Monica Hill concludes her series with a final article on the spiritual ‘manifestations’ of 1 Corinthians 12.

This article is part of a series. Click here to access the archive.

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12)

“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good…to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers” (1 Corinthians 12:9-10)

We are coming to the close of these thumbnail studies of each of the manifestations of the Spirit, which fit, in a special way, into the whole series of spiritual gifts that Paul lists as being available to us. We want to stress that discussions on, and insights gained from, these issues are all on-going – these studies are not the final word on the matter!

Furthermore, just knowing about the gifts is not sufficient – they need to be part of the whole raison d’etre of the faith, for each one of us. All of the gifts operate for the common good, to build up the Body of Christ. They operate only in the unity of the Spirit from whom they come. Before we consider the final three manifestations listed in 1 Corinthians 12, therefore, we will dwell for a moment on this theme.

Many Gifts, One Spirit

1 Corinthians 12 stresses the importance of the unity of the Holy Spirit. That unity is emphasised in Paul’s presentation –

• “no-one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord’, except by the Holy Spirit”;
  
• “there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them”;
  
• “there are different kinds of service, but the same Lord”;
  
• “there are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work” (vv3-6).
  

1 Corinthians 12:8-10 stresses that all the manifestations are given either through the Spirit or by means of the same Spirit. Verse 11 draws it together: “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines”.

This stress on the unity of the one Spirit from whom they all come surely must have some connection with the mistakes that were being made in the Corinthian church. Today, we are tempted, just as they were, to focus on the gifts or ‘manifestations’ rather than the source of the gifts. We often omit to give thanks where they are due and we fail to give God all the glory.

We should not take and use these gifts as a right, thus making ourselves important. Also we should not compare our own gift with that of others and feel that what we have is somehow of lesser value. This could lead to neglecting the gift that is given to us for the sake of false humility.

Paul emphasised the Holy Spirit as the one source of all these gifts – the Corinthian church were obviously tempted to focus more on the gifts than on the source.

A careful reading of 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 where Paul speaks about unity and diversity in the Body shows the value of all the spiritual gifts for the Church today. It also stresses that none are, or should be, of greater significance than the others.

I always read the last few verses (from verse 29) as a challenge to be aware of the uniqueness of each person’s gift and to agree with Paul that the answer to each of the questions is a resounding ‘no’. But we also need to agree that we should desire the greater gifts of “faith, hope and love”, while recognising that “the greatest of these is love” as declared in the beautiful love poem of 1 Corinthians 13.

Faith is for All

When we come to study the final three manifestations we can see how much they depend on each other – but we can also become rather confused as to the status of ‘faith’, being included as a manifestation which comes and goes as the Spirit wills and is not given to all!

Surely faith is believing and trusting in God and acting on this belief? “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb 11:6). Surely faith is the cornerstone of being a Christian? We all need to have the ‘living faith’ that saves us and links us firmly and securely to our Father God. So what does Paul mean by including faith as a spiritual manifestation?

Faith as a Manifestation

Although it is presumed that we all have a measure of faith, there is also a special gift of faith which is exercised in persistent prayer and intercession. This involves is a strong confidence in, and dependence upon, God, in the context of a conviction of what God will accomplish through us. This comes when you know you have received a word from the Lord so that you can pray with absolute confidence that what you’re asking is within his will.

The ‘faith’ spoken of in this context is a special kind of faith that Jesus spoke about when questioned over the withered fig tree: “Jesus answered ‘I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go throw yourself into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him’” (Mark 11:22).

The disciples were rebuked when they failed to heal a boy with a demon spirit, with the reason given as: “Because you have little faith. I tell you the truth if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you’” (see also Luke 17:6).

All believers must have a measure of faith, but there is also a special gift of faith which involves a strong conviction of what God will accomplish through us, that comes through persistent prayer.

Paul refers to this again in 1 Corinthians 13:2 as believing in God’s promises and having God’s faith in us - that is the “faith that can move mountains”, and this kind of faith is inextricably linked with the manifestations of ‘healing’ and ‘miraculous powers’.

No manifestation can operate without faith, but these two in particular cannot operate separately without this special kind of faith. James also spoke of this kind of faith in connection with healing: “the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up” and also mentioned the faith that Elijah needed to pray for both drought and rain (James 5:13-18). Paul prayed that the Ephesians will know God more intimately and experience “his incomparably great power for us who believe. The power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead” (Eph 1:18-19).

This special kind of faith enables us to do all that the Father wills - as long as we remember that it is a gift from God, and not a human skill. It is always the Holy Spirit who gives to God’s people the power to pray in faith and it is always God’s will for which they are given the faith to pray.

Hebrews 11 is a wonderful chapter giving examples of those throughout history who had this visionary kind of faith and who put their complete dependence on God.

Gifts of Healing

Note that ‘gifts of healing’ is in the plural in the Greek (χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων) [carismata himatone] and can mean different kinds of healing (Matt 10:1). This may not just mean physical healing but can also mean healing of relationships, or of psychological, emotional or spiritual needs. This is a ‘manifestation’ and not an appointment to a regular ministry of healing (1 Cor 12:30). Those who receive it should not be counted as official or regular workers of miracles. Even Peter, Paul and Philip in Samaria, whose healings are recorded in Acts, were not known as divine healers.

There are also those who receive training as doctors and nurses to care and heal in a worldly sense, but this manifestation is not that natural, human skill. Of course, the gifts of the Holy Spirit can be used alongside these human skills, so there can be continuing development of the entire field of Christian healing. God can bless them both as they are needed – and the manifestations can be spectacular when human help is no longer available.

‘Gifts of healing’ are plural – they do not just include physical healing but can also mean healing of relationships, or of psychological, emotional or spiritual needs.

Gifts of healing should be spontaneous among believers as and when the Spirit leads and wills, and these gifts do not depend only on the faith of those receiving the manifestation – Jesus often rejoiced that “Your faith has made you whole” (Luke 17:19; Mark 5:34; Luke 8:48; Mark 10:52). It is faith in Christ that cures people as Jesus reminded the onlookers following the healing of the crippled beggar: “It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see” (Acts 3:16).

James 5:13-16 gives specific instructions on praying and the use of oil. The ‘sick’ here means literally those ‘without strength’, needing the restoration of full health. The role of the elders was to build up the Body, healing all those needing support that they might be enabled to fulfil their ministry as fellow heirs with Christ (Rom 8:11-17).

