Weekly Scriptures: Leviticus 26:3-27:34; Jeremiah 16:19-17:14; Matthew 21:33-46; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

This week’s Torah portion completes our reading from Leviticus. Chapter 26 echoes Deuteronomy 28 (which comes later in the Torah cycle), being the covenant conditions for blessings or for curses. Chapter 27 covers various applications of the principle of redemption. Let’s see if we can discover a single theme from what seems like two separate themes.

Israel, Covenant and the Law

Chapter 26 is a useful chapter to quote when someone claims that the Christian Church has replaced Israel. The blessings of God have come upon Gentiles who live by faith in Jesus, but not to the extent that Israel is now lost and their blessings have been transferred to us. If so, then have the curses for disobedience been transferred as well? It can’t be that!

The fact is that Israel remains a distinct people. Even today, if Israelites seek to live according to the covenant God made with Moses, then Leviticus 26 applies to them until the curse of the law is removed.

Foreshadowing Jesus

This takes us to chapter 27, which deals with principles of redemption. Both chapter 26 and chapter 27 anticipate the ministry of Jesus the Messiah.

Many from the Tribes of Israel have come to faith in Jesus. Through the New Covenant in Jesus’ blood, foreseen by Jeremiah (Jer 31:31-37), those Israelites who live by faith in Jesus have been redeemed from the curse of the law.

Chapter 26, simple though it seems to fulfil in its requirements to keep God’s statutes, has proved too much for human flesh. It is not that the law is faulty (Psalm 19 and Psalm 119 still speak of the greatness of God’s Torah). But Israel had to learn that they needed help, to release them to walk with God according to the spirit of the Torah, free of the consequences of the curse of sin. Only Jesus could do this through his redeeming sacrifice, which fulfilled the requirements of the law once for all.

For Gentiles?

So how is this relevant to Christians from the Gentile world? There is a sense in which the laws of God apply to us too, though not in terms of the covenant made at Sinai. We managed to sin without knowing about the requirements given to Israel, but when we discovered what sin was – transgression of God’s law - we also were able to find redemption through Jesus.

We entered the same community of faith to which the first believers from the Tribes of Israel belonged. Until then, we (without knowing it) lived under a curse. That is, our future outside of Jesus was heading towards a lost eternity. Jesus took away that curse for us.

So, for both Jew and Gentile, though by different paths, chapters 26 and 27 of Leviticus point to our need of Jesus. The Jews suffered much so that we could learn from their failed attempts to live by the principles of chapter 26. One such lesson comes from the Babylonian captivity, fulfilling verse 35, as shown in 2 Chronicles 36:20-21:

And those who escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon, where they became servants to him and his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia, to fulfil the word of the Lord by Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate she kept her Sabbath, to fulfil seventy years.

God’s Indescribable Gift

As we reflect on our Torah portion this week let us remember with thanks what it has cost Israel for us to inherit the blessings of the covenant God gave to Abraham. We have received full redemption by the power of Jesus’ blood so that we can enter God’s covenant family through grace, the curse of the law being removed.

A suitable New Testament reading to balance these perspectives for us is Galatians 3-4. Read both the Torah portion and the passage from Galatians carefully and prayerfully, giving thanks to God for his indescribable gift, and pray for those who are still living outside such wonderful grace, whether Jew or Gentile.

Author: Dr Clifford Denton

Weekly scriptures: Leviticus 25:1–26:2; Jeremiah 32:6-27; Luke 4:16-21

Our 'thought' this week is based on God's covenant promises to His people Israel at two special times in their walk with Him, which challenge us also in our response to trust Him to fulfil His word. This week's Torah portion - Behar ('on the mountain') - deals with two themes related to the covenant that God made with His people at Mount Sinai: one concerning the sabbatical year (the sh'mittah) - every 7^th year; and the other concerning the Jubilee year (the yovel) - every 50^th year.

Sh'mittah Year

The sh'mittah was to be a year of complete rest for the land which God required of His people and a year of freedom for slaves (both after six years of work), and it included the remittance of all debts. The word means 'release'. This demonstrated God's care for His land, and for the poor who could collect food from the land during this year, and it was also to prevent the accumulation of wealth to the detriment of the poor.

The freedom for the land every seven years was important for crop production, but also for God's people: to establish a deep trust in His provision and to see the blessings for hearing and obeying His teaching. Failure to observe this law over 70 sh'mittah years resulted in the exile of Israel in Babylon (Lev 26:33-35), but their return was also promised (2 Chron 36:21, Jer 25:12, 29:10).

Jeremiah foresaw this exile and, in faith, prophetically witnessed to God's faithfulness in Israel's restoration by buying a field in his home town for use after their return. This might have seemed impossible to Jeremiah (and to us?) but he proclaimed:

Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power – nothing is too hard for you. (Jer 32:17)

God replied, as He had done to Sarah, aged 90, in promising a son for her in a year's time: "I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for Me?" (Jer 32:27; Gen 18:14). God is worthy of our obedience too, precisely because He always fulfils His covenant promises. That encourages us to obey His word and it is His Sh'ma to us: Hear and obey.

Jubilee Year

The yovel (Jubilee) was also a year of freedom every 49 (7x7) years, and was announced by blowing the shofar on Yom Kippur (yovel is the Hebrew word for the sound or blast of the shofar). This 50^th year was to be separated from other years as holy, and God reminded the people that "the Land is Mine and you are but aliens, and My tenants" (Lev 25:23). The land must not be sold permanently, or divided (Joel 3:2) – which has serious implications for today - because He is their Sovereign King, their 'Landlord', and as His people they were to dwell in His Kingdom and be a witness to the nations around them – "that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other" (1 Ki 8:60).

To do this, their hearts had to be fully committed to the Lord, for they were in the land as "strangers and sojourners with Me" (Lev 25:23). Note the "with Me". He brought them out of Egypt specifically "to bring you to Myself" (Ex 19:4). Though given to them by covenant, the land was His and it was the one place that God chose to dwell – with His people (Deut 12:11).

Do we consider ourselves as sojourners in this life? And are we also fully committed to our Lord so that we too can be the witnesses He calls us to be (Acts 1:8)?

