Paul Luckraft surveys the Barnabas Fund’s short booklets on Islam.

(See base of article for ordering information)

Is the Muslim Isa the Biblical Jesus? (Patrick Sookhdeo, 2012, 24 pages)

This is one of the most important questions to ask when it comes to comparing Islam with Christianity, and a fitting starting point for our survey of booklets produced by the Barnabas Fund.

Islam is the only non-Christian religion which mentions Jesus in its holy book and yet it “denies His deity, His atonement, and His supreme place as Lord of all” (p5). The person of Christ is clearly a challenge to Muslims and likewise their response to Jesus challenges Christians.

The booklet sets out how Islam views Jesus (called Isa) in both the Qur’an and the Hadith (traditions) with lots of quotes from both which leave us in no doubt about the fundamental differences between the Muslim Isa and the biblical Jesus. There is also a short section on the role of Isa in the Islamic apocalyptic narrative, namely that he will return (as a Muslim) to fight and destroy the enemies of Islam which, of course, includes Jews and Christians!

Overall the booklet “explores Muslim beliefs about Jesus [and] shows how incompatible they are with the Christian confession of Jesus as Lord and Saviour” (p7). Although Islam reveres Isa as a prophet and miracle worker, its claim that he was a mere human being is the major point of departure from Christianity. For Christians who seek common ground with Islam it is important not to ignore or suppress the real differences over these two views of Jesus.

For those seeking to witness to Muslims here is a useful booklet, full of facts to help them discuss and debate from a secure place of knowledge.

In the same series…

Four other booklets in the same series also help equip Christians to this end. ‘What is Islam?’ is a useful 8-page summary covering the history and background of the Quran, Sharia law and what Muslims believe and practice. It concludes with two pages on the different kinds of Muslims in the world today, including Sunni, Shia, Sufi and Wahhabi.

‘What is Sharia?’ adds to the section in the above on the topic of Sharia. It covers its development and characteristics, and discusses the challenges of Sharia in Western countries.

‘Islam and Truth’ tackles the doctrine of taqiyya (dissimulation or concealing true beliefs and motives), and ‘Islam and Slavery’ provides an historical survey of how Islam has interacted with the contentious issue of the enslavement of human beings.

The UK, Islam and Operation Nehemiah

There are two other much longer booklets (just over 50 pages each) which may interest readers who want to know more about Islam in the UK. Both are written by Patrick Sookhdeo and explain the aims and objectives of the Barnabas Fund’s Operation Nehemiah, a project dedicated to the spiritual transformation of the UK.

One of these (‘Slippery Slope’) focuses on the increasing Islamisation of the UK, but also covers similar trends in Europe. The chapters are simply titled ‘Immigration’, ‘Integration’, ‘Islamisation’ and ‘Implications’. It ends with the mission statement of Operation Nehemiah (based on Nehemiah 3, rebuilding the walls) and encourages readers to sign up and support the mission.

The second booklet (‘The Way Ahead’) ends in a similar fashion and is subtitled ‘Returning Britain to its Christian Path’. This may well be on the heart of many who have experienced recent changes in society and at the very least want to understand this better, if not be spurred into action.

The retreat of Christianity in public life over recent decades has created a vacuum that has lent itself well to the increasing influence of Islam. This booklet is an eye-opening and thought-provoking assessment of what has become a vital aspect of the UK today and should be required reading for those wanting to engage in the important debate of how Britain will develop in the years to come.

Ordering information

All booklets are £1 each. Order from the Barnabas Fund website, by telephoning 02476 231923, or by writing to Barnabas Books, 9 Priory Row, Coventry CV1 5EX.

Knowledge and wisdom in an age of deception and unreality.

The Roman Governor of Jerusalem’s iconic question, “What is truth?” has probably never been more apt than it is today in the 21^st Century AD. Whether Pilate was being sarcastic or he was genuinely seeking for truth has been debated by scholars for 2,000 years. In light of the spat between the leaders of Britain and the USA over the tweeting of video clips, it would be good if all those involved paused to ponder his question.

We live in an age when technology has delivered the tools to create deception, whether by airbrushing photos or by deliberately producing deceptive videos, distorting the truth and creating fake news.

It is certainly unfortunate that the President of the United States should have retweeted video clips that had come from a doubtful source. It shows a lack of wisdom and a willingness to use material from a campaigning group to vilify millions of people who belong to a particular religion.

But it is equally foolish for the British Prime Minister to use the same medium of communication to point out the unreliability of the clips. Surely the more sensible approach would have been to make a quiet phone call. At least that way would have maintained personal relationships and not caused a rift between two friendly nations.

Knowledge AND Wisdom

The trouble with our generation is that we have enormous knowledge but we lack the wisdom in how to use it. There is good reason why Paul, writing to the church in Corinth where there was a lot of squabbling and disunity, referred to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The first two of these he linked together as ‘wisdom’ and ‘knowledge’ (1 Cor 12:8).

Celestial truth cannot be understood by the normal processes of human reason – it requires divine revelation.

There is surely a very good reason for linking these two. We can acquire an enormous fund of knowledge in our media-saturated world, where we have the whole internet at our disposal. But without the wisdom of how to use this knowledge, we can create chaos and confusion rather than promote enlightenment.

Jesus is the Light of Truth

As we enter the season of Advent it would be good to ponder on the prologue of John’s Gospel where he focuses upon the theme of light and darkness - also the theme of Hanukkah and Diwali at this time of the year. The unique feature of Advent, according to John’s teaching, is that although the light of truth came into the world at the birth of Jesus, the world did not recognise him.

John says that through the coming of Jesus, God actually came and “made his dwelling among us” – literally – “he pitched his tent among us”, as foretold by the Prophet Zechariah (2:10). But our human reason cannot cope with this. Despite all the accumulated knowledge of centuries of human development, this celestial truth cannot be understood by the normal processes of the human brain. This kind of knowledge requires wisdom that is actually a spiritual gift which can only be received through divine revelation.

God actually has to do something to our human nature to enable us to receive this wisdom, which enables us to perceive truth that goes way beyond the realm of human reason. This is what Jesus had to explain to Rabbi Nicodemus who was a devout scholar, a highly educated man and a senior academic. But his whole mindset was limited to learning on the level of human reason. Only a spiritual revelation would enable him to perceive ‘Kingdom truth’.

