Weekly passages: Exodus 38:21-40:38; 1 Kings 7:51-8:21; Hebrews 1:1-14.

This week's passages tell of two very special events in Israel's history: the finishing of the Tabernacle in the desert (under Moses' leadership) and the completion of the Temple in Jerusalem (under Solomon's).

Both passages give detailed accounts of the materials, procedures and skilled work that went into the building of God's holy sanctuary. Enormous effort was put into carrying out the Lord's instructions to the letter, making sure that everything was in exact accordance with his divine specification. A sense of community also shines through; each building project was the result of the labour, talents, skills and co-operation of a multitude of people - some named and some anonymous, but each with a specific role to play - from contributing precious metals to weaving linen, from crafting the priestly garments to fashioning the altar and its sacred furnishings.

At the very end of both of these accounts, something remarkable happens. As the humans stand back to admire their handiwork, so the Lord of Glory descends and fills His new dwelling-place with the thick cloud of His holy Presence. In Exodus, the majesty and splendour of the Lord was such that even Moses could not draw near. Similarly, in 1 Kings we are told that the priests were unable to carry out their priestly duties because of the strength of the Lord's glory.

Suddenly, the buildings fashioned by human hands became sacred: a tent became the Tabernacle, a building became the Temple.

We Are God's Temple

Everyone who believes in Christ as Lord and Saviour is given the incredible privilege of becoming a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16) – and you can be sure that God puts a great deal of effort into building and crafting each one of us, exactly according to His divine specifications. Ephesians 2:10 says that the new lives we are given in Christ are examples of God's own handiwork (other translations use the term 'workmanship').

Just as the Israelites contributed materials and skills to the building of God's earthly house, however, so we also get to be involved in this temple-building project. Scripture encourages us to adorn our lives with all goodness and holiness and, as God's dwelling-place, to not defile ourselves with sin (e.g. 2 Cor 6:16). Peter says "make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love" (2 Pet 1:5-7), that we might "participate in the divine nature" and be productive in our walks with Christ.

But importantly, these Old Testament accounts tell us that all our efforts to invest in our own holiness remain nothing if they are not filled with the presence and power of the Lord. We may clothe ourselves with compassion and furnish our day-to-day lives with good deeds that are crafted lovingly, skilfully, cost-fully and obediently – but in and of themselves, they do not make us holy. They have no power. For no tent, no matter how beautifully decorated, is holy without the presence of God.

Humility Vital

Does that mean that good deeds and right living are not worth pursuing? Does God not care about our meagre attempts to please Him? Absolutely not! He does care, and we should pursue these things to the very letter of Scripture - out of obedience to and love for the One who commands us.

But we should never lose sight of the fact that without the presence of God, without His enabling and life-giving Holy Spirit, all of our efforts are ultimately just outward expressions. They cannot be an inward reality without Divine intervention. Unless the Lord fills our 'jars of clay' with His treasure, we remain empty vessels (2 Cor 4:7); the noise we make is merely that of "a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal" (1 Cor 13:1).

This should keep us very humble, knowing that day by day we must walk in complete dependence on the Lord if our faith is to bear any fruit whatsoever. Conversely, if we pursue holiness without remaining constantly aware of our need to be filled with the Holy Spirit, we risk sliding into arrogant 'religious' performance.

Christ Our Cornerstone

Consequently, you are...members of [God's] household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (Eph 2:19-22)

It is the Lord's desire to craft us lovingly into beautiful temples of His Holy Spirit – fit dwelling-places for the Lord Himself, with Christ as the Chief Cornerstone. This upward calling also has an outward effect: as we are filled to overflowing with the glory and splendour of the Lord, so those around us are given the opportunity to encounter Him, fear Him and trust Him as they spend time with us.

While the Israelites stood back to admire their 'finished' handiwork, God knew that it was incomplete until He Himself came down and filled it. When He did, the combination of His majesty and splendour with their devoted obedience – within the framework of their human weakness and imperfection - made for astounding results. Let us never, ever forget our need of Him. If our earthly 'tents' (as Paul terms our bodies) are to become sacred Tabernacles to the Lord, if we are to help build the Kingdom of God in any measure, the all-surpassing power we need comes from Him, not from us!

Author: Frances Rabbitts

What will happen if we leave Europe? Perhaps the question we should ask is: what will happen if we don't?

The media is focused on the political, financial and social implications of a possible Brexit – legislation, trade, migrants. However, we are the spiritual leaders of the nation and so we must consider the spiritual and moral implications too. We should be asking questions such as: what is the EU's ethos? Does it uphold our Judeo-Christian heritage? Has it retained the foundations of Christian Europe or is it humanist (man-centred) in outlook?

Controversial Symbolism

Many Christians have noted symbols used by the EU and drawn sinister conclusions about their intent. A popular view is that the Strasbourg Parliament building was based on the painting The Tower of Babel by Pieter Brueghel the Elder (though the architects actually were inspired by Roman amphitheatres).

To add to the confusion, the 'Many Tongues, One Voice' poster used by the Council of Europe bears a resemblance to the Brueghel painting and certainly the slogan implies a reference to Babel. Some have pointed out the poster's use of inverted stars, which are also symbols used in witchcraft. However, the Council of Europe is a separate organisation to the EU¹ and so the Babel imagery cannot be said to have been deliberately used by the EU at all.

A controversial image which is used by the EU is the statue of Europa from the tale by the Roman author Ovid, about a woman ravished by Zeus or Jupiter. It depicts a woman riding a beast, leading many to point to Revelation 17's woman riding a beast, also known as the prostitute 'Babylon', with whom the "kings of the earth" commit adultery and who intoxicates the inhabitants of the earth (Rev 17:1-2).

This image has also appeared on various Euro coins and postage stamps. In Revelation this woman is an archetype of those who war against God's people: "I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God's holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus" (Rev 17:6).

One controversial image which is used by the EU is the statue of Europa, which depicts a woman riding a beast, leading many to point to Revelation 17 and its prophesied war against God's people.

Post-Christian Europe

Yet we do not need to observe statuary, buildings or symbols to recognise that we are living in post-Christian Europe and that biblical values are blatantly set aside by governments. This is not a hidden agenda - it is done openly. The list below of Ungodly laws passed in Britain since 1950 (Issachar Ministries, published elsewhere on prophecytoday.uk) demonstrates that the British government is quite capable of enacting a humanistic agenda without the EU's assistance.

The jury is still out on whether the EU provides a layer of protection in this context, or whether it exacerbates the problem. For instance, the Christian Legal Centre takes its appeals to Europe when they do not succeed here (for example, Aisling Hubert's gender abortion case, as reported in the last issue of HEART²). However, limiting our sovereignty to one government's laws is preferable, arguably, to having two such levels of humanistic legislation to battle.

The issue of UK sovereignty goes beyond legislation, in any case. We need to consider our position strategically for the end times. Leaving the EU gives us the ability to act unilaterally with regard to Israel and without being forced to provide troops for the EU army. When the nations surround Jerusalem (Luke 21:20), we do not want our nation to have been compelled to be there.³ We want to ensure that British citizens have the chance to be among the 'sheep' rather than the 'goats' of Matthew 25:31-46.

The issue of UK sovereignty goes beyond legislation – we also need to consider our position strategically for the end times.

Erasing God and Christianity

Since October 2004, we have been bound to Europe constitutionally by The Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe. When the Constitution was being written, Pope John Paul II pleaded for recognition that as a "new institutional order, Europe cannot deny its Christian heritage, since a great part of its achievements in the fields of law, art, literature and philosophy have been influenced by the evangelical message."⁴

The Pope called for a strong reference to Europe's Christian roots in the preamble.⁵ Bishops and religious leaders backed up the Pope, including Rabbi Aba Dunner, secretary general of the Conference of European Rabbis, who stated, "I would love to see the word 'God' in there, in some form or another."⁶ Critics argued that a Judeo-Christian reference did not resonate with secular Europe and pointed to another problem: what of the continent's Muslim populations?

One Irish priest commented, "First Brussels will remove our independence, then they will give us mandatory abortion and euthanasia and homosexual 'unions...And that is all seen as enlightened and touted as Europe's commitment to 'equality and justice.' But without our sovereignty - we will be powerless to resist."⁷

Here is the Preamble to the Constitution, with no mention of our Judeo-Christian heritage:

DRAWING INSPIRATION from the cultural, religious and humanist inheritance of Europe, from which have developed the universal values of the inviolable and inalienable rights of the human person, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law...⁸

Note the deliberate use of the word 'humanist', with the word 'religious' undefined and sandwiched uneasily between references to culture and humanism. Despite the Pope's and others' requests, there are no references in the Constitution to God or Christianity.

