Knowing God and Man
Knowing God and Man
by Herman Hoeksema
Reformed Free Publishing Association, Michigan, USA, 2005
Softback, viii + 144pp.
ISBN 0-916206-87-4
Herman Hoeksema’s book will make a powerful impression upon the reader. This is because he is made aware from the beginning that the author is portraying the only true God, our Creator.
The short chapters in Part 1 are entitled "God is God," "God is the Creator," "God is the Lord," "God is Good," "God is the Living God" and "God is Love."
The fundamental teaching these chapters contain, the wonderful exegesis and the style of the author’s writing make an impact upon the reader. As always, Hoeksema leads one to worship the Lord as one reads, which is a pretty good test for any book—or sermon, for that matter.
The world does not believe in the God who is God and many churches have so compromised the truth that the god they serve doesn’t exist! There is simply no comfort to be had in a God of whose existence you cannot be sure or whose express demands upon you are questionable (shades of "Did God say?"), since he may not really have created you anyway! This is a necessary consequence of evolutionism in all its many poisonous facets.
The second half of the book (Part 2) concentrates on man. "Man is a Living Soul" is the title of the first chapter. Reading this chapter one is left with a sense of awe, for it is awesome to realise just what God made when he created Adam. But then one experiences an ever-increasing sorrow as each succeeding chapter relates man’s degeneration and decline as a result of his sin in turning away from his Creator. Nevertheless the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ runs like a golden thread throughout the book so that despair at man’s depravity should lead to delight and joy in God’s gracious plan of salvation.
The remaining chapter headings in the second part of the book are "Man Created in the Image of God," "Man, the Friend-Servant of God," "Man and Freedom," "Man, a Fallen Creature," "Man and the Universality of Sin and Death" and "Man and Total Depravity."
It would be of interest to know how these chapters (originally radio broadcasts made in 1941-42) impacted on the wider church situation of those distant years in the USA.
I highly recommend this new book. It will repay several re-readings. Not because of obscurities—it is very clear—but because the teaching is so rich and God-glorifying. And that spells real blessing!
Sonia Hill, Llandeilo