'Older Younger Brother: The Tragic Treatment by Christians of the Jews', by Canon Andrew White (self-published, 2014, 48 pages)

This short account of Jewish-Christian relations over the centuries contains a concise summary of the main historical events that feature in other books of this kind, but also adds some fascinating extra details not usually found elsewhere.

Andrew White, Vicar of St George's Anglican Church, Baghdad (known affectionately as the 'Vicar of Baghdad') is able to bring a clear personal perspective to this sorry tale of how Christians have mistreated the Jewish people. His background and training included studying at a Rabbinic seminary in Israel, which provided him with a spiritual passion for the Jewish people and a love for their Scriptures and other writings. This, together with his current role in the Middle East (especially in reconciliation projects), means he is well aware of the innate bond between Christians and Jews, how this has been shattered and what can be done about it.

Andrew traces how the Christian Church divided itself from its Jewish roots and examines the theological prejudices behind this. His brief survey of the Church Fathers is followed by an examination of key moments in the Middle Ages and the Reformation, leading to more recent events such as the Holocaust. All this may well be familiar to many, but he then adds an account of two important conferences aiming to combat the prejudices which had produce these catastrophes.

Andrew White is well aware of the innate bond between Christians and Jews, how this has been shattered and what can be done about it."

He quotes in full the 10 point statement produced by the International Council of Christians and Jews (ICCJ) held at Seelisburg in 1947, a statement which the author says "remained the most significant document on the issue of the relationship between Jews and Christians for over 60 years" (p25).

He then reproduces, also in full, the more extensive and updated statement published by the ICCJ following their 2009 conference in Berlin. This deals not just with Christian-Jewish matters but also considers two other important issues – relationships with Islam and the establishment of the state of Israel. His conclusion is that this is "a truly amazing document" which although "accepted by many academics and those concerned with Christian-Jewish relations" has sadly been ignored by many other Christians and whose precepts have not been followed by all churches (p30).

He then examines why this unhappy state of affairs still exists, mainly from a theological rather than political point of view. In this section he outlines the 3 R's of Christian theology towards the Jews. He explains the role of Replacement theology and its dangers and evils. He also compares this to Remnant theology (basically Christian Zionism which has become popular over the past hundred years) and the less well known Recognition theology, whose core belief is found in the Seelisburg Conference pronouncement mentioned earlier and which was largely formulated via the ICCJ.

The author allows us to make up our own minds on the latter two, as recent re-assessments of Christian attitudes towards the Jews, but he is certainly clear that "the evil of Replacement Theology is now once again poisoning Christian minds" (p30).

He doesn't leave it there, but explains how this resurgence of Replacement Theology is now centred upon the nation of Israel and its relationship with the Palestinian people. This is producing a new crisis between Jews and Christians, especially those who wish to show compassion towards the Palestinians.

Andrew's experience in the Middle East gives him valuable insights"

The author's experience of the Middle East (he is President of the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East) gives him valuable insights, but he is also aware that "the great fissure within the church over Israel and the Jews is of enormous importance, with ramifications spreading far beyond the troubled region of the Middle East" (p44).

Overall this is a very useful contribution to the information and arguments usually expressed within the whole area of Christian-Jewish relations. How the Younger Brother turned against the Elder is a lesson of which we all need to take note. An awareness of where this has left us today, politically and theologically, is vital for all thoughtful and caring Christians.

The 70th anniversary of VE Day is a nostalgic event for many of our older readers. After five years of war, hardship, rationing, bombing, destruction and death, a new day had dawned with endless possibilities. But could the past really be left behind?

Most British cities bore the scars of bombing but the whole of Europe had been trampled on by tanks and infantry and its cities left in ruins. Was there any hope of a return to normal? Most people could not even remember what normality was.

Britain was still at war in the Far East; it would be another year and two atomic bombs before the war with Japan ended. The cost in human life was enormous. The Second World War with Europe and Japan cost Germany 7,000,000 lives, France 550,000 lives, Britain 450,900 lives, the USA 420,000 lives, Russia 25,000,000 lives, China 15,000,000 lives and Japan 2,500,000 lives.¹

Was it all worth it?

Certainly the scourge of Nazi Fascism had to be cleared out of Europe and the ruthless imperialism of Japan had to be cleared out of the Far East, or between them they would have ruled the world and there would have been no freedom for anyone. But what kind of freedom had been won? The ink was hardly dry on peace treaties with Germany than Europe was plunged into the Cold War with the Soviet Union, and it was not long before hostilities broke out in Korea, followed by war in Vietnam.

The 20th century was the bloodiest in the history of the world and the weapons of mass destruction acquired by many nations (including some of the world's most unstable nations such as North Korea and Pakistan) now make the 21st century highly dangerous too."

