Vol. 89 No. 1,046 February 2019 TESTIMONY For the study and defence of the holy Scripture 41 New for 2019 and magazine news

Also in this issue: Advice from 160 years ago 50 Insights into Middle Eastern history 61 Bible workshop: Abraham and Sarah 64 Your letters 70 Contents TESTIMONY

Publishing Editor: JEREMY THOMAS. 22 Kingswood Close, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B30 Contents 3NX. Tel. 0121 444 6810; email: [email protected] Publishing Editor’s column 41 The Hebrew day: how was Section Editors: River of life it calculated? Kel Hammond DAVID BURGES. 7 Whitehead Bob Blundell 43 65 Drive, Wellesbourne, Warwick, Miriam of Masada Your Letters CV35 9PW. Tel. 01789 842692; Forgiveness at the Lord’s email: [email protected] Barbara Booker 44 Science; Archaeology table 70 The cherubim of glory Isaiah 23 70 EDWARD CARR. 46 New Street, 11. The seraphim and the Zechariah 12–14 70 Donisthorpe, DE12 7PG. exalted Lord Job 71 Tel. 01530 271522; David Green 47 email: [email protected] Paying taxes: the coin Exhortation Search the Scriptures 50 and the fish (1) SHAUN MAHER. 5 Birch Court, The rock and the sons of Geoff Henstock 72 Doune, FK16 6JD. thunder: three apostles and Is seeing believing? Tel. 01786 842996; how they grew 1. Introduction email: [email protected] 2. The sons of thunder Watchman Peter Forbes 76 George Booker 51 ERIC MARSHALL. The Pines, “What sayest thou of Ling Common Road, Castle The meaning of the thyself?” Rising, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, Hebrew title Elohim 54 Edward Carr 77 PE31 6AE. Tel. 01553 631279; Authors of confusion email: [email protected] Pertinent pronouns (7) Shaun Maher Exposition 58 Geoff Henstock 78 Modern Middle East history: JEREMY THOMAS (see above) P.S. Principles, preaching and ­problems an invaluable resource Catalogue of shame (Review) Mark Vincent 79 GEOFF HENSTOCK. 13 ­Alpha Geoff Henstock 61 Crescent, ­Panorama 5041, York scenes S. Australia. Tel. 8277-0730; email: Lessons from Abraham and 12. South door of York [email protected] Sarah Minster Australia Editor; Prophecy; Jeremy Thomas 64 Reviews Neil Galilee IV Testimony books

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 “The LORD spoke further to Moses, saying, ‘Make yourself two trumpets of silver, of hammered work you shall make them; and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for having the camps set out . . .’” (Num. 10:1,2, NASB). The cover picture depicts the Arch of Titus, which was erected by Domitian c. AD 81 in Rome. It commemorates the victories of his father Vespasian and brother Titus in the Jewish War in Judea (AD 70–71) when Jerusalem was sacked and the riches of Herod’s temple plundered. The relief shows the two silver trumpets being carried away to Rome. Picture colour enhanced by artist.

Cover picture: Silver trumpets, Jim Willey. Publishing Editor’s column THOUGHT THAT it might be helpful to draw ready always” for the magazine’s Principles, readers’ attention to some recent and forthcom- Preaching and Problems section. As the first Iing changes in the Testimony, and to mention a of these articles stated, they are intended ‘to number of other points. There are also opportu- provide rational reasons for believing the nities for readers to contribute to the magazine. message of the Bible to be true.’ In a world of ever-decreasing regard for the Scriptures, it Coming in 2019 is imperative that the Christadelphian com- • Brother George Booker’s new series “The rock munity should (in the words of the Apostle and the sons of thunder” covers the life and Peter) remain “ready to make a defence to experiences of three of Jesus’ closest disciples: everyone who asks you to give an account for Peter, James and John. The first article in the the hope that is in you” (1 Pet. 3:15, NASB). series was published in the January issue of Another feature of the magazine which is new the magazine and is written in the lively and for 2019 is the series of cover illustrations by thought-provoking style that we have grown Brother Jim Willey, beginning with the theme of accustomed to from Brother George. musical instruments of the Bible. I think that the • Also in the January magazine was the first combination of the modern style with the timeless in a new series of “P.S.” articles by Brother subject matter has an attractive freshness to it. Mark Vincent. Brother Mark is no stranger to Brother Jim has provided other illustrations for the Testimony either, and we are glad to have the magazine from time to time—for instance, regular contributions from him once more. in the September 2018 issue of the magazine the This series is expected to run for the full year. redrawing of the two panels from the palace of • Brother Neil Galilee’s “York scenes” will run the kings of Assyria in Nineveh were by him. It for another three instalments. The illustrated will be good to have regular contributions from “Scenes” feature of the magazine has been him this year. around for several years now, and this is a In other planned articles, the editors hope to good opportunity for us to use the colour maintain due emphasis on the doctrine of the page on the inside back cover of the magazine. inspiration of the Bible. This seems to have be- A replacement series on trees of the Bible is come a somewhat neglected doctrine within the expected to commence in the July issue, im- brotherhood. Yet it remains the doctrine which mediately after this year’s May/June Special underlies our entire trust in, and understand- Issue. ing of, the teaching of the Bible. It is only once • We are keeping Brother John Thorpe busy Scripture’s divine origins and authority are ac- with articles in his occasional series “Be knowledged that there is reason for us to search Testimony, February 2019 Contents 41 out and apply­ its teachings. There is good reason benefit from it being made available again—this why this doctrine takes first place in the brother- time with additional material. hood’s principal statement of faith. In my opinion it is no coincidence that belief in theistic evolution Opportunities to contribute (which has gained a foothold in some quarters) I feel that the magazine would benefit from is typically accompanied by the adoption of un- expanding the range of contributors. Efforts to biblical definitions of inspiration—including, for achieve this are ongoing. Brothers and sisters instance, the claim that the Bible contains error, approached for contributions sometimes express a view which has been firmly rejected by the reluctance to submit articles for consideration, Christadelphian community in the past. but I am convinced that there is a wide range I have appreciated constructive feedback on the of capable authors in the brotherhood, and I magazine in recent months. It was particularly again encourage readers of the magazine to take interesting to note the level of support expressed the initiative in this regard and not wait to be for the review article in the November 2018 is- asked. There is ongoing demand for material sue of the magazine, which challenged (amongst of an exhortational or devotional character, for other things) the assumption of low literacy rates exposition articles, for constructive reviews of amongst Israelites in Old Testament times. It books which can be recommended to readers, would be interesting to collate information from for articles tackling ‘problem passages,’ and for the Bible which illustrates why this assumption material that addresses current issues within cannot be correct. This remains a personal project the brotherhood and external challenges to our of mine which I would like to progress as time faith. permits. Material for consideration is best submitted via email, to the relevant Section Editor or the Special Issues and books Publishing Editor, in Word format or similar. This The annual Special Issue is a fixed feature of the simplifies the editing process, which can take Testimony’s calendar. Work is well in hand for the time. All material editorial changes are referred 2019 Special Issue, to be published in May/June, if back to authors well ahead of publication, so there the Lord will. This year’s Special Issue is entitled is no danger of authors unexpectedly seeing their “As you see the day approaching,” taken from names above something that they did not write! Hebrews 10:25. It will consider the implications The need at the moment is for standalone articles, for the way of life of those who look for the return rather than for more series. There is also a need of Christ, and so there is a strong exhortational for more shorter articles—of, say, a page or two and ‘practical’ aspect to the Special Issue this in length. As a guide to article length, Testimony year. At the time of writing, most of the editing articles typically consist of 800 to 850 words on work has already been done. each page of the printed magazine, excluding I am encouraged that willing authors for the article titles, illustrations, tables and so on. 2020 Special Issue have also been secured. It may I am sometimes asked which Bible translation surprise readers to know that preparations are we prefer to be used in the magazine. It is ac- made so far in advance, but the work involved ceptable to quote from any ‘mainstream’ English is considerable, and is all done by a relatively translation of the Bible. It would be a pity if the small group of brothers and sisters who labour brotherhood entirely lost its familiarity with the on a voluntary basis amidst their other commit- text of the Authorised Version, but the editors do ments. We pray for God’s blessing on the future not subscribe to the ‘King James only’ school of work of the magazine, for as long as we are able thought, believing that the community is much to produce it and demand remains. better served by getting familiar with the wide The next Testimony book to be published range of translations used within the English- is entitled Built Upon a Rock. This will be an speaking ecclesias—including their respective expanded version of the 1988 Special Issue The strengths and weaknesses—and benefiting from Distinctive Beliefs of the Christadelphians, printed the Bible scholarship of the last 400 years. copies of which were exhausted some time ago. I am immensely grateful to the ‘team’ of broth- Feedback received over the years indicates that ers and sisters who work tirelessly to ensure that, this Special Issue has made a welcome contribu- under the good hand of our heavenly Father, the tion to the brotherhood’s literature, and we trust magazine continues to reach subscribers each that a new generation of Christadelphians might month.—Jeremy Thomas Testimony, February 2019 42 Contents Exhortation River of life Bob Blundell

LONG THE MUDDIED banks of the camel hair and a leather belt.’ His name was John. He Jordan, thin reeds the colour of sage was gaunt, with hair the colour of wood smoke, and Areached toward the sky, bending gently a beard tangled and twisted as a fisherman’s net. His in the breeze. A silver mist clung to the water’s face was dark as tarnished bronze and chiselled with surface, and, as the sun pierced the clouds, the wrinkled lines as of age. And even from a distance I haze glistened in the morning light. I would have could see his deep-set eyes gleaming in the sunlight. preferred solitude, being alone with my thoughts On the shore behind him, a small fire burned and reflections. But there were other travellers steadily, sending wisps of blue smoke curling into the standing along the water’s edge this morning. air. Huddled near the flames, seeking shelter from the They had come, like me, to pay homage to this morning chill, sat two of his followers. These men had sacred place, and all that had transpired here. left the lives they had known, committing themselves There was a surreal sense of calm and tran- to his teachings, and to the Lord for whom he had been quillity in the air. And human voices had faded sent to prepare the way. to muffled whispers, as if to acknowledge the I peered through the slate-coloured mist and could respect and silence that the river demanded. The see a second figure suddenly emerge from the opposite only other sounds were those created by God bank. He was tall, clad in a simple alabaster robe that Himself: the fluttering murmurs of the birds in hung to his sandalled feet. Hair, the colour of cinnamon, the trees, and the gurgling melody of the water fell to his shoulders, and I could see his mahogany eyes as it made its journey to the sea. shining brightly in the sunlight like a candle flickering I leaned against the cold steel of the rail- in a gentle breeze. I knew instantly who he was, and ing, a modern-day boundary built along the I felt my heart race. I watched him as he stepped into river’s edge. The bright blue paint that covered the river and made His way across to the other side it symbolised a contrast of the new versus the where John stood. Waiting. old, a reflection of our world today versus our When they came together, he gently caressed the beginning. I watched the flow run steadily past other man’s face, like a father’s loving touch of his only me, carrying leaves from the palms that dotted son. Then they waded toward the middle until dark the banks. And there were deep furrows etched streams of water swirled around their waists. And I along the surface, like scars on an ancient warrior. watched as he baptised him, just as he had done to so It was narrower than I had imagined, hardly many others before him. twenty yards at its widest point. And the eddy- ing stream was the colour of burnt jade, dark The Yardenit baptismal site on the River Jordan. and murky. The ripples spun and turned Ori~/Wikimedia Commons along their path, and as I reflected on all that the Jordan had witnessed over the centuries, I was suddenly struck by my own frailty and insignificance. I closed my eyes and tried to imag- ine what it must have been like. As the warmth of the sunlight touched my cheeks, I began to see it unfold before me.

* * * * *

There to the south, in the shallowest part of the river, stood a man. He had appeared one day ‘walking out of the desert wearing clothing of Testimony, February 2019 Contents Contents 43 As our Saviour’s head emerged through the surface, that day. Had I been standing there in the shal- a dazzling beam of light suddenly cascaded through lows when the Holy Spirit spilled down from the clouds ‘like a dove’ sailing toward the earth. And a heaven, the beauty would have been like none thunderous voice came down from the heavens shaking ever seen by human eyes. the ground around me: “This is My Son in whom I Below me, the dark water flowed tirelessly. am well pleased.” Always moving. Relentless in its journey. This Wind gusted across the surface of the Jordan, churn- river had seen many extraordinary miracles over ing a pale blue mist into the air, before disappearing, the centuries. Sins had been washed away. New as if it were sucked into the clouds. And as quickly lives had been formed. Like so many of us in our as it had departed, calm once again settled over the modern world, there would have been people ancient river. who had lost their way. People who had stepped into the water, broken and full of despair, only to * * * * * emerge with joy and peace in their hearts, free of the bondage of sin. Slowly the images in my mind began to fade. I knew this moment along the Jordan would My eyes fluttered open and I squinted into the remain with me for as long as I lived. It would morning sunlight that filtered through the trees. always be a reminder of the power and glory of There was a sweet smell in the air, like that of God. And I was overwhelmed with gratitude that honeysuckle, and I took a deep calming breath, He had blessed me with the opportunity to be a awestruck by the moment. I knew I would never witness to one of His greatest creations. “Be still, be able to fathom what it would have been like and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10).

