Olympic athletes give praise where it is really due.
As the Olympic Games has shown increasing signs of returning to its pagan roots,1 and as its promotion of world peace and unity was tarnished this year by the hostility shown to the 47-member Israeli delegation,2 the humility (amid personal brilliance) of a few outstanding Christian competitors has shone out like stars in a darkened universe.
For Britain, bursting with pride after collecting a staggering 67 medals and finishing second in the table to the United States, it was an event to savour after some of our politicians had downplayed patriotism in favour of staying within the European Union. But the prowess of our athletes isn't enough; what the human body can achieve should not be an opportunity for self-congratulation, but for giving honour where it is really due.
Niekerk, Felix and the Fiji Rugby Sevens
This was the case for South African athlete Wayde van Niekerk, who gave glory to God just moments after his spectacular win in the 400 metres – echoing the gold medal won in the same event at the 1924 Paris Olympics by legendary Scottish athlete Eric Liddell, who went on to be a missionary in China.3
Holding up his running spikes, imprinted with the words 'Jesus I am all yours, use me' after breaking Michael Johnson's 17-year-old record with a time of 43.03 seconds, Wayde told the BBC: "The only thing I can do now is to give God praise. I went on my knees each and every day and I told the Lord to take care of me every step of the way."4
His achievement is all the more amazing as he had to fight for his life when entering the world as a 2lb premature baby in Cape Town 24 years ago.
The humility shown by various Christian Olympians has shone out like stars in the universe.
Also giving praise to Jesus was American pastor's daughter Allyson Felix after winning two golds (4 x 100 and 4 x 400 metres) and a silver medal in the 400 metres individual. Describing her ability as a gift from God, she said: "For me, my faith is the reason I run. I definitely feel I have this amazing gift that God has blessed me with, and it's all about using it to the best of my ability."5
But she has suffered pain and disappointment over the years, explaining: "It is with injuries my faith really plays a part because I know I'm able to look at the bigger picture and see that God has a plan for my life and that this is also part of it. I can't imagine my life without Jesus. I can't imagine just waking up and going through life without Him. He is my life and that's what I live for. I have learned that track doesn't define me. My faith defines me. I'm running because I have been blessed with a gift."6
The Fiji sevens pray after their gold medal win.And what about the Fijian rugby sevens team who, after winning gold by beating Team GB in the final for their country's first ever Olympic medal, got down on their knees to praise and thank the Lord who is clearly first in their hearts!
As London vicar Andy Palmer7 put it, they were reflecting the attitude shown by Israel's King David in penning Psalm 104 that, whatever we achieve as humans, we are merely God's creation and he is far greater than us – he is the one to be praised!
So let's take inspiration from these Olympic heroes who understand that there is a bigger picture to our lives; that Jesus wants to win our hearts and a life lived without him is ultimately empty and meaningless.
Running for the Eternal Prize
The Apostle Paul was clearly familiar with the ancient Olympics, making several references to athletics in his letters to the early Christians. In a rebuke to the Galatians who had been deceived by false teaching, he scolds: "You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?" (Gal 5:7).
To the Philippians, he encourages them to join him as he presses on "towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:14).
To Timothy his protégé, he urges: "Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come" (1 Tim 4:7f).
And again to Timothy he declares: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (2 Tim 4:7f).
Whatever we achieve as humans, we are merely God's creation and he is far greater than us – he is the one to be praised!
Yes, there is a prize for which we can all strive, as St Paul reminds the Corinthians: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last for ever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize" (1 Cor 9:24-27).
And in the letter to the Hebrews, we are urged to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross..." (Heb 12:2).
So we can learn from athletes of the necessity for strict training in our spiritual lives, because we are not running aimlessly, but for a crown that will last forever.
Personal Testimony
Having competed in many marathons, I have been hugely inspired by these scriptures over the years, encouraging me to keep going, and not give up, even though it hurts and the road ahead seems so long and arduous.
The only occasion I didn't finish a race – 'hitting a wall'8 after 22 miles in the 1972 Scottish Marathon – made me realise there was more to life than running, that God had a purpose and plan for my life. And within a week I had asked Jesus to be my Lord and Saviour.
I have never looked back. I see this as a picture of Britain, a nation that has been running away from God in a fruitless race to nowhere. But now, perhaps shaken up by the Brexit vote, we have finally run out of steam, leaving us in a position to once more consider the claims of the Jewish Messiah who has helped historically to make our country great.
The True Treasure
'Britain's golden age' was how one tabloid described our success at Rio. Perhaps that is stretching it too far, but if we shift our emphasis to a pursuit of discovering our true purpose instead of a relentless striving after earthly comfort and material benefits, there is a 'pot of gold'9 at the end of the rainbow, and it's found in the person of Jesus Christ, who said: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no-one comes to the Father except through me" (Jn 14:6).
Or, as a Jewish friend told me, Jesus is the only one who can take us to the finish line and award us the greatest medal of all – forgiveness of sin and eternal life!
Notes
1 We have been reminded, in a Christianity Today article by Steven Gertz, that the Olympics was lost to the world for 1,500 years after being outlawed by the Roman Emperor Theodosius in 393 AD for being too pagan. Not only did it involve gory violence and naked competitors, but pigs and bulls were sacrificed to pagan gods, to whom athletes swore allegiance (apparently Theodosius was strongly influenced by Bishop Ambrose of Milan). Alarmingly, the current Olympian anthem calls on an "ancient eternal spirit" – clearly with no connection to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ – to bless its endeavours.
2 An Egyptian judo competitor was sent home after refusing to shake the hand of his Israeli rival Or Sasson, who went on to win a bronze medal – somewhat ironic as the two countries have been at peace for 37 years – and the Lebanese Olympic delegation was reprimanded after blocking Israeli athletes from entering a bus they were supposed to share.
3 The subject of the film Chariots of Fire, Liddell elected not to run his favoured race, the 100 metres, because the heats were held on a Sunday – the Lord's Day – and surprised everyone with his brilliant run in the longer event. He went on to preach the gospel in China and died prematurely in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. But his legacy lives on – ultimately his whole life was run as a race to complete the work to which Jesus had called him.