The Renewed Covenant

For all people today, this is a call to 'whosoever will come' from all the nations, to enter into the freedom of His Kingdom through belief in the Son of God, Jesus (Yeshua), the Jewish Messiah.

For Israel, the Kingdom was established through three foundational covenants: first, the Abrahamic covenant, given by grace, to live in trust and faith in His land, where He would dwell with them; second, through the Mosaic covenant given on the mountain (Behar) at Sinai as a ketubah (a marriage document), given in love, securing protection through their obedience to His teaching and instruction (Torah), with God as their King.

Then, on another mountain (Mt Moriah), in the city in which He chose to dwell (the city of Yeshua the Great King - Jerusalem - Ps 48:2), God again entered human history in His Son, and fulfilled His promise to restore:

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you your heart of stone...I will put My spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees. You will live in the land I gave your forefathers, and you will be My people and I will be your God. (Ezek 36:26-27)

To fulfil this promise, Jesus renewed and expanded God's covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah (Jer 31:31-33) to include all who would believe in Him and enter into the spiritual freedom of Jubilee, both Jew and Gentile. Through His Name, they will receive forgiveness of sins and the gift of His Holy Spirit (Acts 10:43-48).

The Final Jubilee

On the final Day of the Lord, a Jubilee will be proclaimed by another yovel, a shofar gadol (a great shofar), "with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God". Then Jesus Himself will descend from heaven "with a shout of Jubilee" to raise the dead in Christ and to catch up (rapture) all believers who are alive, to meet the Lord in the air and to be with Him for ever (1 Thess 4:16-18). What words of comfort and encouragement these are!

Jesus' ministry to preach the Gospel, heal the sick and proclaim the year of the Lord's favour (Isa 61:1-2a, Luke 4:16-17) alludes to the Kingdom Jubilee that He established on the Cross, by the sacrifice of Himself, once for all people. This offering, fulfilled perfectly and completely, gives for all who believe in Him, redemption through His Blood, freedom from sin and death, and the gift of eternal life with Him and the Father by His Spirit. Through Jesus, the Father has adopted us as His sons "to the praise of His glorious Grace, which the Father has freely given us in the One He loves" (Eph 1:6).

This is the really Good News – Messiah has given us a foretaste (in the mountain at Sinai and at Mount Moriah in Jerusalem) of the freedom that will take place when He comes to gather in all who choose to hear and receive His offer. But for those who choose not to hear, and wilfully reject Him in unbelief, this will provoke God's judgment (John 3:36 - the day of vengeance of our God – Isa 61:2b).

The hour is late, beloved - it is decision time. The thought for this week is: TODAY, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your heart, but let His love work in you for the freedom and joy in salvation that He offers.

Author: Greg Stevenson

Is the latest American Civil War a threat to Britain? Dr Hill tackles a controversial subject.

What started as a minor dispute in North Carolina has become a battle raging across the whole of the United States. It has the potential of threatening the social stability of the nation and is likely to spread to Britain.

A national debate has been in progress for some time in the USA on 'transgender rights'. President Barack Obama's administration issued a statement on 13 May declaring that all public schools must allow transgender students to use the bathroom (toilets, locker rooms and showers) of their choice. The statement was accompanied by a threat to withdraw federal funding to schools, colleges and universities that did not comply with this regulation.

States Sue the President

North Carolina accused the President of carrying out "a massive social experiment". They objected on the grounds that this was putting children at risk and the Obama Government threatened to withhold $1.4 billion in federal funds from the University of North Carolina. This triggered a lawsuit against the Federal Government from eleven US States, led by Texas. They were joined by Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Arizona and Maine.

A lawsuit has been triggered against the Federal Government from eleven US States.

The lawsuit said that the Obama administration had "conspired to turn workplace and educational settings across the country into laboratories for a massive social experiment, flouting the democratic process, and running roughshod over commonsense policies protecting children and basic privacy rights." The Attorney General of Texas, Ken Paxton, said "We are willing to fight this all the way to the Supreme Court if we have to".

Protection

Transgender rights advocates argued that it is transgender people who need protection, particularly transgender women who are disproportionately the victims of assaults, and would be forced to use men's toilets if states succeed in forcing people to use toilets matching their sex at birth.

Opponents say that if the Obama administration succeeds in enforcing this regulation nationwide it would mean that children who are dissatisfied with their gender could use any school facilities of their choice: a boy wishing to be a girl could use the girl's toilets, locker rooms and showers.

Child Abuse

Adults ought to look at this issue from the point of view of a child. It is a perfectly natural thing for some girls to say they wish they were a boy or vice versa. My own daughter went through a phase of joining in the boys games and inviting all the naughty boys to her parties but today she is a fashion-conscious young lady and would doubtless be embarrassed to be reminded of what she was like at age 10! To allow boys or girls to choose the toilets of their choice would certainly be disastrous and would lead to endless accusations of assault.

It is a perfectly natural thing for some girls to say they wish they were a boy or vice versa.

The whole of this battle is going under the heading of 'anti-discrimination' and linked with race and community relations legislation such as the banning of hate speech. As such it represents a fundamental threat to the stability of society and needs to be seen, not just in its social context, but in terms of the moral and spiritual implications for the whole of Western civilisation.

'Bathroom Battle'Inclusive Rest Room

This 'bathroom battle', as it's known in the USA, is the latest stage in a philosophical/spiritual war that has been raging for more than 30 years. Back in 1971, the Gay Liberation Front (as the political action arm lobbying for homosexual people) published a manifesto in which they stated their long-term goal as:

To rid society of the gender role system which is at the root of our oppression. This can only be achieved by the abolition of the family as the unit in which children are brought up. We intend to work for the replacement of the family unit, with its rigid gender role pattern. Children must be liberated from the present condition of having their role in life defined by biological accident: the commune will ultimately provide a variety of gender free models. [emphases added]

Replacing family and marriage

Their objective was, and still is, to replace family and marriage with a Communist-style 'commune' that is entirely gender-free and free of all rules and regulations regarding sexual activity. This would make even paedophilia a normal activity. The strategy for achieving this objective is based upon the Marxist philosophy of breaking down social norms to promote moral anarchy and to reach a point of breakdown of the social order which would enable the establishment of a new social order to take place.

The gay lobby's strategy for achieving their objectives is based upon Marxist philosophy.