It was like opening the curtains in a darkened room, bringing a flood of light that shows all the things that were in the room but previously hidden by the darkness – things that you could stumble over in the dark.

The trouble with our generation is that we have enormous knowledge but we lack the wisdom in how to use it.

Deceit is Easy

In our world today, millions of people are going about stumbling over fake news, half-truths and blatant lies. They are easily deceived because they don’t know the truth that sets them free from all the duplicity, deviousness and unscrupulous machinations of the crooked generation in which we live. They are trying to see in the dark; trying to discern falsehood without having ever known truth.

It should be a salutary wake-up call to us when the leaders of the nations are found peddling fake news. How can we expect our children to discern right from wrong and to be protected from the multiple dangers of the internet and social media, if our leaders shows so little discernment?

It is small wonder that our children peddle nonsense and vilify one another over their mobile phones, sometimes with devastating effects upon their mental health.

Season of Opportunity

During this season of Advent, we have the opportunity in very practical ways to spread the true message of Christmas – the true light that has come into our dark world.

But so much depends upon our relationships with others, and how we use the tools of communication society has given us. If Donald Trump and Theresa May had only spoken to each other instead of tweeting, an embarrassing international incident could have been avoided. Surely this is a lesson to us all.

Postscript

Last week there were comments left on the editorial, speaking of the need for greater interaction between authors and readers. I warmly respond to this - we want to make this site much more open to constructive and thoughtful correspondence. Our Editorial Board are grappling with this subject and we are open to suggestions from any of our readers as to how we can improve such interaction so that we can all learn from one another in our search for the truth.

As part of this, don’t forget that we have established a secure site for such discussion, in partnership with the team at Issachar Ministries. If you would like to use this (there is a fee for joining) please contact Jacqueline at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Avoid the new religion that seeks to dazzle through glitter and sparkle

Coming back to the UK after our unexpectedly lengthy tour of Israel, we were particularly struck by the emphasis on Christmas – even our cappuccino at Heathrow had to be decorated with a tree-shaped sprinkling of chocolate!

Christmas lights soon beamed on us from all sides, reflecting less on the theological aspect of the feast as on the usual glitz and glamour and commercial hype we have all come to know and love – perhaps not!

And then there were massive crowds at the shops on Sunday – now the new religion on what used to be the Christian Sabbath. In Bawtry, on the edge of Doncaster, Christmas trees were lavishly bedecked with baubles in a brilliant array of colours – and, as ever, we sense the danger of not seeing the wood for the trees.

I am reminded, however, that festive lights will also now be adorning Jerusalem in celebration of Hanukkah – marking the time when the menorah candle burned miraculously for eight days despite having only enough oil for one, following victory over the Syrian-Greek emperor Antiochus Epiphanes who desecrated the Jewish Temple by sacrificing a pig there and blasphemously proclaimed himself God. But focus on what the light means, not on its beams!

Look for the True Light

For we’re submerged in so much darkness today – not least the marginalisation of the Christian Gospel to the point where it has become politically incorrect – and yet we all make a big fuss of this incredibly important Christian festival!

In truth, all these bright lights are, for the most part, dragging us further into the gloom of materialism, partying and pointless debt, rather than towards the true light to which they are allegedly designed to draw our attention.

So my Christmas (and Hanukkah) message to readers is: don’t look for the bright lights; look rather for the true light “that gives light to everyone”, according to John the Baptist (John 1:9) – a light that leads to everlasting life, and is not snuffed out with the brief passing of our lives.

Yes, we all like shiny things, but unless they are part of Heaven’s treasure, they will fade and rust and turn to dust (Matt 6:19-21).

All these bright lights are, for the most part, dragging us further into the gloom of materialism, rather than towards the true Light.

The Significance of Jesus’s Coming

A famous passage of Scripture, often associated with Christmas, speaks of the light that the Messiah will bring to the world. Its context, most significantly, is of the darkness of the occult, which has gripped so many in our day (Isa 8:19).

The prophet, however, goes on to predict a great honour that would be bestowed on the region to which he refers as ‘Galilee of the nations, the Way of the Sea’: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Isa 9:2).

A major highway at the time, connecting Asia, Africa and Europe, straddled the coast of Israel before moving inland towards Galilee and then beyond into Syria. Galilee was thus an international crossroads whose people were immensely privileged to have seen a great light when Jesus came among them.

No Longer Inhabited

The ruins of Capernaum. See Photo Credits.Yet many rejected him and failed to grasp his significance. True, 2,000 years later he is still much spoken against, but he is nevertheless the most famous man who ever lived. He performed many miracles in Galilee – in Capernaum, Chorazin and Bethsaida – and warned those cities that they would be judged for their rejection of Messiah.

As for Capernaum, where much of his ministry took place, he said: “Will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades; for if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day” (Matt 11:23). Capernaum was destroyed by an earthquake in 749 AD. We could only view its ruins. Yet a short distance away is the town of Migdal, still a thriving community where former prostitute turned passionate believer Mary Magdalene came from.

A little further down the coast still is the city of Tiberias, a popular resort frequented by the occupying Romans in Jesus’s day – yet it is not mentioned in the Gospel accounts. Also not mentioned is Sebastia, the ancient capital of Samaria up in the hills, which was the ‘in’ place for the jet-set of the day, with its spa and baths adorned with beautiful columns. Now, apart from a few remaining columns, it is a barren ruin in a dustbowl with little to suggest it was the Las Vegas of a bygone era.

The true light came first to Galilee, but many rejected him and failed to grasp his significance.

The Obedient Blessed

Meanwhile, seemingly insignificant events and people have changed history. One example is Joppa, now known as Jaffa, at the southern tip of Tel Aviv. It was there, in the house of Simon the Tanner, that the Apostle Peter had a vision, and because he acted upon it in obedience to the Lord, it became the means by which the Gospel was preached to the entire Gentile world.

The Roman centurion Cornelius, 40 miles up the coast, had a similar encounter, and he acted upon it because he was a God-fearing man who loved the Jews. Genesis 12:3 tells that those who bless the seed of Abraham will themselves be blessed while those who curse them will come under judgment. And so the Holy Spirit fell on these Gentile believers.

