Vol. 88 No. 1,043 November 2018 TESTIMONY For the study and defence of the holy Scripture 397 Trustees’ annual report and magazine news Also in this issue: Jesus: choosing which way to go 400 Music in the worship of the first-century ecclesias 409 Writing out Scripture 413 Elohim: referring to the angels? 432 Contents TESTIMONY Publishing Editor: JEREMY THOMAS. 22 Kingswood Close, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B30 3NX. Tel. 0121 444 6810; email: [email protected] Contents Section Editors: DAVID BURGES. 7 Whitehead Drive, Wellesbourne, Warwick, CV35 9PW. Tel. 01789 842692; Publishing Editor’s column 397 The letters of John Thomas email: [email protected] to Alexander Campbell (9) Science; Archaeology Miriam of Masada Barbara Booker 398 —Part 2 EDWARD CARR. 46 New Street, Reg Carr 422 Donisthorpe, DE12 7PG. The place where two ways Tel. 01530 271522; meet Danzig: a miracle, a email: [email protected] George Booker 400 tragedy, and a warning Exhortation Paul Maplethorpe 427 Tyre, Tarshish and Brexit SHAUN MAHER. 5 Birch Court, Taking a closer look at Pondering discipleship Doune, FK16 6JD. Robin Lamplough 430 Tel. 01786 842996; Isaiah 23 (4) email: [email protected] Jeremy Thomas 404 “Let Us make man in Our Watchman Hymns and songs in the image” P. H. Adams ERIC MARSHALL. The Pines, early church 432 Ling Common Road, Castle Vic Aucott 409 Give attendance to reading . Rising, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, For those who would be in December PE31 6AE. Tel. 01553 631279; Geoff Henstock email: [email protected] kings (1) 434 Exposition Edward Carr 413 York scenes 9. John Hutton’s grave JEREMY THOMAS (see above) The war that won’t go away Principles, preaching and Shaun Maher 414 Neil Galilee XX problems Effective Bible study GEOFF HENSTOCK. 13 Alpha benefits from sound advice Crescent, Panorama 5041, (Review) S. Australia. Tel. 8277-0730; email: Testimony books [email protected] Geoff Henstock 417 Australia Editor; Prophecy; Reviews Articles for publication Articles to be considered for publication are welcome and should be Testimony website: forwarded to the Publishing Editor (in Australia, the local editor) in the http://testimonymagazine.com first instance. Publication of articles in the Testimony does not presume editorial endorsement except on matters of fundamental doctrine, as defined in the Birmingham Amended Statement of Faith. XIX “Now Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. For Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. And his head caught fast in the oak, so he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going” (2 Sam. 18:9, NASB). “The oak tree of the mountains is the Palestinian form of the evergreen Kermes oak (Quercus coccifera) . Kermes oak must have covered considerable areas of the hill country from Carmel to Samaria and Hebron, and even today there are fine forests on the hills of Upper Galilee and Gilead” (F. Nigel Hepper, Illustrated Encyclopedia of Bible Plants, pp. 33–4). Cover picture: Kermes oak Publishing Editor’s column Trustee’s annual report 2018 Delayed September magazine Some readers of the printed version of the N ABBREVIATED version of the Trustees’ magazine may have received the September issue annual report is provided this year. A a little later than usual. This was due to staff Aseparate statement on the General Data holidays at our printers. Steps have been taken Protection Regulation was published on page to supply cover for future holiday periods and 395 of the October 2018 issue of the magazine. ensure that the printed version of the magazine Otherwise, the Trustees consider that their re- is distributed promptly in future. sponsibilities under the terms of the magazine’s trust deed and the law of England and Wales 2019 subscriptions to the Testimony remain unchanged from the 2017 annual report. Renewal slips for single-issue subscriptions in Readers are referred to page 353 of the October 2019 were enclosed with last month’s magazine. 2017 magazine for full details in this regard. The Renewal slips for multiple subscriptions, includ- Trustees take their responsibilities seriously, and ing ecclesial parcels, should by now have been are satisfied that they continue to be met under received by post. Subscribers to the e-magazine the terms of the policies which are in place. These have been sent their renewal notices by email. responsibilities include the publication of the It greatly helps the work of our Subscriptions abbreviated financial statement which follows. Secretary if subscriptions are renewed as This statement below has been examined by an soon as possible, please. We are very pleased external examiner. that it has been possible to keep