Miraculous Powers

Gifts of healing can often be seen as miracles in themselves and Acts often uses the term ‘miracles’ (dynameis) to denote bodily healing and the casting out of evil spirits (Acts 8:6 -7 and 19:11-12). Healings were described as “signs and great miracles” (Acts 8:13) and “extraordinary miracles” (Acts 19:11).

But the working of miracles (literally the energising of powers – i.e. God’s powers) also refers to works of special and extraordinary power of God’s almightiness, such as those of Jesus when he turned the water into wine, walked on water or raised Lazarus from the dead. Those manifesting miraculous powers were promised that they would receive the power to “pick up snakes with their hands and when they drink deadly poison it will not hurt them at all” (Mark 16:19).

This is a very special manifestation given as and when the Spirit wills – and not one we can claim or manipulate. It is listed as one of the marks of an apostle in 2 Corinthians 12:12 but the whole story of Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8:9-24), his conversion and baptism followed by his desire to purchase special privileges, is a salutary lesson.

A ‘Final’ Word

When we look at developing the spiritual gifts - whether natural gifts, ministries or these ‘manifestations’ - to allow us to become the kind of people that God wants us to be, we see that it is all for a purpose: so that we can be both his witnesses and his ambassadors to others around us.

We should always remember that the gifts are given to enable us to serve others and not for self-aggrandisement! It is good for us to remember this when we recognise how gracious our Father is to send his Holy Spirit to help us, advise us and guide us into all truth, as well as to fill us with his grace.

Yet our nation-builders chose a solid foundation!

In searching out a memorial plaque to a Jewish relative while spending time with family in the heart of London, I marvelled at the magnificent statues paying tribute to nation-builders who followed Christ.

Among them were Robert Raikes, William Tyndale and General Gordon of Khartoum – men who truly denied themselves as they took up their cross to follow Jesus; and in so doing left a legacy which no amount of this world’s wealth could ever match.

They had certainly taken to heart the Saviour’s warning, “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his soul?” along with his call to build on the rock of his words rather than on the sand without foundation (Mark 8:36; Matt 7:24-27).

True Heroes of the Faith

Robert Raikes was the founder of the Sunday School movement, through which generations of children were taught about the love of God through his one and only Son. Tragically, few attend these days and fewer still have any knowledge of God’s laws and commands; is it any wonder that we live in an increasingly lawless society?

William Tyndale was burnt at the stake for daring to translate the Bible into English nearly 500 years ago – and his dying prayer was that God would open the King’s eyes to its enduring truths! His prayer was answered; the Bible became the world’s best-seller and Britain became a great nation built upon God’s laws. Thankfully, our present Queen is already a follower of Jesus, as she makes quite clear in her annual Christmas messages. But it’s the eyes of many of her subjects that need to be opened.

Nation-builders like Raikes, Tyndale and Gordon truly denied themselves and took up their cross to follow Jesus, leaving behind an unmatched legacy.

General Gordon won many battles for Britain before losing his life in the defence of Khartoum. He declined both a title and financial reward from the British government, but after some persuasion accepted a gold medal inscribed with a record of his 33 military engagements. It became his most prized possession.

After his death in 1885, however, it could not be found. It was only later, when his diaries were unearthed, that it was discovered how, on hearing news of a severe famine, he had sent the medal to be melted down and used to buy bread for the poor. He had written in his diary, “The last earthly thing I had in this world that I valued I have given to the Lord Jesus Christ today.”¹

Gen. Gordon was a Christian who knew where his treasure lay. Are we as willing to heed Jesus’ teaching not to invest in this world’s treasures, but in the eternal kingdom where moths and vermin cannot destroy, nor thieves break in and steal (see Matt 6:19-21)?

God’s Allowance of Disaster

As I turned to peer through the trees of the Thames Embankment, I was impressed by our ultra-modern skyline with its strange but interesting shapes piercing the heady atmosphere of this bustling city. The pointed, pyramid-like structure of the Shard is uncomfortably close to what I imagine the Tower of Babel to have looked like. It certainly seems to echo the arrogant boast of the ancients about making a name for themselves with a tower that reaches the heavens (see Gen 11:1-9).

But how fragile this all is, for just a few miles west stands the blackened skeleton of the 24-storey Grenfell Tower, an ugly memorial to the 80 people who perished in the inferno there on 14 June – victims, it seems, of poor design and construction.

When New York’s 110-storey Twin Towers came crashing down at the hands of terrorists in 2001, we were understandably shocked at the depth of depravity shown by fanatical Islamists. But did we ask if God was perhaps using a ruthless people to bring us to our senses, as the Prophet Habakkuk discovered to his shock in ancient times?

Are we as willing to heed Jesus’ teaching not to invest in this world’s treasures, but in the eternal kingdom where moths cannot destroy, nor thieves steal?

Of course, I am in no way trying to justify the motivation of those who committed this atrocity, but the Twin Towers clearly represented the Western world’s focus on material wealth, and of its greed and avarice often at the expense of the poor and needy. Having said that, the perpetrators of that terrible disaster, in which some 3,000 perished, saw it more as an attack on the West in general, and Israel in particular. After all, New York is home to more Jews than any city in the world, including Tel Aviv!

Like the ruthless Babylonians of old, the terrorists hated the Jews above all. And the shocking thing was that God allowed the attack to happen, as he had done in Habakkuk’s day when the Temple was destroyed and the Jews were carried off into exile.

The Will to Fight

As we have turned our backs on the God who made Britain great, the prospect of being invaded by enemies forcing us to worship foreign gods is not far-fetched. To a certain extent, it has already happened. As Dr Clifford Hill made clear last week, Britain was only spared from Nazi invasion by a nationwide response to repeated calls for prayer from King George VI, the Queen’s father.

Have we the spine, or the will, to resist the invading forces of evil in the gathering gloom of politically-correct immorality now threatening our land? Or have we resisted God so long that we are no longer able to distinguish good from evil?

But if you still have (spiritual) ears to hear, God is concerned for your soul. It is the most precious thing you own. If you store up treasure on this earth, who will have it when you’re gone?

I am not only addressing those on the fringe of church life, or even outside of it altogether. There are many Christians who spend far too much time concerned for the things of this world rather than pointing men and women to Christ, who alone can satisfy our souls. The cross is the way to life. Jesus said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no-one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). There is no other way to eternal life. Preach the cross; preach Jesus. Win souls for Him!

References

1 Gordon, S. Cuckoos in the Nest. Christian Year Publications, p123.

Clifford Denton continues his series on Hebraic living.

