Vol. 87 No. 1,024 February 2017 TESTIMONY For the study and defence of the holy Scripture

60 How do you smell?

Also in this issue: Portrait of a Christadelphian? 41 Jeremiah’s life fictionalised 55 The problem of Old Testament ‘genocide’ 68 New series on Proverbs 79

Contents

Contents TESTIMONY

Publishing Editor: JEREMY THOMAS. 22 Kingswood Close, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B30 3NX. Tel. 0121 444 6810; email: [email protected] Section Editors: Contents DAVID BURGES. 7 Whitehead Drive, Wellesbourne, Warwick, CV35 9PW. Tel. 01789 842692; email: [email protected] Science; Archaeology Publishing Editor’s column 41 “As soon as I was ‘scent’ EDWARD CARR. 46 New Street, Holiness for” Donisthorpe, DE12 7PG. 6. Uzzah’s error Sam Alexander 60 Tel. 01530 271522; email: [email protected] Joe Harding 44 Limiting God Geoff Henstock Exhortation The labourers in the vineyard 65 SHAUN MAHER. 5 Birch Court, Dennis Brown 45 Genocide and the Bible Neil Robin Doune, FK16 6JD. Evidence, reason and faith 68 Tel. 01786 842996; email: [email protected] 8. The New Testament Genesis 1–2 Watchman approach to faith (1) God’s names Kel Hammond 48 Peter Heavyside 72 ERIC MARSHALL. The Pines, Ling Common Road, Castle Matthew’s Gospel and the Your Letters Rising, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, kingdom of heaven Did God forsake His Son? 74 PE31 6AE. Tel. 01553 631279; David Burges email: [email protected] 52 Grace, mercy and peace Exposition A thought on . . . George Booker 75 The marks of Jesus JOHN NICHOLLS. 17 ­Upper The words of the wise Trinity Road, ­Halstead, Essex, CO9 Daniel Collard 54 1. Introduction 1EE. Tel. 01787 473089; email: A fictional account of the Mark Vincent [email protected] 79 (Review) Reviews life of Jeremiah Jewish scenes Geoff Henstock 55 2. Libya: the temple of Zeus, JEREMY THOMAS (see above) Principles, preaching and The mountains of Israel Cyrene ­problems Shaun Maher 57 Jeremy Thomas IV GEOFF HENSTOCK. 13 ­Alpha Crescent, ­Panorama 5041, Testimony books S. Australia. Tel. 8277-0730; email: [email protected] Australia Editor; Prophecy 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.

III Contents “All these things Jesus spoke to the crowd in parables, and he did not speak to them without a parable. This was to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet: ‘I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.’ Then he left the crowds and went into the house. TESTIMONY And his disciples came to him . . . And he said . . . ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it’” (Mt. 13:34-46, NASB).

Cover picture: “The Pearl of Great Price,” Parables series, Emily Honey Publishing Editor’s column HADN’T REALISED that I’d been walking capable of accommodating a congregation of well past such important buildings. The buildings over a thousand. Iin question are important not in the sense that So where exactly on Temple Street was it? the man in the street might assess their impor- Would I be able to identify it on my daily walk tance—for their grandeur or architectural merit, to work? The website of a local history society for instance, or because some person of note provided the answer (it was at number 8). There once lived there—but to the extent that they’re was also an old illustration of a stone-fronted associated with the progress of the Truth in my building, dating from 1858, with five tall, narrow home town. windows that looked out onto the street. Although the frontage of the building was remodelled later, Strolling past Temperance Hall after the Birmingham ecclesia relocated to the I live in Birmingham, and on each weekday I Midland Institute in 1932, the façade still features travel by train into the city centre, where I work. five windows. I therefore suspect that the internal Exiting the railway station and crossing New configuration of the building hasn’t changed very Street, I walk up Temple Street past a number much since then. A filthy alley leads round the of shops and offices. At the top of the hill I turn back of the building for anyone (like me) curious right, past a corner block of more shops and of- enough to want to view it. fices, onto Temple Row. The building in which I work is on the next corner on the left. The entire The Athenæum journey takes little more than five minutes on Brother Roberts also writes of a nearby building, foot. It’s a journey I’ve made twice a day (once in known as the Athenæum Hall, “in the very heart each direction) on most working days for nearly of Birmingham, viz., at the top of Temple Street, ten years. in Temple Row.” He recounts something of the I think it was from reading some early Christa- building’s history, and the shaky circumstances delphian literature, before I lived in Birmingham, in which the Birmingham ecclesia came to occupy that I first knew of Temple Street. A recent com- it in 1866, in chapter XXXI of the autobiography puter search on early issues of the Christadelphian already mentioned. It makes for entertaining magazine confirmed that this was the location reading. The property was evidently in a ter- of Temperance Hall, the building in which the rible state, and the brethren were persuaded Birmingham ecclesia met for some years. In His to take on the lease of £40 a year—equivalent autobiography My Days and My Ways Brother to around £25,000 today, measured in terms of Robert Roberts records that Brother John Thomas average income—only when Brother Roberts vol- preached there a number of times, and that it was unteered to undertake the necessary redecorating Testimony, February 2017 Contents 41 of the building himself. The ecclesia pooled its another lunchtime expedition, I was amazed to resources to provide for a baptismal bath and a discover that it’s the branch of a bank which I’ve table for the memorial meeting. Brother Thomas been into on many occasions. The original prem- lectured here too, and audiences of up to 300 are ises appear to have been rebuilt, so we may never mentioned. know how it looked externally. Yet, surprisingly, The ecclesia left the Athenæum Hall in 1882 we do have an idea of what the building looked when it was sold to be converted into offices. It like inside, for in the Birmingham Museum and was demolished long ago. Art Gallery, another five Would I still be able to “BIRMINGHAM.—During the month, there minutes’ walk away, is an find out precisely where have been two immersions. The first was 1855 painting of the school- it had stood? This time a case of special interest, viz., that of MRS. room by the local artist SMITH (69), who had been for upwards of 50 a lunchtime trip to the Alfred H. Green (1822–86). years a member of the Church of England. map section of the Library This shows a sizeable group She was governess at Ann street School, of Birmingham helped of young children accom- where the meetings of the ecclesia used out. Athenæum Buildings panied by a small num- formerly to be held, and from the first, took was on the very corner of ber of adults—the school an interest in the truth, the brethren, and Temple Street and Temple governess among them, I their affairs. She was however slow to throw Row—on the site of the overboard the convictions of a life-time, and presume. corner block of shops and the brethren had begun to despair of her Tentatively, one branch offices I pass on my daily obedience. Retirement from the active duties of this story can be traced walk to work. A study by of school life for the past twelve months has even further. The ‘Intelli- Birmingham University however given her leisure for the study of the gence’ section of the March contains a drawing of the Scriptures, and has also disencumbered her 1869 Christadelphian reports area, done from the top of of sundry obstacles attaching to her former the baptism of one Mrs the nearby cathedral tower, position, and she has finally seen her way to Smith, aged sixty-nine, who in about 1850. the step recorded. She was immersed on the had been the governess of evening of Saturday, February 13, the event the Ann Street school in First home—demolished being an occasion of joy to all concerned.”1 which the ecclesia had first With my interest piqued, I met. Sister Smith (her first wondered how far back into the history of the Bir- name is not mentioned) fell asleep in the Lord the mingham ecclesia I would be able to go. Brother following year, when the Christadelphian records Roberts’ autobiography came to the rescue again. that she had been governess for forty years before He moved from Yorkshire to Birmingham in the school closed. It seems likely, therefore, that late 1863, at which time he says that the ecclesia she is one of the ladies in Alfred Green’s 1855 (numbering about thirteen members, according to painting—perhaps the middle-aged lady just to the February 1904 Christadelphian) was meeting in left of centre, raising a finger in admonition (see an infants’ school on Ann Street. The school had inset). been opened by Quakers in 1826. This, it seems, was the first home of the Birmingham ecclesia. A priceless legacy The ecclesia outgrew the premises following the It doesn’t really matter, of course, where an first ‘Town Hall effort’ in 1866—hence the need to ecclesia meets; it may not even matter who was relocate to the Athenæum Hall. The schoolroom there at a given point in time, however much was closed the following year. we respect the individuals concerned, for “you This time locating the building would be a are all brothers . . . Do not be called leaders; for particular challenge, as Ann Street no longer one is your Leader, that is, Christ” (Mt. 23:8,10).2 exists—much of the street was demolished in But it does matter—a lot—that something very 1879 to accommodate Birmingham’s new Coun- important happened in the places I was able to cil House. Yet a little Internet-based research explore. established that its eastern section, on which the school had stood (at number 48), had survived and been turned into an extension of Colmore Row, 1. Christadelphian, vol. 6, no. 57, Mar. 1869, p. 88 (electronic Birmingham’s most prestigious business address ed.), Logos Library System (Birmingham: Christadel- in the nineteenth century. Number 48 Ann Street phian Magazine & Publishing Association). became 118 Colmore Row. Arriving at this spot on 2. Bible quotations are from the NASB. Testimony, February 2017 42 Contents Ann Street School, Birmingham by Alfred H. Green (1855)—this was the building in which the Birmingham Christadelphian ecclesia first met. Perhaps the lady just to the left of centre, raising her finger, is the school governess, Mrs Smith, who was baptised into Christ in 1869, a year or so after she had retired and the school was closed. Picture: © Birmingham Museums Trust

The efforts which were made in and around looking shops and offices, now I wonder about the Ann Street schoolroom, in the preaching of the words which were spoken in those places, the faith of Christ and the apostles, have had the conversations which were held, the opening repercussions far beyond what could have up of the Scriptures which took place there, been anticipated at the time. The legacy and the lives which were transformed— of the work that was done remains to the souls which were saved—as a result. this day in the numerous Christadel- How many baptisms took place there? phian ecclesias in the Birmingham How many will, by God’s grace, be in area, and indeed across the wider His Kingdom as a result of things that world. It was something that made a happened in these very buildings? huge difference to those who heard the Most important of all, it motivates me words that were spoken and received to consider my own position, and what them in faith—“rescued . . . from the I should do to try and build on the legacy domain of darkness, and transferred . . . I’ve inherited from the efforts of others. to the kingdom of [God’s] beloved Son” (Col. “Remember those . . . who spoke the word of 1:13). I can say that I am here now, writing these God to you; and considering the result of their words, thanks to what happened in Birmingham conduct, imitate their faith” (Heb. 13:7). There is a century and a half ago. much profit to be gained from a consideration My daily walk has been transformed. Instead of our own response to a good example that has of passing unthinkingly by undistinguished- been set us by others.

Extract from Brother Robert Robert’s autobiography My Days and My Ways, in which he describes the first ‘Town Hall’ preaching effort in Birmingham, 1866 “The cost of a Town Hall lecture would be at least £20, which was too heavy a burden for our slender community at the time. Revolving the matter in my own mind, I felt so strongly exercised, that I resolved at my own risk to take [hire] the Town Hall, give a reply lecture, and rely on a small admission ticket charge for providing the means. The brethren endorsed the project, and heartily co-operated. The affair was not an entire success, but was saved from utter failure by individual enterprise at the last moment. A visit to the ticket depôts two days before the meeting, showed there was no likelihood of an audience. It was, therefore, resolved to distribute the tickets gratuitously, and let the expenses take care of themselves. Brethren and friends each undertook the disposal of as many as they thought they could distribute . . . All felt their arduous efforts rewarded in the dimensions of the house. As for the expenses, they were finally met by the contributions of various friends. The whole episode afforded such an opportunity of giving a testimony for the truth in Birmingham as had never before been possible, and of advertising our routine operations in Ann Street Schoolroom, by means of printed notices scattered on the seats before the people assembled at the reply lecture.” Testimony, February 2017 Contents 43 Exhortation Holiness 6. Uzzah’s error Joe Harding

HIS INCIDENT stands out in Scripture, vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set along with Jepthah’s daughter (whatever forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall Tour conclusions about her might be), as one come to bear it: but they shall not touch any that demands careful thought. The conclusion holy thing, lest they die” (v. 15). that God places rules before mercy would be a Numbers records another crucial detail: terrible misjudgment. Uzzah played no part in “Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the the preparation of the transportation of the ark; Kohathites from among the Levites: but thus we must assume that he led the oxen because do unto them, that they may live, and not David or Abinadab directed him to. So when the die, when they approach unto the most holy oxen stumbled, it was the most natural thing in things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and the world for Uzzah to reach out to prevent the appoint them every one to his service and most holy, most sacred article coming to harm. to his burden: but they shall not go in to see Nevertheless, David should have known bet- when the holy things are covered, lest they ter than to transport the ark in this fashion; the die” (vv. 18-20). ark should have been borne on the shoulders by It could be argued, persuasively, that Abinadab four priests after certain rituals had been ob- was culpable for this tragedy. For twenty years served. Nor is it a comfort to observe that after his son Eleazar had ministered to the ark, being this terrible incident David made absolutely sure sanctified for the task. (It is curious that Abinadab, that he got it right. The fact remains that a man being from Gibeah—unless he had relocated— who was to all intents and purposes blameless was a Benjamite; although it is not without of David’s sin of presumption perished in the precedent that a member of a non-priestly tribe good-hearted intention of carrying out his duty. could be set up in this role.) Twenty years would Even more heart-breaking is that Uzzah was the be adequate time for him to prepare fully for the son of Abinadab, the man in whose house the ark time when the ark would be removed from his had been a guest for twenty years. care. It could also be time to breed an unhealthy Perhaps what we know about the ‘methodol- contempt for holy things. ogy’ of holiness will help us here. The ark of the Either way, whoever was to blame, as the ark of covenant was most holy. When the camp of Israel God moves from the house of a Jew to the house set off after a period of rest, a carefully defined of Obed-Edom, the Gittite (a Gentile in both name procedure was enforced: and tribal identifier), as it makes its progress, a “This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath man who has no part in the guilt and contempt in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the for things holy dies as a direct result of the fierce most holy things: and when the camp setteth anger of the Lord. For those who are inclined to forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and criticise this drastic punishment, have they con- they shall take down the covering vail, and sidered how many should have died as the ark cover the ark of testimony with it: and shall was manhandled in this crude fashion? We are put thereon the covering of badgers’ skins, and not even told that the most holy ark was covered. shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and The parallels are unmistakable: as the covenant shall put in the staves thereof” (Num. 4:4-6). of grace passes from the Jews to the Gentiles, its Once this and the other most holy items had passage is marked by the death of an innocent been covered: man, even a son of the Jewish race: “And when Aaron and his sons have made “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the turned every one to his own way; and the Testimony, February 2017 44 Contents LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” innocent man. If such a man stretches out his (Isa. 53:6). hand to show care and concern for a most holy There is a further point to consider: unless we thing, is it not reasonable to suppose that he died are to read much more into the account than we both guiltless and holy? As the record declares: are told, we have to assume that Uzzah died an “there he died by the ark of God” (2 Sam. 6:7).