Life in All its Fullness

Joppa (now Jaffa) is once more significant today as the entry point of Jews returning to Israel from every corner of the globe. Airliners from all over the world fly over this ancient port bringing the scattered seed of Abraham back to the Promised Land.

The bright lights of Tel Aviv. See Photo Credits.

What’s more, many of them are now turning back to the Lord, having acknowledged Jesus as their Messiah. And we worshipped with some of them (in Hebrew), which was an amazing privilege. It was such a moving experience to witness hands and eyes lifted to the skies in praise and adoration of the Lord we love.

And they are reaching out to a world still lost and confused; Tel Aviv is a hedonistic city where many indulge in a club-and-coffee bar culture that leaves little room for God. But there is a great openness. They may be lost, but they are looking for a Shepherd. Pray that their eyes will be open; go if you can and tell them about Yeshua (Hebrew for Jesus). They are looking for fun and fulfilment, but they often find mere emptiness, as at the bottom of a beer glass or coffee cup.

Like us in Britain, they too are looking for the bright lights, but are so dazzled by the glitzy neon signs that they miss the real thing – the true light that gives light to every man. Jesus says: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

Like us in Britain, Israelis too are looking for the light, but are so dazzled by the glitzy neon signs that they miss the real thing.

Light to the World

As I was standing on the Mount of Olives, I contemplated how Jesus paid such a heavy price for our salvation as he sweated blood among the olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane below.

The olive tree is a symbol of the Messiah. Its fruit is harvested using sticks to beat them down from the overhanging branches; Jesus was whipped for us. The olives are then crushed for their oil; Jesus was crushed for our iniquities (Isa 53:5). But the oil is then used to light a candle…to bring light to the world!

Let’s focus on the true light this Christmas – and Hanukkah.

Author and publisher Peter Sammons takes on the multi-faith agenda.

‘The Empty Promise of Godism: Reflections on the Multi-Faith Agenda’ (Glory to Glory, 2009). Review by Maureen Trowbridge.

In the foreword to this book the author discusses the common view that all religions are essentially the same. “What sort of God do we believe in? Can we logically hold the notion that all religions are sent by God?”

Sammons sets off to explore the claims of the multi-faith ‘godists’ vis-à-vis the authentic Gospel, the true and consistent nature of God and his unique characteristics as revealed in Scripture.

Before opening up the multi-faith agenda, Sammons wisely lays a strong foundation with several chapters on the Bible’s revelations of who God is. Sammons spends time unpacking the Ten Commandments, which show clearly the true heart of God, including the command that “You shall have no other gods before me” (Ex 20:3).

Then, as the rest of the book unfolds, there are clear explanations of what the author terms ‘godism’ (a more nebulous approach to spirituality that holds that all religions have something to offer but none have a monopoly on the truth) in clear and challenging opposition to the truth of Christianity. All the comments and explanations are backed up by the word of God.

For anyone who is perplexed by, or wishing to respond to, the common belief that there are various paths to God and that no one religion or belief holds all the answers, this is the book to read. The author finishes with the way to find a true faith and with the positive affirmation from Jesus that “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6).

I recommend this as an excellent and thought-provoking book for understanding and growing in the Christian faith, especially in the context of postmodern, multi-faith Britain.

The Empty Promise of Godism (382pp) is available from the publisher for £10 + P&P. Also available for free as an e-book.

‘The Prince of Peace; Finding True Peace in a World that Wars’ (GlorytoGlory Publications, 2015). Review by Rev Dr David Moore.

Peter Sammons’ ‘The Prince of Peace’ is aimed at a general readership, readily accessible also to those without any prior knowledge of the Bible. ‘Peace’ is here understood in the wide terms of the Hebrew word shalom (peace, wholeness, wellbeing, salvation, etc) and finds its focus and fulfilment in the person of Jesus Christ, the Messianic Prince of Peace.

This understanding enables the author to explore, in a semi-conversational style, a wide range of Bible-teaching: salvation and the Gospel, Jews and Gentiles, Israel in the purposes of God, other religions, world peace and eschatology (including Jerusalem/Zion). As such, it is a little ‘body of divinity’ which introduces the reader to the Gospel, the Bible and Christian theology.

For the more theologically literate Christian, the book is also of interest in that it clearly grows out of the conviction that Replacement Theology distorts the place of Jew and Gentile in the integral meta-narrative of Scripture. This holistic stance provides a key to biblical end time prophecy where there is often confusion over what applies to the Jews and what relates to the Church, the so-called ‘new Israel of God’.

‘The Prince of Peace’ should appeal to both the serious seeker and the thoughtful Christian alike.

The Prince of Peace (137pp) is available from the publisher for £8.99 + P&P.

About the author: Peter Sammons is a writer and publisher based in Essex. His publishing house, Christian Publications International (formerly GlorytoGlory Publications) supplies a variety of books and resources, with particular emphasis on Christian theology, healing and Hebraic roots. As well as books for purchase, the CPI website also hosts free and downloadable resources. Click here to find out more.

Walking in the steps of the prophets, patriarchs and Messiah.

As I reflect on a much-anticipated study tour of Israel, I am conscious more than ever that this is God’s land.

Partially thwarted by security alerts in both the north and the south, we nevertheless experienced the miracle of modern Israel, in the context of its connection to an ancient and glorious past, on a tour run by Shoresh (Hebrew for ‘root’), part of the work of the Church’s Ministry among the Jewish people (CMJ), which has been established in this region since the 1840s.

In the Footsteps of the Israelites

Our journey followed a biblical route, via the wilderness through which the Israelites wandered for 40 years after escaping from slavery in Egypt, when the sea opened up to make a way where there was no other way.

We marvelled at how, some 3,500 years ago, that vast multitude survived in these arid conditions, with water scarce and vegetation hardly visible. No wonder they needed manna from heaven, and water from the rock. It was designed to teach them to trust in the Lord – for “man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt 4:4).

Even today Bedouin shepherds watch over their sheep in this desert, leading from the front, not behind. It is an extremely dangerous environment for sheep – especially at night, with steep ravines, rock faces and sink-holes waiting to catch them off guard, not to mention wolves and other predators.

