Prodigal God by Timothy Keller Review

God gave gifts unto men. Through His Spirit, He empowers His Church to grow into unity and the maturity of Jesus Christ. Jesus promised the Spirit would guide us into all truth. Paul specifically lists teachers among God’s gifts to the church. Timothy Keller is such a gift. (Actually this is the only book of his that I've read, so I can't vouch for any others.)

Do you read through the Bible and wonder what significance a fact or story had that God included it in His unperishing Word? Do you ever find yourself astounded by discovery as you read, seeing depth and import in the passage that you never saw there before? I love to find a teacher or author who has been granted insight into a part of the Bible that had always seemed way over my head (or beneath my notice). Whether in only one chapter of all the books they’ve written, or but one exposition they gave aloud to a congregation or conference, I feel like jumping up and down, thanking God for this gift that draws me closer to my Savior.

In Prodigal God, Timothy Keller blends a big-picture view of redemption and the Bible with the drama of one of Jesus’ most famous parables. This is one of those rare books where I don’t feel like quoting or underlining, because entire chapters would be quoted and underlined. One of the most moving points of the book is simply the title. In the introduction, the author explains himself. We often refer to this parable as the Prodigal Son – but Jesus specifically introduced it as the story of two sons. Prodigal is a true description of the younger brother, who got all he could as soon as he could and spent it with equal recklessness and extravagance. When we call the Father prodigal, we are talking about a whole different kind of spending. He spent all He had on us, to find us and bring us back, and to welcome us into His love. To be so extravagant also makes the word prodigal true of Him. And how can any of His children be unmoved by His sacrifice?

I met my God in this book, not for the first time, but oh, He was there! His image sparkled as I read through descriptions of the commonly described “sinner”, the younger brother, to the older brother whose heart is equally proud and rebellious, but who is trying to use God and goodness for his own ends, to the older brother that should have been, the missing character from the pattern of the two preceding parables in the trilogy. Who was seeking and saving the lost? Is forgiveness really ever free?

After forgiveness, what then? What was God’s design for living as His children? Timothy Keller spends the final chapter of The Prodigal God talking about feasts. Jesus’ first miracle, a sign of the purpose of His ministry, is a (wedding) feast. The night before He was betrayed, Jesus ordained a new feast for His followers as a remembrance of Him. The close of this church age is a (wedding) feast where the Church is reunited with her Redeemer. And eternity is something of a feast, living in the presence of God and eating of the tree of life. Once again emphasizing relationship, this chapter presents salvation as “taste and see” believing that is lived out and continued in gratitude and celebration of the grace of God. As anyone knows, celebration is not to be done alone. In fact, quoting CS Lewis, Timothy Keller makes the point that relationship with God experienced in community brings out more of God than you could experience on your own. Therefore the final challenge of Prodigal God is for you to invest in a gathering of believers with the same love with which you compassionately seek those who are lost, desiring them to share with you in the Father’s love.

To God be all glory.