Present-day conflict zones in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen and Aden, Nigeria and South Sudan are all claiming lives and appear to have no solution.

Will there ever be peace?

Pacts and treaties do not provide the answer because they can be easily torn up and discarded. The problem lies in human nature. We are born self-centred and aggressive- as anyone can testify who has seen a baby in a temper tantrum, or a group of infants wanting the same toy in a nursery.

The problem of warring nations will not be solved until we deal with the problem of human nature, and there is only one power that can deal with that: the power of God the Creator."

The problem of warring nations will not be solved until we deal with the problem of human nature, and there is only one power that can deal with that: the power of God the Creator. He made our human nature and only he can redeem it. He sent Jesus our Lord and Saviour for this very purpose, but we crucified him and rejected his teaching. But God, who alone can bring good out of the worst human disaster, raised Jesus from the dead and through him new life is available to everyone.

This is the message Christians have to bring to the world. God has not only given us the message, but the power to deliver it through the Holy Spirit. What are we waiting for?

References

1 Conservative estimates derived from multiple sources, see World War II casualties.

Clifford Hill reacts to the result of the General Election...

All the political pundits have been astonished by the result of the General Election. The polls predicted a very different picture with Labour and the Conservatives running neck-and-neck in England but significant gains for the minor parties.

None of this happened. The one place the pollsters got it right was in Scotland where even well-known Lib Dem and Labour political leaders were swept aside in a tsunami of nationalism.

The common factor

The one common factor between the result in England and that in Scotland is that the people have voted for their own self-interest. The Scottish National Party appealed not only to the tribal instinct of Scots but also to their own self-interest, pledging to be a force in Westminster that will ensure that a larger slice of the economic cake will go to Scotland and they will all be better off by having SNP members there to put Scotland first.

The one common factor between the result in England and that in Scotland is that the people have voted for their own self-interest."

South of the border, the Conservatives played the same economic card appealing to people's self-interest; that they will be better off by voting Conservative who are steering the nation towards more prosperous times. It was a message designed to appeal to those who are doing reasonably well and hope to do better.

The real losers

The losers in this election are the poor, the unemployed, the powerless - those who didn't even feel it was worthwhile voting. They knew that they would not get a larger slice of the cake - whoever triumphed at the polls. The millions who live in our inner-city areas and who exist on welfare, or scrape a living on a day-to-day basis with no job security: they are the forgotten multitude who live in ghettos of hopelessness and despair.

The real losers of this election are the poor, powerless and marginalised. What will happen to them now?"

What will happen to the poor and powerless as the nation enjoys increasing prosperity? The legacy of colonial slavery is still rampant among those from an African-Caribbean background, who still carry the names of their British plantation owners and are unable to trace their African roots. Will anyone in the new government stop and ask why there are more young black men in prison in Britain than in university?

Will anyone care for those who still suffer from the legacy of industrial exploitation leftover from the Industrial Revolution and the dark times of 19th century Britain? Will anything be done to change the culture of despair that engulfs whole communities in our big cities?

Deep-rooted problems

One thing is certain: if nothing is done; if no-one cares, deep-rooted sense of injustice and frustration will boil over once again, as they did in the riots that began in Tottenham in August 2011 and spilled over into other parts of London and Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol and other cities.

This is the word of the Lord to prosperous Britain- it is the word that Jeremiah gave to the city of Jerusalem at a time of prosperity when the word of God was ignored (Jer 7:4-8):

If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not opporess the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, in the land I gave to your forefathers for ever and ever. But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless."

Why is it that on the day before the General Election, polls are showing that the main parties are still neck-and-neck after six weeks of campaigning? We are facing a highly uncertain future.

Judgement Day Approaches

The gulf between Scotland and England grows wider with another vote on independence almost certain and the breakup of the Union comes closer. A Referendum on Europe could leave England even more isolated. Great Britain would soon be reduced to 'Little England'.

The British Empire that covered half of the globe when our present Queen was born has disappeared in a single lifetime. The great Commonwealth of Nations over which she was crowned Queen is rapidly slipping into oblivion. Whilst we do not endorse all of Britain's colonial history, it is clear that the global power and influence once given to our nation is crumbling away. How could this happen? Why have the mighty fallen? We are certainly not blaming the Queen, who has shown great integrity and fortitude through one of the most difficult periods in world history.

Right and Wrong Rejected

There is a very simple answer to these questions. As a nation we have collectively turned our backs upon God. If you reject the basic principles of right and wrong, truth and falsehood, the foundations of the nation are destroyed. When the storm strikes, all the great institutions of state are shaken and crumble before our eyes.