The EU's constitution makes no mention of the great debt owed by Europe to its Judeo-Christian heritage – despite numerous calls for its acknowledgment from prominent religious figures.

Pluralism, Rights and Freedom

Note too the use of the word 'pluralism' in the list of the Union's values (below) and the emphasis on humanity's dignity, rights and freedom, without ultimate responsibility to any higher authority.

In the EU Constitution's Article below about Freedom of thought, conscience and religion, the phrase "in public or in private, to manifest religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance" is being flouted continually, as the UK's Christian Legal Centre's growing case-load bears witness. Recently, it was reported that a Christian student has been expelled from a social work course at Sheffield University over his biblical views on marriage and sexual ethics, which he posted on Facebook. How can it be said that he is allowed to express his beliefs publicly?

It seems that there is a clash between the Union's Article on Values and the Article on Freedom of thought, conscience and religion. You are free to express your religious views - but only insofar as they do not offend anyone who holds a different opinion. The EU claims to protect freedom of religion but recent cases show that where these values clash with cherished anti-biblical values, Christians are unlikely to be supported.

We also need to think about whether the EU has been an institution worthy of our allegiance and respect. The European Parliament's well-documented history of corruption and misappropriation of funds speaks for itself.

Not Rejecting Europe's People

A vote to leave is not just a vote for self-preservation by Christians. It is a vote for the future stability and security of our nation, for whom we stand accountable before God spiritually.

A vote to leave should not be considered to be a rejection of Europe's people or our mandate to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. A Brexit should not mean descent into national introspection and 'little Englander' protectionism. A Prophecy Today UK reader reminded us that in 1947, Smith Wigglesworth (an outstandingly anointed man of God and pioneer of the Pentecostal movement) prophesied about the UK and Europe:

When the Word and the Spirit come together, there will be the biggest movement of the Holy Spirit that the nation, and indeed the world, has ever seen. It will mark the beginning of a revival that will eclipse anything that has been witnessed within these shores, even the Wesleyan and the Welsh revivals of former years. The outpouring of God's Spirit will flow over from the UK to the mainland of Europe, and from there will begin a missionary move to the ends of the earth.¹²

We do not need to remain politically and economically bound to Europe to forge strong spiritual ties. When we were a self-determining nation trading across the world, we led the world in missionary endeavour. Let's seek spiritual union with Christians across Europe but leave an increasingly ungodly political union.

UNGODLY LAWS PASSED IN BRITAIN SINCE 1950

1. 1951: The Fraudulent Mediums Act (Deut 18:10-13) which abolished The Witchcraft Act This legalised witchcraft in Britain which had previously been banned for centuries and made all occult arts legal. Through this Act Britain allowed all kinds of spiritual activities to be acceptable. Alien spirits and witchcraft activities are offensive to God and we are severely warned against them in Scripture. In Romans 1:23-29 Paul says that idolatry is the first step in the corruption of human civilisation which leads to "sexual impurity" and other "shameful lusts" and "every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity".
2. 1959: The Obscene Publications Act (Mark 7:21-23) was a very weak Act and had the effect of making it more difficult to prosecute pornographers, as lawyers had to prove that the publications had "a tendency to corrupt and deprave". Defence lawyers were able to ask the jury if they had been corrupted and depraved by exposure to a book, film or video. Most jurors did not want to say that they had been 'depraved'. The defence were able to claim that it was a 'public good' and an 'educational' value. The Act's Amendment in 1977 (Col 3:5-6) and The Broadcasting Act 1990 extended the law to cinema and television respectively, preparing the way for the Internet. This Act allowed all kinds of offences to be screened into our homes that certainly are an offence to God.
3. 1965: The Murder (Abolition of the Death Penalty) Act (Lev 24:17-22) removed the death penalty from the Statute Book for all kinds of murder and sent a message through the nation about the social acceptability of violence.
4. 1967: The Abortion Act (Gen 4:10-11). We had abolished the death penalty for murder but in 1967 we said it was acceptable to murder unborn babies. Doctors were now allowed to perform abortions if they complied with certain conditions. About 450 abortions take place daily in British hospitals, bringing to more than 6 million the number of unborn children killed since abortions became legal.
5. 1967: The Sexual Offences Act (Lev 18:22, Rom 1:22-27) was a further offence to God and directly against the Word of God where homosexual practices are said to be detestable to God. It decriminalised homosexual acts between consenting men over the age of 21, if done in private. (a) In 1994, the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act reduced to 18 the homosexual age of consent. (b) In 2000, the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act equalised the age of consent for homosexual and heterosexual sex at 16. This Amendment Act was brought in against the wish of the vast majority of the population and against the stern opposition of the House of Lords. The Government used the Parliament Act, which is only to be used for extreme measures of constitutional importance, to drive this through. This virtually abolished Clause 28 and allowed homosexual acts to take place between young people of sixteen years of age and upwards. Both boys and girls were thus allowed to be exposed to paedophiles and sexual predators and children in schools were taught that all forms of sexual intercourse were allowable according to each individual's wishes.
6. 1967: The Obscene Publications Act Amendment (Eph 5:4-6, Rom 13:13) further opened the way for all kinds of pornography and literature to be published of an explicit sexual nature.
7. 1968: The Theatres Act (Prov 15:26, 1 Thess 4:7) abolished 'censorship of the theatre', although the public performance of plays requires licensing, and obscene performances are prohibited. This Act allowed nudity and all kinds of explicit sexual acts on stage. The effects of this Act in removing censorship were long-lasting and soon began to have a wide effect upon the arts and media.
8. 1969: The Divorce Reform Act (Mark 10:2-12) introduced the principle of the irretrievable breakdown of marriage as the sole ground for divorce, to be proved by adultery, unreasonable behaviour, or desertion; or by two years separation with consent to a divorce, or five years separation without consent to a divorce. In other words, it opened the way for easy divorce – the floodgates were opened by this Act for widespread marriage breakdown.
9. 1972: The European Communities Act, the EC (Amendment Acts of 1986 and of 1993) (Ps 9:10,17) took Britain into the European Economic Community (EEC), and by which the Single Market and Maastricht Treaty both became law. All these measures contributed to increased political control over Britain by unelected non-nationals in Europe.
10. 1989: The Children Act (Ps 127:3-5). Despite the good intention of this Act to increase the protection of children, it had the fundamental effect of removing the traditional concept that parents are the best judges of their children's welfare. Grandparents were no longer recognised in the kin structure of the family that were reduced to 'significant others', thus promoting the breakdown of traditional family life.
11. 1990 Amendment to the Abortion Act (Jer 7:31, Ps 106:37-38) reduced the age at which an unborn baby could be aborted to twenty weeks and legalised the abortion of 'disabled' babies at a much later stage than that. King David spoke about God knitting him together in his mother's womb and Jeremiah speaks about being called into ministry from the time of his conception (Jer 1:5). This Act showed our society's total disregard for the principle that life is sacred as the gift of God.
12. 1990: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (Ecc 11:5) legalised the creation of embryos for experimentation or storage in laboratories. This Act also amended the Abortion Act 1967, resulting in abortion on demand for handicapped babies right up to the time of birth.
13. 1993: The Sunday Trading Act (Ex 20:8-11) allowed widespread trading on Sundays which was directly against God's command to observe a Sabbath day, a day of rest each week. There was a marked increase in the number of shops opening on Sunday (20% of all shops in October 1994, and 54% by July 1999). It produced an acceleration in the closure of neighbourhood shops, an expansion of Sunday work and general increase in traffic and pollution. Sunday became just another day like any other day which inevitably weakened family life and reduced church attendance.
14. 1994: The National Lottery Act (1 Tim 6:10) instituted a state national lottery. It pays out 50% of its taking to winners, but is an intrinsically regressive form of voluntary taxation, as the burden falls most heavily on the poor. Further, many of the 'good cause' recipients, who receive 28% of the takings, have agendas wholly opposed to Biblical values. The National Lottery has become an obsession for millions of people wanting to get rich quick and it encourages people to gamble, often with money they cannot afford.
15. 1995: Licensing Sunday Hours Act (Deut 12:5, Mark 2:17) virtually abolished Sunday observance and was another direct Act against the Word of God – more or less legalising anything to happen on Sundays, but with some restrictions on the number of hours that shops could open for business.
16. 1995: Removing Prohibitions on Advertisements (Rom 1:24) legalised sexually explicit images that had previously been regarded as obscene. It marked yet another stage in the corruption of society by exposing the nation to obscenities.
17. 1996: The Family Law Act (Mal 2:16) replaced the five grounds for divorce in the Divorce Reform Act 1969 with a so-called 'no-fault' divorce system. The Lord Chancellor announced in 2001 that this part of the Family Law Act would not be brought into effect and would be repealed in due course.
18. 1997: The Amsterdam Treaty (Ps 2:1-2) further eroded national sovereignty, bringing Britain increasingly under the rule of a humanist, anti-Christian code of law. This was one more step in Britain being ruled from Brussels rather than by our own elected Members of Parliament. It was selling our birthright for a mess of pottage.
19. 1999: The Finance Act (Is 61:8) scrapped the already low value of the Married Person's Allowance for the tax year 2000/2001, thereby signalling the government's lack of esteem for marriage. It was a further step towards the degradation of marriage and the breakup of family life in Britain.
20. 2001: Regulations to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (Ex 23:7) permitted embryo research for developing treatments for serious diseases. Effectively, this allows cloning of human embryos and experimenting with creating human life.
21. 2004: The Civil Partnership Act (Matt 19:5, Eph 5:3) granted civil partnerships in the United Kingdom rights and responsibilities very similar to that of civil marriage. Civil partners have the same property rights as married heterosexual couples with the same pension benefits and social security rights. They also have the rights of parental responsibility for partner's children as well as 'tenancy' and 'next of kin' rights with a formal process for dissolving partnerships which is similar to divorce in the case of marriage.
22. 2004: The Gender Recognition Act (Gen 2:23, Is 5:20) granted transsexual people legal recognition as members of the sex opposite to their birth gender, either male or female. This allowed them to acquire a new birth certificate recognising their new gender within the law and allowing them to marry a person of the opposite sex. The Act required applicants to have transitioned two years before the issue of a certificate but it made no requirement for sex reassignment surgery to have taken place. The act was a further assault on God's act of creation of human beings in his own image, both male and female.
23. 2013: The Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Act (Rom 1:6-27, 1 Cor 7) redefined traditional marriage which had always been between a man and a woman. It allowed two persons of the same gender to enter into legally recognised marriage. This Act crossed a red line in British parliamentary history. It passed a law that directly contradicted God's act of creation in creating men and women as complementary human beings to be united in a faithful marriage covenant through which the physical expression of love would produce the procreation of children to ensure the health and well-being of future generations of the human race. The passing of this Act was said to be under strong duress from the European Union upon British politicians.

