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.

Lynda Rose, of Voice for Justice, shares her perspective on the spiritual state of the nation.

Last week, at their conference in Bournemouth, we saw the BMA vote in favour of de-criminalising abortion, the practical effect of which would be to make termination legal for any reason up to birth.

Immediately after, following a proposed Labour amendment to the Queen’s Speech criticising the ‘inequality’ of not allowing abortion in Northern Ireland (and to avoid defeat by a Labour and Conservative ‘coalition’ of MPs who oppose the DUP stance on abortion), the Government hastily put in place measures to pay for Northern Irish women wanting abortion to cross the Irish Sea and have the procedure for free on the NHS.

It would seem that we are rapidly approaching a time when only the self-obsessed will survive. Though perhaps, realistically, that won’t be for very long; in their efforts to justify once-forbidden behaviours - cloaked in the language of rights, tolerance and diversity - proponents of the new so-called ‘morality’ seem hell-bent on destroying the foundations on which our society is built, along with the lives of a sizeable part of the generation to come. To put it bluntly, there won’t be enough children to ensure our survival, while a significant proportion of those that are born will voluntarily become ‘infertile’.

Worship of the Demonic

Since the passing of the Abortion Act in 1967, the UK has seen the slaughter of almost 9,000,000 babies – for no apparent cause other than that their conception at the time, for whatever reason, was unwanted. Worldwide, this is genocidal slaughter of the innocent on a scale never before seen in the history of the world.

It is frighteningly reminiscent of the blood sacrifice offered to Moloch, the Canaanite god who demanded child sacrifice, and whose worship so fatally attracted the Jews, bringing upon them the wrath of God, the destruction of their nation, and their consequent exile from the land. But why, unbelievers ask, should something so seemingly trivial as the odd sacrifice to a local deity provoke such an over-the-top response?

Since the 1967 Abortion Act, we have witnessed genocidal slaughter of the innocent on a scale never before seen in world history.

The answer from the Bible is clear. In the Ten Commandments, and consistently from that point on, Yahweh expressly forbad the Jews to follow the religious practices of Egypt and Canaan. The reason was simple; such worship was demonic, feeding spirits hostile to God who wanted to challenge His rule and keep the human race in bondage to death. And any such worship, especially blood sacrifice, fed these spirits - by the exercise of choice intensifying their illegitimate control over followers, and fatally damaging any relationship they might aspire to with God.

At any time, worship of the demonic is dangerous, because it gives form to, and intensifies, evil. To put it another way, it gives evil a hold that it wouldn’t otherwise have. So now, the blood sacrifice of 9,000,000 babies on the altar of sexual freedom and women’s rights has fed a spirit of death that is voracious in appetite, and is increasingly asserting control over the nation. Indeed, as a result of this modern-day ‘worship’, the Moloch spirit has grown so powerful, and its hold over the nation so strong, that it is challenging the sovereignty of God.

Spiritual Hubris

This is spiritual hubris with a vengeance, but because men and women have increasingly rejected obedience to God – placing themselves outside his protection - its influence has become like a suffocating cloud: a spiritual smog blotting out the light.

All have been affected, tainted by the contagion of evil spread through re-branded and Godless morality – even ‘believers’ have fallen under its sway and are blinded, so that they now assert abortion is okay, and that any form of relationship is good, provided only there is ‘love’. Whatever next? Will we sanction marriage to a sibling, or to the family dog, or a gerbil? The suggestions might appear bizarre, but nothing, it appears, is off the table, because increasingly we are seeing good branded as evil, and evil as good.

All have been tainted by the contagion of evil spread through re-branded and Godless morality – even ‘believers’.

This is madness. Whatever the followers of this new religion would have us believe, God has not changed and, as sure as night follows day, judgment follows sin. So now, perhaps more than at any other time in our history, the UK is at a crossroads. More than that, humanity is at a crossroads, and the fate of the human race hangs in balance.

