Matthew Henry – A Man Who Loved God and His Word

One of the most famous historical figures associated with Christendom has to be Matthew Henry. Many know of him because of his famous commentary that he did on the whole Bible. It is an exquisite work. My family have benefited immensely from this marvellous work which spans 6 volumes. It has to be a must for any serious Christian family. In fact, George Whitefield, is was said, read through the whole work 4 times and the 4^th time was done while on his knees. Charles Spurgeon said, “Every minister ought to read it entirely and carefully through once at least.”

However, for many Christians their knowledge of him stops there. They know of him as the author of the commentary but do not know anything of the man himself. To be honest, until recently I was in the very same boat. I knew nothing of him personally. When I started digging, I found some wonderful accounts of his life growing up, how he got saved, and how he went about his calling to serve the church through his writing and his pastoring – he was a pastor for much of his life. I also learned that he suffered a lot during his life which makes the work he produced and the service he rendered all the more remarkable and inspiring. He was a man who was extremely devoted to the Word and whose love for it influenced Christians for hundreds of years.

Henry was born prematurely on the 18^th October, 1662 to Philip and Katherine Henry in at a farm called Broad Oak, Iscoyd (Wales). He was the 2^nd son born in the family. Due to his premature birth, he was counted as a sickly child through much of his childhood but an avid learner.

At the time of his birth, his father had just been ejected through the 1662 Act of Uniformity. The Act stated that any minister who refused to conform to the Book of Common Prayer would be ejected from the Church of England. They become known as non-Conformists. This meant they were unable to go to school, get degrees and to generally participate in public affairs. Fortunately for Matthew, his father had his own private means to support the family and provide for them an education. As a child he learned Greek, Hebrew, Latin, German and French. This then allowed him to read a broad range of literature which undoubtedly aided in his development of his commentary.

As can be ascertained clearly, Henry grew up in a Christian home. He apparently showed such an aptitude towards learning that he could read the Bible by the age of 3. His father lead the family in devotions every day and gave a short exposition of the passage being covered. It followed one of the devotions on Psalm 51:17 which caused his heart to melt led him to “enquire after Christ”. So clearly the value of family devotions cannot be downplayed.

Although his health was questionable, he would spend several hours each day in private study of the scriptures (following his being led to enquire after Christ). When he was 10, he suffered an intense and prolonged fever which just about took his life. Shortly after this time, his thoughts were greatly drawn to his own spiritual condition. Following a sermon on judgment, he wrote the following, “I was under great fear of hell, till the Lord comforted me. I, having engaged in serious examination – what hopes I have that when I die and leave this earthly tabernacle I shall be received into heaven – I have found several marks that I am a child of God.” Those marks were (in his own words):

• “There is true conversion where there have been covenant transactions between God and the soul.  And I found that there have been such between God and my soul, and I hope in truth and righteousness.  If I never did this before, I do it now; for I take God in Christ to be mine.  I give up myself to be his in the bond of an everlasting covenant never-to-be-forgotten.  But hath it been in truth?  As far as I know my own heart, I do it in truth and sincerity.  I did it December 7, and September 5, and October 13, and many other times.  I do it every day.”
• “Where there hath been true repentance for sin, and grief, and shame, and sorrow, for it, as to what is past, with all the ingredients of it, as confession, aggravation, self-judging, self condemning, &c.  And I have found this in me, though not in that measure that I should ever affront him as I have done; and ministers have assured me, that having repented of sin and believed on Christ, I am to believe that I am pardoned.  Now I have done this, and I do really believe I am forgiven for Christ’s sake.  This is grounded on several Scriptures, Proverbs 28:13; Isaiah 55:7; Matthew 5:4; Acts 2:37,38; Acts 3:19; 1 John 1:9.  And many other Scriptures there are where God doth expressly call people to return and repent.  But hath this sorrow been true? As far as I know my own heart, it hath been true. ‘But I sin often.’  I lament and bewail it before the Lord, and I endeavor, by the grace of God, to do so no more.”
• “Where there is true love of God.  For to love the Lord our God with all our soul, and with all our strength, is better than whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.  Now, as far as I know my own heart, I love God in sincerity.  But is that love indeed sincere?  As far as I can judge it is so; for,
  • I love the people of God; all the Lord’s people shall be my people.
  • I love the Word of God.  I esteem it above all.  I find my heart so inclined.  I desire it as the food of my soul.  I greatly delight in it, both in reading and hearing of it; and my soul can witness subjection to it in some measure.  I think I love the Word of God for the purity of it.  I love the ministers and messengers of the Word.  I am often reading it.  I rejoice in the good success of it.  All which were given as marks of true love for the Word, in a sermon I lately heard on Psalm 119:140: ‘Thy word is pure, therefore thy servant loveth it.”

That is from an 10-year old boy. Such was his awareness and maturity that he was severely and closely examining himself to show that he was indeed a Christian and that he had the marks expected of such a person.

