Stephen Jones — Prolegomena
b3 — Secrets of Time
Theological Method
In the preface to Secrets of Time (1996), Jones states his primary purpose as an explicit methodological starting point:
“The overall purpose of this book is to portray the Sovereignty of God in history. If that goal is reached, you should conclude the reading of this book by saying, ‘What a great God we have!’ Or, as Paul would say, ‘O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!‘” (Jones, Secrets of Time, Preface; cf. Rom. 11:33)
Interpretation: The sovereignty of God functions for Jones not merely as a dogmatic doctrine, but as a hermeneutical principle that determines the interpretive direction of the entire work. The theological goal — to display God’s greatness — is simultaneously the epistemological lens.
The Relationship Between Theology and History
Jones articulates a biblically theocentric vision of history as his secondary purpose:
“My secondary purpose is to give you an overall view of the structure of history as viewed from a Biblical perspective. Everything is orderly. Nothing happens by accident. Men do not determine history; God does. Nations rise and fall according to His decrees, as Nebuchadnezzar discovered the hard way in the 4th chapter of Daniel.” (Jones, Secrets of Time, Preface)
Interpretation: For Jones, theology and history are inseparable. Scripture provides the only adequate framework for understanding historical events — a position that implies secular historiography structurally falls short without special revelation as its interpretive key.
Special Revelation as Epistemological Foundation
The authoritative role of special revelation is undergirded by the claim regarding the absolute validity of God’s law in history:
“No monarch stands above the Law of God, nor can he withstand the irreversible judgment of God when the day of his visitation has arrived.” (Jones, Secrets of Time, Preface)
Interpretation: The ‘Law of God’ — understood here as revealed Scripture — possesses universal and inescapable validity in history. This positions special revelation as the normative order of reality from which no human power structure can escape.
Theological Goal and Spiritual Epistemology
As a third purpose Jones names a formative dimension that touches on the relationship between knowledge and faith:
“A third purpose — and certainly not the least important — is to instill within your heart a burning desire to know God more, to be more fully conformed to His Image and Likeness, and to catch the vision of the Feast of Tabernacles.” (Jones, Secrets of Time, Preface)
Interpretation: Theological knowledge for Jones is not purely intellectual but transformative in nature. Knowing God is coupled with conformity to God — an epistemology that inseparably links the intellect with sanctification.