This list of unGodly laws is published as a pamphlet by Issachar Ministries (reproduced here with permission). It is available on application to www.issacharministries.co.uk - or ring (01767) 223270.

References

1 "The Council of Europe, founded in 1949, is a regional intergovernmental organisation whose stated goal is to promote human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in its 47 member states, covering 820 million citizens. The organisation is separate from the 28-nation European Union, though sometimes confused with it, in part because they share the European flag. Unlike the European Union, the Council of Europe cannot make binding laws." Taken from The Council of Europe, Wikipedia.

2 Girl who fought for unborn babies has to pay costs of £50,000. HEART of Sussex, 3 February 2016.

3 Luke 21:20 was a warning about the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome in 70 AD. However, Hebrew prophecy has more than one application and so this is often applied to the end times as well.

4 Anderson, MJ. Ungodly Ways: The Dark Side of the European Union. CRISIS Magazine, 1 June 2003.

5 Ibid.

6 Ibid.

7 Ibid.

8 Read the Treaty by following this link.

9 See the Christian Legal Centre website.

10 Christian student expelled from social work course over views on marriage. News release, Christian Concern, 27 February 2016.

11 See for example Pancevski, B. £11.5bn of EU aid 'lost to incompetence and graft'. The Sunday Times, 17 January 2016.

12 We are grateful to a reader of the website for reminding us of this.

Jill James reviews 'The Lord's Orchard: God's Charter for Reformation' by Colin Urquhart (2015, 240 pages, RoperPenberthy Publishing)

This book is a significant contribution explaining - not judgmentally but positively - the process needed for reformation in the Church today. It lays out a comprehensive vision for what God wants his Body, the Church, to look like, and applies both corporately and individually.

Colin Urquhart is a prolific writer and best-selling author of Christian books, and has written before on the subject of the Father-heart of God. In The Lord's Orchard, God reveals his plans for the Church through a vision of a vast orchard, with each tree representing a church and each branch representing a believer, but with each planting also in a different state of health, growth or decay.

A Most Important Book

Through this vision, God subdues his disappointment with the modern Church by generously revealing his 'Charter for Reformation', so that the Church can repent and reform, to prepare and get ready to become the Bride of Christ. This is, therefore, a most important book - not for the bookshelf but for constant use and reference.

This book is a significant contribution laying out the process needed to reform the modern Church.

It is excellent in content and presentation, with a brief introduction from the author followed by 44 short(-ish!) chapters each dealing with an aspect of the vision God has for his people: including that they become a people who live in his mercy, a people who live by the truth, a people of the Holy Spirit, a people of humility and a people who live in the glory of God.

The soul searching required by this book is aided by a list of 'Key Questions' at the end. It all seems daunting at first, however readers can take comfort that the author himself has tried to put the book's themes into practice – so they are possible to follow.

Jolting Us Out of Complacency

Somewhere in every chapter there is a negative declaration, in bold print, usually starting with "No true believer would think or say such and such..." which jolts the reader suddenly out of complacency! This clever approach certainly alerts the conscience to self-searching honesty and even indignation – and the sudden negatives also work to dramatically accentuate the positives!

Sometimes the text seems quite wordy and some of the biblical references at the end of each chapter are not correct - probably due to a proofreading oversight. However, the text can stand alone because it is, of course, Bible-based.

Through a vision of an orchard, God graciously subdues his disappointment with the Church and generously reveals his charter for its reformation.

This book will surely encourage believers to have a closer walk and a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, to love God more as we ought, to pray in Spirit and in truth and to understand increasingly how to enjoy being reformed, both personally and corporately.

The Lord's Orchard has its own website, where you can find out more about the vision and watch an introductory video from Colin Urquhart. The book is available from the publisher for £9.99 + P&P. Also available on Amazon.

This coming Wednesday marks the start of Purim - the festival that celebrates the story of Esther and God's deliverance of Israel from destruction.

Purim is a minor biblical and Jewish festival which takes place in February/March in the Western calendar and begins on the 14^th of the month of Adar in the Hebrew calendar. Its theme is the deliverance from destruction of the Jewish people. This year the festival begins at sundown on Wednesday 23 March.

Purim: Instituted by Mordecai

Purim, meaning 'lots', was instituted during the Jewish exile in Persia in the 4^th century BC. Esther 9 explains its origins, from verse 20:

Mordecai recorded these events [i.e. the story about the attempted destruction of the Jews by Haman], and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, that they should celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote to them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.

So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them. For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction. But when the plot came to the king's attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back on to his own head, and that he and his sons should be impaled on poles. (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur.)

Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them, the Jews took it on themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed. These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews – nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants. (Est 9:20-28)

The Story of Esther

A young Jewish woman called Esther was chosen above all the other young women of the Persian kingdom to replace Queen Vashti, who had displeased King Ahasuerus (or Xerxes) by refusing to obey one of his commands. Under the guidance of her cousin Mordecai, who brought her up, Esther concealed her Jewish identity and became Queen.

Purim, meaning 'lots', was instituted during the Jewish exile in Persia in the 4^th Century BC.

In a separate instance of heroism, Mordecai found out about a plot against the king and this was recorded in the royal chronicles. However, Mordecai also made an enemy of Haman, the king's vizier, by refusing to bow down to him:

...having learned who Mordecai's people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai's people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes. (Est 3:6)

Haman cast the pur or lot (Est 7:3) to decide the day of annihilation of the Jews. Then he went to King Ahasuerus (or Xerxes) and asked for permission to issue an edict saying that on the day chosen by the lot, the Jews in all the provinces of the King's empire should be killed - young and old alike - and their goods should be plundered.

Mordecai asked Esther to approach the king to get him to withdraw the edict, even though she risked her life by doing so. To approach the king without being summoned meant certain death - unless the king extended his sceptre towards the person. Esther fasted three days and nights and then approached the king. He extended his sceptre and she asked permission to invite the king and Haman to a banquet.

At the banquet she invited them to another banquet on the following day. Haman went home in high spirits at the King's and Queen's favour to him, but was angered to see Mordecai still not bowing down to him. So, on the advice of his wife and friends, he built a gallows ready to ask the king's permission to hang Mordecai the following morning. That night, however, the king could not sleep and so he ordered the book of the chronicles of his reign to be read to him. The passage about Mordecai uncovering the plot against the King's life was read to him.

He then found out that Mordecai was not rewarded for this and the next day when Haman came before the king, the king asked him "What should be done for the man the king delights to honour?" (Est 6:9). Haman assumed the king was referring to him and suggested that the king should put a royal robe on this man and have him led through the streets on the king's horse with the proclamation that "this is what is done for the man the king delights to honour".