4 See Farley, H. Wayde van Niekerk glorifies God after winning men's 400m: 'JESUS DID IT'. Christianity Today, 15 August 2016.
5 See Allyson Felix – the golden girl acknowledges the true champion. Real Life Stories.
6 Ibid.
7 Rev Andy Palmer is vicar of St John's, Downshire Hill, in Hampstead.
8 An expression used by marathon runners to indicate complete inability to go any further.
9 According to the Bible, all believers can look forward to living in a city of pure gold (Rev 21:18).
In the next of our series on the relevance of the message of the prophets for today, Fred Wright looks at Isaiah and his call for a return to the Word of God.
Isaiah ben Amoz, according to the superscription of the prophecies bearing his name, lived during the turbulent rule of three kings - four if we include the apostate Manasseh (whom in Rabbinic tradition had Isaiah put to death by being sawn asunder). His messages of warning, impending judgment, salvation and restoration are as relevant today as they were in the late 7th Century BC.
Time of Skewed Priorities
Uzziah's death around 742 BC seems to have had a remarkable effect on Isaiah and opened the way for his commissioning (Is 6:1). The death of Uzziah marked the end of a period of wealth, strength and glory, as the shadow of Assyrian aggression fell over the land. Materialism and self-interest had overshadowed spiritual considerations; the wealthy had dispossessed the poor and the venal nature of the courts meant that there was no redress (Is 5:8-10, 10:1-4, cf Micah 2:1f, 3:1-3).
The national religious leaders and the believing community had become so involved with themselves that they raised little or no protest, centring their thoughts only upon lavish ritual and a misguided belief that their assumed special position with God protected them from all external matters (Is 1:10-20, cf Micah 3:9-11).
Isaiah was commissioned at a time when materialism and self-interest had overshadowed spiritual considerations.
This mirrors the situation today within the believing Christian community; little is said about the plight of the poor within the nation and minimal attention is paid to the suffering church in real and concrete terms. What concern is being shown for the remnant in the Middle East, Libya and other persecuted areas today?
Modern Rebellions
At the present time there has been a dangerous shift of emphasis, especially among charismatics, to focus attention on personal 'felt needs' and pragmatism, rather than on the scriptures and on seeking the Lord in prayer and intercession.
Isaiah's initial complaint was that Israel did not know their own Lord (Is 1:2-3). Even two of the dumbest animals, the ox and the ass, are in a better position than the people. The ox rejoices in the knowledge of his master and even the donkey knows his place of security, comfort and nourishment.
The people, on the other hand, are in rebellion. Though they have received nourishment and been made great by the Lord (Heb = gadal has several applications, 'make great' being an appropriate use here), they have turned away. This begs the question, what in our modern context is rebellion?
There has been in a shift in the Church, especially among charismatics, towards personal 'felt needs' rather than the scriptures and seeking the Lord.
Departure from Scripture
One important manifestation of rebellion is a move away from the scriptures and their authority.
Similarly, today there is a departure from the scriptures, as seen in the ministry of some charismatic leaders, both in the UK and USA. The Old Testament is regarded by some as a record of divine revelation to Israel and therefore ipso facto located in time and space; likewise, the New Testament is regarded as revelation to the early Church. The scriptures are seen simply as a record of events that involved an interaction between God and man at a specific time. The consequences of such a viewpoint inevitably lead to deviant teaching.
When looking at any written sources one should always look for internal testimony. The scriptures quite clearly express their own divinely given authority. Two passages of special application are Luke 4:4, where Jesus refers to the Old Testament writings with the preamble "it is written", and in John 10:35, where he states bluntly that the scriptures cannot be broken, that is to say they have an eternal application.
Paul claimed divine authority for his own writings (1 Cor 2: 4, Rom 1:11) which was endorsed by Peter (2 Pet 3:15). As there was no canon of New Testament writing for the first believers, they drew their understanding from the Hebrew scriptures. It is interesting that the early Jerusalem church also continued in their Judaic practices.
One important manifestation of rebellion in the Church is the move away from Scripture and its authority.
Pathway to Error
The trend of departure from the scriptures was noted in the mid-1970s by the one-time vice-president of Fuller Theological Seminary, Harold Lindsell. Lindsell's two books, The Battle for the Bible (Zondervan, 1976) and The Bible in Balance (1979), sounded an early warning that some evangelicals and Pentecostals were departing from their traditional stance on the scriptures.
In Isaiah's time the drift away from the Lord and his instructions on worship and devotion, which were given by divine revelation through the law and the prophets, was typified by reliance on self, elaborate rituals and occult practice (Is 2:6, 8:17f). A move away from the scriptures today may lead believers into the same errors.
History and Experience
Christianity is both an historical and experiential faith. Historicity (or historical truth) enables our faith to be objective, in that it has sources that may be studied, researched, analysed, and tested. Without historicity we are left with subjectivity which centres around emotions, bias and experiences that may only be compared with similar experiences that have little or nothing to draw upon outside of the events themselves.
Wolfhart Pannenberg suggests that the history of Israel (and this may include the early church) consists of a series of special events "that communicate something special which could not be got out of other events. This special aspect is the event itself, not the attitude with which one confronts the event" (Revelation in History, p132, London, 1969). Following Pannenberg, we can suggest that, as the events of salvation fall into this category, and the scriptures are a record of these events, the casual attitude towards the scriptures exhibited in some charismatic circles can only lead to a lack of knowledge of God (Is 1:2).
There is little doubt that the church needs the prophetic revelation of the quality of Isaiah today and the full operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The Austrian philosopher Freidrich Heer, writing in the late 1960s under the shadow of nuclear conflict, suggested that the Christian church had withdrawn from the historical process (God's First Love, London 1970). By this, Heer meant that the Church had chosen to concentrate upon its inner self rather than real and concrete events. In turn, this irresponsibility towards the Jew, the other person, and even the Christian was the ultimate cause of past catastrophes in human behaviour and might well be the cause of a final catastrophe in the future. By the historical process we mean events involving mankind, including current affairs.