Walking with Friends

If we each look back over our lives, we will find that many of our friendships have been strengthened because we went on long walks together. The times when we were walking together, talking, enjoying the same fresh air, the same food and the same experiences are the times we remember as best. These shared experiences were foundations on which friendship was built.

Walking together can be metaphorical as well as a physical reality. Life shared in all its ways with one’s family and friends is also a ‘walk’. It seems that God has made us to enjoy walking life out! If we share an experience, whatever it is, we enjoy it more.

The times when we walk and talk together are often the times we remember as best.

The Hebrew Language Encourages Mobility

The Hebrew language is not complicated. The verb structures train the Hebraic mindset more for action than for academic discourse. They are simple and not designed for philosophical thought (such as is the Greek language, or even the English language).

Simply put, Hebrew verbs describe action - whether completed action, present action or ongoing action. The Hebrew language trains a person to be a doer, strengthening the idea of mobility in life.

Walking with God

Is it any wonder, then, that walking out one’s faith is such a central issue for God’s covenant people? God asks us to trust him and to walk with him on a journey of relationship, during which our faith is built. This is the Hebraic lifestyle, and it is evidenced throughout Scripture.

Enoch “walked with God” for 365 years and one day just disappeared from this world (Gen 5:22-23). We are left to imagine what such a walk might have been like, even before the days of Noah, before Abraham and before Moses. Enoch’s walk was not one of ritual from the Law, which was not yet given.

The lives of all the ‘heroes of faith’ in Hebrews 11 are described in our Bibles in such a way that we can deduce that it was through relationship, not ritual, that their faith grew. Just as with our friends on earth, friendship with God is cultivated through a lifelong walk.

Just as with our friends on earth, friendship with God is cultivated through a lifelong walk.

Abraham trusted God and began his walk in a physical sense when he left Ur. This physical walk took on spiritual dimensions through the experiences of life through which God led him. Down through the ages, others have taken confidence from his example to seek God for their own personal walk.

Torah and Halakhah

The subjects of Torah and halakhah are related. Torah, the teaching of God, is usually seen as the foundation of halakhah, which means walking out. With a Hebraic mindset one should not turn Torah into philosophy, as a Greek mindset is prone to doing through establishing a range of intellectual theologies on what the Bible says. A Hebraic mindset of doing (see Ezra 7:10) seeks to find what pleases God and put it into action.

This was what was in the mind of the author of Psalm 119 when he wrote:

Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the Torah of the Lord!
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart!
They also do no iniquity: they walk in His ways. (Psa 119:1-3)

Walking was established as the way Torah should be made manifest:

You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may be well with you… (Deut 5:33)

Micah understood this as the purpose of God for all mankind:

He has shown you, O Man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? (Mic 6:8)

Jewish rabbis adopted the practice of walking with their disciples as they taught them, outworking a principle whereby parents should teach children:

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. (Deut 6:7)

What a walk with God it was when Yeshua (Jesus) walked along the way with his disciples!

God asks us to trust him and to walk with him on a journey of relationship, during which our faith is built.

Every genuine, healthy walk with God is founded on Torah. Torah and halakhah are inseparable on this walk of growing faith through life. Nevertheless, I suggest that, with Enoch as my example, we should prioritise halakhah before Torah in our purposes. First, we seek to walk with God to attain the friendship that Abraham gained, and along the way we discover what pleases God.

Halakhah in Judaism

Since the time when Moses first appointed elders to interpret the principles of Torah into every aspect of life (Ex 18:17-27), the teachers of Israel have sought to continue this tradition.

However, halakhah has now become a code of binding rules. This was the origin of Yeshua’s criticism concerning many of the rules which were more man-made than God-intended (Matt 23). Rabbis were making their disciples dependent on them and not on a personal relationship with God. By contrast, Yeshua’s interpretation of Torah (such as in the Sermon on the Mount) was full of life and carried authority.

Halakhah in Christianity

The true Hebraic lifestyle is spoiled when halakhah is reduced to a set of rules. This is not only found in Judaism. It can also be found in sections of the Christian Church, though not necessarily under that heading. This must not be allowed. It will disconnect us from our true Hebraic heritage. True halakhah is in continuity from Enoch, through Abraham, Moses and right through to Yeshua and the freedom to learn that the New Covenant gives us.

God has always called his people to walk with him – personally. The role of any Bible teacher is to encourage that walk.

The true Hebraic lifestyle is spoiled when halakhah is reduced to a set of rules.

Our New Covenant freedom comes from having our sins forgiven through the shed blood of Yeshua, so that fellowship with our Father in Heaven in and through his Son can be made real. The Holy Spirit is given to us to strengthen that walk – a walk that takes us through all the seasons of life and maturing faith. Paul summed this up when he said:

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit…

That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit…

As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God…you received adoption by whom we cry out, Abba, Father. (Rom 8)

In restoring the continuity of a biblically Hebraic lifestyle, Christians can re-balance the principle of halakhah – walking with God. It is our privilege and our duty as God’s witnesses in this world.

Do Not Be Robbed

None of us must allow ourselves to be robbed of this walk of faith. It is the most wonderful thing to be invited by Yeshua to enter into this relationship, but many settle for far less. It is not only ritual Judaism that falls short of the true halakhah. Even in Christianity, if one follows a human being, however wonderful their biblical interpretation, more than responding directly to God, then one falls short.

If one turns the teaching of the Bible into theology which, though perhaps water-tight, is academic rather than Spirit-inspired, one falls short. If one values the social aspect of Christian interaction (even through regular and dutiful attendance at Church) above relationship with the Father, one can still fall short. And if one is locked into doctrinal and denominational teaching, defending it zealously, one may still miss out on the relationship to which our Father calls us.

It is the most wonderful thing to be invited by Yeshua to enter into this relationship, but many settle for far less.

Our walk with God will not be entirely alone. It will be a personal response to God, but also in step with family and fellowship around us. We walk in personal relationship with God, but also together.

All this is a priority of restoring our Hebraic foundations and something we must all check out afresh, daily.

Next time: Torah - the teaching of God.

Clifford Denton begins a new series on living Hebraically.

Two notable things have influenced relationships between the Christian Church and Israel during the last 70 years. One is the return of Israel to their ancient Land. The second is a desire by Christians to rediscover the roots of their faith.

The latter has grown exponentially over the last two to three decades. Indeed, the former is enabling the latter to take place, with tours to Israel available to millions of Christians and interaction with Messianic Jews helping Christians to research their historic roots.

It is a special time on the prophetic calendar. Many Christians have woken up to the understanding that when the Christian Church began to move away from its association with Israel, Greek and Roman influences infiltrated the doctrines and culture of the Church to fill a theological void.