Inevitable Consequences

When we reject the word of God the consequences are inevitable – chaos and confusion follow. This is what we expect will be the outcome of the general election. The word of God to Britain is this:

The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of mind. (Deut 28:28)

A Good Outcome

But the Lord also promises good coming out of what appears to be disaster. Psalm 103 says,

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who respect him.

From Disaster to Blessing

For at least the past 30 years God has been warning us that he is going to shake the nation and all the material things in which we've put our trust will come crumbling down. But God's purposes are always for our good, for blessing rather than judgement.

If the great shaking that is coming upon us causes us to recognise that we have turned away from truth and righteousness, the whole situation can change overnight."

This sounds impossible, but with God nothing is impossible. When our lives are open to him he pours out blessings that are beyond our wildest dreams. How will we respond when the storm strikes?

Clifford Hill looks at drugs and money laundering in the banking industry...

HSBC has been a lot in the news recently, not simply for the celebration of its 150 year anniversary, but for what many commentators have said to be its questionable banking practices. The revelation by a Geneva-based whistle-blower that hundreds of wealthy clients have been shielded from tax obligations by the use of a private bank, has created both political and moral shock waves. This is being investigated in London and now HSBC says it is considering moving from London. Is this just coincidence?

The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) was born in controversy following the two Opium Wars, in which Britain inflicted what 20th Century Chinese historians labelled “A Century of Humiliation” upon China.

The 1830s was a time when Britain faced economic ruin, largely because of its enormous trade imbalance with China. The British were addicted to drinking tea: huge quantities of tea together with silk and porcelain were imported from China, but the Chinese wanted very little manufactured in Britain. Instead they demanded payment in silver. Stocks were rapidly running out in the British Exchequer. In 1833 Britain passed the Act of Emancipation setting African slaves free in the Caribbean islands and other parts of the British Empire. But this cost the Exchequer £20 million in compensation paid to the owners of slaves (though not one penny was paid to the slaves themselves, an injustice that is yet to be acknowledged by any British Government!).

HSBC was born in controversy, at a time when Britain was struggling to pay China for its growing addiction to tea..."

The Opium Trade

The East India Company had for some time been exporting opium from its poppy fields in India. By 1838 this trade reached 1400 tons of opium a year, which was doing immense harm to the population in China, millions of whom were now addicts. The Emperor of China appealed to Queen Victoria, citing the harm that was being done to his citizens by the immoral actions of the British. But his letter never reached the Queen. It was said to be “lost in transit” (no doubt diverted by some corrupt official).

The Emperor of China appealed to Queen Victoria by letter, but it mysteriously disappeared and never reached her..."

Send in the Navy

China reacted by closing the port of Canton and seizing and destroying 1,200 tons of opium in the East India Company’s warehouses. The British answered by sending the Navy – at that time the most powerful fleet in the world – to destroy Chinese ships and occupy the port. Thus began China’s Century of Humiliation with an ‘Unequal Treaty’ whereby China was forced to pay compensation to Britain and to grant British colonial status to Hong Kong. This unjust settlement of 1842 led directly to the Second Opium War of 1856 to 1860, when France joined Britain in invading Chinese ports and enforcing a settlement that legalised the opium trade and opened the Chinese interior to British merchants.

Just five years later HSBC was founded, primarily to deal with the huge profits from the opium trade, providing banking facilities for wealthy entrepreneurs who were happy to make fortunes out of a trade that many considered to be unethical. Now, 150 years later, they have been caught pursuing another trade that many would also consider to be unethical. They are reported to have provided facilities for storing the wealth of over 100,000 of the world’s richest individuals and organisations by offering them the anonymity of the Swiss private banking system.

Tax Evasion

According to reports in The Guardian,¹ evidence was given to the British tax authorities and to the British Government in 2010 of those individuals and corporations who were using the HSBC system; yet only one individual has been prosecuted for tax evasion. HM Revenue and Customs justify this by saying that they have used the information to recover millions of pounds in unpaid tax and have thus benefited the Exchequer more than if they had pursued these matters through the courts. But is this really an ethical use of national tax policy?

In effect HMRC are saying that money is more important than righteousness."

But there is no doubt a further reason for the Government not wanting to expose the alleged misdemeanours of powerful banks that are said to have aided clients in tax avoidance schemes. It is well-known that revenue from the City of London plays a major part in the British economy and anything that disturbs the activities and prosperity of the City could have a devastating effect upon the national economy.