(To be continued) Contents

Exposition The labourers in the vineyard Dennis Brown

A fresh look at Jesus’ words concerning ‘first’ and ‘last’ Jesus then comments to his disci- ples: “Verily I say unto you, That a sheds light on a familiar but far from straightforward rich man shall hardly enter into the parable. kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go F YOU ARE a potential employer looking for a through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man template on which to base a remuneration policy to enter into the kingdom of God” (vv. 23,24). Iand engender employee motivation, then this We can see that this incident caused great is not the parable for you. Any employer paying consternation—they were all amazed. “Who his staff using the principles at the heart of this then can be saved?” (v. 25), they said. Why this story would establish a reckless precedent impos- response? Because of the assumed link between sible to maintain, and create chaos in the labour riches and righteousness. market. The boss’s action contradicts everything known about fair compensation and employee Matthew 19 motivation. 16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, There is also a natural inclination for us to Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I relate with a degree of sympathy to those who may have eternal life? worked a full day. We like to think of ourselves 17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me as those committed to the work and to toiling in good? there is none good but one, that is, God: the heat of the day, and a superficial reading of the but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the com- employer’s strange behaviour can also baffle us. mandments. This parable makes no earthly economic sense 18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou because that was not the Lord’s intent. This is not shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit a parable about human dealings. Rather, we shall adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not see it is a parable about God’s grace. bear false witness, 19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou Background to the parable shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. To establish the context, we need to go back to 20 The young man saith unto him, All these Matthew 19. Jesus is asked, “what good thing things have I kept from my youth up: what lack shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” (v. 16). The I yet? thinking behind the question is flawed because 21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, there is no one good thing that could be done to go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, guarantee eternal life. Indeed, the challenge of and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and Jesus to the young man, “If thou wilt be perfect, come and follow me. go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, 22 But when the young man heard that saying, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come he went away sorrowful: for he had great pos- and follow me” (v. 21), was more than he was sessions. prepared to do. Testimony, February 2017 Contents 45 Peter then points out, “Behold, we have for- saken all, and followed thee; what shall we have Matthew 20 therefore?” (v. 27). Notice the thought process 1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man behind Peter’s question. One gets the feeling that that is an householder, which went out early in he had been mulling on the incident concerning the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. the rich young man. This seems to be something 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for which is perplexing him. He and the rest of the a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. twelve had forsaken all and followed Jesus; hence 3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw the question, “What shall we have therefore?” others standing idle in the marketplace, Notice the link between what they had done and 4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vine- what they would get. yard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And Look how Jesus addresses these concerns; they went their way. these blessings would be granted to those who 5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth had followed him: hour, and did likewise. • to sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and tribes of Israel found others standing idle, and saith unto them, • to receive an hundredfold recompense for Why stand ye here all the day idle? any sacrifices made (Mark adds “now in this 7 They say unto him, Because no man hath time”) hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into • everlasting life. the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall But then, notice, Jesus adds a warning: “But many ye receive. that are first shall be last; and the last shall be 8 So when even was come, the lord of the vine- first” (v. 30). This is the background to the par- yard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, able in Matthew 20, which is given to explain and give them their hire, beginning from the last this statement. unto the first. 9 And when they came that were hired about the The parable of the labourers eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. Notice how the phrase “the last shall be first, 10 But when the first came, they supposed that and the first last” prefaces (19:30) and concludes they should have received more; and they like- the parable (20:16). However, notice also how the wise received every man a penny. Master adds a further aspect at the conclusion of 11 And when they had received it, they murmured verse 16: “for many be called, but few chosen.” against the goodman of the house, Let’s consider the detail in the parable—first 12 Saying, These last have wrought but one of all, the vineyard. The basis is clearly Isaiah hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, 5:5-7. Thus at the very beginning we are being which have borne the burden and heat of the day. directed to the covenant God made with Israel. 13 But he answered one of them, and said, The nation of Israel were God’s vineyard. This Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree helps us to work out: with me for a penny? • those who were first—those who agreed to 14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give work for a penny a day unto this last, even as unto thee. • those who were the last—all those who made 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with no firm agreement, but who accepted work mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? on the assurance “Whatsoever is right I will 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for give you” (Mt. 20:4)—notice, not ‘I will pay many be called, but few chosen. y o u .’ • the first reward—sitting on twelve thrones—is A penny a day clearly specific to the twelve apostles, therefore It is necessary to determine the meaning of the this cannot be the penny day’s wages, the penny, to identify correctly the • the third reward—everlasting life—is not ‘first’ and the ‘last’ of the workers. It is reason- earned and makes no distinction between the able to conclude that it is related to the rewards workers, whereas it is clear from the parable mentioned by Jesus to Peter. that the response of the first recruited work- Considering the three rewards detailed by ers was unacceptable. This is confirmed if we Jesus in 19:28,29 we notice that: consider the implications behind the phrase Testimony, February 2017 46 Contents “go thy way” (20:14) and the phrase “first . . . were made to wait in order to observe what was l a s t .” about to happen (a point also made in Luke 13:28). Other uses of the word translated “go thy way” This is a fascinating aspect of the parable: if, as are: you would expect, the most deserving had been • “Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, dealt with first, then there would have been no Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship upset. But clearly this was a strategy to make a the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou fundamental point. Notice also the insight into serve” (4:10) their attitude: unhappiness that the householder • “But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee was so generous: “And when they had received behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto it, they murmured against the goodman of the me: for thou savourest not the things that be house, saying, These last have wrought but one of God, but those that be of men” (16:23) hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, • “Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also which have borne the burden and heat of the go away? (Jno. 6:67). day” (Mt. 20:11,12). Notice their concern: “thou hast made them First and last—a matter of rejection equal unto us.” This is a sad insight into the Jewish Jesus uses the idea of the first and last on another reaction to the preaching of the gospel to others. occasion, recorded in Luke 13:22-30. In this pas- sage Jesus responds to a similar question about The overpaid others salvation: “Lord, are there few that be saved?” Who were these others, about whose payment His reply focuses on those who thought they the first were unhappy? We have a clue in the should be let into the house. They protest at references in the Acts to the third, sixth and their master’s refusal to let them in: “We have ninth hours. eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast At Pentecost Peter addresses an audience of taught in our streets.” Whereupon the reply is devout Jews who were from the Diaspora. All given, were amazed to hear them in the language of their “I know you not whence ye are; depart from domicile. Some were sceptical and said, “These me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be men are full of new wine” (2:13). Notice Peter’s weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall reply: “for these are not drunken, as ye suppose, see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the seeing it is but the third hour of the day” (v. 15). prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you In the record in chapter 10 Peter is sent to meet yourselves thrust out. And they shall come Cornelius. Prior to that journey we are told: from the east, and from the west, and from “Cornelius . . . a devout man, and one that the north, and from the south, and shall sit feared God with all his house, which gave down in the kingdom of God. And, behold, much alms to the people, and prayed to God there are last which shall be first, and there alway . . . saw in a vision evidently about the are first which shall be last.” ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming In the context of Matthew 20 the instruction in in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. verse 14 “Go thy way” is not just a ‘have a nice And when he looked on him, he was afraid, day’; rather, ‘you have what you deserve—please and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto don’t come back!’ Thus the connected idea of him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come ‘first and last’ is not about going to the back of up for a memorial before God. And now send the queue; it is about rejection. men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter . . . he shall tell thee what Blessings now thou oughtest to do” (vv. 1-6). Thus, by process of elimination, it seems that the Peter, while the messengers from Cornelius were penny represents the second aspect of the rewards travelling to find him, “went up upon the house- listed by Jesus in his response to Peter’s ques- top to pray about the sixth hour” (v. 9). tion—the blessing which is derived in this life It seems significant that these times of the day from serving God. ‘You have what you deserve.’ are to be found in the context of preaching the So I think we can conclude that those who were gospel to Diaspora Jews and to Gentiles. The idea first—engaged first in the parable—were those that Gentiles would be accepted into the ranks who served on the understanding of so much of God’s people without bearing the burden of service equals so much reward. Notice that they laws and ordinances, and rabbinic rules and Testimony, February 2017 Contents 47 regulations, was difficult for many Jews to ac- of inactivity.’ We have been called to work in the cept—indeed, even Peter found it surprising, and vineyard. Whether or not we are chosen is not needed direct instruction on this point. on the basis of what we do, but on the basis of So, if the ‘first’ (Israel unwilling to accept that whether or not what we do manifests what we the Law had been fulfilled in Christ) were to be truly believe. As Peter exhorts us: last, the amazing truth is that the ‘last’ (those “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to who did not murmur about the generosity of the your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; householder and who trusted him to do right) and to knowledge temperance; and to tem- are to be first! This includes those called in the perance patience; and to patience godliness; eleventh hour. and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to By implication, those who chose to accept brotherly kindness charity. For if these things God’s grace were kept on. They were not told to be in you, and abound, they make you that ye “go their way.” Ultimately they would serve the shall neither be barren [argos] nor unfruitful Lord of the vineyard for ever. in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and A warning cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he In conclusion there is the warning: “many be was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the called, but few chosen” (Mt. 20:16). The rejection rather, brethren, give diligence to make your of the Jewish Mosaic order cannot lead us to be calling and election sure: for if ye do these complacent. One thing we observe is the descrip- things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance tion “idle” applied to those enrolled at the third, shall be ministered unto you abundantly into sixth, ninth and eleventh hours. The word (Gk. the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and argos) means ‘barren, yielding no return, because Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:5-11). Contents

Principles, preaching and problems Evidence, reason and faith 8. The New Testament approach to faith (1) Kel Hammond We come now to what the New Testament has to tell us the faith among all nations” (Rom. about our approach to evidence and faith. The role of the 1:5; 16:26). The New Testament marks apostles is key to our understanding in this area. a ‘dispensational change,’ as the Law of Moses is fulfilled and ceases to LTHOUGH MANY use aspects of the ap- be operative. The gospel was now preached to proach outlined in the previous two arti- Gentiles, who were accepted on the same basis Acles in this series, the New Testament offers as Jews—on the basis of their faith (1:16,17; 3:22). a unique perspective on evidence and faith. We Belief was the basis of acceptance: find that the apostles did not rely on the various “And [Jesus] said unto them [his disciples], teleological arguments we have outlined so far Go ye into all the world, and preach the in this series, but rather on what they had seen gospel to every creature. He that believeth and heard as eyewitnesses. and is baptized shall be saved; but he that After Jesus’ resurrection he commissioned his believeth not shall be damned” (Mk. 16:15, disciples to preach the gospel “for obedience to 16). Testimony, February 2017 48 Contents 1. The apostles chosen to bear witness sworn in front of a legal authority. It contains the The apostles were chosen by Christ, having been written facts of certain events as the author recalls with him since the beginning of his ministry. them. We have other New Testament examples They were witnesses who testified to all that of this type of testimony, declared as true before they had seen and heard concerning Jesus (Acts God: “Now the things which I write unto you, 1:8,15-26; 22:15). Luke mentions the fact that behold, before God, I lie not“ (Gal. 1:20); “I say “many” records of Jesus’ life had been written the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also from eyewitness accounts. He speaks of these bearing me witness in the Holy [Spirit]” (Rom. 9:1). other records as “a declaration,” which means ‘a Even today, under the law of many countries, one narration or narrative’ of what was preached and who intentionally makes a false statement can be believed by the New Testament Christians. These charged with perjury, for which there are penal- accounts were accepted and believed because of ties. The Bible calls this ‘bearing false witness’ the testimony of these eyewitnesses: (Ex. 20:16; Deut. 5:20), and the penalty under the “Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to Law of Moses was very severe, extending even set forth in order a declaration of those things to the death sentence (19:15-21). which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which 2. Preaching in the book of Acts from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and There are many examples in Acts of the gospel ministers of the word; it seemed good to me being preached to non-believers. In these there are also, having had perfect understanding of all no examples that speak in terms of Jesus dying things from the very first, to write unto thee for our sins or for the sins of the whole world. in order, most excellent Theophilus, that thou Amongst all these preaching efforts there is little mightest know the certainty of those things, or no mention of Jesus’ blood or his sacrifice or wherein thou hast been instructed” (Lk. 1:1-4). of his offering. Neither is the word ‘love’ used in Luke says that these claims were genuine, and Acts. These concepts are found only in the let- that he too had a complete understanding of New ters written to those who were disciples already. Testament Christian teaching, and that this record The Acts record testifies to the use of reason- he produced (the Gospel of Luke) was the prod- able and rational testimony, presented in clear uct of his own investigation and research—and themes, without special appeals to emotional therefore trustworthy: “. . . that thou mightest guilt. The only partial exceptions are found in know the certainty of those things, wherein thou the very early chapters of Acts, where the gos- hast been instructed.”1 This is the basic structure pel was first preached to Jews who bore some of many New Testament writings: they were responsibility for their rejection and crucifixion based on eyewitness accounts and statements. of Christ. Generally, the apostles’ testimony was These were either taught verbally or read from logically presented with all the essential themes written accounts. We are now familiar with some necessary for the development of faith, repentance of these, as they make up the bulk of the New and baptism into Christ. Testament writings. The table summarises the main preaching ef- We can confirm that this was common New forts recorded in Acts (these are the ones which Testament practice by considering statements contain more than just a passing reference to made by the Apostle John, who declares: “And the location where the apostles preached). It is he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: noteworthy that signs and wonders were not and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might often performed before the gospel was preached. believe” (Jno. 19:35); and again: “This is the dis- ciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote 1. The Greek word translated “from the very first” these things: and we know that his testimony is (anōthen, v. 3) can also mean ‘from above’ (cf. Jno. 3:31; true” (21:24). 19:11; Jas. 1:17; 3:15,17). Luke may therefore be claiming From records like these we conclude that many a higher authority as the source of his Gospel, and not of the New Testament writings are meant to be just his own research. See also Edward Whittaker, For understood as witness statements similar to other the Study and Defence of the Holy Scripture, Vol. 1 (The Testimony, 1987), pp. 152–6, “The preface of Luke’s types of statements we are familiar with. For Gospel”—E.D.M. example, John’s record is similar to an ‘affidavit’ 2. It has been suggested that Luke and Acts were pre- or a ‘statutory declaration.’ 2 An affidavit contains pared as such ‘witness statements’ to brief a Roman written statements that are really true and are administrator involved in Paul’s trial in Rome.—G.H. Testimony, February 2017 Contents 49 Details of the main preaching efforts in Acts Acts reference Audience Location Sign or miracle performed? 1 2:5-40 Jews Jerusalem Yes: multiple languages 2 3:12-26; 4:8-12 Jews Jerusalem Yes: the lame man healed 3 8:4,5,12,14,25 Samaritans Samaria No—not before they believed 4 8:35-38 Ethiopian In transit No 5 9:20-22 Jews Damascus No 6 10:34-43 Gentiles Caesarea Yes—but not before belief 7 13:14-43 Jews Antioch No 8 14:1a Jews Iconium No 9 14:1b-5 Gentiles Iconium Yes: many signs 10 14:6-20a Gentiles Lystra Yes: a crippled man healed 11 14:20b-28 Gentiles Derbe etc. No: nothing is mentioned 12 16:29-33 Gentiles Philippi No: it was not the earthquake that affected the jailer directly, but the preaching of Paul and Silas 13 17:1-3 Jews Thessalonica No 14 17:22-31 Gentiles Athens No 15 18:5 Jews Corinth No 16 18:24-28 Jews Ephesus No 17 19:8 Jews Ephesus No 18 26:1-23 Gentiles Caesarea No 19 28:20 Jews Rome No Moreover, even when miraculous signs were unto them which are called, both Jews and done, they did not necessarily increase the num- Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the ber of hearers who responded. The power was not wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:21-24). in the miracles, but in the word preached and in When Paul and Barnabas came to Lystra they the witness statements made (see table above). healed a crippled man (Acts 14:8-18). The locals, In the following passage Paul makes an in- rather than listening to what the apostles were teresting comment on the importance of signs preaching, immediately treated them as gods among the Jews and the pursuit of wisdom among and sought to offer sacrifices to them. Later, the Greeks. Although we might think that the when others persuaded them that Paul was a evidence of a miraculous sign would be totally troublemaker, they stoned him and left him for persuasive for converting people to the faith, the dead. This shows the fickle nature of humans, reality is that this rarely happened. the power of normalcy bias,3 man’s innate resist- “For after that in the wisdom of God the world ance to change, and the impotence of signs and by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by wonders to change people’s hearts. the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and 3. Wikipedia: “The normalcy bias, or normality bias, is the Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach a mental state people enter when facing a disaster. It Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling- causes people to underestimate both the possibility block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but of a disaster and its possible effects.” Testimony, February 2017 50 Contents The evidence of the resurrection are. As the various audiences heard the apostles Parts of the Acts record contain a good deal of speaking, there is no doubt that the following detail, within which the resurrection of Jesus questions would have come to mind: How do we is used as a major point of evidence to support decide whether this person is a credible witness? the preaching work. All the apostles, and many Is he trustworthy? Is he believable? Is he gain- disciples, were eyewitnesses of the resurrected ing some benefit or financial advantage from his Christ, and they refer to this fact when establish- testimony and his efforts? Is he prepared to stand ing the certainty of their mission and the word by his message on pain of persecution or death? they preached. This knowledge energised them, To assist in the preaching efforts, and to and compelled them to bear witness fearlessly to certify the veracity of the speakers and their what they had seen and heard. message, the apostles and early disciples were • “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom given the Holy Spirit gifts. This allowed them to ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God do miraculous things which established beyond exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and doubt that God was with them (Jno. 3:2; Acts a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and 2:43; 3:6-11; 4:16,30; 5:12; 14:3; Rom. 15:19). Even forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses in this we must remember that the unique gifts of these things; and so is also the Holy [Spirit], were given mainly to verify that the messenger whom God hath given to them that obey Him” and his message were from God, and therefore (5:30-32) trustworthy. The real power was not in the signs, • “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the but still in the gospel message preached. As we Holy [Spirit] and with power: who went have noted already, faith always depends upon about doing good, and healing all that were believing the Word. oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. It is very important to note that the apostles And we are witnesses of all things which themselves obtained no personal advantage from he did both in the land of the Jews, and in their preaching or witnessing efforts. They were Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on not financially advantaged and did not live in a tree: him God raised up the third day, and luxury. For the most part they were persecuted, shewed him openly; not to all the people, but imprisoned and killed for their testimony. These unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to experiences worked to confirm the veracity of us, who did eat and drink with him after he their testimony, for what group of men will suf- rose from the dead. And he commanded us fer this way to support what they know to be a to preach unto the people, and to testify that blatant falsehood? Paul describes their situation it is he which was ordained of God to be the this way: Judge of quick and dead” (10:38-42). “For I think that God hath set forth us the See also 2:32; 3:15; 4:20 and 1 Peter 5:1, amongst apostles last, as it were appointed to death: many other examples. for we are made a spectacle unto the world, We find in Acts that the gospel was preached and to angels, and to men. We are fools for to many people, some of whom listened with an Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are open mind and carefully considered the message. weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, It is clear that they were weighing the evidence but we are despised. Even unto this present and deciding if it was persuasive, for biblical faith hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are is always the product of a conscious choice that naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain one must personally make. As we have noted, dwellingplace; and labour, working with our the apostles’ eyewitness testimony played an own hands: being reviled, we bless; being important part in persuading people. In like man- persecuted, we suffer it: being defamed, we ner, most of the things that we come to believe intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, are the result of education, or instruction at the and are the offscouring of all things unto this hand of those who know more than us, whom day” (1 Cor. 4:9-13). we come to trust. The apostles’ endurance in the face of terrible persecution and death instilled confidence in the The apostles’ experience early disciples, for this vouched for the truth of Today, as a society, we set a high value on witness their message and what the believers stood for. statements from trusted sources. In ancient times They were not intimidated or cowed by those they were even more dependent on these than we with power: Testimony, February 2017 Contents 51 “And they called them, and commanded them had further threatened them, they let them go, not to speak at all nor teach in the name of finding nothing how they might punish them, Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said because of the people: for all men glorified unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God for that which was done” (Acts 4:18-21); God to hearken unto you more than unto God, “and many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things confident by my bonds, are much more bold which we have seen and heard. So when they to speak the word without fear” (Phil. 1:14).