Eloquent (in human terms) though such theologies have been, and as much as they are somewhat Bible-based, much has been neglected as a result of this, leading many of us today to re-consider what the so-called ‘early Church fathers’ passed on. This is prompting a desire to break from much Christian tradition and to re-connect more firmly with the culture and community of disciples and apostles of the 1^st Century. All that they passed on from the rich heritage that preceded the sacrificial ministry of the Lord Jesus the Messiah (Yeshua HaMashiach) is now being studied afresh.

It is a special time on the prophetic calendar.

On the negative side, in some quarters there has developed an over-fascination for all things Jewish, evidenced by an over-reaction against the historic Christian Church and a move towards practices of the synagogue that are more traditional than biblical.

However, more broadly there is a wealth of good fruit being born as a result of this revival of interest in Jewish roots. The number of ministries and individuals exploring the long-lost foundations of Christianity has burgeoned, and there are some excellent resources and events now available to believers to equip them on their own personal exploration of this topic.

In the 1990s, Prophecy Today was connected to two pioneering works in this respect: one was Tishrei, a quarterly journal; the other was Pardes, a teaching ministry involving both a journal and regular teaching days.

It is time to re-group and consider the fruits of these and other pioneering works. In this short series of articles, we plan to bring fresh focus to the quest to rediscover the roots of our faith.

Hebraic or Jewish?

From the beginning of this ministry it has been difficult to choose words to convey our intent accurately.

In Tishrei we chose to say that we were ‘re-discovering the Jewish roots of the Christian faith’. This had a good ‘ring’ to it, but could be misunderstood. It seemed a good term at the time because it was the Jews to whom Yeshua came, to interpret Torah into New Covenant truth. Indeed, though much could be criticised concerning the way Torah had been interpreted by the Jews, it was nevertheless the Jews who were the custodians of the entire heritage brought by God - first to Israel and then fulfilled through Yeshua for all, Jew and Gentile. Indeed, whatever else we think of Israel and Judah, Yeshua is the King of the Jews.

On the negative side, this terminology can seem to imply that we are blinkered to all except the Jewish heritage. Indeed, if one goes out of balance one can easily fall into ‘the Galatian heresy’ that Paul warned about (Gal 3).

There is a wealth of good fruit being born as a result of this revival of interest in Jewish roots.

Pardes introduced the phrase ‘Biblical and Hebraic’. This phrase does not imply Jewish heritage but emphasises the balanced perspective of being Bible-based whilst interpreting Scripture with a Hebraic mindset.

Over the years, my view is that it is easy to go out of balance towards elements of Judaism that are more traditional than biblical. Indeed, we are at a point where a review of what we are seeking is appropriate. Let us therefore begin to consider what it is to be Hebraic. In this first article of the series we will consider the life of faith.

Going Back to the Start: Abraham

Abraham was the first Hebrew and is considered the father of the faithful (Rom 4:11-12). In that he was considered to be father of both the circumcised and the uncircumcised, here we have a major point of continuity between the Old and New Covenants, and between Jews and Christians. Paul, in Romans 4, made it clear that Abraham achieved this standing through his life of faith.

The word 'Hebrew' (eevrit) comes from the word Avar which means to cross over, pass over, or pass away. Abraham obeyed God and, with his family, left Ur, a prominent city of the ancient world that recognised many gods. Via Haran, he crossed over to the Promised Land that became the Land of Israel, the land given by God to his descendants.

The account of Abraham is from Genesis 11 to 25. It is a simple story in many ways, but touches the depths that all of us experience in seeking to walk out a life of faith. This is the beginning of our search for our Hebrew roots. Abraham moved away from one place to go to another and in so doing gave up security rooted in this life for a life of faith.

In this series we will begin to consider what it is to be Hebraic.

The Journey of Faith

Interestingly, the Hebrew word emoonah can be translated as both ‘faith’ and ‘faithfulness’, teaching us that there is no such thing as static faith – it grows and matures through our actions taken through trust in God.

God is faithful to His people and our lives, motivated by trust (faith) in God are to show faithfulness in all our actions.

Abraham’s life of faith was to be a model for all his physical descendants, the Tribes of Israel, and for all who would be added to this covenant community through faith in Yeshua. His journey of faith was through a real, ‘normal’ human life in this physical world. Yet he trusted God for all that had been promised to him, including Isaac, the son of his old age, and a land for his descendants who would be as numerous as the stars in the sky.

The physical journey was also a metaphor for the spiritual journey. The greater fulfilment of the promise of a land to dwell in was for the coming Kingdom of God – “a city which has foundations, whose maker and builder is God” (Heb 11:10).

The writer to the Hebrews understood that “faith [or faithfulness] is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb 11:1). Hebrews 11 then describes many of the great men and women of faith (faithfulness) who, like Abraham, looked forward to the fulfilment of all God’s promises, finally and fully enabled through Yeshua.

Abraham’s model to them and us was to live a life that witnessed to the trust they had in the living God of Israel. Thus, living out a life of faith like Abraham is at the foundation of our faith, whether we are Jews or Christians.

Abraham modelled a life of trust in the living God of Israel.

Growing in Faith

There is an insightful article available in the Tishrei archives, written by Tom Hamilton. It is entitled The Greek Middle Voice. Interestingly and emphatically, Hamilton argued not from the Hebrew language but from using the Greek language of the New Testament how Abraham pleased God because of his faith.

Though the author argued through the Greek, however, it is Hebraic principles that are being studied. Argument through the Greek is necessary because the New Testament comes to us in the Greek language. Whatever Hebrew versions of at least some of the New Testament books were originally written, none are available now, and so Greek translations or originals are all we currently have. This means that there is a principle in our search for Hebraic foundations: that we must read the Greek New Testament through Hebrew principles.

Tom Hamilton highlighted the fact that Greek verbs have three forms: active, passive and middle (neither active nor passive). Here is the section of his article on Abraham’s faith:

Here, in this verse [Romans 4:20], we are told that Abraham "was strong in faith, giving glory to God."

The usual translations indicate a strength in Abraham (by use of the adjective "strong"). In the Greek, however, the verb ENDUNAMO is used, meaning to "infuse strength into something". It is found in the middle voice, and some would term it an example of a "reflexive middle". This would give it the meaning that Abraham “strengthened himself in faith", leaving Abraham playing a very "active" part in the strengthening of his faith. However, such a rendering would have been possible by the use of an Active verb together with a reflexive pronoun. So whether a reflexive middle exists could be open to debate.