So they need to stay close to the shepherd in order to hear his voice above all others, and so avoid falling into traps and being taken captive by deceitful hirelings.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me”, Jesus taught his disciples (John 10:27).

We marvelled at how, some 3,500 years ago, the vast multitude of Israelites survived in these arid conditions, with water scarce and vegetation hardly visible. 

God Our Refuge in the Wilderness

The Wilderness of Zin. See Photo Credits.We travelled through the vast and magnificent Wilderness of Zin, stretching as far as the eye can see. Surely God is in this place. Indeed, he is our only sure refuge in the great wilderness of sin through which we travel, in an increasingly wicked world that has turned its back on the living God.

At the Dead Sea, we were reminded of the ultimate fate of those who pursue unrighteousness and licentiousness – the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are no more, destroyed by fire and brimstone.

It’s fun floating on the water there, at 1,200ft below sea level - the lowest point on earth - as salt also has a positive role in lifting you up to a higher place. We are called to be salt of the earth in raising the standards of the communities and institutions in which we live and move.

As we ascended the hills of Galilee, our excellent guide explained how sheep cut the grass as they graze while goats pull it out by the roots. I thought of the separation of the sheep and goats at the end of the age (Matt 25:31-46). The sheep feed on fresh pasture as they closely follow the Shepherd while the goats, thinking only of their present needs, cut themselves off from the roots of their faith by considering Israel forsaken by God.

Jesus is the Messiah!

At Caesarea Philippi, we saw why Jesus asked the question, “Who do men say that I am?” For there are remains of temples to idols, along with a huge cave in an overhanging cliff said at the time to have been the gate to Hades (Hell). So Simon Peter made his great confession: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matt 16:16). And Jesus added that on this confession of faith he would build his Church (body of believers), and that the gates of Hell would not prevail against it.

God is our only sure refuge in the great wilderness of sin through which we travel. 

On the shores of Lake Galilee, we stood on the beach where the risen Christ cooked breakfast for his disciples, who had toiled all night for a catch of fish, to no avail. He told them to cast their net on the other side of the boat, and they landed 153 fish. And we learn that, in Jewish tradition, the numerical value of this figure adds up to the statement, “I am God.”

Jesus asked Peter, restored and forgiven of his earlier denial: “Do you love me more than these?” (John 21:15). Could it be that he was referring to the fish (i.e. his business) rather than his fellow disciples? Are we prepared to forsake all else in order to follow the Lord’s leading?

Threats from Without and Within

Weapons recovered from near a tunnel opening in southern Gaza. See Photo Credits.But disturbing news followed in our wake. We heard of Hamas terrorists killed in the bombing of a tunnel into Israel from Gaza in the south, and of a suicide bombing in a Druze village across the border in Syria, naturally also affecting the Druze¹ community within Israel.

This caused a long delay at a checkpoint coming out of Palestinian territory and meant missing part of the tour schedule, including the area where Paul had his dramatic encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus.

Just 70 years since being recognised as a re-born state by the United Nations, Israel has now developed into a powerful, high-tech democracy with the world’s second-strongest currency, after Jews returned from every corner of the globe in fulfilment of ancient prophecies.

But it remains threatened both from without and from within – in the latter case largely through lack of trust in the God of Israel. The Bible says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Ps 20:7).

This was soon to become a personal challenge, but before I explain, let me say that Jewish people are beginning to discover the truth about their Messiah (known as Yeshua in Hebrew). A Jews for Jesus survey has found that an astonishing 20% of Jewish Millennials, when asked who they considered Jesus to be, replied that he was “the Son of God”.²

Messiah Will Return

One day soon he is coming back. The Bible says he will stand upon the Mount of Olives in east Jerusalem (Acts 1:11, Zech 14:4) and all Israel will recognise him as their Saviour (Zech 12:10; Rom 11:26).

As I stood on the Mt of Olives, with an awesome view of the city before me, I reflected on this amazing event – on how Jesus ascended from this very place and will return in like manner.

Jewish people are beginning to discover the truth about their Messiah. 

But I also thought of how much it cost him, how he sweated blood in the Garden of Gethsemane below, with its ancient olive trees symbolic of the Messiah, who was whipped for our transgressions (sticks are used to beat the fruit off at harvest) and crushed for our iniquities, as olives are crushed for their oil (Isa 53:4-6).

We know the Bible is true, and that Jesus fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies of Messiah. So too will the much-prophesied great spiritual ingathering of God’s chosen people take place in the coming days. God has not forsaken them, but loves them with an everlasting love (Jer 31:3).

God Has Not Finished!

And just as he has not finished with Israel, he is apparently not yet finished with our tour, which was unexpectedly extended when I was prevented from boarding my El Al flight home – because of not having a visa in my South African passport. The British Government is now fining airlines allowing ‘foreigners’ to enter the UK without a visa (the fact that I have lived in England for nearly 50 years doesn’t seem to count!).

I won’t dwell on the details of the stress involved in having to re-organise our lives over this past week. Suffice to say that we two (my wife Linda and I) do not put our ultimate trust in flying chariots or horses, but in the Lord our God, who clearly has a purpose for our extended stay.

Our first extra night was something of an emergency stop, because it was close to the British Embassy, in the luxurious surroundings of Tel Aviv’s Herods Hotel, where we were given a champagne reception on being handed the keys to our $300-a-night room. This was somewhat ironic in view of our pilgrimage as Herod, who also enjoyed the high life, was no friend of the Messiah!

Thankfully we have since temporarily settled in nearby Jaffa, known as Joppa in biblical times and famous for Jonah and the whale, and for Peter’s vision in the house of Simon the Tanner, which opened the way for the Gospel being shared with the Gentiles. How eternally grateful we are for that – and so here we are sharing with the Jewish people the precious gift they passed on to us so long ago. May they be truly blessed with Yeshua’s perfect peace!

Notes

1 An Arab-Muslim sect loyal to Israel.

2 Is it time for a new Jesus movement among Jewish millennials? Gateway News, 8 November 2017. 

Paul Luckraft reviews 'Israel: Covenants and Kingdom' and 'Why Israel?'