There is a strong religious motive underlying this – a hatred of the biblical account of Creation, in which is rooted the distinction between male and female, that is perpetuated through the establishment of a marriage covenant as the means of procreation, which is tightly bound by promises of faithfulness and prohibition of adultery. The biblical regulations also state that homosexual practices are "detestable" to God (Lev 18.22).

Hatred of God

Underlying the desire to destroy family and marriage is a hatred of the God of Creation portrayed in the Bible, and this has become a driving force in the whole secular humanist movement that has been growing within Western civilisation since the 1960s. The latest attack on gender is portrayed as a measure to 'eliminate sex-discrimination', but it is an attack upon the whole biblical basis of Creation. Unless this is recognised it will lead to accelerating family breakdown and child abuse, and it will undermine the foundations of our Judeo-Christian civilisation.

The secular humanist movement has been growing within Western civilisation since the 1960s.

Church's Record

Sadly, the church's record of leadership in this area has not been good. Back in 1998, the Church of England published a report on family and marriage entitled Something To Celebrate. It made the astonishing statement that "the church should abandon the phrase 'living in sin' and respond with understanding and discernment to the widespread practice of cohabitation" (p117). The same report commented "A great many gay and lesbian people grow steadily in fidelity and in mutual caring, understanding and support, whose partnerships are a blessing to the world around."

At the time of publication I said in the magazine Prophecy Today, "With teaching like this it is small wonder that the nation is confused and we live in a moral maze driven by the forces of evil and with no spiritual anchor to hold the nation steady when storm-force winds of change are blowing". Of course we should love and care for ALL people but that does not mean abandoning biblical values.

Perhaps the greatest need today is to pray for eyes to be opened and for Christians to build up a wall of prayer around the word of God, as the Jews in captivity in Babylon built up a wall of prayer around the Torah that enabled them to hold fast to their faith. Pray also that the word of God is faithfully and lovingly presented to the nation, "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty" (Zech 4:6).

Today's Christians need to build up a wall of prayer around God's word, just as the Jews in Babylonian captivity built up a wall of prayer around the Torah that helped them remain faithful.

This week: Some recent prophecies about Britain's relationship with the EU.

It is easy to feel overloaded when confronted with a large number of visions, dreams and prophetic words to test. Our spiritual adversary is quite capable of contributing to this overload, making it very easy for us to switch off. In so doing, however, we are likely to reject true prophecy. It is better to test everything – and hold on to the good (1 Thess 5:21).

We hope that this short series of articles in the weeks running up to the EU referendum is contributing to fellowships testing prophecy together.  Testing is a responsibility of the local Church, and it is likely that prophecies will emerge at this level which support those given at a national level. These will not necessarily be for sending out widely but simply for submitting to local elders for testing.

It is better to test everything – and hold on to the good.

Selection of Prophetic Words

With this in mind, we will not overload our readers with much more – over to you, as it were.

This time, we will feature just a few of the prophecies and reasoned arguments that have come in to the office over the last few weeks. The biblical principle of 1 Corinthians 14:29-33 implies that we can expect more than enough prophetic words. Order is required and self-discipline in reporting and testing prophecy.

Order is required - and self-discipline - in reporting and testing prophecy.

Here then are just a few more insights with the EU referendum in mind, which we can share.

1. Neil Turner (Omega Programme) / Nebuchadnezzar

Neil Turner has presented a biblical analysis based on Nebuchadnezzar's vision of a statue to draw out a reason for the UK leaving the EU. The full article is available here.

I quote two paragraphs that emphasise the reason for the article and the perceived reason why God wants us to be separate from such alliances as the EU:

The purpose of this article is not to argue the case for or against the EU, but to explore Bible prophecy to discern God's will for Britain. Simply, does the Bible have anything to say about Britain or its purposes in the last days? I believe the answer is yes, and for this we must turn to the prophecy of Daniel, given some 2600 years ago, whilst in exile in Babylon...

We must 'pray first for those in authority that we may live peaceable lives', and pray that in God's wrath towards our nation He would remember mercy. The prayer, lodged in my spirit by the Holy Spirit these last 25 years, is that 'God would sever Britain from the European Union, that we might stand alone as a nation before Him in judgment'. I believe, on the basis of Daniel 7, the British Church has the authority and responsibility to pray for exit.

May God have mercy on us.

Neil Turner, April 2016

2. Azusa Now / The Word of the Lord

Arthur Blessitt is well known as an evangelist who walked through many nations carrying a Cross. He participated in a gathering called Azuza Now in May 2016. At a ceremony on 8 May, stones were symbolically laid at a well – and a particularly poignant moment was reported. A full report is available here.

Here is a brief extract pointing to God's displeasure at disunity in the Church:

Arthur Blessitt and the Well – The Meaning

I felt the Lord was saying that the reason behind Arthur Blessitt sharing his testimony and suffering was significant. He is a man wholly focussed on and devoted to the One who mandated him. He is not one who would abandon that mandate when the going gets tough. As Arthur Blessitt shared, we heard his testimony of having been imprisoned, shot at, beaten and abused for the sake of the mandate God gave him. Yet in all these things, he so identified with the message of the cross that he never left his post.

The Lord also revealed that in the very same way that Arthur Blessitt put the cross in the midst of the well and all eyes were fixated upon it, the church needs to once again look to the cross. The church needs to know the Person of the cross and what He stands for. The church needs to preach and represent the cross in a radical way. '

The stones that were laid down blocked the well of contention, racism and division that has caused so much sickness in the Body of Christ in seasons past. There existed so much division and confusion but that well is now blocked and a new well has been erected.

Out of this new well, a new prophetic sound is arising from what the Lord is calling a Jesus movement of those that are moved by Him alone...

The Lord also revealed that many well known prophetic and prayer voices may not currently feel much direction or unction in prayer. This is because God is driving many back to the message of the cross. After looking intently to the cross, the mandates will begin to flow. The people of God will go forth in the strength and power of Elijah, Elisha, and Joshua – in great power and authority.

Let us watch and give the glory to God as He performs these signs. Yes, as we look to the cross we will learn to steward precious Holy Spirit in our midst in a greater way.

Sent to us by Rev Betty King.