We Have to Choose

The reality is that there’s a massive spiritual battle now raging ‘in’ and ‘over’ the nation, and this spirit of death, fed with the blood of the unborn and bolstered by lesser spirits of chaos and confusion, is seeking exterminate anything and everything challenging its rule. The recent apparent success of Islamic terror attacks, combined with the ever-increasing disarray of government and society, is testimony to its success so far, and there is every possibility that things will get worse. We could even see armed conflict on our streets.

There is however good news – and it is very good news – because, whatever crisis we face, the Lord remains in absolute control. He could easily dispatch this dark spirit and its cohorts and save us - but he will only do so if we turn back to him and repent.

The truth is, we cannot worship both God and the devil, so we have to choose. The nation has to choose. And only if we make the right choice and repent will we have any hope of banishing this dark spirit from our land.

2016 saw an unusually large number of 'celebrity' deaths. Does God want us to take something from this?

For some reason, 2016 was characterised by an unusually large number of deaths of well-known people, whose lives were brought close to ours through the media. This is thought-provoking for a celebrity-conscious, media-driven generation, but in what way?

Suddenly many household names who seem so familiar and even dear to us, have gone – and many at relatively young ages. This in a world where terrorism and war are also constantly focussing our attention on lives cut short through death. Do we look on life and death as we ought, or is there something unreal in our perceptions of the world?

Distant Worlds Brought Near

On 30 December 2016, a summary was published by the BBC featuring 34 pictures of some of the most widely-known celebrities who died during the year, as well as a list of two to three hundred others. The list includes figures from the worlds of music, film, TV and theatre, comedy, writing and publishing, broadcasting, politics, society, science, sport and public service - all seemingly distant worlds brought close to us through modern electronic facilities.

In some ways this instantaneous digital world can be artificial, whether we immerse ourselves in music, sport, comedy or even politics. Its artificial nature suddenly becomes more palpable when so many people, whose lives impacted a generation, have been taken away.

In our somewhat artificial, media-driven culture, do we look on life and death as we ought?

The End of an Era?

Many of these deaths seemed to herald the end of an era, often bringing shock to ordinary members of the public. The deaths of popular musicians and singers including David Bowie and Prince, also Jimmy Young, brought a sense of deep loss for some and nostalgia for others. A few years ago, sportsmen like Muhammed Ali seemed invincible as he caught the attention of a generation in the boxing ring.

Familiar faces have suddenly disappeared forever from our TV and film screens, including Ronnie Corbett, Alan Rickman and Gene Wilder, also Terry Wogan – whose warmth of character made him a national treasure. World leaders and generation changers including Fidel Castro and Shimon Peres have gone. Some religious leaders whose thinking influenced their generation (sometimes controversially), such as Rabbi Lionel Blue and Bishop David Jenkins, are no longer with us.

Some of those who have passed away did so with particular poignancy. Among these was film star Debbie Reynolds, who died on 28 December - one day after her actress daughter Carrie Fisher (known for her role in Star Wars). Carrie had told "her Mom" of her love for her shortly before she died on 27 December.¹ Debbie told her son shortly before her stroke a day later, "I miss her so much. I want to be with Carrie". So mother and daughter died on consecutive days, expressing their desire to be close in this world or a world to come. So near to the end of a difficult year with many other losses, this news story seemed to have special resonance.

Many of these deaths seemed to herald the end of an era.

It is not my purpose here to comment on the contribution to our lives made by any of these people - although it must be said there were many of true faith on the list. The title 'celebrity' does not necessarily imply a life that is of itself a bad or a good influence on the rest of us.

Why not look over the entire BBC list and see what thoughts and emotions are inspired in you? It will be different for all of us, prompting memories of times of laughter or of serious thought, or stimulating respect, maybe nostalgia, or thankfulness.

Is God Speaking?

But why so many in one year? One answer lies in the fact that the 'baby boomer' generation has put more people in the public eye – as has more prolific and immediate media technology. So in human terms, we can rationalise the fact that so many well-known people have died in one year. Even though that is so, is God also saying something to us?

One danger in our media age is an element of unreality. The various presentations of celebrity, from huge music festivals and concerts to social media gossip, to the imaginary stories of TV or film, create a different sort of reality from that experienced by previous generations.