The failure of the Church to stand for righteousness and justice, which establish the throne of God in a nation (Ps 97:2; Prov 16:12), is a direct cause of its ineffectiveness in missions both at home and overseas.
Lack of Theological Training
The inherent danger of a move away from the Bible is exacerbated by a lack of proper theological training of leaders and Bible study in some new independent churches. The move towards the pragmatic notion that 'if it works then it's OK', accompanied by practices that have no biblical foundation, inevitably leads to a man-created security and dependency upon experience rather than on God. The fact that something works does not mean that it is an initiative of the Lord.
At a recent Christian gathering it was suggested by an international speaker that there was now no real need for a full-time ministry as it was virtually redundant; the Holy Spirit was doing it all. The notion that teaching and intercession are of less importance than experiential gatherings leaves believers in a vulnerable position as they have no means of testing the spirit, neither will they be able to reach maturity.
Meaningless Worship
Isaiah lamented that the people were about to depart into exile because of their lack of knowledge (of the Lord) (Is 5:13 cf). In a similar way, the prophet brings the painful rebuke of the Lord (Is 1:10-20) that the people were involved in religious activity (worship) that was meaningless. The lives of the worshippers were making their offerings unacceptable. We may well ask ourselves today if our worship – regarded as a sacrifice of praise – is acceptable to God? What, in reality is being worshipped - God or an idea about God?
The failure of the Church to stand for righteousness and justice, which establish the throne of God in a nation, is a direct cause of its ineffectiveness in mission.
There is a lack of respect for God (in opposition to Ps 5:7; Prov 1:7, 8:13, 9:10, 14:27) which is so vividly illustrated in some worship meetings. It is alarming to realise that some leaders feel that they are in a position to elevate their opinions over those who wrote the scriptures under the guidance of the Holy Spirit (2 Tim 3:16), especially those who were personally acquainted with Jesus!
With them, we find ourselves in a position where not only is our activity of worship unacceptable, it is despised by the Lord (Is 1:11). A convergent tension is that the worship service often centres around the event rather than the reason for the event; the worship and adoration of the Lord. Isaiah pleads with the people to walk by the light of the Lord as they have forsaken the ways of their own people. By the expression 'your people' is meant the people living under God's rule.
This call to return to the ways of the Lord rings powerfully in our ears today as we may observe all manner of alien practices finding their ways into Christian activities in similar manner to the tensions faced by Isaiah (2:6).
Leaders as Babes
Isaiah laments that the leaders were as babes (Is 3:12) which reflects the leadership situation in some circles today. The lack of theological training which we have already noted among charismatic leaders has caused a double tension.
First, there has been a move to pragmatism instead of working from a biblical base. Secondly, many leaders have expended their energies on management of resources and programmes that owe more to secular management studies and psychology than to theology and pastoral practice.
Professor Carson, in Hermeneutics, Authority and Canon, remarks that the diminishing authority of the scriptures reflects the 'anti-authoritarian' position generally taken in the Western world. The other side of the coin is that, within the circles of those who have departed from the scriptures whilst giving lip service to them, there has been a strong line taken on the authority of the leader and his opinions.
In much modern worship there is a lack of respect for God, and services often centre around the event itself, not the worship and adoration of the Lord.
Ways Out Offered
For every proclamation of impending disaster, the Lord spoke through the prophet to offer a way out, and continually points to repentance, restoration and redemption. Throughout the writings of the prophet the reiteration of the Lord's promises to David may be found. "Come now let us reason together" (NIV), or "reach an understanding" (JPS) declares the Lord (Is 1:18).
The loving call of the Lord echoes through the centuries to the believing community today. How can one enter into a meaningful dialogue with the Lord unless one has something more than an existential knowledge of what is assumed to be his power? A part of the current battle for the Bible is knowing the character of God.
Hope for Refining
When Isaiah received his commission (Is 6:1f) it was with the knowledge that he would need to be faithful as his message would be ignored (Is 6:9ff). The people were blind and deaf, suffering a wholesale deception that they were in some way inviolable.
Isaiah, throughout his long ministry, nourished a hope – often frustrated, that the calamities would be as refiner's fire from which a purified remnant would emerge who would put their trust in the Lord (Is 1:24-26, 10:20f). The unswerving dedication of Isaiah and the other prophets was due to their knowledge of the character of God. The question for the intercessor is what will God do at this time to refine his Church?
There is little doubt that the Church needs prophetic revelation of the quality of Isaiah today and the full operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The painful lesson to be gained from the prophecies of Isaiah is that there needs to be reliance on the revealed character of God, which can only be found through the scriptures and in prayer. Worshipping an idea about God can only lead to disaster.
Judah ignored the warnings and were taken into exile by the Babylonians in 587 BC, from whence came the lament "How can we sing the Lord's song in a strange land" (Ps 137). Christians who leave the scriptures might well find themselves in a strange land, albeit the land in which they dwell.
First published in Prophecy Today, Vol 12 No 5, September 1996. Revised July 2016.
How does Revelation relate to other Bible passages on the end times?
The Prophets of the Old Testament spoke out of the context of God's dealings with Israel and Judah. Much of what they said echoed back to the Great Flood or to Israel's deliverance from Egypt, and much was in the time-frame and context of the Babylonian captivity.
Their message was directly applicable to those difficult days but also carried with it a sense of fulfilment yet to come. Today we can see the types and shadows of Israel's experience more clearly, especially when we seek insights concerning the days ahead.
Jesus Fulfils the Prophets
The key to understanding how the Prophets spoke in veiled terms about the end times is revealed in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21, when Jesus spoke of the signs of his return. He brought clarity to what the Prophets proclaimed accurately but which had hitherto been understood only in vague visionary terms.
The Book of Revelation came later. Hence, it is wise to study the end time prophecies of the Old Testament first, so that the Book of Revelation is read in context. Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 act as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments.