We may thus reject such an "active" rendering, but neither was Abraham merely "passive" in the relationship. Relationships can never be totally passive. Abraham was certainly involved and was active in certain respects. However, his activity was always in complete harmony with his dependence upon God Himself. This, perhaps, is our key to understanding what was meant here in the use of the Middle Voice - a dependent and a needful, but not a completely passive Abraham.

How can we adequately translate this verse? Firstly, the word "faith" in the Greek is in the dative case. This has two possibilities. Was it Abraham's faith that was strengthened? Or was it the instrument used in the strengthening of Abraham? (i.e., was it "strengthened in faith", or "strengthened by faith". Faith, in Eph 2.8, is God's instrument whereby He saves us by grace). Secondly, how do we express Abraham's own role in relation to this process of strengthening? We know it was not either totally active or passive. I suggest, with our limited L2 equivalent language, the following two possibilities:-

"Abraham had himself strengthened with respect to his faith" or "Abraham had himself strengthened by faith"

(In each case, a weak and dependent Abraham).

The Hebrew language is verb-orientated, not noun-orientated. Our Western, Greek-influenced minds might consider Abraham’s faith as being a spiritual substance held within his spirit (noun), so that the possession of this substance pleased God.

If we carry this into our theology, faith becomes something to acquire and possibly strive for - we might even judge one another on our strength of possessing this faith. This is a sort of passive, even static idea of faith as an object, with God assessing and measuring how much of it we possess in our inner beings.

If this were how we are to view faith, very quickly the possession of such faith becomes an issue requiring work to acquire it.

Tom Hamilton’s article, however, points out that Abraham did not please God through a commodity he possessed, but by being willing (verb) to let God build his faith. It was Abraham who pleased God, not the faith in him. Abraham was not totally passive, nor was he actively striving; he was willing to obey God on the journey of life and thereby grow in faith.

The Hebrew language is verb-orientated, not noun-orientated. This impacts our theology.

James speaks of Abraham’s faith being active once acquired. The works that James speaks of were a result of a faithful life - not works to acquire faith. Abraham, as a consequence of his walk with God, gave living testimony of his trust in God (James 2:21-23). This is how Abraham pleased God.

Hebrew Root

Faith is the foundational issue for the covenant community. In searching out the foundations of Christianity through the continuity of covenant history, therefore, our primary call is to discover, like Abraham, how to walk with God and please God. This transcends much Christian theology and also much Jewish tradition.

The life of faith is not primarily lived through our attendance at church meetings, but in all aspects of our everyday lives. In that God builds our faith on this journey through life (if we are willing to let him), this is an ongoing experience through many years and in all sorts of ways tailored for us as individuals.

If we separate our concept of faith off from its Hebraic foundations, mistakes can creep in as they have in some branches of the Christian Church today. One mistake is in the movement that sees faith as manifesting itself in prosperity. Another is in the expectation that faith is proved by physical healing, so much so that a person is sometimes made to feel guilty and lacking faith by being ill.

Whilst, in balance, the life of faith can bring seasons of prosperity, success and health, faith often grows through the valley experiences as much as on the mountaintops of life. It is through a journey through the seasons of life that faith grows, as it did for our father Abraham. As for Abraham, so for all God’s people; God will be pleased if we trust him for that journey, which enables him to test and mature our faith in him, step by step. This is being Hebraic.

Next time: Halakhah: Walking with God.

Philadelphian believers were weak but faithful.

“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.

I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Although Philadelphia was the least distinguished of all the cities visited by John and reported in Revelation 3, the name is now better known as that of a leading city in the USA.

Philadelphia in the USA played a significant role in the American Revolution as a meeting place for the Founding Fathers of the United States, who signed the Declaration of Independence there in 1776 and the Constitution in 1787.

It served as the temporary capital of the United States (1790–1800) while the Federal City, Washington, was under construction in the District of Columbia. Its foundation had strong Quaker origins, having been built on land granted by Charles II in repayment of a debt to William Penn. Friendly negotiations with the Indian tribes living there gave rise to the name, which is Greek for brotherly love (from philos, ‘love’ or ‘friendship’, and adelphos, ‘brother’), which links it with its less spectacular biblical counterpart.

The ancient Philadelphia was established in 189 BC by King Eumenes II of Pergamon (197-160 BC) and was named in the love of his brother, who would be his successor, Attalus II (159-138 BC).

‘Philadelphia’ is Greek for brotherly love, from ‘philos’ (love or friendship) and ‘adelphos’ (brother).

Background: Philadelphia Then and Now

Ancient Philadelphia is now called Alesihir in modern-day Turkey. It was never to attain greatness in worldly terms as it was off the normal trade routes, although it was on a pass to the Eastern cities of Asia Minor. Thus it was often seen as an outpost of the Empire of the time - being dubbed a ‘missionary city’ with “open doors that would never be shut”.

At the time of the writing of the letters in Revelation there would have been around 500 Christian churches or fellowships in the whole area – but the Gospel had not spread far beyond Philadelphia so there was still great potential there.

The city was in the centre of an earthquake region and had suffered many quakes, including the great ones of AD 17 and AD 23 after which it was re-built with a grant from Rome. The main buildings were built to survive and the City Hall, with the remains of four of its great pillars, had become a centre of Christianity by the 4^th Century – in fact it still is intact; the city is a strong centre of Orthodox Christianity and remains a titular see of the Roman Catholic Church.

When we have been to this city on a tour of the ‘Seven Churches’, visitors could see the four massive pillars that remain on this site and experience the friendly nature of the current inhabitants. Children crowd around the tourist coaches eager to display their newly learned English from school, to share details of their lives and their desire to become penfriends. Even today there is an ‘open door’!

The Message!

The words from Jesus’ message to the Philadelphians can have great meaning for us today.

Some historians have tried to liken the seven different messages to the Revelation churches to seven eras in the Church’s overall development. They have equated the letter to Philadelphia with the great European missionary movements of the 18^th and 19^th Centuries, as they saw it as having a special message for those in this era who were fulfilling the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20:

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

The message, though, can have continuing significance today to ensure that the Church continues to have this Commission at the centre of its outreach.

Philadelphia, now modern Alesihir, was never to attain greatness in worldly terms – but was and remains a strong centre of Christianity.

The opening salutation in the letter differs from the others – as it does not come using words from John’s opening chapter of Revelation with its powerful description of God. It comes instead from 1 John 5:20 where Jesus is described as the One who is true and who also has the ‘key of David’ (Isa 22:22). Keys are symbolic in opening up hidden secrets in our understanding - whether they are mysteries of God (Job 11:7), or mysteries that have been entrusted to us as servants of Christ (1 Cor 4:1), or mysteries requiring further revelation, as in the deep truths of the Kingdom taught by Jesus.

