"The central premise of Ian Potts’ book is that Christ is to be found everywhere in the Word of God. Throughout scripture, in the Genesis creation account, in the wandering’s of the Children of Israel, from the lips of the prophets and in the teaching of the New Testament apostles, Christ is evidently the focus of attention.

The eight chapters were originally independent essays written by Mr Potts and posted on his website graceandtruthonline.com Several of them have previously been published as articles in this magazine. In addition, there are two appendices, one dealing with the gifts of the Spirit and the other demonstrating the particular nature of God’s grace towards men and women. Distinguishing grace is shown first in His setting His love upon the elect and second by the free gift of faith. Because each chapter stands alone all of them can be read on its own with profit, some in just a few minutes as the chapter lengths vary a little.

One characteristic of the book is the generous supply of parallels, connections, types and analogies that the author makes between messages in prophecy and incidents in Old Testament history and the redemptive work of Christ. These provide opportunities for greater contemplation of the saving work of the Lord Jesus especially when the linkage made is not immediately obvious. Thereby the Lord is shown forth, just as He explained on the road to Emmaus. ‘Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures, the things concerning himself’ (Luke 24:27). Thus in the Book’s title Jesus Christ is Malachi’s ‘Sun of righteousness’ who rises with healing in His wings (Malachi 2:2)

Nevertheless, the allusions are not strained. For example, the destruction by Joshua and the advancing Israelite army of Ai, the small walled city close to Jericho, may not instantly lend itself to interpretation based on the Lord’s death. Yet the author, like a good pastor, applies his text to discover the work of Christ, and discerns much in Joshua’s complete destruction of Ai and the execution of its king that typifies the completeness of Christ’s victory over sin.

If there are applications that do not immediately reveal themselves some gentle reflection and contemplation will pay rich dividends. The insights gleaned remind us that the glory of the Lord Jesus is to be found concealed in the smallest details of scripture as well as in the broad brush strokes of redemptive history.

I am happy to recommend this book for personal reading and meditation. It will handsomely reward time invested in it. However, it has other uses too. The book may readily be employed evangelistically as a gift, perhaps to a friend who may have a casual acquaintance with the Bible but who has not really understood how the Lord Jesus Christ’s saving work pervades all the Word.

As a closing recommendation I would mention that throughout the book grace is unambiguously presented as the free gift of God. The scripture references and applications clearly demonstrate the particular dimensions of grace and the effectual, sovereign choice of God in salvation. Many books today, even from Reformed publishers and evangelical authors, are couched in terminology so loose and general with respect to salvation, that a reader would not discern the distinctive nature of election and sovereign grace unless he was already initiated into that ‘deeper truth’. I am happy to say this book is not one of them."

Peter Meney
New Focus
Dec/Jan 2006