Jesus brought clarity to what the Prophets had proclaimed about the end times.
The Book of Revelation: Why?
The early disciples did not have the Book of Revelation for at least 35 years after Jesus' death and resurrection. They had enough from the Tanakh (Old Testament) and what Jesus had told them prior to his death to prepare for his coming. Yet John was given substantially greater insights whilst on the Island of Patmos, which he passed on to Jesus' later disciples. There must be a reason.
One reason, surely, was the persecution of Jesus' disciples under the Roman Empire, and the scattering of Israel around 70 AD. Further comfort was needed: the same sort of comfort afforded by Paul to the Thessalonians (1 Thess 4-5; 2 Thess 2). Another reason is because of the difficult times that lie ahead as the end times draw near. These times are likened to Israel in Babylon and the world under Rome - also the time of Noah.
When we read the Book of Revelation, therefore, we must read it as further insights on what had already been revealed to God's people by the earlier Prophets and by Jesus. Taking Matthew 24 as our reference, let's see how it all fits together.
Revelation provides further insights on what had already been revealed through the Prophets and through Jesus.
First: An Overview
John's revelation on the Island of Patmos was as powerful as the heavenly visions given to Isaiah (Isa 6), Ezekiel (Ezek 1) and Daniel (Dan 7-12). At times through angelic presence, at times through direct communication from the risen Lord Jesus, at times through vision (whether symbolic or literal), John was given what Jesus wants his disciples to know.
Revelation 1 is the beginning of Jesus' communication from Heaven to earth, demanding a profound encounter with John, and then proceeding in the down-to-earth description of various Church congregations (with which John would have been familiar), with warnings and commendations.
Seven congregations are addressed directly (Rev 2-3). Jesus showed that his presence was among his people in their congregations and that nothing was hidden from him - whether things worthy of commendation or things deserving criticism.
Surely we, in later days, were intended to know that these things are also true of our own congregations. The Book of Revelation puts our down-to-earth church experience in the context of what John was shown of the heavenly realms. Jesus has shown us these things because we too will need these reassurances and pieces of advice.
The early disciples heard these truths in terms of the persecutions of Rome. We hear them in the context of a coming world empire likened to Babylon. Chiefly, then, we read Revelation in the context of the Old Testament Prophets and the teaching of Jesus.
Revelation puts our down-to-earth church experience in the context of the heavenly realms.
The World to Come
As we develop a picture of the world to come, although we will not have the full understanding until the time comes, God cultivates within us a joyous expectation of final victory. The end chapters of Revelation are rich with symbolism, the meaning of which is not always obvious, but when read as God intends, they still convey to the heart a sense of truth and expectation.
Some things, as Paul said, are like looking through a glass dimly (1 Cor 13:12). We see the general form and have an idea of the vague outline, but our understanding will only be clarified as these things unfold – as our experience of eternity is made real.
From Chapter 4 onwards our attention is drawn to heavenly perspectives – the awesomeness of the heavenly throne-room and the activities and perspectives that are going on there, particularly in relation to our earthly experience. In the midst of life on earth, how easily we forget how close the Lord is in the unseen heavenlies!
We need a vision of this heavenly reality in order to put the coming pressures of our earthly experience into their true context. We are not alone. The coming events on earth will be totally within the purposes and Sovereign control of God, despite the powers of evil holding sway for a short time.
We need a vision of the heavenly reality to comfort and reassure us through the coming trials.
Heaven and Earth in Our Day
Jesus, in Matthew 24 (and parallel passages in Mark and Luke), described the way we would experience this on earth. Now, through Revelation, we see it from the heavenly perspective. That is what the Book of Revelation adds to what we already learn from the rest of the Bible.
The descriptions of the Seven Congregations and the Throne Room in Heaven give us this contrast, and shows us the seriousness of the experiences we will go through on earth. They are neither random, nor in the hands and purposes of man, but under the authority and sovereignty of God.
The Seals symbolise God's release of the prophesied final events of earth's history. The possibility for their release is because Jesus has now given himself as a sacrifice for sin so that the entire world can, for the time allocated by God, hear the Gospel (Rev 5) prior to the final judgment.
To illustrate how this fits with the rest of end times Scripture, let us see how the events described in Revelation are very similar – even the same as those Jesus described from an earthly perspective in Matthew 24.
A comparison of Revelation 6-8 with Matthew 24 (not definitive).
Comparing the Two Lists and Their Purpose
It is no coincidence that these two lists are so compatible - Jesus' description of the signs of his coming is repeated in Revelation from a heavenly perspective, which shows us that all is in the awesome hand of God. We will need this assurance as the times move forward and events intensify. It will give us sufficient insight to comfort us through those days.
Revelation 10-19 puts these same events in the context of our world largely taken over by the powers of satan until such a time that God brings an end to it. satan is only working under God's permissive will.
A world power will come to the fore with the power of satan behind it, also within God's permissive will, with the end he has in view then finally coming to pass. The signs of Jesus' coming are put into the context of evil taking hold of the world, an evil from which Jesus' disciples must withdraw whilst watching and prayerfully waiting patiently for him.
Much of the heavenly revelation in these chapters is symbolic and dramatic to show us that there is much happening in the unseen heavens, behind and beyond our earthly experience.
Revelation reassures and comforts us that the events to come are all in the awesome hand of God.
The Return of Jesus – The Certain Climax of it All
In the end there will be the dramatic return of Jesus with authority to judge all people, when his victory over death will be made real to all that have faith in him and when his Lordship will be revealed to all (Rom 14:11; Isa 45:23).
Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 are clear down-to-earth descriptions of those times. The Book of Revelation introduces us to the fact that there is an awesome heavenly perspective behind the scenes of what will be experienced on this earth. Our response to this awesome picture is to hold in faith for the final outcome, rather than to work out a detailed formula ahead of time predicting all that will take place.
Next time: The Parable of the wise and foolish virgins
This week's scriptures: Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11; Isaiah 40:1-26; Matthew 23:31-39; Mark 12:28-34.