This message, along with the message to Smyrna, are the only two in which there are no rebukes and there does not seem to be anything that is not pleasing to God. But there are warnings: this small community would not be immune from the time of persecution coming on Christians throughout the Roman Empire. But members of this little fellowship were not to be fearful as they would be kept through these days – they would not be spared the trials and times of suffering and persecution, but would be given the strength to hold firm – no-one would be able to take the crown of life away from them.

Weak but Faithful

There are many other gems and words of encouragement in this letter that can help us in today’s world. Unusually, the words “I know your deeds” are followed by a list of commendable factors but which also includes the recognition that “you have little strength”. In fact, an understanding of our dependence on God’s strength and not on our own, could be an essential part of any strategy for real growth to take place.

The message is not promising untroubled times: obviously, just as the Philadelphians experienced unexpected (and unwarranted?) persecution from those who were nearest to them in beliefs (the Jews), so we too can expect opposition – but if we stay firm and endure patiently, our future is assured.

Though this little fellowship would not be spared trials and times of suffering, they would be given the strength to hold firm.

We are to hold on to the faith that we have, so that we will become pillars that survive the test of time and will be a support to others. We are told that “I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem…and I will also write on them my new name” (Rev 3:13). We will indeed become ‘Ambassadors’ for Christ!

Even those who have been against us will in the last days recognise the truth of God’s word. “They will acknowledge that I have loved you” – they will see God’s love for themselves.
The message to the ‘overcomers’ in each of the letters is significant. The Messiah is coming soon; if we hold onto our faith we will not lose the crown waiting for us and we will be established so firmly that we will be like pillars in the Kingdom of God.

Timeless Truths

The message to the church in Philadelphia is timeless. God has not changed. He is as powerful today as he was in the 1st Century AD and the mission he gave to his Church then is unchanged today. As we noted in our guidebook Ephesus to Laodicea, written with our prayer partners some 12 years ago: “It is still the Great Commission to take his Word to the world, to turn darkness into light, to release the captives, to set the prisoner free and to release his love into a war-torn world that believes it is only the might of human arms can solve the problems of our humanity" (p93).

The message to each one of us continues to be that God empowers the weak, and he takes the things that seem foolish in the eyes of the world and uses them to work out his purposes.

Even though we may be weak, may we be faithful – and live up to the Philadelphian slogan ‘Open All Hours - we are never closed’.

Click here to read the rest of the articles in this series.

Rev Ian Farley reviews 'Christianity: A Complete Introduction', by John Young and Greg Hoyland (2016, RRP £14.99)

Although published this year, purchasers will want to note that this is an updated version of a 20-year-old book, part of the Teach Yourself series. The text is very clear and well laid out. There is a good introduction and suggestion of how to use the book. After each section there are examples of further reading, most of which are books published since 2000.

A Complete Introduction?

There are four parts to the work: Jesus and the Bible, Beliefs (sacraments, prayer, spirituality), History and Today's World. In theory readers could start at any section that interested them, although the authors do encourage everyone to read the 'Jesus' section first.

Some readers may consider there to be imbalances in the coverage: for instance, there are ten pages on textual criticism, form criticism, redaction criticism and non-canonical books of the Bible, but only one page on the issue of inspiration. There are two pages on Anglicanism but only 13 lines on Pentecostalism. These divergences, however, highlight that the authors go to great pains to be descriptive without being resolving. They do not take sides on what many would take to be supremely important matters.

This does not mean they say nothing: they play down hell; they are very circumspect on the phrase 'born again'; there is no questioning of the Christian Year; Creationist viewpoints are not included in the review of resolving the tension between science and faith; the designated important books of the New Testament are the four Gospels, there is just one sentence on Paul and justification by faith- Romans is not mentioned. On the other hand, the different understandings of both baptism and the Lord's Supper are fairly represented.

A Difficult Task...

It is very difficult to compact the whole of Christian history into one quarter of one volume. Purchasers would do well to register that the goal is to elucidate the differences that might appear to someone who has really no knowledge of churches today. As a one-volume work this book may be worthwhile in this context, and it is easy to read. However, Christian buyers looking to introduce a non-Christian friend to the faith may prefer to look for four shorter but more specific books dealing with the topics separately and from a confessional angle.

Christianity: A Complete Introduction (368 pages) is available in Christian bookshops and from Amazon. Also available as an e-book.

Paul Luckraft reviews 'Hebraic Church' by Steve Maltz (2016, Saffron Planet Publishing).

This is the latest book from Steve Maltz, and the culmination of many years of thinking and writing about where the Church is today and where it should be. He contends that it is not possible for the Church to change significantly unless it is prepared to think differently. Attempts in the past to reform its practices have all run into the same persistent problem – the mindset has remained Greek. The original Church was Hebraic in its thinking and approach, and a recovery of this is needed if today's Church is to regain its strength and purpose.

The term 'Hebraic Church' is in many ways a strange one, and needs careful explanation, which Maltz provides early in the book. It is not, of course, about becoming Jewish or reverting to Judaism, but it does involve shedding the Greek-based Western influences which have robbed the Church of its Way, Truth and Life.

Contrasting Greek and Hebraic Thinking

The book is in three parts, covering the 'why', 'what' and 'how' of Hebraic Church. The first section includes a brief survey of the journey the Church has made over the centuries and where it has ended up today. Part of this is a review of Alice Bailey's 10 point plan to "wrench society away from its Christian roots" (p27), which over the past 70 years has been so successful in achieving its aim that it is not only a description of society now but also "a huge indictment of the modern Church" (p27) for allowing this to happen.

The Church must be prepared to think differently – with a Hebraic rather than a Greek mindset.

The rest of this section starts us off on the path of 'thinking differently' by comparing how Hebraic thinking contrasts with Greek Western thinking in two key areas: time and space. These vital concepts dominate the way we live.

Time seems to have us in its grip and has become a driving force, instead of a backcloth for remembering the wonderful moments in which God has acted in our world and in our lives. As for 'space' (meaning the objects that occupy space) the key is to think 'function, not form'. We need to change our perspective, understanding and appreciating things (and people!) not primarily for what they look like or how they're put together but for their God-ordained purpose and design. Maltz give details here of how to make the transition in our thinking - as a result, we sense there's a real adventure to go on.

Grappling with God Himself

The second section is the longest and covers five major themes: God, Jesus, the Bible, Israel, the Church. The aim of Hebraic Church is to enable everyone to engage directly with God and to create a people of extraordinary faith and vitality who can reveal God to the world. A man-centred approach to Church has to be abandoned. Instead the desire must be to grapple with God himself, rather than just adhere to the creeds or doctrine. God will always remain mysterious and paradoxical to some extent, and our 'put everything in its box' thinking does not serve us well when it comes to the Almighty.

Our desire must be to grapple with God himself, rather than just adhere to creeds or doctrine.

The chapter on Jesus is a summary of an earlier book, Jesus, Man of Many Names, and is a "whistle-stop tour of the Life and Times of Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ), from Creation to New Creation" (p82). Two parts especially stand out: Jesus as the Word and Jesus as Messiah.

In discussing the Bible, Maltz explains that in Hebraic terms study is considered a high form of worship and that the aim of learning is that we might revere God more. The purpose of Bible study is not to engage in an intellectual pursuit but to be able to participate more in its story. Too often the 'form' of the Bible is put ahead of its function - namely the primary means by which God communicates to his people.

In terms of how we study, the Hebraic model is the yeshiva or Beth Midrash, a communal affair involving dialogue, and often noisy! Studying in pairs is a good way of teasing out the truth; challenges and disagreements form part of the learning process.

Changing Church Attitudes

Attitudes towards Israel inevitably form part of the contrast between those who think Hebraically and those who do not. Here is a brief reminder of the differences between those who see Israel as still having a key role in God's purposes and those who have laid aside such considerations in favour of a Church that has replaced Israel.

The chapter includes a fascinating account of the meeting in 2002 between prominent Jews and Christians which was reported by Melanie Phillips in The Spectator under the title 'Christians who hate the Jews'. This is an eye-opener to those not previously aware of this meeting. Maltz points out that Hebraic Church would be remiss if it didn't provide "an active reminder of the history of "Christian" anti-Semitism...and truly work towards the mysterious entity of One New Man" (p120).

Too often the 'form' of the Bible is put ahead of its function - namely the primary means by which God communicates to his people.

The chapter on the Church is not surprisingly the longest. Many aspects come under the microscope including worship, good deeds as an expression of faith, and the use of storytelling (haggadah) as a means of passing on truth and wisdom. Also emphasised are prayer, discipleship, sin and repentance, and the importance of the festivals as God's calendar (his 'appointed times'). Perhaps Hebraic Church is best summed up as "a place where like-minded believers grow together, worship together, and exercise their gifts" (p160).

Working It Out Together

The final part of the book contains quite a bit of repetition of what has been said earlier but it is a useful review, as this section is essentially about putting the previous ideas into practice, best summed up as 'now let's do it!'. There are many practical suggestions all based upon the 'big thoughts' Maltz has been outlining in previous chapters.

Maltz is aware that such a transition into Hebraic thinking is not necessarily easy. For many it will be nothing less than a total transformation and can only occur if there is a practical context. To this end there are 'Hebraic Church' days at his Foundations conferences which are proving increasingly popular and productive. These conferences have become opportunities for testing the ideas in this book.

The author is clear that Hebraic Church is not a bid for a new denomination, nor should it be confused with one! Rather it is just a name, a convenient way of expressing the restoration of the Jewish roots of Christianity and the emerging One New Man movement. He is also aware that 'balance' has to be a key watchword. The Church has limped along in a lopsided unbalanced way for most of its life.

Maltz hosts Hebraic Church days to test out and apply the ideas in the book practically.

He concludes with a useful 'mission statement'. Hebraic Church provides "an environment where we can all meet God individually, discover and exercise all of our gifts (not just spiritual gifts) and callings and to worship the living God, with the correct application of His Word and an acknowledgement of the debt the Church has to the Jewish people, including a desire to bless them" (p202).

But no formal statement can adequately summarise what it is really about. Perhaps better is the thought that this is a dynamic way to rediscover that church can be exciting! In short, it is an adventure to set out on, with others, and with God.

You can buy Hebraic Church (222 pages, £10) by clicking this link.

*EVENT NOTICE: FOUNDATIONS CONFERENCES*

Steve Maltz's next Foundations conferences are in Suffolk (Bungay) from 30 September to 2 October 2016, and in Devon (Torquay), 2-4 December. Click here for more information and to book – places are still available but going quickly!

Paul Luckraft reviews 'Into The Land' by Mike Dwight (2016, RoperPenberthy)

This is another challenging and forthright book by Mike Dwight who draws once again on his extensive personal experience in the mission field and leadership training ministry. As in his first book, Out of the Desert (reviewed here), he combines this practical knowledge with insights into God's character and purposes as revealed in Scripture.

Previously Dwight explained how the desert can be regarded as training ground and a place where it is possible to have a fresh encounter with God. Now he emphasises that the desert cannot be a permanent residence. There must be a moment when the decision is taken to go 'into the land'.

The key questions will always be, 'Will we recognise such moments?' and 'Are we ready?'

God's Time vs Our Time

Dwight provides an excellent appraisal of the two different Greek words for 'time', chronos and kairos. We tend to be followers of chronos - watchers of the clock, counters of days, hours and minutes.

But this can make us oblivious to God's kairos moments, to the immediate 'now' opportunities that are on God's heart.

Dwight emphasises that the desert, though a training ground, cannot be a permanent residence. We must at some point 'go into the land'.

Regarding time from God's perspective rather than ours will make us more in sync with him. Kairos is that 'time' when God advances his purposes, when he moves. We need to be more aware of this than of any human time or timetable. These are moments when it is essential to heed God's commands and directives immediately, whether it is convenient or not.

God's Complete Renewal

We often talk of God doing 'a new thing' or of God's 'new day', but Dwight wants us to understand that 'new' can mean two different things: new in quality (kainos) - in contrast with the old - and new in time (neos) - that which is more recent. He asserts that "The God who loves to do new things will combine both of these" (p79). As such we should be looking for a complete newness or renewal rather than just the next thing on a list. He gives plenty of scriptural examples to back this up.

Dwight's main argument throughout is that God must change us before he can use us, though we might prefer this not to be so! To be ready to enter the land requires us to take a good look at our spiritual lives. Dwight has not been afraid to do this for himself and he is willing to share what he has learnt, especially from his personal trials when starting out as a missionary.

We need to be more aware of God's timing than any human timetable.

Being prepared to present ourselves to God regularly (in fact whenever he requires it) is a pre-requisite of entering the land. It is essential if we are to re-align our heart to his and serve him effectively within a spiritually dark and threatening environment. As Dwight states, "The temptation to breeze in and out of God's presence with little sense of His majesty is very much part of our microwave society" (p65), but we must do better than this.