Stephen Green

Perhaps the strangest element in the entire HSBC saga is the appointment of Stephen Green as Minister of State for Trade and Investment from January 2011 for two years. He had been working for HSBC since 1982 and had been its CEO and latterly Chairman, reportedly earning more than £25 million a year. If the Government had known since 2010 the information provided by the whistle-blower on HSBC’s alleged tax evasion services to clients, why did the Government honour him with a peerage and appoint him as a Minister of State? What was David Cameron’s role in this appointment?

Stephen Green had been at the helm of HSBC when it was fined by the USA for money laundering for Mexican drug cartels, as well as running a banking system in the Cayman Islands (where it had no staff and no office), and assisting states such as Iran and North Korea to break international sanctions.

Christian Initiative

Stephen Green is also an ordained Anglican minister and I was introduced to him by Dr Rowan Williams when he was Archbishop of Canterbury. I met him a number of times without knowing the nefarious practices in HSBC that were allegedly taking place behind-the-scenes. I had high hopes that he would back a Christian initiative to launch a new national newspaper in the UK which would break the monopoly of secular humanists on British journalism.

That initiative had the backing of many leading Christians as well as Christian journalists, but it required a substantial capital investment for a successful launch. Stephen Green could, of course, have provided this out of his own pocket without calling upon investment from the bank. But instead of seeing it as a faith project for which God would supply the prosperity he looked at it as a banker and said it was not a sound investment. He did not catch the vision of a newspaper declaring the truth of the word of God to the nation. In hindsight, maybe he feared the same for his bank!

References

1 The Guardian, 9 February 2015

The largest Muslim country in the world is rapidly becoming Christian! This is the amazing news coming from Indonesia where 2 million Muslims a year are converting to Christianity!¹

The Beginning

It all began back in 1965 following an unsuccessful Chinese Communist coup that led to an incredibly bloody civil war. During this war, the tiny Christian minority began to exert an influence for peace; pleading for love and forgiveness that had a transforming effect in war-torn communities.

Throughout the 1970s and 80s the churches grew right across the country. In 1987 my wife and I were speaking at a church in Surabaya, the second-largest city in Indonesia, and there were about 5000 people at the 6am service.

We counted about 70 people in white gowns sitting near the front and asked the pastor “Is this a special baptismal service?” He replied, “Oh no! We baptise this number every Sunday”.

Government Worried

We visited the church again in 2003. They had built a new building seating 25,000 which was full three times on Sundays. At that time the Muslim Government was already getting worried about the growth of Christianity. They had introduced a scheme of resettling Muslim families from Jakarta into solidly Christian islands. But the Christians greeted the newcomers with such love and generosity that they converted to Christianity.

'Save Maryam'

The Government abandoned the scheme. But there is still great anxiety that it will not be long before Indonesia becomes a Christian country. The growth rate of Muslims becoming Christians has increased to 2,000,000 a year – that is one conversion every 15 seconds! The imams have become so alarmed that they have produced a video “Save Maryam” in an attempt to reach young people and stop them converting to Christianity. See the video they have produced appealing for $2 million to try to stem the flow of disillusioned Muslims turning to Christianity!

With one conversion to Christianity every 15 seconds, the imams are alarmed"

The atrocities of the Islamic State trying to take Islam back to its Mediaeval past are causing widespread disillusionment among Muslims throughout Europe and the Middle East. But the faith of Christians in Europe does not equal Christians in Indonesia where most believers are active witnesses to the love of Jesus. Now is the time for Christians in Britain to open their eyes to the great harvest that awaits among their Muslim neighbours.

Spiritual Awakening

The great spiritual awakening in Indonesia could happen in Britain if Christians really believe and act upon John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” In talking to our neighbours we should follow the example of Paul in Romans 1:16 – “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.”

References

1 Strang, S, 2015. Can This Be True? 2 Million Indonesian Muslims find Jesus Per Year, Charisma News, 7 April.

With only days to go to the General Election many Christians are still undecided voters. Clifford Denton offers some biblical thoughts on choosing where to place your vote.

There is no such thing as democracy in the Bible. What the Bible offers is theocracy, where God guides the affairs of the nation. Democracy is rooted in Greek philosophy. At best it involves an entire nation deciding who will govern. At worst it appears to give choice, but the choice is limited by what’s on offer, and often leads to weak leaders – puppets of the system.

Democracy in our day is far from a seeking after biblical truth and is usually rooted in humanism, with multi-faith overtones- as when political leaders visit Sikh or Hindu temples, taking off their shoes and bowing to their altars in an attempt to win votes. But which god are they serving?

There is no such thing as democracy in the Bible. What the Bible offers is a THEOCRACY."

Nigel Farage claims, “Sadly, I think UKIP is the only major political party left in Britain that still cherishes our Judaeo-Christian heritage. I believe other parties have deliberately marginalised our nation’s faith, whereas we take Christian values and traditions into consideration when making policy.”¹ But is this simply an election ploy?

