'Teachings of the Torah' (Ed Kent Dobson, Zondervan, 283 pages, available from the publisher for £17.99)
This is extracted directly from the NIV First-Century Study Bible (reviewed last week) and, as its title suggests, is simply the first five books of the Old Testament covered in the same manner as the complete Bible. This means it is not necessary to buy it as a separate book unless you want this portion of Scripture in a more portable form.
Although the content is the same it does have some features of its own. The pages are glossier and slightly thicker, and there is a preface dedicated to the Torah. It also has a plastic wrap-around cover, with its own strap for holding it closed, giving it extra protection. And it comes in a box which makes it more presentable. The overall effect is that this would make a welcome gift.
The claim of this volume is that it weaves Jewish history with the Christian faith. This it certainly does, but of course being only the opening section of the Tanakh (Old Testament) it can only do this in a partial fashion. Perhaps it is intended as a tempter to buy the full Study Bible!
Weekly Readings: Genesis 32:3-36:43; Hosea 11:7-12:12 Obadiah 1:1-21; Hebrews 11:11-20; Matthew 26:36-46.
Did God really 'not prevail' in his fight against Jacob?
Genesis 32 tells of a strange watershed moment for Jacob. Journeying back to the land of his fathers on a directive from God, Jacob goes in faith - but not knowing what welcome will await him from his brother Esau.
As he receives word that Esau is coming to meet him with 400 men, Jacob panics and does everything he can to pacify his brother. Sending on ahead his flocks and herds, his servants and possessions - and finally his wives and children, in the hopes that these might somehow appease Esau's wrath, Jacob is left by himself in the night.
A Strange Fight
Alone and vulnerable, having let go of everything he ever owned or cherished: this would seem an ideal moment for the 'God of all comfort' to step in, to provide compassion and support. But rather bizarrely, God appears in human form and challenges Jacob to an all-night wrestling match. Why? Why choose to sap someone of the only strength they have left, especially someone who has lost everything and is facing the threat of imminent death?
Interestingly, a closer read of Genesis 32 shows that the point of the match was not to sap Jacob of his remaining strength – if it was, that would have been the outcome. Jacob would simply have given up. But the outcome was apparently a draw - the Bible actually says that God 'did not prevail' against Jacob.
Is God Weak?
Now, of course God had not 'met his match' in real strength terms, which must have meant that he chose not to win but to let the struggle continue. On the other side, Jacob could easily have given in – but in true Jacob style, his deep pride and drive to succeed would not allow it. In allowing the match to drag on, perhaps God was giving Jacob opportunity after opportunity to choose to surrender. But Jacob does not submit.
When God sees this, he touches Jacob's hip and dislocates it, ending the battle immediately. In one deft, easy move, Jacob is rendered powerless. He is suddenly shown that this exhausting struggle, with all of its demands on his physical strength and tactical prowess, had ultimately been pointless – God had always already won.
What Was the Point?
It seems that this match was not designed to force Jacob to a point of complete physical weakness (if it had been, it would have been a very short fight). Instead, it was to reveal to him in a very profound way that he was always already weak - that his lifelong struggle against God and others had been worth nothing.
It was to show that rebellion does not achieve anything; in the end we cannot possibly win – we can only choose to surrender. Scripture says that one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Rom 14:11; Phil 2:10; Isa 45:23) – and a well-known worship song appends this with: "still the greatest treasure remains for those who gladly choose You now".
Is God Domineering?
God knows our rebellious hearts and in his mercy allows us to struggle and strive with him, until we come to the point where we realise that we cannot win. If this seems rather domineering of God, just think that he did not have to struggle with Jacob. He could have forced his submission immediately, violently and without accounting for Jacob's free will. But he didn't. We have a wonderful, patient God who voluntarily goes through the struggle with us, who will break a sweat alongside us, who chooses to not 'prevail' over us but rather to encourage us to submit voluntarily.
He is with us in the dark and lonely places, where everything has been stripped away and we think we have nothing left to give – places where we are forced to confront our own pride or desire for control. And crucially, in those places (as always) he knows what is best for us. We have a loving Father who – when we have nothing left to take hold of – takes hold of us, even if it is not in the way we expect.
Author: Frances Rabbitts
'NIV First-Century Study Bible', with notes by Kent Dobson (Zondervan, 1850 pages, £34.99, available from St Andrew's Bookshop for £31.49, also available on Amazon)
This is an amazing resource for any serious student of the Bible. It contains even more information and guidance than most already on the market. Its main claim is to be a first-century study Bible, in that it enables readers to explore Scripture in its original Jewish and early Christian context. To this end it is extremely successful.
As well as the usual charts, maps and introductions to the Biblical books, it contains several articles and word studies interspersed directly into the text. The articles are of two kinds: textual, which explain some background to the chapters nearby, and 'day in the life' articles on topics such as shepherds, family life, soldiers, farmers, and various religious groups.
The Word Studies (Hebrew and Greek) provide short but penetrating insights into key terms found in the text nearby. As usual there are explanatory footnotes, but more plentiful and informative than typically provided. At the end there are Endnotes, a Bibliography, Glossary and Concordance. It seems everything has been thought of!
This is an amazing resource for any Bible student, containing even more information and guidance than most already on the market.
Inevitably this is a large book, one for the study rather than carrying around (it weighs around 3lb 6oz, or just over 1.5kg). The pages are colourful and clearly laid out and, perhaps surprisingly, not that thin for a book of this size. They can easily be turned and there is no fear they will soon become torn or scruffy.
In a study Bible the level of scholarship is important. Here it is of a high quality and up-to-date. The notes have been provided by Kent Dobson, the teaching pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in Michigan, who has an impressive list of qualifications and credentials to back up his love of Biblical studies. His background includes time spent in Israel, where he still leads study tours, and opportunities taken to learn from both Jewish and Christian scholars.
It seems everything has been thought of – which inevitably makes for a large book, but one that is clearly laid out with pages that are not too thin.
Overall, this is a very worthwhile investment that will enhance general reading as well as more advanced studies. It is to be highly commended.
Today, Prophecy Today publishes its 30th review since the magazine went live in April. What will you be reading over Christmas?
Our goal has been to review books and resources that will be of interest to the discerning Christian. As Christmas approaches, why not look back through our reviews - and perhaps even let them inspire you to make some purchases? To encourage you in your reading endeavours, here is a brief note from the editor of St Andrew's Christian Bookshop.
