Romans J. V. Fesko, Lectio Continua series. Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2018. 441 pages. Hardbound. Price varies by vendor.

Another volume of this helpful series of expository commentaries on the New Testament has appeared. However, do not confuse this commentary with one that focuses on words or phrases in the text. Rather, it is in the form of sermons on the complete epistle to the Romans. There are fifty passages explained in sermonic form.

The author is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and serves on the faculty of Westminster Seminary in California.

For the man in the pew, these chapters will be good reads at the end of the day. They will help us to be immersed in the Word. For the minister of the Word, these chapters will give good guidance in the “how” of expository preaching.

Unfolding Covenant History, vol. 6: From Samuel to Solomon David J. Engelsma. Jenison, MI: Reformed Free Publishing Association, 2020. 208 pages. Hardback. $28.95.

Fifteen years is a long time to wait, but we finally have a new volume in this helpful series to place on our shelves and to use. This series is slowly growing to completion. The publisher has made this volume fit with the others with the exception of a few insignificant things. They will all look like a set when placed together.

The series, as you may recall, edited by Mark Hoeksema, is to give us insight into Old Testament history, especially as it points to the coming of Christ. This volume covers the work of Samuel and the first three kings of Israel (1 Samuel 1–1 Kings 11). Saul’s weakness and lack of submission to God is well explained and carefully related to Old Testament prophecy. While Saul was Israel’s choice, God’s choice for king was David. Through Saul, God’s judgment was seen. David, as we know, fell into sin. His later flaws, along with his adulterous activity, are well explained. Solomon’s life of faithfulness and later unfaithfulness are clearly laid out.

Professor Engelsma has done excellent work of getting all the pertinent interpretation into these 200 pages. As these pages were opened through reading, it became apparent that there is much here for our use at home in family devotions and Bible study, and further that there are loads of ideas for preachers of the Word. Should you be among those who find points of disagreement, read on, for you will find material for preaching and teaching from a master teacher.

Thanks, Professor Engelsma! We eagerly anticipate the last several books in this series.

Highly recommended.

Follow Me: Bible Stories for Young Children Liesbeth van Binsbergen. Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, n.d. 386 pages. Hardback. $30.00.

Are you looking for a new book of Bible stories for children, especially preschool children? Here is one to consider. There are 116 well-written and illustrated stories translated from the Dutch by Rev. Bartel Elshout and illustrated by Roel Otto. For those who might be interested, there are only a couple of illustrations which include the Lord Jesus. These are only sketchy and will not cause any difficulty.

The stories are short, contain at least one illustration, and usually have three questions that will call to the minds of our children the main parts of the story. You will find sixty-six Old Testament stories and fifty from the New Testament. The author writes in the preface, “I have attempted to highlight the scarlet thread of God’s redemptive history.”

This is a good volume to use as you begin to teach your children or grandchildren the story of redemption.

Theological-Practical Theology, vol. 1: Prolegomena Petrus van Mastricht. Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2018. 238 pages. Hardbound. $28.00.

The Dutch Reformed Translation Society and Reformation Heritage Books have worked together to bring to English-speaking people a volume, in fact, a set of books that has been available up to now only in Dutch.

While not everyone will find this set helpful, there will not be only a few who will enjoy Mastricht’s work. He (1630–1706) studied at Utrecht under Voetius and became his successor. Mastricht was a theologian of the Dutch Further Reformation (Nadere Reformatie). This means that he placed a heavy emphasis on experience, which was necessary in his day. While this is important, it can be overemphasized.

This volume contains a fine biographical sketch of Mastricht—an oration given at Mastricht’s funeral by Henricus Pontanus. Following this is the author’s introduction to theology. This deals with the nature and method of theology and Scripture—and always the emphasis is on what the author calls “the Best Method of Preaching.”

The translation is done by Todd M. Roster of Queen’s University, Belfast. It is done in an easy-toread style. One young minister, who has assisted in editing, has said that reading this work has shaped his life.

Not every reader will agree that this set is helpful, most likely because of the style of writing during Mastricht’s time. Some might even say it is as dry as dust. However, here and there the patient reader will gain insights that he has not had before. Nevertheless, this volume has historical value. Long closed to the English reader, it is now available again—and for the first time in English.