3. British justice and personal freedom under threat.

Among other important concerns relating to Britain's sovereignty, justice and personal freedom are both considered to be under threat by the progress to centralise authority in the EU. If you are interested in arguments and evidence to this end, please see articles written by Jonathan Fisher QC, available here and commented on here.

4. A Reasoned Argument from Peter Horrobin of Ellel Ministries.

Peter Horrobin presents a thoughtful analysis of why he intends to vote to come out of the EU. His reasoning is based on parallels from the time of Jehoshaphat. Read the analysis on his blog.

5. Jan Evans / An umbilical cord between Britain and Europe.

The following e-mail was received from a prayer partner in the Lydia Fellowship:

Hi to everyone at Issachar Ministries, I just want to give you this picture that I saw while praying with my LYDIA prayer group. We praying about the EU, the coming elections in June and just seeking the Fathers face, regarding the whole situation. I saw the British Isles with a baby hovering over it, this baby was wrapped in a blanket, the astonishing thing about it all was that it had a massive umbilical cord, this was going across the channel into France.

I then saw over the channel coming from the top of Britain a large pair of silver scissors, but they couldn't fit around the circumference of this umbilical cord. I instantly thought how on earth are they going to cut through that...! We obviously prayed about this situation and what the Father maybe saying to us. I would very much like to hear from you after your prayerful consideration.

Jan Evans, South Wales.

Sifting Out the Truth

These are a sample of the insights we are receiving to test. There are some meaningfully reasoned arguments here as well as direct words. We have also been sent other visions of clouds of judgment coming to our shores, of Donald Trump being God's choice for America and so on. We need to sift the relevant from the not-so-relevant and together discern what God is really saying to us.

Let us use these insights, prophecies and questions alongside all else that we need to test as we move towards the decision point of 23 June. Surely God himself is showing us how important it is for us to make the right decision on that day and to go forward from that point listening to him.

We need to sift the relevant from the not-so-relevant and together discern what God is really saying to us.

Finally, we include an exhortation for prayer from prayer partner Sandy Harvey, sent via the following e-mail to the office:

When I was praying for the upcoming referendum this weekend I believe that God gave me a clear word to help us pray for it in an ongoing, continual way.

I was interceding at the time but I am aware of the enormity of the decision and the importance of fervent prayer at every possible moment in the coming days.

The Word He gave was 'open blind eyes'.

I believe God gave this as a simple strategy to be able to continually pray throughout the day wherever we are and whatever we are doing. Whilst driving, shopping or doing any every day activity if we pray those words, 'Lord, open blind eyes', we are opening a door for Him to work in somebody.

People we see in the street, the man at the petrol pump, the supermarket checkout operator, Lord open her/his blind eyes.'

Firing prayer darts whenever the vote comes to mind.

This was weighed and accepted by my prayer partner. I have also just heard that the intercessors in Israel praying for the UK about the referendum have also been using the same words. 'Open blind eyes.' (I understand that they are also praying and 'unblock ears'.)

Lay all this before the Lord, with Bibles open, and alongside other prophecies, and in a prayerful attitude seek the Lord's wisdom for the future of our nation and our vote on 23 June.

Next time: A personal overview.

Ian Farley reviews 'The World Turned Upside Down: The Global Battle over God, Truth and Power' by Melanie Phillips (2010, Encounter Books, 408 pages)

This book presents a systematic analysis of Britain's decline of national consciousness. Phillips, an incisive journalist who describes herself as a liberal who "has been mugged by reality",¹ explains that the book arose from a personal sense of "perplexity and cultural disorientation" (p.ix).

This emerged as she recognised that public discourse on certain matters has departed sharply from reality, with fantasy recalibrated as facts and evident truths dismissed. Her book is wide-ranging and full of fascinating analysis with illustrations from recent history and insights drawn from more distant events.

Phillips' argument is that a widespread rejection of the only basis of reason - which she concludes to be Judeo-Christianity (more specifically the Hebrew scriptures) - has led British society on a descent into a kind of mass derangement in which truth and lies, right and wrong, victim and aggressor, are all turned upside-down: "Concepts such as truth and justice have been stood on their heads, with the result that irrationality and perversity are now conspicuous in public life" (p288).

Wholesale Departure from Logic

Phillips, who is of Jewish descent but is non-practising, does not try to persuade people to agree with her. Rather, she aims to explain to herself how we have arrived at this situation, making the case that the departure from logic and reason is because "objectivity has been replaced in large measure by ideology" (p.xi).

Phillips argues that in British public life, "objectivity has been replaced in large measure by ideology".

The reader is forced to make some decisions of principle in reading this book: is Islam in its very nature violent? Is science (contemporary science that is) actually uprooted from reason? Has the British educational system degenerated so much that it can only turn out young adults incapable of objective thought? Is the press simply utterly biased? Has the whole church establishment in England sold out completely to defending Palestinian aggression, violence and implacable hostility to Israel?

These are tricky questions but they are of fundamental importance. Phillips wants to make you think about them and not swallow what may be the predominant narrative in the public domain. She has a host of fascinating quotations from public figures in all areas of life which are then analysed critically and exposed. Animal rights, climate change, environmental concerns and feminism are each put under the spotlight and found wanting. Much of the book is about the loss of objective truth and the emergence of a world that is now simply focussed on 'me'.

The heart of this stimulating and challenging text lies in these two sentences: "The Middle East impasse is the defining issue of our time. It is not an exaggeration to say that the position an individual takes on the conflict between Israel and the Arabs is a near infallible guide to their general view of the world" (p265). Phillips' chapter on the misrepresentation of Israel is especially good – in fact, it is worth purchasing the book for this chapter alone.

Much Food for Thought 

If you are looking for a book on how to vote in the Referendum on Europe, this is probably not it, though there are some trenchant observations on the EU's systematic dismantling of its Christian heritage - as well as the complete failure of the UN to be an impartial force in diplomacy.

Phillips comments: "Moral and cultural relativism and an explicit rejection of Christian ethics...are embedded in the European Union and its transnational institutions such as the European Court of Human Rights" (p340). More broadly, however, the general substance of the book may well prove a relevant contribution to your vote thinking.

Phillips also explores why Britain is at the forefront in the West's irrationality and dislocation of reason from religion. This specific focus is very illuminating, exposing our loss of national identity and the crumbling of the religious beliefs which previously underpinned our moral codes.