Contents

Miriam of Masada Barbara Booker

20. The fall of Jerusalem could. I have been told that our own men’s eyes were filled with terror, and some trembled as they ND SO IT WAS that the dawns came and reported seeing and hearing the crucifixions of Awent and the moon moved through its cycles. Jerusalem’s deserters. Thus it wasn’t long until And once again it was spring, a time of life and one night, as the patrols were leaving Masada, hope, even in the desert. But for Jerusalem there that we saw it. An angry orange and red glare lit was no hope. As I stated previously, Rome had up the night sky, reflecting from the clouds, and settled the question of emperor, and the former we knew. We knew that Jerusalem was on fire. general Vespasian now sat on that seat. He had And so the patrols, the ever careful, ever watchful commissioned his son, Titus, to move on Jerusa- patrols, left again; but we continued to watch as lem. Our patrols, along with men from Herodium the entire sky seemed to be engulfed in a mas- and Machaerus, watched from a distance as Rome sive fire. We knew that our people at Herodium advanced and began the siege of the city. Reports and Machaerus were watching too, because their were that Titus had the strength of four legions signals also lit our sky. And the horror of it all at the assault. His weaponry included the usual started to envelop us, along with the sure realisa- battering rams, as well as catapults with stones tion of the danger we faced here, alone now on and incendiary spears. His legions had the abil- this mountain in this desolate wilderness. ity and equipment to build or assemble towers, Our children slept, but for the adults there was ramps and walls. no such rest. We paced, we sat around camp fires All were used effectively, with Jerusalem’s and whispered, we prayed, and we waited. The inhabitants watching and rallying as best they sun rose, and with it the fire retreated, only to be Testimony, February 2019 44 Contents replaced by a constant black smudge of smoke on to die, but not ready to surrender. Outside was the horizon—a smudge that had been Jerusalem. Rome, already triumphant, for it was just a mat- We waited throughout one day and then another, ter of waiting—waiting to pick the bones of the trying to busy ourselves and the children. But dying city. as each night came, the memory of the orange As reported, Titus did have the force of four glow on the horizon came fresh again. Our men legions: the fifth, the tenth, the twelfth and the returned before dawn several days later with only fifteenth. Then there were the mercenaries, al- a few who had escaped the destruction. ways the mercenaries, as hordes of neighbouring The memories are so very painful, my Lady. peoples joined gladly with the Romans to wreak Please forgive my emotions. their own vengeance on the Jews, whom they and When I left Jerusalem I felt that we had en- their ancestors had learned to hate. dured so much, that surely worse could not hap- As I said, the siege began in the spring, and pen. But I was wrong, so very wrong. There was the city and Temple fell within four months, on very much worse to come, apparently. a date that we all knew only too well: the ninth Eleazar and his men carried most of the refu- of Ab. We had been there before with this date, gees into our midst. There was shocked silence in this nation of ours. This was when, centuries that predawn assembly. For before us sat gaunt, before, our city and Temple had fallen to the babbling human beings, who told stories so hor- might of Babylon. And now, on the ninth of Ab, rendous that some of us covered our ears and to Rome as well. closed our eyes. We, too, had lived so close to all Again, the Prophet’s words came to my mind. this horror, and now we were barely able to absorb My family had been repeatedly told by my the news. Our God had indeed measured into grandparents, told of a time to come when not our laps the full payment for our former deeds, one stone of the Temple would be left on another, probably less than we deserved. We all knew that every one would be thrown down; it had that we had wearied the Almighty with our sins. happened, was happening, just as the Prophet The men talked of the factions fighting bitterly from Galilee had said. with each other, even brother against brother. The The refugees spoke of how Rome’s men entered Pharisees, the Sadducees, those who escaped from our holy building and desecrated it, as foretold so the countryside, the shopkeepers, the religious, long ago. We were told that the temple, whether the Zealots, had all raged against each other. The by accident or by Roman decision, was set ablaze only thing cementing them together was their and that the heat was so intense that the gold hatred of Rome and their devotion to the temple. melted and ran freely down the streets of Jeru- These refugees, these survivors, talked of how salem, mingling with the blood of bodies—much starvation, greed, disease and death had stalked to the delight, and profit, of the soldiers. Jerusalem. They spoke of women who ate their These pathetic pieces of humanity before us own children in secret, not for shame but so as told how some had reported seeing angels with not to share with others who were starving. Death swords appearing over Jerusalem. We could had indeed entered in through the windows and barely hear of such a thing, or to think that our doors, into the very heart of our city; disease God Himself had in the end found us so repul- quickly cut down all ages, but especially the sive that He helped Rome. We still thought that young and the elderly. Soon enough the streets He would defend His city and save it, as He had ran with blood from in-fighting, and continued to done so many other times in our nation’s history. fill with refuse. There were so many bodies that Had He not told us long ago, through our prophet they couldn’t be buried. The filth of the city was Jeremiah, that our King David would always everywhere. The air was thick with the foulness have a son on his throne, and that priests and of rotting flesh, rotting trash. The living, such Levites would continually offer burnt offerings, as you could call these examples before us, were grain offerings and sacrifices? After all, we were walking skeletons with dark, hollowed eyes, His! Jerusalem was His, as was the Temple. Had swollen bellies, thin hair and sores that covered the Holy One of Israel really helped Rome? But their small forms. yes, the evidence sat before us all. The Holy One Jerusalem, the city of peace, the city of the had withdrawn His favour; He would not look great king, was a cemetery. The silence of death upon us with pity or spare us. For many of us, hung in the foul air above it. Yet a few sentries, our minds turned to what He had shown to the weak as they were, stood on the walls, ready prophet Ezekiel long ago, when His personal Testimony, February 2019 Contents 45 glory departed from the Temple. Once more His earth, but that He would also punish us for our words rang true. sins. I knew with a certainty that we were running What was easier to believe was the report that out of time here upon our mountain-top ship. King Agrippa and his sister Bernice observed the As I said before, Eleazar could be seen daily downfall of Jerusalem and the temple from the at the summit. As the stars faded to dawn’s first safety of the Roman headquarters on a nearby hill. light, and again as the dusk disappeared into And so Titus would send to the Roman Sen- night, he watched. He watched as a shepherd ate and to his father, the emperor, the standard watches over his flock. He knew, and we knew, commander’s report, after a successful campaign: that Rome would come. For now, with Jerusalem “I and my army are well.” And the world would gone, it was only a matter of time. As long as soon know the rest of the story. there remained Zealots in the land, Rome would There was so much more, my Lady, but we have to come—even here to these desert wastes, learned it in bits and pieces as the refugees could to an ancient fortress high above all that had bear to tell us and as we could bear to hear it. been worthwhile. We stumbled away from the assembly, numb in I was kept busy with my midwife duties. mind and body. We had children to care for and Some of the babies which were delivered were camp duties. We were alive and we must attend to women of the Christian sect. I found myself to the living. But we were aware, so very aware, drawn to these women, with their gracious and that our days on earth are like a fleeting shadow, calm demeanour. They told me of their hope, without hope. Once again I thought of my own their belief in the Prophet, the same rabbi that losses in Jerusalem, spilled water that could not my grandparents had followed. They called him be gathered back, soaking irretrievably into the our Messiah, the Son of our God, sent to save us earth itself. from our sins. I would find myself going to their Life was now different for us, Mistress. Yes, campsites to check on mother and child, and then we knew that Galilee and other areas had been we would discuss this hope of the gospel—the conquered, but most of us never, never truly be- ‘good news,’ as they called it. Surely we could use lieved that Jerusalem would fall to a worse fate. good news then. We were devastated. We had believed that our Before long, I found myself caught up in old God would protect us, as He had so many times; ways: I was now reasoning, not with Jerusalem’s that the Messiah would appear with the armies elders, but with the Christians on Masada, both of heaven. But we were wrong. Oh, Eleazar and men and women. And I found that I had much the men seemed to accept the news just as one to consider in my quiet moments. These people more report, one more far-off city that had fallen. of simple faith opened the prophets to me in a These men had been through so very much, and different way. They linked ancient words to a they now seemed hardened to a future failure present and living world, to show me the connec- for even us. The despair ate away silently at our tions with a promised Messiah. This man, said inmost beings. We were wasting away, just as the the prophets, would be crushed for our iniquities, inhabitants of Jerusalem had wasted away, except oppressed, afflicted and put to death—all to save we had food and water in plentiful supply. But us from our own sins. And these followers of this our prophet Jeremiah’s words seemed now to be Galilean rabbi knew that he was now alive and so very true: our God had given full vent to His would return one day, no longer as a lamb led wrath, and had indeed kindled a fire in Zion that to slaughter, but then as the Lion of the tribe of consumed her very foundations. Judah. He would return to all peoples, not just I also remembered the writings of our Moses, mine, but to all who believed, were baptised and so long ago. There were many blessings for our remained faithful. There would be a resurrection nation if we obeyed and followed our God, but and the re-establishment of King David’s throne there were so many more curses that would be by this greater son of David. Then would be ful- ours for disobedience. His words, God’s words, filled the words of our prophet Isaiah: The Lord covered every aspect of life for our people, and God will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight we had made so many wrong choices, constantly in His people. No longer will there be weeping in throughout our history. Our God had warned us! the city or the land. They will build houses and He sent His prophets, but our nation, for the most dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat part, had chosen to ignore them. The Almighty their fruit. As the days of a tree, so will the days said He had chosen us from all families of the of My people be. The lion and the wolf will rest Testimony, February 2019 46 Contents together with the sheep and the lambs, and no meet and embrace each other, and the whole earth longer will the strong destroy or harm the weak. would at last be filled with God’s glory. In the words of the psalmist also, it would be the I truly learned much to ponder from these time when righteousness and peace would finally people. (To be continued) Contents

Exposition The cherubim of glory 11. The seraphim and the exalted Lord David Green

We resume the series which was suspended after the bite of a saraph serpent looked to the article in the July 2018 issue of the magazine. The last four brass serpent raised up on a pole, so those who seek to be healed from articles in this series look at topics related to the cherubim. “the sting of death,” that is, sin (1 Cor. 15:56), are drawn to the crucified WO PARTICULAR EVENTS in the reign of Christ. Christ’s crucifixion was a public portrayal Uzziah form a background to Isaiah’s vision of the Lord’s death to human nature with all its Tof “the Lord . . . high and lifted up” (Isa. 6:1):1 sinful tendencies, by which the righteousness of 1 the vision took place in the year of the death God was declared (Gal. 3:1; Rom. 3:25,26). of Uzziah, who attempted to take to himself Because Jesus was “lifted up” in crucifixion, the role of king-priest (2 Chron. 26:16-18) he has been highly exalted and will in due time 2 during Uzziah’s reign the people offered in- be “high and lifted up” (Isa. 6:1) as King-Priest in cense to the bronze serpent made by Moses; the age to come. In his crucifixion the Lord was for this reason Hezekiah destroyed it, calling it “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” Nehushtan—that is, ‘a thing of bronze’ (2 Kgs. (Heb. 7:26). The saints will have their sinful hu- 18:4).2 man nature removed to be made like him (1 Jno. During their wilderness journey, the people of 3:2) when they are clothed with immortality. Israel had sinned by despising the manna and They are the great multitude represented by the grumbling against God and Moses. In punish- seraphim of Isaiah’s vision. Perhaps the use of ment God sent “fiery saraph[ ] serpents [nachash]” the word ‘seraphim’ signifies their bright shining to bite them (Num. 21:6). The word saraph is used appearance because they radiate God’s glory in presumably because of the extremely painful their manifestation of Him. It is equally likely bite inflicted by these snakes. When the people that word refers to the ‘burning’ that the saints repented, God provided a means of salvation will inflict when they punish the wicked and de- based on a faithful response to His instructions: stroy God’s enemies by fire in order for the “new “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery heavens and a new earth in which righteousness serpent [saraph], and set it on a pole; and it shall dwells” (2 Pet. 3:10-13) to be established—just as be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at the grumbling Israelites were punished with the it, shall live’” (v. 8). deadly bite of the fiery serpents. Jesus pointed out that Moses’ lifting up the serpent in the wilderness foreshadowed his 1. Bible quotations are from the NKJV. death on the cross, by which all peoples would 2. In 2 Kings 18:4, note the alliteration between “bronze be drawn to him (Jno. 3:14,15; 8:28; 12:32-34). Just serpent” (Heb. nechosheth nachash) and ‘a thing of as the people who sought to be healed from the bronze’ (Heb. nechushtan). Testimony, February 2019 Contents 47 It is safe to assume that the seraphim had the faces could indicate that the pouring out of His likeness of a man, as did the cherubim seen by judgments on the world of the ungodly is now Ezekiel (Ezek. 1:5). There were probably four complete, so that the seraphim can rest from seraphim, four being the number of cherubim their fiery activity. This fits our understand- seen by both Ezekiel and the Apostle John (Rev. ing of the Kingdom age, of which God says: 4:6). Each seraph had six wings, the single face “I will not hide My face from them anymore; of each being covered by two of the wings, with for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the two wings for flying and two for covering their house of Israel” (Ezek. 39:29). legs (Isa. 6:2). This indicates that the seraphim 4 The seraphim cover their faces out of reverence had two legs. To maintain their human likeness for God’s holiness, and as a sign of respect they probably had two hands too, though only and awe for the Lord who sits on his throne. one hand of one seraph is mentioned (v. 6). 5 The seraphim represent the glorified saints, made like unto the angels, and who in their The wings of the seraphim fullness of glory “will shine forth as the sun The six wings of the seraphim are the main in the kingdom of their Father” (Mt. 13:43). feature of their visual description. This number The saints will be like Jesus (1 Jno. 3:2; cf. Dan. may confirm that they represent the multitude 10:6), and so, like the angels, their unbearable of those redeemed from mankind—six being divine glory will be hidden from the mortal the number of man. Another suggestion is that population of the earth. the number six connects the vision with spiritual The significance of the seraphim’s feet being hid- Israel, the Bride of Christ, who are represented den by their wings may indicate that the vision in the Book of Revelation as a cubic city, New is of the time when the judgments meted out on Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2,16)—since a cube has twelve the nations have been completed. This would edges and six faces. This more perfect organisa- agree with the seraphim’s song: “The whole tion is in contrast to the four-winged cherubim earth is full of His glory!” (Isa. 6:3). Legs can be of Ezekiel’s visions (Ezek. 1:6), which connects connected with the judgments on the wicked more with the foursquare nature of the camp of via the symbology of trampling down (Mal. 4:3) natural Israel in the wilderness. and treading the wine press (Isa. 63:1-4). The The two wings used by the seraphim for flying hiding of the wings would then match the sea symbolise their mobility in carrying out their du- of glass seen by John (Rev. 4:6), representing the ties as the agents of God under the leadership of nations at peace, as seen in the vision of the living Christ. They are able to act quickly, and have the creatures. ability to protect those who seek the way to the tree of life. But why do they use two of their wings Twenty-four wings? to cover their face and two to cover their feet? If there are four seraphim in Isaiah’s vision, as A number of suggestions relating to the cov- suggested earlier, then there are a total of twenty- ering of the seraphim’s faces by their wings are four wings. This would connect with the ‘spiritual listed below: Israel’ aspect of the redeemed, who are made up 1 The removal of God’s protection by the hid- of both Jews and Gentiles. In symbol this is rep- ing of His face—but this cannot be applicable resented by the doubling of the number twelve when the earth is at rest in the millennial age which applies to natural Israel. and filled with God’s glory (Isa. 6:3) (although The number twenty-four occurs in the temple this suggestion could apply to Isaiah’s day). and the military arrangements of Solomon’s day, 2 The covering of the faces is equivalent to God’s because in many respects his reign prefigured glory being hidden from those in spiritual that of the Lord Jesus Christ. Solomon had darkness—but again this could apply only twenty-four courses of priests (1 Chron. 24:1-18), prior to the millennium, and not to the time twenty-four courses of musicians active in the when “the earth will be filled with the knowl- temple service (25:6-31), and 24,000 Levites look- edge of the glory of the LORD” (Hab. 2:14), for ing after the work of the house of Yahweh (23:4). “He will destroy on this mountain the surface In addition, he had twelve military divisions of of the covering cast over all people, and the 24,000 men each (27:1-15). This doubling is also veil that is spread over all nations” (Isa. 25:7). seen in the size of Solomon’s temple. The Most 3 Since God sets His face against the wicked to Holy Place was a cube measuring twenty cubits punish them, the covering of the seraphim’s on each side, compared with the tabernacle’s Testimony, February 2019 48 Contents ten-cubit cube. It also contained four cherubim singers or choirs (v. 16), with the first of these (3:8-13), compared with just the two in the taber- calling for the gates to be opened for the ark to nacle.3 enter, and the question ‘Who is the King of glory?’ If Isaiah saw four seraphim with a total of being the challenging reply from the gatekeep- twenty-four wings, then this would match the ers (doorkeepers) whom David had appointed twenty-four wings of the four living creatures (vv. 23,24). seen by John (Rev. 4:8) and the twenty-four However, these words are also a prophecy of crowned elders sitting on thrones (4:4)—an alter- the Christ in majesty entering into his glory. He native symbol for the redeemed, the kings and is the one ordained by God to subdue the nations priests of the age to come (1:6; 5:9,10). and rule them with a rod of iron (Ps. 2:9), and he is the reality that was foreshadowed by the ark Words of praise of the covenant. In God’s mercy we will be with One seraph cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, him in that day, incorporated into the cherubim holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of glory and invited to enter with him into the of His glory!” (Isa. 6:3). These are words of praise “everlasting doors” (Ps. 24:7,9) of “the city of the directed at the King-Priest who sits on his throne. great King” (Mt. 5:35). It is God’s purpose to fill the earth with His glory (Num. 14:21), and that glory will be manifested ‘Holy, holy, holy is Yahweh of hosts’ in the person of Jesus together with his saints. The threefold expression “Holy, holy, holy” in The use of the present tense here confirms that the praise ascribed to the Lord on his throne the vision relates to the Kingdom age and cor- (Isa. 6:3) has been connected with three stages of responds to the time when the ‘troubled sea’ of approach to God represented by the three sec- nations (Isa. 17:12,13; 57:20) has been changed to tions of the tabernacle and the temple. Jesus has “a sea of glass, like crystal” (Rev 4:6) through the already experienced all three stages of holiness outpouring of God’s judgments, represented by represented respectively by the outer court, the the “lightnings, thunderings, and voices” that Holy Place and “the Holiest of All” (Heb. 9:3), proceed from the throne (v. 5). and in the Kingdom age the saints, represented King David describes his greater Son, the by the seraphim, will have joined him in the King of glory, entering Jerusalem in this future most holy state. millennial age: The table below 4 sets out the lessons to be “Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be seen in the threefold structure of the tabernacle. lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King This applies to all God’s people, Jesus being their of glory shall come in. Who is this King of forerunner (6:20). glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD The next article in this series will consider the mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you throne-room visions of the Apostle John recorded gates! And lift them up, you everlasting doors! in the Apocalypse. And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is (To be continued) the king of glory” (Ps. 24:7-10). King David’s words have a preliminary applica- tion to the triumphant arrival of the ark at the 3. This assumes two freestanding cherubim as well as place that he had prepared for it in Jerusalem the two on the mercy seat of the ark. (1 Chron. 15:3). On that occasion the words of 4. Taken from Keith Cook, The Tabernacle in the Wilder- the psalm may have been sung by three ­different ness, Logos Publications.

