Though rarely asked today, the question of why God created the world captured the thought and imagination of Jonathan Edwards, one of history's most profound thinkers. Using both reason and Scripture, Edwards determined that God created the world primarily as an arena for his eternal and innate glory to flow outward like a fountain and for his emanating glory to be received, praised, and enjoyed by the creatures he made. How he arrives at this answer is an amazing, worship-inducing journey. This version of Edward's classic treatise is a modern English paraphrase, designed to allow readers to meditate on the ideas Edwards illuminates rather than unraveling his long, dense sentences. "Dollar has both polished the diamonds and given us the lenses to better behold them. Read, study, enjoy, and worship Christ through this book." - Jared Wilson "Jonathan Edwards is, without question, one of the great minds of the Christian tradition. Unfortunately, Edwards is often lauded but rarely read, because he is such a difficult read, both in the depth of his thoughts and in archaic writing style. Jason does us a great service, making the first more accessible by updating the second. Reading these classic works allow your affections to be stoked by the Spirit!" - Edwards scholar Kyle Strobel "By carefully updating some of Edwards' style and wording, Jason allows America's greatest theologian to point a new generation to the great holiness of God, the horrible sinfulness of sin, and the gracious power of Jesus Christ to save. Thank you!" - Buddy Gray, Pastor of Hunter Street Baptist Church "Jason has blessed us by opening up the works of Jonathan Edwards with updated style and vocabulary, so that we can benefit from perhaps the greatest intellect ever produced by God's grace in our country and, therefore, contemplate biblically why the Lord our God has made all things, including us, for His glory, which is our joy." - Dr. Harry L. Reeder III, Pastor/Teacher of Briarwood Presbyterian Church "Jason Dollar has done an excellent job in making available to the church one of the most important of Edwards' works in accessible modern prose. It is my hope and prayer that this book not only introduces readers to Edwards, but more so to the Christ that Edwards sought to exalt. Soli Deo Gloria!" - Dr. Steven B. Cowan "This is what God aimed at when he created the world, and it can be summarized by that one overarching phrase - the glory of God." Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) was the pastor of Northampton Church in Massachusetts. He also served as a missionary and the president of the College of New Jersey (Princeton). His published writings are numerous and cover a broad range of topics including sermons, science, theology, philosophy, and even biography. Through these writings his towering influence continues to be felt today. He and his wife, Sarah, had eleven children. Jason Dollar (MA) is the pastor of Rock Mountain Lakes Baptist Church in McCalla, AL, where he lives with his wife, Page, and their five children. Find his blog at www.gloryfocus.com.