Phillips explores why Britain is at the forefront in the West's irrationality and dislocation of reason from religion.

If you have a concern about the state of the nation and the British Church, there is much in this hard-hitting book to give you food for thought. Answers, however, are left to the reader to find.

'The World Turned Upside-Down' is available to purchase from a variety of online retailers, including Amazon for £6.74.

References

1 Beckett, A. The changing face of Melanie Phillips. The Guardian, 7 March 2003.

Weekly Readings: Leviticus 21:1-24:23; Ezekiel 44:15-31; 1 Peter 2:4-10

This week we resume the Torah Reading Schedule at Leviticus 21-24, chapters which give details about the Jewish feasts, Sabbaths and - importantly - the priestly ministry.

The ministry granted to the Levitical priesthood – including its dress code, rituals, responsibilities and regulations - seems a world away from the modern Christian life. And yet, according to Peter, we are all part of a "royal priesthood" (1 Pet 2:9). This ministry is not dead, nor is it irrelevant, it would seem. In Jesus, and in us through Jesus, it is fulfilled.

Like the Levites, each of us has received a calling from God to serve Him with our whole lives. We may not be required to offer up burnt offerings and sacrifices to the Lord on behalf of the people, but nevertheless we can learn a lot from these chapters about our priestly calling.

Set Apart

First, these chapters give us an awe-inspiring shadow of our new identity and position in Jesus.

Like the Levites, we have been set apart for God (Heb 10:10) – our lives are no longer our own (1 Cor 6:19-20). God undertook to provide for the priesthood out of the sacrifices that had been offered to Him in worship – in other words, to share with them out of the gifts given to Him (Ezek 44:28-29), freeing them from dependence on material wealth and worldly work, unto complete dependence upon Him.

Likewise, for us, in spiritual terms our provision has been made by the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, our eternal Great High Priest – opening the way for us to partake in "every spiritual blessing" (Eph 1:3) and freeing us from dependence on fleshly effort or worldly securities.

Emphasised unmissably in Leviticus 21-24 is the formidable requirement for the priesthood to remain pure and undefiled. Under the Mosaic covenant this purity was outward, achieved through ceremonial washing and sacrifice. The priests weren't even allowed to sweat inside the Temple (Ezek 44:18) – and no 'defective' person (i.e. with an illness or disability) was allowed to minister (Lev 21:16-23).

We know that God is not against those who are ill or disabled (as the ministry of Jesus amply shows) - but this is a physical shadow of God's desired spiritual reality: His underlying purpose is for us to be pure and without defect on the inside, in the heart (Ps 51:10; Matt 5:8). Only through Jesus' sacrifice, which renders us eternally blemishless in the eyes of the Father, and through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit in our day-to-day lives, can this be achieved.

Ministering to God

Secondly, we see in Leviticus 21-24 a glimpse of how God wants His people to attend to Him. To attend to Him! What humility the Lord displays in asking to be ministered to by imperfect, broken humans – He who is tended to by angels and heavenly beings beyond our imagining! Our Heavenly Father does not need anything from us, yet He nevertheless requests that we minister to Him – care for Him, tend to Him, pour out our love upon Him - as Mary did when she bathed Jesus' feet in perfume and her own tears, drying him with her hair. What an indescribable privilege!

As part of their ministry, the Levites were always presenting sacrifices to God, for one reason or another – sacrifices with purposes such as repentance, thanksgiving, remembrance and freewill praise. So today, Christians are encouraged to "give thanks continually" (1 Thess 5:18) and to "offer God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that profess His name" (Heb 13:15). We are called to be living sacrifices (Rom 12:1) who every day offer God all that we are, for His glory.

Ministering to Others

Finally, these chapters reveal something of how God wants us to minister to other people. The priestly role doesn't just involve attending to God (though it is about this before and above all else) – it is also outward in focus, about tending to the needs of others. In Leviticus this partly meant handling people's sacrifices and being intermediaries between them and God – now it means interceding for people and encouraging them in the direction of Jesus, so they can draw near and know the Lord for themselves.

The Levites were also required to tend to the lamps in the sanctuary and keep them burning with a constant oil supply; so we are given the responsibility of tending to the spiritual welfare of God's temples (that's us, and each other) to make sure that the fire of the Holy Spirit is kept burning (1 Thess 5:19).

Ezekiel 44:23 reveals another vital aspect of this outward ministry: priests had the responsibility to teach the people to distinguish holy from common, clean from unclean. So today, as God's people we are given the responsibility of holding out the word of life to a dying world, being living examples of what is right and clean through the power of the Holy Spirit, and speaking wisdom into the lives of others. This we do humbly, because we know that our righteousness is not from us – but from God.

What would the Church look like if believers took this ministry seriously – and sought to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, who fulfils the priestly role perfectly? This week, why not ask God to reveal more to you about your part in His royal priesthood?

Author: Frances Rabbitts

When was the first national referendum in recorded history?

The answer is in Deuteronomy 30, where Moses had in front of him the whole nation of Israel. He knew he was near the end of his life and he called them to make a choice that would have a lasting effect upon the future of the nation. This was the choice he presented: "See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction."

A similar choice is being offered to the British people today, but it is being obscured by a multiplicity of opinion and a paucity of facts. There is grave danger of voter fatigue overtaking the Referendum campaign. We are already on overload with politicians, big business moguls and celebrities bombarding us with their versions of 'facts and figures'. A large portion of the population is still undecided, and is likely to be put off voting by the increasing intensity and nastiness of the debate.

Nasty Debate

The suggestion last week that the whole EU project is being driven by Germany's desire to control Europe under a unified structure, thus completing the work of Napoleon and Hitler, took the debate to a new level of nastiness. Historically, of course, there is a lot to support such a contention. But Germany's remarkable rise from the ashes of defeat and destruction in 1945 to its present prosperity is a demonstration that the Protestant Work Ethic is more powerful than military force.

It may well be Germany's aim to create a 'European Super-State' in which, as the largest economy, she will have the greatest share of power and will be able to dominate the rest of Europe. But our objective in this article is to point to issues that are being bypassed by campaigners on both sides of the debate. These are the spiritual issues at the heart of national identity.