The Book of Deuteronomy always seems like a pastoral letter to me. Contrasted with the other books of Torah there is a heart-to-heart feel threading through it.
The title of this week's Torah portion ('I pleaded' in English) illustrates this. Moses was able to talk to God as a child to a father, pleading to be allowed to go into the Promised Land. God's reply was as a father to a son – "Enough of that! Speak no more to me of this matter..." (Deut 3:26-27).
The way the Book of Deuteronomy is written helps us to understand that Torah is teaching more than it is impersonal law and justice (Dos and Don'ts). The Ten Commandments are in our portion this week, but set into the Book as a whole, we sense the father heart of God as much as what he requires of his people.
An Issue of the Heart
In this vein chapter 4 begins, "Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land that the Lord God of your fathers is giving you."
Central to our portion is the Shema, "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength" (Deut 6:4-5). Jesus identified this as the greatest Commandment (Matt 22:37-38), central to all else that God requires of his people. Love is an issue of the heart, cultivated through experience with God the Father and with his people. It is not attainable through human effort alone, but through spiritual growth.
Education God's Way
Notice the emphasis on teaching – "Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you..." (Deut 6:1). The principle of teaching is applied to what God has commanded.
It is the clear responsibility of parents to teach their children all the things God requires – "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk in the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up" (Deut 6:7). Those walks and talks along the way of life are so important!
Education backed by punishments and rewards, lectures and written examinations, is (in some ways) easier to administer than one which cultivates a heart with a love of God, but is not certain to produce the result God is looking for. With the world around us setting the benchmarks of education it is easy to be beguiled by the world system rather than learning to educate in God's way. We must be careful! Worldly strategies for education can even creep into our Sunday School or Bible college curricula.
Only with Help
From the history of Israel, we know that it was not easy to achieve God's purposes through the written commands alone.
As we consider what Moses and Joshua sought to understand and teach Israel let us rejoice that God the Father and Jesus his Son have sent us their Holy Spirit to help us to study and teach. We only achieve true love of God through the transforming power of his Spirit in us, and that is the only way our children will achieve it too.
Author: Dr Clifford Denton
This week's scriptures: Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22; Isaiah 1:1-27; Acts 9:1-21; 1 Timothy 3:1-7
The Book of Deuteronomy (Hebrew devarim = 'words') records Moses' summary of the instructions and teaching that God had given to His covenant people Israel to be a witness to the nations. These commandments contained both blessing and curse, life and death, and the promise both of God's presence if His people would trust and obey Him and of His discipline if they rebelled.
It is interesting that the word devarim is related to another word, devorim, that has the same 3-letter root (dalet-bet-resh), and means 'bees'. The link is that both God's words and the life of the bee are carefully ordered by the Creator. But the bee has a sting of discipline and rebuke that God uses in His Torah (His teaching for life) to deal with disobedience and rebellion.
Our thought this week is to consider how God's discipline of His covenant people Israel speaks to us in His dealings with us in these days. The Midrash tells us that Torah is as sweet as honey but also has a sting of rebuke; an elixir of life to the obedient, but a sting of death to the rebel.1
Israel's Presumption at the Gate of the Promised Land
After their experience of the awesome power and Presence of God at Mount Horeb, Israel moved to Kadesh Barnea (south of Beersheva) and sent 12 leaders to explore the hill-country of the Land that God had promised them. Moses reminded them that God had said: Do not be afraid of the people there. I will go before you and fight for you, as I did in Egypt, and in the desert. Indeed, He had carried them 'as a father carries his son', all the way (Deut 1:29-31).
But only Caleb and Joshua saw the goodness of God's promise, and the ten other leaders brought back an evil report, which made the people lose heart, and accuse God of bringing them into the desert to kill them. Even acknowledging their sin, in their presumption they thought that taking the land would be easy without God to protect them, but the Amorites in the land chased them back like a swarm of bees (Deut 1:44). This rebellion resulted in a further 40 years wandering in the wilderness until all that generation had died. It was a sting of discipline indeed.
Moses shows us the importance of warnings and admonition against the tendency to sin. Awareness of this is essential to the oversight of any endeavour. Overseers of any Godly project must model themselves on God's standards. Like Moses, they must be watchmen, encouragers and disciplinarians, and show by their actions that they are worthy of honour and respect, a requirement of all leaders both in Church and state.
The Nature of Discipline – Love and Correction
Discipline and unconditional love are two sides of the same coin, especially for children and those undergoing maturing tests and correction, even with a sting. They are necessary and vital elements of righteous leadership, whether by parents over their children, by prime ministers over the citizens in their nation, or by overseers (bishops) and pastors over their flocks. We see in the Haftarah (the weekly prophetic portion) that God regards Israel as His 'children' (Isa 1:2), and He is the Father of all to whom He has given life. Leaders that He raises up also have responsibility for Godly care over their 'children', and should reflect God's love and discipline to bring them to maturity.
Leaders need to rebuke and reform where there is sin or rebellion - but with love. Moses and Isaiah did this for Israel. Both called on heaven and earth to witness what the Lord had done for them (see Deut 32:1; Isa 1:2. Biblically, two witness are required to establish a matter - Deut 29:15). But man's inclination to sin requires correction as a way back to his relationship with a holy God, and the Midrash again comments the "You must learn from the animals how to serve Me – even the ox knows his maker".2 God sustains both but only man goes astray and turns to his own way (Isa 53:6). We all know that 2-years old toddlers do not need to be taught to rebel!
Sometimes, like Saul (Paul) on the road to Damascus, we too need a dramatic experience of the Lord Jesus to turn us back onto the correct path (Acts 9:4-8). Many of us remember about-turns in our life, whether through loving parents, through law-enforcement officers or through God Himself. The appropriate response to such correction is called repentance.
