The Desire of Ages

The whole of sacred history is centered on one individual, Jesus Christ, either through the prophecies and sacrificial meanings of the Old Testament or the good news of His life and message in the New. The Desire of Ages is the seminal work of Ellen G. White’s Conflict of Ages series in which the birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is examined in great detail to show the love of God for man. Through over 800 pages of wonderful, engaging writing the 33 years of when the Son of God walked shoulder-to-shoulder with man.

The Desire of Ages is not a strict chronological retelling of the Gospels; instead it is a more in-depth look into the life and teachings of Christ to reveal the love of God for man. Yet, while show more White focuses on Christ’s mission to save man and show the true nature of God she does not shy away from explaining the challenges Jesus faced during His ministry. The Messianic expectations of Jewish culture before, during, and after Christ’s life were fully explained by White and how throughout His ministry it hindered his efforts to turn hearts to the Father. Alongside the cultural expectations was the hatred of the religious establishment that saw Jesus as a threat to their authority even though mean thought He might be the Christ. And finally the hardest burden Christ dealt with was His disciples whose earthly expectations and resulting disappointment continually saddened their Teacher.

The Desire of Ages is the central volume of the five-book Conflict of Ages series just as Christ is the central pillar of sacred history. For many, including myself, Ellen White’s book on the life of Christ is best spiritual book on His life outside of the Bible because of the in-depth perspective she writes and expounds upon. At the end of the book as heaven rejoices at Jesus triumphant ascension to rejoin His Father as our mediator, White reveals how the disciples returned to Jerusalem just as joyously knowing Christ reigned with His Father. Through the Acts of the Apostles the good news of Christ would begin to be spread around the world. show less

The most in depth look at the life of christ from birth and past death that I have ever read. Sometimes it is dry, but for the most part Ellen's work reads as if she were personally there. She well may have been. Adventists peg her a prophet of destiny.

White's writing is often a mash of anecdotes with Bible verses and lessons from the life of Jesus shoehorned in. If I had a friend who was interested in Christianity, this is not the best starting point, as it assumes the reader is already familiar with general Christianity and the Bible.

I have to admit, that I skipped most of this book, it was simply too long and I kept losing my interest. I suspect I'm simply too shallow for it. Definitely not for me. Two stars for my enjoyment plus one for nice writing.

Well written, thorough account of life of Christ.

If you want to learn about the life, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ, then this is the book to look for. This book goes through the life of Jesus from his childhood to his adulthood. It also unpacks details that are important to the reader about the life of Jesus.

The Desire of Ages is a book about the life of Jesus Christ by the Seventh-day Adventist pioneer Ellen G. White. It was first published in 1898. It is part of her five-volume Conflict of the Ages series, a devotional commentary spanning Bible history from Genesis to the second coming of Christ.

Originally Ellen G. White wrote the book with a much larger content, but prior to publishing the book was divided into three separate volumes: Desire of Ages, Christ's Object Lessons (strictly on the parables of Jesus) and Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings.

The title of the book is drawn from an Old Testament prophecy of Jesus in Haggai 2:7. "And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with show more glory, saith the LORD of hosts." (KJV) The narrative begins with the prophecy that foretells his name, Immanuel, which means, translated literally, "God with us". After this opening, the narrative continues with the birth of Jesus Christ and his life. Subsequently, it relates and interprets his later life and ministry. White gives time and consideration to the life of Christ: to his many miracles, his teachings to his disciples, and his passion, death, resurrection, and ascension. show less