The spiritual issues at the heart of Britain are being bypassed by campaigners on both sides of the debate.

Setting Out a Reminder

What Moses did in the formative days of Israel, in the wilderness after the exodus from Egypt, was to remind the people of the spiritual journey that had brought them to this point. He said:

The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh King of Egypt. (Deut 7:7-8)

Moses not only reminded the people of the good things that God had done in the days of their forefathers, but he also reminded them of the teaching they had been given, including the 10 Commandments, setting out the standard of behaviour required if they were to continue enjoying God's blessing. He stated clearly the blessings of being in a right relationship with God and the inevitable consequences of forsaking God.

Each of these is clearly stated in Deuteronomy 28:16-29. In politics Moses said that disobedience would lead to "confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to" (28:20) and his final point in terms of relationships with other nations was: "you will be unsuccessful in everything you do; day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you" (28:29).

When Israel came out of Egypt, Moses reminded the people of the spiritual journey that had brought them to that point – and God's goodness to them along the way.

Reviewing Our Spiritual Heritage

Of course, we cannot compare our own nation with that of Israel. Britain was never chosen by God to be in a covenant relationship. But as a nation, historically, we have chosen to accept the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to be our God: and this is sealed in our Coronation Oath.

The status of adopted children is freely available to each one of us through faith in Jesus and this has been influential in the history of our nation. Under Greco-Roman Law, adopted children actually had closer ties to the father than putative children. They could not be reclaimed by their biological parents and they could never be rejected by their adoptive father.

Paul obviously knew this law when he told the believers in Ephesus (Gentiles and Jews) that God had "predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ" (Eph 1:5). He also wrote to the Galatians that God had sent Jesus so that Gentiles "might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out 'Abba, Father'." (Gal 4:6)

The Referendum debate gives us the opportunity of reviewing our spiritual heritage. We are a small nation and yet we have had the immense privilege of establishing the largest empire in world history that is now a commonwealth of free nations. Of course we must not overlook the many wrong things we did in the days of empire and colonialism, especially by tolerating and benefiting from the horrors of the slave trade.

But there were many good things our forefathers did in health and education and in opposing tyranny in countries that are now free to work out their own destinies. We can also thank God for the way he has blessed and protected our nation when he saved us from invasion in World War II, even though we stood alone against aggression.

The Referendum debate gives us the opportunity of reviewing our spiritual heritage.

Choose Life!

Moses urged his fledgeling nation to review their history and to re-affirm their relationship with God. He said "I have set before you life and death...Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him" (Deut 30:19-20).

Voting to leave the EU will not in itself bring peace and prosperity to Britain. But re-affirming a determination to seek a right relationship with God will undoubtedly bring an era of blessing. The great unknown is whether the faithful remnant of believers in Britain in the older generation and the rising tide of young people who are accepting Jesus as role model, Saviour and Lord, have sufficient strength to inspire the nation to embark upon a great adventure of faith.

This week: Paul's Slennett's prophecy about an earthquake in Britain.

The words of this prophecy came to Paul Slennett at an Intercessors for Britain meeting in 1989. He was woken abruptly in the night and found himself writing the words as if they were being dictated. I helped Paul to test the prophecy and we then wrote a book together entitled Earthquake in the City.

Despite being closely involved in the publication of the prophecy I, nevertheless, am endeavouring to take a neutral position in writing this article, including it in this series for the purpose of communal testing. If it is from God, then it carries a serious warning which must prompt a response. Even if at this late stage it is shown to be an invalid prophecy, then it must be rejected.

The Big Picture

Over the last few weeks an overall picture of what God is saying to our nation may have been building up as we have taken seriously the task of testing prophecies about Britain given over many years. Aspects of these prophecies may be especially relevant in light of the coming Referendum on 23 June, relating to our membership of the EU.

If we have our Bibles open while testing these prophecies, and if the prophecies themselves are valid, we should find that they fit well into the overall framework of prophetic fulfilment in which we live. For any age there are particular details within the general picture and to fill in these details is one reason why God may speak.

Another reason why God has spoken through prophecy through the ages is that at such times his own people have become rather negligent in discerning the times. Unfortunately, it is at such a time that the prophetic voice is often rejected. "Why should God speak through that man or woman and not to me?", might be the response, or, "We are doing fine, so why am I being confronted with these rantings?" or, plain and simple, "I don't want to listen". The prophetic task is never easy, and testing prophecy is just as hard as delivering it.

Sometimes God speaks through prophecy when his own people have become negligent in discerning the times.

Paul Slennett's Prophecy

The following is Paul Slennett's prophecy, in full:

My children, the alarm bells are sounding all over Europe, for judgment is being spoken out over the nations. Over your nation, Great Britain, a mighty earthquake is about to occur, an earthquake that will swallow up the whole City. Whole companies and city institutions will collapse in this earthquake, some never to rise again.

My judgment that has been withheld for so long must now be unleashed on your nation in order that my church repent and lead this nation in repentance, for I am a righteous and holy God, just in all my ways, a God who longs to show mercy, but one who will no longer tolerate the unrighteousness of my dear church. It is out of love that I visit this nation with judgment - you must know that this must always be the case. My children, repent now before it is too late, for already the day of my return draws near and you must not be found wanting, like the virgins who did not fill their lamps with oil; but awake, my children, and be my watchmen, and speak with a prophetic voice of the judgment that is about to come upon the nations.

If you repent and turn from your wicked ways, I will visit your nation, Great Britain, once again, not with judgment, but with revival power, and I will protect you from all the strategy of the enemy.

In regard to Europe, come out of her, my dear children, for she will align herself with the Beast and the False Prophet who will arise and appear for just a short while. My children, take heart, for I am with you always. Do not give up, but pray without ceasing and see the salvation of your God.