Willem Glashouwer is the President of Christians for Israel International and a regular speaker in this country. Here are two of his most important books, available from Christian Friends of Israel.

Israel: Covenants and Kingdom (2016, 184 pages, available from CFI for £9)

Here is a book that will enhance anyone’s understanding of these crucial concepts. Every chapter is divided into shorter sections, each of which makes a valuable contribution to the overall argument, that God’s relationship with Israel is based upon love for them and faithfulness to his own word.

The establishment of the state of Israel in 1948 brought a fresh challenge to Replacement Theology and those who taught it. Was God keeping his covenants with the Jewish people after all, and if so, how are we to view the overarching biblical concept of the Kingdom of God? This book tackles these issues in a way that will reassure those with a heart for Israel and a mind for God’s word.

After an introductory chapter, the next three explore the scriptural basis of covenant from Creation to Abraham and onwards through his line, culminating in the promise in Jeremiah of a new covenant. These chapters conclude with a summary of the covenants God has made, including their everlasting and unconditional nature where appropriate.

Here the author names seven, at this point omitting the one with Noah but including separate ones on the land, Jerusalem and one he calls the ‘covenant of peace’. This may seem contrary to the more standard approach of five main covenants, but as there are several other covenants which surround these central ones, this is not something to be critical of as his analysis is generally in line with other books on this topic.

Throughout these chapters we get fascinating glimpses of other factors which may be less familiar, for instance the nature of Nimrod and his role at the outset of ‘Babylon’ or Babel, and also a more modern reference to Turkey and President Erdogan within the context of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38-39).

God’s relationship with Israel is based upon love for them and faithfulness to his own word.

In chapter five the author turns his attention to his other great theme: Kingdom. He explains this was not a new idea which emerged with the Church, the signs were already there through Israel, though it did become more apparent when Jesus was present on earth. What binds all these elements together is the promise of Gabriel to Mary that her son would be given the throne of David and he will reign forever. The concept of Kingdom is therefore linked to the covenants and must be seen as bigger than just ‘the Church’.

Later chapters cover other important issues. The history, relevance and future of Jerusalem is thoroughly explored including a well-balanced discussion on the possibility of a re-built temple. Part of the concluding chapter tackles the key question of ‘Palestine’. The answer is rather concise but, as in the book as a whole, the author presents facts and conveys a sense of reality about the situation.

Overall the book is well researched and based upon a scholarly approach without being too formal or over-academic. The case is clearly made, that God’s choice of Israel is irrevocable and that he will bless all nations through her. He will bring her Messiah back to this world to fulfil all his promises.

Why Israel? (2012, 216 pages, available from CFI for £10)

An initial glance at the contents might suggest much in common between this book and the one above. For instance, chapter two on the covenants covers the same material – but this later book also expands upon the earlier one. In fact, there is so much more in ‘Why Israel?’ to make it a worthwhile purchase in its own right, including two lengthy appendices, one on’ Jews and Church History’ (40 pages) and another on ‘Jerusalem Chronology’ (16 pages).

Chapters three to five explore three key ‘untils’. The first is in Matthew 23:39, “You will not see me again until you say ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’”. The others are “until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24) and “until the full number of the Gentiles has come in” (Rom 11:25). The main point made here is that ‘until’ is not the same as ‘unless’ – these things will happen! Moreover, ‘until’ implies a ‘before’ and an ‘after’ which are vital components of what is being promised. Overall, three fascinating chapters.

There is so much more in ‘Why Israel?’ to make it a worthwhile purchase in its own right.

Later chapters cover the roots of anti-Semitism, the Land of Israel (including the Balfour declaration and the British role), and Jerusalem and the Temple. There is also a chapter on aliyah. He asks ‘how does the Lord bring the Jews home?’ and answers with “Israel is on her way to glory and is being brought home by the non-Jews, the Gentiles. By you and me!” (p153). A wonderful thought, but also a challenge!

But the main challenge of the book is spelled out earlier: “God loves Israel as His first-born son, and Jesus, His only-begotten Son, was a Jew. Are you sure that you really love the God of the Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of Israel? Or are you loving your own concept of God?” (p17).

Any book with a question as a title must provide an answer as you read it. In this case you will be left in no doubt by the end of the biblical significance of Israel and the Jewish people today.

Las Vegas, gun control and the Bible.

The USA’s latest multiple shooting atrocity in Las Vegas has hit the world headlines as the worst in a long line of similar incidents of rogue gunmen mowing down innocent civilians. As mourning once again overtakes the US, the big question occupying the media is whether or not President Trump will order a review of the gun laws that allow citizens the right to bear arms.

It will not be an easy decision as during his presidential campaign, Donald Trump was reported to have received financial support from the powerful gun lobby groups,¹ which historically have resisted every attempt to change the gun laws. Why do Americans regard it as a sacred right to carry a gun?

The Right to Bear Arms

I remember being shocked when we exchanged churches with an American minister in Los Angeles. He came and took pastoral responsibility for our church in London while I and my family moved into his home in LA and pastored his church for six weeks during the summer holiday. I have done similar exchanges with churches in New York, Vermont, Michigan, Ohio, Massachusetts and California, and I have a great love for my many American friends. My shock was when the LA minister said that he always carried a gun into church under his cassock and I should do the same!

I had been the minister of a church in Tottenham, a tough district of London, for 10 years: I’d seen street riots and I’d been involved in many violent situations, but I had never handled a gun. In inner-city areas of London with which I’m familiar, gun crime is rare and the majority of our policemen do not carry guns, even in these days of mounting terrorism.

As mourning once again overtakes the US, the media is asking whether or not President Trump will order a review of the gun laws.

Why is it that in the USA, where so many are Bible-believing Christians, even believers not only carry guns, but fiercely defend their right to purchase weapons, carry them in public and use them in self-defence? Is it something to do with their heritage?

Las Vegas Strip.In addition to our prayers for the American people, I would like to offer what I hope is a thought-provoking contribution to the gun control debate that is taking place in America amidst all the suffering and grief of this latest tragedy.

Taking Up the Gun

The USA, unlike Canada, was born in blood. Both the US and Canada were British colonies. Both the US and Canada had issues with Britain and rightly wanted to assert their freedom to determine their own future. The Canadians settled these issues by negotiation, remaining in the British Commonwealth, but the Americans took to the gun in a war that ended in independence in 1776.