Outer court Holy Place Most Holy Place Mental preparation, then . . . moral application, before . . . physical perfection Changed minds, then . . . changed characters, before . . . changed bodies Separation, then . . . dedication, before . . . glorification Reconciliation, then . . . reformation, before . . . exaltation

Testimony, February 2019 Contents 49 Encounter Search the Scriptures1 The following letter and ‘rules’ are reprinted from the 1859 to the Saints, I transcribe the follow- volume of Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, ing, which, if you think worthy, you may give a place in the Herald, that a magazine published by Brother John Thomas between unflinching advocate of “the truth.” 1851 and 1861. This magazine was the predecessor of The Fraternally in the one hope, Ambassador of the Coming Age, first published in James Foreman. 1864, and renamed The Christadelphian in July 1869. June 10th, 1859. EAR BRO. THOMAS:—It is of the greatest RULES OF INTERPRETATION AND importance that every person acquire the DIRECTIONS FOR INVESTIGATING THE Dhabit of appealing to the Scriptures of truth SCRIPTURES for the foundation of their faith, and not to any First. Let the Bible define and explain its own human authority, whether “confessions of faith,” terms, figures and symbols. “church standard,” or the opinions of any man Second. Give every passage a literal construc- even though decorated with D.D., and other col- tion, unless its own connection and phraseology legiate mummery. render such a course absurd, by bringing it into Search the Scriptures, for in them are contained collision with truths elsewhere established by the words of eternal life, and these are they which positive language. testify regarding the Christ; and all Scripture, Third. The proper connection of any given given by inspiration of God, is profitable for teach- passage is not always that with which it stands ing, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness, immediately connected, but those bearing on that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly the same subject found recorded anywhere in furnished unto all good works. Therefore let the the Scriptures. Select all these texts from where word of God dwell in us richly, and every one they stand, put them together and you will have prove his own work, that he may have rejoicing all the truth revealed on that subject. in himself and not in another, for every man shall Fourth. All passages belonging to any par- bear his own burden. ticular subject must contain one or more of the Every facility which can legitimately be peculiar features of that subject, by which it may brought to render the investigation of Scripture be identified as belonging to that subject. as easy as the subject will admit of, cannot be Fifth. The truth in relation to any doctrine must too extensively known. Many persons have a be established by those passages which speak of it great deal of Scripture in their memories which in positive and unequivocal language, and those exists as mere verbiage,—they fail to compare texts belonging to the same subject but which Scripture with Scripture—don’t collate so as to only admit of inferential testimony, no inference eliminate the truth, and consequently miss the should be drawn from them at variance with the prime object of Scriptural study—to know what truths already established by positive texts. is the mind of the Spirit. In many instances this Sixth. No doctrine should be predicated upon arises not so much from a wilful perversion of mere inference, neither upon one isolated text the word as from the inability to see the truth in of Scripture. Any true doctrine will be found a connected form, caused either by the want of interspersed through the whole Bible. a talent to classify and arrange portions of holy writ, lying apart, or from a defective education RULES FOR STUDYING THE SCRIPTURES in youth. First. In any doctrine taught by types or shadows, In the hope that every little may be in some the anti-type must always correspond with the measure successful in helping to contend against type, and the shadow with the substance. the delusive fallacy of “Spiritualizing,” and help- ing some one to use the sword of the Spirit in 1. First published in Herald of the Kingdom and Age to contending earnestly for the faith once delivered Come, vol. 9, no. 8, Aug. 1859, pp. 179–80. Testimony, February 2019 50 Contents Second. In studying the Scriptures, consider the sooner it is corrected the better. that the New Testament is a commentary on Fifth. Pursue this course with as much inde- the Old. pendence as if you were the only one concerned. Third. Never be afraid of results to which you Sixth. Rely on no authority less than divine in may be driven by your investigations, as this will so momentous an undertaking. inevitably bias your mind and disqualify you to arrive at ultimate truth. PROVE ALL THINGS: HOLD FAST THAT Fourth. Investigate everything you believe: if it WHICH IS GOOD. is the truth, it cannot be injured thereby; if error, Contents

Exposition The rock and the sons of thunder Three apostles and how they grew 2. The sons of thunder George Booker

ONALD HAGNER states a fairly common “Sons of . . .” interpretation of this peculiar name, Boan- In Hebrew culture, and in Middle Eastern culture erges, or sons of thunder: in general, the family or the extended family (the D clan or the tribe, we might say) was a means of “This [name] has been taken to indicate the volatile temperament of the brothers as re- identifying oneself. As a result, it was a focus of vealed, for example, in their suggestion that society as well. The Bible also places a lot of sig- the unreceptive Samaritans be consumed nificance on father-son relationships. Given this by fire called down from heaven (Luke 9:54; background, then, it is reasonable for other sorts cf. Mark 9:38). Further evidence of a certain of non-blood relationships also to be described impetuosity on the part of the brothers may in terms of a family. For examples: be seen in their extraordinary request to sit at • teachers (rabbis) and their students were the positions of honour on either side of Jesus seen as having something like a father-son when he came into his glory (Mark 10:35-37; relationship (Ps. 34:11; Jno. 13:33; 1 Cor. 4:17; the request is made by their mother, according 1 Jno. 2:13,14) to Matthew 20:20,21).”1 • kings, tribal leaders and other mighty men The writer’s assessment certainly has an element were described as being ‘fathers’ to their of truth. But it stops short of a full explanation ‘children’—that is, to their followers, subjects because it describes specifically what the two and subordinates (Gen. 4:20,21; Job 29:16) brothers were at the beginning, not what they • older women who instructed or set exam- became as they followed the Lord from place ples for younger women were to be treated to place, watching him and listening to him. If as ‘mothers,’ just as they in turn treated the we are to learn more about this matter, we must younger ones as ‘daughters’ (Judg. 5:7; Ruth continue our study. This will especially involve 1:11-13; 1 Tim. 5:2; 1 Pet. 3:6). some detailed word study—in fact, quite a bit of detailed word study. 1. “James,” Anchor Bible Dictionary. Testimony, February 2019 Contents 51 This figure of speech was common in Hebrew, voice of God, as though His thunder foreshadows and was then carried over into the Aramaic and or threatens a great storm of destruction: Greek. It was so common, in fact, that regular “The voice [qol in each case] of the LORD is over Bible readers have little or no trouble making the waters; the God of glory thunders [ra’am], the transition from symbol to reality. We scarcely the LORD thunders over the mighty waters. need to be told why God calls us His ‘children,’ The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice even if Jesus was His only true Son—or why the of the LORD is majestic. The voice of the LORD Apostle Paul could call young Timothy “my true breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks in pieces son in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:2).2 the cedars of Lebanon” (Ps. 29:3-5); This same figure of speech can also describe “When the people saw the thunder [qol, voice] a negative or even an evil relationship. and lightning and heard the trumpet and • In 2 Samuel 7:10, “wicked people” is literally saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled “children of wickedness” (AV). Just as a good with fear. They stayed at a distance and said and righteous teacher might instil in his to Moses, ‘Speak to us yourself and we will ‘children’ a passion for learning and obey- listen. But do not have God speak to us or we ing, so a wicked person or even a wicked will die’” (Ex. 20:18,19). philosophy might infect others to the extent Looking at the two passages together, it is easy that they become, in scriptural terms, ‘children to see the comparison between qol and ra’am: of wickedness.’ God’s voice thunders in the Psalms verses, and • Wicked men are figuratively described as sons“ thunder is the voice of God in the Exodus passage. of Belial” (Judg. 19:22, AV), belial being the Even the word qol is used in alternating fashion Hebrew word for a vile or worthless person. between the two passages, its usage shifting from • Likewise, to call someone or some institution ‘voice’ to ‘thunder,’ though the intent is the same “the mother of prostitutes” (Rev. 17:5) is not to in each case. say that there was a literal family relationship But it wasn’t just to Israel that God displayed involved, but that a person or an organisation, His power. The loud and majestic voice (qol) of the by example or teaching, led others into im- Lord brings destruction upon the Assyrian army moral activities. (Isa. 30:30,31). Again, in the same context, the Lord will come with thunder (ra’am) and “earthquake “. . . thunder” and great noise, with windstorm and tempest and For discussion purposes, let us suppose that, flames of a devouring fire” (29:6). Other passages when Jesus called James and John “sons of thun- mention “the thunder [ra’am] of His power” (Job der,” he was giving these young men a name 26:14), a “thunder . . . in the whirlwind”—a tor- describing a generally negative character trait. nado or sirocco (a massive dust storm)—causing But let us also allow for the possibility that this the earth to tremble and quake (Ps. 77:18). God an- name might also imply that these young men swers the distress cries of His people by speaking would grow spiritually so as to exemplify a far out of the thundercloud (81:7). The descriptions more admirable principle which could also be of the cherubim, as found in Psalms and parts of characterised in the Bible as ‘thunder.’ Ezekiel and Revelation, bring together the symbol We might ask whether thunder has a particular of chariots with all these natural phenomena as figurative meaning in the Bible. Our next task, well: thunder, lightning, earthquake and storm. then, is to consider what idea or guiding principle The cherubim were—among other things—God’s pointed these two young men on their particular chariots of war, and the natural phenomena were path. The Hebrew word ra’am is used often for His weapons. thunder. It could also describe a great thunder- But the cherubim also announced the pres- ous shout, as of a cheering crowd or an army ence of the Lord—even for purposes other than charging into battle. Another Hebrew word, qol warfare. After his great triumph at Mount Carmel or kol, describes speaking and voice in general (1 Kgs. 18), but fearing for his life as a result, the terms, but is also used quite frequently for ‘the prophet Elijah retreated to Mount Horeb, where voice of God’—with the added implication that he stayed in a cave. There God spoke directly to the voice can be loud, thunderous, authoritative him in a most unusual way: and forceful. Throughout the Old Testament, both these 2. Bible quotations are from the NIV except where oth- Hebrew words often describe the commanding erwise stated. Testimony, February 2019 52 Contents “The LORD said, ‘Go out and stand on the of the light, a voice addressed him directly; it was mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the Jesus: “Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4). LORD is about to pass by.’ Then a great and While Saul heard the voice quite plainly, the men powerful wind tore the mountains apart and travelling with him heard only a vague wordless shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the sound (v 7; cf. Acts 22:3-9). In this incident, Jesus LORD was not in the wind. After the wind evidently appropriated God’s method to himself. there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not Addressing Saul and using the voice of God, he in the earthquake. After the earthquake came spoke directly to one man only, while others a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And nearby heard no more than a sound, probably after the fire came a gentle whisper” (19:11,12). something like distant thunder. The Lord God first announced Himself to Elijah in a great windstorm and, indeed, a thunderous Putting it all together earthquake. Finally, however, God spoke plainly Some rabbinical traditions may help us further to Elijah in a soft breeze, or a still small voice (v. understand this symbolism. God spoke to the 12) alone. Israelites through Moses, the prophets, John the The Lord’s great, thunderous voice signalled Baptist, and most especially His own Son, the His presence and called the prophet to be still Lord Jesus Christ (see Hebrews 1:1,2 and many and listen, but—at last, and ironically—it was His other passages). They were His mouthpieces. It gentle whisper that touched the prophet’s heart stands to reason that, when others read the Scrip- and soul. It has always been thus. Sometimes, tures in which those words are enshrined, they even now, the great ‘storms’ of life prepare us are reproducing God’s words, and in so doing to be still in the midst of a bustling world and they too are becoming ‘voices of God’ themselves, to hear the whisper of God calling us to a better even if only in a derivative way. understanding and a deeper faith! In our reading of the Bible, it is not difficult for us to imagine, as we turn the pages, that we Judgement and salvation hear echoes of God’s thunder. When Moses pro- All this suggests that the Lord who reveals nounced curses upon Israel, we can almost hear Himself in a thunderous shout is a Lord who can him thundering out his words. The same goes for both destroy and make alive—that He is a God of Elijah’s pronouncements at Ahab’s court, or John fierce judgement and wareven while He is saving the Baptist booming out a warning in the Judean His people from their enemies, and often from wilderness. Always, there was a promise— themselves. The God of Israel is both a vengeful explicit or implicit—of new blessings and mercies God and a merciful God, and if we listen we may to come if their listeners repented. hear Him speaking in both ‘voices’: Thus, quite reasonably, the rabbis reading in “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate synagogue could also be considered the voices of and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding God. And again, because the voice of God was in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to often associated with thunder, either by force of thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebel- impact or use of the same root word, one can see lion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty how a teacher might be called ‘the thunder of unpunished; He punishes the children and God,’ especially if he spoke in terms of warning. their children for the sin of the fathers to the A rabbi often gathered around himself young third and fourth generation” (Ex. 34:6,7). students, eager to learn and take up some of their In the New Testament, thunder is again associ- teacher’s responsibilities and duties. Perhaps ated with the voice of God. When Jesus talked we have seen now why his students might be with his Father in prayer, some in the group that called—not critically, but in a positive sense—his was gathered around him only heard thunder ‘sons’ and, in this case, simply ‘sons of thunder.’ (impressive enough!), but others (the more in- Could this be Christ’s point in giving new sightful ones?) said that an angel had spoken to names to the two brothers? These closest of his him (Jno. 12:27-29). companions, who lived by their Rabbi’s side for A similar incident involved Saul of Tarsus as several years, ate meals with him, shared in his he went to Damascus to search out, arrest and trials, and absorbed his message? Might not those imprison Christians. On the way, he was over- disciples who were marked out for that service come and fell to the ground when a great light also be called ‘sons of thunder’? Perhaps. from heaven flashed around him. Speaking out (To be continued) Testimony, February 2019 Contents 53 Encounter The meaning of the Hebrew title Elohim 1 The next in the series of republished articles on the monotheism, is a remarkable phenom- meaning of the Hebrew word Elohim consists of a letter enon and the peculiarity becomes still criticising the view that Brother P. H. Adams has taken, more noticeable when we find that they made the laws of the language and his reply. bend to this usage, and construed this plural as if it were a singular with F P. H. ADAMS is familiar with the writing singular verb and adjuncts.’ of John Thomas (Phanerosis and Eureka) he “Speaking of the plural intensive (see para. 1, p. “Ishould not be surprised that a number of 421, Dec. 1947 Testimony) Dr Alexander continues: Bible students believe that the angels are Elohim ‘The sixth view . . . has received general consent. (mighty ones), and that when the word Elohim is Whilst, however, it suffices to account for several used of Deity it indicates that the Supreme Being of the usages which the grammarians have placed is working through agents who draw their might under the fiction of a pluralis majestaticus, it will from Him, and are ‘one’ with Him. I should like not account for all, and especially for Elohim, For to place before readers some considerations which whilst in such words as Baalim, Adonim, etc., the cause many to reject P.H.A.’s viewpoint as stated concept as a singular may be intensified . . . and in the December 1947 Testimony. expressed by the plural, it is not the case with “(1) It is no argument to tell us the AV transla- Elohim; in this case the plural expresses no more tors did their work with the names and titles of than the singular, the very idea of intensified De- Deity. The inspired Scriptures use some dozen ity being absurd . . . The only solution which will words to describe Deity. The translators use but bear examination is the third . . . It rests upon a two or three, mainly ‘Lord’ (meaning ‘Master’) principle pervading the language, viz., that words and ‘God’ (meaning ‘good’). From Exodus 3:15, describing objects which combine plurality in Psalm 9:10, Psalm 69:36 and many other passages unity are used in the plural, and generally with we learn that Deity attaches much importance verbs, etc., in the singular’ (Kitto’s Cyclopaedia of to His names and titles. Therefore we must go Biblical Literature, vol. 2, pp. 147–8). behind the translators to get at the sense. “Again, Ewald in Ausführliches Lehrbuch der “(2) Scholars are often biased, and but few hebräischen Sprache, sec. 178, 6, writes: ‘Nothing is know the truth concerning Yahweh’s intention so false as that which the present language has to manifest Himself further in inferior beings nominated as the pluralis majestaticus.’ who will be receptacles of His power (Rom. 8:19; “(3) (Acknowledgments to J. A. Balchin, of Jno. 17). However, there are scholars who, while London, here and elsewhere.) In Hebrew, words not understanding the fulness of truth, have yet containing a plurality of parts or agents are of- rejected the theory that Elohim is the plural of ten in the plural though with singular verbs, to majesty, and have concluded that it expresses demonstrate the ‘intrinsic unity manifested in “multitude and variety, existing in unity,” as plurality of ways or channels.’ says Ewald, one of the most famous scholars in “Joel 1:20: ‘The beasts [plural] she cries [singular]’ biblical languages. “Jer. 51:58: ‘. . . walls [plural] she shall be broken “Dr W. L. Alexander, editor of the enlarged [singular]’ edition of Kitto’s Cyclopaedia of Biblical Literature, “Isaiah 59:12: ‘our sins [plural] she testifies [sin- writes: ‘We pass on to notice the peculiarity g u lar]’. connected with the use of Elohim, a plural, to designate God. This, as a usage in the language 1. First published in the Testimony, vol. 18, no. 209, May of a people of all others the most tenacious of 1948, p. 174. Testimony, February 2019 54 Contents “This applies also to the word Elohim, which is go up out of Egypt . . . and I said, I will never used to present the Eternal Spirit Himself, work- break my covenant with you’ (Judg. 2:1-4). See ing through inferior beings. The use of the agents also Genesis 16:7-13, where Hagar addresses the is implied in the plurality of the word Elohim. angel as Elohim, and the angel yet spake as if he The fact that they are only agents representing a were Yahweh because he bore His name. Higher Power (El) is shown by the use of a verb “(6) This view of God manifesting Himself in the singular. So ‘Mighty Ones,’ he says, ‘is not through mighty ones explains many difficulties. bad grammar, but a statement with doctrinal Thus of the Supreme Being it is written: i m p o r t .’ “John 1:18: ‘No man hath seen God at any time’ “When, however, the agents themselves are “1 Timothy 6:16 ‘. . . whom no man hath seen, to the fore rather than the Supreme Spirit they nor can see’ express, then the verb or adjective can be plural, “Yet Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and the 70 as in 1 Samuel 28:13, where the participle ‘ascend- elders of Israel ‘saw the God of Israel . . . they ing’ is plural to agree with ‘Elohim coming up saw God, and did eat and drink’ (Ex. 24:10,11). out of the earth.’ Obviously these men saw Elohim—mighty ones— “(4) Apart from these grammatical details, it is angels who bear His power; while in verse 12 clear that Elohim often means angels in the Old we are told that Moses was called up to speak Testament, as, for example: with the Lord Himself (Yahweh). This is a very “Psalm 8:5: ‘a little lower than the angels [Elohim] .’ clear example of Elohim definitely not meaning This is quoted in Hebrews 2:6-9 as ‘angels,’ the Supreme Being. leaving no room for doubt of this one instance “Again, in Judges 13:22, Manoah said to his admitted by P.H.A. wife: ‘We shall surely die, because we have seen “Psalm 97:7: ‘worship Him, all ye gods [Elohim]’ God [Elohim]’ yet from verses 3,6,15,16,19,21 it will is translated in Hebrews 1:6, ‘let all the angels be seen that the Elohim here referred to was the of God worship him.’ This is then another angel of Yahweh. definite instance of Elohim signifying angels. “Genesis 32:30 tells us that, after wrestling with “Exodus 3:4: The God [Elohim] that called Moses a man, Jacob said, ‘I have seen God [Elohim] face out of the bush is described as an angel by to face, and my life is preserved.’ The man told Stephen in Acts 7:30,35. Jacob that he had had power with Elohim (v. 28). “Exodus 19:19: ‘God [Elohim] answered [Moses] Hosea tells us that this ‘man’ was an angel (12:4). by a voice’ and Exodus 20:1: ‘[Elohim] spake “These examples of Deity being seen in His all these words . . .’ angelic representatives show that it is reasonable “The Elohim here are described by Stephen as that the Supreme Being working with and by ‘the angel which spake to Moses in Mount Sinai angelic agents should together with them form a and with our fathers . . .’ (Acts 7.38; see also v. divine company, fittingly called Elohim (literally 53; Gal. 3:19; Heb. 2:2). ‘mighty ones’). “Amos 4:11: this verse tells us that ‘Elohim “(7) Having thus demonstrated that angels are overthrew Sodom.’ Genesis 19 informs us that Elohim, we are led on to consider Jesus Christ, the work was performed by two angels. the greatest of the Elohim after the supreme El. “(5) The ‘angels’ then are Elohim; i.e., beings We can understand him as the manifestation of through whom El (central Divine personal power) the supreme El, after the example of the angels. works. They ‘excel in strength’; they are His hosts, However, the very conception of Jesus was initi- ‘ministers . . . that do His pleasure’ (Ps. 103:20,21). ated by direct divine power, and so he was a very The strength in which they excel is His. They are special manifestation. thereby so en rapport with Him that they may be “In his life he revealed the Father, so that he identified with Him, a vast plurality moved by could say, ‘he that hath seen me hath seen the one great power, the Infinite, the First, El (Names Father’ (Jno. 14:9); ‘I and my Father are one’ (10:30). and Titles of Deity by W. H. Boulton, p. 29). All this is quite reasonable in the light of what “Surely this idea, that the angels should bear has gone before. We are accustomed to this idea the name of the Deity they serve, is most fitting. of the intimate union of subordinate beings with In Exodus 23:20,21, the Israelites are told not to the supreme Creator. We now see that the English provoke the angel of God, for ‘My name is in words ‘God’ and ‘Lord’ do not refer exclusively him.’ Thus when the angel of Yahweh came up to the Supreme One; hence we are not surprised from Gilgal to Bochim, he said, ‘I made you to to hear no correction from the mouth of the Lord Testimony, February 2019 Contents 55 Jesus when Thomas calls him ‘My Lord and my which has such obvious power unto sanctifica- God’ (Jno. 20:28). tion. Let us not delete the very marrow of the “Does not Isaiah 7:14 call him ‘Immanuel’— expositions in Phanerosis and Eureka by John ‘God with us’? Moreover Psalm 45:6 reads: ‘Thy Thomas, who wrote: ‘God-manifestation, not throne, O Elohim, is for ever and ever.’ Hebrews human salvation, was the great purpose of the 1:8 applies this to Christ. So Christ is one of the Eternal spirit . . . The Eternal Spirit intended to Elohim—the greatest of the mighty ones whose enthrone Himself on the earth, and in so doing strength is in Yahweh. to develop a Divine family from among men, “(8) But Christ, ‘the express image’ of the every one of whom shall be spirit because born invisible God (Heb. 1:3) ‘in [whom] dwelleth of the Spirit, and that this family shall be large all the fulness of the Godhead bodily’ (Col. 2:9) enough to fill the earth, to the entire exclusion is ‘the firstborn among many brethren’ (Rom. of flesh and blood’ Herald,( 1 8 5 8 ) .” 8:29), the older brother of a family who should be conformed to his image and who should see Reply.—We have reproduced the foregoing article ‘the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in extenso so as to be perfectly fair to the writer in the face of Jesus Christ’ (2 Cor. 4:6). and to several other critics who write in the “Thus Jesus is the pivot upon which their lives same strain. Anyone who has not read our brief will turn, or the cast upon which their characters article in the December 1947 Testimony will gain are moulded, and they become part of the whole the impression that we there denied Dr Thomas’ family of God. When perfected physically and teaching concerning God-manifestation, but we mentally, they too will become completed like- were concerned solely to correct a commonly nesses of the Supreme God. They will join the held belief that Elohim is primarily used to denote ranks of Elohim, to be like unto the angels, to die angels. Despite the appearance of proof to the no more, and will drink wine in the Kingdom contrary, we maintain our argument that Elohim with Jesus—wine which ‘cheereth Elohim and “refers primarily and almost exclusively to God man’ (Judg. 9:13). Himself” (December [1947] Testimony, p. 421). As “They will have ‘his Father’s name written E.W. has shown, there are a number of occasions in their foreheads’ (Rev. 14:1). The Father’s name when an angel (singular) is called Elohim, but care- represents what He is in power, glory, substance, ful examination of the relevant passages shows purpose and character. This name was finally that this is only done when an angel represents flashed upon Jesus when he was ‘made . . . Lord or deputises for God Himself. When that is the and Christ’ (Acts 2:36) when he received to the case, the name of God is extended to His angelic full the power, glory, character and very substance deputy, but it is clearly a mistake to deduce from of Deity. But the Eternal Spirit invited others to a this that Elohim is not the name of God Himself, participation in the Father’s name. ‘He that hath but exclusively the name of angels. an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the It is misleading to cite only verses where ecclesias; To him that overcometh will I . . . write Elohim is applied to angels, and to ignore the upon him the name of my Deity, and . . . my new overwhelming majority of passages where Elohim name . . . which no man knoweth saving he that refers undeniably to God Himself only. There is, receiveth it’ (Rev. 2:17; 3:12; see also Eureka vol. for instance, the well-known passage in Deuter- III, pp. 282–3). onomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: the LORD [Yahweh] our “I have been stirred to write because, if carried God [Elohim] is one LORD [Yahweh] .” Jesus applies to its logical conclusion, P.H.A.’s article would this to God Himself (Mk. 12:29), and it is clearly rob us of a beautiful teaching—that expressed in quite impossible to associate Deuteronomy 6:4 God’s memorial name (Ex. 3:13-15); the ‘glorious with the angels in any way whatever. and fearful name’ (Deut. 28:58); Yahweh—the ‘He Again, in 1 Chronicles 17:24, we read that who shall be.’ And if one should ask: ‘Shall be David, in prayer—to God, not to angels, surely!— what?’ the title is completed by Elohim (‘mighty says: “Let it even be established, that Thy name ones’). Yahweh Elohim, the ‘He who shall be (mani- may be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD fested in) mighty ones.’ [Yahweh] of hosts is the God [Elohim] of Israel, even “We are called to this destiny, to become part a God [Elohim] to Israel: and let the house of David of the corporate multitudinous Deity. Yes, in all Thy servant be established before Thee.” It seems reverence, to become part of God in the widest to us indisputable that both Yahweh and Elohim sense of the word. Let us not lose this doctrine, in this passage refer exclusively to God Himself, Testimony, February 2019 56 Contents and angels are altogether ruled out of the verse This is where the doctrine of God-manifestation by the context and circumstances. comes to our aid. Angels, usually spoken of by In Isaiah 46:9 we have these words: “Remember the Hebrew malak (messengers), are called Elohim the former things of old: for I am God [Elohim], (God) when they act in God’s stead in appearing and there is none else; I am God [Elohim], and to men. God’s name (Elohim) is in them. But we there is none like Me.” It seems to us that every are not thereby entitled to say that Elohim is the unbiased student will recognise that the One who name for the angels. Angels, as angels, are called declares Himself to be Elohim is God Himself, malak, but when acting, appearing or speaking the only true God. as, or for, God, they are then given God’s name Our correspondent states that “the work [of Elohim. That is the simple truth about Elohim. overthrowing Sodom] was performed by two An angel may be called ‘E l o h i m ,’ but he is not angels,” and refers us to Genesis 19 for proof of Elohim actually. It may assist our readers to receive this. Why did he not also refer to the preceding this statement if we turn our attention to the New chapter? There we heard that three ‘men’ ap- Testament. We read in Hebrews 1:8: “But unto the peared to Abraham. Two of these ‘men’ were the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God [Gk. theos], is two angels of whom we read in chapter 19. The for ever and ever.” But Jesus is not God [theos], for other ‘man’ remained talking with Abraham, we read in 1 Corinthians 8:6 that “to us there is and is styled “the LORD [Yahweh] .” So here, in but one God [theos], the Father . . .” Jesus is called Genesis 18, an angel is called Yahweh! Were we ‘God’ because, as the supreme manifestation of to adopt the arguments advanced by E.W., we God, and as the King over the Kingdom of God, should be compelled by Genesis 18 to maintain he will reign for God and represent God as His that Yahweh denotes the angels! We are glad that Vicegerent during the Millennium. our correspondent has avoided such a transparent Similarly the angels who are called ‘God [Elo- error. him]’ are not actually God, but speak for God, and Readers of the Testimony who have access to do God’s work in God’s name, and receive the Young’s Analytical Concordance or any other similar reverent responses of godly men to the divine work are invited to study the use of the word Elo- messages conveyed to them by these Divine him in the Old Testament. There are scores of pas- deputies or agents. sages which speak of “the man of God [Elohim]”; It seems to us worse than useless to attempt to scores which speak of “the ark of God [Elohim] ,” explain the few verses where angels are termed and perhaps hundreds of passages which speak Elohim by advancing a theory which creates dif- of “the house of God [Elohim] .” In every one of ficulties in hundreds of passages which, as they these passages the reference is not to angels but stand, are perfectly clear. to God Himself. The phrase “LORD God [Yahweh We have not the slightest desire to “delete the Elohim]” appears in hundreds of verses which very marrow of the expositions in Phanerosis and speak of the Supreme God alone. For every verse Eureka.” Our only concern is that these exposi- cited by E.W. where Elohim is applied to an angel, tions should be rightly understood and rightly there are literally hundreds of verses where the applied to the Word of God . . . the Word of application must be confined to God Himself. Elohim (1 Sam. 9:27). Vines and fig trees When the Assyrians surrounded Jerusalem, Sennacherib promised that if the people surren- dered he would enable them to “eat . . . every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree” (2 Kgs. 18:31). This promise was based on Israel’s history, when “Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree” (1 Kgs. 4:25). The Assyrians used the Jewish Scriptures to appeal to those trapped in Jerusalem. At the same time, God inspired one of His prophets to promise a time when again every man would “sit . . . under his vine and under his fig tree” (Mic. 4:4). There is a contrast between the authority of the two who spoke: • 2 Kings 18:31: “thus saith the king of Assyria . . .” • Micah 4:4: “the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.” The choice in the days of Hezekiah was therefore simple: to listen to the man of flesh they could see, or to the words of the invisible God whose works they had seen before. Our choice is the same today. Whatever the options, we need to decide whether we listen to God’s Word or man’s promises.—Peter Forbes

