctor of Ministry degree from Western Theological Seminary and authored over 50 non-fiction books on subjects such as religion, counseling, relationships and prophecy over his prolific career. Some of his most well-known religious self-help books include The Act of Marriage, Spirit-Controlled Temperament and Transformed Temperaments.
Co-creating the Left Behind saga has brought Dr. LaHaye his greatest mainstream notoriety. As a writer, LaHaye weaves suspenseful narratives around his passion for spreading the Gospel while speculating on the theological analysis of the End of Days. The runaway popularity of the series made LaHaye (along with his co-author Jenkins) a leading voice disseminating the eschatology of Rapture to the wider public in an easy-to-grasp fictional format.
A former vice president for publishing at Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, Jerry B. Jenkins has authored over 180 books (both fiction and non-fiction) over his career. Jenkins boasts over 70 million books in print, including the bestselling Left Behind franchise with LaHaye. Before hitting it big with Left Behind, he had already made a name for himself writing biographies of famous religious leaders like Billy Graham, Oswald Chambers and Walter Payton.
Jenkins brings strong literary sensibilities to the prose of Left Behind, having honed his talents writing for renowned publications like TIME, Reader’s Digest and more. The gripping, page-turning quality to the novels is credited to Jenkins’ contributions as the main writer rounding out LaHaye’s prophetical outlines. He has also authored several independent fiction series like The Underground and Red Rock Mysteries. Alongside LaHaye’s evangelistic mission, Jenkins contributes masterful storytelling to bring more mainstream visibility and appeal to their spiritual messaging through well-crafted apocalyptic plots.
As a powerful pop cultural force that has appealed to wider secular audiences beyond Christian readership, Left Behind has dramatically impacted American evangelism over the past two decades. By framing their prophetic beliefs within an accessible, binge-worthy thriller with well-etched characters suffering through the battle between Good and Evil, LaHaye and Jenkins have created a hugely influential conduit bringing End Times theology into widespread consciousness.
Through weaving Revelation prophecy with fiction, these books dramatize salvation and redemption during humanity’s darkest hour in an entertaining epic spanning the lives of the faithful and faithless. The popularity of these page-turners signals a growing audience of readers in the U.S. and worldwide who are engaged by explorations of eternity, redemption, and the cosmic battle for souls as Biblically prophesied. By sparking the imagination of millions to these urgent spiritual matters through suspenseful storytelling, LaHaye and Jenkins have undoubtedly left an indelible mark on apocalyptic pop culture. Their towering Left Behind success points to a growing mainstream appetite for digestible yet provocative evangelistic messages aimed at urgency around mortal salvation woven into speculative thrillers.
The overarching premise of the storyline follows a group of individuals left behind after the Rapture whisks away true Christians to meet Christ in the air. In the chaos that ensues around the world, the protagonists band together to try making sense of the catastrophe and whether there is still hope for salvation.
What would society realistically look like if millions instantly vanished? Left Behind paints a plausible picture of shock, hysteria, grief, and desperation. One can imagine planes falling from the sky, cars crashing, and emotional turmoil erupting when loved ones disappear. The authors throw readers right into the panic and confusion.
Out of the ashes of the post-Rapture tribulations emerges the villainous Nicolae Carpathia, the Antichrist who establishes the One World Government. Claiming to desire peace and unity, Carpathia’s true motives become increasing nefarious as he exerts power and manipulates world events.
The drama and tension heighten as Nicholae ingratiates himself into the highest echelons of politics and begins unraveling the freedoms and rights many Americans hold dear. Yet with believable charisma and eloquence, this villain even persuades some of the protagonists of his good intentions early on.
As Nicholae grows more ruthless in his quest for domination, the Tribulation Force band together in resistance despite overwhelming odds. Their mission becomes leading others to Christ before the clock counts down to the next phase of judgement.
Here is where Jenkins and LaHaye get creative, weaving action and intrigue into events aligning with Revelation accounts. From flying locusts torturing non-believers to a one-world financial system requiring allegience to Carpathia, intriguing subplots unfold against the ticking apocalyptic clock.
While terrifying plagues, violent earthquakes, and death rain down in judgement, heroes emerge. Brave believers become bold witnesses, even when faced with horrific fates for resistance efforts.