Nearly a hundred years later there were issues between the northern and southern states. Once again Americans took to the gun in the bloody civil war of 1861-1865 in which thousands of young men were slaughtered or left carrying life-changing wounds.

Why do Americans regard it as a sacred right to carry a gun – is it to do with their heritage?

In the 20^th Century Hollywood took up the theme of heroism displayed in war and bloodshed, and perpetuated the American romance of conquering the Wild West and playing cowboys and Indians. John Wayne became the ideal type of American manhood with tough talk and a fast gun to settle disputes. Arguably, President Trump is continuing this image of American manhood with his threats to completely obliterate North Korea while pouring scorn on the idea of negotiating with Kim Jong-un.

Inconsistent Ideologies

In complete contrast, Americans are also proud of their historic Christian roots in the coming of the Pilgrim Fathers from Britain who were seeking a place where they could be free to practise their biblical Christian faith. This is recognised in the dollar bill that still bears the inscription ‘IN GOD WE TRUST’.

But the one-dollar bill also bears the image of the Great Seal of America that carries the insignia of the all-seeing-eye of pagan mythology. This symbolises an inconsistency in the American psyche that sees no contradiction in putting together two contrary ideologies.

At root here is a failure to recognise that you cannot be both a Bible-believing Christian whose trust is in God, and one who embraces the values of the world - including solving disputes by conquest and brutal force. The same contradictory attitude is seen in the realm of business and commerce, where monopolist values that trample upon small traders have come to dominate, even spreading into politics (as demonstrated to an extent in the election of Trump - the ideal global capitalist).

Being a Peacemaker

Jesus rightly perceived that we cannot serve two masters with diametrically opposite values. You cannot be a peace-maker if you also have your finger on a gun. The teaching of Jesus was, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment” (Matt 5:21).

Jesus was also consistent in rejecting all forms of violence for the settlement of disputes. He even went so far as to say “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’” (Matt 5:43-44).

Jesus not only taught this but practised it in his own life, deliberately choosing crucifixion rather than allowing his disciples to take to the sword (though Simon Peter tried!) or calling down a legion of angels for his defence.

You cannot be both a Bible-believing Christian whose trust is in God, and one who embraces the values of the world.

Recognising the Danger

I have no doubt that I will be told that the teaching of Jesus is utterly impracticable for nations today, and particularly that if other nations have nuclear weapons, we must too.

But such a policy can only end in an Armageddon-type conflict, which is prophesied in the Bible: “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare” (2 Pet 3:10).

Though we do not know when the ‘day of the Lord’ will come, it may be that Peter also intended this prophecy as a warning of what will inevitably happen if human beings do not pause to reflect upon their actions and repent, calling upon God for his help. There is a promise in Jeremiah 18:7 that if the nations repent, judgment will not fall upon us. But disastrous destruction is inevitable if we do not change our ways. Then, the scenario described by Peter and Isaiah (chapter 24) will actually happen.

The dark clouds of judgment are already gathering on the world’s horizons, with so many nations, groups and individuals being driven relentlessly by the same evil spirit that motivated the Las Vegas murderer. Our prayer is that hearts will soften before it is too late.

We would love to hear from our readers – particularly those in the US - in response to these thoughts.

References

1 E.g. see here and here.

 Israel is responsible for the Law as well as the Land.

As the earth is ravaged by an unprecedented series of natural disasters, accompanied with threats of war and terror, world leaders have been presented with a heavenly vision.

In challenging the ‘fake history’ of those who deny Jewish links with Israel’s holiest sites, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin ‘Bibi’ Netanyahu has sounded a clarion call for the United Nations to acknowledge the divine authority of the world’s greatest book – the Bible.¹

Three times he referenced the Bible in a powerful speech to the UN in which he claimed that Israel’s right to exist and prosper as a nation is rooted in God’s word.

Referring to July’s declaration of Hebron’s Tomb of the Patriarchs as a Palestinian World Heritage Site, he said you won’t read the true facts of its history in the latest UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) report.

Weightier Publication

“But you can read about it in a somewhat weightier publication – it’s called the Bible,” he mocked, adding that it was “a great read”, that he read it every week, and that they could purchase it from Amazon.²

Bibi must also seek to apply the Law – that is, the Lord’s teaching on ethical matters – to his domain.

How refreshing that at least one nation’s leader takes his stand on the Bible, though it is entirely appropriate as Bibi leads the people who gave it to us! As well as a sacred book written by divine authority, it is also an historical record which validates Israel’s claim to the Promised Land they now occupy. 

But in making such a divine claim for the territory, Bibi must also seek to apply the Law – that is, the Lord’s teaching on ethical matters – to his domain.

He is right in saying that the words of the Prophet Isaiah – that God called Israel to be a light to the nations – is being fulfilled as the tiny Jewish state becomes a rising power. But their call “to bring salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isa 49:6) must mean more than hi-tech innovation and being good neighbours through their search-and-rescue teams sent to disaster areas and medics tending to wounded Syrians on their northern border, though we praise God for all that.

Rife with Immorality

Israel is nevertheless rife with immorality – and I am thinking particularly about abortion, a killing of innocents that echoes previous turning points in Israel’s (and the world’s) history at the time of Moses and of Jesus. I appreciate that its practice in modern Israel is less prevalent than in most parts of the West,³ but some 650,000 children⁴ have nevertheless been denied life in a country that gave God’s law to the world, including the commandment ‘Thou shall not kill’.

Paradoxically, the killing of innocents has accompanied the greatest rescues mankind has witnessed.

In the UK, shockingly, nine million babies have been murdered in the 50 years since the passing of the Abortion Act, originally designed to prevent backstreet abortions and meant to apply only where a mother’s life was threatened. Now it is virtually a case of abortion-on-demand as further calls are made for relaxing the law. 