In the story of Esther, Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai save the Jewish people from the retribution of powerful vizier Haman, by pleading their case before the king, Xerxes.

Then the king ordered Haman to do honour to Mordecai. Haman was commanded to lead the horse and make the proclamation. Mortified, he then attended the second banquet with the King and Queen. At the banquet, Esther asked the king to spare her life and the lives of her people and told the king that Haman was responsible for the decree for their annihilation.

The king flew into a rage and left the room. On his return, he found Haman appearing to molest Queen Esther as he fell towards her begging for his life. The king ordered that Haman be hanged on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Haman's estate was given to Esther and the king issued another edict allowing the Jews to defend themselves against the attack of their enemies, which was still due to take place on the day arranged by Haman (this was because the king's edicts could not be repealed, so an opposing edict had to be issued instead, allowing the Jews to destroy their enemies).

In this way, all the enemies of the Jews were destroyed, including Haman's sons. In Esther 9:20, we read that Esther and Mordecai, who had assumed the position of influence that Haman had held, ordered that the Jews everywhere should celebrate annually for ever more with feasting and great joy the festival of lots, or Purim, and that they should give one another presents of food and give gifts to the poor.

Purim Today

Hamentashen, traditional biscuits eaten on Purim. See Photo Credits.

Today, Purim is celebrated by the Jewish people with a fast on the day before the festival, mirroring Esther's fast, and then a feast. There are five good deeds (or mitzvot) associated with the festival: first, reading the scroll of Esther, then reading a portion of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible), third, sending gifts to friends and relatives, fourth, distribution of charity to the poor and finally, participation in a festive meal.

Purim plays are often put on and children (and sometimes adults!) dress up in fancy dress. People eat biscuits known as Hamantaschen (iHamantaschenn Yiddish) meaning Haman's ears (in Hebrew oznei Haman). This may refer to the practice of cutting off criminals' ears before they were hanged.

Purim is thought of as a minor feast, but it occupies a major place in the hearts of the Jewish people because its theme of deliverance from annihilation has had relevance throughout history. It is also popular because it is light-hearted and fun, a time of celebration rather than serious reflection.

Purim is a minor feast, but it occupies a major place in the hearts of the Jewish people because of its theme of deliverance from annihilation.

Blotting out the Amalekites

During the reading of the story of Esther, every time Haman's name is mentioned, everyone will make as much noise as possible. There is a special Purim noisemaker usually known by its Yiddish name, grogger, which makes a loud rattling sound. The idea is to blot out Haman's name.

A Purim 'grogger', for blotting out Haman's name. See Photo Credits.

Why? Well, Haman is referred to as 'the Agagite' in the book of Esther. Agag is from a Hebrew root from which come words to do with fire, flames, fury and anger (appropriate for one who seeks to destroy). Haman is therefore thought to have been a descendant of Agag, King of the Amalekites, who were the arch enemy of the Israelites. Haman the Agagite is said to be the 17^th generation descended from Amalek, son of Elifaz, who was the firstborn son of Esau.

In Deuteronomy 25:19, it is commanded to "blot out the memory of the Amalekites from under heaven", and in Exodus 17:16, "The Lord's war with the Amalekites will continue generation after generation". This is echoed in the book of Esther with its command that the days of Purim should be remembered and kept generation after generation (9:28).

In 1 Samuel 15, we read that Saul disobeyed the Lord's instructions not to take plunder from the Amalekites. They were to be utterly destroyed including all their property. Saul disobeyed and took the plunder and because of this the Lord rejected him as king over Israel. So, in Esther, we read that the Jews are very careful not to lay their hands on the plunder of Haman and his sons (Est 9:10).

There is a further connection with the story of Saul here. Mordecai's grandfather was called Kish, as was Saul's father, so it seems that the author of the book of Esther had in mind the story of Saul and the Amalekites by hinting at it in mentioning Mordecai's descent (Est 2:5-6).

Why did Mordecai choose not to bow before Haman? One may infer that Mordecai knew Haman's origins, that he was descended from the Amalekites. Bowing indicates honour towards someone, or even worship - and Mordecai refused to do that to the son of the sworn enemy of the Jewish people. It also explains why Haman wished to destroy all Mordecai's people once he found out he was a Jew and therefore the sworn enemy of the Amalekites. Haman's ancestral line presumably explains his irrational hatred of Mordecai and the Jews. That same irrational and implacable hatred continued to feed anti-Semitism throughout history and continues today, making the story of Esther continually relevant.

The same irrational and implacable hatred of Jews expressed by Haman has continued throughout history and continues today – making the story of Esther ever-relevant.

God Implicitly Present

Purim, like Passover, is a celebration of deliverance from evil, of the redemption of God for his people. Interestingly, however, the book of Esther is unique among the books of the Bible in that nowhere is the name of God mentioned. Similarly, it can sometimes appear to us as though our enemy is all too real and present in our lives and the lives of those around us and that God is nowhere to be found - but God always has his plan of deliverance ready.

There is also no mention of the Jews' religion or religious practices at all in Esther. Yet the presence of God is implied throughout the story by the way co-incidences (or God-incidences) happen to favour Mordecai and Esther. Esther happened to be beautiful and so rise to a position of power. Mordecai happened to hear of the plot against the king and the king happened to awaken one night and be read the exact section from the chronicles which told of this.

Divine destiny surfaces nowhere more clearly than in Mordecai's charged statement to Esther that if she does not help the Jewish people in their hour of need, deliverance will arise from another place. She can use her position to help save her people or she can draw back, but she and her father's family would perish.

Thus the importance of human obedience within the context of divine sovereignty becomes clear. God prepares us, he places us in certain positions, in his perfect timing, then he gives us the opportunity to serve him to accomplish his purposes. This is always the choice: to serve the Lord and prosper, or to disobey him, ignore his call and perish. His will always be done, with or without us. Esther heeds Mordecai's words that she has been placed in her royal position "for such as time as this" (Est 4:14), risking her life to do it but saving the lives of many.

The book of Esther is unique in that it does not mention the name of God – and yet God's presence is implied throughout the story.

Esther and Joseph

The story of Esther is often compared to the story of Joseph. Both rise to positions of influence within the court of a foreign power which holds sway over the Jewish people. Both save their people from death - in Joseph's case from famine - and in doing so risk their own lives. Similar to the story of Esther, the disruption of the king's sleep leads to the release of Joseph from prison (Pharaoh's dream), just as the king's wakefulness in the book of Esther causes Mordecai to be rewarded.

Both conceal their Jewish identity to accomplish the redemption of the Jewish people. Joseph, in particular, is often referred to as a type of the Messiah. Like Joseph, Jesus appears before his Jewish brethren today with Gentile appearance. He has been adopted by the Gentiles and presented in Gentile garb. We look forward to the day when Jesus will thoroughly reveal his Jewish identity and Messiahship to the Jewish people and there will be great weeping and mourning, as the prophet Zechariah indicates, "They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son" (Zech 12:10), just as Joseph and his brothers wept together as they met for the first time in years.

Purim and the Church

Throughout history, God has brought deliverance to the Jewish people from the plans of the enemy. Haman in the story of Esther can be seen as representing the enemy of God's people, the Adversary satan.

The Jewish people have designated many days as Purims, occasions on which the Jewish people were delivered from annihilation in their history. Many such Purims are associated sadly with the Church, particularly with the Christian blood-libel accusation (the totally unfounded accusation that the Jews need the blood of a Christian child for their Passover rites, an abominable and tragic lie which has caused persecution and suffering to Jews over centuries).

The Jewish people have designated many days as Purims over the years, because of repeated attempts through history to annihilate them – many, sadly, associated with the Church.

Purim also caused anti-Semitic feeling historically. A custom in a number of Jewish communities was to burn an effigy of Haman. Christians said that the Jews used this to represent the death of Jesus and that they were killing him all over again. The Christian reformer Martin Luther wrote about Esther that she was a typical despicable Jew, eager to shed Gentile blood. He also wrote:

Do you know, Jew, that Jerusalem and your kingdom, together with the Temple and the priesthood, were destroyed over a thousand years ago?...The exile shows that God is not their God and they are not his people.¹

Luther's anti-Semitism was seized on by Hitler who used Luther's writings (such as his notorious work On the Jews and their Lies) as support for his own programme of destruction. The celebration of Purim today always carries the shadow of the Holocaust, the 20^th Century Haman being Hitler. Sadly, the long shadow of Christian anti-Judaism and anti-Semitism remains.

Today, the celebration of Purim carries the shadow of the Holocaust, the 20^th Century Haman being Hitler.