(To be continued) Contents

Exposition Matthew’s Gospel and the kingdom of heaven David Burges

Why does Matthew’s Gospel speak of “the kingdom of The preaching of the Kingdom heaven” rather than “the kingdom of God”? What other In addition to the emphasis upon Jesus’ position as King, Matthew’s biblical concepts might Matthew, under inspiration, have record also stresses the central impor- in mind? tance of the Kingdom in his teaching. This is confirmed by comparing the T IS WELL KNOWN that Matthew’s Gospel total numbers of references to the word ‘kingdom’ record places considerable emphasis upon the in the four Gospels, which are as follows: Ikingly nature and descent of the Lord Jesus and Matthew 56 upon the concept of his coming Kingdom. Thus Mark 21 it begins with the genealogy of the royal line of Luke 46 the house of David: John 5 “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, Only Luke comes near to including the number the son of David, the son of Abraham . . . and of occurrences in Matthew. However, on further Jesse begat David the king . . . and Jacob begat examination, another striking difference appears. Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was Of Luke’s forty-six references to the word ‘king- born Jesus, who is called Christ [Messiah]” dom,’ thirty-three are to “the kingdom of God.” In (Mt. 1:1,6,16). contrast, Matthew refers only five times to “king- Matthew continues his introduction to the life dom of God” but thirty-two times to “kingdom of of Jesus with reference to the prophecy of the heaven.” Accordingly, he introduces the ministry virgin birth given in Isaiah to King Ahaz (v. of the Master with the words, “From that time 23; Isa. 7:14), and then reports on the visit of the Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the Magi to enquire about the birth of the “King of kingdom of heaven is at hand” (4:17). the Jews” (2:2) and to bring their royal gifts. At Mark, reporting the same events, has this: the other end of his Gospel, Matthew includes “. . . Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel the parable of the King in glory (25:31-46), Jesus’ of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is ful- trial and conviction as “King of the Jews” (27:11), filled, andthe kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and finally, at the ascension, Jesus’ assurance to and believe the gospel” (1:14,15). So it is clear that his disciples that all power had been delivered the terms “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom to him in heaven and in earth, in fulfilment of of God” are equivalent, and it appears that Jesus Daniel’s prophecy (28:18; Dan. 7:14). used both interchangeably on various occasions. Testimony, February 2017 52 Contents In none of the Gospels does Jesus explain to occurs five times in Matthew and is unique to his disciples, or do the Gospel writers explain his record. (The occurrence in Luke 11:13 has a to us, what the Kingdom of God was. It must different Greek construction, literally: ‘. . . the therefore be something already well known from Father out of heaven give the Holy Spirit . . .’; cf. the existing Scriptures—that is, from the Old NIV). Furthermore, the phrase “Father, which is Testament. It is Matthew who makes frequent in heaven” occurs fourteen times in Matthew, as use of the phrase, “. . . that it might be fulfilled against just twice in Mark and once in Luke. So in which was spoken by the prophet.” Indeed, this Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount, is exactly how he introduces the preaching of the we are instructed: kingdom by Jesus, with a quotation from Isaiah: “Let your light so shine before men, that they “The land of Zabulon, and the land of Neph- may see your good works, and glorify your thalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Father which is in heaven” (5:16); Galilee of the Gentiles; the people which sat “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Fa- in darkness saw great light . . . From that time ther which art in heaven . . . Thy will be done Jesus began to preach . . .” (4:15-17). in earth, as it is in heaven . . . For if ye forgive Consequently, all his hearers would have under- men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will stood that the ‘kingdom’ of which Jesus spoke also forgive you” (6:9,10,14). would be the kingdom of Israel restored (cf. Acts The use of the term ‘kingdom of heaven’ in Mat- 1:6), with the throne that had been promised thew is therefore seen to be part of a general to David and his descendants. The Son of man emphasis upon heaven and God’s place in it that had come to turn the nation back to God and runs through the Gospel, and that emphasis must to declare that he was the one with the right lie in the Old Testament roots of the Kingdom, to the throne of David. After the healing of the which we have already noted above. centurion’s servant, Jesus declared, “And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east The God of heaven and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and In the blessing of Abraham by Melchizedek, God Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But is declared to be “the most high God, possessor the children of the kingdom shall be cast out . . .” of heaven and earth” (Gen. 14:19). And in the sub- (Mt. 8:11,12). Already it was anticipated that the sequent promise of a multitude of descendants, nation would reject their appointed king, and God declares to Abraham, “Look now toward that the kingdom would be opened to Gentiles heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number as well as Jews. them . . . So shall thy seed be” (15:5). In this way the promised seed, the Son of God, and all those The kingdom of heaven who would be saved by him through faith, are So why is this distinctive appellation ‘kingdom linked to the heavens. They are likened to the of heaven’ used so extensively in Matthew’s Gos- stars of heaven. pel, one which has undoubtedly contributed to The promises which are the foundation of the the false doctrine that the reward for Christians gospel, as preached before to Abraham (Gal. 3:8), will be in heaven? First we should notice the are concerned with the blessing of the nations overall importance of the words ‘heaven’ and upon earth. But there is a key statement in the ‘heavenly’ in this Gospel. Comparing the four book of the Law which links together the heavens Gospel records again, the number of occurrences and the earth: is as follows: “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in Matthew 82 (including 32 in the phrase your heart and in your soul, and bind them ‘kingdom of heaven’) for a sign upon your hand, that they may be Mark 18 as frontlets between your eyes . . . that your Luke 34 days may be multiplied, and the days of your John 19 children, in the land which the LORD sware Thus, even excluding their use in the phrase unto your fathers to give them, as the days of ‘kingdom of heaven,’ there are still fifty occur- heaven upon the earth” (Deut. 11:18,21). rences of these words in Matthew, far more than Here one of the qualities of heaven—that in any other Gospel. is, eternity and hence eternal life—is being This is demonstrated, for example, by the brought down to the earth, in the Kingdom description of God as ‘heavenly Father,’ which promised to Abraham and his seed. And that Testimony, February 2017 Contents 53 is extended by the psalmist to the throne of the The heavenly kingdom Kingdom: It is evident, therefore, that the many references “He shall cry unto Me, Thou art my father, in Matthew’s Gospel to ‘the kingdom of heaven’ my God, and the rock of my salvation. Also carry all these allusions to God’s promises, eternal I will make him My firstborn, higher than life and the manifestation of God in the multitude the kings of the earth. My mercy will I keep of His children upon the earth in the glorious age for him for evermore, and My covenant shall to come. If the title ‘kingdom of God’ emphasises stand fast with him. His seed also will I make the rulership of that age, then the title ‘kingdom of to endure for ever, and his throne as the days heaven’ emphasises its nature and quality. When of heaven . . . Once have I sworn by My holi- God, manifested in His glorious Son, comes to ness that I will not lie unto David. His seed reign upon the earth and dwell with men (Rev. shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun 21:3), then truly will be seen “the days of heaven before Me. It shall be established for ever as upon the earth.” the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven” Meanwhile, for each of us there remains this (Ps. 89:26-29,35-37). time of probation, in which we must maintain our To these passages can be added the testimony of faith in His promises and seek through faithful Daniel that “in the days of these kings shall the lives to prepare for that which is to come. Then, God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never by His grace, each of us will be able to say with be destroyed”; and “the kingdom and dominion, the Apostle Paul, “the Lord shall deliver me from and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever of the most High” (2:44; 7:27). and ever. Amen” (2 Tim. 4:18). Contents

A thought on . . . The marks of Jesus Daniel Collard

AST YEAR, while reading Galatians 6 with Jesus is ‘the Word made flesh.’ He is therefore my family, I was intrigued by Paul’s com- also the perfect embodiment of God’s Spirit. Ap- Lment in verse 17: plying this to Galatians 6:17, could “the marks of “From now on let no one cause me trouble, Jesus” to which Paul refers be understood as ‘the for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus” marks of the Spirit’? Where does this suggestion (ESV). lead us? I had always presumed that these marks were The Letter to the Galatians, as I mentioned, is bodily scars which Paul had gained during his all about pitting the spirit against its stark op- missionary journeys, but this time my mind posite, the flesh. Using this logic, then, we see wandered in a different direction. ‘the marks of the Spirit’ as the opposite of ‘the We had been discussing the themes of Ga- marks of the flesh,’ which may start to sound latians in the daily readings, and the main one more familiar to us—it makes us think of the we had noted is the stark contrast between the circumcision which Paul describes elsewhere as flesh and the spirit. This theme was overtly clear the ‘mutilation of the flesh’ (Phil. 3:2). This helps in some of what Paul wrote, but in some cases shed light on the point in question. The opposite it was subtler and harder to pinpoint. But with of ‘cutting the flesh’ in this way is ‘circumcising this theme in mind I noted that Jesus is the em- the heart’—through baptism and living a life of bodiment of the Word—in John 1 we read that love as Jesus commanded. Testimony, February 2017 54 Contents Galatians 5:22-25 shows us how to crucify the and every other attribute which Jesus showed flesh, as Jesus literally did on the cross, and bear us in his life and death, and which Paul is now more perfectly ‘the marks of the Spirit.’ demonstrating. I suggest that “the marks of Jesus” that Paul Likewise let us try and manifest “the fruit of says he bears on his body are the love, joy, peace the Spirit” while we too are “in the flesh.” Contents

Review A fictional account of the life of Jeremiah Geoff Henstock

Terror on Every Side! may never have heard of, while others concen- The Life of Jeremiah, trate on an incident in the life of one of the more vol. 1—Early Days. famous Bible characters.” Brother Mark Morgan. In a related project, Brother Mark is working Self-published (2016). on a fiction series based on the life of Jeremiah under the title Terror on Every Side! This is being 174 pages. progressed through a weekly serial, a new chapter Price at the time of being sent to subscribers every week by email. writing: paperback The plan is to produce five volumes: £7.53; eBook £5.22. 1 Early Days Equivalent prices 2 As Good as it Gets in other currencies 3 Darkness Falling calculated at the time 4 The Darkness Deepens of purchase. 5 No Remedy In late 2016 the first volume in the series, Early EREMIAH LIVED in tumultuous times, Days, was published in book form. It covers about and his ministry ensured that he was at the six months in the life of the teenage Jeremiah. Jcentre of events that accompanied the closing Writing engagingly in the first person, as the years of the kingdom of Judah. The length and imagined autobiography of Jeremiah, the author complexity of the Book of Jeremiah, however, uses a colloquial and colourful style to develop a make it hard for readers to appreciate fully the personal memoir which allows us to see events drama of the prophet’s life, which means that through Jeremiah’s eyes. we may have difficulty relating to Jeremiah Although a work of fiction, the book draws and applying in our own lives lessons from his heavily upon the Bible text, with footnotes indicat- ministry. ing the basis for many of the events recorded. At times the author extrapolates a suggestion from ‘Micro-stories’ the text and at other times invents information to For some time Brother Mark Morgan, from Mel- support the narrative: in these cases, the author bourne, Australia, has published a weekly news- indicates through footnotes the basis for his sug- letter via his website www.BibleTales.online. gestion or acknowledges that a point is entirely Each newsletter alternates between a featured speculative. The author helps us to capture the article about a topic of interest to Bible readers colour and emotions of daily life in Judah in the and what the author calls a micro-story, which he days of Josiah. describes as “short stories about Bible characters While focusing on the life and experiences or events. Some are about Bible characters­ you of Jeremiah, the author includes the prophet’s Testimony, February 2017 Contents 55 ­summary of the recent past, particularly the reign For example, it highlights the negative effects of of Manasseh, to explain the context for the society compromises when believers seek to blend the to which he was sent. worship of the God of Israel with the ‘worship’ of false gods. This was a common problem in Personal struggles the time of Jeremiah and remains a common Presented as having been compiled after the fall problem today. of Jerusalem, the story starts when the prophet is At 174 pages, Terror on Every Side! The Life of seventeen and reveals his musings as he struggles Jeremiah, vol. 1—Early Days is a short, fast-paced with his calling. We witness his anxiety about book which will be enjoyed by readers of all ages. the solemn task he is called upon to perform, his It covers just the first few months of Jeremiah’s reluctance to act, and his inability to avoid his ministry and for that reason may be especially challenging commission. appealing to teenagers. Included at the end of the At seventeen Jeremiah is still living at home book is a glossary of the characters mentioned. with his parents and brothers. Suggesting (with Most of these are characters from the record in some biblical support) that Jeremiah’s father was Jeremiah, and Bible readers who find it hard to high priest at that time, it is not surprising that remember who is who as they read Jeremiah may his messages create tensions within his family. find this list helpful. Jeremiah is also presented as admiring the piety Volume 2, As Good as it Gets, was released on 30 and the reforms of King Josiah, and this creates January as an eBook serial. This continues where tension for him when his pronouncements appear the first volume left off, with the eighteen-year-old to implicate the king directly. Jeremiah reliving the excitement of the discovery While Josiah is presented as being receptive to of the Law and the response of Josiah and the Jeremiah’s messages, several of his closest advis- nation. It is intended to publish this volume in ers are not so comfortable. Some, like Shaphan hard copy format later. and Ahikam, are somewhat sympathetic but far The book under review is available in hard from convinced; others, such as Maaseiah, are copy (in two font sizes) or electronically in a range vehemently hostile to Jeremiah from the start. The of formats: MP3 download, MP3-CD and audio book draws out the divided loyalties of a leader- CD set (five CDs). Orders may be made via the ship not fully committed to the reforms of Josiah. author’s website, www.BibleTales.online. Copies of the book are printed on demand in Australia, Help for today’s believers the UK and North America, and orders are sent A feature of the book is the way it casually in- directly from the printer, minimising shipping troduces themes of relevance to believers today. costs for those countries. Drinking the cup By the evening on which the Jews kept the Passover in the year of the Lord’s crucifixion, Jesus was dead in the tomb. The disciples were confused by the turn of events and mentally unprepared. In human terms, would it not have been much easier for Jesus to establish the New Covenant in his blood when he knew with certainty that his sacrifice had been accomplished? Jesus, however, chose to keep the Passover on the night before the rest of Jewry did so: “And [Jesus] said unto [his disciples], With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer” (Lk. 22:15). When we consider the implications of this, the Lord’s strength of character becomes apparent. His certainty that he would go through with crucifixion was motivated by his love for his Father and for mankind, and by faith that God would raise him from the dead to immortality. Although in his inner struggle in Gethsemane he appealed to his Father for a different way to be found for the world’s salvation, yet his determination to go through with whatever God required never wavered. When we attend the memorial service and share the cup, are we encouraged by the Lord’s example, and determined that our love for God, for Jesus Christ and for our brothers and sisters will keep our faith strong to the end of our life? The reward is to drink with him the cup of joy in the Kingdom. The joy that is set before us is worth all our efforts now, and we have a sympathetic advocate in Christ when we go to God in prayer.—Adah Jones