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists President Lesley Regan believes terminations should be the same as any other medical procedure, requiring consent from only one doctor, just as if they were having a bunion removed. But the fact that 650 doctors have signed a petition against it is very encouraging.⁵

Massacre of Infants

Paradoxically, the killing of innocents has accompanied the greatest rescues mankind has witnessed. Moses survived the edict of the Egyptian Pharaoh calling for the slaughter of all Hebrew babies to lead his people out of slavery to the Promised Land. Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah, survived King Herod’s massacre of infants – ironically by fleeing with his family to Egypt in response to God’s warning – to bring salvation to the world through his sacrificial death on a Roman cross outside Jerusalem.

Moses also received the Law of God; now Jesus writes the Law on our hearts (Ezek 36:26; Jer 31:33). Moses was hidden among the bulrushes of the Nile and became the saviour of his people; Jesus was raised in the backwaters of Nazareth but became the Saviour of the world as he brought true freedom to all who would trust in his redeeming blood (John 8:36).

The Knesset was voting on an abortion law at the very same time that we were discussing Torah.

My colleague, Clifford Denton, tells me of a conference held in Israel in 1996 at which Messianic leaders gathered to discuss the Jewish roots of Christianity. “Unknown to me until afterwards,” he said, “it turned out that the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) was voting on an abortion law at the very same time that we were discussing Torah (the Law of Moses). In fact the Knesset was struck by lightning at that very time.”

Messiah’s Second Coming

With innocents around the world being butchered as never before, the Messiah is about to be revealed to the nations.

Jesus indicated that his coming again would be as in the days of Noah (Luke 17:26) when the world was full of violence (Gen 6:13). Today, terrorism stalks the planet as unbelievable cruelty mars even supposedly ‘enlightened’ societies, while nuclear holocausts have become a distinct possibility with both North Korea and Iran making ominous noises. And all this while nations reel under the ferocious effects of earthquakes and hurricanes – also spoken of as signs of the Messiah’s imminent return (Luke 21:25-28), especially when they follow in rapid succession and with increasing severity, as on a woman with labour pains (Matt 24:8).

The day is coming when the killing of the innocents will give way to the glorious return of the Son of Man.

Of the three major Jewish feasts, Jesus has fulfilled both Passover and Shavuot (Pentecost). Many Bible commentators believe he will soon fulfil the Feast of Tabernacles (shortly to be celebrated throughout the Jewish world) when he returns to reign from Jerusalem. The One who protects his people, and provides for them, as he did in the wilderness so long ago, will finally bring in the harvest of those who believe in him as he comes to ‘tabernacle’ (or livemake his dwelling) among us (see John 1:14).

The day is coming – very soon, it seems – when the killing of the innocents will give way to the glorious return of the Son of Man “coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27) to avenge every wrong as he passes judgment on a cruel world.

Israel – you are truly called to be a light to the nations, and indeed you have impressed so far with many marvellous inventions. But the brightest light is the fulfilment of the Law through Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus Messiah), who brings hope, not despair; and life, not death.

Notes

1 Christians United for Israel, 21 September 2017.

2 Ibid.

3 Among European nations, only Croatia has a lower abortion rate than Israel, according to the Jerusalem Post on 31 March 2015. And on 14 January 2014 the Times of Israel reported that, despite liberal policies on the issue, the nation’s abortion rate had been declining for the previous quarter-century, dropping 21% since 1990 to 20,063 in 2012 (or 117 for every 1,000 live births).

4 Johnston’s Archive compiled by Wm Robert Johnston, last updated 25 February 2017.

5 Daily Mail, 22 September 2017.

Hurricanes, floods and wildfires – are we in the last days?

“Are we in the last days?” is the question many people are asking as our newspapers and TVs are filled with horrendous accounts of the destructive powers of nature that are shaking the world.

Hurricane Irma has flattened whole islands where the rich and powerful enjoy their Caribbean paradise in the breath-taking beauty of secluded estates, surrounded by the frail wooden homes of those who serve them. Rich and poor alike have suffered catastrophic damage to their property and lives have been lost.

But it’s not only the small islands that have suffered; a powerful earthquake hit Mexico at the same time as the Irma made landfall on the USA mainland around Miami and tremendous damage was done as the hurricane moved inland across Florida. This was hot on the heels of Hurricane Harvey and ahead of Hurricanes José and Katia: battering the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico and south-east USA with unprecedented fury.

Other parts of the world have also been experiencing devastating flooding and landslides. Monsoonal rains sweeping across a vast swathe of northern India, Nepal and Bangladesh have left 1,200 dead and over 40 million people affected in the worst flooding for half a century.¹ Also, wildfires driven by high winds have been wreaking havoc in many parts of the world.² So, what’s the significance of all this?

While hurricanes have battered the Americas, other parts of the world have been experiencing devastating flooding and landslides.

Signs in the Heavens and on the Earth

2017 has seen an unusually high number of wildfires worldwide.Bible-believing Christians are asking if these horrendous events have any bearing upon the times of great shaking among the nations that we are experiencing. When referring to his own Second Coming, Jesus said:

There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming upon the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. (Luke 21:25-26)

Is it just an interesting coincidence that last week there was a spectacular aurora of lights dancing across Britain’s skies as a huge solar flare, the most powerful for 12 years, erupted on the sun? The Times reported that “Its blast of radiation was so intense that it caused high-frequency radio blackouts for an hour over Europe, Africa and the Atlantic.”³

The report said that the explosion on the sun “unleashed vast bubbles of superheated electrified gas that shot through space at 1 million mph…and came crashing into Earth.”⁴

First Israel, Then the World

Warnings of vast disturbances on earth are found throughout the Bible. Isaiah 24 begins with the statement, “See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it.” This is followed by, “The earth will be completely laid waste…The earth dries up and withers…The earth is defiled by people…Therefore a curse consumes the earth.”

This sounds as though some catastrophic worldwide destruction is forecast, such as a nuclear holocaust that many are fearing today as Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un face each other, with North Korea’s newly acquired nuclear capability. But reading Isaiah 24 in the Hebrew gives a very different impression.

Isaiah 24 seems to predict some catastrophic worldwide destruction, but reading it in the Hebrew gives a different impression.

All the above references to ‘the Earth’ use the Hebrew word erets which throughout the Bible usually means ‘the land’, or more specifically ‘the land of Israel’. Suddenly in verse 21 (of Isaiah 24) the word changes from ‘erets’ to ‘adarmah’ which elsewhere in the Bible means ‘the whole world’.