God's Way of Discipline – For Our Leaders Also
God has put His Spirit in mankind. His way is to discipline his 'children' with love, correction, encouragement, and more love. Every manager knows that that model works! And it comes straight from God's word (Heb 12:5-11). Through Moses, He says to us also, "Do not grumble, but trust Me, a Father who carries you as a father carries his son, all the way: do not be afraid; the Lord God Himself will fight for you" (Deut 1:31, 22). And through Isaiah He says, "Stop doing wrong; learn to do right. Seek justice; encourage the oppressed: I called Jerusalem as 'Sodom', yet, You will be called City of Righteousness" (Isa 1:10, 26).
It is righteousness that exalts a nation3 (has made even Britain 'great'), but sin is a disgrace to any people (Prov 14:34). If we in Britain turn back to God in repentance at this time, with thanksgiving for His mercy in the decision to leave the European Union, He may raise up, in both Church and government, the Godly leaders that we need, those who know God's pattern of love and discipline, according to the biblical pattern of overseers – above reproach, a model husband and father, of temperate behaviour, disciplined, a sober, gentle and abstemious teacher, humble, mature, and of good reputation (1 Tim 3:4-5).
In continuing to forsake God we will reject peace, and Brexit will only bring rebuke and confusion (Deut 28:20). We have spoken to the EU, but we now need urgently to speak to God, and to appoint Godly leaders.
Author: Greg Stevenson
References
1 Tz'enah Ur'enah, 2007. The Weekly Midrash, Vol 1:879, Mesorah Publications, NY.
2 Ibid, p990.
3 New Living Translation.
Does Team GB's Olympic success prove that Britain is still 'Great'?
In the aftermath of the Brexit vote, Britain is undergoing something of an identity crisis. Our news media are populating our screens with stories that reassure us in some way that Britain still has lots to offer.1 We do have potential, we do have a future – we are still Great Britain!
Olympic Fuss
Newspapers and TV screens are filled with Olympic success. Never have our athletes done better! Next week they will be coming home with pockets full of gold and silver and bronze. Our ranking in the medal tables has exceeded all expectations. Team GB has done brilliantly, but has the media coverage been excessive? It is as if the rest of the world has stopped turning for two weeks!
Five-year-old Omran Daqneesh, rescued in Aleppo. See credits below.Of course, it is the 'silly season' for news when politicians are all at their beach resorts trying to forget Westminster, the economy, the world and all the other things that fill their minds through the rest of the year. But do we risk shutting our eyes to the horrors of war still taking place in Syria? Dare we turn a blind eye to the little boy in the ambulance in Aleppo, his blood-stained face in deep shock, too traumatised even to cry – his home just blown from around him by a Russian or a Syrian bomb?
Perhaps, as a nation, our confidence has been so greatly shaken during the past three months that we are trying to focus upon something which increases our sense of security and self-worth. The removal of the EU crutch by the Brexit vote left us suddenly feeling wobbly and vulnerable, in need of something else to grab onto to steady ourselves. The Olympics came at just the right time!
The news media has seized the moment to rejoice in a new wave of patriotism2 – it's a bit like the last night of the Proms as we watch our athletes getting gold and the world listening to our national anthem! Is this heralding a return to the old nationalism – the patriotic sentiment that much of the media were ironically so keen to dismiss during the Referendum campaign as old-fashioned and backward-looking, compared with the glamourous, cosmopolitan lifestyles promised by the EU?
Suddenly Britain's national 'greatness', our position relative to all other nations, has become all-important again – at least for the Olympic fortnight.
Our national confidence has been so shaken during the past months – no wonder we are trying to increase our sense of security and self-worth.
The Search for Fulfilment
It is human nature to seek security and safety, identity and fulfilment – and this is true at a national level as well as for individuals. For Britain, we are at a very special juncture in our history: trying to come to terms with the imminent removal of that which has given us a major sense of security and identity - of 'who we are' as the United Kingdom - for more than 40 years of EU membership.
Of course, the shock of Brexit might ultimately be good for our island's entrepreneurial spirit – forcing us to go it alone and prove that we Brits 'have what it takes' to succeed in the modern world, instead of riding on our past colonial successes or our membership of the EU bloc.
But ideally, the shock will also encourage people to ask deeper questions about our direction as a nation, rather than just grit their teeth and struggle on.
Blessed Assurance
Whether they are quite conscious of it or not, many people are feeling shaken and unnerved by the current volatility – politically, economically, socially, culturally - both at home and abroad. All bets are off; our previous 'way of life' can no longer be taken for granted. Nobody knows what the future holds.
Given this state of affairs, it is not surprising that the mainstream media is scrabbling around desperately for something else to lean on, something seemingly stable. But as the nations are shaken, God's loving intention is that people turn to him – not to some other definition of identity that revolves around our own strength and prowess as human beings. Ultimately, we were designed to seek and find our fulfilment in the God of Creation, before anything and anyone else.
Many people are feeling shaken and unnerved by the current volatility – all bets are off.
There may be a strong sense of anti-climax when the Olympics are over but if those who do have a faith in God can use this opportunity somehow to present a more hopeful vision for the future, we could see the nation gaining a new sense of purpose and direction – a newly-strengthened identity in God! We should not overlook the fact that a huge amount of prayer for the nation preceded the Referendum - the opportunity is there now for Christians to share their faith in God with others.
The only ones who have access to true stability and peace in these difficult days are those who have found their ultimate security, fulfilment and protection in the immovable Rock of Ages, the Lord Jesus. Our fellow Britons will not find genuine stability from any other source – so we MUST make sure that they see him in us! We have a mandate to declare and live out the truth that God alone holds the key to all unknown – and will be a sure foundation for all who trust in him.
References
1 Perhaps they are assuming that those who voted Remain are still in the depths of despair, and/or hoping that those who voted Leave have since changed their minds!
2 See similar analysis from Alan Cowell of the New York Times, 18 August 2016.
Clifford Denton considers Jesus' teaching on the end times - and how it sheds new light on Old Testament prophecy.
Messianic expectation is a thread that weaves its way through the entire Old Testament. However, until Jesus the Son of God came to earth, the Messianic scriptures were open to interpretation - as were the scriptures that described the world situation at the end of time.