A Note from St Andrew's Bookshop
Over the last year I have discovered some alarming facts; not only is the number of Christian books being sold still in decline, but when a Christian bookshop closes very little of its sales are picked up by nearby bookshops – possibly up to 95% is lost. A recent Evangelical Alliance survey on Bible reading reported that people under 44 years old read the Bible on average 40% less than people over 44 years old (I would suspect a survey on the reading of Christian books would be even more telling!). And when discussing all this with the Right Revd. John Pritchard, the former Bishop of Oxford, he stated that he believes many Christians are now 'religiously illiterate'! If the church is not reading Christian books it is missing out on a rich vein of spiritual knowledge and information to help us understand what we believe and why.
So what does this all mean for us in our bookshop ministry?
For me it has been both releasing and exciting that the decline of the Christian bookshop is not inevitable.
Yes, the market has changed. Many of us have to accept the collapse of sales from Sunday School prize-giving, the decline of church hymnbook sales as churches move to the big screen, and the gradual end of many regular church bookstalls.
The challenge ahead for all of us in Christian retailing is to help the church to rediscover the value of Christian books. We want to dispel the myth that it is always cheaper and quicker to buy book on-line rather than from your Christian bookshop (we can often give a quicker and better service). We are also working to encourage church leaders to regularly recommend books when they preach, and to consider having suggested books to read with each teaching series I believe that people are hungry to be fed but don't know what to read. When books are recommended, people buy them, read them and lives are changed.
Be encouraged – the end is NOT inevitable. BOOKS DO CHANGE LIVES!
So when you're making choices about what gifts will most bless your loved ones this Christmas, why not reject the socks and the bubble bath, and choose something to encourage, inspire, challenge, grow...Choose a Christian book!
St Andrew's Bookshop
Re-printed with kind permission.
An exciting update from Ferguson, Missouri.
At the end of August, we shared some encouraging news from Ferguson, Missouri, where racial tensions erupted in 2014 over the fatal shooting of a black teenager by a white police officer. Linda Louis-VanReed and Bruce VanReed shared with us about how Christians were using the threatening environment to proclaim the good news about Jesus, and how God was using the prayers of the saints to intervene in the situation.
We now have a new and exciting update to share with you about events in Ferguson on November 24th, the anniversary of the court decision in favour of the police officer: first a brief note from Linda, then a response from Ferguson's Interim Chief of Police.
Hi, Cliff and Monica –
As always it was lovely to hear from you. Thanks to you all for your prayers and remembrance of us, here in Ferguson, during this past couple of weeks.
Yesterday, November 24, 2015, marked the one-year anniversary of the handing down of the decision in the Michael Brown incident. People have been gathering in small groups (around 5-10 individuals) since Thursday, the 19th, so we were unsure as to how far things were going to go.
But, praise God, so far no big events to report. The demonstrations have been largely peaceful. We had some activity last night, far into the early hours, we understand, in front of the Ferguson police department, but everyone maintained a focused and respectful presence. There were few media. We were driving home at 10PM last night and saw no media trucks.
It does appear as though our continued prayers and commitment to have an open dialogue with the community after last year has had an impact. God's grace and His mercy are boundless.
Hope you two have a beautiful and blessed week.
Yours in Christ,
Louie
Response from Ferguson Police Department
As you may all know, your prayers prevailed. A number of you met at the police station, spoke to protesters (citizens) in a way that allowed for some to gain a perspective about the day's event. In a way that allowed for them to express their constitutional rights. At a meeting, I asked you to pray that we have no violence, no damage, and no criminal activity. I challenged you to stand up and prove that you're the "Moral Authority." Well, it's evident you made a difference. No reported damage, over 150 protesters, no arrest, no one injured, no crimes reported due to protest, and all calls for service were handled.
Because of you, we are well on our way to ensure that your combined efforts will endure. You are very much part of a greater strategy and one that will not only ease tension, but improve our officer's response, and improve their lives. Your work has just begun in my view. And I believe you know there is much more to do. We must continue to improve race relations, improve the quality of life for those less fortunate and be the living embodiment of professional excellence. I can say without a doubt, you mean a great deal to this community. If it was not said before, I am saying it now. THANK YOU! The "Moral Authority" stepped up! I will be leaving, but I have not left you. An old adage commonly said, I'm only a stone throw away."
Andre C. Anderson
Interim Police Chief
Ferguson Police Department
Clifford Hill asks: has the UK just joined an unholy alliance?
To bomb or not to bomb? That was the question faced by our Parliament this week and the bombers won the day. But was it really a victory that increases the security of Britain from terrorist attacks? When the Prime Minister decided to call the crucial debate after he'd done his mathematics, I asked the question, "Is there any word from the Lord?" I turned to my Bible and it fell open to Isaiah 30: "Woe to the obstinate children, declares the Lord, to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit."
This caused me to look at the alliance we will be joining. On the one hand there is America, France and Australia and on the other hand there is Russia, Iran and Iraq plus Assad's part of Syria. Together these are strange bedfellows; one might almost say they are an unholy alliance with little in common except a shared opposition to the Islamic State.
Unholy Alliance
What are we doing joining such an alliance? If our intention is simply to add a few more bombs to the thousands already dropped by America and France and Australia and Russia, without any intention of sending in an army to clear IS out of the territory and to establish a lasting peace, there really isn't much point.
In fact, it could be a disastrous decision, for Britain already has sufficient resident potential terrorists to create havoc in our cities, as happened in Paris last month. Our bombing might even radicalise some more young Muslims. The security services report that they have recently successfully countered seven terrorist plots; but how much longer will it be before one of these groups evades our counterterrorist forces?
The Search for a Solution
What is the answer? Do we just do nothing and wait for the different factions within Islam to slaughter each other; or do we urge the formation of a united army of which we are willing to take part to confront the Islamic State on the ground? But even if such a united army was successful in defeating IS and liberating those who are suffering under the barbaric mediaeval regime, this will not solve the problem of the Middle East. What we are facing is an ideological and spiritual battle rather than conventional warfare. It is a battle that cannot be won by force of arms.
Of even greater significance is the possibility that by joining this alliance against the Islamic State we might actually be putting ourselves against God!
In the scripture just quoted from Isaiah 30:1 God speaks about "those who carry out plans that are not mine". This is the great danger facing us if we have not truly sought to know and to understand what God is doing today.
Scripture warns us of the danger of putting ourselves against God and trying to carry out plans that are not his.