Testimony, February 2019 Contents 57 Watchman Authors of confusion Shaun Maher

URING EARLY 2019, political confusion (GDP) of just under four trillion dollars, Germany and uncertainty have continued to build to accounts for just over eighteen per cent of the EU’s Dlevels not experienced in recent times. As wealth.2 Its economy is approximately twenty we have observed in earlier Watchman articles, per cent bigger than the next biggest economy in there appears to be a steady momentum that is the EU—the UK. Even though the UK isn’t the taking us away from the relative stability of the biggest economy in the EU, it still contributes post-Second-World-War era of the past seventy nearly thirteen per cent of the EU’s GDP and is years. We appear to be entering an era where a key trade partner of Germany.3 With this fact leading political figures on the world stage are, in mind, perhaps one can begin to understand deliberately or haplessly, sowing bewilderment why the EU appears so keen to disrupt, or even and fear in people’s hearts and minds. prevent, Brexit altogether. Such a loss to a healthy economy would be A union of iron and clay bad enough, but an economy that faces the chal- We turn our attention to the ongoing Brexit lenges that the EU is facing can ill afford to lose process as an example. At the time of writing, thirteen per cent of its wealth. The arithmetic is negotiations between the United Kingdom (UK) brought into sharp focus when one considers that and the European Union (EU) seem to be lurch- the eighteen economies of the Eastern European ing towards—well, who knows?! It’s impossible EU members have a combined GDP of a little to tell. Whilst the hapless performance of Mrs over ten per cent of the EU’s total. These eighteen May’s embattled minority government seems to nations combined are still three per cent smaller be par for the course in the current climate, we than the UK economy and create barely half of do well to keep in mind that, unseen, the hand the output of Germany. of God is undoubtedly at work, bringing about the outcome that He has ordained. A lurking beast The main focus of Britain’s domestic media is From the data above we can see just how depend- the predicted damage that will be wreaked on ent the EU is on the German economy—and will the UK economy as a result of leaving the EU. But be even more so after Brexit. In turn, German this focus belies the significant challenges facing industry is heavily dependent on Russian gas the EU. Brexit has overshadowed the very sig- to power its productivity.4 This dependency has nificant structural economic problems facing the increased as a result of the Fukushima nuclear Union. Trying to hold together a union of weak disaster in 2011, after which Chancellor Merkel and powerful nations with a single currency is a committed Germany to phasing out nuclear pow- recipe for trouble—trouble that is not far beneath er over the following decade. To date Germany the surface.1 Were it not for Brexit dominating the has shut down eight of its seventeen reactors and news, then these problems would probably be has pledged to close the remainder by 2022.5 This receiving much more media coverage. In the territory of the ancient Western Roman 1. https://www.economist.com/special-report/2018/10/11/ Empire, the EU certainly looks like an alliance central-bankers-will-fight-the-next-recession-with-their- of iron and clay. Once Brexit is out of the way backs-against-the-wall (requires subscription). (whatever form that takes), there are plenty more 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_and_social_rank tough decisions waiting for the EU states. ings_of_sovereign_states_in_Europe 3. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2018/12/19/ no-deal-brexit-risks-rude-economic-shock-germany- A lurking problem fragile-eurozone/ (requires registration). The industrial and economic engine of the EU is 4. https://www.forbes.com/sites/davekeating/2018/07/19/ undoubtedly Germany. With a population of more how-dependent-is-germany-on-russian-gas/ than eighty million and a gross domestic product 5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power_phase-out Testimony, February 2019 58 Contents Map showing the percentage of Europe’s GDP contributed by each member state. The significant differences between the stronger and weaker countries are reminiscent of the strong iron and weak clay mingled in the feet of the image of Daniel 2. Radom1967/Wikimedia Commons means that Germany’s economy (and, by default, suggested that this has been a deliberate strategy the EU’s) is tethered to Russia by virtue of its to make future conflict unviable for both nations. dependence on Russian gas.6 It is no coincidence that the former German Chan- Russia is increasing her influence in a num- cellor Gerhardt Schroeder holds a directorship ber of areas besides the EU. Her economy is with the Russian state-owned oil giant Rosneft dwarfed by the powerhouses of the EU, but in and a senior leadership position in the manage- the energy sector and militarily Russia packs ment team of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline.8 a punch which the EU cannot afford to ignore. The reunification of Germany was a momen- The construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline tous event in modern history. But might we be from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea is a massive new infrastructure project designed to supply Germany’s increasing demand. Just how 6. https://www.wsj.com/articles/germanys-energy-blun dependent Germany is on Russian gas no one is ders-have-tethered-it-to-russia-11545849758 (requires subscription). sure, because details have been made subject to 7. https://www.forbes.com/sites/davekeating/2018/07/19/ 7 privacy laws. One wonders why. how-dependent-is-germany-on-russian-gas/ The economic links between Russia and Ger- 8. https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-russia-gas- many are deep and nebulous, and some have nord-stream-2-foreign-policy/

Former German Chancellor Gerhardt Schroeder speaking in October 2012 at an event to mark the coming on stream of Nord Stream 1. Nord Stream 2 could be operational by November this year. Nord Stream AG