Testimony, February 2017 56 Contents Watchman The mountains of Israel Shaun Maher

HE NEW TESTAMENT areas of Judea and Settlement building in the occupied Samaria comprise what is described by territories Tmost people today as the West Bank. This As many commentators had predicted, we have is the historical heartland of the nation of Israel seen an interesting end to the Obama presidency we read of in the Scriptures. We might reflect on with a final prick against Israel in UN resolution the United Nations partition of the land in 1948 2334. The resolution, which condemns all Israeli and note that the coastal plains allocated to the settlement building in the West Bank (Judea and Jewish State were, in Bible times, often the areas Samaria) and East Jerusalem, was apparently occupied by Israel’s enemies. When the fledgling orchestrated by the USA and the UK. Whilst the nation was established in the land under the USA didn’t vote in favour of the resolution, its hand of Joshua, it occupied mainly the mountain abstention (instead of the usual veto) was a very country up the central spine of the land (Josh. significant departure from its traditional protec- 12:7–13:7).1 tion of the Jewish state and has been interpreted Even many years later, under the kingship of by the Israelis as tacit support for their enemies. David, the Philistines lived on the coastal plain We shall have to wait and see whether this parting and David’s kingdom was predominantly the shot from Obama will have any real impact on mountainous heart of the country in the centre the ground, especially with a strongly pro-Israel of the land. The capital of his kingdom was first Trump administration in prospect.2 at Hebron, then later at the Jebusite fortress In addition to the raft of UN resolutions con- Jerusalem, which would become the principal demning Israel in recent months, culminating city of the nation (2 Sam. 5:6-10,17-25). Being seen in the Security Council resolution discussed as mountain dwellers was evidently a defining above, the French government convened a peace characteristic of the nation in ancient times, for conference in Paris on 15 January.3 Israel and the some of the nations around Israel believed that Palestinians were both absent, and the UK, in a Yahweh’s power was limited, His being “a god of probable nod towards the incoming US admin- the mountains” (1 Kgs. 20:23,28, NASB). istration, snubbed the French meeting by not We don’t draw attention to these facts as a sending high-level representatives. The statement political point in support of the government from the conference focused mainly on the issue of Israel in current circumstances in the land; of settlements in the ‘occupied territories’ of the rather there are two scriptural reasons why it is West Bank and East Jerusalem.4,5 The participants­ important to remember these details. First, the area known as the West Bank is the heart of the 1. Bible quotations from the ESV except where otherwise land promised to the descendants of Abraham, stated. Isaac and Jacob—the Jews (Gen. 28:13-15). This 2. “U.N. resolution condemning Israeli settlement- means that ultimately, under the rule of Christ, building could backfire”: http://www.latimes.com/ this area will again form the heartland of the world/middleeast/la-fg-israel-un-settlements-backfire- 20161224-story.html Jewish nation. Secondly, we note that when the 3. Several media sources reported that precisely seventy northern invader described in Ezekiel 38 enters nations sent official delegates to this conference. In- the land he descends upon “the mountains of terestingly, seventy is the number of nations listed Israel” (v. 8; 39:2-4), probably a specific reference in Genesis 10. See, for instance, http://www.bbc.com/ to this mountainous heartland. We will return news/world-middle-east-38608990—G.H. to this point later on. 4. “UK signals closeness to Trump with snub to French Middle East summit”: This hotly contested territory is increasingly https://www.theguardian.com/ politics/2017/jan/15/uk-snubs-middle-east-peace-sum the focus of the nations of the earth, a situation mit-in-paris-to-keep-trump-onside we expect to develop further as we move ever 5. Paris Peace conference statement: http://www.haaretz. closer to the return of our Lord. com/israel-news/1.765207 Testimony, February 2017 Contents 57 were mainly from the EU, Arab nations, Russia, and the outgoing Obama admin- Ezekiel’s description of Israel at the time of the istration. The Israeli prime minister de- invasion by Gog (Ezek. 38) scribed the talks as a backward step and “In the latter years” (v. 8) meaningless, declaring that Israel would not be bound by any agreements made.6 a land “restored from war” (v. 8) Again, it remains to be seen whether a “people . . . gathered from many peoples” (v. 8) anything significant will result from this initiative. a people “upon the mountains of Israel” (v. 8) The interesting point to note in all “[dwelling] securely” (v. 8) these cases is the growing focus and momentum around the issue of settle- “the land of unwalled villages” (v. 11) ment activity in the West Bank and East Jerusalem—“the mountains of Israel” and “the quiet people” (v. 11) its principal city. Even the overtly pro- “[dwelling] securely” (v. 11) Israel Trump administration has indicated that it believes Israel should cede some “dwelling without walls” (v. 11) tracts of land and communities in the West “having no bars or gates” (v. 11) Bank to the control of Palestinian security forces in a search for peace.7 “the waste places . . . now inhabited” (v. 12) “the people . . . gathered from the nations” (v. 12) Build and build Yet the increasingly vocal demands a people “who have acquired livestock and goods” (v. 12) from most of the world telling Israel to “[dwelling] at the centre of the earth [land]” (v. 12) stop building settlements appear to be backfiring. The Israeli government is resolutely There have been attempts to try and interpret refusing to heed these calls and is holding its this passage in ways that make it fit with Israel line. One reason for this may be that the policy as we see it today—for example, suggesting that direction and political appointments of the Trump the words used in this passage don’t necessar- administration look extremely favourable, not ily mean that there has to be peace in the land; only for maintaining the status quo, but also for they just mean that Israel is dwelling confidently, a potentially unprecedented boom in settlement as we see it today. Whilst it’s tempting to take activity in the disputed areas. The Israeli justice such an approach to persuade ourselves that minister was recently quoted as stating that once the conditions described in this passage are in Mr Trump is in office Israel must “build and existence now, I think this is a mistake (albeit a build” in Judea and Samaria.8 During the eight well-intentioned one), which ignores the wider difficult years of the Obama administration, set- context of the passage. tler numbers in these areas grew by more than As can be seen from the terms in the table, the thirty per cent, increasing from 300,000 to 400,000, picture painted is of a peaceful, quiet people at and in East Jerusalem there are now more than rest in a land of unwalled communities without 300,000 Jewish residents. If numbers increased bars or gates. Anyone who has visited these areas to more than 700,000 9 in these more restrictive political conditions, what might be possible in more favourable conditions?10 6. http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/No-tango-in-Paris-478426 7. “Trump’s Give-and-Take Plan to Smooth Way for Israel-Palestinian Peace Talks,” Debka, 13 Jan. 2017. Peaceful people in unwalled villages 8. http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/We-must- Returning to the description of the conditions build-and-build-in-Judea-and-Samaria-after-Trump- preceding the invasion led by Gog in Ezekiel 38, takes-office-477985 we note a number of important elements associ- 9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_settlement ated with the nation at this time (see table). The 10. “Israeli settlements grew on Obama’s watch. They may be poised for a boom on Trump’s”: overwhelming picture is of a peaceful, wealthy https://www.wash ingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/israeli-settleme nation made up of people who have been gathered nts-grew-on-obamas-watch-they-may-be-poised-for-a- from the nations and who now dwell in the centre boom-on-trumps/2017/01/02/24feeae6-cd23-11e6-85cd- of the land on the mountains of Israel. e66532e35a44_story.html?utm_term=.3fc858e62da9 Testimony, February 2017 58 Contents Armed settlers and IDF soldiers. Photo: ISM Palestine [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons will see the polar opposite of this description. passage in its context and try to understand it The Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East from the ‘inside out.’ As far as Ezekiel 38 is con- Jerusalem are gated communities with bars, se- cerned, it seems to be describing a time when the curity walls and security fences everywhere you Jews have settled the area of Judea and Samaria look. And then there is the ever-present Israeli and are able to lay down their arms, tear down army around the perimeter and at the entrance their security barriers and enjoy a time of peace to all of these communities—not to mention the and prosperity. heavily armed settlers, who go about their daily If the traditional understanding of this proph- lives with constant vigilance and an awareness ecy is correct, and the conditions described come that attacks could come at any moment. No, the into existence before the return of Christ, then it mountains of Israel are not currently a place of is quite possible that the seismic political shifts unwalled villages without bars or gates, inhab- we have recently witnessed could lead to a rapid ited by peaceful people. They are heavily armed creation of these conditions. defensive positions ready to spring into action at Other interpretations place these events early a moment’s notice. in the reign of the Lord Jesus, when Israel is at peace under his reign. At this time the kings of Patiently watching and waiting the earth will “render him tribute” (Ps. 72:10), We have mentioned in previous Watchman arti- and “the treasures of all nations shall come in” cles the risks of taking what we described as an (Hag. 2:7), with the result for Israel that “the ‘outside in’ approach to Scripture. This is where wealth of the nations shall come to you” and “you we look at world events and adjust our interpreta- shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their tion of prophecy to try and make it fit (as in the glory you shall boast” (Isa. 60:5; 61:6). Alongside example above). Instead we should look at the unprecedented spiritual blessings, the material wealth and glory of Christ’s Kingdom will far exceed anything ever known. It is possible that this wealth could be the plunder that catches the attention of Gog. Either scenario appears possible. We wait with humility and patience to see how events progress over the coming months. Our sincere prayer and hope is that soon all the “fullness of the Gentiles” will be made up, so that the “partial hardening [that] has come upon Israel” may end, and we see “The Security wall between Jewish and Arab Deliverer . . . come from Zion [to] banish un- neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem. godliness from Jacob [and] take away their Photo: Zero0000 [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons sins” (Rom. 11:25-27). Testimony, February 2017 Contents 59 Exposition “As soon as I was ‘scent’ for” Sam Alexander

“God is not a respecter of persons, so neither should we and Cornelius—and in particular the smell be: whether we are rich or we are poor, whether we are way they . In this article we ask the question, stinky or we are sweet, whether we are sitting in Caesarea What does it really mean to ‘stink’ or or anywhere else in the world, we can all be clean before to ‘smell nice’? We’re going to see how God.” this theme of smelling ties into Peter’s vision of the unclean animals, and the ATE IN 2015, I sat down on a hill in Jaffa— way that the whole story finishes with a wash- that’s modern-day Joppa in Israel—to write ing, when Cornelius and his house are baptised. Ldown some thoughts on Acts 10; we talked Above all we’ll give thanks that—wherever we about these the next day in Caesarea, sitting by the have come from, or whatever we have done—we seaside on what’s left of Herod’s palace.1 My aim can be made clean before God. was to retrace the story of Peter and Cornelius, as there’s something quite special about retelling Cornelius history in the place where it actually happened. First, let’s establish the contrast between Peter Perhaps in your mind you might like to join us in and Cornelius by focusing on how the story the hot Mediterranean sun next to one of Herod’s presents Cornelius. Verse 1 introduces Cornelius old mosaics in his swimming-baths complex— as a centurion of the Italian Cohort, which means with one eye on me, and one eye out for snakes. that he was a rich and important man in Roman Our aim in this article is to bring out two key society. He lived in Caesarea in the north of lessons from the story of Acts 10: the first is about Judea; he was rich enough to have servants and how we judge each other, and people we meet; a big house where people could meet; and he was the second is about how we look at ourselves. also “a devout man who feared God with all his Of most interest, however, may be the way that household, gave alms generously to the people, we arrive at these lessons: by emphasising a powerful contrast in the narrative that you may not have seen before, but upon which all of the 1. Caesarea Maritima (as opposed to Caesarea Philippi rest of the story is going to hang. This is the near Mount Hermon) was built towards the end of contrast ­between our two main characters, Peter the first century BC by Herod the Great.

The port of Old Jaffa (Joppa) today, with the modern city of Tel Aviv in the background. Somewhere along this coastline Simon the Tanner would have had his tannery. Noam.armonn (CC BY-SA 3.0)/Wikimedia Commons