Most Christians are aware that we are called to watch the signs of the times and to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Let us also remember God's sovereign and unchangeable choice of a people and a land for his possession: Israel. It is "for such a time as this" that we must be ready to stand up with the Jewish people against today's Hamans.

References

1 Kaufmann, Y, 1929-30. Exile and the Alien Land, Vol 1, p299.

In the penultimate article in his series, Edmund Heddle looks at the third 'Servant song' of Isaiah.

The prophet's early-morning interview is the picture behind the third Servant song recorded in Isaiah 50:4-9. The other three Servant songs in Isaiah present various pictures of the prophet's life and ministry, including the familiar description of the Suffering Servant who was to be wounded for the transgressions of God's sinful people. These songs are found in Isaiah 42:1-9, 49:1-9 and 52:13-53:12.

As we consider what we are taught by the third Servant song, it will be helpful if we first understand that the two phrases in v4 which are rendered by the New International Version as "instructed tongue" and "like one being taught" are identical in Hebrew and in fact are the Hebrew word for 'a disciple' (limmud). Likewise, in the words of the song which follows, we shall so render the phrases "the tongue of a disciple" and "to listen like a disciple":

The Sovereign Lord has given me the tongue of a disciple, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen, like a disciple. The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears. and I have not been rebellious: I have not drawn back. I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard, I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.

Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, have I set my face like a flint, and I know I will not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me! It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me. Who is he who will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment: the moths will eat them up.

The Early-Morning Interview

In order to understand the meaning of Isaiah's words and to realise that we cannot understand 'What is a prophet?' until we recognise the place of the early-morning interview in the prophet's life, let us examine this Servant song.

Who wakens the prophet early each morning? God himself takes responsibility to waken his servant, bringing him enlightenment, instruction and encouragement. This enables the prophet to begin the day with the right outlook. Many Christians have discovered that, provided they are willing to co-operate by getting to bed in reasonable time the night before, the Lord will wake them at the agreed time and with a much gentler nudge than that of a clock. It is good to awake and to know that the Lord has been watching over us throughout the night of sleep.

Instruction a Day at a Time

One of the first lessons to be learned from this Servant song is the importance of having a fresh experience of God every day of our lives. As with the manna, it was necessary to go and collect a fresh supply daily. The Lord said through Moses, "The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day" (Ex 16:4) and Jesus taught us to ask the Father to "give us today our daily bread".

What is true for the realm of the physical also applies to the realm of the spiritual. Stale bread does little for the prophet, "whilst the hungry sheep look up but are not fed". We are to live a day at a time and to refuse either to sap our strength by worrying about yesterday's mistakes or by worrying over what may happen tomorrow. We can cope with each day, provided we tackle it one day at a time.

It is so important to have a fresh experience of God every day – as with the manna, we need a new supply daily.

Listening to God for Others

During the early-morning interview the prophet is given "the word that sustains the weary". He listens to God not just for himself but also for the sake of those who are weary; those literally on the point of fainting. Paul sees this as the main contribution that can be made by the gift of prophecy: "Everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort" (1 Cor 14:3).

If only today's prophets would get up and receive the word God would have them pass on to his people, his gift would not become devalued as it has been in the case of so many renewed churches today.

The Prophet a Disciple

As has already been pointed out. the Hebrew word for a 'disciple' underlies the opening verse of this song. God's gift to his people depends on his prophets having the ears and the tongue of a disciple. He needs a trained ear that can hear God and a trained tongue that he can pass on what God is saying.

In order to be able to do this he needs to live the life of a disciple. The Lord refuses to give his word to the man who is arrogant, proud and disobedient, but his secret is found by those who fear God and reverence his name.

The words of this Servant song applied to Isaiah himself and he was both prophet and disciple. But its words were perfectly fulfilled by Jesus, who was a disciple in his relationship to his Father. He said, "My teaching is not my own, it comes from him who sent me" (John 7:16). Unlike national Israel, the Servant would present to God perfect obedience and a willingness to endure humiliation and persecution for the Father's sake.

Prophets need a trained ear and a trained tongue to pass on what God is saying – the Lord refuses to give his word to the man who is arrogant, proud and disobedient.

The Cost of Passing on God's Message

"I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard, I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting". Because the prophet was faithful in proclaiming the message God had given him he found he had stirred up a hornet's nest of trouble, and this has proved true through the ages.

Men may propagate utter rubbish and yet still be applauded, whilst the simple truths of the gospel are rejected. The prophet is left wondering "who has believed our message?" (Isa 53:1).

He mentions examples of violence, physical abuse and insulting behaviour, all with the desire to prevent God's prophets speaking out his truth. Imprisonment and death are still the lot of those who faithfully pass on the message God has given in many parts of the world today.

How Will God's Messengers Keep Going?

In verses 7 and 9 of this Servant song we learn how God's servants can keep going. It is "because the Sovereign Lord helps me...it is the Sovereign Lord who helps." The secret of overcoming whatever the powers of darkness may throw at us is the help always available from an omnipotent God. Whether it is physical violence or false accusations, his help can transform ugly situations. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

The secret of overcoming whatever the powers of darkness throw at us, whether physical violence or false accusations, is the help that comes from God.

The Servant's Unwavering Resolution

If we are to face the trouble that will inevitably come to Christians all over the world in the future, we need to balance our utter confidence in God's help with our unwavering determination to stand firm whatever the cost. "Therefore have I set my face like a flint" (v7). Isaiah in these verses is saying something about his ministry and work as a prophet, talking of the many hardships he had met in carrying out his commission, but he speaks also of the Messiah and it is of him that we read, "Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51).

Flint was used to cut through very hard material, and Isaiah claimed that he would let nothing stand in the way of obedience to God. Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem for his confront-ation with the powers of darkness. He had to cut through all obstacles, whether personal or circumstantial, in order to fulfil his Father's will. His thoughts are well expressed in the words of Psalm 40:7-8, "Then I said, 'Here I am, I have come...I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.'"

Early-Morning Meeting with God

It is interesting to scan down in a concordance the list of verses which include the word 'early'. All the great characters of the Old Testament were early risers: Abraham and Jacob; Moses and Joshua; Gideon and David; Hezekiah and the writer of Psalm 108 who declared "Awake, harp and lyre, I will awaken the dawn" (v2).

The great figures of Old Testament times differed from one another in many ways but were one in this regard, that they gave time to their God in the early morning. It has been said that no one has ever made a lasting impression in the long history of the church who did not put God first every day.

If we are to face the coming troubles, we need to balance our utter confidence in God's help with our unwavering determination to stand firm - whatever the cost.

Jesus' Daily Quiet Time with His Father

In Mark's gospel we read of an evening in Capernaum when Jesus was healing the sick and setting free the demonised (Mark 1:32-38). Next morning the crowds gathered to see more miracles and to receive healing for themselves or others. But Jesus was nowhere to be found. Eventually Peter discovered where he was and urged him to return to the crowd that was growing by the minute. Jesus' reply that he must move on to other villages puzzled his disciples and annoyed the crowds, who tried to keep him from leaving them (Luke 4:42).

Jesus had gone out from his tiny lodgings before it was light so that he might discover his Father's will as he continued his ministry. We need to give prime time to God at the beginning of each day.

The Initiative Must Always Be with the Father

Jesus said in explanation of his lifestyle, "The Son can do nothing on his own initiative, he can do only what he sees his Father doing" (John 5:19). Even his words and the way he spoke them were totally submissive to the Father's control (John 12:49). In fact, he claimed that he did nothing except what would please his Father (John 8.29).

In this way, by the enabling of the Holy Spirit, he was able to lay the foundations of a Kingdom where men and women love most of all to discover and do his will. Central to this is our need to ask the Lord to wake us each morning to listen to what he has to say to us and to discover what he would have us to speak to those we will meet during the day ahead.

Of course, not everyone can be free at daybreak. Mothers with babies and little children, postmen and train-drivers are obvious exceptions. But they all have other times which they can spend in the Father's company. One thing is certain: no-one can hope to function as a prophet or in the gift of prophecy unless they spend time listening to what God is saying.

First published in Prophecy Today, Vol 7 No 5, September/October 1991.

Catch up on the rest of this series by visiting our archive.

Weekly passages: Exodus 35:1-38:20; 1 Kings 7:40-7:50; 2 Corinthians 9:6-11; 1 Corinthians 3:11-18

This week's readings concern the building of the Tabernacle in the wilderness, to the exact pattern given to Moses by God. Nowhere else in the entire Bible are there such precise instructions given for building a physical object.

After all these years the details passed on to us are clear enough for us to build our own scale model if we wanted to. Because the details are so clear we must assume that God had a purpose in this.

The Design and its Purpose

God caused Moses and the skilled artisans to prepare a place where God would dwell among his people. The exact way in which God was to be approached was also clearly specified.

