VOLUME 63 NUMBER 9 OCTOBER 2016 EDITION A THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FREE REFORMED CHURCHES OF NORTH AMERICA THE MESSENGER OCTOBER 2016 • VOLUME 63 NUMBER 9 EDITOR: Rev. Cornelis (Neil) Pronk 655 Park Road N., Unit 29, Brantford, ON N3R 0A2 CANADA • T/F: 519 751-4470 E: [email protected] or [email protected] The Editor reports to the Synodical Publications Committee. All unsigned articles are by the Editor ASSIStaNT EDITOR Dr. Gerald M. Bilkes • E: [email protected] COMMITTEE MEMBERS Hans VanDoodewaard, Secretary P. O. Box 534, St. George, ON N0E 1N0 T. 519.414.0090 • E: [email protected] • Dr. Lawrence W. Bilkes Christ’s • Dr. Gerald M. Bilkes • Rev. Joel Overduin • Rev. Jerrold Lewis REFORMATION • Rev. Robert VanDoodewaard • Mr. Herman DenHollander • Mr. John DenDekker, Treasurer • Rev. David Kranendonk Scripture Reading: John 2:13-17 SUBSCRIPTION RATE Canada & U.S.A. - $31.00 annually for individually mailed subscriptions. The Messenger is published 11 times per year (July & August issues are combined). SUBSCRIPTIONS/REMITTANCES Requests for subscriptions, all payments and inquiries regarding rates, invoices, and all remittances should be addressed to: THE MESSENGER c/o Janey Slingerland, Administrator 18 Chapala Cres. S.E., Calgary, AB T2X 3M4 CANADA T. 403 254-6591 • E: [email protected] ANNOUNCEMENTS/NOTICES MEDITATION All notices for family announcements, obituaries, anniversaries, and non-commercial advertisements for the November 2016 issue should reach the editor no later than Tuesday, October 11, 2016 and should be sent to: lmost 500 years ago, Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the THE MESSENGER 655 Park Road North, Unit 29, Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. It was a simple act. Yet, though simple, it Brantford, ON N3R 0A2 CANADA T/F: 519.751.4470 • E: [email protected] Awas done with a burning zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of sinners. Luther FOREIGN MISSIONS saw that the teaching and practice of the Roman Catholic Church was in error, and the great Keep in contact with your missionaries online: www.frcmissions.org Reformer was deeply moved to confront it. Departmental Editor: Mr. Duane Rogers 14 Twaits Rd., Towaco, NJ T. 973.476.0713 • E: [email protected] Go back about 1500 years before Luther, and we see another Reformer. Another simple OUTREACH act; another burning zeal. It is the zeal of Jesus Christ Himself. In John 2:13, we find the Departmental Editor: Rev. Joel Overduin 60 Carmine Crescent, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3M5 Lord Jesus in Jerusalem to commemorate the annual Passover feast. We are told that He T. 905.327.3844 • E: [email protected] “found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS AND OUTREACH CAUSES SHOULD BE DIRECTED sitting” (v.14). In other words, when Jesus arrived, He immediately took note of two grievous AS FOLLOWS: practices that were openly tolerated in the temple. FOREIGN MISSIONS Mr. William F. Laman, Treasurer All funds should be remitted to: Peter Luth, Financial Administrator Meat Market R.R.7, Dresden, ON N0P 1M0 CANADA T. 519.397.4988 • E: [email protected] The first was a meat market. Now, thepresence of this meat market was in itself commendable. RADIO EVANGELISM The Lord had commanded Moses in Deuteronomy 14:24-26, that Jews who travelled from far Banner of Truth Radio Broadcast Mr. John denDekker, Treasurer away were permitted to purchase sacrificial animals near the temple, so they wouldn’t have 16726 – 80th Avenue, Surrey, BC V4N 0G8 CANADA T. 604.576.8935 • E: [email protected] to transport them. However, the place of this meat market was not commendable. These HOME MISSIONS animals were corralled inside the temple, most likely in the outer, Gentile court. Probably, Mr. Bert Marskamp, Treasurer 78 Windsor Dr., P.O. Box 126, St. George, ON N0E 1N0 these markets had started outside the temple, but had slowly edged ever closer to the holy CANADA • T. 519.448.1763 • E: [email protected] building. First, near the gate, then in the gate, and soon inside the temple itself. This moved REFUGEE FUND James Van der Zwan, Treasurer Christ to act. The place designated by God for Gentiles to worship Him was occupied by a 26829 – 33B Ave., Aldergrove, BC V4W 3G8 CANADA • T. 604.818.3423 • E: [email protected] meat market! If a Gentile, such as the Ethiopian eunuch, would come to seek Israel’s God, he CHRISTIAN MINISTRY TO ISRAEL was forced to do so in a meat market, with lowing cattle, buzzing flies, cooing doves, clinking Mr. John Wilbrink, Treasurer 8 Weneil Drive, Freelton, ON L8B 0Z6 CANADA money, and stinking manure all around him! T. 