Testimony, February 2019 Contents 59 witnessing the beginning of an even greater re- His family connections with the Jewish people union (or rebirth) of a more ancient power—the and his actions towards Israel to date are fasci- Roman Empire—in a final, terrible manifestation nating to consider. His son-in-law Jared Kushner of the kingdom of men, ready to oppose Christ is apparently working on a peace plan for the when he comes? In the past such empires were Arab-Israeli conflict, which will be interesting built predominantly via military conquest. Al- to watch in its development and application.11 though this is possible again, perhaps in this case His ambivalence towards the EU is clear to the empire will be built on the basis of economic see, and is a key force driving the move towards cooperation. In the judgment of ‘Babylon’ in Rev- an EU army and closer defence cooperation in elation 18 there is certainly a prominent economic view of a weakened NATO and an aggressive element to this system set up in opposition to Russia.12 In the Middle East his announcement God and His ways (vv. 1-3,7-20). that US troops would be withdrawn from Syria “immediately” came as a shock—not least to his The arch disruptor own administrative team. Shortly afterwards, in Compared with the efforts of the critically weak- typical Trump fashion, the word ‘immediately’ ened UK government in recent months, Mr Putin, was redefined to mean ‘when the time is right.’ the shrewd tactician, maintains supreme power More seriously, the American signal of intent and authority in his domain. He operates along to withdraw has emboldened Turkish President the lines of some of the great human leaders of Erdoğan to announce a large-scale military op- the past, strategically using disruption and un- eration in northern Syria to remove the Kurdish expected moves to try to create the conditions forces that have been fighting alongside the US in which Russian interests can thrive. Whether troops.13 Erdoğan has subsequently announced we consider the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and that the offensive will take place regardless the annexation of Crimea, the poisoning of dis- of whether US troops are withdrawn, further sidents with nerve agents, or the war in Syria, he heightening tensions between nations that were appears to be able to outmanoeuvre his Western until recently NATO allies. opponents, who are hampered by their adherence It is worth reflecting on thoughts from the to political convention and protocol. Examples December 2014 Watchman article about the rise of this include the ‘green men’ who appeared in of the Islamic State group (IS) in Syria.14 In that Crimea—Russian-backed forces who helped to article we considered the significance of the Syr- put the Crimean Peninsula back in Russia’s hands. ian civil war and the rise of IS, and saw links There were no Russian troops, no invasion force, with the ancient Assyrians. Four years on, IS is and no declaration of war. This was unconven- all but gone—but it has been replaced by Russia, tional behaviour indeed, but it yielded the desired Iran and Turkey. Our traditional understanding result.9 We see similar tactics deployed in eastern of latter-day prophecy is that a group of nations Ukraine. Putin is proactively using confusion and will gather to the north of Israel, and that prin- disruption to create the opportunities to increase cipal among them will be Russia and Iran (Ezek. Russian influence in Europe and the Middle East. 38:1-6). Other interpretations also identify eastern Turkey and the Caucasus with Togarmah in the Incompetent and strong On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, another political leader is sowing confusion and disrup- 9. https://www.politico.eu/article/putin-trump-sanctions- tion—though perhaps not as shrewdly and stra- news-hacking-analysis/ tegically as Mr Putin. The enigma who is Donald 10. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/incompetent-stro ng-egotistical-words-people-describe-trump/story? Trump is a president like no other president id=50178088 before him. At the beginning of 2019, controversy 11. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/01/ and equivocation seem to follow wherever he donald-trump-middle-east-peace-plan-israel-palestine goes. In a recent poll 10 Americans were asked 12. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/nov/21/ what words came to mind when they thought of europe-finally-pulls-the-trigger-on-a-military-force-eu- their president. Top of the list was ‘incompetent,’ army-trump 13. followed by ‘strong.’ He seems to inspire hate and https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/turkey- threatens-syria-offensive-if-u-s-delays-pullout-1.68 adoration in equal measure. Yet there can be little 27897 doubt that this unusual man has been raised up 14. Shaun Maher, “Like a wolf on the fold,” Testimony, vol. for a purpose. 84, no. 1,000, Dec. 2014, p. 470. Testimony, February 2019 60 Contents same prophecy. With the benefit of hindsight, we future (Dan. 2:22,29,30). In Him there is none of can now see that it was the Syrian civil war and the guile or deceit found in those who govern the the rise of IS that caused these three nations to be kingdom of men. He has revealed His purpose to drawn down into the Syrian conflict. They have us in His Word and through His Son. had a game-changing impact so far, and they However turbulent and difficult the times remain there to this day. At the same time, the ahead, we have “[taken] refuge in the LORD” involvement of Western powers and their desire and not “in princes” (Ps. 118:8,9). Thus our fu- to intervene are waning. It will be interesting to ture is assured, for “The LORD is on [our] side; see how the Syrian situation develops over the [we] will not fear. What can man do to [us]? The coming months. LORD is on [our] side as [our] helper” (vv. 6,7). As we watch world events moving inexorably The author of peace towards the promised return of our Lord Jesus, As we watch these events unfold and wait faith- we wait patiently, clinging to this hope, having fully for our Master’s call, we remember the words “strong encouragement” in the Word of life and of the Apostle Paul: “God is not the author of the example of our Lord Jesus (Heb. 6:18). This confusion but of peace” (1 Cor. 14:33, NKJV).15 Paul hope, clearly set before us, serves as the “sure and was writing about discipline within the ecclesias, steadfast anchor of the soul” (v. 19), to sustain us, but this is surely a principle that applies to all that by God’s grace, throughout life. God does. He speaks, and it comes to pass (Isa. 55:11); He reveals hidden things to His servants that they might know what will happen in the 15. Bible quotations are otherwise from the ESV. Contents

Review Modern Middle East history: an invaluable resource Geoff Henstock David Fromkin. in which men gave their lives for their king and A Peace to End All country, but never had there been slaughter on Peace: The fall of the the scale seen in this war. One historian sought Ottoman Empire and to provide some harrowing context for this suf- the creation of the fering: modern Middle East “The total of military and civilian casualties 1914–1922. in all of Europe’s domestic and international conflicts in the 100 years between 1815 and 635 pages. 1915 was no greater than a single day’s com- Original edition: Avon bat losses in any of the great battles of 1916.”1 Books (New York), 1989. The author H. G. Wells strongly supported Brit- Later editions exist, ain’s involvement in the First World War. Imme- including in electronic diately after war broke out in 1914 he published format. Widely available at retailers and a book entitled The War That Will End War. As the online. horror of the war unfolded, that utopian mantra WILL MARK the centenary of the was taken up by many who earnestly hoped that 2019 Treaty of Versailles. Together with this would be the last great war that the world other related agreements and treaties, the Treaty would endure. Surely no one could consciously of Versailles formally ended what was, at that commit to another war after the suffering of that time, called the Great War. And great that war had been. There had always been wars in Europe 1. Norman Stone, Europe Transformed 1878–1919, p. 366. Testimony, February 2019 Contents 61 conflict. Sadly, the peace treaties imposed after the war dashed any such hopes.

Sowing the seeds of disaster As he travelled to the 1919 peace conference in France, United States President Woodrow Wilson made a prescient comment about the forthcoming peace negotiations: “I am convinced that if this peace is not made on the highest principles of justice, it will be swept away by the peoples of the world in less than a generation. If it is any other sort of peace then I shall want to run away and hide . . . for there will follow not mere conflict but cataclysm.”2 President Wilson’s anxiety was well placed, and his expectation proved tragically accurate. Less than a generation after the peace treaty ending ‘the war to end all wars’—in fact a mere twenty Field Marshall Archibald Wavell. years later—the world plunged into a war of (Public domain) even greater barbarity. When the discussions at Versailles concluded, another prescient observer, of the modern Middle East 1914–1922,” it chroni- Field Marshall Archibald Wavell (a man who had cles the actions (and inactions) of the European fought with distinction in the war), made this powers in creating the Middle East as it exists sardonic comment about the Treaty of Versailles: today. Fromkin commenced his research in “after ‘the war to end war’ they seem to have been 1979. A decade later he finished the book and it pretty successful in Paris at a making a ‘peace to was first published in 1989. It is testimony to the e n d p e a c e .’ ” power of the case made by the author and to the Most of the world’s leaders at the time focused book’s readability that, thirty years after it first on the war in Western Europe, and historians appeared, it remains in print and is still highly since then have tended to focus on the Western regarded. Front. From the perspective of God’s prophetic With its insights into the Middle East and the plan, however, it is arguable that the most sig- significance of the First World War for Palestine nificant developments arose on other fronts. The and Zionism, it is not surprising that this book demise of czarist Russia, leading to the creation has attracted the attention of Christadelphians. of the Soviet Union, and the drying up of the Brother Harry Tennant wrote a brief review of Ottoman Empire, paving the way for a Jewish the work which was published in the Christadel- homeland in Palestine, were much more signifi- phian.3 Extracts from the book and references to cant developments in terms of Bible prophecy. David Fromkin, an American lawyer and 2. Quoted in Lawrence E. Gelfand, The Inquiry: American historian, adapted Wavell’s memorable phrase Preparation for Peace, 1917–1919, p. 173. for his book A Peace to End All Peace. Subtitled 3. Harry Tennant, “A peace to end all peace,” Christadel- “The fall of the Ottoman Empire and the creation­ phian, vol. 130, no. 1,553, Nov. 1993, p. 423.

Sultan Vahideddin (Mehmed VI), the last sultan of the Ottoman Empire, departing from the back door of the Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul in November 1922. A few days after this picture was taken, the Sultan was deposed and exiled. (Public domain)

Testimony, February 2019 62 Contents it have appeared in various magazines and books while others were favourably disposed towards published since it first appeared, including in the Jews and their aspirations for a homeland. It is Testimony. There may be a younger generation, interesting to trace how these attitudes may be however, who are not familiar with the work, seen reflected in the actions they took and the and some older readers who may have forgotten results of those actions. what a valuable resource the book offers. It is for Whilst it is well known that the Gallipoli or them that this review has been written. Dardanelles campaign was an abject failure, few people appreciate that it was very nearly an out- God’s hand at work standing success. Since 1915 it has been fashion- With close attention to detail, and drawing copi- able in many circles, especially in Australia and ously on the best scholarship available as well New Zealand, to blame the failure of the campaign as archived documents from the period, David on the incompetence of British military leaders, Fromkin charts the twists and turns of diplomacy, particularly Winston ­Churchill, who is seen as the strategic highlights and disasters of military its architect. It is true that Churchill­ advocated leaders, and the many incidental developments the capture of the Dardanelles, one of the nar- which influenced the course of history. Having row straits which connects the Mediterranean covered the lead-up to hostilities, he discusses with the Black Sea. What is not appreciated, all the major campaigns and the many minor however, is the fact that, had the naval plans military engagements, many now barely remem- Churchill devised been carried out, it seems bered, which have had a bearing on the modern almost certain that the attack would have been Middle East. successful, and the Ottoman Empire would have A feature of the book is the author’s focus on been effectively neutralised in 1915. As Fromkin key personalities of the time. Winston Churchill shows, his strategy was overridden in London tends to dominate the story; introduced on page 1, by other military leaders such as Lord Kitchener. he is the last man to whom reference is made on It is interesting that, almost to a man, the men the last page. Many other men and a few women who altered Churchill’s strategy for the Gal- (in more than one case diary-keeping mistresses lipoli or Dardanelles Campaign held anti-Semitic of some of the central figures!) feature in the re- views, distrusted the Jews, and were opposed to cord. Some of these are very well known—men ­Zionism. such as Herbert Asquith, Earl Kitchener, David At the heart of the gospel message are the Lloyd George, Enver Pasha, Georges Clemenceau promises to Abraham. The first of these, in Gen- and Lawrence of Arabia. Other lesser-known esis 12, includes a principle that is relevant to what characters are given appropriate attention in happened in the First World War: “I will bless the book. them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth No relevant detail is too small for Fromkin. thee” (v. 3). From a human perspective there are He even discusses how a monkey bite led to the many strategic reasons why the Gallipoli or Dar- death of a king and contributed to a fundamental danelles Campaign was a failure, but underlying change in the direction of one of the players. The these is the fact that many of those directing the book notes how certain key figures died or were campaign cursed the Jews. eclipsed at crucial times, sometimes in curious In 1916 Lord Kitchener was removed from the circumstances, leading to significant changes in scene when the ship in which he was sailing to strategy. While historians can provide or at least Russia struck a German mine and sank. Later that suggest reasonable explanations for why certain year, partly due to the backlash that followed the events transpired in the way in which they did, failure of the Gallipoli Campaign, the government a Bible reader blessed with an understanding of of British Prime Minister Asquith collapsed. It God’s plan and purpose can see evidence of God’s was replaced by one led by Lloyd George. He hand at work in these matters. and many of his colleagues were supporters of Zionism and of the re-establishment of a Jewish Promise to Abraham homeland in Palestine under British protection. While no doubt it is unintentional, throughout Lloyd George appointed as his Foreign Secretary the book there is a sub-plot relating to the Jews. Arthur Balfour, and it was Balfour who signed Repeatedly, David Fromkin draws attention to the eponymous Balfour Declaration declaring how certain leading figures regarded the Jews Britain’s support for a national home for the Jews and Zionism. Some were quite anti-Semitic, in Palestine. Testimony, February 2019 Contents 63 On 2 November 1917, when the Balfour Dec- was in accordance with what had been promised laration was issued, British Empire troops under to Abraham in Genesis 12 and with the prophecy the leadership of General Edmund Allenby were of the sixth vial in Revelation 16. making good progress in their invasion of Pal- estine. On 11 December 1917, less than six weeks Conclusion after the Declaration, Jerusalem was occupied by David Fromkin’s prose is sparkling, sprinkled the British. Earlier in 1917 British Empire troops sparingly with sardonic humour and amusing led from India had also defeated the Turkish anecdotes, fast-paced and engaging. Although forces in Mesopotamia and taken possession of this book is what would be called popular his- Baghdad in what is today Iraq. tory, it is academically rigorous and extensively In 1918, after consolidating his gains around documented. A Peace to End All Peace is an in- Jerusalem, General Allenby pushed further north. valuable resource for anyone keen to understand The liberation of the rest of Palestine and Syria fol- how the Middle East evolved into the tumultu- lowed. By the time that the Armistice was signed ous region it is today. Prophecy demands that on 11 November 1918, British troops controlled all the Middle East should be unstable at the time of Palestine, Syria and what we know today as of the end, and this book demonstrates how Iraq. Four hundred years of misrule of these areas policies adopted and strategies implemented one by the Ottomans had come to an end. The success hundred years ago ensured that this would be of the Palestinian and Mesopotamian Campaigns the case. Contents

Bible workshop Lessons from Abraham and Sarah Jeremy Thomas

It is suggested that a discussion group might like to Isaiah 51:2 allow about an hour to consider the following questions 1 This whole chapter seems to be ad- concerning Abraham and Sarah. Group members should dressed to those who are seeking­ for righteousness—it mentions read all the Bible passages referred to. righteousness five times (vv. 1,5,6, 7,8). Abraham is an obvious exam- BRAHAM IS ONE of the Bible’s pre-emi- ple of righteousness because of Genesis 15:6 nent examples of faith. He is held up in the and the other passages above. But what of Sa- AWord of God as a ‘case study’ in how God rah? Why would those seeking for righteous- forgives sins—like Abraham, true believers are ness be encouraged to look to her? There are ‘justified by faith.’ This famous statement concern- some clues in the later questions, but before ing Abraham (Gen. 15:6) is quoted repeatedly in you move onto them, discuss your impression classic New Testament passages about faith (Gal. of Sarah from what you already know about 3:6; Rom. 4:3,9; Jas. 2:23). His faith is referred to her. Is she a woman who strikes you as a great again in Hebrews 11:8-10. There are many other example of righteousness? Why/why not? lessons we can learn from Abraham’s life, experi- ences and relationship with God. Hebrews 11:11 Sarah is perhaps a less obvious source of les- 2 This verse is referring to Sarah’s faith, not sons to us, so it may be worthwhile setting aside Abraham’s (his faith has already been dis- some time to think about her. The following ques- cussed in verses 8-10). How do you reconcile tions mainly concern incidents where Abraham this testimony to Sarah’s faith with passages and Sarah are mentioned together in Scripture. which may suggest a lack of faith on Sarah’s Testimony, February 2019 64 Contents part? For instance: Genesis 16:1-6; 18:9-15; 1 Peter 3:1-6 20:1-7. 5 Here Sarah is held up as an example of a 3 What exactly might it mean when it says that female believer showing the right attitude Sarah “received strength to conceive seed”? towards her husband, even if he is an unbe- If possible, look up the literal meaning of the liever. The quotation of Sarah’s words is from word translated “strength.” Compare Genesis Genesis 18:12. What in particular about this 18:11 with Abimelech’s attitude towards her verse gives us an insight into Sarah’s attitude? in Genesis 20 (especially verses 2,6,11). What 6 Abraham and Sarah each laughed when God do you think happened to Sarah? promised that they would have a son in their 4 In passing, notice the importance of the word old age (Gen. 17:17; 18:12). Abraham is not ap- “Therefore” at the beginning of Hebrews parently rebuked, but Sarah does seem to be 11:12. This seems to show the importance of rebuked—for a lack of faith (18:13-15)? How both Abraham and Sarah having faith—that should we understand this? Was the reason is, it took both of them to co-operate with the for laughter different in each case? purpose of God so that the promised seed could be born. Does this give us a clue as to If you finish all these questions, discuss the two why Hagar could never be the mother of the other New Testament passages which mention seed? Sarah: Romans 4:13-22; 9:6-13. Contents