Testimony, February 2017 60 Contents and prayed continually to God” (v. 2).2 In fact, Peter Cornelius is praying as we meet him: 3 The second character in our contrast is Peter. How “About the ninth hour of the day he saw is the story going to present him? We first meet clearly in a vision an angel of God come in Peter in this story at the end of Acts 9, directly and say to him, ‘Cornelius.’ And he stared after he has travelled to Joppa and healed Tabitha; at him in terror and said, ‘What is it, Lord?’ these are the very last words of Acts 9: And he said to him, ‘Your prayers and your “And he stayed in Joppa for many days with alms have ascended as a memorial before one Simon, a tanner” (v. 43). God. And now send men to Joppa and bring So Peter goes to stay in Joppa, not just with one Simon who is called Peter. He is lodg- “Simon,” but with “one Simon, a tanner.” Tan- ing with one Simon, a tanner, whose house ning is the profession which makes leather out of is by the sea.’ When the angel who spoke animal skins—and this is a very curious detail. to him had departed, he called two of his Why is it important for Luke to say that Simon servants and a devout soldier from among was a tanner? those who attended him, and having related The easy answer would be that this just sets everything to them, he sent them to Joppa” up 10:6, where the angel tells Cornelius to find (vv. 3-8). Peter staying with “Simon, a tanner,” and presum- An important detail in verse 3 is that Cornelius ably the angel wanted to help Cornelius find the was praying “about the ninth hour of the day,” particular Simon that he was talking about. As or 3 p.m. For anyone who knew anything about an aside, it’s interesting that the New Testament Jewish customs, this would have immediately does have a lot of characters called ‘Simon the triggered just one thought, which was that something-or-other,’ because other contemporary Cornelius was praying at the time of afternoon documents from Palestine show that Simon was prayer (see 3:1). This was a very important time the most common male name at that time. This of the day, for Josephus informs us that the daily is why we read about Simon Peter (Jno. 21:15) or evening sacrifice in the temple also took place Simon of Cyrene (Mt. 27:32) or Simon the leper “about the ninth hour,”4 which was, furthermore, (26:6), because without the extra descriptions one of the two times each day when incense was on the end nobody would know exactly which burnt.5 Simon the writer meant. This is excellent evidence The point to notice is that everything about the that the Gospels and Acts really were based on ninth hour seems to have to do, in some sense eyewitness accounts.7 or other, with smelling good. For instance, Exodus But why describe Simon as a tanner? What was 29:41 explains how the morning and the evening so special about being a tanner that made you sacrifices were meant to be offered as “a pleasing easy for someone to find? Probably there weren’t aroma” to the Lord. In fact, when we read that very many of them. But I think the reason was the prayers of Cornelius “ascended as a memorial before God” (Acts 10:4), we should realise that 2. Bible quotations are from the ESV unless otherwise this is written in the language of an acceptable stated. sacrifice—“a pleasing aroma” to God.6 Reading 3. As Cornelius recalls in verse 30. on in Exodus, 30:7 explains that the daily offering 4. “And any one may hence learn, how very great piety of incense was “fragrant.” Obviously the main we exercise towards God, and the observance of His feature of incense is that it smells nice. laws, since the priests were not at all hindered from So when we read in Acts 10—not once, but their sacred ministrations by their fear during this siege, but did still twice a day, in the morning, and twice (vv. 3,30)—that Cornelius was praying about the ninth hour, offer their sacrifices on the altar” at “the ninth hour,” the inspired writer Luke is (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 14.4). prompting us to remember the prayers at 3 p.m. 5. See 2 Chron. 13:11 and Ps. 141:2. when both the evening sacrifice and incense were 6. Again, note the parallel in Psalm 141:2 between prayer offered, both of which would either literally or and sacrifice: “Let my prayer be counted as incense figuratively smell nice. Perhaps you also recall before You, and the lifting up of my hands as the Revelation 5:8, where the prayers of the saints are evening sacrifice!” 7. See R. Bauckham, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: the Gospels again likened to incense; the prayers of Cornelius as eyewitness testimony (Grand Rapids, MI), William B. ‘smelt nice’ to God. Eerdmans, 2006. An accessible lecture by Peter Wil- So, Cornelius in one corner: he is portrayed liams illustrates the same point, and is available online as smelling nice. at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5Ylt1pBMm8 Testimony, February 2017 Contents 61 A working tannery in Fez, Morocco, which still uses some of the traditional methods of tanning that would have been known to Simon the tanner in Joppa. Photo: Jeremy Thomas even simpler than that; and the fact that God with this trade, but because of the physical chose that Peter should stay with a tanner, of deformities the husband acquires through all professions, is a very big piece of context for his rough work.”8 the story that follows in chapter 10. So again we This means that if you were a Jewess and you ask, What was so special about being a tanner? married a fisherman or a tax-collector, you would be expected to honour your vows and carry on, The scent of a tanner but no woman could be made to stay with a tan- If you had lived in the first century and ever ner. The article continues: been within half a mile of a tannery, the answer “Similarly, in b. Hag 7b, tanners, along with to this question would probably be so obvious scrapers and coppersmiths, are exempted that you wouldn’t even think to ask it. Perhaps their reputation has waned with time, but the one thing that stood out about ancient tanners was that they absolutely, abominably and abhorrently stank. The process of tanning involved soaking animal skins in urine and then using bare feet to kneed animal dung into them—they were by far the worst-smelling members of society. To this day, anyone who has been to Marrakech or Fez in Morocco will tell you that even a modern tannery is feared for its stench; in the ancient world a tanner was on the very bottom rung of the social ladder. In a helpful article on tanning in ancient Juda- ism, Isaac Oliver provides a fascinating insight into the life of tanners based on early Jewish A modern tanner busy at his work—not a job literature: for the squeamish! “The rabbis generally despise this occupa- Photo: Jeremy Thomas tion because of the filth and strong stench associated with the work . . . For example, 8. Oliver, I. W., Simon Peter Meets Simon the Tanner: the m. Ketub. 7:10 rules that Jews may compel a ritual insignificance of tanning in ancient Judaism, New male tanner to divorce his wife if the latter Testament Studies, 59(01), pp. 50–60 (2012). Oliver ar- can no longer endure living with her husband, gues that the Jews did not view tanning as an unclean not because of the ritual impurity associated profession, but just a very smelly one. Testimony, February 2017 62 Contents from appearing at the temple during pil- considering, however, now we realise that Peter grimage festivals, not because of their ritual is living in a tannery as he has this vision—he’s impurity, but because, as the Gemara explic- surrounded by filth—so isn’t it a little incongruous itly states, of their unpleasant odour, which for him to turn up his nose? After all, consider prevents them from going up with other Peter’s usual diet: would you like to eat food persons . . .” that’s been prepared at a tannery, by someone In other words, you could use a tanner as a form who kneads animal dung into urine-soaked skins of crowd control—for wherever a tanner went, the with their bare feet all day long? Of course you rest of any crowd would surely disperse. Tanners wouldn’t—yet here we see Peter, still looking didn’t attend the feasts in Jerusalem because, if down on this food provided by God, because they did, nobody else would go up into the temple under the Law it would be unclean. with them; this was all because of their terrible, The picture is so striking that it’s almost comi- unbearable smell. cal, and I believe that this is the idea; it’s a very Yet that was who Peter was living with for powerful piece of drama. Clearly the lesson is “many days” (Acts 9:43), and when we read that that God doesn’t care about cleanliness on the Peter was staying at a tannery in chapters 9 and outside—because, by any measure other than the 10, this theme of smelling is supposed to leap Law, of all people Peter himself would be failing out at us. This is the context to chapter 10, and that test. So three times the voice says to Peter, it would have been absolutely obvious to Luke, “What God has made clean, do not call common” or Theophilus, or anyone else who lived in their (vv. 15,16). Even an outwardly unclean animal day. could be cleansed by God. So, Peter in the other corner: he literally stinks. By this point the story is already interesting, but just as Peter sees this vision for the third Contrast: uncleanness time he hears a knock on the door from three By now our contrast between Cornelius and Peter Gentile men, who as foreigners perhaps seemed should be clear: whereas Cornelius prays at the like ‘unclean animals’ as well. Suddenly a very hour of evening sacrifice and is figuratively like big penny drops for Peter, because he’s learning a pleasing aroma and fragrant incense, Peter is that God can make anyone clean, no matter what associated with physically stinking. I suggest that they are externally.9 the power of this contrast really brings the story in Acts 10 to life, as we can see right away from Who needs a wash? what happens next: The next day—“as soon as I was sent for” (v. 29, “The next day, as they were on their journey AV)—Peter and his companions set off to Cae- and approaching the city, Peter went up on the sarea, where Cornelius has gathered together a housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And whole crowd and is overjoyed to see them. We he became hungry and wanted something to can only imagine the novelty of the scene as this eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell wealthy, important man falls down at the feet of into a trance and saw the heavens opened and common Peter and starts to worship him—Cor- something like a great sheet descending, being nelius can’t wait to hear what Peter has to say. let down by its four corners upon the earth. In So Peter does say: it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and “Truly I understand that God shows no par- birds of the air. And there came a voice to tiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him: ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But Peter said, Him and does what is right is acceptable to ‘By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten Him. As for the word that He sent to Israel, anything that is common or unclean.’ And the voice came to him again a second time, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 9. Philip (Acts 8:40), Paul and other brethren besides (9:30) This happened three times, and the thing was had all spent time in Caesarea recently, so it’s inter- taken up at once to heaven” (vv. 9-16). esting that Peter should be the one to visit Cornelius, In this episode we read how Peter, hungry and since at the beginning of the story he is over thirty miles to the south, in Joppa. Maybe the fact that Peter wanting to eat, sees a vision where a number of baptised Cornelius was partly to emphasise the lesson unclean animals come down to him from heav- about not respecting persons (see 10:34); perhaps they en—but he refuses to eat them because of their each represented the epitome of what the other might ritual uncleanness. Given the context we’ve been naturally despise. Testimony, February 2017 Contents 63 Some of the remains of the harbour area at Caesarea Maritima, dating from the time of Herod the Great, where the Roman centurion Cornelius was stationed. Photo: Sam Alexander preaching good news of peace through Jesus clothes, your occupation—“but the LORD looks Christ . . . we are witnesses of all that he on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hang- Lessons ing him on a tree, but God raised him on the At the beginning of this article I promised two third day and caused him to appear, not to simple lessons about judging. The first lesson all the people but to us who had been chosen is about how we judge other people, whether by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with our brethren in God’s household or anyone we him after he rose from the dead . . . To him all meet. Simply put, we can’t judge anybody based the prophets bear witness that everyone who only on what we know about them from the believes in him receives forgiveness of sins outside—because God looks on the inside, and through his name” (vv. 34-43). He can make anyone clean. Peter couldn’t look The Holy Spirit falls on everyone who is listen- down on Cornelius for being a Gentile, and nor ing, and Peter declares famously, “Can anyone could Cornelius look down on Peter for his un- withhold water for baptizing these people, who savoury smell or position in society. God is not have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” a respecter of persons, so neither should we be: (v. 47). And it’s at this point we reach the cli- whether we are rich or we are poor, whether we max of the contrast that we’re exploring in this are stinky or we are sweet, whether we are sit- article. ting in Caesarea or anywhere else in the world, For here we have two men: one of these men we can all be clean before God. As Peter says to is rich, wealthy and important—he’s associated Cornelius and to all of his household: “anyone with smelling nice—but he’s only a Gentile; the who fears [God] and does what is right is accept- other has more or less been living in a sewer, is able to Him . . . everyone who believes in [Jesus] poor and insignificant—a nobody who stinks— receives forgiveness of sins through his name . . . but he’s a Jew. One of these men will reassure the What God has made clean, do not call common” other that ‘God is not a respecter of persons and (Acts 10:35,43,15). so you can be acceptable before Him. See, here The second lesson is more introspective, about is water and you can wash—for God has shown how we look at ourselves. May we never forget me not to call any person common or unclean.’ that, before we were cleansed, on a spiritual level But which of these two men, do you suppose, is we stank—perhaps as if we lived in a tannery. Just which? Which of these two men really needs to like Cornelius, we really needed to be washed. have a wash? So the fact that we can now be clean is a truly The power of the contrast between Peter and wonderful blessing. Paul expresses this change Cornelius is that it’s Cornelius who is to go into in his letter to the Corinthians: “And such were the water, not physically smelly Peter—the exact some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sancti- opposite of what we might have expected. It was fied, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord much more important for Cornelius to show by Jesus” (1 Cor. 6:11, AV). washing that he was inwardly cleansed by God, May we never forget that our Lord gave his than for Peter to be just physically clean. “For life so that we who were sinners could instead the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the be made clean; may this truth make us grateful, outward appearance”—on your nationality, your and find expression in our lives. Testimony, February 2017 64 Contents Exhortation Limiting God Geoff Henstock

“Psalm 78 is a powerful exhortation about lessons which Apt to forget the servants of God must learn from Israel’s wilderness Israel’s past is typical of what might wanderings. It provides firm evidence that God’s servants happen to us. We are weak flesh-and- blood people just like the Israelites. have always been apt to forget the wonder of His grace Like them, we can fail to appreciate and fall away . . . It confirms that only God’s redeeming the reality and wonder of God’s de- mercy can deliver us from bondage, for the flesh is utterly liverance—even when the tokens of w o r t h l e s s .” His power to save are fresh in our memory. Like them, we can allow lust AUL BASES an exhortation to the ecclesia to have dominion over us, even though we have at Corinth on the experiences of Israel in put to death the old man. From bitter experience, Pthe wilderness. In doing so he notes that each of us knows that what Paul relates about Israel’s history is to be viewed as a lesson for the Israel’s failure is repeated in varying degrees at people of God in all ages: different times in our own life. “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye Psalm 78 is a powerful exhortation about les- should be ignorant, how that all our fathers sons the servants of God must learn from the were under the cloud, and all passed through wilderness wanderings. It provides firm evidence the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses that God’s servants have always been apt to forget in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the wonder of God’s grace and fall away into the same spiritual meat; and did all drink perdition. It thus confirms the basic Bible teach- the same spiritual drink: for they drank ing that man is a weak, erring creature, prone of that spiritual Rock that followed them; to sin as the sparks fly upwards. It confirms that and that Rock was Christ. But with many only God’s redeeming mercy can deliver us from of them God was not well pleased: for they bondage, for the flesh is utterly worthless. It is were overthrown in the wilderness” (1 Cor. only through God’s wisdom and integrity “that 10:1-5). anything can be salvaged from the utter depravity Paul describes the wilderness wanderings of Is- of the human race.”1 rael as a parable of the redemptive work of God in Christ. Note in particular the way he speaks of The need to teach and be taught Israel being baptised and of the rock being Christ. Psalm 78 commences with a sevenfold reference We look back on Israel’s history and identify to the need for Israel to teach their children the the nation’s failure. It stands out starkly. Faith- truth concerning their relationship with God: lessness was manifested within days of the de- “Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline liverance from Egypt. Even after witnessing the your ears to the words of my mouth. I will miracle of the parting of the Red Sea, the people open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark quickly turned from praising God to murmuring sayings of old: which we have heard and about their condition. known, and our fathers have told us. We will Paul makes the point that, when we review this not hide them from their children, shewing history, we must not merely be critical of Israel’s to the generation to come the praises of the failure. We should use this record as a goad to LORD, and His strength, and His wonderful keep us on the narrow path. Paul’s point, as works that He hath done. For He established expressed in verse 6, is that Israel’s history is an a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law example to us: “these things were our examples, in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.” 1. Cyril Tennant, Studies in the Psalms, vol. 1, p. 181. Testimony, February 2017 Contents 65 that they should make them known to their lust after evil things. He goes on to say that Israel children: that the generation to come might had fallen away into idolatry, and the psalmist know them, even the children which should alludes to this: be born; who should arise and declare them to “. . . and might not be as their fathers, a stub- their children: that they might set their hope born and rebellious generation; a generation in God, and not forget the works of God, but that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit keep His commandments: and might not be was not stedfast with God” (Ps. 78:8). as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious “Stubborn” and “rebellious” are strong words. generation; a generation that set not their heart They express God’s absolute rejection of their aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with response to His mercy. Their heart was not “set . . . God” (vv. 1-8). aright”; they were not “stedfast.” This final word is a key word in the psalm (vv. 8,22,32,37). It is Practical lessons the Hebrew word awman, which Gesenius says The repetition in this passage is remarkable. means “to prop, to stay, to support,” and, in this The same point—that we must pass the gospel context, “to be faithful, trustworthy, sure.” message from parent to child—is stressed over The people were unreliable. They waned in and over again. Clearly this is deliberate. Several their faithfulness after their initial response to lessons can be derived from this passage: God. The word awman occurs again in verse 22 • parents in the ecclesia have a special responsi- (translated “believed”): bility to ensure that their children are soundly “Therefore the LORD heard this, and was educated in the things of God wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, • the first principles concerning God’s deliver- and anger also came up against Israel; because ance and the need to be obedient servants they believed not in God, and trusted not in must be reiterated constantly; we cannot talk His salvation” (vv. 21,22). about them too often In failing to believe (or to be steadfast) in God, • regular revision of these principles is neces- they “trusted not in His salvation.” In spite of the sary to ensure that the message retains its miracles associated with their deliverance from power to influence our life Egyptian bondage, they lost confidence in God. • all of us are children; we need to be receptive God called them out of Egypt to make them a to this message whenever we hear it. people for His name, but Israel came to doubt Children are impressionable. Even before they that “what He had promised, He was able also speak they absorb information by observing to perform” (Rom. 4:21). their parents. In their simplicity young children The perverseness of Israel is demonstrated are often very discerning, and can detect incon- very bluntly in the next use of awman at the end sistencies in their parents that adults excuse or of this section regarding God’s gracious provision ignore. The responsibility of parents to teach their of food in the wilderness: children is a grave one. This passage reminds us “the wrath of God came upon them, and that the Scriptures are an invaluable textbook slew the fattest of them, and smote down the in this educative process. But this passage is chosen men of Israel. For all this they sinned not merely good advice for parents with young still, and believed not for His wondrous works” children. All of us as children of God must come (Ps. 78:31,32). to God and His Word with childlike humility to “In spite of this they still sinned” (RSV). In spite learn the lessons it offers. of all this miraculous evidence they were not In verses 4-6 Israel were to ensure that future faithful. The judgements referred to in verse 31 generations appreciated the deliverance God had had some effect on Israel, but it was a shallow wrought under Moses. We who live on the eve response that did not come from the heart. of the Master’s return are the ultimate “genera- The final use of awman is in verse 37: tion to come,” and so we need, more than ever “When He slew them, then they sought Him: before, to be receptive to the message expressed and they returned and enquired early after through Psalm 78. God. And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer. Being steadfast Nevertheless they did flatter Him with their In 1 Corinthians 10 Paul indicates that the lesson mouth, and they lied unto Him with their of Israel’s failure should be an exhortation not to tongues. For their heart was not right with Testimony, February 2017 66 Contents Him, neither were they stedfast in His cov- Why is Caleb singled out for a special blessing? enant” (vv. 34-37). Ten spies brought back a negative report, declar- This is a repetition of verse 8. Their heart was not ing that the people of the land were too strong right: they were not “stedfast.” They had ample to be defeated by Israel. Only Caleb and Joshua evidence of God’s power to save, yet they failed expressed confidence (vv. 6-9) that “what [God] to believe. Their lack of faith was expressed in had promised, He was able also to perform.” It disobedience to the covenant. was not a case of whether Israel was big enough or strong enough to conquer the land; God would Presumption and provocation give the land to them—if they found favour before In spite of this, God was longsuffering and merci- Him as faithful servants. Israel’s response (v. 10) ful and “full of compassion” (v. 38). Why? Because to Caleb and Joshua’s confident assertion of faith He recognised their limitation as frail, mortal in God was to threaten them. At that point God sons of Adam: “He remembered that they were manifested Himself to Moses and condemned but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh Israel for their lack of faith: not again” (v. 39). “And the LORD said unto Moses, How long When we use the example of Israel’s failure in will this people provoke Me? and how long order to examine ourselves, we need not despair will it be ere they believe [awman] Me, for when we find that we also have not been “stedfast all the signs which I have shewed among in His covenant.” The one who created us knows them?” (v. 11). our limitations; our High Priest has experienced In spite of all the miracles they had seen, the our weaknesses personally. However, we cannot people did not believe (were not ‘stedfast’ for) presume upon the longsuffering of God and God—the exact point that was repeated four tempt Him as Israel did: “How oft did they pro- times in Psalm 78. voke Him in the wilderness, and grieve Him in the desert!” (v. 40). Limiting God—Israel In Exodus 14, 15, 16 and 22 we read of several Israel expressed their disbelief most eloquently: occasions on which Israel provoked God. This “wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto issue is dealt with in an interesting context in this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives Numbers 14:20,21, where Moses records the and our children should be a prey? were ultimate purpose of the Deity as being to fill it not better for us to return into Egypt?” the earth with His glory as the waters cover the (Num. 14:3). seas: What a remarkable accusation! They acknowl- “the LORD said, I have pardoned according to edged implicitly that God had delivered them thy word: but as truly as I live, all the earth from Egypt and brought them through the wil- shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.” derness for two years; yet now they doubted His This is the glorious future we hope to share with ability to finish the work He had begun. They had God, but it can be attained only if we are not not appreciated the principle that Paul would later presumptuous before God. The following verses express in these words to the Philippians: “. . . in the Numbers account provide God’s answer to being confident of this very thing, that He which the psalmist’s rhetorical comment, “How oft did hath begun a good work in you will perform it they provoke Him . . . !”, demonstrating that only until the day of Jesus Christ” (1:6). Israel did not those who believe in God will be able to share believe that He which had begun a good work the blessings of the Kingdom age: in them could bring that work to fruition. They “Because all those men which have seen My did not believe that “what [God] had promised, glory, and My miracles, which I did in Egypt He was able also to perform.” and in the wilderness, and have tempted Me Psalm 78 describes this failure on the part of now these ten times, and have not hearkened Israel in extremely sobering words. It is a remark- to My voice; surely they shall not see the land able statement, and one we do well to ponder in which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall relation to our own lives and our own response any of them that provoked Me see it: but My to God: “Yea, they turned back and tempted servant Caleb, because he had another spirit God, and limited the Holy One of Israel” (v. 41). with him, and hath followed Me fully, him They tempted God; worse still, they “limited the will I bring into the land whereinto he went; Holy One of Israel.” Literally, they ‘marked off a and his seed shall possess it” (vv. 22-24). boundary.’ They set a limit on what God could Testimony, February 2017 Contents 67 do. They set the limit, they decided for themselves his ability to provide this symbolic deliverance in what God was able to do; they assumed that God Nazareth: “he did not many mighty works there could go so far and no further. because of their unbelief” (Mt. 13:58). The wilderness generation did this when they In the wilderness the people were on the verge were on the very verge of entering the Promised of entering the Promised Land. Joshua and Caleb Land. “God has brought us out of Egypt,” they would have led them victoriously into their inher- said, “but we don’t think that He can deliver itance if only they had had faith in God’s power the land of Canaan into our hands.” The people to save. The Israel to which a later Joshua, Jesus grossly underestimated the God of Israel, and a Christ, came was a spiritual wilderness. He had whole generation perished for lack of faith. The a message of deliverance and of triumph over the psalmist remembers this tragedy and reminds us flesh, but Israel again demonstrated faithlessness in these telling words of the underlying cause: and rejected the deliverance that was literally in Israel “limited the Holy One of Israel.” their midst. We live on the eve of the Master’s return. Our Limiting God—a mistake repeated? wandering through the wilderness is nearly over. When Jesus Christ came, the same mistake was God has delivered us from bondage to sin and repeated. The Holy One of Israel, a title of the death. We are on the verge of entering into our Messiah, was also ‘limited’ in his own generation inheritance. Let us learn the lesson of Israel’s by the Jews of his day. When the Holy One, Jesus, failure and let us not limit the power of God. returned to preach in his home town Nazareth, God is mighty to save through Christ Jesus. What familiarity had bred contempt and the local peo- He has promised He is able also to perform. He ple were not receptive to the Lord’s message. This who has begun a good work in us will perform was a period of significant healing miracles by the it until the day of the Lord’s return. “Even so, Lord, yet the unbelief of his neighbours limited come, Lord Jesus.” Contents