Even though these people have passed away they will continue to 'come back to life', in a way, when we see them again on the screen. Might this lead to an unrealistic view of death – even a denial of it - in our celebrity-conscious generation (have they really died? Are they actually immortal?)? Many people could not accept the sudden death of Elvis Presley in 1977, for example, and some people continue to think he is still alive now.

Does our celebrity-conscious culture lead to an unrealistic view of death – even a denial of it?

The large number of deaths this year prompts us to consider whether or not there is a growing attitude of unreality in our culture towards issues of life and death. This might especially be the case amongst young people, who increasingly live their lives immersed in different kinds of virtual reality through their phones and tablets.

Facing Up to Mortality

God's time came for so many well-known people this year, whatever their eternal destination. They were mortal just as we are, yet our artificial culture can blur this truth.

In all this, particularly at the turn of the year in a shaking and confused world, are we being reminded that all are mortal and that there is a serious side to life (and death) that media presentations do not always convey? Is God intending us to think on this mortality and the real priorities of life and death, which can often be masked by the more artificial aspects of our lives?

What do you think?

References

1 Wheat, A. Singin' in the Rain Star Debbie Reynolds Dies One Day After Daughter Carrie Fisher. People.com, 29 December 2016.

Art Katz looks at the Prophet Ezekiel and the significance of his vision of the valley of dry bones.

The 'dry bones' of Ezekiel 37 represent not only a spiritually dead Israel but a similarly lifeless Church. But in this prophetic scenario, Art Katz, a Messianic believer with a love and burden for Israel, argues that each will be the agent of the other's resurrection.

Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones, set out in chapter 37 of his book, symbolises the Jewish community of exiles in Babylon. The NIV footnote expands the phrase 'very dry' in verse 2 to mean 'long dead, far beyond the reach of resuscitation'. As with the prophetic 'son of man' who figures so prominently in this chapter, so are we, the prophetic people of God, also set down in a valley full of dry bones - the Church in our day.

In such a desperate situation we must be realists, avoid wishful thinking, and consider circumstances as they are, i.e. as God sees them. If we are unable to see this reality, then we cannot expect to prophesy in order that the 'bones' might be brought to life again. Any prophecy over the situation requires an identification with the mind of God that overcomes any reluctance to face the awesome fact of Israel's death.

We, the prophetic people of God, are set down in a valley full of dry bones – the Church in our day.

Israel and the Church Related

From the first verses of chapter 37 one suspects that the object of God's intention is not Israel alone, however glorious her restoration will be (Rom 11:15), but also that of the 'son of man'. Could this person be a figure of the remnant, the end times Church come to its full prophetic shape and stature? Could it be that the Church is to be brought alive again through its response to Israel in a time of urgent crisis affecting that country?

Such a situation, involving a reciprocal relationship between Israel and the Church, by which the one is made complete through the action of the other, is surely the heart of Paul's discourse in Romans 11. Is it not such a relationship that explains the ecstatic paean of praise with which the chapter concludes (Rom 11:33-36)? For the mystery of which Paul speaks is not only Israel's restoration, but is also the transfiguration of a last-days Church that has been appointed by God to be the very agent of Israel's restoration!

If this interpretation is correct, the Church will surely need to change from its present fragmented and divisive state to become a people of God speaking with a single voice. Such authentic unity does not come through any contrived ecumenical arrangement but through apostolic authenticity.

Israel a Means of Bringing God Glory

In the present-day Church we find a variety of extremes of attitude towards Israel - from indifference (if not outright hostility), to a celebration that borders on idolatry. If the Church is to be the agent of Israel's resurrection, drastic changes will be needed. Much of the Church does have an intuitive knowledge of Israel's 'death', and a desire that she should rise again. Has our perception of Israel not been the projection of our own self-satisfaction and acceptance as 'the Church'?

Could it be that the Church is to be brought alive again through its response to Israel in a time of urgent crisis affecting that country?