Weighing and Testing

Here are some points to consider:

• To whom is the prophecy addressed? 'My children' seems to imply that it is to the Church within the nation.
• What are the 'alarm bells'? When the prophecy was presented to the leaders of an Intercessors for Britain meeting, there were unusual weather patterns over Europe, but much more has happened since then. If valid, perhaps the prophecy was given much earlier than was thought at the time. Did God foresee, in 1989, the border and migrant problems in Europe and also the fragile economic conditions that are visible now? What else might these warning bells be?
• What would the nature of the earthquake be? This has caused much discussion, especially during the writing of the book. With physical earthquakes in many other countries, could this be a physical earthquake coming even to London, or is it a metaphor for a financial shaking? We have already experienced financial shaking and economists predict there is more to follow.
  • On the side of the physical earthquake, the very weekend when Kingsway were about to decide whether to publish the book, a national newspaper contained a warning from the British Geological Survey that Britain is overdue for a major earthquake, which we received at the time as a prophetic confirmation. Such earthquakes have occurred historically around once every 200 years. The mainstream media occasionally report with some sensationalism an impending, devastating quake,¹ although experts can never predict with accuracy when, where and with what magnitude such an event may occur. However, it remains that a significant earthquake occurring in Britain is a scientific possibility.
  • When we consider the way God gave advanced warning of the Hillsborough stadium disaster and our recent reflections on how we might have brought warning, we realise how important it is to test this part of the prophecy. Additionally, there have been some Christians who have had dreams or visions of buildings collapsing in London, but what is the Lord really saying? Perhaps if we prayerfully test this prophecy together then he will give further insight and take away our uncertainties.
• It was while this prophecy was being tested, during the writing of the book, that insight was given concerning the centrality of the Coronation Oath to our nation, against which we can assess the nation's falling away from God's ways, especially in the liberalisation of many of our laws.
• Notice that a condition is given in the third paragraph (which we look for in relation to Jeremiah 18:7-8).
• The reason why it is particularly important to test this prophecy at this time is that it includes a clear injunction to come out of Europe. During the writing of the book we reasoned that the only way out would be if a treaty could be re-negotiated, but at the time we foresaw no way, outside of an act of God, for such an opportunity to come about. Now, with such an opportunity, do we really see this as given by God?
• It may seem alarming to speak of the Beast and the False Prophet in regard to the EU, but is this similar to what Boris Johnson spoke about (in a more political way) last weekend, when he warned about the EU fulfilling, in a different way, what the Nazis had in mind?
• If the prophecy is valid then what is the timing? How does it fit with the overriding prophecy from Haggai concerning the shaking of the nations, which we believe is imminent (if not happening right now)? Could it be that we are being shown no less than the fall of cities in the anti-Christian world foretold in Revelation 18:19? Could this be the importance for Britain of taking a first step to repentance by coming out of the EU?

If this prophecy is correct it will fit into the general picture of other prophecies that we can see being fulfilled. Please join us in testing it very carefully, and do contribute to the discussion.

Next time: Some recent prophecies received by Prophecy Today UK.

References

1 E.g. see Connor, S. Expert predicts 5.5 magnitude earthquake could hit London at any time. The Independent, 16 September 2010.

If anyone thought that Christianity was dying in the traditional churches of Britain – what happened in Winchester Cathedral last week would have shattered their illusions!

Winchester Cathedral has seen many historic events in its near thousand years of history, but it will certainly never have witnessed anything like the Pentecost celebrations over the weekend of 14-15 May 2016.

Of course it's always inspiring to worship in a large crowd, but this was different for several reasons. It was not just a large crowd – it was massive! The Cathedral was packed with more than 2,000 people sitting on the floor or standing shoulder to shoulder. The only chairs were against the side walls, reminiscent of mediaeval times when the weak went to the wall. Outside was another thousand-strong crowd on the green, for whom there was no room inside the cathedral.

Like 'Murray's Mound' at Wimbledon where the action is relayed onto a giant screen, the crowd outside the cathedral were able to see all that was happening; but unlike Wimbledon they were also able to participate, along with those inside.

Baptisms by Full Immersion!

Worship was led by Matt Redman, whose rock band certainly filled the Cathedral with sound greatly appreciated by the many young people present. It wasn't my style of music but I was delighted to see so many young people lost in worship, for which I could genuinely praise God. Towards the end of the two-hour service, 14 people were baptised by immersion in a portable plastic tank in the middle of the nave (I wondered if this was a first for the Cathedral?).

The tank was near the main door, which was open so that people on the green could see. Then a number of young people, including my granddaughter, were confirmed. It was a unique experience to see David Williams, the Bishop of Basingstoke, standing in the water like John the Baptist and baptising by full immersion – in an Anglican cathedral!

It was a delight to see so many young people lost in worship - and many baptised by full immersion, in an Anglican cathedral!

The Sunday evening celebration was the culmination of nine days of prayer events leading up to Pentecost, when Christians across the country were invited by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to pray for the evangelisation of Britain. The weekend culminated in six 'Beacon events' with video links to Canterbury Cathedral where Archbishop Justin Welby gave a message based upon the Lord's prayer which he said was "reassuring enough to be on the lips of the dying and yet dangerous enough to be banned in cinemas".¹

He said, "The Lord's Prayer is simple enough to be memorised by small children and yet profound enough to sustain a whole lifetime of prayer. When we pray it with sincerity and with joy, there is no imagining the new ways in which God can use us to his glory."²

A Turning Point?

The Pentecost events in Winchester and other cathedrals celebrated the birthday of the Church when the power of the Holy Spirit came upon the first disciples. It may be a turning point in the spiritual life of the nation with the established Church leading the way in praying for the re-evangelisation of Britain and a new generation of young people leading worship and prayer in a style appropriate to their peer group.

When the music in the Cathedral reached maximum decibels, severely testing the ancient pillars and arches, I thought of Ezekiel in the Valley prophesying to the dry bones when there was "a thunderous noise and the bones came together, bone to bone" (Ezek 37:7). Most English translations say "a rattling sound" but the Hebrew actually says "a thunderous noise" which is certainly what happened in Winchester Cathedral!

Was this a sign that something special is beginning to happen in the old denominational churches? Will the spiritual life of the nation be transformed by a new generation embracing the gospel in their own culture as the Holy Spirit breathes new life into the unchanging message of salvation and "Jesus is Lord!" is once again heard on the lips of children and young people?

References

1 See thykingdom.co.uk.

2 Ibid.

What are we to make of the Prime Minister's gaffe?

The Prime Minister's gaffe (or was it deliberate?) had some unexpected consequences. He said that Nigeria was a "fantastically corrupt nation" - not the most diplomatic way of preparing for a conference on combating corruption that he himself was to chair!

