Testimony Magazine July 2015

Vol. 85 No. 1,006 July 2015 TESTIMONY For the study and defence of the holy Scripture 262 The need for evil Also in this issue: Your letters: Satan in Scripture; changes in Eden 258 Another look at the Ethiopian eunuch 282 Middle East update 270 A reflection on time 280 Contents TESTIMONY Editors: DAVID BURGES. 7 Whitehead Drive, Wellesbourne, Warwick, CV35 9PW. Tel. 01789 842692; email: [email protected] Science; Archaeology Contents SHAUN MAHER. 5 Birch Court, Doune, FK16 6JD. Tel. 01786 842996; email: [email protected] Publishing Editor’s column 249 The coming of the Lord is Watchman (Review) The faithful of old—studied at hand Imogen Kemp 275 ERIC MARSHALL. The Pines, by the young Ling Common Road, Castle Philip the evangelist The rod of God (2) Rising, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, Jordan Walton 251 David E. Green 276 PE31 6AE. Tel. 01553 631279; email: [email protected] The Letter to the Hebrews Time Exposition; Principles, preach- 23. Hebrews 12:1-11 G.B. 280 (pro tem.) ing and problems Peter Caudery 255 Scriptural inferencing Your Letters Wilfred Alleyne 282 JOHN NICHOLLS. 17 Upper Satan in Scripture Trinity Road, Halstead, Essex, CO9 258 The goodness of God 1EE. Tel. 01787 473089; email: Transmitted change 260 Chris Davenport 284 [email protected] Necessary evil Reviews Singing hymns Sam Alexander 262 Adah Jones 286 JEREMY THOMAS. 22 Four owls of Israel At the memorial meeting Kingswood Close, Kings Paul Maplethorpe 266 Norton, Birmingham, B30 4. Brothers’ duties in 3NX. Tel. 0121 444 6810; The Middle East: a whirlpool general email: [email protected] of competing forces George Booker 287 Exhortation Shaun Maher 270 Bible coins A pro-Israel Sunni alliance 15. The Colosseum GEOFF HENSTOCK. 13 Alpha Crescent, Panorama 5041, emerging? Simon Dean XII S. Australia. Tel. 8277-0730; email: Geoff Henstock 272 [email protected] Australia Editor; Prophecy Testimony books Publishing Editor: JEREMY THOMAS (see above) 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. XI Contents “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan . And Moses . said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: and see the land, what it is . and bring of the fruit of the land . And they came unto the brook of TESTIMONY Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff . And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron . and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. And they told them, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it” (Num. 13:1-27). Cover picture: “The spies’ return,” Events series, Abigail Halstead Publishing Editor’s column ENERAL ELECTIONS usually deliver a in at least two respects it is possible to see why few surprises, and the United Kingdom’s it may be that Britain now has a Conservative G2015 election has been no exception. David government in office. Cameron’s Conservative Party has gained a ma- jority of seats in the new parliament, confound- Biblical issues ing the opinion pollsters, who, almost without First there is the issue of Europe. Prime Minister exception, had predicted a second successive Cameron was the only party leader in the elec- hung parliament, with no single party in overall tion campaign to offer an ‘in/out’ referendum control, and the balance of power in the hands on the UK’s continued membership of the EU. of one of the minority parties. True to his word so far, Mr Cameron has been Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but in retro- shuttling between European capitals to start the spect the outcome of the election may not be such process of trying to implement changes to the a surprise. There is general acknowledgement way the European Union is run, so that he can that the British economy is in better shape than recommend to the British people that they vote five years ago. With inflation in the UK remaining to remain within a reformed EU—his preferred very low indeed, austerity is not so bad provided outcome. A bill to authorise the holding of the that you have a reasonable job. The Labour Party, referendum before the end of 2017 has been one in power immediately before the 2010 election, of the first pieces of legislation introduced in the has not yet shaken off the blame for the economic new parliament. woes in which the UK found itself at that time. At this stage the outcome of the referendum is Add to this the presence of some unappealing not easy to predict. In any case it may not even personalities amongst Labour’s ‘front bench’ require the UK actually to leave the EU for it still team, and the decision for many voters appears to be part of the group of nations, described in to have been made on the basis of the maxim, Ezekiel 38:13, who will challenge the invasion of “Better the devil you know . .” God’s chosen land by Gog and his hosts: “Sheba, Probably the result of the election was also and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with what some Bible students expected as the return all the young lions thereof, shall say unto [Gog], of our Lord draws closer. We need to be careful Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered about such statements, for what seems at the time thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver to be a step in the ‘right’ direction, prophetically and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a speaking, can easily be followed soon afterwards great spoil?” But one of those steps in the ‘right’ by some very unexpected twists and turns. But prophetic direction may have been taken. Testimony, July 2015 Contents 249 Secondly, and connected with the same verse mention of Christadelphians, with the following in Ezekiel, is Britain’s relationship with Israel. explanation: The Conservative Party has been much more “Similarly, Christadelphians choose not to pro-Israel than Labour. During the election cam- vote, saying: ‘[Leaders] will come and go. But paign the Labour leader Ed Miliband spoke of there will be no lasting peace or happiness for recognising Palestine ‘when the time was right,’ the world until the reign of Jesus, the ideal something that is harder to see happening under leader, chosen and prepared by God.’” a Conservative government. Labour MPs have A timely reminder, if it is needed for some, of the been vocal in their support of the Palestinian Brotherhood’s long-standing appreciation that cause, and in October 2014 they played a leading participation in the politics of the current age, part in a symbolic parliamentary vote in favour and support for a system that is passing away, of recognising the State of Palestine. In that vote is not possible for those whose “citizenship is in around eighty per cent of Labour MPs (who were heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a under a three-line whip) supported the motion, Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20, NASB). while only fifteen per cent of Conservative MPs * * * * * voted at all. If Britain is amongst the nations of verse 13 then we would expect her to have a pro- Announcement: back issues in electronic Israel stance at the time. So here may be further format evidence that we are moving inexorably towards Since 2007, back issues of the Testimony, from the the Kingdom of God. first magazine in January 1931 to the end of 2004, have been available in electronic format on DVD, The small print thanks to the work of Brother Stephen Genusa. During its coverage of the election, BBC News Over the last few years preparations have been published two lesser articles that caught my eye underway for extending this resource for the for other reasons. MPs of whatever political per- period from 2005 to 2014. The labour involved suasion are required to declare their allegiance to in this project has been considerable. Month by the monarch before they can take their seats in month it has been carried on ‘behind the scenes’ parliament. It was observed that most Conserva- on a voluntary basis, in addition to the work of tive cabinet ministers swore a religious oath to bringing the monthly magazine to readers. this effect, whilst most of their Labour opponents I am therefore delighted, not only that the pro- made a secular affirmation to do so. The first ject is now complete, but also that the Testimony is news article noted that provision for making a able to make the material available to all current nonreligious affirmation came about as a result subscribers free of charge. This has been made of the efforts of the noted nineteenth-century possible, in part, by a generous legacy received atheist MP Charles Bradlaugh (1833–1891).1 I was from a former reader of the magazine who now reminded that over six nights in 1876 Bradlaugh sleeps in Christ. We expect that printed copies debated with Brother Robert Roberts the question of the August issue will be accompanied by a “Is the Bible divine?” The debates were reported flash drive containing all back numbers of the at some length in the 1876 Christadelphian and magazine, representing the entire output of the were published in book form soon afterwards.2 Testimony from 1931 to 2014.

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