Have we not missed the significance of Israel as a means of bringing glory to God? Is there not an issue greater than Israel's success as a nation? Indeed, can Israel fulfil its covenant destiny to 'bless all the families of the earth', except as a nation transformed through resurrection? What we may be celebrating prematurely as the final prophetic fulfilment may only be a necessary preliminary. In other words, 'what is raised in glory' must first be 'sown in dishonour' (1 Cor 15).

We do not need to defend or justify Israel's increasingly desperate situation, if we can only see her travails as the means by which God is bringing the nation to an end of its false hope in itself. Unless we are able to do so, what alternative is there but to reject Israel, or to join in with those who censure her for the very moral failings which she must experience in order that she might be brought to the end of a reliance upon her own ability and moral authority?

If Israel does not perceive God to be the One by whose word the dead are raised, then how can she know God as he really is? And, if she does not, then how can she reveal him to the nations?

Apostasy and Undeservedness

Surely, the sad national acknowledgment of Ezekiel 37:11 is yet to come. For us Jews, our bones are indeed dry and our hope is lost, a situation contrary to the historic optimism and indomitable self-sufficiency which we have so often demonstrated to the world.

Is it on that basis that we are to fulfil our Abrahamic calling that "in you shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Gen 12:3)? Israel's increasing failure to establish herself as a righteous example to the Gentile nations is an eloquent testimony to this fact.

How wrong it is to condemn her for the very thing she is prophetically required to demonstrate! That even the Holocaust did not suffice to elicit the cry of Ezekiel 37:11, her present defiant condition testifies.

Israel's travails are the means by which God is bringing the nation to an end of its false hope in itself.

On the contrary, the oft-reiterated boast 'never again', itself suggests an attitude derived from military self-confidence, thus inviting a continuation of Israel's sorry situation.
Ironically, Israel, in her apostasy and undeservedness, is a greater testimony to God's love than if she were walking in righteousness. It is as a God of power, faithfulness and mercy, that a redeemed Israel must make him known, her ultimate restoration coming about through the word spoken by the very Church with which Israel has been so long in enmity!

The issue then, is not the glorification of Israel, but of God. His own goodness prompts him to act as he does. It is as a recipient of his undeserved grace and mercy that Israel must bear him witness, as a nation brought to such depths of repentance and change as never before witnessed by the world (Ezek 36:31; Zech 12:10-14; Zeph 3:11-13; Isa 60:15). It is through this that Jerusalem will be made 'a praise in the earth'.

The Painful Truth

Such a perception of Israel's future is painful. How much greater, though, would be the disappointment in an Israel that fails our every expectation and even brings into question the veracity of Scripture (as some have perhaps naively understood it).

Will there be those who will lose faith in a God who appeared unable to secure his people from calamity - and will this be a factor in that great end times apostasy of which Paul warned?

It is better for believers to be "brought out by the Spirit of the Lord" (Ezek 37:1) and put "down in the midst of the valley" (i.e. in a place of depressing truth) than to find themselves in opposition to, or exempted from, God's purposes for Israel, however well-meaning their intentions.

How much of our own 20^th Century 'Christianity' is a desperate 'keeping alive' of what God would make desolate? Are there not many who present Israel as a projection of their own vain hopes?

To pray for the removal of the situations that vex and threaten Israel, however much one may desire it, could well be against God's plans, for it is surely his intention to bring to an end those Zionist or charismatic false hopes which need to perish in order that God's eternal and prophetic purposes might come about.

To pray for the removal of the situations that vex and threaten Israel, however much one may desire it, could well be against God's plans.

Truth at the Right Time

Such was the obedience of Jesus that, despite his own human desire, he "stayed two more days where he was" (John 11:6), after hearing about the sickness of his friend Lazarus. Had he acted prematurely out of human compassion and hastened to the bedside of his friend, he would have nullified the purposes of the Father, for the sickness was not to end in death, but was to reveal God's glory.

The prophetic mouth disqualifies itself when it speaks a false word of comfort, however well-meaning. The same is true when it speaks a true word prematurely. May we keep ourselves in prophetic obedience, despite being censured and misunderstood by others for our apparent 'lovelessness'. Otherwise, when the Father calls us, the agent of Israel's resurrection, to proclaim to her, 'Come forth', our word may fail.

