The book report was decent.
And so, I shall post it.
What if a book existed about the Patriarchs of Genesis, full of their triumphs and struggles and giving us detailed accounts of their beginnings and their purposes? Primeval Saints, written by James Jordan in 2001, is such a book. This 149-page read, published by Canon Press, explores the lives of our forefathers as they relate to one another and their Creator's great plan. Primeval Saints beautifully and clearly sets forth the stories of the men and women of Genesis, enlightening us on such themes as God's blessings and punishments, the meaning of true faith and honor, and what we can learn from these inspiring stories.
Throughout Primeval Saints, James Jordan does a wonderful job of reminding us of something simple, yet something we tend to forget. God rewards those who love Him and keep His commandments, and He punishes those who don't. The story of Rebekah's faith in God is a perfect example of this. Year after year, she fervently prayed that God would soften her son Esau's heart. Because this woman believed in and waited on God, He answered her prayers! Her son's hard heart was softened and he saw God's work through the lives of his family members as well as his own. James Jordan writes about this story as well as many others, undeniably displaying God's answers to prayer when true believers pray in faith.
Secondly, and somewhat related to blessings and punishments, Primeval Saints brings us to the life-changing role that faith and honor play in the lives of the people of Genesis. To children of God, true honor can only come from Christ, not from the importance or exaltation of self. James Jordan compares pagan heroes to Christian heroes. Heroes of the world go to great lengths to avoid shame and disgrace, but Christian heroes are willing to humble themselves and take up a cross just as Christ did. A pagan hero fights to preserve and defend his name, while a Christian hero fights to defend the name and kingdom of Christ. Jordan also compares true faith to artificial faith. To have true faith means to submit to the will of God, yielding to His plan for your life. We see in the beginning of the book that Adam didn't trust God's judgments, but rather his own. As James Jordan puts it, "The results were disastrous."
Genesis is a book so incredibly important, yet often its contents are hard to fully understand and explain. Primeval Saints superbly reveals the stories of Genesis in a simple and easy to understand way. Chapter after chapter, the reader is pointed back to Genesis and the many lessons to be taken from it. James Jordan reminds us that our worship should be like Adam's; centered around thanksgiving. He goes on to remind us that all of our actions should be done in a spirit of thanks. A common occurrence in the lives of our forefathers was repentance of their sins, admitting that they deserved death, then giving God thanks. They were grateful for all that God had done for them and all that He gave to them.
In a sea of lengthy and tedious theological books, Primeval Saints is a refreshingly straightforward and beneficial read. The blessings, punishments, faith, and honor of our forefathers are discussed in a way that makes us stop and think about the book of Genesis like never before. Primeval Saints is a book that every Christian should read. It's thoroughness and detailed perspective on the book of Genesis make it deserving of a home on every person's bookshelf.
Praise, Piety, and Patriarchs
What if a book existed about the Patriarchs of Genesis, full of their triumphs and struggles and giving us detailed accounts of their beginnings and their purposes? Primeval Saints, written by James Jordan in 2001, is such a book. This 149-page read, published by Canon Press, explores the lives of our forefathers as they relate to one another and their Creator's great plan. Primeval Saints beautifully and clearly sets forth the stories of the men and women of Genesis, enlightening us on such themes as God's blessings and punishments, the meaning of true faith and honor, and what we can learn from these inspiring stories.
Throughout Primeval Saints, James Jordan does a wonderful job of reminding us of something simple, yet something we tend to forget. God rewards those who love Him and keep His commandments, and He punishes those who don't. The story of Rebekah's faith in God is a perfect example of this. Year after year, she fervently prayed that God would soften her son Esau's heart. Because this woman believed in and waited on God, He answered her prayers! Her son's hard heart was softened and he saw God's work through the lives of his family members as well as his own. James Jordan writes about this story as well as many others, undeniably displaying God's answers to prayer when true believers pray in faith.
Secondly, and somewhat related to blessings and punishments, Primeval Saints brings us to the life-changing role that faith and honor play in the lives of the people of Genesis. To children of God, true honor can only come from Christ, not from the importance or exaltation of self. James Jordan compares pagan heroes to Christian heroes. Heroes of the world go to great lengths to avoid shame and disgrace, but Christian heroes are willing to humble themselves and take up a cross just as Christ did. A pagan hero fights to preserve and defend his name, while a Christian hero fights to defend the name and kingdom of Christ. Jordan also compares true faith to artificial faith. To have true faith means to submit to the will of God, yielding to His plan for your life. We see in the beginning of the book that Adam didn't trust God's judgments, but rather his own. As James Jordan puts it, "The results were disastrous."
Genesis is a book so incredibly important, yet often its contents are hard to fully understand and explain. Primeval Saints superbly reveals the stories of Genesis in a simple and easy to understand way. Chapter after chapter, the reader is pointed back to Genesis and the many lessons to be taken from it. James Jordan reminds us that our worship should be like Adam's; centered around thanksgiving. He goes on to remind us that all of our actions should be done in a spirit of thanks. A common occurrence in the lives of our forefathers was repentance of their sins, admitting that they deserved death, then giving God thanks. They were grateful for all that God had done for them and all that He gave to them.
In a sea of lengthy and tedious theological books, Primeval Saints is a refreshingly straightforward and beneficial read. The blessings, punishments, faith, and honor of our forefathers are discussed in a way that makes us stop and think about the book of Genesis like never before. Primeval Saints is a book that every Christian should read. It's thoroughness and detailed perspective on the book of Genesis make it deserving of a home on every person's bookshelf.
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