Exposing the Wickedness of the Nations
In last week's editorial comment Clifford Denton quoted the prophecy from Haggai 2:6-7 which we were quoting back in the 1980s in the old printed magazine Prophecy Today, saying that God had revealed that he would soon be unleashing a great shaking of the whole world of nature; and the political, social, and economic institutions of all nations would be shaken. In numerous articles on the subject we said that God's purpose was to expose the corruption and wickedness of the nations in order to prepare the way for the kingdom of God as stated in Hebrews 12:26f.
We have now reached the point in the history of the world where we are actually immersed in the great shaking – and of course, we don't like it! We are tempted to cry out to God to stop the shaking: but if God says "I am shaking the nations" and we pray for it to stop, we are actually putting ourselves against God! We are praying against his will.
Asking the Right Questions
We have to ask some fundamental questions, "What are God's plans? What is he doing today?" When we discover the answer to these questions, then we will know how to pray and what we should do. We will be like the tribe of Issachar in the time of King David; understanding the times and knowing what to do (1 Chron 12:32). This, in fact, is God's will for his people: those who know him, who love him and want to be his servants.
We need to find out what God's will is and pray it - not be tempted to pray against it by asking for what we want.
God has already provided all the answers to these fundamental questions through the revelation of his nature and purposes in the Bible that climax in "the Word became flesh" at the season of Advent which we are celebrating right now. At Advent we not only celebrate the coming of Jesus into the world but we look forward to his Second Coming when "All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats" (Matt 25:32).
The Preparation is Now
What we are seeing now is in preparation for this event which is clearly drawing nearer. For a number of years God has been turning the light onto the nations of the West who have had the gospel for centuries and who have allowed greed and corruption to distort his purposes in using them to reveal his love and his salvation to all nations. The shaking of the Western nations has intensified in the 21st century as the proud economic institutions of the bankers crumbled and the misdeeds of politicians and celebrities were exposed.
God also began to use Islam as the 'rod of his anger', allowing atrocities in the great cities of the Western nations such as the fall of the Twin Towers in New York, the bombing of the Underground in London and most recently, the atrocities in Paris.
Understanding God's Purposes
But just as God allowed Assyria and Babylon to bring judgment upon his covenant people of Israel, when that was completed he destroyed both aggressors for their savage cruelty. Today God is allowing the Islamic State to carry out similar atrocities in the very same places (Mosel in the Islamic State was Nineveh the capital of Assyria, and Baghdad was Babylon, capital of the Babylonian Empire).
Just as God allowed Assyria and Babylon to bring judgment upon his covenant people of Israel, when that was completed he destroyed both aggressors for their savage cruelty.
But the barbaric acts of IS are shaking the whole world of Islam and causing millions to question their faith in the teaching of Muhammad. The implosion of Islam has begun. It will gain momentum, particularly as the hundreds of thousands of migrants integrate into Western society and as the acts of terrorism continue to expose the darkness and violence that stems from the Qur'an and lies at the very heart of Islam.
This is why it is essential that we understand God's plans and we do not enter into an ungodly alliance with those whose ultimate purpose may be to destroy Israel and the Western nations. Isaiah 30 not only has a warning for the West; it also has a lovely promise, "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength...Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!" (Is 30:15-18)
As the UK launches air strikes against Syria, Helen Belton argues that we are the real fighters against IS.
Three weeks ago we watched in horror and disbelief as the Paris terror outrage unfolded. This week MPs voted to go ahead with air strikes in Syria amid fears of an escalation in violence.
Sadly, our leaders do not understand the nature of what they are dealing with.
Religious War, Spiritual War
After all, it's baffling to find that in secular 21st century Europe, they have been plunged into a religious war inspired by medieval ideology. Governments thought that religion had left the political sphere back in the 18th century with the dawn of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution.
Having largely relegated our own religious heritage to the private sphere we find ourselves at a loss to deal with an aggressive totalitarian religious ideology. Forsaking our Judeo-Christian heritage has allowed the enemy to flood in.
Of course we have to defend ourselves, but the solution to this conflict is not ultimately physical warfare because at root are spiritual forces of evil.
Having largely relegated our own religious heritage to the private sphere, we find ourselves at a loss to deal with an aggressive totalitarian religious ideology.
Redemption Draws Near
The resurgence of militant Islam is the enemy's response to the time of our redemption drawing near. If the world can be overrun and the Church obliterated, then there is no Bride for Jesus to claim. If the Jewish people can be destroyed and Israel overrun, there is no ancient people ready for the fulfilment of God's promises to them, no other place for the Messiah to set his foot than in Jerusalem (since he will return in the same way he left, Acts 1:11).
However, we can rejoice in the promised triumph and certain return of Jesus, knowing that as the darkness gathers it is a sign that the dawning of the Day of our Redemption is nearer. 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3:
For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labour pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.
In the meantime, we are called to watch and pray and keep the lamp of the Spirit burning.
The resurgence of militant Islam is the enemy's response to the time of our redemption drawing near - if the world can be overrun and the Church obliterated, there is no Bride for Jesus to claim.
The Bridegroom's Return
Matthew's (chapter 25) stark warning parable about young women waiting for a bridegroom to arrive should be uppermost in our minds. Those who are prepared for the Bridegroom's arrival have enough oil for their lamps to keep burning during the long wait. Those who are unprepared do not have enough and leave their posts to go and buy more. The bridegroom arrives while they are out shopping and they are excluded from the wedding banquet:
... the door was shut.
'Lord, Lord,' they said, 'open the door for us!'
"But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I don't know you.'
Will Jesus know you? How? He will know you because he will see your 'lamp' burning - the same fire that burns in him burning consistently and faithfully within you.
In the meantime, we are called to battle. But what kind of battle?
Arise, Church
Our nation and Europe needs prayer now more than ever. If we do not rise up to watch, pray, give and preach the gospel unrelentingly, with Europe undergoing probably its greatest threat of violent conflict since the Second World War, then what will it take to wake us up?
It is time for the Church to arise to greater heights to do spiritual battle in the heavenly realms in prayer, for the protection of our nation and for repentance for those caught up in this conflict.
We are the real fighters against IS – with the sword of the Spirit and the "shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one" (Eph 6:16). This is the Church's battle to fight because only we have the appropriate weapons. This is a war that will be won in the spiritual realm in heavenly places.
This is the Church's battle to fight – only we have the appropriate weapons.
Prayer for Turning
There have been reports of IS fighters turning to the Lord. God specialises in turning murderers around. He did it with the apostle Paul, who was murdering Christians. Let's pray for more Damascus Road conversions (appropriate, given that Damascus is a Syrian city).
It is vital that we ask God to grant repentance to Islamic State, that we do not condemn individuals and people groups in this conflict but that we see the prison of the violent ideology they have embraced for what it is, a demonic delusion. Through this conflict let us pray that the Lord will release many out of spiritual darkness into the kingdom of light.
Practical Responses
What specifically is going to help us to be watchful, alert and prepared?
It could be increasing our commitment to prayer, individually, in small groups and as churches. It could be reviewing our giving, putting our substance into kingdom projects of lasting value both here and for the Church's mission abroad. It could be going to a different service once a month or meeting and encouraging believers from another denomination or area of the Church. Christians must stand together at this critical time for our nation. We must also stand with the Jewish community and show our love and support as they are under continual threat.
Let us be in faithful prayer for our brothers and sisters in the suffering Church. Let's support those helping them, such as Open Doors or Barnabas Fund, who are working at the moment with the Jewish peer, Lord Weidenfeld, to bring Christians out of Syria. Lord Weidenfeld was rescued from Nazi Germany by British Christians and is so grateful he wants to rescue Christians in his turn (note that he is 95 - age is no barrier to usefulness!).
Be Strategic
The people who perished in Paris two weeks ago did not know when they went happily to a concert or out for dinner that it would be their last evening. None of us knows how long we have so let's pray and ask the Lord to tell us who is warm to the gospel now? Who should I spend time with in the hope of encouraging them to consider the message of Jesus?
Another question to ask the Lord this week is, in the time I have left, however short or long that is, whether you return, or my end comes first, what is the one thing that only I can do, with my particular circumstances, gifts and skills? If you haven't already found it, find that thing and then pursue it. That is kingdom building: let's be fully ready and prepared, all the tasks completed, before the Master returns.
Above all, watch and pray and keep the lamp of the Spirit burning (Luke 12:35-40) because that will keep us in the place of safety until Jesus returns.
Kelvin Crombie asks why there is constant turmoil in and around the nation state of Israel.
If a visitor from outer space visited Planet Earth and glanced through the history books of the last century, I am sure one matter in particular would confuse him (or her or it) – the agitation revolving around the land of Israel. He could quite understandably ask: 'Why all the fuss over such a small bit of real estate?' Indeed, any neutral observer of events in the Middle East over the past 100 years from Planet Earth could ask the very same question.
Ever since the concept of an official restoration of the Jewish people to the land of Israel became tangible, with the vote by the British War Cabinet on 31 October 1917 (thereafter known as the Balfour Declaration), there has been no more contested matter in the world than the legitimacy of the people of Israel to have a political entity in the land of Israel.
But why all the fuss about the Jewish people inhabiting such a small bit of real estate in the Eastern Mediterranean?
Ever since the concept of a Jewish homeland became tangible, there has been no more contested matter in the world than its legitimacy.
The Land Title Deed Bestowed by a Covenant Oath
The fuss is more than just about real estate - strategically important real estate as it might be. The fuss revolves around the very existence of a covenant keeping God. The very fact of God's existence is indelibly linked to the presence of the nation of Israel in the land of Israel. The issue is about God.
In Genesis 12:1-3 God gives various promises to Abram (Abraham) on the condition that he leaves his homeland and goes to the land of Canaan. These promises include becoming a great nation and being a blessing to all the families of the earth. Abram duly obeys the call. Sometime later while in Canaan, however, Abram seeks confirmation from God about these promises, surmising that he should now be birthing a mighty nation which would be a blessing to the entire world. Nothing though was happening as he had no son to whom he could legitimately bestow these promises of God.
There then transpires an amazing dialogue between Abram and God, as found in Genesis 15, where Abram asks for confirmation, initially concerning the need for an heir. God then duly provides a confirmation to this request, and then stating to Abram: "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it."
The fuss is more than about real estate – strategically important real estate though it might be. The fuss revolves around the existence of a covenant-keeping God.
Abram in response asks God: "How shall I know that I will inherit the land?" Now that is hutzpah. After God had just confirmed one of his promises, Abram was now asking for confirmation about another of those promises, the promise of the land. It would be totally understandable if God asked Abram if he was a bit dim minded - BUT he did not.
If the incident occurred today, God may have said to Abram: 'OK, let's go down to the lawyer's office and we will draw up an official contract with the promise of the land, then I will sign it, and in addition I will get a witness to sign it, and it will be officially sealed.'
But lawyers' offices did not exist in those days. Instead God did the equivalent from ancient times – he cut covenant. This is not the place to go into depth about the principles and mechanics of covenant,1 but we see in the transaction recorded in Genesis 15 many of the attributes of cutting covenant as revealed within the entirety of Scripture, and from the suzerainty treaties of the ancient world. God granted a legal transfer of the land of Canaan (Israel) to Abram, a title deed later conferred to his son Isaac, to Isaac's son Jacob and then on to Jacob's sons, and their descendants the children of Israel.
One important matter in the cutting of covenants in antiquity was the swearing of an oath, which effectively placed the legal 'seal upon the deal.' Genesis 15 does not say in actual words that there was a swearing of an oath, but in antiquity often times the 'walking between the pieces' (Gen 15:10,17) did just this. In addition, there are numerous occasions where Scripture informs us of God stating: "the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" (e.g. Ex 6:8; Num 11:12) while the writer of the book of Hebrews confirms what happened when God swore an oath (Heb 6:13-18).
God's Character at Stake
There are some wonderful references in Scriptures about the inviolability of an oath sworn to seal the cutting of a covenant. The character of the party who swears the oath is at stake if he breaks or violates his own oath. Thus in this case, the character of God is at stake if He were to break His own oath.
God granted a legal transfer of the land of Canaan to Abram and his descendants (through Isaac and Jacob), sealed by an inviolable oath.
An argument could then be mounted that Israel as a nation subsequently disobeyed God, and thus have come under the curses for covenant disobedience. This argument is true – but these curses are actually associated with a different covenant - the covenant cut with the nation through Moses, in the Sinai desert. The covenant cut with Abraham is a different covenant altogether.
According to the principles of covenant, once a covenant is sealed with an oath – IT CANNOT BE CHANGED. Scriptural examples of how in ancient society one could not alter a covenant, or agreement, once it had been sealed (with an oath) include the case of Joshua with the Gibeonites (Josh 9); Darius and Daniel (Dan 6:15), and the Jewish people during the time of Esther (Est 3:12; 8: 8; 9: 1).2 God's character, therefore, is at stake if Israel is permanently separated from her land.
God Reminded of His Covenant Responsibilities
In the Sinai God wanted to finish with Israel and begin anew with Moses. But Moses would not agree, and reminded God of his covenant responsibility to unfaithful Israel (Num 14:11ff). Then when Israel languished in Babylon, Daniel reminded God of his covenant responsibility to restore them to their land (Dan 9:1-19).
Collective Israel (Judah, with representatives of the northern tribes) was restored, and about 30 AD God cut a new covenant with Israel, with Jesus of Nazareth being the representative Israelite (Jer 31:31-34ff; Matt 26; 28; Mark 14:24 ; Luke 22:20). But Israel again succumbed to covenant infidelity and was exiled by the Romans in the 1st century AD, this time to the ends of the earth.
Then, from the 1600s onwards, when countless Christians throughout Europe began reading the Scriptures, many recognized the need for the people of Israel to be re-established in the land of Israel. These intercessors reminded God of his covenant responsibility. Is it any wonder therefore that from the 1600s onwards we begin to see moves within the church, within geo-politics and within the Jewish people which ultimately brought about a restoration of the people of Israel to the land of Israel in the modern period?3
Throughout history, intercessors have reminded God of his covenant responsibility towards Israel and he has restored them to their land.
The culmination of much of this aforementioned activity occurred from 1915 with the beginning of the Gallipoli campaign, and especially in 1917 when the combined British, Australian and New Zealand forces captured Beersheba, Jaffa and Jerusalem, with the remainder of the land of Israel being captured from the Turks in 1918. This victory over the Islamic Ottoman Empire provided an opportunity for the Jewish people to return to the land covenanted to them, initially through the issuing of the Balfour Declaration by the British Government.4
An Opportunity to Acknowledge God's Faithfulness
In 2017 an opportunity will be availed to us to remember and commemorate these important historical events, and in the process to give glory to God for "remembering His covenant to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" (Ex 2:24). This time will involve commemorative events in Beersheba, Jerusalem and Semack on the Sea of Galilee, as well as in London, to remember the issuing of the Balfour Declaration.
Balfour portrait and declaration.Every person who professes to be in covenant with Jesus the Messiah should be encouraged to participate in these events, as they are indicators to us that if God can be faithful to a covenant promise sealed with an oath some 4000 years ago – then He will surely remain faithful to His covenant promises to us through Jesus.
2017 marks the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration and provides a tangible opportunity for us to make a fuss as well – professing that he who cuts covenant is faithful to his word and oath.
The fuss made by the 'kingdoms of the world' over the ownership of the land of Israel will continue, as many entities continue to covet the land and many further attempts will be made to separate the people of Israel from the land of Israel. But 2017 will provide us with a tangible opportunity to also make a fuss - and to profess that He who cuts covenant is faithful to His word and to His oath.
References
1 Two books have written by the author on the mechanics of covenant, The Oath of the Covenant and In Covenant with Jesus. Both are available through CFI and CMJ.
2 Jesus also alluded to the seriousness of swearing an oath (Matt 5:33-37).
3 Much of this activity is described in For the Love of Zion, and Anzacs, Empires and Israel's Restoration 1798-1948.
4 This campaign is presented in a DVD, Gallipoli – The Road to Jerusalem, Heritage Resources Pty Ltd 2015. Copies available through CMJ and CFI.
© Kelvin Crombie 2015 (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and www.heritageresources.com.au). Reproduced with kind permission.
Clifford Denton asks what we can learn about the Church's Hebraic foundations from looking at Jewish literature, from the Torah to the Talmud and the Halakhah and beyond.
When we consider the separation of the Christian Church from its Hebraic foundations we see not just a reaction against Judaism but an over-reaction against both Judaism and its literary sources. It is true that there can be no compromise in the fundamental issues of the Gospel message, but a Christian fear of Judaising has also contributed to the Church's complete severance from all interest in Judaism.
There are positive benefits to be regained from studying Jewish sources. They can help Christians to understand the background from which Christianity emerged and also help us to understand the Jewish world and so build bridges between the two communities, in a non-compromising but respectful way.
Introduction
In Our Father Abraham (p111), Dr Marvin Wilson poses the following questions:
What can be done to overcome the apathy and neglect of this great treasure of our Hebrew foundation? How can the Church become re-nourished from that Hebraic "root that supports it"? In short, what guidelines should the Church follow if the Old Testament is to be restored to its proper place of emphasis and authority?
There follow six guidelines, the sixth of which is as follows:
A sixth guideline concerns the need to be familiar with other early Jewish sources which provide linguistic, theological, and historical insight into both Testaments. We have already seen that the Old Testament is the main source upon which New Testament thought and life are based. But we have also observed that it is not the only Jewish literature essential for understanding the Judaism of Jesus' day. (p118)
Dr Wilson points out that various stages of Jewish history have been typified in different pieces of literature. Among the vast scope are the Oral traditions, later codified into the Mishnah, the Qumran Scrolls, the apocryphal writings and the apocalyptic literature. All of these contain information that can give understanding to some passages of the Bible. Beyond these are other pieces of literature that help us to understand the Jewish world itself, out of which Christianity emerged.
Through history Christians have over-reacted against Jewish literature for fear of Judaising, but there are positive benefits to understanding these writings.
It is appropriate for a Bible student to have a basic familiarity with this literature and to have a grasp of how to use it. We will survey some of the main sources in this study. The book we are quoting in our reference material, Back to the Sources, is one of the basic books that can be used for reference (Ed Barry W Holtz, Simon & Schuster, 1984). Following this, further and deeper study comes from reviewing the sources themselves.
Survey: The Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible is itself the main source for Judaism. It is the same as the Old Testament but it is considered in somewhat different ways by Jews than by Christians. Jews call it the TaNaKh denoting the three sections, Torah (Teaching), Nevi'im (Prophets) and Ketuvim (Writings). The books of the Christian Old Testament follow the order of the Septuagint (the Greek translation) but this is different from the Hebrew Bible, which comes from the faithful copying of the Masorites.
The Torah is the whole of the teaching of the TaNaKh, but more specifically the first five books which are also called the Books of Moses. These five books, called the Pentateuch in Christian tradition, are considered to be the foundation of all Bible study for the Jew. They are divided into 54 weekly synagogue readings (parashot) each about 5 chapters long. The Torah is also known as the Chumash (the five-fold entity). The Hebrew Bible is divided into 35 books. The Christian version divides some of the books into two and contains the same material in 39 books.
The main literary source for Judaism is the Tanakh, or the Old Testament, which sub-divides into the Torah (the first five books), the Nevi'im (the Prophets) and the Ketuvim (the Writings).
The division of the Hebrew Bible, its ordering and its Torah priority followed by the message of the Prophets and the writings (which include history, as well as other forms of literature) speak of the Jewish approach to the teaching of God.
Talmud set.The Talmud
The Talmud has two main divisions, the Mishnah and the Gemara. Both of the words Talmud and Gemara mean study, the first being a Hebrew word and the second Aramaic. The core of the Talmud is the Mishnah, a codification of the Oral teachings thought to come from Moses and considered by Jews to be as inspired as the written Torah. The Gemara is a commentary on the Mishnah. There are two versions of the Talmud, both compiled in the dispersion after 70 AD in order to preserve the Oral Traditions, one being the Babylonian Talmud and the other the Jerusalem Talmud.
In Back to the Sources (p129) we read:
'When the persecutions of Hadrian were over, our Sages gathered at Usha: R. Judah, and R. Nehemiah, and R. Meir, and R. Yose, and R. Simeon ben Yohai, and R. Eliezer the son of R. Yose the Galilean, and R. Eliezer ben Jacob. They sent a message to the elders of the Galilee, saying, "Let whoever has learned come and teach, and whoever has not learned come and learn." They gathered together, learned and taught, and did as the times required' (Song of Songs Rabbah 2:16)
Although this story appears only in a relatively late source, it reflects the central motive of the rabbinic movement from the time of its first appearance in Jewish life. Convinced that Jewish life could recover from its defeats at the hands of Rome only to renewed dedication to "Torah", rabbis organized themselves to spread their teaching, gain disciples, and achieve the largest possible role in Jewish life. Of all the books that ancient rabbis have left behind, the most revealing, the most challenging, and the most rewarding is the Talmud.
The word "Torah" was just placed in quotation marks to call attention to its special meaning. For the ancient rabbis, "Torah" meant far more than the five books attributed to Moses that Jews customarily call by that name. For them, Torah was the Divine Wisdom which had existed before the world came into being (see Prov. 8:22-31), indeed, the blueprint according to which Creation had followed its proper course. Torah included all possible knowledge of God's will, of the life the Creator intended for the Chosen People to live. All things, from the most trivial to the most sublime, were within its realm.
Basing this notion on certain hints in the text of Scripture, ancient rabbis taught that the revelation granted to Moses had been delivered in two forms, a smaller revelation in writing and the larger one kept oral. This "Oral Torah" had been transmitted faithfully by the leaders of each generation to their successors, by Moses to Joshua, and then to the elders, then to the prophets, to the men of the Great Assembly, to the leaders of the Pharisees, and finally to the earliest rabbis. Thus only the rabbis knew the whole Torah – written and oral – and such knowledge could qualify anyone for legitimate leadership over the people of Israel.
The Mishnah (the word comes from the root to recite) is divided into six orders, each dealing with a broad area of Jewish life, and then into subdivisions. Its language is very legal and so the Talmud is considered as the source of Jewish law.
The Talmud contains the Mishnah, the Oral teachings thought to come from Moses and be inspired by the Holy Spirit, and the Gemara, which is a commentary on the Mishnah.
Halakhah
The word Halakhah comes from the verb Halakh, meaning to walk or to go. Jewish tradition is that a person needs to know the exact way to carry out the laws of God – to walk them out. Thus the set of rules often considered as Jewish Law, governing Jewish life, is known as Halakhah. We read from Back to the Sources (p138):
It must be kept in mind, however, that halakhah embraces far more than the term "law" usually suggested in English; its subject matter is much broader, and much Jewish "law" is in principle unenforceable. Who, for example, really knows which kitchens in a given community are kosher, or which members of that community secretly violate the Sabbath?
Although the Mishnah only looks like a law code, nevertheless, most of its content pertains to the halakhah; although the Talmud only looks like a commentary on the Mishnah, the same can be said of it. The earliest public role in the Jewish community that the rabbis were able to achieve was as judges and community officials. Halakhah naturally became their chief concern, a concern that fit their theological conviction that Judaism essentially amounts to learning precisely what the Torah commands and then doing it.
Summary So Far
Through Torah to Talmud and then to Halakhah, we are able to perceive the role of Jewish literature and traditions throughout the centuries. Other literature is supplementary to that great striving to live in the wisdom and practice of God's teaching.
The Christian will perceive in this what seems a more legalistic approach to the same end as his own approach to God's teaching. Nevertheless, a common aim between Christians and Jews can be understood: to walk out the teaching of God. Carefully appraising these things can lead to an understanding of, as well as a freedom to interpret, such historical documents within the framework of both Judaism and Christianity. This does not give authority to all interpretations of biblical truth, but it can bring understanding of different points of view.
Though often perceived by Christians to be legalistic, the Jewish literature nevertheless represents an aim shared by both faiths: to walk out the teaching of God.
We now mention some of the other major sources, to complete this brief introductory survey.
Tosefta
Tosefta is the Aramaic word meaning Supplement. These are a collection of older traditions similar to the Mishnah, but that the compilers of the Mishnah chose not to include. The Tosefta is arranged like the Mishnah into Orders and Tractates. There is some overlap of themes with those of the Mishnah, and some themes that have no clear connection.
Baraita
Baraita is the Aramaic word meaning Outside. These are traditions that can be attributed to a given rabbi and, though authoritative in some way, are not parts of the Mishnah. They are used as means for discussion and contrast between rabbinic schools of thought.
The authorities who were used in the Mishnah are termed the Tannaim (from the Aramaic meaning repeater). Similarly, the authorities who produced the Gemara are called the Amoraim (from the Aramaic meaning discusser).
Aggadah
Aggadah comes from the Hebrew word meaning Discourse. This is the term for non-halakhic Talmudic discussion. This covers rabbinic narrative in the form of stories about Bible heroes or great rabbis of earlier generations. They contain moral exhortation, theological speculation and also a great deal of folklore.