Henry was educated at an academy of Thomas Doolittle until 1682 and then moved to Gray’s Inn, a legal school in England. However, after a time, he left his legal studies in order to pursue studies in theology. In 1687, he became a minister in a small Presbyterian congregation in Chester. Within a few years, the congregation had increased to 250. In 1712, he moved to become the minister of a church in Hackney. Then 2 years after that, he died suddenly of an apoplexy while returning from a visit back to Chester.

In 1687, Henry married for the first time to Katherine Hardware. However, 2 years later in 1689, she died in childbirth leaving a daughter (also named Katherine). A year and a half later, he married again to Mary Warburton. Through her, he had 1 son and 8 daughters (3 of whom died while infants). Mary survived Henry at his death in 1714. Through these times of intense tragedy and loss, he maintained his devotion to the Word and to serve those in his congregations. He never once blamed God for his pain and instead wrote, “the Lord is righteous, He takes and gives, and gives and takes again.”

At the time of his death, Henry had not completed the commentary of the Bible – he had completed Genesis to Acts. However, he had made extensive notes for the balance of the books which allowed other non-conformists to collate and prepare the balance of the commentary in his name. His reputation, as we mentioned before, is bound to his commentaries.

Matthew Henry has been a great importance in the life of my family and his story is fascinating and inspiring. We must all give thanks to God for preserving for a time this wonderful, godly man whose service and influence have lasted hundreds of years.

Walking as a Man of Grace (Psalm 1:1-3)

Read Psalm 1:1-3 (NKJV):

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.

So many times I have read this Psalm and flipped through it without thinking much more than I usually do: “yes, it is good to avoid sinful ways” etc, etc. However in the last few weeks, the Lord has lead me to really examine these verses (and the actual Psalm) to apply the rich and wonderful applications that it contains. I found from doing that, there is so much more to this than I had ever known. Even now, weeks later, I am still being challenged, and refreshed by the Holy Spirit through what He led David to write.

Genesis – Is it the Literal Truth?

If the famous account of Genesis is read as it is written, then we come to the conclusion that the author of this book was trying to tell the reader that in 6 normal, 24-hour days God created all that we see and know – the universe, the solar system, the planet, the water and land, plants and trees, animals and people. There is no doubt that a plain reading of the first couple of chapters of Genesis tells us this.

But, is that actually what happened? Was the author really concerned about the scientific nuances that brought about life and all we see today? Or was he trying to paint an artistic, poetic allusion of a broader principle? What would that broader principle be? For many teachers in the church today, that broader principle is that ultimately God created everything but they allow for the possibility of Him doing this over millions or billions of years. Or they say that He used evolution to bring about the variety of what we see in the world now (theistic evolution).

Effective Prayer (James 5:16b-18)

The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit. – James 5:16b-18 (NASB)

The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. What does this mean? What is effective prayer as opposed to ineffective prayer? What is meant by a “righteous man”? We would all love to have our prayers heard by our Lord and we certainly want our prayers to accomplish much. James (the author of this book) has some great wisdom in this passage for us!

Being Cast Out (Mat 8:5-13)

Read Matthew 8:5-13 (NKJV):

Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come
and heal him.” The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one,
‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard it, He marvelled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion,
“Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that
same hour.

There are many things which can be drawn from this passage above. But I want to focus on verses 10-12. In here, there is an ominous warning against taking salvation for granted and the possible repercussions of such foolishness.

Letter to my Unsaved Mum

My mother is unsaved at this point. I have spoken to her many times about the Lord but she still resists. I would covet the prayers of the believers for her heart to be turned to and regenerated by the Lord.

Unfortunately she suffers from Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and that affliction (which worsens all the time) is a hindrance in her mind. I pray that God would use it to show her that life without forgiveness and hope is death.

Below is a letter I have written to her which I lay the gospel out to her as clearly as I can (I hope). Please pray that she receives this well and that she will seek the Lord and receive her salvation!

Twilight – The Blurring of Light and Dark

I thought I would look at the whole Twilight issue in regards to Christianity as it has been a hot topic in the recent past – it seems to have died down a bit (I suppose because the movies have finished ). But I am sure, if a new one came out (or a new book) the rush and mania would pick up in an instant.

Now the debate often rages about whether or not it is appropriate for Christians to be into this sort of thing and what not. Should we be captivated by this love story involving vampires? Are their redeemable themes within it? Sure, all movies or stories generally have some theme which is good (usually at the base level it is some sort of overarching good vs evil). But is that enough here?

Now, I think the fascination of this series of books and movies goes beyond enjoyment but rather into some obsessed hype. I understand there are crazy fans and cult followers for most things but this is something else. Most people cannot seem to pinpoint or explain the lure and draw that this series has – it just draws people in. It especially seems to resonate with the female gender (though I have heard a few guys who seem to be into it!).

Now, I will be upfront and honest from the start. I have never read, nor watched this series. I have never wanted to. Mostly this was just from the fact that this sort of thing does not interest me at all. It had no appeal for me.