The Prime Minister of Nigeria was already in London for the conference but he wisely rejected calls for an apology.

Acknowledging that there is widespread corruption in his country, he said that he would prefer the return of assets in London bought through the proceeds of money-laundering.

First, Remove the Plank...

Millions of dollars and pounds have been stolen from government funds in Nigeria by corrupt officials and politicians and squirrelled away into foreign assets, including mega London property deals. This has been going on for decades with the full knowledge of the Nigerian Government and financial authorities in London.

It is surely an embarrassment to David Cameron to be faced with these facts when hosting a conference seeking to combat corruption: especially following the recent revelations in the 'Panama Papers' which showed that his own family had used the services of offshore banking provided in British colonies.

Nigeria's President would surely be justified in quoting the little parable that Jesus used of the man who wanted to remove the speck of dust in someone else's eye when he had a plank in his own eye (Matt 7:3)! Britain's role as the oldest democracy in the Commonwealth should be that of assisting the newly democratised nations struggling to establish stability and righteous government.

London's complicity in Nigeria's corruption is an embarrassment – Buhari would be justified in asking Britain to remove the plank from their own eye before accusing Nigeria.

Cameron and Buhari at this week's anti-corruption conference, London. See Photo CreditsNigeria's History of Corruption

Nigeria has a history of political instability and corruption. In its short life since independence in 1960 there have been 10 military presidents – six of whom were either assassinated or deposed in a military coup. The first democratically elected president was in 1999 when Olusegun Obasanjo came to power. A devout Christian, his stated aim was to alleviate poverty, reduce government corruption and establish a democratic system that would bring stability to the nation.

Sadly, his efforts to stamp out corruption in government were met with fierce opposition from MPs, including members of his own Government who expected to benefit from government contracts and a wide range of backhanders and personal benefits. The politicians even attempted to impeach the President as they did not like his authoritarian style of imposing reforms upon Parliament.

On my first visit to Nigeria back in the 1980s I was shocked to be stopped by police at a roadblock as we were driving out of Lagos only to be told by my driver that if I did not include some money inside my passport when I handed it over for inspection, we could be sitting in the roadblock for hours. I refused to do so and we were eventually allowed to leave. My driver went on to explain that every civil servant and minor official expected a reward for any transaction - such as applying for a passport, which could be delayed for months unless the clerical officer was rewarded.

Nigeria has a history of political instability and corruption that affects the country today at all levels.

Obasanjo also attempted to deal with religious and ethnic strife, which increased considerably during his presidency when the Muslim-dominated Northern states introduced sharia law. During the presidency of his successor, Goodluck Johnson, radicalism increased and led to the atrocities of Boko Haram and the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls who have never been found.

The current president Muhammadu Buhari said that David Cameron was right in describing Nigeria as "fantastically corrupt".¹ The scale of corruption is astonishing. Last week Nigerian Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo said that an estimated $15 billion (£10 billion) of government money had been stolen through corrupt arms contracts under the previous Government - and in March this year, an official audit found that Nigeria's state-owned oil company had failed to pay the Government $25 billion which had fraudulently disappeared.²

Corruption Endemic Globally

Unmasking corruption is becoming a worldwide movement as whistleblowers and justice campaigners seek to promote transparency in business and politics and social relationships.

According to Transparency International, more than 6 billion people live in countries that are seriously affected by corruption – which is most of the world's population!³ They say that 68% of countries worldwide have a serious corruption problem which includes about half of the members of the G20, and not a single nation in the world is entirely free of corruption.⁴

A campaign group Unmask the Corrupt says that corruption is "the abuse of high-level power that benefits the few at the expense of the many and causes serious and widespread harm to individuals and society."⁵

According to Transparency International, more than 6 billion people live in countries that are seriously affected by corruption – that's most of the world's population!

What the Bible Says

The Bible is full of condemnation of those who misuse their power and oppress the poor and the powerless. The Prophet Isaiah slams those who turn the moral law upside down, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness...Woe to those who acquit the guilty for a bribe but deny justice to the innocent" (Isa 5:20-23).

Some of the harshest words Jesus spoke are directed against those who carefully fulfil religious ritual requirements but neglect what he described as "the more important matters" of God's teaching – "justice, mercy and faithfulness". He condemned their actions as those of hypocrites: "You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence" (Matt 23:23-25).

The prophets and Jesus all speak of a time coming when God will deal with the greed and injustice of humanity by shaking everything that we count as important – all the things we have established, such as our democracy, our banks and great finance houses, our pension funds, our National Health Service, our justice system, our armies with their nuclear warheads poised to spread destruction across the earth – all the things in which we put our trust!

Some of the harshest words Jesus spoke were directed against those who act religiously but neglect justice and mercy.

God revealed to the Prophet Isaiah that there would come a day when he would deal with all the pride and arrogance of human beings (Isa 2:12-22) and that this would actually be a demonstration of God's justice. He says "So man will be brought low and mankind humbled, the eyes of the arrogant humbled. But the Lord Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the Holy God will show himself holy by his righteousness" (Isa 5:15-16).

Isaiah's Apocalyptic Vision

In Isaiah 24 the Prophet describes what will happen when God rises to deal with the wickedness of human beings. It does not make pleasant reading. Earlier generations of biblical scholars used to say that this was 'apocalyptic language' – it was 'visionary imagination' which could never become a reality. But today we know that the arsenal of nuclear weapons possessed by the nations could in fact fulfil the description in Isaiah 24:19: "the earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is thoroughly shaken..."

We do not know whether this prophetic vision is given as a warning to humanity or whether it will actually happen at some time. The one thing we do know is that human beings are capable of violent and irrational behaviour and that the nations are armed with incredible weapons of mass destruction. If the North Koreans join the nuclear club the prospects of world peace become increasingly problematic.

Perhaps the London Conference seeking to find ways of combating corruption has greater significance for the future of humanity on this earth than most of us realise. This is surely food for thought – and prayer!

References

1 Nigerian President Buhari 'not demanding' Cameron apology. BBC News, 12 May 2016.

2 Ibid.

3 Corruption Perceptions Index, 2015. Transparency International.

4 Ibid.

5 UnmasktheCorrupt.org.