The interpretations of the chief Rabbinical schools could be so wide of the mark that the Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection after death (Matt 22:23). There was much down-to-earth expectation that the prophetic scriptures would be fulfilled on this earth.
For instance, many would have wondered if the occupation of Israel by Rome was the fulfilment of many of the end times passages in the Prophetic books, including the last chapters of Ezekiel and Daniel. This strong belief contributed to Jesus being rejected as Messiah and crucified as a false prophet.
Before Jesus, scriptures about the coming Messiah were open to interpretation – as were those about the end times.
New Light on the Prophets
In the plainest of language, Jesus' explanation of the signs of his return (recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21) sheds new light on the end time prophetic scriptures. Christians tend to read these scriptures in a forward-looking way, but the first disciples would also have looked back to understand in a new way what the Prophets had spoken. So in speaking of the signs of his coming, Jesus prompted his disciples to reconsider the Tanakh (Old Testament) in a new way and a new context.
It was at last possible to interpret the Old Testament prophecies with clarity and connect them up with New Testament prophecy. This is profound! It is as profound as the re-interpretation of the Passover from the exodus out of Egypt to the new birth of the New Covenant. It is as profound as an interpretation of end time scriptures from a focus on an earthly Kingdom in this age to the coming Kingdom of God in a New Heaven and a New Earth.
Connecting Prophecy Across the Testaments
Ezekiel 37-39, for example, can be re-read in the context of Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. For some Israelites these chapters built an expectation of fulfilment at the time of Rome's rise to power under the Caesars, their world Empire and their domination of Israel. Israel's Messianic expectation was for release from this dominant world empire.
The same is true of Daniel 11-12. Whilst the rise of the abomination of desolation of Daniel 11:31 might once have been attributed to Antiochus Epiphanes, the Hellenistic Seleucid conqueror of Israel, Jesus pointed to a greater fulfilment yet to come (Matt 2:15).
With Jesus' revelations, it became possible to interpret the Old Testament prophecies with new clarity.
Within the command to watch and pray would be the expectation that Jesus' disciples would continue to seek understanding of the times when all these prophecies would be fulfilled.
How far removed Jesus' disciples were from this understanding can be seen in Peter's suggestion when Jesus was transfigured (Matt 17:4) that three tabernacles (sukkot) be constructed, one each for Jesus. Moses and Elijah. He seems to have thought that this was the time of fulfilment of the Feast of Tabernacles - the time when Messiah would come to rule on earth.
Thus Jesus' answer to the question about the signs of his coming (Matt 24:3) would have put a context to all the Messianic scriptures and their fulfilment. While the message of the biblical prophets was couched in mystery, Jesus made their interpretation plain, and caused the disciples to begin to read them afresh and look forward to what would come upon the earth.
Jesus Interprets the Prophets
God prepared the way in the prophecies of the Old Testament for what would come upon this earth at the end of time – and Jesus made these earlier prophecies clear. The events that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24, all in the context of Old Testament prophecy, are:
- Times of deception (24:4)
- False Messiahs (24:5)
- Wars and rumours of wars (24:6)
- Famines, plagues and earthquakes (24:7)
- Great tribulation upon Jesus' disciples and upon his people (24:8-9)
- Division, hate and betrayal (24:10)
- False prophets (24:11)
- Lawlessness (24:12)
- Lack of love among people (24:12)
- A call to endure through these trials with promised salvation to those who hold firm to the end (24:13)
- The Gospel being preached to all nations prior to the end and prior to Jesus' return (24:14)
- A warning sign of the abomination of desolation (24:15)
- Continued warnings of troubled times and how to respond to them (24:15-28)
- Post-tribulation signs in the universe (24:29-30)
- The sign of the Son of Man (24:30)
- Post-tribulation gathering of the elect (24:31)
- Parable of the fig tree, symbolic of the restoration of Israel (24:32)
- Some taken and some left (24:36-42)
Jesus also made it clear how his followers are to behave in the midst of these events, emphasising the importance of watching (24:42) and of maintaining faith, persevering through trials (24:42-49). He also emphasised the surprise element, explaining that nobody will know the exact time of his return – only the signs (24:42-44).
In summary, Jesus told his disciples clearly what to expect and how to respond to the circumstances coming upon the world. He did not give them a time-line so much as a set of events - some of which overlap, others of which are in sequence. Verses 3 to 14 contain the first statement of the events. Verses 15 to 28 address those same events and (following the therefore in verse 15) show us how to respond when a specific sign is seen.
Jesus told his disciples clearly what to expect and how to respond – but he did not give them a time-line.
Verse 29 indicates that Jesus will not return until after this great tribulation. At that time, it will be comparable to the time of Noah (24:37) and this is the time that some will be taken and some left on the earth.
We know from God's covenant with Noah that there will not be a judgment by flood (Gen 9:8-11), so we are left to wonder what the fate of those left on the earth might be.
End Time Fulfilment of Old Testament Prophecy
Our first priority in reading Matthew 24 is to relate it to what the Prophets had already said about the end times. Later, after Jesus had left to be with the Father, further prophecy was given to John, recorded as the Book of Revelation. Just as Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 interpreted prophecies of the Old Testament, so they also interpret Revelation.
This gives us a method of reading Revelation - reading it in the context of both Jesus' clear description of the events of the end times and also what the Old Testament Prophets revealed.
With markers in Matthew, Mark and Luke, and by cross-reference to the prophecies of the Old Testament, we see how the mysterious visions of John echo what Jesus had already told his disciples in the context of what the entire Bible says.
Read the Book of Revelation for yourself and let's look at it together next time.
Next time: Comparing the Book of Revelation with Matthew 24.
In our continuing series on the relevance of the message of the prophets for today, Jock Stein looks at the Prophet Micah.
Micah was a seer (Mic 1:1), looking from God's perspective at cities, leaders and the events of three reigns that spanned some 50 years, from 740 to 690 BC. It is the lot of a prophet to see things and people as they really are before God, and that can be painful (Mic 1:8).
