Shute explores the concept of redemption, drawing parallels between Hagar's journey of submission and faith, and the Christian experience of salvation through Jesus Christ. The encounter of Hagar with the Angel of the Lord in the wilderness is depicted as a turning point, symbolizing the reformation power of God's grace that extends hope and redemption to the marginalized and oppressed. It explores typology and foreshadowing, connecting the Old and New Testaments in a manner that reveals Jesus Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises.
Shute invites readers to reflect on the character of God, as revealed through His interactions with Sarah, Hagar, and Abraham. This theological contemplation sheds light on God's boundless faithfulness, grace, and willingness to intervene in the lives of sinful individuals, offering a message of hope and redemption.
"Sarah and Hagar" also holds contemporary relevance, encouraging readers to find echoes of faith, grace, and redemption in their own lives. Shute challenges us to contemplate our personal spiritual journeys against the backdrop of these ancient narratives, recognizing the timeless scriptural foundations that continue to guide and inspire us as God’s word.
Ultimately, the book calls readers to embrace hope, grace, and redemption through the intertwined events of Sarah and Hagar, enriched with divine promises and deep theological insights. It reminds us of God's unwavering fidelity to His redemptive promises and culminates in the ultimate promise of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Josiah Shute, (1588-1643) was known for his eloquent preaching, profound scholarship, and unswerving commitment to Christian doctrine, which is why he was chosen to sit on the Westminster Assembly.
C. Matthew McMahon, Ph.D., Th.D., is a Reformed theologian, and pastor of Grace Chapel in Crossville, TN; part of the Biblical Reformed Synod of Christ the King. He is the founder and chairman of A Puritan's Mind, the largest Reformed website on the internet for students of the Bible concerning Reformed Theology, the Puritans and Covenant Theology. He is the founder of Puritan Publications which publishes rare Reformed and Puritan works from the 17th century, specializing in the Westminster Assembly. He is also a managing partner at Reformed.org, and the Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics.