Male and Female Roles

Vol. 90 No. 1,056 January 2020 TESTIMONY For the study and defence of the holy Scripture 3 Male and female roles Also in this issue: Inching towards Brexit 1 From death to life: Moses—and us 13 Israel and the nations—in the news 17 John the Baptist’s birthplace? 21 2019 Subject Index pull-out Contents TESTIMONY Publishing Editor: JEREMY THOMAS. 22 Kingswood Close, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B30 Contents 3NX. Tel. 0121 444 6810; email: [email protected] Publishing Editor’s column 1 A new Russian empire? Section Editors: Male and female in the Lord (Review) DAVID BURGES. 7 Whitehead Biblical principles and Philip Weatherall 25 Drive, Wellesbourne, Warwick, instruction Harmonising Egyptian history CV35 9PW. Tel. 01789 842692; John Botten email: [email protected] 3 with the Old Testament Science; Archaeology The parables of the lost (2) 2. The historical background Simon Collard 7 to Genesis and Exodus REG CARR. York House, 34A Michael J. H. Brown 27 High Street, Tutbury, DE13 9LS. Behold, I come as a thief Tel. 01283 521463; email: 2. The way of the kings of “Weeping and gnashing of [email protected] the east teeth” Exhortation Mark Allfree 9 Grahame A. Cooper 30 SHAUN MAHER. 5 Birch Court, Your Letters The wedding at Cana Doune, FK16 6JD. Headcoverings 12 John 2:1-9 Tel. 01786 842996; Noah Vic Aucott 33 email: [email protected] 12 Watchman Moses and the serpent The great apostasy (2) Paul Tovell 13 Stephen Camplin 34 ERIC MARSHALL. The Pines, A type of the marriage of Ling Common Road, Castle Is seeing believing? Rising, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, 6. The visual cortex the Lamb PE31 6AE. Tel. 01553 631279; Peter Forbes 16 Richard Mellowes 38 email: [email protected] P.S. Exposition A window on Israel Shaun Maher 17 This is the Moses JEREMY THOMAS (see above) Mark Vincent 39 Principles, preaching and problems Israel-Russia joint stamp issue Bible trees 7. The palm GEOFF HENSTOCK. 13 Alpha John the Baptist Crescent, Panorama 5041, Paul Maplethorpe 21 Rebekah Dwyer II S. Australia. Tel. 8277-0730; email: [email protected] Testimony books Australia Editor; Prophecy; Reviews Articles for publication Articles to be considered for publication are welcome and should be Testimony website: forwarded to the Publishing Editor (in Australia, the local editor) in the http://testimonymagazine.com first instance. Publication of articles in the Testimony does not presume editorial endorsement except on matters of fundamental doctrine, as defined in the Birmingham Amended Statement of Faith. I “Simon Peter said to [Jesus], ‘Lord, where are you going?’ Jesus answered, ‘Where I go, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow later.’ Peter said to him, ‘Lord, why can I not follow you right now? I will lay down my life for you.’ Jesus answered, ‘Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny me three times’ . Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, ‘You are not also one of his disciples, are you?’ He denied it, and said, ‘I am not.’ One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, ‘Did I not see you in the garden with him?’ Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed” (Jno. 13:36-38; 18:25-27, NASB). Cover picture: Rooster, Jim Willey. Publishing Editor’s column DON’T REMEMBER the last time that I stayed stand-off which had resulted, opposition parties up till 2 o’clock in the morning. I did so on Fri- essentially blinked first, and Britons were at last Iday 13 December, however, to listen to the early able to go to the ballot box. As exit polls predicted results of the United Kingdom’s general election, when polling stations closed at 10 o’clock in the which had been held on the previous day. evening on 12 December, Boris Johnson won (in This was the third UK election in less than his words) “a huge great stonking mandate . five years (something not seen since October to get Brexit done.”1 1974), so amongst the voting public there was an understandable sense of ‘election fatigue’ when Political post mortem the poll was announced at the end of October. I have found the post-election analysis by the Yet much more depended on the outcome this British media absolutely fascinating—indeed, it time than on previous occasions, for at stake was was the first stages of this analysis that kept me the UK’s 2016 referendum decision to leave the up so late on election night. One early prediction European Union. As is well known, progress on was that Mr Johnson would seek a much ‘softer’ implementing that decision had been painfully Brexit, since his “stonking” eighty-seat majority slow. By mid-2019, it had effectively reached an means that he no longer needs the support of impasse in the British House of Commons, where hard-line ‘Brexiteers,’ as he did in the previous a majority of MPs showed themselves unwilling parliament. At the time of writing, however, the to approve the withdrawal deal offered by the opposite appears to be happening. Concessions government of Prime Minister Theresa May, yet made to obtain the support of opponents of the unable to agree on a suitable alternative. Time bill have been removed—more British courts are after time, MPs had made clear what they did to have the power to overturn EU legislation, for not want, without being able to say what they instance. Also now proposed is an act of Parlia- did want. The general election was seen as the ment that will make it illegal to extend beyond only way of breaking the parliamentary deadlock. the end of 2020 negotiations over the UK’s future Calling the election was itself no simple matter, trade deal with the EU. In the face of this some- thanks to current UK legislation that fixes the date what ‘harder’ Brexit, one can imagine many MPs of elections at five-year intervals. Overcoming this (and certainly former MPs) now wishing that obstacle required a large majority in the House of they had voted for the deal that was on the table. Commons, something that had been impossible since Mrs May’s successor as prime minister, Boris 1. https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2019/12/a-huge-great- Johnson, lost his working majority. In the tedious stonking-mandate-boriss-tory-hq-victory-speech/ Testimony, January 2020 Contents 1 Practically speaking, agreeing a trade deal “Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, within twelve months looks a tall order, especially that the one who reads it may run. For the if EU negotiators decide to call Mr Johnson’s bluff vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens in the hope that he will back down. That strategy toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it has failed once, however; and, as the new govern- tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, ment has said, “the deadline will focus minds on it will not delay” (Hab. 2:2,3). both sides of the negotiating table.”2 Certainly, Meanwhile, while they await the fulfilment of that other noises from the EU since Mr Johnson’s promise, “the righteous will live by [their] faith” victory have been more conciliatory in tone than (v. 4). Although at times we can discern it only earlier statements during Brexit negotiations. very dimly, God’s purpose cannot be thwarted. Europe’s hitherto-tough negotiating position At the start of another year in His mercy, “let us starts to look like a deliberate attempt to thwart press on to maturity” (Heb. 6:1), confident in His Brexit entirely. Now that Brexit seems certain to will both for the world and for us His children. happen, however, no doubt minds are indeed * * * * * being focused—not least in financial terms, for it At the start of each new year, it is customary for is difficult to see how the EU could be anything me to take the opportunity to thank subscribers other than worse off, economically speaking, if for their support of the magazine, and to remind a mutually satisfactory trade deal is not agreed. readers of the make-up of the Testimony ‘team’: In the UK, too, individuals and groups who • Mark Allfree (Nottingham, Forest Road) had set themselves adamantly against Brexit • Mary Benson (Norwich) have effectively conceded defeat—some more • David Burges (Leamington Spa) graciously than others. • Reg Carr (Barton-under-Needwood) • Peter Forbes (Glenfield) Of God, not of man • Geoff Henstock (Happy Valley, Australia) But to whatever we might attribute the current • Trevor Hughes (Amersham) situation in human terms—however we think that • Shaun Maher (Stirling) things have got to where they are, and no matter • Eric Marshall (Kings Lynn) which events (and in what order) have led to the • Sarah Marshall (Nottingham, Forest Road) United Kingdom’s imminent departure from the • Gill Nicholls (Rayleigh and Southend-on-Sea) European Union, whether it be a matter of policy • Jeremy Thomas (Walsall) or personal popularity—we do well to remind • John Thorpe (Liverpool City) ourselves that events have at all times been under • Paul Tovell (Burton-on-Trent) the all-wise, all-knowing control of “the Most • Jordan Walton (Walsall) High [who] is ruler over the realm of mankind” • Jamie Whittaker (Morpeth). (Dan. 4:17,25,32).3 And so they will remain, as I thank these brothers and sisters, and others who we progress towards the day on which it will contribute to the work of magazine.

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