We do not know exactly what Moses saw when God showed him the pattern on the mountain, but it resulted in the physical reality of the Tabernacle, according to God's exact specifications (Ex 36:1).

As you read the passages, why not pause and consider prayerfully the symbolism of each aspect of the Tabernacle and its ministry, including:

• The way in from the world through the courts to the inner sanctuary and the presence of God
• The two altars, one for sacrifice and one for priestly intercessory ministry
• The raw materials used for construction - from basic wood, cloth and animal skins to bronze, silver and gold
• The colours of the materials
• The dimensions of each part
• The rituals for approaching God: from sacrifice, through washing, to faith to enter the Holiest Place
• The prescribed order of the Priesthood
• The manner of gathering the materials for the construction
• The preparation of skilled workers
• The exercise of free-will in giving and working
• The certainty that God had for completion of the ministry

Who would not have been impressed by the way the work was done and the ministry defined? Would we ourselves not have wanted to experience what the Israelites experienced?

God Journeying with His People

The Tabernacle became central to the community of Israel, as a pilgrim people journeying through the wilderness. It was portable and could be positioned in each new stopping-place so that the presence of God was always with his people.

Over the years of Israel's history, through all its peaks and its troughs, the history of this wilderness journey with God has been implanted into Jewish communal memory, not least because of the precise way that God instructed Moses. Restoration to a Jew means restoration of what was experienced in the wilderness – a pilgrim people living in faith with God at the centre.

A Symbol of Things to Come

Why not study carefully all the details concerning the Tabernacle and its construction that are laid out in Exodus - then, holding your finger in Exodus, also read the Book of Hebrews. In Hebrews 9 it is stated clearly that the wilderness experience, including the Tabernacle, were symbolic of the ministry of Jesus the Messiah among his people (see verse 9).

Surely this is why the details were so precise – they spoke clearly of Jesus. God has given us a visual symbol so that we might be better prepared to understand who Jesus is, his earthly ministry, our place in that ministry and his long-awaited return.

God has shown us an exact picture, perfectly ordered so that we might use this as a foundation on which to build, to approach him through the sacrifice of Jesus and so that we might also share in the priestly ministry. Was this one of the reasons why Moses recognised Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, seeing beyond the physical pattern to its fulfilment in the Son of God (Matt 17:3)?

Jesus is now the cornerstone (in metaphorical terms) of the fulfilment of the pattern of the Tabernacle and Temple. His people are joined to him in covenant community and ministry. The principles for building God's dwelling-place, made clear in Exodus, are now to be transferred to the spiritual ministry of the Temple made without hands (1 Pet 2:1-12), of which we are a part through faith.

Author: Clifford Denton

Whatever their motives, MPs chose to 'Keep Sunday Special' this week. Clifford Hill comments.

Sunday trading has always been a toxic issue in parliament. It was the only issue on which Margaret Thatcher lost a vote in the House of Commons. That was in 1986 when the Shops Bill was defeated in a revolt by 72 Tory MPs who felt strongly that this was an issue of conscience.

From 1986 to 2016

The 1986 vote in parliament was strongly influenced by a successful campaign 'Keep Sunday Special' initiated by Dr Michael Schluter, which was strongly backed by churches of all denominations and had considerable prayer support from Christian organisations.

The successful rebellion against the government this week was led by David Burrowes MP, well-known for his Christian commitment, who said that he had listened to the concerns of his constituents. "I have many shop-workers, many faith groups and many others saying: why are we doing this? Why are we trying to unpick something that's fairly settled?"¹ He also said that for him this was "an issue of conscience" which he could not ignore.²

David Burrowes proposed an amendment which was supported by 317 to 286. The amendment was supported by MPs from across the parties, including Labour, the SNP, the DUP, Lib Dems and 27 Tory backbenchers who voted against the government.

Shameless Economic Agenda

The proposed changes to the Sunday trading laws would have benefited the larger stores who currently are only allowed to open for six hours on a Sunday. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said that it was "a major win" for small businesses in England and Wales as its members were "unconvinced of the economic case for relaxing Sunday trading rules".³

The defeat was greeted with delight by John Hannett, General Secretary of the Shopworkers Union USDAW. He said, "This is the third time in five years that Conservative ministers have attempted to permanently change Sunday trading regulations and the third time they have been unsuccessful."⁴ He added, "We hope now that the Government will leave this great British compromise alone and focus on providing real support for the retail sector, not the unwanted and unnecessary bureaucracy that devolution would have resulted in."⁵

The argument in favour of scrapping restrictions on Sunday trading was shamelessly economic – largely designed to favour big business operators – and showing little concern for the views of shop-workers and the broader negative impacts Sunday trading has upon family life. It is this latter point that is of particular concern for Christians who have watched with dismay over the past 40 years the disappearance of regulations protecting the spiritual health of the nation.

In the past 40 years, Christians have watched the disappearance of regulations protecting the spiritual health of the nation. Increased Sunday trading would have struck a further blow.

Keep Sunday Special

Anything that weakens family life is a blow to the physical, mental and spiritual health of the nation. The pressures of commercialisation have left little opportunity for families to spend time together to relax and simply to communicate with one another. Surely most people should be able to organise their shopping habits to satisfy their needs in six days without encroaching on Sundays at all. Our present regulations are by no means ideal but complete deregulation would finally destroy even the protection that our present Sundays give for at least part of the day to be different from the rest of the week.

This was surely the intention of God in the creation of the world: to have one day free from the pressures of work when there could be a reflection upon things other than merely making a living. This is why honouring the Sabbath is included in the 10 Commandments: because it is important for the health and well-being of all humans.

God instituted the Sabbath for the health and well-being of all humans – to keep one day in the week free from the pressures of work, giving space for reflection on other things.

Corruption and Injustice

In the history of Israel, when the nation ignored the regulations protecting the Sabbath it always resulted in a wide range of social problems that included the exploitation of the poor and vulnerable by the rich and powerful. Greed and corruption led to injustice that enslaved the powerless and destroyed family life.

This was one of the reasons why the prophets strove to protect the people from those who wanted to destroy the Sabbath. Amos told of market traders wanting to end the Sabbath so that they could get on with their trading – "skimping the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales, buying the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the sweepings with the wheat" (Amos 8:5-6).

Nehemiah believed that failing to observe the Sabbath led to God removing his cover of protection over the nation. He saw people in Jerusalem buying and selling on the Sabbath and said, "What is this wicked thing you are doing – desecrating the Sabbath day? Didn't your forefathers do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity upon us and upon this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath" (Neh 13:17-18).

In Israel's history, when the nation ignored Sabbath regulations it always resulted in the poor and vulnerable being exploited and greed and corruption becoming rife.

The Government has criticised MPs for playing political games in voting against changing the Sunday trading rules. But they still did the right thing - even if their motives were not right!

References

1 Sunday trading changes defeated by Commons rebellion. PSE, 10 March 2016.

2 Government facing battle in Sunday trading vote. BBC News, 9 March 2016.

3 Sunday trading defeat for government as MPs reject changes. BBC News, 9 March 2016.

4 Mason, R.No 10 concedes Sunday trading defeat after Commons rebellion. The Guardian, 9 March 2016.

5. Ibid.

Clifford Denton turns his attention to a sensitive topic.

The 'problem' of suffering is, of course, a big and sensitive subject, but it is not as complex to understand as we might think. The difficulty comes when it is suddenly brought close to home; when we or someone close to us is going through a difficult patch - perhaps through sickness - perhaps through some other pressure of life, temporary or permanent. Where is God to be found? Why is he seemingly silent?

The Big Picture

In What the Bible says about the Judgment of God we began with the big picture, which is also the best place to begin here. We live in the period between the Fall and the coming Kingdom of God. We wait for the return of Jesus and the blessed time (pictured in Revelation 21) that eventually will come when there will "be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away" (Rev 21:4).

But in the meantime, the free will of mankind, through the mistakes of Adam and Eve, has led us all to live for a period in a world where Eve was promised pain in childbirth (Gen 3:16) and Adam was promised toil, hard work and difficult circumstances symbolised by thorns and thistles (Gen 3:18-19). Furthermore, the earth was designated a place where satan, the tempter, would be active, living in enmity with mankind (Gen 3:15).

Nevertheless, God made covenant with Abraham which would be fulfilled through Jesus the Messiah, made manifest in terms given through Jeremiah (31:31-33). Despite the Fall and all its consequences, we who live in faith are on a pilgrimage, as it were, to a destination beyond this world's problems, waiting for all the promises of God to be fulfilled in our lives.

Even when the suffering of this world reaches the high pitch of Luke 21, Mark 13 and Matthew 24, Jesus' exhortation to us is not to look at the problems all around but to "look up and lift your heads, because your redemption draws near" (Luke 21:28).