905.659.7413; E: [email protected] This was not all; the divinely sanctioned practice had become grossly abused. This meat THE YOUTH MESSENGER This semi-annual publication for youth is under the market had (also over time, no doubt) become part of a subtle system somewhat resembling direction of the Youth & Education Committee of the Free Reformed Churches of North America. Editors: organized crime. Jews who brought their own animals from their home or farm did so at Rev. Timothy Bergsma T. 519.354.3100; E: [email protected] considerable risk. The temple authorities were sharp-eyed and quick to discover even the Rev. Joel Overduin: T. 905-327-3844; E: [email protected] tiniest blemish in the animal, rendering it unusable for sacrifice. They might have said Read The Messenger on the Free Reformed website: something like, “I’m sorry sir; your lamb is unacceptable. But, don’t worry, just over there, www.frcna.org 2 OCTOBEROCTOBER 2016 CONTENTS 02 Meditation: Christ’s Reformation 06 CHURCH NEWS 08 EDITORIAL: Luther and His Ninety-Five Thesis By Rev. J. Procee 11 BOOK REVIEW: J.C. Ryle’s 200th Birthday you can buy another lamb. They’re all pre-filtered, pre-checked, and pre-approved.” But…they were also pre-priced. Men would pay exorbitant sums of money for these animals, and the high priest’s 12 coffers overflowed every Passover. This extortion is closely connected to the second grievous practice A GOODLY that Jesus noted. HERITAGE (27): Foppe Martin Ten Hoor Money Market Every Passover, the males twenty years old and up were required to pay a tax, or the “atonement 16 money.” This had also been commanded by God to Moses (Ex. 30:11-16). However, the foreign BIBLE STUDY: currency many travellers carried could not be used in the temple: only local coinage, exactly half Studies in John (17) Safe in the World a shekel, was accepted (Ex. 30:13). So, these foreign Jews had to exchange their money. But, this was painful business. The temple money-change managers were well aware that they could get away with charging hefty exchange rates. The foreign worshippers dared not refuse. Their legal fear and 19 superstition, binding them to their religion of works, was simply too powerful. Thus we see the second PEACE HAVEN’S grievous practice Jesus noted. DAY PROGRAM: “The Farm” All this reveals a twisted, selfish zeal in these opportunists. These sellers and moneychangers were zealous for themselves, for their pocket books and for their personal gain. But we also see another kind of zeal in this passage: Christ’s zeal, a zeal for the salvation of sinners, and a zeal for God’s glory. 20 Our 60th Church/ My Father’s House Seminary Day We should understand that Jesus had noticed these things before. He had been to the temple yearly since age twelve, but then His time was “not yet.” However, having begun His official earthly ministry, 22 the Lord Jesus Christ now acts with divine authority. We read in verses 15 to 16: “And when he had MISSIONS: made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and Visit to Malawi and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; and said unto them that sold doves, Take South Africa these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.” What a scene that must have been, as Jesus stepped in and took charge. Single-handedly, He drove 24 men from their stands and oxen from their pens; He flipped over money tables; He commanded dove- ANNOUNCEMENTS keepers to remove their wicker cages, and pronounced His prohibition: “Do not turn my Father’s house into a market-house!” The effects of Christ’s reformation were unmistakable. None of those men could stand before His divine authority. He came “suddenly into his temple…like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap…[to] purify the sons of Levi” (Mal. 3:1-3). When the dust had settled, silence reigned, OCTOBER 2016 3 MEDITATION not only in the temple court, but also in the disciples’ hearts! We salvation of sinners marked His ministry. His most vehement read: “and his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal moments concerned this issue. He strongly rebuked His of thine house hath eaten me up.” own disciples for hindering little children (Mark 10:14). He Maybe you wonder: what does this long-ago event in a long- denounced the religious elite of his day for taking away the key gone temple have to teach me? Let us consider two things we of knowledge, and hindering those who were entering in (Luke can learn from this account. 11:52). He gravely warned that offending “one of these little ones which believe in me” would be worse than being drowned in the The Subtlety of Error sea with a millstone tied to your neck (Matt.