However much our non-intervening silence will be misconstrued, only a faith that works by love will suffice in that critical moment.

The love I am referring to is not a 'love' which is no more than a mere sentiment or fascination for Israel's mystique, but is one which represents the unconditional love of God; a love manifested in the same hour in which Israel will be hated by the nations.

If Jesus, as an utterly devastated Son, cut off from the land of the living, was able as the resurrected and glorified Son to enlist God's power in order to bring his Church to birth, how should we expect less for Israel, whose glorious restoration is the theocratic key to the nations?

The prophetic mouth disqualifies itself when it speaks a false word of comfort – and also when it speaks a true word prematurely.

Total Obedience Required

But how is this to be effected? The prophet is no mere spectator, but an agent. It is his fidelity alone that releases the power which brings about new life. His vision is critical to the redemption of Israel, the more so because he is able to see the situation as it is. Total obedience is required, an obedience that represents death to those inveterate prejudices, envies and insecurities that would just as soon leave Israel in its grave than bring the prodigal back from the dead to bask in the Father's favour!

Only through such obedience to the prophetic calling can the 'sticks' be joined together so that "one king shall be king over them all and David, their prince forever" (Ezek 37:22, 28).

It is the issue of Israel alone - though she does not realise it - that compels the Church to that ultimate faith, obedience and stature by which it is itself fitted for eternity! Is not this the heart of that mystery whose understanding alone saves us from the deadly 'conceit' referred to in Romans 11:25? For there are many who have a misconception of the Church, viewing her as being apart from, or a substitute for, Israel.

What shall be found more to redound to the eternal honour of God, than this triumph over sin and death in both Israel and the Church?

Only a faith that works by love will suffice – the unconditional love of God, manifested in the same hour in which Israel will be hated by the nations.

God's Sovereign Purposes Will Triumph

The same powers of hell and darkness that rushed in their characteristic fury to bring about the death of Jesus will, at the end of the age, seek to destroy the nation whose restoration is bound up with the coming of its King and with the triumphant establishment over the nations of his theocratic rule!

At present the principalities and powers which control the various nations are doing all they can to stir up hatred towards Israel. In doing so they are, ironically, fulfilling the purposes of him who is sovereign over all - the One whose certain triumph will be made plain to all the nations, including the chosen nation itself, Israel (Ezek 36).

It is in this way that Israel will fulfil the role which it has spurned or so sorely misunderstood. Such a fulfilment will, paradoxically, be brought about more by Israel's vices than its virtues, and by her failings rather than her successes. It is in this way that God, and God alone, will be glorified.

First published in Prophecy Today, Vol 10 No 1, January 1994.

Dark fantasies become reality as hell breaks loose on earth.

Even before I learnt that the main target of the Paris massacre was a theatre that until recently was owned by Jews,¹ I had been wondering whether we Westerners were reaping the consequences of 'dancing with the devil'.

Dark Concert

That so many civilians enjoying an evening out should suddenly find themselves face to face with a virtual firing squad almost defies the imagination. It was an appalling attack on unsuspecting individuals which had all the hallmarks of Satan. But there was evidently an elephant in the room, a great unmentionable that dare not speak its name.

London Mayor Boris Johnson referred to the perpetrators – Islamic State terrorists – as a 'death cult',² which it certainly is. But what commentators seem deliberately to have missed – along with the Bataclan concert hall's Jewish connection – was the link between such evil extremism and the dark nature of the concert that claimed most of the lives lost last Friday night.

The Eagles of Death Metal band had apparently just started a song called Kiss the devil³ when the gunmen opened fire and the auditorium morphed into the devil's domain. Fantasy became reality, with one witness describing it as "hell". I am not suggesting in any way that the victims had brought this disaster on themselves, but I am saying that Western society as a whole is partly responsible. For we have collectively lowered our guard against the demonic forces now unleashed with such ferocity, by betraying our Judeo-Christian foundations.

We have collectively lowered our guard against the demonic forces no unleashed with such ferocity.

'Prophetic' Media?