We journey through a temporary world where all our experiences become prompts to seek God, personally and together, for help on the way. If there is a primary purpose for all the suffering in the world, it is that we will earnestly seek God. Our priorities should be balanced towards eternal life, but God also sends us help in this life according to his best judgements for us - personally and within the 'big picture'.

If there is a primary purpose for all the suffering in the world, it is that we will earnestly seek God.

Kingdom Now...or Kingdom Coming?

Jesus warned us that there would be false expectations concerning his return (Luke 21:8-19, Matt 24:4-14). The parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matt 25:1-13) warns us that a wrong view of his coming will possibly lead to a falling away for some, through giving up, losing focus and even losing hope. Even in Paul's day, there were those among the Thessalonians who were confused and some who were losing hope (1 Thess 5:1-11; 2 Thess 2:1-17).

So, what are we to expect prior to the Lord's return? A careful reading of Acts 3:18-21 is helpful here - it is like a three-point sermon.

• Point 1 (v18) concerns the prophecies that were fulfilled through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.
• Point 2 (v19) exhorts us in the era between his first and second comings to seek the Father through faith in Jesus so that our sins may be blotted out and seek him for times of refreshing.
• Point 3 (v20-21) concerns Jesus' return. He remains in heaven until the time appointed by the Father. The Kingdom of Heaven will not come in fully until then. It is not in the hands of the Lord's disciples to bring in the Kingdom for him. When the King returns he will bring in the complete restoration that we all yearn for - more so as the suffering of the fallen world is magnified. There will be no final Kingdom without the King.

Meanwhile, as Paul also said (Rom 8:23), we have the first-fruits of God's Spirit in us, sufficient for our pilgrimage, our growth in faith and love as we go on to complete our journey. There is no suggestion that the completion will come before the Lord's Kingdom is fully with us, when we will even have new bodies:

I consider that the present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us...we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies...we wait for it patiently. (Rom 8:18-27)

While we await Jesus' return, we are exhorted to seek the Father for forgiveness, sanctification and times of refreshing. We also have the first-fruits of God's Spirit in us.

Word Study

There are two main Hebrew words that are related with the word suffering, each with a somewhat different emphasis.

One word is natan, meaning to give, cause, perform, allow. Jesus said (Mark 10:14), "suffer the little children to come unto me." This has the sense of allowing something to take place. This is not the same as the other main Hebrew word for suffering, nasa. Nasa has a wide range of meanings including, to bear, exact, stir up. This is the sort of suffering we are considering in this study - the sort of life experience that is a burden and requires perseverance. It is not, however, a punishment.

A corresponding Greek word for suffering of this kind is pasho. It is the suffering of Jesus in Luke 9:22 – "the Son of Man must suffer many things." It is also the suffering referred to by Peter relating to our own pilgrimage (1 Pet 3:14), "if you should suffer for righteousness sake..."

We can bring suffering on ourselves of course, but outside of this if someone is suffering in this world (whether through sickness or some other burden), it should not be seen as a personal judgement of God for their sins. It should be understood in the more general context of the fallen world through which we are all pilgrims.

Some Examples

The Book of Job has been given to us to show that a person may suffer sickness and bereavement and it is far from a punishment for sin. Indeed, much personal suffering is part of one's personal walk with God and may promote questions, test faith and lead to personal growth. This may not always be the case, but there is a message for us all in the experiences of Job that prompt us to be careful of our conclusions and also be careful how we counsel others. A suffering person needs comfort but not misguided comfort from unwise friends!

Whilst we sometimes bring suffering on ourselves, outside of this individual suffering should not be seen as judgment from God for their sins. Job is a prime example.

When Jesus healed the man born blind (John 9), the Lord showed us that some suffering, and the testimony which it produces, brings glory to God and is not to be linked with personal sin (John 9:3). When a faulty tower, perhaps of unsound construction, fell and killed 18 people in Siloam (Luke 13:4), it was a lesson that sin is not necessarily attributed to those who suffer most from the consequences of a sinful world.

Sickness or suffering of other kinds, though not always so, can be a result of satan's schemes, for example, the man in the caves of Gadara (Matt 8:28) and the infirm woman (Luke 13:16). We must be careful when to discern the direct workings of satan and when not.

Jesus went about healing and delivering many people, to demonstrate the power of the Kingdom and as a testimony to who he was – the Lord, with power to forgive sin and to heal (for example, Matt 11:2-6, Matt 9:1-8). Yet, some he healed and some he did not heal. He healed as a response to faith (eg Luke 8:48) and also when he was filled with overwhelming compassion (Matthew 9:36). He gave us no expectation that all sickness and suffering would be removed from the world prior to his return, yet showed us that God does respond to faith – which itself is a gift from him (1 Cor 12:9).

Suffering, Testing and Comfort

A wide-ranging study of this subject would show that there is no easy formula to explain why a person is suffering in some way. We are taught not to be downcast, but to look up. We are exhorted to grow in faith through the exercise of our experiences. In our individual lives we will have unique opportunities to seek God and help one another, exercise the gifts and ministries we have been given (1 Cor 12) and grow together in the midst of a suffering world. Furthermore, when we ourselves are seen as suffering we are in a position to both sympathise and witness to a real faith in Jesus.

Returning to questions we posed at the beginning: where is God to be found in our sufferings - and why does he sometimes seem silent? The answer is that he is always close (consider again the testimony of Job). It is a surprising experience of those with faith in Jesus that suffering brings us to seek God more rather than less. It is an evidence of overcoming and an exercise of our faith. Those without such faith are more likely to draw further from God. The seeming temporary silence of God is all part of this process of testing our faith, exercising it and growing it.

In suffering, God is always close – and for those with faith in Jesus, suffering brings us to draw even nearer to him.

We cannot do what Jesus did for us on the Cross, but we are able to witness to it in this world of suffering. It is our privilege to identify with the suffering of Jesus, as pointed out by Paul (Galatians 1:24), who filled up in his flesh "what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church."

Just as the apostles rejoiced "because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name" (Acts 5:41), so we can come to a point of maturity where we "consider it pure joy whenever we face trials of many kinds, because we know that the testing of our faith develops perseverance" (James 1:2). Of course this does not mean we should artificially look to bring suffering upon ourselves to seem more holy; rather it means that we have a wise perception of the subject of suffering in this world.

A word to be held in tension with suffering is comfort. Isaiah 40:1-2 speaks of the comfort to be given to those suffering for the outworking covenant purposes of God. No-one has suffered more than Jesus in this respect, though Israel has had its share of suffering. We too must learn to live with the suffering in this world and comfort one another. Paul said (2 Cor 1:3-7):

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings as we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

This is a brief study on a huge and central subject in our lives as pilgrims journeying between the Fall and full restoration. Let us seek to achieve a balanced perspective as we go into testing days ahead, constantly seeking God - each on our individual journey.

Edmund Heddle unpacks Peter's valuable instructions on prophecy.

In his two New Testament letters Peter augments and complements the teaching on prophecy and prophesying found in the letters of Paul. The two writers between them establish a complete answer to the question 'What is a prophet?' Peter's letters contain five paragraphs in which he deals with prophets and prophesying, each full of valuable instruction, and we shall deal with each paragraph in turn.

Prophecies Concerning the Coming Messiah (l Peter 1:10-12)

Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and the circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels desire to look into these things.

The Old Testament prophets who foretold the coming of Messiah referred to him as the gift of God's grace. This they did under the direction of the Holy Spirit, who revealed through them the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glory that would follow. The prophets were clear about the coming of the Messiah – but who he should be, what he should do, and at what point in history he would appear - all of these things they longed to know but were kept in the dark.

It was revealed to them that the prophecies they uttered were not for the immediate benefit of either themselves or God's people. They had been given for the enlightenment and blessing of a later generation, namely the people of Peter's day.

So the message had remained hidden, though they searched intently and with the greatest care. Prophets on earth and angels in heaven longed to understand the fullness of the prophetic revelation. The Greek word translated 'look into' is the same as the word used in John 20:11 to describe Mary Magdalene's entrance into the grave of Jesus, where she stooped down to look, standing at the side of the tomb so as not to get into her own light. How carefully should we look into the prophetic word, especially where the immediate application appears to be neither easily understandable nor relevant.

Old Testament prophets foretold the coming of the Messiah but were kept in the dark about the meanings of their own prophetic revelations.

The lesson from this paragraph is that no one prophet conveys the whole message. Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:29 suggests that "two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said."

Prophecy needs to be taken seriously and is best weighed in the company of the Lord's people. We need the Holy Spirit as much in understanding prophecy as in its
proclamation. The prophetic word about the Messiah remained hidden until Peter himself - the Spirit-filled preacher on the day of Pentecost - brought the explanation of their age-long bewilderment.