Puritan Heroes Glenda Faye Mathes and Joel R. Beeke. Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2018. 207 pages. Hardback. $25.00.

“Who were the Puritans? Why are they heroes? Those may be your questions as you pick up this book.” So begins the preface. In the pages that follow are twenty-one short accounts of the lives of Richard Greenham, William Perkins, John Cotton, John Eliot, Richard Baxter, John Bunyan, Matthew Henry, Jonathan Edwards, and some other men who were well-known during the two hundred years that they were leaders in the Reformation movement in the British Isles and North America. The first chapter lays out in general who these followers of the Lord were and what they stood for, often in direct contradiction of what the world around them believed about them.

Each chapter is filled with pictures of these great leaders—photos, paintings, pictures of original publications. All of this makes this book interesting for our youth (for whom it was conceived), but also for older readers who certainly can profit from it.

Each biography focuses on the work the man of God did, and the characteristics of the person. It is a great addition to literature about the period—and a joy to read.

Included is a fine bibliography, and questions for each chapter.

Beginning at Moses: A Guide to Finding Christ in the Old Testament Michael P. V. Barrett. Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 1999, 2018. 322 pages. Paperback. $20.00.

Dr. Barrett, vice president for academic affairs, and professor of Old Testament at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, has produced a fine volume on Christ in the Old Testament. In his preface he writes, “Christ is the key that unlocks the meaning of the entire Bible; He is the central person and the unifying theme.” Then he refers to Luke 24:27. This must be considered today because so much “preaching” has become stories about some exemplary character, but not Christ.

Patiently and carefully our author encourages us to remember that preaching the Word involves preaching Christ. As he closes, he adds, “There is no relevant Christian message apart from Christ Himself.”

May this interesting volume mold the minds of the people in the pew as to what preaching is to be, and shape the minds of God’s faithful servants in the pulpit as they feed God’s people with truth of Scripture.

Christ’s Portrait of the Christian: An Exposition of the Beatitudes Bartel Elshout. Grand Rapids: Biblical Spirituality Press, 2019. 140 pages. Paperback. $9.99.

Although some might not be comfortable with the way this is put, this is a delightful little book with much spiritual insight. The author gives solid biblical background for all that he says as he explains the seven Beatitudes. His application is solid. My intention was to give several quotes from this rich treatment, but I found so many that it was hard to pick and choose. Because these are sermons the brother preached, the reader will find that he often includes applicatory paragraphs that reflect the ways of his church affiliation: Heritage Reformed.

The title gives us an insight into what the author’s point is. Christ is painting a picture of a believer with each stroke in the Beatitudes. What a painting!

This volume is valuable for all of God’s children. As someone said, you will find it difficult to put this book down.

A Hearer of God’s Word: Ten Ways to Listen to Sermons Better Brian G. Najapfour. Grand Rapids: Reformed Fellowship, 2019. 99 pages. Paperback. $9.99.

This is a book every believer needs to read. So often we take worship— including the listening to sermons— so casually. Though, perhaps we have been at it for many years, we often just think of it as “going to church,” a weekly (and for some, not that often) activity in which we should engage upon occasion. For some today, church attendance means going to a program, a religious outing, even religious entertainment.

It is said that many of our Reformed brethren down south used to speak of attending worship as “going to preaching.” They were going to listen to God as he spoke to his people. Certainly there is much more to worship, but they had a right understanding of it—God speaks. This is the reason why we attend worship every time a service is called. Sad to say, however, we often tune out the sermon for one reason or another. What an insult to God whom we say we love and serve.

Our author gives us ten short, thought-provoking chapters, which call upon us to meditate and apply how we ought to listen to sermons. Scripture is regularly called upon to make the point. There are also five appendices which are important, too. One is directed to those who “want” to criticize the ministers of the Word.

Every believer would do well to read and meditate on this book. How often do we discuss at home the sermons we hear? How often do our youth wonder why we attend worship? There is much material for us as we work through this subject. Better yet, get our youth to read and meditate on it.

We should be grateful that this practical book is available!

Jerome Julien is a retired pastor and a member of Walker United Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, MI.