Principles, preaching and problems The Hebrew day: how was it calculated? Kel Hammond

One of the peculiarities of Jewish time-keeping is that the “And the LORD spake unto Moses day is reckoned to begin at sunset, with night preceding and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month [Abib] shall be the following day. This practice remains to the present unto you the beginning of months: time. Scriptural evidence indicates that this system existed it shall be the first month of the from at least the days of Moses, and that it was written year to you” (Ex. 12:1,2). into some of the laws that God gave through him. This was Before we look at the available in contrast to what occurred in both Egypt, Babylon and evidence, it is important to note that clearly the word ‘day’ does not always other ancient cultures, which generally reckoned the day refer to a literal twenty-four-hour as commencing at sunrise. We will examine this evidence, period, as we now know it. and review the counter-argument that suggests that the It refers sometimes to daylight, Hebrew day began at sunrise. The study is particularly as contrasted with evening or night useful for dealing with some difficulties around the time (Gen. 1:5; 31:39,40; Ex. 13:21; Neh. 9:12,19; Mt. 20:2,8); sometimes to a observance of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. full twenty-four-hour period (Gen. 1:8-31; 2:3; 7:13, 8:5, Ex. 13:6; 20:8-11); UST AFTER Israel’s exodus from Egypt, God and sometimes to a general epoch, time or event, instituted a new calendar which changed without necessarily referring to a literal day Jthe beginning of the Hebrew year. The new (Gen. 2:4; 27:45; 35:3; Num. 3:1; 1 Kgs. 2:37,42; Jer. year was to commemorate Israel’s deliverance 34:13). from Egypt and their national ‘birth.’ We see this Only the context can determine the sense in mentioned in the following passage: which the word is being used. Testimony, February 2019 Contents 65 Opening examples This is why, in Nehemiah 13:19, Nehemiah There are numerous Old Testament examples of had the city gates closed as the afternoon sunset-to-sunset reckoning: wore on: “And it came to pass, that when the 1 Each of the first six days mentioned in Genesis gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the 1:3-31 is reckoned as ‘evening . . . morning,’ sabbath, I commanded that the gates should which appears to be based upon the order be shut, and charged that they should not be of creation on the first day—that is, darkness opened till after the sabbath.” preceded light. This seems to set the rule of 4 A man remained unclean for seven days after how the day was reckoned in later times, at being defiled by the dead. On the third and least from the days of Moses and onwards. seventh days offerings were made, and he 2 The Day of Atonement (a sabbath) was reck- remained unclean until the evening that fol- oned evening-to-evening. It commenced on lowed the seventh day—that is, until sunset. the evening of the ninth day of the seventh This appears to have marked the beginning month, and continued until the evening of of a new day—the eighth day (Num. 19:11-22). the tenth day (Lev. 23:32). This is confirmed 5 The lamps of the tabernacle were tended and if we compare this passage with a number of replenished with oil “from evening to morn- others, all of which speak of this feast taking ing”: “In the tent of meeting, outside the veil place on the tenth day of the month: Leviticus that is before the testimony, Aaron and his 16:29; 23:27; 25:9; Numbers 29:7. This can be sons shall tend it from evening to morning illustrated in the following diagram: before the LORD. It shall be a statute forever to

Diagram 1: Evening-morning model: the Day of Atonement on the tenth day of the seventh month

9 10 11

The Day of Atonement began at the end of the ninth day “at even,” and ran until the end of the tenth day “at even” (Lev. 23:32).

We know from other passages that the term be observed throughout their generations by “at even” means sunset. For example: “thou the people of Israel” (Ex. 27:21, ESV; see also shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the Lev. 24:3,4). The order of this continual service going down of the sun” (Deut. 16:6). Such is ‘evening and morning,’ which covers one careful detail in explaining how the day was whole day. Exodus 30:7,8 tells us that incense to be calculated may indicate that some of was to be offered when the lamps were filled. the people still held onto Egyptian reckon- Given that incense represents prayer, the ing, and that, to avoid confusion, the starting order in Psalm 55:17 is interesting: “Evening, and finishing points of the day were fully and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and set out. cry aloud . . .” Acts 3:1 speaks of “the hour 3 The seven days of the Feast of Unleavened of prayer . . . the ninth hour,” which is about Bread were also reckoned from evening to 3 p.m. our time. This would correspond with evening (Ex. 12:18). The precise detail of the the offering up of the evening incense—not timing indicates that this feast began at the strong evidence in itself, but a small piece of end of 14 Abib (that is, in the evening at the circumstantial evidence nevertheless. end of this day, which is the beginning of 15 Abib). This type of reckoning is the same as The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened on the Day of Atonement. The weekly sabbath Bread was to memorialise God’s ‘rest’ from all His To understand the timing of these important works after the six days of creation (20:8-11; events correctly, we need to take into account all 31:12-17). This concept is based on Genesis the available Bible evidence and incorporate it 2:2,3. The sabbath day began in the evening. into a diagram to see how Passover coordinates Testimony, February 2019 66 Contents with the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This yields gathering was in the daylight, after the Passover. a different result from what Jewish tradition They then left Egypt by night on 15 Abib: “And concluded concerning the keeping of the Passover they departed from Rameses in the first month, in the first century. I believe that this explains on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the mor- why Jesus appears to keep the Passover one day row [the next day] after the passover the children before the Jews did—Jesus observed the Passover of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight correctly, but the Jews observed the wrong day. of all the Egyptians” (Num. 33:3). This anomaly can be seen when we compare Je- sus’ Passover (Mt. 26:19; Mk. 14:14-16; Lk. 22:11-15) The Feast of Unleavened Bread with the Passover kept by the Jews one day later The seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Jno. 18:28; 19:14). are measured, as with the other events we have The following list of passages lays out the main considered, from evening to evening. The feast events in chronological order: was to memorialise Israel’s exodus from Egypt, • the Passover lamb was slain “at even, at the when they left in extreme haste, not having going down of the sun” (Deut. 16:6) had time to leaven their bread: “Thou shalt • the Passover was eaten on 14 Abib at even (Ex. eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt 12:18; Num. 9:11) thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the • the Passover was to be eaten with unleavened bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out bread—note that there is no mention here of of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest foregoing leaven on 14 Abib, only of not eating remember the day when thou camest forth out leaven with the Passover (Ex. 12:8; Deut. 16:1-4) of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life” • the Lord’s Passover is clearly stated as taking (Deut. 16:3). place on the fourteenth day of the month, and The passages which refer to the seven days the time of the eating of the meal is clearly of the Feast of Unleavened Bread are as follows: identified as “even” (Lev. 23:5; Num. 9:3,5; • “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of 28:16; 2 Chron. 30:15) the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened • the angel of the LORD slew all the firstborn bread, until the one and twentieth day of the of Egypt at midnight on 14 Abib (Ex. 12:29) month at even” (Ex. 12:18) • Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron that night • “Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and told them to leave Egypt (v. 31) and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the • the Israelites were not allowed to leave their LORD. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven houses “until the morning”—at sunrise on 14 days; and there shall no leavened bread be Abib (v. 22) seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven • during the following daylight hours, after seen with thee in all thy quarters” (13:6,7) sunrise on 14 Abib, the Jews spoiled the • “Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and Egyptians (11:2,3; 12:33-36) on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly • Israel gathered at Rameses, and then marched to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work out of Egypt as a host (600,000 men)—it must therein” (Deut. 16:8) have taken some time to gather this many • “And on the fifteenth day of the same [first] people, especially if most of them walked (vv. month is the feast of unleavened bread unto 37-41; Num. 33:3-5). the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread” (Lev. 23:6) Israel leave Egypt on 15 Abib • “And in the fourteenth day of the first month According to later Jewish tradition, the Passover is the passover of the LORD. And in the fif- was considered to be the first day of the Feast of teenth day of this month is the feast: seven Unleavened bread. On reviewing all the details days shall unleavened bread be eaten. In surrounding the first Passover, however, it seems the first day shall be an holy convocation; ye that this cannot be correct—even though the shall do no manner of servile work therein Passover meal was to be eaten with unleavened . . . And on the seventh day ye shall have an bread. holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work” We must remember that Israel were not per- (Num. 28:16-18,25). mitted to leave their dwellings until after dawn. The diagram overleaf models the events sur- Then they spoiled the Egyptians and afterwards rounding the first Passover. These events fit to- gathered at Rameses to leave Egypt as one. This gether easily when we reckon the Hebrew day to Testimony, February 2019 Contents 67 Diagram 2: Evening-morning model: Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, from even to even

Israel leave Egypt at night, on 15 Abib

Spoiling the Egyptians and gathering at Rameses

Passover eaten on the night of 14 Abib

The Passover slain at sunset at the end of 13 Abib/the beginning of 14 Abib begin at sunset. This is the same evening-morning Similar language occurs in the following pas- model that we used in Leviticus 23:32 for the Day sages: 1 Chronicles 16:40; 2 Chronicles 2:4; 13:11; of Atonement. 31:3; Ezra 3:3. The same terminology is used earlier, at the Reviewing the counter-argument time of the consecrations of the priests: The counter-argument to the above suggests “Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon that the various feasts and holy days that began the altar; two lambs of the first year day by “at even” were anomalies, and that this feature day continually. The one lamb thou shalt offer refers only to the way in which some of Israel’s in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt religious feasts and holy days were to be kept. It is offer at even . . .” (Ex. 29:38,39). reasoned that at these times, the special occasion These passages are arguably the strongest evi- in question often stretched across two half-days, dence for the counter-argument that the Hebrew and that there is other Old Testament evidence day began at sunrise. The daily burnt offering to indicate that the Hebrew day commenced at appears always to spoken of as being offered sunrise—in the same manner as was employed “in the morning, and . . . at even,” in that order. in Egypt, Babylon and other cultures. This sacrifice was to be offered day by day con- While acknowledging that many Israelites tinually. may have reasoned this way, as a legacy of their Yet relying solely upon the order of these sac- Egyptian captivity, I do not believe that there is rifices to indicate how the twenty-four-hour day strong supporting evidence to demonstrate that was structured overlooks an important point. We this is how God intended things, or that this is must consider the cultural context and setting of how the Hebrew day was generally reckoned in the sacrifice. We tend to forget that the ancients the Old Testament period. were, by and large, agricultural folk who were We will now examine some of the main pas- early risers. They worked from sunrise to sun- sages that are brought forward to support the set, fully utilising the available daylight. Psalm contrary view that the twenty-four-hour Hebrew 104:20-23 clearly illustrates how they arose with day began at sunrise. the sun and worked until the evening: “Thou makest darkness, and it is night: The daily sacrifice wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep Note the terminology used in Numbers 28:3,4: forth. The young lions roar after their prey, “And thou [Moses] shalt say unto them, This and seek their meat from God. The sun aris- is the offering made by fire which ye shall eth, they gather themselves together, and lay offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first them down in their dens. Man goeth forth year without spot day by day, for a continual unto his work and to his labour until the burnt offering. The one lamb shalt thou offer e v e n i n g .” in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou Note how man’s work during the daylight hours offer at even . . .” is contrasted with the beasts who creep forth in Testimony, February 2019 68 Contents the night.1 The ancients did not have artificial even . . . morning.” Some take this as indicative of lighting to the extent that we do—so much so the way that the twenty-four-hour day was struc- that we often hardly notice the difference between tured. However, it is much more likely that this day and night. For them, all work was generally passage means that there would be no prospect done during daylight hours. The night was a of better things either in the daylight or in the time of rest. night. The verse could just as easily mean that, It therefore appears that the daily sacrifices during the day when the people laboured, there were to ‘bookend’ their labour—that is, they and would be no anticipation of rest in the evening. all their labour were to be dedicated to the Lord, Likewise when evening came, there would be at the start and at the end of each period of day- no anticipation of rest or relief on the following light. This is why incense was offered at the same morning. The sequence corresponds to the idea time as the daily burnt offerings. This stood for of labouring in the daylight hours. their prayers of dedication and of thanks to God 1 Samuel 17:16: “And the Philistine drew near for all that He did for them. Of note here is Acts morning and evening, and presented himself 3:1, already referred to above, which tells us that forty days.” The explanation offered is that for “the hour of prayer” was “the ninth hour”—that forty days Goliath approached the Israelite camp is, about 3 p.m. Incense was offered up toward every ‘morning and evening,’ not every ‘evening the end of the working day. It may be that, after and morning.’ But this verse does not say that the pattern on the Day of Atonement, coals from Goliath approached day and night. The natural the altar of burnt offering were taken to the altar way to read the text is that Goliath presented his of incense in the Holy Place (Lev. 16:12), thus con- challenge to Israel at the start and at the end of necting the daily burnt offerings to the offering the daylight period for fighting. This he did for of the incense. forty days. Job 4:20: “They are destroyed from morning Other evidence considered to evening: they perish for ever without any What of other passages that appear to speak of the regarding it.” The account of Job is not related Hebrew day lasting ‘from morning to evening’? to the Law of Moses, and probably precedes it. Exodus 18:13: “And it came to pass on the This makes this passage irrelevant to the ques- morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and tion under consideration. It reads quite naturally the people stood by Moses from the morning unto that mortal men are destroyed from sunrise to the evening.” The context indicates that Moses sunset. Job is not marking out the starting and spent all his daylight hours sitting in judgment. finishing points of the Hebrew day. The idea is Moses did not judge the people during the night, similar to the later statement, “he shall be unclean but commenced in the morning and continued until the even,” a phrase which occurs frequently till the evening. This is not the marking of a in Leviticus, for instance, and which basically twenty-four-hour day. indicates sunset. Deuteronomy 28:66,67: “And thy life shall In conclusion, these verses do not provide hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day evidence to indicate how the Hebrew day was and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy ordered. The ‘evening . . . morning’ model set life: in the morning thou shalt say, Would God out in this study remains the best explanation it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would of the available scriptural evidence. God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.” The order given 1. For another passage which associates night time with is “day and night” and “morning . . . even . . . the activity of wild animals, see 2 Samuel 21:10. “Let Us make” The first occurrence of this phrase is in Genesis 1:26, where God said, “Let Us make man . . .” It occurs again in chapter 11 in the context of the building of the tower of Babel. The builders said, “let us make us a name . . .” (v. 4). The contrast between the two events is striking. Both statements refer to acts of creation. The first was to produce a man (and a woman) to reflect the character of God—in His image and likeness. The second was to produce a city and organisation to glorify man. This plan was unacceptable to the Almighty, who frustrated their plans by confounding their language.—Eric Marshall