What Does the Word ‘Election’ Mean?

The word election has a special meaning in the Bible. It means ‘choice’– God’s choice of a person or a nation who can fulfil a special role in working out God’s purposes. King David was elected by God as an ideal leader. He was a man of prayer who sought guidance from God before making decisions. The Hebrew word for election is bahar and the Greek is eklegomai. Both of them have the basic biblical meaning of choosing. In an election we should be seeking men or women of God’s choosing.

Choices

When Almighty God created mankind He gave us the ability to choose. How do we exercise choice and on what principles? He chooses us and we choose him through an interactive process beginning with God. This is the bottom line for all that God intends in the world today and the world to come.

Choice, in God's terms, is focussed and clear. He invites people of all nations to choose him as Lord and King"

This should be top of the agenda for our national elections, but is far from being so. Choice, in God’s terms, is focussed and clear. He invites people of all nations to choose him as Lord and King and to ask him how to best live as individuals, communities and nations.

How precise is this? It took the Lord Jesus a whole night of prayer before he chose his first 12 disciples. This was not a vague choice on vague, ill-defined democratic principles. This was a personal and careful choice for an eternal purpose.

Serving a Kingdom not of this World

Christians look for biblical principles in the potential leaders of our country. Our choices should reflect Kingdom principles. We sometimes feel alien in trying to do this. What will our nation choose from the selection on offer? Does the choice meet the deep principles and deep needs of the nation?

Even nations like the UK and the USA, once chosen for blessing by Almighty God, are far from seeking to follow him today. The result is weak and unblessed leadership in a world that is “doing what is right in its own eyes”, as Israel did in the times of the Judges when there was no godly national leadership.

Choose this Day Whom You Will Serve

God’s priority for our national election is that we choose to return to him. This is a day as significant for Britain as when Joshua led the Children of Israel over the Jordan (Josh 24:14-15), saying:

Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshipped beyond the River in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

Where is the leader today with the rallying cry to turn our nation to the Lord – not just to be seen on public election platforms? That cry should be heard coming from prominent leaders in the Church giving guidance to our political leaders who are weak and confused, falling over each other to make promises that they know they cannot fulfil – anything to attract votes.

It is Not Too Late to Seek God

It is not too late, even now, to seek the Lord for what he is asking of our nation. If we desire that God chooses us for blessing then we must choose him – to serve him wholeheartedly as our King.

If we desire that God chooses us for blessing, then we must choose to serve him as our King!"

Where is the politician who will stand up for God’s ways above all else? Let him stand up, let us hear a rallying cry across our nation and let us choose the ways of God once more. Then we will find the path of recovery that we all desire in our hearts. That must be our priority or we will suffer the consequences of the current more superficial priorities with which we are presented.

In elections throughout the Western nations, the trend is to move away from the ways of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob into religious and political compromise. The call on believers is always to choose to follow God rather than man. How will we do this on 7 May?

References

1 Valuing our Christian heritage, UKIP, 2015.

'A Wind in the House of Islam: How God is drawing Muslims around the world to faith in Christ', by David Garrison (WIGTake Resources, 2014, 328 pages, RRP $18.95, available on Amazon or direct from the book's website).

In the face of all the turbulence and strife in the Muslim world that we see on our TV screens and newspapers comes this unprecedented account of what God is doing in the world of Islam today. David Garrison, an American missionary and scholar who studied Arabic in Egypt, has examined a remarkable series of movements to Christ this century by Muslims.

He describes a ‘movement’ as 100 new church starts or 1000 baptisms in a two–decade period. Today, in more than 70 separate locations in 29 nations, new movements of Muslim background followers of Christ are taking place. Although the number of converts are relatively small within the context of the total world Muslim population, the results are extremely significant.

The author’s approach in exploring this extraordinary phenomenon has been to gather information from those directly involved and to present the experiences of individuals from their own perspectives. To this end he interviewed about 1,000 Muslim-background believers from the nine very different ‘rooms’ (geographical areas) where the House of Islam is significantly present. He describes how he interviews converts and seeks to find out why they converted. While acknowledging the weaknesses of this survey and his own biases he has sought to be as objective and accurate as possible. The whole issue of insider research is presented for the reader to assess.

This is a deliberately written book. It does not aim to be an academic treatise but a very readable and stimulating account of God at work. It also provides a good introduction to Muslim demographics and the history of (largely unsuccessful) mission to Muslims. The author seeks to explain why 84% of historical movements from Islam to Christianity have been seen this century and explores some of the barriers that hinder these movements today, as well as the errors of the past.