Running parallel are thoughtful insights into grief, fear, regret, and romantic love – human storylines making the cosmic battle between good and evil relatable. And the authors leave plenty of spiritual redemption and second chances for even the most unconventional characters.
Frankly, I tore through nearly the entire apocalyptic saga, despite occasionally needing to suspend my naturally skeptical inclinations. The plot pacing and imagination around how historical prophecy might unfold proved too engrossing to let logic gaps interrupt the suspense.
The Left Behind series succeeds at delivering an action-packed, thought-provoking thrill ride to satisfy both apocalypse lover and Christian fiction genres. While I found some of the later volumes growing tedious with repetitive globally catastrophic events, the character development and explorations around salvation, redemption, and sacrifice wove engaging ongoing redemption themes.
So whether you’re a theology nerd or just appreciate epic tales of good versus evil, Left Behind may satisfy your craving for cataclysmic drama. Just be prepared to contemplate what you might change if you knew the world edged closer to obliteration every day. Because ultimately this series probes how we each might prioritize values in life’s final moments – a question worthy of reflection regardless of one’s beliefs.
If you enjoyed the epic Left Behind saga as much as I did, you may appreciate these similarly well-written forays into dystopian worlds full of suspense, action, and spiritual undertones:
Regardless if prophecy fiction ignites your passion or merely scratches a fictional escapist itch, stories transport us to new perspectives. And the Left Behind series certainly provides an epic, wildly imaginative ride many find hard to put down.
So strap in and get ready to discover what end times revelations await in this riveting apocalyptic universe! Just be warned, once you get a glimpse through the lens of the Rapture, you may never view spirituality or geology quite the same again.
The Left Behind series is a popular Christian fiction thriller series co-authored by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. The 16-book series follows a group of people left behind after the Rapture, an event where true Christians are suddenly taken from Earth before the world’s final days, as outlined in premillennial dispensationalist interpretation of biblical prophecy. Those left behind face a chaotic world headed for destruction as the Antichrist rises to power. Ultimately, it tells a story of Christianity and faith against the backdrop of the apocalypse.
The Left Behind book series consists of 16 novels published from 1995 to 2007, along with additional spin-off novels, young adult versions of the original series, graphic novels, and films. The core series was primarily co-authored by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, spanning 12 books released from 1995 to 2004. They later collaborated on three prequel novels, along with one final sequel novel.
It is recommended you read the Left Behind books in order of publication, starting with the first book called “Left Behind” published in 1995. This allows you to follow the narrative arc in a logical, chronological sequence. The next book is titled “Tribulation Force,” then “Nicolae,” “Soul Harvest,” continuing in publication order through book #12, finishing with the sequel “Kingdom Come” published in 2007.
Tim LaHaye conceived the premise for Left Behind after observing a married pilot flirting with a flight attendant on a plane in the late 1980s. He wondered what would happen if the Rapture took place while they were flying and the pilot was left behind. This led LaHaye to research the concept of Rapture and team up with ghostwriter Jerry B. Jenkins to develop the apocalyptic story. The writers used prophecy beliefs LaHaye had studied to craft an end times narrative for popular fiction.
The central characters of the Left Behind series are Buck Williams, an investigative journalist, along with Rayford Steele, an airline pilot. Other key protagonists include pastor Bruce Barnes, politician and book-writer Chloe Steele, copilot Chris Smith, pastor Earl Halliday, Tanya Schmidt, biblical scholar Tsion Ben-Judah, and finally, the Antichrist in the form of Nicolae Carpathia.
The main storyline order for the novels is:
After which the prequel books “The Rising,” “The Regime,” and “The Rapture” fill in earlier details. The series finishes with sequel “Kingdom Come.”
As of 2024, Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins have no plans for additional main books in the Left Behind series. The authors view the 2007 release of “Kingdom Come” as the final book closing out the series storyline. However, they may consider more spin-offs or adapted versions in the future based on reader interest.
Yes, besides the original book series there have been graphic novels, a film series starring Kirk Cameron, and video games based upon the Left Behind concept and books. There is also a young adult version of the original books tailored for younger audiences.
Combined book sales for the adult Left Behind series have surpassed 65 million copies sold worldwide. This makes it one of the bestselling fiction series in history. Sales originally started slow but gained immense popularity over time in theChristian fiction market.
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