Using God's Grace-Gifts for His Glory (1 Peter 4:10-11)

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides so that in all things God maybe praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

God's grace is 'multicoloured' and is revealed in the gifts (charisma) of his Spirit. Peter mentions two gifts here:

1. The ability to speak God's words or, as it is usually termed, the ability to prophesy. "...the very words of God" is an attempt to translate the Greek word logion, which is usually translated by the word 'oracle' and means a divine response or utterance. This word is used in the scriptures of the Mosaic law, God's written utterances through Old Testament writers, the totality of Christian doctrine (Acts 7:38; Rom 3:2; Heb 5:12) and, incredibly, in the Spirit-inspired utterances of ordinary Spirit-filled-believers.

2. The ability to serve the body of Christ by gifts of divine power such as healing, miracles, deliverance from powers of darkness, and others (1 Cor 12:9-10). We are stewards of these gifts. Whatever gift God decides to give us for another individual or group we must pass on. God's gifts are unstinted and unlimited, except by our disobedience and unbelief. As stewards we shall one day be required give an account of our stewardship. God's provision is always lavish, and we are the ones who limit his gifts.

God's grace is multicoloured and his provision is always lavish – we are the ones who limit his gifts.

The Greek word translated as 'provides' is an interesting one; its literal translation is to provide a chorus in the theatre - to defray the cost of putting on a chorus at a public festival. Later on it came to describe the supplying and equipping of an army or a fleet. But in all cases its use conveys the idea of abundance.

Two things are required of us. First, that we are filled with God's Spirit and that we are willing to receive the gifts from the Lord and, secondly, that we obediently use them in the service of those for whom they have been provided. We are to let the spiritual gifts reach a fullness of development through us. Only then will their ultimate objective be achieved, namely that God may be praised. "To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever."

Paying Attention to the Prophetic Word (2 Peter 1:19-21)

And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Peter says that the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah had been made more certain by the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain, at which event he and the others present were eye-witnesses of his majesty. They were there when the voice came from heaven saying, "This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (v17). "You will do well to pay attention to the prophetic word which is for you like a light shining in a dark place", is the admonition Peter addresses to his readers.

We cannot live the whole of our lives in the glory of our transcendent Lord. We are in a sin-darkened world which Peter describes with words that translate to mean dirty, squalid and murky. The time will come when a new day dawns, preceded by the morning star. In classical literature the morning star is Venus, which rises in great brilliance before the dawn. But for Peter it must be Jesus (Rev 22:16). The words 'in your hearts' are thought by some scholars to belong to the next verse.

The Greek word for morning star is phosphorus, which means 'light-bringer'. Until the dawning of the day of Christ the prophetic word is like a light shining in a dark place. We should do well to give attention to it as society deteriorates and things become ever more difficult for those who are wholly committed to Christ.

Peter goes on to show that prophetic Scripture can be relied on totally because it originated not in the human mind or will but in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. No true prophecy was ever produced by mere human effort. Never at any time was it man's initiative that brought into being the scriptures. Man had his part to play; dwelling in God's presence and listening to his voice, he was told to record what he heard but he had to be careful never to add his own thoughts. Peter likened the prophets to sailing boats carried along by the wind.

No true prophecy was ever produced by mere human effort. Man had his part to play, but he had to be careful to never add to what God was revealing.

Scripture could be depended upon as a light-bringer. The initiative in prophesying must always be with the Holy Spirit. As Paul says after listing the nine supernatural gifts, "All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines" (1 Cor 12:11).

The corollary to Peter's statement, ie that it was the Spirit who originated Scripture, is that it can be neither understood nor interpreted by mere human ability. The modern practice of prophesying needs to be brought into line with the fact that no true prophecy ever comes from human initiative, also that no prophecy can be understood apart from the enabling of God's Spirit. How blessed are those who, though living in a wicked and dangerous world, nevertheless have the word of the prophets made more sure.

Prophetic Promises Remembered (2 Peter 3:1-4, 8-13)

Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Saviour through your apostles.

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come...they will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised?...everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation"...but do not forget this one thing, dear friends: with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise...he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief...since everything will be destroyed...what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God...in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

Peter is concerned that the prophet's words concerning the destruction of both earth and heaven prior to the establishment of the new heaven and the new earth were being forgotten and were ceasing to have a challenging effect on the behaviour of God's people. He recalls the words of Jesus, who challenged the people of his day to watch "because you do not know on what day your Lord will come" (Matt 24:36-44).

Peter in his two letters makes three references to Noah and the Noachic flood (1 Pet 3:20; 2 Pet 2:5; 2 Pet 3:5). The promised flood was a long time in coming but finally it arrived and did exactly what God said it would do.

Isaiah had foretold the establishment of a new heaven and a new earth (Isa 65:17-19, 66:22) but the process was to involve the destruction of things as they are. Since their fathers had died things had gone on just the same and people blamed God for being dilatory. But Peter explained that the delay in fulfilling the promise was due to the patience of God and his great desire that none should perish. Peter told them it was not that God had forgotten but that he loved. The delay is no indication of divine forgetfulness but rather of compassion.

Peter warned believers that God's apparent delay in delivering his promised judgment on the world was due not to forgetfulness, but rather to divine compassion and love.

Patience is likewise required of God's people. The promise of the prophets is that the new heaven and the new earth will be preceded by universal destruction. This ought to exercise a profound effect on Christians' life and conduct.

To Sum Up...

Peter reviews the coming of the Messiah; unfolds the resources of the spiritual gifts; confirms the authority of the prophetic word; and reveals the importance of preparing for the day of the Lord.

First published in Prophecy Today, Vol 7 No 4, July/August 1991.

Paul Luckraft reviews 'The Servant Queen and the King she serves' (2016, 64 pages, Bible Society, HOPE, LICC), a unique and magnificent tribute to Her Majesty.

This book is being published jointly by the Bible Society, HOPE and the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (LICC), to mark the Queen's 90^th birthday in April. In a year in which the UK will be looking ahead to its future in or out of the EU, we also have the opportunity to reflect on the many decades of faithful service of one of the most remarkable and Godly monarchs in our long history.

Co-written by Mark Greene of LICC and Catherine Butcher of HOPE, this short book is a magnificent tribute to Her Majesty. It focuses primarily upon her own words delivered in her Christmas messages over the course of her long reign - words which reflect her deep faith in Christ and the gospel. Her gratitude to God for his steadfast love and continued faithfulness is commented upon in the foreword which Her Majesty wrote especially for this publication.

In the foreword, written by Her Majesty especially for this publication, her gratitude to God for his steadfast love and faithfulness shines through.

The book also contains several well-chosen anecdotes - sometimes humorous, always enlightening, which add to the overall impression of a real person behind all the pomp and ceremony of her position. Despite having many servants (though she would never regard her staff as mere servants) she always feeds the corgis herself!

Pictures of her smiling face as she meets and greets people while going about her duty are plentiful, but perhaps most striking is the close-up of her face in quiet prayerful reflection on Remembrance Day.

Through this book we come to understand just how dedicated she has been to the calling placed upon her and how hard she works on a daily basis. Her devotion to us stems from her devotion to God, and for that we can all be profoundly grateful.

Her Majesty's devotion to her people stems from her devotion to God, and for that we can all be profoundly grateful.

Two small snippets of information stood out for me. There was one part of the Coronation ceremony which was not televised as it was considered too sacred to show, but which is described here. This was the moment when all the regalia was removed and, dressed in a simple white dress, the Queen was anointed with oil and set apart to serve.

The other fascinating insight recounts how, when in residence at Sandringham, she often comes unannounced to join the local congregation at the church on the estate. No chauffeur, no ceremony, she slips in through the small side-door and takes a seat in one of the pews - not even the special one reserved only for her. She has simply driven herself to church because she wants to be there.

Overall, this is a very moving account of the private faith of a very public person. For me, what comes through these pages is an overwhelming sense of true majesty. I felt a strong impression that to simply stand - or kneel - silently in her presence, before her throne, would be to get a foretaste of what it will be like one day when we stand - or kneel - before the eternal throne of the King of Kings (and Queens!), the King she serves. And that she would humbly accept our homage as such.

This is a very moving account of the private faith of a very public person – and what comes through these pages is a sense of true majesty.

Bible Society, HOPE, LICC have designed this unique book to be given away to friends and colleagues, to start conversations and to bring communities together.

You can order 'The Servant Queen' through CPO by following this link.

Single copies are priced at £5 + P&P, with bulk orders (packs of 10) bringing the cost down to £1 + P&P. Extra resources also available for school and community distribution.