Ecclesiastes 7.8 says, ‘Better is the end of a thing than its beginning’, and that is the theme and thrust of this book. The author conducts what is essentially a study of various biblical characters (Caleb, Solomon, Jesus, Lot, Paul, Demas and Joshua) and one puritan (Jeremiah Burroughs) and draws lessons on how to press on with Jesus with a view to finishing well for Jesus. There’s a huge amount of insightful, helpful, encouraging and challenging material drawn from reflections on the various characters which I am sure will evoke from the reader a multitude of other questions too.

One statement that evoked a train of thought and exploration for me was ‘finishing badly does not mean not being saved. I think we will see Solomon in heaven….and maybe Demas’ (p214). Key and crucial is the idea that our core, our greatest treasure, will drive how we live our life and how we will finish our life too, summed up in the words of Paul, a prisoner in chains, ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith’ (2 Timothy 4. 6). So, this is a book with the end in view in every chapter and that is a very good thing.

This book is available to purchase from Christian Focus Publications.

Colin Macleod, Gairloch, Kinlochewe & Torridon Free Church