What Pastor Luke is Reading: The Puritan Hope

I'm not opposed to reading plans but, for my part, there are few things powerful as a book in season. Even a merely good book is transformed into a great one by such timing. A mighty book read in season becomes nearly inspired. 

Last week I finally bought a book I've been wanting to read for some time now: The Puritan Hope: Revival and the Interpretation of Prophecy by Iain Murray, founder of Banner of Truth. Murray is hands down my favorite living author and his books have ever been words in season to me. They have formed me as a young preacher and raised my expectations to the biblical ideal of gospel ministry. I'm only a few dozen pages into the present work but already I feel its pages stirring my soul to greater zeal in proclaiming Christ.

Thus far Murray is laying the foundation of the Puritan understanding of eschatology. It was largely what may perhaps in some ways be termed #datpostmil, but of a vastly different sort than our modern "theonomy" movements. The belief in great global gospel success in general and sweeping future revivals prior to the return of Christ in particular was shared by men with names like John Owen, Thomas Goodwin, Jonathan Edwards, and Charles Spurgeon, and for that reason alone it must not be casually dismissed out of hand. Does Scripture prophesy a future revival on massive scales? According to a vast majority of Puritans, it does.

While only just getting into the material, my affections for Christ and desire to make him known and expectation of blessing upon the gospel work in our own day has already been greatly revived. I look forward to seeing more of the Puritans' Christ-exalting expositions of Old Testament prophecy as well as the ways in which their great hope of dramatic gospel success in the world fueled their own courses. Without controversy, what we do today matters for tomorrow. Let us be found as faithful stewards of the eternal gospel.