the price of 31 December 2017 31 December 2016 £ (restated) £ Income from charitable activities 31,728 37,685 Other income 2,777 3,504 Total income 34,505 41,189 Resources expended 49,175 47,686 Net outgoing expenses (14,670) (6,679) Total funds brought forward 100,194 106,873 Total funds carried forward 85,524 100,194 Testimony, November 2018 Contents 397 UK ­­subscriptions unchanged for 2019. Slight and details of how to order the book are on the adjustments have been made to the price of some back cover. overseas subscriptions, to reflect exchange-rate movements. E-subscriptions to the magazine (in Plastic wraps for the magazine pdf format) continue to be offered at a discount of The printed version of the magazine is currently 40% on the price of the standard UK subscription. posted to subscribers in a protective plastic wrap. Subscriptions for under-25s are again available at We have been asked whether, in the interests a discount of 50% of the standard subscription of the environment, it is possible for this to price (printed version or e-magazine). All queries be replaced by a paper or other biodegradable relating to subscriptions to the magazine should alternative. This matter is in the hands of our be addressed to the Subscriptions Secretary, printers, who also distribute the magazine rather than to the Publishing Editor. direct to subscribers. They have cut down on the amount of plastic they use, but at the moment New subscriptions we are not aware of any plans to introduce more For a one-year trial period, it will be possible for environmentally friendly packing. There are new subscribers in the United Kingdom to pay for practical issues to take into account here, such their 2019 subscription by monthly instalments. as the distribution of multiple parcels of the Please contact the UK Subscriptions Secretary, magazine, and the need for suitable protection Sister Sarah Marshall, for details. Contact details for magazines while they travel very long are on the last page of this issue of magazine as distances by surface mail to overseas subscribers. usual. For the time being this service is offered Experience indicates that non-plastic wraps do to new UK subscribers only. The service will be not provide adequate protection against damp reviewed in a year or so’s time. and other damage. Extra weight from paper packaging would also mean extra fuel costs in New book distributing the magazine via the postal system, The Testimony’s latest book, Treasure . new and to the detriment of the environment. Readers who old, a compilation of articles by the late Sister Ray are concerned about the environmental impact Walker, is now available. Further information was of the magazine are advised to check locally for provided on page 378 of the October magazine, suitable recycling facilities.—Jeremy Thomas Contents Miriam of Masada Barbara Booker 13. Masada refuge, a gift from our God, where nobody would be chasing or hunting us. ISTRESS, let me tell you my first impressions Indeed, why would hunters come here? This Mof Masada before I try to describe our daily was no Galilee or Jordan Valley or Engedi. This life at the fortress. seemed like the end of all of God’s creation. It The island of stone rose out of the desert sands was as though His angels lacked any creativity before us, this stark, massive mountain that would when they fashioned this region. And yet in now be home to one more ragged lot of survivors. some small way I felt strangely safe, here with Some said its very name Masada meant ‘fortress,’ these warriors and this daunting, uninviting but others claimed that this was just one of sev- terrain. eral possible meanings in our language and that As I said, daylight was streaking the mountains the word really meant ‘devastation.’ For me, my of Moab and the Salt Sea as we approached Mas- Naomi and our fellow-travellers, it was a city of ada. It had been an easier journey from Engedi, Testimony, November 2018 398 Contents easier because we were rested in body and soul and we had been well fed during our stay there. But what was now looming ahead of us in the early dawn seemed overwhelming. From the base of this mountain I could glimpse a lone figure on the summit, highlighted by the sun. He called to his men, our warriors, and they responded—there, in the desert air, voices could be heard clearly at quite remarkable distances. 14. The Snake Path E were led to what was called the Snake WPath, and we soon realised why it was so Part of the Snake Path, as seen from the top of named. It coiled itself around, from the wadi, or Masada. dry creek bed, near the Salt Sea, and circled ever Robin Pollock/Wikimedia Commons upward along the eastern edge of the mountain.