Review: While the Bridegroom Tarries

This book is a series of sermons preached by R. B. Kuiper in 1919. His aim is to encourage Christians to be ready for the return of the Lord Jesus. He looks at eight signs that the Bible says will take place before the Lord’s return and asks “are we seeing this sign fulfilled in our age?”

Kuiper freely admits that discerning “the signs of the times” is fraught with difficulties. He wisely says that these signs are prophecies and that prophecies are often unclear until they are fulfilled.

The book itself proves this point. Some of Kuiper’s analysis now looks farfetched and in places he is too dogmatic. Occasionally his conclusions will grate such as his suggestion that woman’s suffrage is “subversive of divine ordinances”. However there is much that is insightful and far sighted. The best chapter is when he asks if we are like the 5 wise virgins who fell asleep when the bridegroom delayed.

The strength of this work is twofold. First, it will warn us against being too dogmatic when we try and discern the sign of the times. How will our conclusions stand up in 90 years from now? Second, even if you disagree with the author, it will make you think about what is happening in the world today. The faithful Christian should be looking to see if the signs of the end are being fulfilled. We should be looking for the return of our Lord!

This review was first published on GoodBookReviews.org.uk. The site has been closed as of March 2019.