Midrash
We quote from Back to the Sources (p177-179):
The Talmud...is the best-known of the texts produced by rabbinic Judaism. It has formed the core of the curriculum of Jewish learning for many hundreds of years, and it stands as the foundation upon which later Jewish literature, particularly legal writing, rests. And yet the Talmud does not represent the entirety of rabbinic literature. Another body of work – less familiar but probably more accessible to the contemporary reader – remains to be explored...the texts known as the Midrash, a type of literature so significant that in many ways it can be seen as the central enterprise of almost all Jewish religious writing until the modern period.
...there is no single book called the Midrash. Despite the popular use of the term, one cannot with accuracy use the phrase "the Midrash says"...Midrash is a type of literature; it is...a kind of process or activity, but there is no one Midrash. Rather there are collections of Midrashim (plural of Midrash) which were put together at various times and by various editors and authors over the course of many hundreds of years. The great flowering of Midrash was roughly between the years 400 and 1200 C.E. But it is important to note that originally, midrashic literature was oral – sermons preached in the synagogues and teachings of various sages. During the years mentioned, Midrashim were edited, organized, and written down, but midrashic texts often represent traditions a good deal older than the period of the written books.
The term Midrash is rooted in the Hebrew meaning of searching out and interpreting, and applies to studies of both halakhah and aggadah.
Targummim
These are the Aramaic translations of the Tanakh.
Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha
We mention briefly here other literature that is a basis for research into the background of the Bible and the Jewish community of the biblical period. There is a wide range of apocryphal (linked to the root meaning hidden) literature that was preserved in the Septuagint but not the Masoretic text. These books often have the names of Bible characters but are not to be validly ascribed to them.
The apocryphal literature is sometimes included with other writings under the term Pseudepigrapha, which also includes the works of Philo (20 BC - 50 AD), the writings of Josephus Flavius (37 - 100 AD) and the Qumran texts, among other material. The Qumran texts contain copies of most biblical books, apocryphal writings and other writings of the community living in the region of the Dead Sea where the scrolls were discovered.
For Reflection and Comment
In what way can we take useful interest in sources of Judaism without compromising the Gospel?
Next time: The Shemah
Edmund Heddle looks at the biblical significance of the shofar and the silver trumpet as prophetic instruments.
Reference to the blowing of trumpets is made in both Old and New Testaments. In every case they are sounding the alert to wake up the people to what God has to say to them. As we study the occasions on which trumpets were blown we shall gain a clearer understanding of 'What is a prophet?' and of the responsibility he has to make his trumpet call unmistakably clear (1 Cor 14:8).
Two Types of Trumpet
With a single exception the trumpets of the Old Testament divide up into the shofar or ram's horn and the chatsotserah made of hammered silver. In the New Testament the word 'salpinx' does service for both.
Moses was told by God to make two trumpets of hammered silver. Only the priests were allowed to blow them, and they were the means of alerting the people to assemble, to dismiss, to set out on a journey, to go into battle and to mark new year and other festivals.
Both the Old and the New Testaments contain references to the blowing of the trumpets – in every case they are sounding the alert to wake the people up to what God is saying.
It would appear that, unlike the shofar which has no musical sound with different notes, the silver trumpets had two distinct notes. This is apparent from the instructions given to Moses that when both trumpets were sounded simultaneously the whole assembly of the Lord's people were to gather at the Tent of Meeting; but if a single trumpet was sounded only the leaders were to assemble before Yahweh. Unless one of the trumpets produced two different notes no-one could tell whether all the people or only the leaders were being called.
By contrast the shofar, mentioned 72 times in the Old Testament, is not a musical instrument as such. Made of the curved horn of a cow or a ram, it was used to make a loud sound. It is still used by Jews at their solemn festivals. By contrast the silver trumpets were long, straight and slim. We know their shape from the bas-relief on the Arch of Titus in Rome depicting the overthrow of Jerusalem.
When God Appears
When God descended to Mount Sinai there was a very loud trumpet blast, which grew louder and louder (Ex 19:16 and 19). When the trumpet sounded the people trembled with fear and stayed at a distance (Ex 20:18). The writer to the Hebrews comments on the people's fear (Heb 12:18-21).
Paul tells us that when God descends at the Last Day the trumpet call of God will sound (1 Thess 4:16) and at the last trumpet the dead will be raised (1 Cor 15:52). Jesus makes it clear that this final trumpet call will be blown by angels (Matt 24:31). All prophesying has as its objective the preparing of people for that 'dreadful day' (Rev 6:15-16).
Directing the People of God in the Wilderness
According to Numbers 10:1-10, the Israelites were alerted to their responsibility by the sounding of the silver trumpets. For example, the whole company of people, or perhaps just the leaders, were summoned to the Tent of Meeting; the clans of Israel set out on their journey to the Promised Land, or camped for a while in some place.
References to trumpets in Scripture usually concern either the shofar (ram's horn) or the silver trumpet, which are very different in appearance and sound.
At Historic Events
These events included:
- the bringing up of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem (1 Chron 13:7-8);
- the establishment of the Ark in the Holy Place in the Temple (2 Chron 5:7);
- the dedication of the Temple (2 Chron 15:14);
- Jehoshaphat's victory (2 Chron 20:28);
- the proclamation of Joash as king after his escape from the massacre under Athaliah, the only queen ever to occupy the throne of Judah (2 Chron 23:11-13);
- subsequent to the purification of the Temple by King Hezekiah and while the Levites and all the people bowed in worship (2 Chron 29:25-29);
- after they had laid the foundation stone of the Temple (Ezra 3:10-11);
- and when they had dedicated the wall of Jerusalem (Neh 12:31-36).
We note that seven named priests were appointed to blow trumpets before the Ark of God (1 Chron 15:24). In all the religious celebrations accompanied by the blowing of trumpets the one song which was repeated over and over again down the years was, "He is good: his love endures forever" (1 Chron 16:41. 2 Chron 5:14; 7:3; 20:21 and Ezra 3:11).
On Regular Occasions
Trumpets were blown at the new moon (Num 10:10, Ps 81:3). The Hebrew word for 'moon' is the same as the word for 'month', and at the commencement of each period trumpets alerted God's people to the passing of time.
The feast of trumpets, held on the first day of the seventh month, was a New Year festival celebrated with the blowing of trumpets (Lev 23:23-25, Num 29:1-6). As in the West today where there is both a religious year commencing in Advent and a civil year commencing in January, so in Bible times there was a religious year beginning with the month Nisan or Abib, the 'green ear month' roughly equivalent to our April, and a civil year commencing with the seventh month Tishri or Ethanim (1 Kings 8:2) in the autumn.
