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CHRISTADELPHIAN TRUTH GLEANER BIBLICAL ~ HISTORICAL ~ CURRENT “Buy the truth and sell it not; Also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.” Proverbs 23:23 VOLUME VII ISSUE NO. 1, 2008 Russian Gog and the Day of the Scythians Volume VII, Issue No. 1 CHRISTADELPHIAN TRUTH GLEANER CONTENTS • The LORD is My Shepherd (Part 3)……………………………………………..p. 2 • Watchman: Russian Gog and the Day of the Scythians………………..…..…..p. 4 • Fundamental Questions and Answers: Holy Spirit Gifts, A Possession of the Modern Believer?..................................p. 24 • Biblical Allegories: Samuel’s Three Signs to Saul…………………...…...…..p. 29 The LORD is My Shepherd (Part 3) In this installment we continue our consideration of “the shepherd and his sheep”, beginning at verse 3 of the 23rd Psalm. The Shepherd and His Sheep (Continued) Vs 3. He Restoreth my Soul: Yahweh-Ropheka, “He who will Heal” To “restore” (Heb. shub) is to “turn back” the power of death in whose shadow we walk daily. Yahweh has healed the breach of Adam’s sin by the atonement in Christ’s blood, making redemption possible but not a foregone conclu- sion. Our ultimate redemption is only achieved in context with the daily renewal of our mind through the Word and the protective care of the good shepherd who leads us on the way. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom. 12:2; also 2 Cor. 4:16). In Isaiah’s message to Israel he likewise writes of their final restoration, stating, “I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him. But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked” (Isa. 57:17-21). Vs 3. He Leadeth Me in the Paths of Righteousness for his Name’s Sake: Yahweh-Tzidkenu, “He who will Justify” – Jeremiah 23:6 “In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” We see from Jeremiah’s prophecy that the justification of Saints will complete the purpose of the Yahweh Name. It is through them, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, that His glory will fill the earth and shine forth from Zion’s holy hill (Hab. 2:14; Matt. 13:43). The word “paths” in Psalm 23 (from the Hebrew magelah) means to track in a circular pattern; in other words, to orbit in a path being held as planets orbiting the Sun. Is our orbit held in track by the Sun of Righteousness? It is only by walking in the light of his countenance that we may see clearly as we traverse the valley of the shadow of death. Vs 4. Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod [ensign] and thy staff [protection] they comfort me: Yahweh-Shammah, “He who will be Present” – Ezekiel 48:35 “...It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.” In Ezekiel’s grand vision of the future temple city in Jerusalem, a region of suburbs is described that is ten Volume VII, Issue No. 1 2 CHRISTADELPHIAN TRUTH GLEANER miles square, south of Jerusalem, styled Yahweh Shammah, meaning “the LORD thither” or “the LORD is present there”. This of course is the final picture for which we hope. But even now, our Lord is not very far from every one of us through the Word and through the Divine presence of the Elohim. “And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest” (Exod. 33:14; also Deut. 31:6 and Heb. 13:5). The King and His Guests: Vs 5. Thou Preparest a Table Before Me in the Presence of Mine Enemies: Yahweh-Nissi, “He who will give the victory” – Exodus 17:14-15 “14And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. 15And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi.” The reference to this honor of victory being pronounced in the midst of enemies takes us to Psalm 110, where Messiah is said to “rule thou in the midst of thine enemies” at which time the rod, or ensign of Yahweh’s strength, will be manifested before all nations as it was before Amalek. We also think of faithful Abraham who was promised that he will likewise “possess the gate of his enemies.” In the account of Esther, the honor becomes more personal, as wicked Haman wondered “To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?” (Esther 6:6). But of course, the story reveals that it was Mordecai who was to be honored before all the people, even before those enemies who sought to destroy the Jews. This was a foreshadowing of the day of honor for all the faithful, when the Good Shepherd will come forth and delight to honor his faithful servants, who in turn will prepare a spiritual feast by which the nations will be filled with the Word of Yahweh. “7Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them” (Luke 12:37). “And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined” (Isa. 25:6). Vs 5. Thou Anointest My Head with Oil, My Cup Runneth Over: Yahweh-M’qaddishim, “He who will sanctify” – Exodus 31:13 “Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.” Some expositors take note that the anointing found in the 23rd Psalm is not limited to the anointing of a king or a priest, but is a per- fumed oil given as a mark of hospitality by the host to his guests; or in our case, those who have been sanctified in Christ’s name. Yahweh has bid His guests, and His table is set for His son and Christ’s brethren with whom he will have fellowship. The cup is representative of the portion or blessings that have been showered upon the guests by the king. The words “runneth over,” from the Hebrew revayah, indicate to abundantly satisfy, to satiate, and in this case, to be filled with his words of life. The sense of the blessing, therefore, is that our hunger and thirst for righteousness is ever filled, super abundantly, by the Lord of the feast, and that these blessings will eventuate in dwelling in the house of Yahweh, for the Age. Vs 6. Surely Goodness and Mercy Shall Follow Me all the Days of My Life: Yahweh-Yasha, “He who will be savior” – Isaiah 49:26 “…I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.” In Psalm 23 the word “surely” may also be rendered only, certainly, of a surety. Moreover “goodness” indicates great bounty, and “mercy” indicates favor and loving kindness. We are given comfort in these words if we can see without question that our shepherd and com- ing king has purchased us for a peculiar use, though not ascribable to any merit of our own. We cannot explain these great blessings on our behalf, but we are thankful for them and for the hope they have given. He has, in that sense, saved us from ourselves and from the wickedness and folly of the world that leads only to destruction. In contrast, ...Continued on Page 23 Volume VII, Issue No. 1 3 Watchman, What of The Night? Russian Gog and the Day of the Scythians Bre. Tom Northey and Al Bryan “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry” (Hab. 2:3). Part II: From Scythians to Russians……………………………........ p. 7. Part III: Russia as the Third Rome………………………………..…. p. 10. Part I: Gog in the Bible Part IV: How Does Russia fit her Divine Role?.............................. p. 14. Part V: The Scythians of the Bible, A Precursor to Gog……….... p. 18. Within the Divine Program there are many struggles, pressures and contentions. We are made more aware of them today, at least the more obvious outward trials and tribulations common to all men, as we read about troubling issues spread far and wide. We are aware of many throughout the Brotherhood who are suffering with illness or who are in need, as well as of those who have fallen asleep leaving large voids that cannot be filled.