Principles, preaching and problems Genocide and the Bible Neil Robin

The Old Testament record of the destruction of the the invading Israelite army’s system- Canaanites by the nation of Israel, at the commandment of atic elimination of the population of Canaan in passages such as Joshua God, raises ethical questions which are of genuine concern 10, for instance? to many today. The following article suggests possible How can believers in the Bible approaches to this problem. Joshua 10 provides a suitable claim that it is a message from God background reading. when it contains material like this—or that the God of the Bible is portrayed HAT IS GENOCIDE? Wikipedia defines as a God of love if He commands such things? it as “the intent to systematically elimi- How can the New Testament describe God as one nate a racial, ethnic, religious, linguistic, “who desires all men to be saved and to come to W 1 2 cultural or national group.” Genocide is generally the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4), or as considered one of the worst atrocities in human “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come experience. The Jewish Holocaust is a particularly to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9)? How can the prophet notorious example of genocide, and one that is Ezekiel attribute to God the question, “Do I well known to all. Why then, the sceptic or atheist may argue, is there genocide in the Bible? Why 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genocide (accessed 31 Jan. does the supposedly loving and merciful God of 2016). the Bible give His approval of, or even command, 2. All Bible quotations are from the NASB. Testimony, February 2017 68 Contents have any pleasure in the death of the wicked . . . in Scripture for the idea of there being more than rather than that he should turn from his ways one God; the God of the Old and New Testaments and live” (18:23)? is portrayed as the same God. The sceptic or atheist will argue that the inconsistent portrayal of God between such pas- 2. The ‘incomplete revelation’ approach sages and Joshua 10 proves that the Bible was Another approach, one taken by some Christians written only by men, and that the Joshua record today, suggests that, while the God of the Old was merely the product of a tribe of Bronze Age and New Testaments is indeed the same God, the invaders attempting to seek divine authority Old Testament contains only an incomplete and, to justify their genocidal purge of other tribes’ in some places, inaccurate description of God’s native land. Why, they may also ask, would any character and supposed commandments. Accord- Christian believer want to worship a God who ing to this approach, the Old Testament should supposedly commanded His people to do these be seen as a description of what the Bronze Age things? Surely a God who commands such atroci- Israelite tribesmen thought God was like, or had ties is unworthy of our worship and devotion. commanded, while His true character and will What should be the Bible believer’s response were not fully made known until the coming of to such claims—remembering the spirit of 1 Peter Christ, who manifested God perfectly in word 3:15: “. . . always [be] ready to make a defence to and action. everyone who asks you to give an account for the However, this is too simplistic an approach, hope that is in you”? because the character of God as taught and ex- emplified by Christ is by no means absent from Responses the Old Testament. Consider Exodus 34:6,7, which Let us first consider some of the approaches to describes God thus: “The LORD, the LORD God, this problem which have been suggested. compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who 1. The ‘two Gods’ approach keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who for- Within the early Christian church there were gives iniquity, transgression and sin . . .” In what those who concluded that the Scriptures did not way can this description of God’s character be contain a consistent portrayal of the character of considered in any way incomplete or inaccurate? God, but that the God of the Old Testament and His character and will, as recorded by the writer the God of the New Testament were essentially of Exodus, are evidently entirely sufficient for two different Gods. The God of the Old Testa- God’s purpose with His people. From passages ment, who had created the world, had done so like this it is relatively easy to demonstrate that in an incompetent fashion because He lacked no contradiction exists between the Old and New the necessary knowledge. This explained why Testaments. Both demonstrate an appreciation of the world contained so much pain and suffering, the love and mercy of God. and why the Old Testament contained seemingly This approach to the problem of genocide also unsavoury commandments such as the extermi- has serious implications for our understanding nation of the Canaanites. of the inspiration and infallibility of Scripture. The God of the New Testament, however, was considered the ‘highest’ God, perfect in 3. The ‘self-defence’ approach every way and having all knowledge. He was Readers of Joshua may point out that Joshua and a God of love and mercy who sent Jesus to free the Israelite army were not the initial aggressors humankind from the terrible conditions in which in the conflict. Joshua 10:3-5 and 11:1-5 each in- they had been left by the incompetent God of dicate that the kings of the Canaanites attacked the Old Testament, imparting to them the secret first. The Israelites under Joshua were fighting knowledge which the God of the Old Testament only to defend themselves and their Gibeonite lacked—hence the description of such believers allies from this onslaught by the Canaanites. as Gnostics, from the Greek word for knowledge. This, it is suggested, was self-defence, and so Most of their teachings, however, were plainly the Canaanites’ blood was on their own heads. contradictory to what can be shown from the Attractive as it is, this approach fails for two Scriptures to be true. For example, it is clear reasons: from 1 Corinthians 8:6 that for believers “there 1 The Israelites may not have been the initial is but one God, the Father.” There is no support aggressors in these conflicts, but they had Testimony, February 2017 Contents 69 been given an explicit commandment by God God who created­ the world. According to the to wipe out the Canaanites: “When the LORD Bible, human life is a gift from God. That gift your God brings you into the land where you comes with certain restrictions regarding how are entering to possess it, and clears away humans are expected to use it, and certain con- many nations before you . . . seven nations sequences for disobedience. The God who gave greater and stronger than you, and when the us this gift is the God who has the authority to LORD your God delivers them before you and take it away again if He so chooses. The attitude you defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy a Bible believer will have towards his own life them. You shall make no covenant with them is reflected in the words of Job: “Naked I came and show no favour to them” (Deut. 7:1,2). from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return Again: “. . . in the cities of these peoples that there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken the LORD your God is giving you as an inherit- away. Blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21). ance, you shall not leave alive anything that God’s freedom with regard to human life may breathes. But you shall utterly destroy them be expressed as follows: . . . as the LORD your God has commanded “Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so you” (20:16,17). are you in My hand, O house of Israel. At one 2 The biblical record itself states that Israelites moment I might speak concerning a nation did not kill only the fighting men who came or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull against them. They took their cities and down, or to destroy it; if that nation against slaughtered those who were living there (Josh. which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will 10:29,30,40), evidently including those who relent concerning the calamity I planned to were not fighting men, women and children bring on it. Or at another moment I might among them. This goes far beyond any rea- speak concerning a nation or concerning a sonable definition of self-defence. kingdom to build up or to plant it; if it does If these common arguments for the actions of evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then Joshua and the Israelites cannot be sustained, I will think better of the good with which I are there any alternatives? had promised to bless it” (Jer. 18:6-10). Mankind has been given life on earth because What arguments can be made? God desires us, like clay, to be moulded into a First, it will be helpful to recognise that a sceptic ‘shape’ which is useful to Him and good for us. or atheist will most likely be approaching this If we refuse to be moulded in this way then He problem from the world view of secular hu- may regard us as “spoiled in the hand of the manism. This world view regards human life as potter” (v. 4) and take our life away. The Bible’s utterly sacred, and recognises no-one as having world view on the value of human life is there- the authority to take away another’s life. Such a fore entirely different from that of the sceptic, world view regards any deity (and any religious the humanist and the atheist, which in essence text claiming to be from a deity) who commands elevates man above God. the destruction of human beings, particularly children, to be morally indefensible. According The iniquity of the Amorites to secular humanism, therefore, there can never Abraham was told in Genesis 15:13-16 that his be any justification for what was commanded descendants would be oppressed in another land by God in Deuteronomy 7 and 20, and carried for four hundred years before returning to the out by Joshua and the Israelites in Joshua 10 and land of Canaan; “for the iniquity of the Amorite 11—it is just wrong. is not yet complete.” It cannot be argued, there- It needs to be recognised that the world view fore, that God denied the Canaanites all chance of the Bible is different. The Bible teaches that of being shaped into His mould before ordering human life is special because it was created by their destruction by the Israelites. We should God for a purpose in which no other creature take into account that four hundred years may shares—to be in God’s image (see Genesis 1:26,27) have afforded them an opportunity to change and to give glory to Him (see 1 Corinthians 10:31 their ways. for one of many examples). God did not chance Nor should it be thought that the Canaanites uninvited upon a world already full of human were a civilisation of peace and love and respect beings going about their own affairs and begin for human life. They believed, amongst other enforcing an ‘unethical’ rule upon them. It was things, that the fertility of their land arose from Testimony, February 2017 70 Contents sexual union between the god Baal and the god- • Uriah the Hittite (not the only individual of dess Asherah, and that this fertility could be Canaanite origin in the list of David’s mighty maintained by them engaging in worship rituals men in 2 Samuel 23) which involved promiscuous sexual behaviour. • Araunah the Jebusite (who sold David a These rites included the sacrifice of their children threshing-floor to permit David to offer sac- to their gods—they were burnt alive in the pro- rifice to God; ch. 24). cess. Compared with the standards God asked of His people at the time, is it reasonable to wonder Unpleasant conclusions? why God chose to order the destruction of such The Bible’s account of the conquest of Canaan may a civilisation? not be pleasant to twenty-first-century eyes, and Some might ask: If God had decided that the certainly does not appear ‘politically correct.’ But Canaanites had to be destroyed, why did He not the Bible does not lead us to expect that God will snuff them out in an instant by His own hand? submit to human definitions of what is ethical Why did He require the Israelites to carry out or correct. On the contrary, God calls on us to this grisly charge? One reason can be found in believe and adopt His standards. God’s words in Deuteronomy 20:18: “. . . so that Look at the world, and consider the suffering, they may not teach you to do according to all corruption and selfishness which arise without their detestable things which they have done God’s standards of righteousness. What advan- for their gods, so that you would sin against the tage is there in adopting the world’s standards? LORD your God.” Again, in 7:4: “For they will The true contradiction lies not between the Old turn your sons away from following Me to serve Testament’s ‘God of wrath and fury’ and the New other gods; then the anger of the LORD will be Testament’s ‘God of love and mercy’ (for, as we kindled against you and He will quickly destroy have seen, they are one and the same), but in you.” For the Israelites, this was an object lesson twenty-first-century human society, which claims in experiencing first-hand the things that were to espouse the highest standards of morality unacceptable in God’s sight, so that they would and ethics, including the subversion of religious not become involved in them and so bring about teachings to secular humanist thinking, yet which their own destruction. In other words, there was remains utterly unable to put into practice any an advantage to them in being required to destroy of its grand ideals. the Canaanites. The promise of the Bible is that God will heal this broken world, and repair the damage man Beyond hope? has caused, in the way He sees fit, and at the time Were all the Canaanites beyond saving, then? of His choosing. This requires the return of the Not at all. We know of a number of Canaanites Lord Jesus. Until that day comes, we, along with who decided to change, rejecting the values and the world at large, have the opportunity to make practices of Canaanite society—the world view a choice which is not so very far removed from of their day—and adopting instead the values the choice that the Canaanites had to make in and practices taught by God’s laws. Evidently Joshua’s day: are we with God and His chosen God was willing to accept those who wished to representative, and therefore prepared to submit convert and to be counted among His people. to all that this means for us in this life, or are we Biblical examples include: against them? • Rahab of Jericho, a former Canaanite prostitute The choice may be stark, but, as with the Ca- who became an ancestor of the Lord Jesus naanites, our answer will determine the long-term Christ outcome for us. Obed-Edom The article on page 44 suggests that Obed-Edom was a Gentile. Brother Jonathan Cope agrees with this suggestion in his book A Light to the Gentiles (pp. 137–44). On the other hand, a number of other scholars have made a good case for Obed-Edom being an Israelite: • Obed-Edom was a Kohathite (?): Brother Harry Tenant, The Man David, p. 115 • Obed-Edom was a Levite: Brother Len Richardson, Biblical Browsings for Believers, p. 125 • Obed-Edom was a Kohathite: J. J. Blunt, Undesigned Scriptural Coincidences, pp. 139–42 • there were two men called Obed-Edom: Brother Tony Benson, The Family Trees of the Tribes of Israel, pp. 64–5. Geoff Henstock