Testimony, February 2019 Contents 69 Your Letters

Forgiveness at the Lord’s table to acknowledge when we have got it wrong in the past and the need to seek “a more excellent way.” I appreciated brother Gary Penn’s article on the Persisting in trying to work with an unwieldy Song of Moses,1 linking Israel’s salvation through method of interpretation is like trying to squeeze the Red Sea to our greater salvation in Christ. I into Cinderella’s dainty shoe the great big foot of don’t wish to detract from the helpfulness of this an ugly sister. article, but I was rather puzzled by one statement: As a community that prides itself on being “How blessed we are to be able to come around Bible students, we must not lose the art of keep- the emblems of our Lord’s sacrifice, and to ask ing an open mind and proving all things by for, and obtain, forgiveness of sins on the basis comparing Scripture with Scripture. Too often of God’s mercy and our repentance!” we seem rather to be comparing Brother X’s This statement could be interpreted as mean- writing with Brother Y’s—much like the Jewish ing that we obtain forgiveness at the breaking rabbis and teachers of the Law? I truly believe of bread. None of the Gospel accounts of the that the answers are quite simple, but we have Last Supper, nor Paul’s more extensive account complicated everything so that many of us are in 1 Corinthians 11, indicate that forgiveness is having difficulty seeing the wood for the trees. specifically obtained at the breaking of bread. Veronica Clark Remembering Jesus’ sacrifice is the vital thing. Christchurch, New Zealand Scripture indicates that Christ is ever-present to respond to our needs (Heb. 7:25; 1 Jno. 2:1). We sometimes hear Sunday morning prayers 1. Testimony, Aug. to Nov. 2018. asking that “this wine may cleanse us,” or stat- ing, “We came here today unclean, we leave Zechariah 12–14 cleansed.” It is a pity that this thought has taken hold with some, and I feel that we should avoid I would like to support Brother David Green’s any statement that may inadvertently imply that conclusion1 that Zechariah 12–14 speaks of one this is the case. invasion and siege of Jerusalem, not two. The Joan Lewis basis for my comment is the literary structure of Pershore the prophecy. The Oxford Encyclopaedia of Books of the Bible (2011) proposes an inverted parallelism of sections as follows: 1. Gary Penn, “The Song of Moses”, Testimony, vol. 88, A 12:1-9: deliverance of Jerusalem no. 1,042, Oct. 2018, p. 359. B 12:10–13:1: sacrifice of Messiah C 13:2-6: cleansing of the land from false Isaiah 23 teaching B’ 13:7-9: suffering of Messiah Thank you for your series “Tyre, Tarshish and A’ 14:1-21: deliverance and elevation of Jerusalem. Brexit: Taking a closer look at Isaiah 23.”1 I be- I discovered recently that the broad structure lieve that you have successfully pointed out the indicated above was discussed much earlier, in difficulties we have fallen into by sticking too Joyce Baldwin’s Tyndale Old Testament Commentar- closely to the predictions of some brethren. That ies; Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi (1972). is not to decry the work of our earlier brethren I would like to make one departure from the such as John Thomas and Robert Roberts, for they Oxford Encyclopaedia. Zechariah 13:6 is clearly saw momentous events taking place at a time of Messianic and it would be a mistake to read it great world upheaval and were trying to make as attached to the false prophet of verse 5. If the sense of the rapid changes happening at the time. chiasm boundary is slightly amended, then it fits However, we are a long way down the track well with the Messianic parallel of the crucifixion now, and we ought to be mature and wise enough in chapter 12. The centre of the literary structure Testimony, February 2019 70 Contents emphasises the important theme of the whole being a nation because they are the enemies of prophecy—that Jerusalem once more will be a God and hate Him. city of truth. Recognition that inverted parallels Of course the Gogian invasion will follow, but are a common feature of the Word of God will the scriptural evidence strongly suggests that it help us to ‘rightly divide the word of truth’ and, will be the surrounding nations that first seek to in this particular case, to avoid the mistake of destroy God’s people, wanting to establish Allah, thinking that there are two separate invasions not Yahweh, as the god of the land. of Jerusalem. Andrew E. Walker Stephen Palmer Doncaster Mumbles Job 1. David Green, “Zechariah’s final prophecy,”Testimony , I have read all the books on Job listed in the No- vol. 88, no. 1,044, Dec. 2018, p. 466. vember 2018 Testimony.1 All, to my mind, can be recommended. The variation of thought on the I read Brother David Green’s article “Zecha- young man Elihu is of interest. Generally he is riah’s final prophecy” with interest and would viewed favourably, but a few of the authors regard like to comment on one aspect of what he said. his words as not worthy of consideration. We have He described the phrase in Zechariah 12:2, “all to be honest and admit that some fine work has the surrounding people” (“all the people round been produced by writers not of the Brotherhood. about,” AV), as meaning “invaders surrounding One book that I can heartily recommend is A Com- Jerusalem rather than the nations located around mentary on the Book of Job by Samuel Cox, DD, first Israel,” claiming that it is used elsewhere in the published in 1880.2 He spends fifty-seven pages Old Testament in this way, and quoting Psalm 3 as an example. Whilst this is true of Psalm 3, this is not the phrase used in Zechariah 12. The phrase Brother Samuel Cox (1826– David refers to is am shiyth cabiyb, and this cer- 1893), nonconformist tainly means people gathered together. But the minister and author phrase in Zechariah 12 is am cabiyb, and it is used of numerous just six times in the Old Testament. The first, in books, including Exodus 19:12, is of Israel encamped around Sinai; A Commentary on the and, apart from Zechariah, the other three (Deut. Book of Job. 6:14; 13:7; Judg. 2:12) are all of the nations living (Public domain) around Israel. In each reference there is a warn- ing from the Lord about the false gods of these nations; Yahweh is the one true God, not Baal or Ashtaroth. In this is the key to the forthcoming on the words of Elihu, and his comprehension invasion of Israel by the surrounding nations. and analysis are written in a quality of English When Abraham entered the Land, he found the which lovers of the language can only applaud. Canaanite there with the false worship he had Critics of Elihu would benefit from his words, left behind in Ur. His response was to set up and I rather feel that some of them might place altars to the Lord and proclaim His name. From their hands over their mouths. I also feel that that time until today, there has been tension in Brother L. G. Sargent, author of one of the books Israel over whose land it is and whose God will recommended in November and a sublime writer, dominate. Ezekiel tells us that the Edomites and would have revelled in this work. the Philistines sought to take the land and destroy Tom McCarthy Israel in Nebuchadnezzar’s day, and that they will Newport have a perpetual hatred against them until the time of the end when, through Christ’s return and 1. Geoff Henstock, “Give attention to reading . . . in punishment of them, “they shall know that I am December,” Testimony, vol. 88, no. 1,043, Nov. 2018, p. the LORD.” Perhaps the most significant reference 434. is found in Psalm 83, where we read that the 2. Dr Cox’s book is mentioned in R. W. Ask, “Bless God surrounding nations seek to cut off Israel from and die,” Testimony, vol. 14, no. 157, Jan. 1944, p. 5. Testimony, February 2019 Contents 71 Exposition Paying taxes—the coin and the fish( 1) Geoff Henstock

The incident of the fish with the coin in its mouth, on the mountain the Lord was joined uniquely recorded in Matthew 17:24-27, is seen as more by Moses and Elijah, and the three conversed. than another, albeit unusual, miracle when the context is In Luke 9 we learn something considered carefully. of what was said in this conversa- tion with Moses and Elijah. The HEN I SAT for the English paper for my transfiguration was a foretaste of the glory that final examinations at high school I had would be the Lord’s after he rose from the dead. Wa most disconcerting experience. I was Significantly, Luke tells us that they spoke about required to write an essay about the juxtaposition the Lord’s impending death: “And, behold, there of ideas in a poem. This was the very first time I talked with him two men, which were Moses had ever encountered the word ‘juxtaposition.’ I and Elias: who appeared in glory, and spake of had to write an essay about a word whose mean- his decease which he should accomplish at Je- ing was unknown to me! rusalem” (vv. 30,31). The verbs used in all three Juxtaposition just means “placing, being synoptic Gospels suggest this was a lengthy, placed, side by side.”1 In this article we will detailed conversation. The three spoke of the examine a small section of Matthew’s Gospel, Lord’s “decease” (Gk. exodus). Strictly, this word and in doing so will see that its interpretation is means ‘departure.’ It is used only three times in influenced by what is recorded by Matthew before the New Testament: here; in 2 Peter 1:15, where and after the incident. It is the intention that this it refers to the death of Peter; and in Hebrews will impart some insight into the significance of 11:22, where it refers to the exodus or departure the passage and also some clues that will help of the Israelites from Egypt. The standard Greek more generally when reading the Bible. Often word for death, thanatos, is not used in this place. what is recorded before and after an incident or Who better than Moses and Elijah to speak passage will help us to understand the point of with Jesus as he was about to embark on his final the record. journey to Jerusalem? Moses, who had initially This is especially true in the Gospel records. been rejected by Israel before delivering them Matthew, Mark, Luke and John each record only from Egypt, and Elijah, who encountered stiff selected events, and place them in a specific order, opposition from officials intent on ending his not always chronologically, to teach particular life. What our Lord would face when he reached lessons. Yes, there is value in harmonising the Jerusalem was death, but no ordinary death. It records to gain an overview of what is happening would be a departure, an exodus, from the limi- in the life of our Lord, but this should not be at tations of mortality; a departure for a time from the expense of listening to the message that each this world, in an act which would bring deliver- writer is trying to impart. ance to the Israel of God. And it would involve active opposition from the leaders of the nation. The transfiguration So what is the context of our passage in Matthew Rise on the third day 17? The chapter opens with the Lord in the ex- It is not clear how much of this conversation treme north of the land on what Matthew calls was heard or even understood by Peter, James “an high mountain.” It seems likely that this was and John, but from this point on the Lord spoke Mount Hermon. There, in the company of Peter, James and John, our Lord was transfigured. While 1. Oxford English Dictionary. Testimony, February 2019 72 Contents openly about his coming death and resurrection. is delivered into the hands of men, and they For instance, as the group descended from the shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he mount of transfiguration, the Lord said this to his shall rise the third day. But they understood inner circle: “And as they came down from the not that saying, and were afraid to ask him” mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the (9:30-32). vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen We note in verse 30 that the Lord was wishing to again from the dead” (Mt. 17:9). This is blunt and remain as private as it was possible to be. The time unambiguous language. Yet the record suggests for public preaching was well and truly over. He that, rather than asking Jesus what he meant by was on his way to Jerusalem to be crucified, and this, they asked the Lord about Elijah’s place in was now determined to spend as much time as prophecy. In answering their question, the Lord he could in preparing his disciples for the trials drew attention to the violent persecution that he ahead, as the opening words of verse 31 suggest. was about to suffer: And, as in Matthew 17, this verse emphasises that “And his disciples asked him, saying, Why the resurrection would be on “the third day.” As then say the scribes that Elias must first come? we shall see, the Lord is clearly making a point And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias about “the third day.” truly shall first come, and restore all things. Verse 32 is telling: the disciples did not un- But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, derstand the Lord’s words—which is entirely and they knew him not, but have done unto understandable. If some person we loved and him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall admired said this to us we would be incredulous; also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the we would struggle to understand the significance disciples understood that he spake unto them of the statement. In this case the man uttering of John the Baptist” (vv. 10-13). the words was not just a beloved friend; it was Again, they do not seek to tease out the signifi- a man whom they recognised as their Messiah, cance of this clear warning about the suffering the one who would deliver Israel from bondage. that was soon to be inflicted. After the miracle So it is entirely understandable that they found of the healing of a young epileptic man in verses this message hard to grasp. But verse 32 also 14-21, the Lord again speaks about his impending says that they “were afraid to ask him” about the death and resurrection: message. “And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said These statements which Jesus had made since unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed the transfiguration were not the first time the into the hands of men: and they shall kill him, Lord had spoken openly about his death and and the third day he shall be raised again. resurrection. Immediately prior to the transfigu- And they were exceeding sorry” (vv. 22,23). ration, the Lord had brought up this subject, again Nothing could be clearer than these words of the using words which are blunt and impossible to Lord. The disciples understood some of what their misunderstand: “From that time forth began Jesus Master said because the record says they were to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go “exceeding sorry.” It is clear, however, that they unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the were still not taking in the fact that their Lord elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, would rise from the dead. Why would they have and be raised again the third day” (Mt. 16:21). been sorry if they understood that their Lord Note the opening words of this verse: “From would rise from the dead? And note the specific that time forth.” Evidently the Lord repeatedly reference to “the third day” in verse 23; we shall brought up this subject in these closing months come back to this. of his mortal ministry. And in this verse again the Lord specifically mentions that the resurrec- They understood not tion would be on “the third day.” Mark makes it clear that the disciples failed to Presumably the Lord’s objective was to pre- take in the full significance of the Lord’s state- pare his disciples for the trauma of the events ment. More than that, he makes it clear that they that would unfold in Jerusalem. It would seem, were reluctant to dwell on the message: however, that the disciples were reluctant to take “And they departed thence, and passed the message on board. Perhaps they hoped that, through Galilee; and he would not that any if they ignored what by now was a recurring man should know it. For he taught his dis- theme from the lips of the Lord, somehow the ciples, and said unto them, The Son of man impending crisis could be averted. Surely this is Testimony, February 2019 Contents 73 the most likely explanation for their perplexing to have a view about Jesus—either positive or lack of curiosity about the statements of the Lord. negative, and no doubt in some cases both posi- It is worth asking whether we might fall into tive and negative. a similar trap. The Old Testament prophets speak The AV refers to “they that received tribute plainly about the sufferings of Messiah. That money.” The ESV refers to “the collectors of the information was freely available to the disciples. two-drachma tax,” using the actual monetary Those same prophets likewise speak plainly value mentioned in the Greek text. These versions about terrible judgments that will be wrought do not make it clear whether the reference is to when Messiah returns to the earth to establish Roman or local taxation. Other versions avoid God’s Kingdom from Jerusalem. Some disciples a literal translation of the Greek word for the have been troubled by the severity of these judg- amount of money to make it clear that this is a ments and have chosen rather to ignore these reference to the temple tax that was collected to prophecies and to focus on other things. This fund the operation of the temple in Jerusalem. kind of behaviour always leads to perverse and How can we be certain of that fact? Because two distorted outcomes. Let us not be like the disci- drachmas convert to half a shekel, the amount ples in this regard; let us never be afraid to ask levied annually on Jews to support the operation questions about these matters. of the temple; hence the Jerusalem Bible’s transla- tion of “half-shekel.” The temple tax Exodus records the origin of this temple tax. It Returning to Matthew 17, we come now to the is clear that the levy was to be paid by all adult incident we wish to consider. Matthew alone re- male Israelites, and that it was to be used to defray cords this curious incident of the temple tax and the costs of the tabernacle, which in later times the finding of the money in the mouth of a fish: was replaced by the temple: “And when they were come to Capernaum, “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, they that received tribute money came to Peter, When thou takest the sum of the children and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? of Israel after their number, then shall they He saith, Yes. And when he was come into give every man a ransom for his soul unto the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What the LORD, when thou numberest them; that thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings there be no plague among them, when thou of the earth take custom or tribute? of their numberest them. This they shall give, every own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto one that passeth among them that are num- him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then bered, half a shekel after the shekel of the are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an we should offend them, go thou to the sea, half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD. and cast an hook, and take up the fish that Every one that passeth among them that are first cometh up; and when thou hast opened numbered, from twenty years old and above, his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: shall give an offering unto the LORD. The rich that take, and give unto them for me and shall not give more, and the poor shall not thee” (vv. 24-27). give less than half a shekel, when they give an This is one of the more unusual of the Lord’s offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement miracles, but there are some very good reasons for for your souls. And thou shalt take the atone- recording the story, because it imparts important ment money of the children of Israel, and shalt messages. It is also significant that it occurs where appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of it does in the record, because those matters which the congregation; that it may be a memorial precede the story and which we have briefly re- unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to viewed, as well as the incident that follows it, are make an atonement for your souls” (30:11-16). fundamental to understanding its significance. Verse 12 says that the half-shekel per man was to The disciples arrive in Capernaum. This had be paid for a “ransom.” The Hebrew word, kopher, become the closest thing our Lord had had to a literally means ‘cover.’ It is related to the word home town since he left Nazareth at the age of translated ‘atonement’ in verse 15, the Hebrew thirty. He and the disciples were well known in word kaphar, a word routinely translated ‘atone- Capernaum, which was the scene of so many of ment.’ In verse 16 the word translated ‘atonement’ our Lord’s healing miracles. It would have been is the Hebrew kippor, the plural form of the word impossible for any resident of Capernaum not translated ‘atonement’ in verse 15. Testimony, February 2019 74 Contents In verse 15 it is clear that this levy applied to hundred thousand and three thousand and all regardless of rank or position. And in verse five hundred and fifty men. And of the hun- 16 the levy is described as a “memorial.” Memo- dred talents of silver were cast the sockets rial of what? A memorial of their redemption or of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the vail; deliverance, hence verse 12 links the payment to an hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a the avoidance of plague. Brother W. F. Barling talent for a socket” (38:25-27). has some pertinent words on this tribute money: Verse 25 specifically says that the silver used for “Every man had thus to confess that his life this purpose was the silver collected from the was forfeit and in need of redemption. To numbering of the congregation according to the withhold this admission was to court death terms of Exodus 30. We see, incidentally, from . . . Each census—each count of the living— verse 26 that the fee levied for each adult was a was to serve as a fitting reminder of the just very modest amount indeed. In total, the silver deserts of every sinner thus counted. All men collected from over 600,000 men was sufficient alike were to regard themselves as absolute to make only 100 sockets. The sockets referred equals when it came to death: all alike were in to are those described in 26:15-25,32, where they precisely the same need of redemption f r o m i t .” 2 were the means by which the boards that made up the walls of the tabernacle, and the pillars of Silver sockets and redemption the veil, were supported. As Brother Barling sug- This original levy was allocated to a special gests, through this requirement for silver sockets purpose. It was dedicated to the making of the “Israel was forcibly reminded that the very ground silver sockets which supported the boards that and basis of its national life was redemption.” 3 made up the walls of the tabernacle: With this background to the temple tax we can “And the silver of them that were numbered ask whether our Lord would need to pay money of the congregation was an hundred talents, for a ‘covering’ in the terms of the requirements and a thousand seven hundred and three- of Exodus. score and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of (To be continued) the sanctuary: a bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctu- ary, for every one that went to be numbered, 2. Brother W. F. Barling, Law and Grace, pp. 64–5. from twenty years old and upward, for six 3 Ibid., p. 65.