There was mention of prophecy in the Mail on Sunday, who recalled their "prophetic" report in May headlined "Med boats' secret cargo: jihadis bound for Britain". The same paper also reported the "chilling prophecy" of a controversial film about a terrorist rampage in Paris – about to open in French cinemas – that has now had to be withdrawn twice in the wake of the actual thing happening instead (it was also due to be screened earlier this year, but was pulled following the attacks on the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine and the Jewish supermarket).

Hardly anyone in the media talks of biblical prophecy, however. Yet that would shed an awful lot of light on this dark subject! Just one example of this is that the world would be full of violence – as in the days of Noah – in the time immediately preceding the return of Jesus to set up his kingdom of peace.

What 'Civilisation'?

Politicians have referred to the Paris massacre as an 'attack on civilisation'. But my response is: what civilisation? We seem obsessed with dark and lurid fantasy, and with images of violence in our living rooms. We congratulate ourselves on our culture of 'freedom', bought at a great price in two world wars and, before that, with the blood of Christian martyrs. They went to the stake for the cause of publishing God's word, which has now been discarded and thrown to the winds, only to be replaced by moral relativism where there are virtually no rules for living; where we promote death (through abortion and euthanasia, for example) and set about 'redefining' marriage, family and society as a whole.

We congratulate ourselves on our culture of 'freedom', but this freedom was bought at a great price and built on the word of God, which has now been discarded.

Homophobia and Islamaphobia are among the many politically correct don'ts to have replaced the Ten Commandments. As I write, a highly respected Northern Ireland preacher is facing trial on allegations of breaking the latter rule. It's possibly only a matter of time before we are denied the freedom of saying that Jesus is the only way to God (a claim he made about himself) for fear of offending other religions. But our civilisation was built on this very statement! We believed him, because he was totally authentic, and rose from the dead. We don't have to force anyone else to believe him; we simply declare the truth about him.

Defences Down

Tragically, however, our moral defences are down, our walls have been breached, and the foundations of our Judeo-Christian civilisation have been undermined. That is why we are wobbling as a society in grave danger of collapse.

I can't speak for France and the rest of Europe, but as far as Britain is concerned, time is running out. The iconic Big Ben clock, which has become a symbol of the UK throughout the globe, has recently undergone repairs amidst fears that it is rapidly becoming beyond repair. It is, of course, part of the complex comprising our famous Houses of Parliament, which is itself in danger from crumbling foundations with talk of MPs possibly having to move out.

Building on Sand

We were once a great nation sending missionaries around the world to share the life-changing (indeed, nation-changing) good news about Jesus. But now we have thrown out what was once most precious to us. Jesus told us to build on the rock. But we have built on sand.

Instead of building on the Rock that has stood the test of time, the sure and certain foundation that is Christ, the certainty of his resurrection from the dead and his coming again to set up an everlasting kingdom, we have built on the shifting sand of appeasement, uncertainty and short-term comfort.

Instead of building on the Rock that has stood the test of time, we have built on the shifting sand of appeasement, uncertainty and short-term comfort.

But there is still hope. Our loving Saviour holds out arms of love, willing us to return from our self-imposed exile and, with Him, repair the walls that have broken down. Oh, that one of our leaders would call a national day of prayer! That is my prayer.

References

1 According to JNN News, quoting the Arutz-7 news site, a member of the radical group Army of Islam told French security services back in 2011 that "we had planned an attack against the Bataclan because its owners are Jewish". It seems the perpetrators may not have known that the venue has recently changed hands. I have consistently stated in earlier articles that the ultimate target of Islamic State is the Jewish nation, referred to in a new video as Muslims' No 1 enemy.

2 Johnson, B. Islamic State? This death cult is not a state and it's certainly not Islamic. The Telegraph, 28 June 2015.

3 Lyrics include: "Who'll love the devil? Who'll sing his song? I will love the devil and his song." Horton, H. Photos show the excitement at the Bataclan minutes before 89 audience members were killed in the Paris attackaclan minutes before 89 audience members were killed in the Paris attack. The Telegraph, 17 November 2015.