So, suddenly, the text changes from the land of Israel being thoroughly shaken to the statement “In that day the Lord will punish the powers in the heavens above and the kings on the Earth below”, meaning that some great judgment will come upon the land of Israel, after which the great shaking is extended to bring judgment upon the whole world.

The Times of the Gentiles

If we now go forward to the New Testament, we find Jesus probably referring to Isaiah 24 when he says “For this is the time of punishment in fulfilment of all that has been written” (Luke 21:22). He follows that by referring to events that took place just 40 years later in the war with Rome (AD 66-70), which ended with the destruction of Jerusalem and the slaughter of some half a million people in Judea.⁵

Jesus then jumps forward to the times approaching his own Second Coming. He says “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24).

The big question facing us today is whether or not “the times of the Gentiles” have been fulfilled. Although most of Jerusalem is back in Jewish hands, the Temple Mount is still occupied by Muslims which causes many biblical scholars to say that the prophetic words of Jesus have not yet been fulfilled.

The big question facing us today is whether or not the ‘times of the Gentiles’ have been fulfilled.

The Days of Noah

Jesus also referred to ‘the days of Noah’:

As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. (Matthew 24:37-39)

This warning about being prepared should at least make us stop and think about what is happening in our world today, and review our own relationship with God through our faith in the Lord Jesus. The Second Coming of our Lord may be much nearer than we think. An unbelieving generation takes no notice of the warning signs. Bible-believing Christians have no such excuse!

References

1 E.g. see news coverage here.

2 Click here to see maps of 2017 wildfires around the world.

3 Simons, P. Solar storm means aurora borealis could light up British skies. The Times, 9 September 2017.

4 Ibid.

5 It is always difficult to be sure of what Jesus meant in his statements to the disciples in Luke 21 and Matthew 24, because some of his words refer to events in the near future and others to the far future. He was clearly in conversation with them about the Temple which they had just left when he said that "not one stone will be left on another" (Matt 24:2). This was undoubtedly fulfilled in AD 70. But his prophecy that the Gospel will be preached in all the world (Matt 24:14) has obviously not yet been fulfilled, although with the present rapid worldwide growth of the Church, it may be fulfilled in the lifetime of the present generation of young people. It should also be remembered that biblical prophecies can refer to more than one event.

Charles Gardner and Maureen Trowbridge review ‘Beyond the Final Curtain: What Happens When We Die’ by Richard Roe (Zaccmedia, 2014).

As a journalist of more than 40 years, I am well used to deadlines. But I take my hat off to fellow writer Richard Roe for daring to tackle the ultimate deadline. In his excellent book, Beyond the Final Curtain (Zaccmedia), he addresses an issue most of us try all our lives to avoid – what happens when we die.

It may well be a taboo subject not suited to livening up a party, but it’s not as morbid as it sounds, and the book is both well-written and hugely insightful.

Man’s Greatest Enemy Defeated

Basically, Roe’s thesis is that the resurrection of Jesus has dealt with man’s greatest enemy, if only we will have the sense – and humility – to believe and act upon it. As Richard puts it, “Jesus is God’s solution to the problem of death; He has conquered death.”

But at the same time the author pulls no punches, asserting that Jesus is the only way to heaven and the only means of avoiding hell.

The resurrection of Jesus has dealt with man’s greatest enemy – if only we will have the sense to believe and act upon it!

His reasoning is intelligent, sound and practical, but essentially biblical, concluding that the word of God – the source of all wisdom and knowledge, and authenticated by Jesus himself – holds the key to the hereafter. And the Bible says that all of us are serving a ‘life sentence’ of being ‘enslaved’ by our fear of death (Heb 2:15).

Jesus the Ultimate Sacrifice

When faced with a deadline to complete a task, our minds become focused and we won’t rest until it is finished. Yet with a deadline we will certainly all face sooner or later, we pretend it will never happen and thus refuse to face the inevitable questions of life and death.

Endorsed by famous preacher RT Kendall, the book is a stirring challenge to that mindset. But it’s also a clear and beautiful presentation of the Gospel that tells us Jesus has paid the price for our sins, which would otherwise condemn us to everlasting torment.

And for those familiar with the Jewish Tanach (what Christians call the Old Testament), the author ably demonstrates how so many well-known Bible passages point to the role of their future Messiah, so perfectly fulfilled in Yeshua (Jesus). For example, the Passover lamb of Exodus, whose blood protected the Israelites and set them free from slavery in Egypt, foreshadowed the crucifixion of Jesus, the ultimate Passover Lamb, who freed us from slavery to sin.

The word of God – the source of all wisdom and knowledge, and authenticated by Jesus himself – holds the key to the hereafter.

In the same way the bronze serpent Moses raised on a pole for those suffering snake-bite foreshadowed the ‘healing’ of our sin and sickness by Jesus, for “by his wounds we are healed” (Isa 53:5).

Signs of the Messiah

Another such sign cited by the author (and Jesus himself – see Luke 11:29-32) is the Prophet Jonah, who was in the belly of a whale for three days before being spewed up on a beach. As with Jonah, Jesus died and was buried before being raised to life after three days.

And in his gospel, the Apostle John records Jesus’ first miracle of turning water into wine, which the author asserts as proof enough that he is the God of Creation, the Lord of the Universe to whom Jews pray every Sabbath.

This miracle also indicates that, when you put your trust in Jesus, life will taste sweeter. And if you read the account in John chapter 2 (verses 1-12), you will see how the Messiah saves the best wine till last!

Just taste and see that the Lord is good! (Ps 34:8)

Charles Gardner

Further comment from Maureen Trowbridge:

Richard Roe writes much about the assurance of eternal life after death for those who believe, quoting the words of Jesus. The book goes through the Old and New Testaments commenting on the lives and beliefs of the characters with much research and depth.

This is a helpful book for any who are uncertain about their future. The end of the book includes a prayer for any who do not yet know Jesus, which is adapted from RT Kendall’s tract ‘Can you know for certain that you will go to Heaven when you Die?’ (Westminster Chapel, 1986).

Beyond the Final Curtain (140 pages) is available from Amazon for £7.99 + P&P. Also available on Kindle.