The value of personal Bible study Brother Robert Roberts wrote: “Salvation depends upon the assimilation of the mind to the divine ideas, principles, and affections, exhibited in the Scriptures. This process . . . takes a lifetime . . . for its accom- plishment. This is a work of slow development, and can only be achieved by the industrious application of the individual to the expression of His mind in the Scriptures of truth” (preface to The Bible Companion). It follows, therefore, that the most valuable way to learn from Scripture is to examine it for our- selves. It may be that we think that, when preparing talks or beginning our own personal Bible study, reading the works of others will give us a ‘good start’ or speed our acquisition of knowl- edge. Whilst this may appear to be a good method, especially for younger brethren and sisters, it is actually counterproductive. Following those methods fills our minds with the thoughts and analytical methods of others. Rather, we should be filling our minds with the words and ideas of Scripture and developing a mind which mimics Scripture’s own way of developing ideas. This can only come from reading and thinking about Scripture. The works of others are helpful only to the extent to which they help us in this direction. We should not read the works of others simply to acquire information. The Father is not concerned with how much we know. Rather, He is concerned with the degree to which we apply what we do know of His Word. Speaking in the context of giving, the Apostle Paul says, “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not” (2 Cor. 8:12). This principle should be applied in our analysis and application of the Scriptures. We should be like the Bereans who “received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11).—Peter Forbes

Testimony, February 2019 Contents 75 Science Is seeing believing? 1. Introduction Peter Forbes

In this occasional series of articles, it is proposed to likewise certainly the case; and if such examine the various complex structures of the eye. It variations should be useful to any is hoped that this will encourage readers to decide for animal under changing conditions of life, then the difficulty of believ- themselves whether the eye, with all of its remarkably ing that a perfect and complex eye complex detail, fits better with special creation, as could be formed by natural selection, described in the Bible, or with the theory of evolution. though insuperable by our imagina- tion, should not be considered as HE BIBLE TEACHES that God, the Crea- subversive of the theory.” 2 tor, made everything. The complexity and This is not suggesting that Darwin saw the eye Tinterdependence of life on earth makes as an obstacle to belief in his theory. But his hope belief in any theory which suggests that all life that “if numerous gradations from a simple and came into existence ‘by chance’ an act of folly and imperfect eye to one complex and perfect can blind faith. A belief in something which not only be shown to exist . . .” has not been proven. The cannot be substantiated, but which the evidence believer in evolution is still searching and waiting falsifies, is the belief system followed by many for the “numerous gradations.”3 Until these are people. In contrast, the Bible makes the simple, found, Darwin’s word “absurd” can continue to yet amazing statement: “The hearing ear, and be applied to a belief that the eye developed by the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both some sort of natural selection and development.4 of them” (Prov. 20:12). Infinite complexity and interdependence Darwin and the eye The eye and its various internal and external Charles Darwin himself saw the existence of a structures all work together and are interde- complete and functioning eye as a difficulty with pendent. The malfunctioning of any of those his theory of evolution. He wrote: “To suppose that the eye with all its inimitable 1. “Vox populi, vox Dei” is Latin for “the voice of the contrivances for adjusting the focus to differ- people is the voice of God.” ent distances, for admitting different amounts 2. Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species By Means of of light, and for the correction of spherical and Natural Selection or The Preservation of Favoured Races chromatic aberration, could have been formed in the Struggle for Life (New York: The Modern Library, by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, 1993), p. 227–8. absurd in the highest degree. 3. Whist some suggest that less complex eyes in various “When it was first said that the sun stood other living organisms are evidence of these “numer- ous graduations,” they are not proof. In identifying still and the world turned round, the common these less complex eyes, like is not being compared sense of mankind declared the doctrine false; with like. A developing eye in the same species over but the old saying of Vox populi, vox Dei,1 as time is not being presented; rather, less complex eyes every philosopher knows, cannot be trusted in different species. in science. Reason tells me, that if numerous 4. Some would agree that, while there is no historical gradations from a simple and imperfect eye evidential trail of partially developed yet functional to one complex and perfect can be shown to eyes, an appeal to genetic data in fossils suggests that the genetic similarities are evidence of evolution. It is exist, each grade being useful to its possessor, just as probable that the genetic similarities demon- as is certainly the case; if further, the eye ever strate the work of a Creator. varies and the variations be inherited, as is Picture: public domain. Testimony, February 2019 76 Contents structures compromises the effectiveness of the between black and white. Additionally, the five visual system. Indeed, some of the structures are external muscles controlling each eye work to- so dependent on others that the suggestion that gether to ensure binocular vision. One might ask they developed independent of each other ‘by why we have two eyes. It would be impossible to chance’ is simply irrational. know in advance the benefit of having two eyes There is no value in there being a developed unless two eyes were present. retina to receive an image of the outside world The cornea differs from any other organ in if that image cannot be focused precisely on the the body in that it does not have a blood supply, receptors on the retina. This is achieved by the nourishment being provided by other means. In combination of the cornea—the front surface of fact it is most appropriate that the cornea has no the eye—and the crystalline lens inside the eye. blood vessels, because they would compromise In like manner it is essential that the amount of the clarity of the cornea, a quality essential for light impinging on the retina is controlled. This good vision. Additionally, the tears, a complex is achieved by the iris, which varies the size of substance, serve to both nourish and protect the the pupil to control the amount of light entering eye.5 Many of these features and issues will be the eye. considered in detail, God willing, in the forth- Colour vision is achieved through the func- coming articles. tion of two different types of light receptor in the retina, one type of cell being responsible for 5. For a consideration of tears see David Burges, Wonders colour vision and the other for distinguishing of Creation, The Testimony, 2017, p. 189.

Contents

Exhortation “What sayest thou of thyself?” Edward Carr

John the Baptist was given a threefold challenge as to his of John”; when asked “he confessed, identity: ‘Who are you? Who are you? Who are you?’ (Jno. and denied not; but confessed . . .” (1:19,20). John’s threefold confession 1:19-22). He was clear about his identity. But what about is actually a threefold denial, each in us? Are we as clear about our role in serving our God? turn more succinct and definite than the last: “I am not the Christ”; “I am HE GOSPEL OF JOHN begins by identify- not”; “No” (vv. 20,21). John knew his role. He was ing John the Baptist as a key part of the not the Christ, but a servant of the one to come, Trevelation of God. By him authoritative wit- a preparer of the Way, and he would give way ness was made of the light of the knowledge of when the time came. He was to bear witness God which was to be revealed in the face of Jesus of the light and to bear witness to the truth (v. Christ. John was a powerful preacher. Multitudes 7; 5:33). He was there to turn the hearts of the came to hear his challenging message of the need people to make ready for the coming of the one for a radically changed life (Mk. 1:4), preaching who would be Christ. the baptism of repentance (Lk. 3:3) and crying out for preparation. When he was challenged, What about us? “What sayest thou of thyself?” (Jno. 1:22), John What would we say of ourselves? Are we this was clear about his role: “I am the voice of one clear when challenged? Is our message simple, crying in the wilderness” (v. 23); and he was clear clear and concise? Each disciple must choose about his message: “Make straight the way of the ‘to confess, and deny not, but to confess’ who Lord.” Simple, clear and concise. we are. Are we servants of the Lord or not? Do While “all men mused in their hearts of John, we prepare a way for others? Do our behaviour, whether he were the Christ, or not” (Lk. 3:15), the demeanour and character demonstrate the life- Gospel of John spells it out: “this is the record changing power of the message of truth that John Testimony, February 2019 Contents 77 witnessed to, or not? Do we bear witness of the John had done in positive ways. Peter was not light and to the truth in the lives we lead? unusual, and neither are we, in struggling to At the end of the Gospel of John the experience be as clear as John about who we are and the of Peter is set in counterpoint to the threefold responsibility we have to serve our Lord. confession of John—the heart-rending threefold So challenge yourself with the question posed denial: “I am not” (18:17,25,27); then the pain- to John: “What sayest thou of thyself?” Let ful threefold challenge to confess to a love of John’s clarity and his humility in service inspire the Lord: “Lovest thou me?”; and the repeated us to be ready ‘to confess, and deny not, but to threefold responsibility which comes with that confess’ who we are and the Lord to whom we confession: “Feed . . .” (21:15-17). All these things belong. Contents Pertinent pronouns (7) Geoff Henstock

HE LORD’S PARABLE of the Wicked Hus- the Babylonians and other nations which bandmen is a stinging exposé of the corrup- God used as vehicles for the punishment of Ttion of the Jewish leaders. They recognised His people, the Romans acted in accordance it was aimed at them (Mt. 21:45), but that fact only with what they assessed as their interests hardened their opposition to Jesus (v. 46). when they waged war against the Jews. Matthew follows this exchange with the Par- They were, nevertheless, tools in the hands able of the Marriage of the King’s Son, in which of God in progressing His divine plan and the Lord again condemns the Jewish rulers. Some purpose; are presented as disinterested in the calling of • and secondly, the city of Jerusalem, which those sent by God (22:5)—in the past in the person the Romans destroyed with fire, is described of the prophets, and now through Jesus; others as “their city”—that is, the city of the unre- are described as responding with unrestrained sponsive Jews. In 1 Kings 11:36 God spoke of hostility (v. 6). At times this extended even to “Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen Me murder, a pattern that would soon be repeated to put My name there.” In Psalm 132:14 it is in their rejection of Jesus. spoken as being the place where God would In verse 7 the Lord spoke of the response of dwell for ever. One day Jerusalem will again the king to the rejection of his gracious invitation: be the city of God, but in the first century it “But when the king heard thereof, he was had turned its back on God and was then the wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and city of the Jews who refused to acknowledge destroyed those murderers, and burned up their Messiah. their c i t y .” Matthew 22:1 describes this parable as an ‘answer’ This is a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem from Jesus, presumably to the hostile thoughts by the Romans in AD 70. The pronouns used in of the rulers in 21:46. One can only wonder how this verse reveal two interesting facts about that incensed the rulers must have been to hear our punishment: Lord now dissociate their holy city from God, • first, the king (God) identifies the armed forces ascribe it to them and condemn it to destruc- of Rome as “his armies.” Like the Assyrians, tion.

“The collective name used to describe the saints and faithful brethren in the various cities of the Near East was the Greek word ekklēsia. With one exception (Acts 19:37), wherever we meet the word Church in the New Testament, the original is ekklēsia. Paul uses the word over sixty times in his letters, especially when writing to Corinth, whilst Luke uses it of the believers from the beginning . . . [By] the appointment of elders in every ecclesia the way was being prepared for the time when the true apostles should have left the scene of their labours, when true prophecy should fail and tongues should cease” (J. B. Norris, The First Century Ecclesia).

Testimony, February 2019 78 Contents P. S . Catalogue of shame HAME HAS BEEN described as more pow- • the thought that we might be discovered as erful than fear and anger, more corrosive being a fraud in some way Sthan anxiety and stress, more dangerous • compulsive and addictive behaviours; the fact than pain or grief. But what exactly is it, and how that we can’t control our appetites of all kinds does it differ from other negative feelings such • that we don’t love our children, our partner as guilt? One way of thinking about it is this: if or our parents as much as we should guilt is remorse about what you did, then shame • that our house/environment/family situation is remorse about who or what you are. The first is a mess is outside yourself (an action you took), the other • that we can’t seem to get organised and handle strikes at the inside; it undermines your very self. life as smoothly as others Shame, then, is self-loathing, that disgust at • a suicide or an illness in the family yourself when the mask is stripped off and the • our inability to ‘help ourselves’; chosen or ugliness of what is underneath is exposed to unchosen dependence on others. view. Public shaming can be the worst of all; it is And what do humans do with their shame? How when you are sliced open and all the parts that do they manage to live and cope with it? We seek others are not meant to see are revealed. It is what to cover it up, to paste over it, to pretend it wasn’t you hate about yourself and the exposing of that there—just as Adam and Eve did: to others so they can see it and hate it too. It is • we try to hide our shame; we sew fig leaves the horrible truth about yourself—everything to cover the nakedness of what we really are that you despise—that you spend so much time • we take Prozac; we drink too much alcohol covering up. • we play ‘let’s pretend’; we paint a thick veneer To speak of ‘covering up’ in this way takes us over our drab lives in an attempt to convince right back to the very first use of the concept. ourselves and others that everything is fine There was a time before shame—a time when • we boast; we try to distract people from our Adam and Eve walked naked and unashamed— inadequacies by ‘peacocking’ about, pretend- but once they had fallen they knew instantly ing to a perfect life we have never had what shame was and so reached for the nearest • we are aggressive, perhaps even violent; we flimsy cloaking they could find in order to cover compensate through conquest and displays themselves. In the garden there is a literal element of power. to that exposure (the exposure of nakedness), but There is nothing new here, then—and these at- metaphorical exposure of that which ought not to tempts to bypass, cover or ignore shame are not be about ourselves can be more painful still—no the way. There is nothing which is shameful or doubt Adam and Eve felt both. shaming about us that the Lord doesn’t already Shame, then, is very much alive today and as know, so there is no point in all this fake paint debilitating as ever. Everyone since Adam and and cover up! Do we really think we can hide Eve has known it, with the exception of one. And from Him, or that the opinions of our peers matter what is it that people (ourselves included) might so much (if it is they we are hiding from) when be ashamed of? There are so many possibilities, compared with His? from the trivial to the truly devastating. We might The Scriptures have already shown us the way: feel ashamed because of: that we must acknowledge who we are and accept • our physical appearance or mental state the covering that He has provided. This was, after • things which happened in our childhood (bul- all, exactly what Adam and Eve had to do. Next lying, abuse, poor background, other event) month we shall think about how Christ has taken • our career failures (stuck in a rut, failure to our shame upon himself and borne it away; but for be promoted, one’s business going bust, un- now—burdened down with whatever shame and employment) guilt we bear—the words of the hymn provide an • the failure of our expectations and aspirations important starting point: “Cast thy burden upon • a failed relationship (us, our parents, our the Lord, and He shall sustain thee.” children) Mark Vincent Testimony, February 2019 Contents 79 SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS for 2019 Subscriptions Secretary: SOUTH AFRICA Mrs Sarah Marshall, 2 Longridge Road, Please apply for rates and method of Woodthorpe, Nottingham, NG5 4LX. payment to the Subscriptions Secretary Tel. +44 (0)115 859 9297 (see left). email: [email protected] Remittances payable to THE TESTIMONY (CHRISTADELPHIAN) Subscriptions are obtainable from our website, http://testimonymagazine.com, through the USA agents listed below, or from the Subscriptions Surface mail US$52 (student rate $26; airmail Secretary, to whom all correspondence $100); e-magazine $31 (student rate $16). relating to the issue of the magazine (including Mrs Celia Coleman, 22450 Schoenborn change of address) should be addressed. 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(6) 354 0396; Fax (6) 354 0395 For a list of previous years’ Special Issues email: [email protected] available, please apply to the Subscriptions Remittances payable to Secretary, to whom all orders should be sent. TESTIMONY MAGAZINE 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 2019 80 Contents York scenes 12. South door of York Minster

HE AREA immediately in front of the south At his baptism, the Lord Jesus is seen “coming door of York Minster (the city’s cathedral) is up out of” the River Jordan (Mk. 1:10). Traised above the general level of the pave- ment to form a platform that is sometimes used It is not only the form of baptism that is impor- for public events. The picture shows the scene tant; the Bible also stresses the importance of on the morning of Easter Saturday, 26 March understanding its meaning and the associated 2016, as preparations were being made for an commitment. Exploring the New Testament, we open-air ‘baptism’ service that afternoon. The find much about true baptism: it requires belief service was organised by an ecumenical grouping in “the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus of York churches. A subsequent report in a local Christ” (Acts 8:12); it is a burial and rising again newspaper described how hundreds watched (Col. 2:12); it is a commitment to newness of life the ceremony, which involved eight people being by association with Christ (Rom. 6:4); it is a wash- baptised—the youngest was seven years of age, ing away of sins (Acts 22:16); it is a putting on but most were adults. of Christ (Gal 3:27). One key aspect of baptism is repentance (Acts 2:38), indicating that it is an The usual form of ‘baptism’ practised in York act of humility. Minster, and in most other churches, continues to be by sprinkling—usually of infants. It is interest- Although it might appear good that some churches ing, therefore, that full immersion in water was are appreciating anew the biblical mode of bap- selected as the method of baptism on this occa- tism, we are left doubting whether those being sion. The blue container in the picture was being ‘baptised’ fully understand the full extent of its filled with water in readiness for the event—cold meaning and the appropriate beliefs and attitude water only! Baptism by full immersion in water is required to approach such a significant act of faith. the biblical way, of course. The Bible speaks of baptisms taking place where there was “much The service on Easter Saturday 2016 marked the water” (Jno. 3:23) and describes those being tenth anniversary of what has become an annual baptised going “down into the water” (Acts 8:38). event in York.—Neil Galilee

Contents IV TESTIMONY BOOKS

One Man’s Pilgrimage: under God’s good hand. John Mitchell. “When friends who knew something of my history and experiences suggested that I ought to write about them for the benefit of the Brotherhood, I at first demurred . . . When, however, I reflected upon the way in which, from my youth up, ‘the good hand of God’ had guided me in peace and in war, and had kept me in the Way, I decided that, if it would help especially the young to trust in their Heavenly Father in life’s journey, I would tell what happened to me . . .” £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. Treasure . . . New and Old. 277 pages. £10.00. The Pen of a Ready Writer. 272 pages. £2.50. Daniel’s Last Prophecy. 141 pages. £7.50. Man and Woman. 122 pages. £0.50. ‘Spirit’ in the New Testament. 185 pages. £1.00. “In the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” 196 pages. £8.50. Wonders of Creation: the works of the Divine Designer. 202 pages. £10.00. 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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