The sound of the trumpet marked both regular occasions like each new month and year, and special occasions like festivals.
The one-day Feast of Trumpets announced the most important month in the year, in which occurred both the Day of Atonement (Num 29:7-11) and the Feast of Tabernacles (Num 29:12-39), and took its feast place at the new moon of the seventh month. It would appear that the new moon was the regular day on which to consult prophets (2 Kings 4:23). The use of these instruments at this feast is called a memorial blowing of trumpets, and may be understood in two ways. First, that God is alerting the people to prepare for the solemnities of that particular month and, second, that the people are reminding God of his covenant promises.
It is interesting that in neither of the scripture passages dealing with the Feast of Trumpets does the word 'trumpet' occur. The word used instead is 'teruah', which denotes either the shouting of people or the blast of a trumpet - perhaps both are included.
At the Feast of Trumpets the memorial blowing of trumpets is designed to alert the people to prepare, and to remind God of his covenant promises.
This first day of the month Tishri is called by the Jews Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the year, or New Year's Day. The Year of Jubilee was announced by the sounding of trumpets everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month (Lev 25:8-13), which is the Day of Atonement. The term 'jubilee' is derived from the word 'yobhel', which means ram's horn. After every six-year period of use the land was to have a 'sabbath of rest'; during the seventh year the land was to lay fallow for one year.
The culmination of these sabbatical periods was reached every fiftieth year, when the Year of Jubilee was heralded by blasts on the ram's horn throughout the land. With the arrival of this year slaves were released, debts were remitted, property reverted to its original owners and Israelites who had been jailed for debt were released. Isaiah 61:1-3 is steeped in jubilee phraseology, and this was the scripture passage Jesus chose to explain his mission and that of the church, his prophetic people (Luke 4:16-21).
Coronation of Kings
Shofar.
1 Kings 1:39 tells us, "Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon. Then they sounded the trumpet and all the people shouted 'Long live King Solomon!'" In earlier times, during Absalom's conspiracy against King David, instructions had been given to Absalom's supporters that as soon as they heard the sound of the trumpets they were to proclaim, 'Absalom is king in Hebron'. This announcement was to lead to great sorrow when the day came for David to mourn the death of his son. "O my son Absalom, my son, my son, if only I had died instead of you!" (2 Sam 18:33). How different from the day when trumpets declared his accession!
While Elijah was hiding in the cave from the wrath of Queen Jezebel, God told him that Elisha was to anoint Jehu, the son of Nimshi, to be King over Israel (1 Kings 19:16). In obedience to this commission, Elisha sent one of the young prophets to find Jehu and to take him into an inner room, pour oil on his head and say, 'I anoint you King over Israel'. When Jehu returned to the council of his companions they endorsed his accession: "Then they blew the trumpet and shouted 'Jehu is King!'" Part of Jehu's commission was to avenge the blood of the prophets killed by Jezebel (2 Kings 9:1-13).
Warning of Invasion
The prophet Ezekiel used the concept of invasion to illustrate his prophesying (Eze 33:2-6):
If the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not take warning and the sword comes and takes his life, his blood will be on his own head...but if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword...takes the life of one of them...I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.
Isaiah castigates Israel's prophet-watchmen with the statement, "Israel's watchmen are blind" (56:10). Of what possible use is a blind watchman?
Trumpets were blown to mark the coronation of kings and to warn of impending war.
In Warfare
Trumpets were used in the following ways:
- to recruit an army (Judg 3:26-¬28);
- to lead troops out to battle (Num 10:9);
- to sound a battle-cry (2 Chron 13:12-15);
- to signal to the army during fighting (Num 31:6);
- to call people to defend their city (Neh 4:18-22);
- to effect a God-given strategy (Josh 6:5, Judg 7:17-18);
- to terminate the engagement (2 Sam 2:28) and to send the troops home (2 Sam 20:22b).
When Paul was emphasising the superiority of the gift of prophecy he likened it to blowing a trumpet, and made the point that "If the trumpet does not sound a clear call" the army will not know what they are being ordered to do (1 Cor 14:8).
Heralding the Judgments Preceding the Day of the Lord
In the book of the Revelation seven trumpets reveal the increasing severity of the judgments that will fall on the earth before the kingdom of this world becomes the kingdom of our God and of his Christ. The first four trumpets announce that one-third of the earth, sea, rivers and sun, moon and stars will be affected. Before the remaining three trumpets sound, three 'Woes' express the terrible nature of what has yet to be revealed.
At the fifth trumpet the angel of the abyss unlocks its door and choking smoke and locusts like scorpions are set loose, while the sixth trumpet sees one third of mankind killed. Yet for all this, the rest of mankind that had survived does not repent of their sins. How thrilling to hear the message of the seventh trumpet: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he will reign for ever and ever" (Rev 11:15).
Paul likened the gift of prophecy to blowing a trumpet, and pointed out that if trumpets are not blown clearly in warfare, the army will not know what it should do.
God's Trumpeters
Prophets are called to sound a clear trumpet call and are responsible for alerting God's people and to rousing them from lethargy, laziness and sleep, as we have seen from our study of trumpets in scripture. It is prophecy that brings God into his rightful place among his people, causing them to crown him King (1 Cor 14:24-25). It is prophets who are needed to lead God's people into victorious spiritual warfare.
Prophets and their warning trumpets are essential if the tide of evil invading Britain and other countries is to be withstood. The insight of Spirit-filled prophets is required to see in the disasters of today the beginnings of the final conflict between Christ Jesus and the adversary, satan, and to make it real to today's church.
Prophets are called to sound a clear trumpet call and alert God's people, rousing them from lethargy, laziness and sleep and causing them to crown God King.
Reaction to the Trumpet Call
When the trumpet sounded on Sinai, the first such sound in scripture, the people trembled (Ex 19:16), as Amos in a later day said they should (Amos 3:6). Trumpets are intended to alert the hearers (1 Kings 1:41). But if the trumpet gives an uncertain call they will not know what is required of them (1 Cor 14:8).
It matters not whether the instrument is a muddy ram's horn or a beautiful silver trumpet, neither will function without breath. So today, prophets can sound the alert only as they breathe in the Spirit that inspired the Lord's trumpeters.