Above all, it is the testimonies of the new believers which are truly inspiring, especially because of the hatred, fear, deprivation and persecution they face. The author challenges those in the church to pray and get involved with the ministries and missions to Muslims.

Every Christian leader in the UK should read this book and communicate its truth to their congregations. It will put hope and joy in their hearts."

Dr Garrison has done us an extraordinary service in producing this great testimony of God’s activity in our time. The book is easy to read, and any Christian can get the obvious message that God is at work in the House of Islam. Every Christian leader in the UK should read this book and communicate its truth to their congregations. It will put hope and joy in their hearts.

Our Scriptures were first given in a world that was very different from today. To understand the Scriptures, we need to place them in their proper context and study the world in those days, particularly in and around the nation of Israel.

The Bible emerged over several thousands of years that witnessed the rise and fall of several ancient Empires. This is heritage of our faith, and the background of Jesus and the first Christians. Understanding it helps us to be properly grafted into the olive tree (Rom 11). It is the legacy of our people: the land, language and culture moulded by the teaching of the One True God. On account of the call of Abraham, we call this culture Hebraic.

Why are language and culture important?

The Scriptures are not just words and ideas that lead to philosophy; they deal with matters of the heart and the way people live out their lives.

No other language is quite like Hebrew, because Almighty God brought his teaching to his people through this language. In this sense, through the language and the teaching transmitted through it, Almighty God cultivated a people for himself. We identify this as Hebraic culture.

"No other language is quite like Hebrew, through which Almight God brought his teaching to his people."

Which God?

It has been said that language is 90% of culture, and this is in accord with all we have said so far. The focus of our attention, when we consider the world of the Bible, is the Middle East, the nations around the Fertile Plain and the Mediterranean basin. These nations were distinguished by their different languages, many of which had the same Semitic root. This led to some cultural overlap in the Middle East.

Beyond the influence ofStatues of Canaanite gods language, however, is the influence of the religions and gods of these different nations. Archaeology confirms the multitude of these gods from the statues and inscriptions that have been found, and we can see how the culture of the nations was framed by their beliefs and religious practices.

Israel was the only nation in the ancient world that knew the One True God. Abraham, the father of the Hebrews, was called out of the worldly system of Ur of the Chaldees. He learned to live by faith in God, becoming a pilgrim and stranger in a world of false gods. This principle framed the culture of the Nation of Israel in a unique way. Only Israel had direct teaching from God who revealed himself first as Yahweh (YHWH) and later fully revealed himself through Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah.

He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. (Psa 147:19-20)

Despite (perhaps because of) their constant failures, the Nation of Israel in the wilderness years and in the Land of Israel thereafter are included in our Bible to teach us important truths. With the Scriptures as our reference and the history of Israel as our witness, and with the other nations of the biblical world as a contrast, we can begin to understand the unique and distinct character of a people under the One True God.

Resources for Study

The walls of Jericho

For students of the Bible, learning about the historical and geographical context of Scripture can be invaluable. Today, this is a relatively easy task: archeological sites have been opened in all the major countries mentioned in the Bible. Many sites can be visited, museums hold examples of what has been discovered and many relevant books and DVDs are available.

Not all of these resources are expensive and, where possible, a student of the Bible should acquire a small library, especially of books that have good illustrations. Illustrations give invaluable insights to enhance written descriptions of the world of the Bible and of the cultural background from which the Christian faith emerged.

They enable us to see at a glance the clothes that were worn in Bible times, features of the outdoor lifestyle of Abraham’s day, the styles of houses and the Bedouin tents, routines of home life, festivals and ceremonies of life such as birth and marriage, education, healthcare, the farming life, the crafts, means of travel and so on.

The prominent nations and Empires should be studied, including Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome, and the Bible should be read in parallel so that what is studied can be put into a biblical context.

Finding similar examples today

Despite dramatic technological changes and advances in communication, we can still find examples today of cultures that remind us of the biblical world, particularly where lifestyle is simple, mainly outdoors, reliant on manual labour and devoid of the inventions of the modern era.

There are still areas of the world where water is obtained from wells, where there is no electricity or flush toilets, where pottery is baked in the village and bricks are home made, where cloth is spun and where the land is farmed according to ancient traditions. Such areas of the world give us a present day glimpse into the days of the Bible.

"Unless we develop a mindset that places our Bible readings into the ancient cultures from which they came, we will filter what we read overmuch through our experience of the modern world."

What do we gain?

Library at the Western Wall of Jerusalem

As we begin the study of the world of the Bible, at the heart of our efforts, through all the contrasts, will emerge a picture of God’s own people throughout the generations: a picture of Yahweh developing a Hebraic character in his people.