Testimony, February 2017 Contents 71 Exposition Genesis 1–2 God’s names Peter Heavyside

Evidently relying on source criticism again, a sixth reason and 2, and to neglect its presence has brought forward in support of a theistic-evolutionary no justification. (evolutionary-creationist) reading of Genesis 1 and 2 is Secondly, the argument claims that “in the second creation story, Eve that chapter 1 employs ‘Elohim’ while chapter 2 uses and the serpent (3:1-5) refer to God ‘Yahweh Elohim’ to refer to the Creator. as Elohim only, not Yahweh Elohim,” suggesting that this pinpoints their T IS SAID THAT Elohim is “a generic and uni- “disconnection from Yahweh.”4 This claim versal word for the divine,” whereas Yahweh is • highlights the earlier neglect of the presence I“the personal name of Israel’s God, like other of Elohim in Yahweh Elohim nations have their personal gods.” The same • cuts both ways, since, if (according to the writer also says that this name is “the four-letter argument) Elohim can be used in “the second name of the Hebrew God [my emphasis] YHWH.”1 creation story” consistently with the use of This argument is explicitly connected with a Yahweh Elohim in the previous chapter of the proposition we have previously examined2— same story, then this undermines the claim that the different views of God presented in that these expressions demonstrate the dis- Genesis 1 and 2 show that “Genesis 1 is more harmony of Genesis 1 and 2, and that they universal in its scope and appeal, whereas should not be regarded as literal records Genesis 2 is more earthy,” with the conclusion • lastly, we should not overlook that this argu- being drawn that “the names of God used in ment repeats the special pleading we identi- these chapters further supports this distinc- fied in a previous essay.5 t i o n .” 3 We will follow three lines of investigation in Scripture’s testimony this article: Are the uses of Elohim in Genesis 1 and Yahweh • first, we will evaluate the integrity of the in chapter 2 source-critical evidence for different theistic-evolutionary argument and potentially disharmonious records?6 To as- • we will then consider the scriptural testimony sess this, we will analyse seven psalms for which for whether Elohim and Yahweh are source- we have apostolic authority—including that of critical evidence of different and potentially “the apostle and high priest of our confession” disharmonious records (Heb. 3:17)—that they were written by the prophet • finally, we will explore the passing hint in the David, noting the expressions employed in each theistic-evolutionary argument that Yahweh is psalm to refer to God. This evidence is set out in to be regarded as a parochial, tribal name, in the table opposite. some way equivalent to other nations having The range of expressions used to refer to their own personal gods. God in these psalms, including both Elohim and

Examining the argument The way this argument is put together is prejudi- 1. Peter Enns, http://biologos.org/blogs/archive/israels- cially selective. First, in concentrating on the use two-creation-stories-part-3 [cited 17 Mar. 2016]. 2. “Genesis 1–2: different views of God”, Testimony, vol. of God’s name in Genesis 2, it overlooks the fact 86, no. 1,022, Dec. 2016, p. 477. that Elohim is carried over from chapter 1 in the 3. Peter Enns, ibid. repeated expression Yahweh Elohim. This carry- 4. Ibid. over is a harmonising component for chapters 1 5. “Genesis 1–2: different views of God”, op. cit. Testimony, February 2017 72 Contents Expressions in the psalm referring to Psalm Apostolic authority God Yahweh (vv. 2,7,11) 2 Acts 4:25,26, citing Psalm 2:1,2 Adonai (v. 4) El (v. 1) 16 Acts 2:25-28, citing Psalm 16:8-11 Yahweh (vv. 2,5,7,8) Adonai (v. 2) 32 Romans 4:6-8, citing Psalm 32:1,2 Yahweh (vv. 2,5,10,11) Elohim (vv. 1,3,5,6,13,29,30,32,35) Acts 1:16,20, citing Psalm 69:25; 69 Adonai (v. 6) Romans 11:9,10, citing Psalm 69:22,23 Yahweh (vv. 6,13,16,31,33) Yahweh (vv. 1,3,6) 95 Hebrews 3:7-11; 4:7, citing Psalm 95:7-11 El (v. 3) Elohim (v. 7) Elohim (vv. 1,26) 109 Acts 1:16,20, citing Psalm 109:8 Yahweh (vv. 14,15,20,21,26,27,30) Adonai (v. 21) Matthew 22:43-45; Mark 12:36,37; Luke 110 Yahweh (v. 1,2,4) 20:42-44; Acts 2:34,35, citing Psalm 110:1

Yahweh, all by a single writer, is quite contrary presence of these varied terms is not evidence of to any claim that these terms are evidence for disharmony—unless we wish to charge the Lord disharmonious Scriptures. The same prophetic Jesus and his apostles with error in identifying writer employs both God’s name, Yahweh, and David as the psalmist in each case. titles such as Adonai, El and Elohim, harmoni- ously and pertinently to the theme and purpose Yahweh of each psalm, including within single psalms a Is Yahweh a ‘tribal’ name of Israel’s God, in some range of expressions that refer to God. Clearly the way equivalent to other nations having their own personal gods? We have already had cause to reflect on Scrip- 6. Cf. the Documentary Hypothesis: https://en.wikipedia. ture’s purpose in introducing Yahweh in Genesis org/wiki/Documentary_hypothesis [referenced 25 Mar. 2. This chapter’s teaching that God has a genera- 2016]. Whilst this essay does not attempt a comprehen- tional relationship to man clearly pertains to this sive analysis of this hypothesis, it should be noted that the Documentary Hypothesis commonly places the first historical use of God’s name, and to the fact 8 ‘Yahwist’ source c. 950 BC in the southern kingdom, that man is the centrepiece of God’s purpose. the ‘Elohist’ source c. 850 BC in the northern kingdom, It is by reflecting on our understanding of this the ‘Deuteronomist’ source c. 600 BC in Jerusalem, purpose that any hint of Yahweh being a tribal and the ‘Priestly’ source c. 500 BC in Babylonian name is ultimately destroyed.9 exile. According to scriptural chronology, supported But first, among many instances of Yahweh by some archaeological finds https://en.wikipedia.org/( being employed by God concerning Himself, its wiki/David#Archaeology [referenced Mar. 25, 2016]), David’s psalms predate these sources, which consider- use in Isaiah 66:1 exemplifies a common theme ably undermines the Documentary Hypothesis from associated with His references to Himself: “Thus a scriptural perspective. says [Yahweh]: ‘Heaven is My throne, and the 7. Bible quotations are from the ESV. earth is My footstool . . .’” Here God speaks of 8. “Genesis 1–2: the duration of creation”, Testimony, vol. Himself in cosmological and universal terms 85, no. 1,009, Oct. 2015, p. 397. and yet refers to Himself by His name Yahweh, 9. This line of argument does not address another funda- mental error in such reasoning: a misunderstanding of and not, as would be consistent with the theistic- the fulfilment of God’s promises through Israel such evolutionary handling of Genesis 1 and 2, Elohim. that all those in Christ, both Jew and Gentile, are “the Furthermore, it is clear from this use of Yahweh Israel of God” (Rom. 9:6-8; Gal 6:16; Eph. 2:13,19). that it is not merely a name for Israel’s God in Testimony, February 2017 Contents 73 the way that other nations had personal names to take from them a people for His name” (v. 14). for their gods; it is the name God employs about As God Himself says of Yahweh in various ways Himself when speaking of Himself, even with and on many occasions, “This is My name forever, regard to His cosmological and universal role. and thus I am to be remembered throughout This points to an aspect of God’s own exposi- all generations” (Ex. 3:15). Thus Yahweh is not tion of His name in Exodus 3 that it is easy to merely the personal name of the Hebrew God, overlook: what we might call ‘directionality.’ For but the name by which He fulfils His redemptive Exodus 3 is not an instance of Israel naming their purpose for peoples of all nations. God, as would certainly be true of other nations and their gods; rather, this chapter shows us God Yahweh Elohim calling Himself ‘ Y a h w e h .’ The sixth argument of theistic evolutionists In naming Himself this way in Exodus 3, can therefore be seen to contain no scriptural the Lord also expounds the significance of His substance at all. It is as vain as the vanities wor- generational relationship with man in Genesis 2. shipped by the pagan nations surrounding Israel Briefly, the Lord’s explanation of His name by ‘I in David’s day. will be who I will be’ (Ex. 3:14)10 shows that His The function of Genesis 2’s introduction of name is prophetic, having promise of His work Yahweh Elohim is to portray the transcendent Crea- with those whom He chooses. Yahweh will be tor of chapter 1 as one who bears a name which with man, and He will be seen in His redemptive He gives to Himself. This draws the reader closer work through man. to Him: He has a name by which we can know Fast-forward to the fulfilment of this promise Him. More than this, His name speaks of God’s in Christ and the work of his apostles, and we find generational relationship with man, so that we Jewish insistence on Gentile circumcision (see are promised that He will be with us and that Acts 15:1; Gal. 2:12) overturned by the testimony His redemptive work will be seen through us. of Peter, Paul and Barnabas, and by James’s own acknowledgement that their testimony agreed 10. For a substantive argument for this rendering, see: with “the words of the prophets” (Acts 15:15). Of Andrew Perry, “The Translation of Exodus 3:14a,” particular note in this context is the way James de- Christadelphian eJournal of Biblical Interpretation, vol. 3, scribes God’s purpose in “[visiting] the ­Gentiles, no. 4, Q4 2009, p. 39. Your Letters Did God forsake His Son? As the beloved of his Father, he was never left or forsaken by God. Psalm 22 is a presentation Brother Richard Barker presented to us scriptural of his conquest over sin for our sakes. Indeed, it reasoning to answer the question, “Did God concludes: “they shall come and proclaim His forsake His Son?”1—a question with which we righteousness to a people yet unborn, that He wrestle. His lessons draw on the life of Job and has done it” (v. 31, ESV). the extremities of our Lord’s suffering. They were God had not forsaken His Son, but Jesus had poignant in expressing the power of Jesus’ will to know and to feel what it is like to be without in conforming to that of his Father. God and without hope in the world. He felt our I agree with Brother Richard’s reasoning that utter desolation, though momentarily, because Job’s adversary was a personification of his famil- without him this would be the lot of us all. In iar friends. Perhaps it is not without import that this way Jesus’ ransom for the sin of mankind Job’s fortunes were not restored until he had made was complete. intercession for his friends (Job 42:8-10). Jesus’ Trevor Hughes struggle with Satan, I believe, was between his Amersham heightened state of spiritual awareness, following his baptism, and the inner thoughts of his mortal being as Son of Man. 1. Dec. 2016, p. 479; Jan. 2017, p. 5. Testimony, February 2017 74 Contents Exhortation Grace, mercy and peace George Booker

“Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ grace to mankind includes all that He Jesus our Lord” (1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2).1 has made available to all of us. In the words of a familiar hymn: T IS ALL TOO EASY to read words such as Sun, moon, and stars Thy love attest these and think that they are nothing more In every golden ray; Ithan a polite and pleasant introduction to the Love draws the curtain of the night, real substance of the Apostle Paul’s letters. Why And love brings back the day. is this? Maybe we have become overly familiar with the words, so that their beauty and power are Thy bounty every season crowns lost. Perhaps these words have been distilled into With all the bliss it yields; some indistinguishable mass of ‘religious words’ With joyful clusters loads the vine; 2 unrelated—so we think—to our daily lives. With strength’ning grain, the fields. If we let this happen, however, we are rushing God’s grace gives us the world in which we all past some of the most exalted concepts of the live: the sun and the moon, the day and the night gospel. Grace, mercy and peace are too important, following one another, the progress of the seasons, too critical, to our spiritual life to be dismissed and the fruits of the earth—for food, clothing and so quickly. These three fundamental words shelter. But His mercy also brings the special gifts describe significant aspects of salvation. Each reserved for His dear children. The same hymn word, properly defined, is differentiated from its considers these special gifts too: companion words. And each word deserves, in Thy goodness, Lord, our souls confess, its own right, serious thought, ongoing reflection, Thy mercy we adore— and—at last—our eternal thankfulness. A spring whose blessings never fail, A sea without a shore. * * * * * But chiefly Thy compassion, Lord, Paul’s greetings in his earlier letters are very Is in the gospel seen; similar, but they are restricted to the first and last There, like a sun, Thy mercy shines of these three words, that is, “grace and peace” Without a cloud between. (Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:3; Eph. 1:2; Mercy, or compassion, is the most significant part Phil. 1:2; Col. 1:2; 1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:2; Tit. 1:4; of God’s grace, because it has to do with eternity. Philem. v. 3; cf. also 1 Pet. 1:2; 2 Pet. 1:2). These In other words, our heavenly Father shows the two words are quite significant in their own fullest possible measure of His grace toward us, right. ‘Grace’ is a regular greeting in Greek, while His children, when He offers us mercy. ‘peace’ is the Greek equivalent of the standard By God’s grace, we—that is, all creatures—have Hebrew greeting shalom. In addition to anything life and breath. By His grace, we have the neces- else we might learn about these two words, when sities of life. Even these gifts are not ours by any used together in a greeting they suggest that right or privilege, but only through the kindness Paul was sending messages to congregations of of our Creator. But, while the daily blessings by believers which contained both Greek (Gentile) God’s grace can only take us so far, the greatest and Hebrew members. gift of grace—mercy and forgiveness of sins—can Paul uses the longer phrase, which adds “mercy,” only in the introductions to his two letters to Timothy (the longer phrase also occurs 1. Bible quotations are from the NIV except where oth- in John’s Second Letter). erwise stated. Grace (Gk. charis) means a gift; synonyms 2. Thomas Gibbons, Christadelphian Hymn Book (2002), include goodness, blessing and kindness. God’s no. 131. Testimony, February 2017 Contents 75 provide us the last and greatest of God’s blessings: it, in a sanctified and special place akin to the eternal life in His Kingdom. Most Holy Place in both tabernacle and temple, it The Apostle Paul added ‘mercy’ to his greet- becomes more than the kindness of a benevolent ing in his last letters. Probably, the years of his Creator toward His creation. There it becomes, ministry to others had deepened his appreciation finally, the love of a Father for His dear children. of the need for mercy, both for himself and for Truly to know this grace is to be accepted as part others. (Is this true, I wonder, for all of us?) Pos- of His special family, and thus to come within sibly, as a result of his own profound, personal the scope of His marvellous light. gratitude to the Lord God, he felt that need for This special grace is extended without par- mercy more strongly with each passing year. Per- tiality to all who accept the gospel and yield haps, also, his special gratitude for God’s eternal themselves entirely to the Father and His Son. blessing welled up within him all the more as he This means placing ourselves in God’s hands came closer to the end of his mortal life, where a and remaining there, thus allowing His Word Roman executioner waited for him: to work in and through us, as the experiences of “For I am already being poured out like a life mould us. In a parable, Jeremiah sees a potter drink offering, and the time has come for working with a clay pot: my departure. I have fought the good fight, I “. . . the pot he was shaping from the clay was have finished the race, I have kept the faith. marred in his hands; so the potter formed it Now there is in store for me the crown of into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous him. Then the word of the LORD came to me. Judge, will award to me on that day—and not He said, ‘Can I not do with you, Israel, as this only to me, but also to all who have longed potter does?’ declares the LORD. ‘Like clay in for his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:6-8). the hand of the potter, so are you in My hand, We may say, in summary so far: Israel’” (Jer. 18:3-6; cf. Isa. 29:16). • grace is for the worthless; it is God giving us We must allow the teaching of Christ to over- what we don’t deserve shadow and dominate everything else in our • mercy is for the helpless; it is God withholding lives. Taking up the analogy of the potter and from us what we do deserve the vessel, Paul writes: • peace is for the restless; it is the assurance “who are you, a human being, to talk back to that whatever happens to us will work out God? ‘Shall what is formed say to him who for God’s glory. formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”’ Does not the potter have the right to make * * * * * out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common Let’s look now at each of these three distinct com- use?” (Rom. 9:20,21). ponents of Paul’s greeting in a bit more detail. As The apostle exhorts us not to resist the divine we do so, we will see that, though distinct from hand in our lives, but to allow it to direct and one another, they are at the same time related to shape us. If we have faith, we know that the Pot- one another; and the order which Paul uses may ter will do what is best for us—even if it hurts. explain that relationship—that is, the first (grace) We must seek to give everything we have to leads to the second (mercy), and these two in turn our Father, holding back nothing, in our hope for produce the third (peace) in the lives of believers. the day when He will hold back nothing, but will fill us with the fullness of His grace (Jno. 1:16). Grace Along the way, Christ’s teaching combines with Charis primarily means a gift or favour, and may his personal example to flavour every part of our refer to any and all of God’s blessings and gifts daily lives, if we are willing. Difficult as we might to men. In some passages grace refers to the gifts find that, it is critical for us not to resist, but to of the Holy Spirit, but that is a quite specialised be open and accepting of God’s grace. meaning. The context of each passage will usu- Simply holding certain beliefs, attending meet- ally give us hints as to which ‘gift,’ among many, ings and being technically ‘in the Truth’ is not is intended. enough to guarantee God’s grace. We must also Grace is the favourable attention, care and be moved to do something. We must, in the words comfort that the Lord God demonstrates toward of Paul, “fan into flame [rekindle, NET; stir up, us. But at the heart of grace, as we understand AV] the gift of God” (2 Tim. 1:6), putting aside Testimony, February 2017 76 Contents the spirit of timidity (fear, AV) (v. 7), and show in of intentions,­ may lead us to compare our- our lives whom we follow and what we believe selves with others, if only to judge our own (v. 8). Only then will the “grace . . . given us in progress. Christ Jesus” be fully “revealed” in us (vv. 9,10). (b) Yet if we allow ourselves to dwell on the comparison, and to spend time assessing our Mercy progress in relation to others, then—before we We have pointed out that ‘grace’ is a more general realise it—we are well on the way to judging term than ‘mercy,’ and that mercy is a part of those others. grace—the most important part. God’s mercy is (c) And any emphasis we put on the sins of oth- the more specific blessing, in that it arises out of ers may make us less willing to forgive those God’s grace. This mercy has to do with the for- others of their sins. giveness of sins and eternal life. These blessings (d) In just such a way, our unwillingness truly to will be ours if we recognise our absolute need for forgive others can jeopardise our own forgive- that mercy and our utter helplessness without it. ness, which we so desperately need! Mercy is the overlooking of our shortcomings and Here is an interesting dilemma for the believer: failures, if we, like Paul, endeavour to put aside we must criticise ourselves honestly while re- the “old self [old man AV]” and to embrace “the fraining from criticising others. We must judge new self [new man AV]” in our lives (Eph. 4:22-24). ourselves while refusing to judge others. We must God our Father is the essence of all holiness, be uncompromising with ourselves while making purity and perfection. On the other hand, and many allowances for others. poles apart from Him, we are weak, seriously Even when we try to do the right thing, we imperfect, dying creatures. Nevertheless, we may may find ourselves in need of God’s mercy all the seek the exalted fellowship of our Father. How more, because in our zeal to do right we have can we, being who we are, presume to such an judged others harshly, and then failed to forgive approach? Only because a man, our Lord Jesus them. Christ, did what no one else could do: he opened a door previously locked to the rest of us, a door Peace that might otherwise have remained closed God’s grace reaches its zenith in the mercy shown forever: toward His beloved children, and His mercy is “For we do not have a high priest who is un- fully shown in forgiveness of sins, resurrection, able to feel sympathy for our weaknesses, but and eternal life. And the knowledge of these two we have one who has been tempted in every blessings—grace and mercy—leads us as believers way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let to the most profound peace imaginable. us then approach God’s throne of grace with This peace is an impregnable mental shield confidence, so that we may receive mercy and against fear and doubt. The peace of the New find grace to help us in our time of need” (Heb. Testament is a peace of mind: a feeling of unity 4:15,16; see also 2:17,18; 5:2,3). and harmony. This sort of peace is not based As we presume to approach the Lord God’s throne on the absence of conflict or problems in our of grace, we must also remember that it is only lives. Instead, it is peace with God, regardless of in being merciful toward others that we may outward situation. It is not a worldly peace, but ourselves receive the mercy of God. More than a divine peace: once our Lord Jesus Christ reminds us of this fact: “Therefore, since we have been justified “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be through faith, we have peace with God shown mercy” (Mt. 5:7); through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). “For if you forgive other people when they sin To have peace with God makes all other circum- against you, your heavenly Father will also stances of life unimportant. This peace, like the forgive you. But if you do not forgive others Hebrew word shalom, suggests unity or oneness their sins, your Father will not forgive your through a single-minded worship of the one God sins” (6:14,15). (Deut. 6:4-6; Mt. 22:37,38). If we stop to think about this, it is a most ex- Just before his suffering on the cross, Jesus traordinary thing: explained the difference between a worldly peace (a) Knowing that we must repudiate our sins and a spiritual peace: and shortcomings, we start out striving to “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. do so. This effort, undertaken with the best I do not give to you as the world gives. Do Testimony, February 2017 Contents 77 not let your hearts be troubled and do not be mirror, for peaceful towering mountains were all afraid” (Jno. 14:27). around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy It is true that the peace which the Lord be- white clouds. All who saw this picture thought queathed to his disciples was a peace bought at an that it was a perfect picture of peace. enormous price: “the precious blood of Christ, a The other picture had mountains too. But lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Pet. 1:19). That these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry blood, conveyed into the presence of Almighty sky from which rain fell and in which lightning God, was the means of destroying “the dividing played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled wall of hostility” and creating in Christ a unity a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful between God and man, between God and both at all. But when the king looked, he saw behind Jews (“who were near”) and Gentiles (“who were the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in far away”) (Eph. 2:14-17). the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her A worldly peace is temporary, like the water nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry from the well of Samaria; a man may drink of it water, sat the mother bird on her nest . . . the and yet thirst again. But a spiritual peace, a peace picture of perfect peace. with God, truly quenches the thirsty soul of the Which picture won the prize? The king chose believer (Jno. 4:14,15) with the water of life which the second picture—“Because,” he explained, never fails—“a spring whose blessings never “peace is not found in a place where there is no f a i l .” noise, trouble, or hard work. True peace is found in the midst of all those things, when one can * * * * * still be calm in his or her own heart. That is the real meaning of peace.” “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You” * * * * * (Isa. 26:3). No matter the outward circumstances of an The Apostle Paul, chained and in prison because individual, if he has what the prophet calls a of the gospel which he preached, told the Philip- “perfect peace” then his inner peace will override pian believers to take everything to God in prayer. whatever outer turmoil surrounds him. He assures them that in doing so: The story has been told (the author is un- “the peace of God, which transcends all un- known): there once was a king who offered a prize derstanding, will guard your hearts and your to the artist who would paint the best picture of minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7). peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all Strengthened by the divine peace arising out of the pictures, but there were only two he really God’s extraordinary grace and infinite mercy, liked and he had to choose between them. One we are able to face the future and anything it picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect may bring. Extracts from Roland Allen, Missionary Methods: St Paul’s or Ours? (Eerdmans, 1962) “. . . we have lost, in these days, two of the most prominent elements of St Paul’s Gospel: the doctrine of judgment at hand, and the doctrine of the wrath of God. St Paul did not preach that in times past men had lived under the stern dominion of law and that with the Gospel had come a day of toleration; he preached that in times past God had been longsuffering, and that now He called upon all men everywhere to repent, because the day of judgment was at hand [Acts 17:30,31]” (p. 72). “St Paul expected his hearers to be moved. He so believed in his preaching that it was ‘the power of God unto salvation’ [Rom. 1:16]. This expectation is a very real part of the presentation of the Gospel. It is a form of faith. A mere preaching which is not ac- companied by the expectation of faith, is not a true preaching of the Gospel, because faith is part of the Gospel. Simply to scatter the seed, with a sort of vague hope that some of it may come up somewhere, is not preaching the Gospel. It is indeed a misrep- resentation of the Gospel. To preach the Gospel requires . . . that the speaker should expect a response” (p. 74).

Testimony, February 2017 78 Contents The words of the wise 1. Introduction

Mark Vincent

UCKED AWAY among all the individual, do. Though few of the sayings will be explicitly one-verse sayings that make up the ma- religious in their focus, their effect will be to lead Tjority of the Book of Proverbs there is a us to trust in the Lord. special section which stands all by itself. Known It is striking how personal the appeal is. Not as ‘The Words of the Wise,’ it begins somewhat only does the author or compiler put himself on awkwardly in the middle of chapter 22—one of the line (“my knowledge . . . I have made known those instances where the chapter divisions are . . . Have not I written . . . that I might make thee really not very helpful—and runs into chapter know”), he also reaches out to us, imploring each 24. That this is indeed a distinct section of the one of us in a very personal way (“thine ear . . . book is clearly marked by a special introduction thine heart . . . if thou keep them within thee . . . (22:17-23). The sayings within the Words of the thy lips . . . thy trust . . . I have made known to Wise collection (22:17–24:22) are both different thee this day, even to thee . . . Have not I written in form from, and longer than, the surrounding to thee . . . make thee know . . . that thou mightest proverbs, and they seem to answer . . . to them that send have particular connections “Bow down thine ear, and hear the words unto thee”). It is a personal to some other well-known of the wise, and apply thine heart unto and individual appeal from collections of wise sayings my knowledge. For it is a pleasant thing the inspired writer, and now from the ancient world. More if thou keep them within thee; they shall the ball is firmly in our court. interestingly, the section oc- withal be fitted in thy lips. That thy trust The intensity of the appeal cupies a prominent central may be in the LORD, I have made known is irresistible, and perhaps position in the design of to thee this day, even to thee. Have not I in the words “I have made the Book of Proverbs as a written to thee excellent things in coun- known to thee this day, even whole, and as such contains sels and knowledge, that I might make to thee” there is even an echo important connections to the thee know the certainty of the words of God through Moses at that themes of both its introduc- of truth; that thou mightest answer the critical juncture in Israel’s tion (chs. 1–9) and its conclu- words of truth to them that send unto history: “See, I have set be- sion (chs. 30–31). thee?” (Prov. 22:17-21). fore thee this day life and Our aim in this series good, and death and evil” of ten short pieces is to introduce and to get to (Deut. 30:15). The bottom line is that God, and know this fascinating part of Proverbs. First let’s indeed the writer of Proverbs, can show us the look at the introduction, the five verses quoted way, but ultimately it is each of us as individuals in the central panel. We are encouraged to stop who have to make the choice. and take stock: to humble ourselves by ‘bowing Verse 20 is particularly interesting. In the down our ear to hear the Words of the Wise’ AV it reads, “Have not I written to thee excel- (22:17). The compiler of the book, the ‘I’ who ad- lent things in counsels and knowledge . . . ?” dresses us as ‘my son’ so many times in chapters but this is probably a translator’s mistake. Most 1–9, but who has been largely if not completely likely “excellent things” should be translated absent since chapter 10, steps forward once more, “thirty sayings” (cp. ESV: “Have I not written exhorting us to apply ourselves—intellect and for you thirty sayings of counsel and knowledge emotions engaged—to his wisdom, promising as . . . ?”). If we examine the actual sayings that he does so various blessings which will follow. constitute the Words of the Wise (22:22–24:22), These ‘Words’ or sayings will help us if we carry simply dividing up the verses into topical sec- them with us through our lives; they will serve tions, we shall find that there are thirty of them, as an aide-mémoire to key principles of wise liv- corresponding to the “thirty sayings” of 22:20. ing, popping out of our lips at the right moment Finally there is an appendix of five further say- and helping us know the right thing to say and ings (24:23-34). 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Published on behalf of The Testimony Committee (Christadelphian) by Jeremy Thomas, 22 Kingswood Close, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B30 3NX, UK • Printed by Reflex Litho Ltd., Thetford, Norfolk. Registered Charity No. 225908. Testimony, February 2017 80 Contents Jewish scenes 2. Libya: the temple of Zeus, Cyrene

EW TESTAMENT REFERENCES suggest Delphi. Following the death of Alexander the Great that Cyrene was a city with a large Jewish the region of Cyrenaica came under the rule of Npopulation: the Ptolemaic dynasty (the “king of the south” of Daniel 11). There were Jews in Cyrene at this time. • Simon of Cyrene (almost certainly a Jew) was Cyrenaica enjoyed peace and prosperity in the compelled by the Romans to carry the Lord’s period before its acquisition by Rome in 96 BC. cross to Golgotha (Mt. 27:32; Mk. 15:21; Lk. 23:26). Cyrene’s Jewish community swelled after the events of AD 70 and gained considerable influ- • At Pentecost “devout” Jews from Cyrene ence. Jews were behind anti-Roman unrest in heard the apostles speak in tongues (Acts the city in the late first century, and the execution 2:5,10)—whether “dwelling” in Jerusalem as of one of their leaders in Rome led to a general permanent residents, or in the city temporarily revolt in AD 115. Jews rampaged through Cyrene, to observe a feast of the Law, is unclear. destroying many of its finest and most revered • Cyrenian Jews in Jerusalem formed an in- public buildings—including the enormous temple fluential group within the Synagogue of the of Zeus. The revolt spread to other parts of the Freedmen, whose members disputed with empire. Troops were diverted from elsewhere to Stephen (6:9). deal with the uprising, which was brutally put down with the loss of perhaps a quarter of a million lives. • Some from this community came to believe The Emperor Hadrian intervened personally in the in Jesus. Later scattered from Jerusalem, restoration of the city. The temple of Zeus was they came to Antioch, where they preached rebuilt in 120 (see picture). Yet Cyrene had been to Grecian Jews (11:20). heavily depopulated, and it never fully recovered. • Lucius of Cyrene was amongst the prophets and teachers in the Antioch ecclesia (13:1). Libya’s Jewish community survived until shortly after the Six-Day War, when the last few hun- According to legend, the city of Cyrene, close dred were expelled by Colonel Gaddafi. Jewish to the north coast of Africa, was founded in the property was confiscated, and all debts to Jews seventh century BC by settlers from the island were legally cancelled. There are no Jews in of Thera (Santorini) at the behest of the oracle at Libya today.—Jeremy Thomas

ContentsContents IV TESTIMONY BOOKS The Pen of a Ready Writer. Tony Benson. A truly outstanding writer, Tony Benson contributed articles to the Testimony for forty-three years, and served as the magazine’s Publishing Editor from 1980 until his death in 2009. The Pen of a Ready Writer brings together a selection of his best writing under a series of headings which represent the major areas of his personal interests and study: History, Archaeology, Prophecy, Doctrine, Exposition, The Jews and their Land and Signs of the Times. Completed by an exhaustive Index and a comprehensive Bibliography of Tony’s contributions to the Testimony. £2.50.

One man’s pilgrimage: under God’s good hand. 88 pages. £2.00. Testimony Handbook of Bible Principles. 197 pages. £2.00. Family Trees of the Tribes of Israel. 117 pages. £5.50. Moses: Earth’s Meekest Man. 172 pages. £2.50. Paul’s Epic Journey to Rome. 153 pages. £6.00. Daniel’s Last Prophecy. 141 pages. £7.50. Man and Woman. 122 pages. £0.50. God’s Purpose with Israel. 112 pages. £3.80. ‘Spirit’ in the New Testament. 185 pages. £1.00. “In the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” 196 pages. £8.50. The Exodus – A Commentary on Exodus 1–15. 237 pages. £1.00. For the Study and Defence of the Holy Scripture: Volume 1. 236 pages. £5.00. Volume 2. 207 pages. £8.50. Volumes 1 & 2 together. £10.00

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