Judgment on Samaria and Jerusalem
The book of Micah begins with a word addressed to all the world but concerning two small parts of it, Samaria and Jerusalem. What God does in one location is to become a sign to many, just as Micah's weeping and wailing is to be a sign to all people (Mic 1:8). His actions are a prelude to judgment, for Samaria and Jerusalem are to be destroyed (Mic 1:6; 3:12).
It is a long time since a British city faced destruction – but the Lockerbie disaster and, more recently, the 2005 terror attacks in London are just tiny hints of what could so easily occur to our major cities. For decades the ultimate threat has been that of nuclear war, but many have chosen to ignore such dangers. In God's providence, nuclear catastrophe has so far been kept at bay.
The threat of global disaster is still there, however, as nuclear know-how proliferates, environmental pollution grows, and information systems become ever more vulnerable to 'knock-out'.
But Micah warns us that the reality of judgment is not some vague and distant threat, but comes at specific times to specific cities. It is unexpected, although not unheralded, and will come at a time when people are eating, drinking and getting married (Matt 24:38). It occurs as a result of the sins of a nation's leaders (Mic 2:1-2).
It is the lot of a prophet to see things and people as they really are before God.
Calling Leaders to Account
The prophet looks the leaders of Israel squarely in the eye, calling them to account (Mic 3). Many different elements go to make up the life of a nation, each one the responsibility of leaders whose job it is to know what is right, to love that which is righteous, and to do the right thing (Mic 3:1-2; 6:8). Those with responsibility could be categorised as follows:
- Those with political power (princes, elders and military officials)
- Those with economic power (landowners, accumulators of wealth and merchants)
- Those with judicial power (judges and elders)
- Those with religious power (prophets and priests)
But who would fit into such categories today?
The 'Movers and Shakers'
These are the people who make things happen: the cabinet ministers, captains of industry and so on. Others are less well known, but make up what used to be thought of as the 'Establishment'.
However, the scene has changed in Britain, not least with the incursion of 'European' directives, the Thatcherite revolution, the decline in power of the Trade Unions, the royal family's loss of credibility, and the demise of 'consensus government'.1
For years, Britain has relied for its ethical stability on a moral consensus among 'the good and the great'. This would no longer appear to hold - indeed, sadly, today's 'movers and shakers' are more likely to reflect the interests of the rich and powerful than the poor.
It may well be that Christians within politics and the media, like the Jews in exile, have few options. But those in leadership - whatever their religious beliefs - are called to know, love and follow that which is good.
For years, Britain's ethical stability has relied on a moral consensus among 'the good and the great' – but this no longer appears to hold.
Police, Legislators and the Courts
Britain once had an excellent reputation for its legal system, judges and police, a reputation now tarnished through allegations of corruption and cover-ups. Many who work in the inner city, or on marginalised council estates, are quick to point out similar instances of injustice.
Our assessment of the situation may partly be coloured by the unreasonable expectations we have of the police to contain problems that in fact stem from decades of neglecting the moral and social fabric of society. It is clear that Britain's laws tend to favour the rich rather than the poor, though we have not yet reached the cruelty of 19th Century France as portrayed by Victor Hugo in the novel Les Miserables. Micah reminds us that true justice is a matter of practice as well as of theory - that even good laws will fail to provide blessing unless those who carry them out act justly. In Micah 6:8 we read, "The Lord has told you mortals what is good, and what it is that the Lord requires of you: only to act justly, to love loyalty, to walk humbly with your God" (Revised English Version).
Church Leaders
Micah's word in 3:11 is most obviously addressed to those who preach a gospel of 'health and wealth', claiming the authority of Scripture for promises of blessing, when in reality judgment is about to fall.
And yet, when judgment occurs, the people "must go to Babylon", into the place of exile, in order that they might be saved. There is no easy road to blessing. So it is today, the rich Christians in Britain who "spin words" (Mic 2:6) may be saved, yet only just (1 Cor 3:15).
Micah's word is addressed to all leaders, not just the religious ones. Government can never be morally neutral, with politicians simply acting as referees, holding the ring for different sectors of society to have a 'fair fight'. Instead, those in authority are to look after the poor, restrain evil and promote what is good. It is this which creates conditions for prosperity and peace.
Christians Have a Special Responsibility
Yet no government can change the heart of a nation. Only the Lord can "lead the way" (Mic 2:13). That is why Christians, and Christian leaders in particular, have a special responsibility for the life of the nation. They should intercede, speak out and be a prophetic people, living out the word of God in such a way that unbelievers who see their lifestyles are challenged.
The book of Micah is not a weapon with which Christians can self-righteously knock the Government - is a call for us to repent.
The book of Micah is not a weapon with which Christians can knock the Government in self-righteous fashion, but is a call for us to repent. We need to see clearly that the result of disobedience is the withdrawal of God's hand. We need to embrace the promise of God (Mic 4), that beyond the days of exile lies a blessing for the world, a peace and prosperity born of loyalty to the Lord.
The word of God comes from Jerusalem (Mic 4:2). It is anchored in the specifics of God's revelation through Israel. What light still has to come from the book of Micah may not yet be clear to us - but we need to "watch for the Lord" (Mic 7:7), and intercede with him, for it is written, "You do not stay angry for ever, but delight to show mercy" (Mic 7:18).
First published in Prophecy Today, Vol 10 No 2, March 1994. Revised July 2016.
Notes
1 These examples date from when the article was first published. Time has now moved on – more recent trends include the move to globalism, centralising world government and creating notable weaknesses in national leadership across the world. Even though the UK is withdrawing from Europe, we are still experiencing weakened leadership through division in our political parties and across the nation, accompanied by a rise in 'people power' fuelled in part by rapid communication through social media.
We re-print an important series from the original printed Prophecy Today magazine, on the relevance of the message of the Old Testament prophets for today.
A short series seeking to set our perspectives straight on a very controversial and divisive topic.
The End Times
2. A Hebraic Approach to Reading Scripture