The purpose of studying these things is to understand more deeply the heritage from which the Christian Church came, that we might be properly rooted into the family of the olive tree (Rom 11) and not left to filter our understanding through some other culture ruled by alien spiritual powers.

As part of Prophecy Today UK’s opening season we have been celebrating its rich heritage, looking back over its 30-year history of boldly proclaiming the word of God. One of the most foundational events in this history was the Carmel/Jerusalem Gathering in 1986. Here we have re-printed one of the articles published in Prophecy Today (Vol 2, Issue 2) just prior to this vital meeting.

"He asked me, 'What do you see?' I answered, 'I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, with seven channels to the lights. Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.” He said to me, 'This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.'" (Zech 4:2-6)

During the last visit to Jerusalem of the international leadership team making final arrangements for the Easter Gathering the significance of the olive tree was highlighted for us. Once again we were led to the Gospel account of the experience of Jesus in Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives.

Mount of Anointing

The olive tree lives to a great age and some of the trees in the Garden of Gethsemane are more than two thousand years old. They were there when our Lord led the disciples there from the Upper Room on the night he was betrayed. These trees have seen so much history, so much violence from invading armies, so much bloodshed and so many shed tears.

It was here that David walked weeping away from Jerusalem after his son Absalom had revolted against him. These trees have weathered great storms and earthquakes. They have seen men of all races and nationalities. They have grown old and twisted and gnarled. They are no longer beautiful to behold like the young trees and saplings. But they have a dignity and a strength, and despite their great age – they continue to bear fruit!!

The fruit of the olive tree has been greatly valued in Israel for thousands of years. Until this century it was the main source of energy providing oil for lamps and cooking as well as giving food. But above all, the olive was used for anointing, e.g. Samuel anointed David, king of Israel. In Hebrew the word ‘olive’ comes from the same root as the word ‘Messiah’, or ‘Anointed One’. Thus the Mount of Olives in Hebrew is the ‘Mount of Anointing’.

Jesus wept

Amid the changing centuries empires have come and gone from Jerusalem and invading armies have set up camp on the Mount of Olives overlooking the Old City. Assyrian, Egyptian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman, Ottoman; and Turks, Crusaders, British, Jordanians, Jews and Moslems have fought there. Yet all of the blood and sweat and tears shed among the olive trees of Gethsemane none has been so meaningful and so fragrant as those of Jesus on the night of his agony.

Jesus wept, not for himself, but for the plight of Jerusalem that symbolised the plight of the world. When Jesus came into Jerusalem at the beginning of the final week he did not pray for the city, for he already knew the hardness of men’s hearts despite the palms and hosannas. Jesus wept. He wept because he longed to embrace the people he loved and to save them from what was coming upon them. He wept because Jerusalem’s rejection of their Messiah symbolised man’s rejection of God and rebellion against his good purposes and all he longs to do in Fatherly love.

‘Watch and Pray’

The Easter Gathering in Jerusalem takes place against the same background of man’s rebellion against God in which the Lord of the Church is saying to his people, ‘Watch and pray that you do not enter into temptation’. Watch and pray as the time of great enemy activity draws near. God is wanting his people to watch – to have vision – to see what is happening in the world and what he is doing so that we may rightly interpret his word and clearly proclaim it among the nations. He is wanting us to be a praying as well as a watching people so that we may hear from him and receive his power.

His plans

Being part of the international team has for each of us been both a painful and an enriching spiritual experience. Each time we have run ahead of the Lord or done things in our own wisdom we have been stopped. We have made what appeared to be good plans and done so in good faith only to see them come to nothing. Then when we have surrendered everything to the Lord he has revealed his own plans and we have been left amazed at the doors that have opened and the clear way we have been directed. This has given us great confidence that God is calling his people to gather in Jerusalem this Easter for a special purpose.

Unity in Christ

A further encouragement has been the growing support of the churches in Israel; Anglicans, Baptists, Pentecostals, Messianic Jews and Arab Christian leaders have all expressed support and are demonstrating this in many practical ways. Many local believers and ex-patriots working in Israel, including fifty young people from Project Kibbutz, have registered to attend the meetings in the Binyanei Ha’Ooma.

This may have great significance for the future of Christian evangelism in Israel since for most Arab Christians it will be their first visit to the BHO which is the Israeli National Convention Centre and is in the heart of the Jewish area of West Jerusalem. There are very few occasions when Arab and Jewish believers meet and we have been told that this is the first large-scale event ever to be supported by both Christian communities.

Dividing Wall Broken

In the present tense climate of Arab/Israeli relations it is a triumph of the Gospel to see the ‘middle wall of partition’ broken down. Paul foresees the time when this will happen as it has already begun at Ephesus when those who ‘were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise…have been brought near through the blood of Christ…who have made the two one and has destroyed the dividing wall of hostility…his purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two’ (Eph 2:12-15).

Prayer Groups

During the past year there has been a significant growth of intercession groups throughout Israel. These resulted from a prayer conference in January 1985 attended by more than a hundred believers. This was led by Johannes Facius, Danish leader of Intercessors International, and last month he and the Swedish evangelist Kjell Sjoberg trekked from town to town across Israel in prayer/preparation for the Easter gathering. They met and prayed with local Christians in each place they visited, Arab and Jewish believers, encouraging the brethren and strengthening their hands with the word of God and with prayer.

Outdoor Meetings

Prayer will be a major emphasis of the Jerusalem Gathering especially for the outdoor meetings. In addition to praying on the Mount of Olives, for which the Russian Orthodox Church have kindly given us permission to use their convent church and grounds at the Garden of Gethsemane, there will be a number of other prayer visits in and around the Old City. These will include praying for the historic churches and praying for the city around the walls of Jerusalem in accordance with Isaiah 62:6 and 7.

Conference Centre

Indoor meetings will take place in the BHO, there being no church large enough to take the expected numbers. It has fine facilities for both large and small meetings. This enables us to hold seminars for smaller groups as well as large meetings for worship and the proclamation of the Word of God. Seminars will be on a variety of subjects, linked with the main theme of ‘The Word of God for our Times’.

They will include sessions on ‘Intercession and Spiritual Warfare’, ‘Biblical teaching on Prophecy: Ministry and Gift’, ‘God’s Word on Contemporary World Issues’, ‘Repentance and Reconciliation’ and ‘Israel and the Nations’. These will be led by well-known international speakers and Bible teachers. Tapes of these meetings will be available afterwards in Jerusalem and in England from the PWM Tape Ministry.

Alpha and Omega

One of the highlights of the evening meetings in Jerusalem will be the world premiere of a new biblical musical by the young singer and composer Adrian Snell. It has a strong prophetic theme with words from Isaiah, Joel and the Gospels. I wrote the first draft of the biblical themes which were worked into song lyrics by Phil Thompson and the whole work has been brilliantly set to music by Adrian. There is a clear anointing of the Holy Spirit upon this work which all of us in the international leadership group have recognised and we are anticipating that God will use it significantly at the Gathering.

Mount Carmel

For six days during the week prior to Easter Week Mount Carmel will be the meeting place of men and women from many countries with prophetic ministries together with their intercessors. We are expecting 120 and their meeting will take place in the area where Elijah rebuilt the altar of the Lord in Israel.

There is no fixed agenda for this meeting and there are no set speakers. The purpose is two-fold- to give opportunity to share what God is saying to his people in different parts of the world, and to seek the face of the Lord together in prayer and waiting upon him.

It would be presumptuous to try to anticipate any results of these six days. We cannot command the Lord to speak. Indeed we may receive nothing – apart from the blessing of meeting with new brothers and sisters in Chris and receiving the spiritual enrichment of a time of prayer and worship together. But we meet in simple faith, each of us aware of the critical days of world history in which we live and the awareness that the nations are being driven close and close to the point where judgement becomes inevitable.

But we are also aware that our God is a God of love and mercy and his purpose in sending Jesus was not to condemn the world but to save mankind. So we will beseech him on behalf of the nations to have mercy upon us – to show us the way to proclaim his word with power and authority in the nations.

Third World Evangelists

There has already been a surprise in those coming to Carmel. We had expected more men and women from the Western world and a few from the East and from Third World countries. God has turned this upside down! One after another of those we were expecting from America have dropped out.

This is similar to the low number of Americans expected in Jerusalem and may be a result of the fear in the USA following recent hi-jackings and President Reagan’s TV warning not to go to the Mediterranean area. (Tour agents in Israel say the bottom has dropped out of the American market and hardly any are coming now – but the European tourist trade has increased).

Holy Spirit Revival

By contrast, as the Americans have dropped out, men from the Third World have booked in. The exciting thing is that many of these are coming from countries where Holy Spirit revival – or spiritual awakening on a massive scale – is taking place. Some of the outstanding Christian leaders who have led the fresh movement of the Spirit in their countries will be at Carmel and then in Jerusalem. They are men who are daily witnessing the power of the Holy Spirit and seeing the signs and wonders of his presence.

We are wondering what God will do among us through them, for surely his purpose is for the outpouring of his Spirit upon ALL the nations, that all peoples may have the opportunity of hearing the Gospel and receiving Jesus the Messiah as their personal Lord and Saviour, that the whole of mankind may hear the Word of God for our times and the whole world may see the glory of God.