Defining the Walk of Faith

How are our lives defined - desert wandering or entering new land? We settle too easily, seeking the comfortable middle ground rather than "living on the edge of impossibility" (p29). This is not just for the eccentric few. It should be normal Christianity, as defined by a walk of faith. But in addition to this challenge, Dwight reflects on those central qualities of God which make all this possible – his grace and mercy. If we sense God is moving, and if we desire to go with him, then we need these more than anything else. But they are readily available.

Dwight declares "I have been in awe of Moses and his leadership" (p98). That much is very clear in this book! For some time, God had been challenging Dwight to focus on Moses and Israel's preparation to leave the desert and enter into the land of Canaan. His book looks at the challenges and lessons of this journey. Its aim is both to encourage and sharpen us as we prepare for the coming of God's new day. We may have been in the desert a long time but we can leave it behind.

If we sense God moving and desire to go with him, we need his grace and mercy more than anything else.

This relatively short book has a potential impact far greater than its length might suggest. It can be read in a single sitting but will also reward being dipped into again and again in order to keep its message fresh and its readers ready for moving on. To this end, the book concludes with a useful recap in the form of bullet points to help us with the question 'What do we do, then?' One of the strengths of this book is that we are left in no doubt about this.

'Into the Land' (100 pages) is available from the publisher for £6.99 + P&P.

Clifford Hill asks: could Britain be revived to follow God once more?

What will happen next week if Britain votes to leave the European Union? We hear so much about the dire economic consequences of leaving, but very little about the benefits and the prosperity that could follow - if there were a Christian initiative.

Could Britain become a nation under God - and what would this look like?

There is still a statistically significant number of active Christians in Britain and many prayer meetings have been planned over the next week, drawing together thousands of believers fervently calling upon God for his blessing upon the nation. Will their prayers be effective?

What is God Seeking in His People?

God does not rely upon numbers in making his decisions for judgment or blessings. God told Abraham that if he could find just ten righteous persons in Sodom and Gomorrah, the cities would be spared. So what are the things God looks for in his people before pouring out his blessings? It is certainly not large numbers, nor even moral righteousness, although his people are certainly expected to become righteous.

Moses reported to Israel:

The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh King of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. (Deut 7:7-9) [emphasis added]

God looks for a particular quality: he primarily looks for people of faith whom he can use in working out his purposes in the world.

Need for Faith

The definitive statement of this mission for Israel is in Isaiah 42:5-9:

This is what the Lord says – he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the Earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

God is a covenant-keeping God who never breaks his promises, but human beings are prone to faithlessness and falling into sin. When this happened with Israel and they cried out to God for forgiveness and help, he willingly forgave them and restored prosperity and blessings to them with a fresh command to do his work in the world – to open eyes that are blind by reflecting God's presence with them.

God is never unfaithful to his people – but when his people are unfaithful to him, he willingly forgives and restores if they return and cry out to him.

That promise was given to Solomon at the dedication of the Temple in 2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

A similar promise was given to all nations through the Prophet Jeremiah, "If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned" (18:7-8).

Need for Repentance

What God also looks for is sincere repentance among people who are determined to do something about the moral and spiritual state of the nation; who are prepared to pray in accordance with Isaiah 59:12: "Our offences are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities: rebellion and treachery against the Lord, turning our backs on God...Truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey".

That prayer was offered by the people who were captives in Babylon – they prayed on behalf of the whole nation. God's response was "My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever, says the Lord" (Isa 59:21).

This promise could be available for Britain if even a small number of righteous individuals pray in line with the will of God and are determined to put their lives under the direction of his Holy Spirit for transforming the nation.

God is looking for repentant people who are prepared to pray about the moral and spiritual state of their nation.

Need for Action

What is required is not just faith and repentance - we also need to do something about the state of our nation, where the proportion of the population professing a Christian faith continues to decline year on year. "Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (James 2:17).

We are meant to be Christ's ambassadors, through whom God can reveal his nature and purposes and through whom the Holy Spirit can be poured out, as in the days of revival described in this week's article by Clifford Denton, when people's lives were transformed by the Spirit of God.

The result could be a nation under God.

A Radiant Future?

What would such a nation look like? Isaiah 35 gives a picture of such a transformation, when the land blossoms with the glory of the Lord through the presence of his people who are filled with his Spirit and radiating his presence to all around them!

Of course, in taking great steps of faith there are hardships and anxieties, and it does require each believer to be involved. But the Lord urges his people to "strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, be strong, do not fear; your God will come" (Isa 35:3-4).

The details of the blessings that can be expected when a nation puts their trust in the Lord are set out in Deuteronomy 28:3-8:

• "You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country." - Peace and security will cover the whole land.
• "The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock – the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks." - The health of the population and the land will be guaranteed.
• "Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed." - The economy will prosper.
• "You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out." - Borders will be secure.
• "The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated." - There will be protection from terrorism and war.
• "The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to" - The nation will experience great prosperity and blessing in all its endeavours.

Surely this scenario is far better than anything being promised by our political leaders!

Clifford Denton turns his attention to a sensitive topic.

The 'problem' of suffering is, of course, a big and sensitive subject, but it is not as complex to understand as we might think. The difficulty comes when it is suddenly brought close to home; when we or someone close to us is going through a difficult patch - perhaps through sickness - perhaps through some other pressure of life, temporary or permanent. Where is God to be found? Why is he seemingly silent?

The Big Picture

In What the Bible says about the Judgment of God we began with the big picture, which is also the best place to begin here. We live in the period between the Fall and the coming Kingdom of God. We wait for the return of Jesus and the blessed time (pictured in Revelation 21) that eventually will come when there will "be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away" (Rev 21:4).

But in the meantime, the free will of mankind, through the mistakes of Adam and Eve, has led us all to live for a period in a world where Eve was promised pain in childbirth (Gen 3:16) and Adam was promised toil, hard work and difficult circumstances symbolised by thorns and thistles (Gen 3:18-19). Furthermore, the earth was designated a place where satan, the tempter, would be active, living in enmity with mankind (Gen 3:15).

Nevertheless, God made covenant with Abraham which would be fulfilled through Jesus the Messiah, made manifest in terms given through Jeremiah (31:31-33). Despite the Fall and all its consequences, we who live in faith are on a pilgrimage, as it were, to a destination beyond this world's problems, waiting for all the promises of God to be fulfilled in our lives.

Even when the suffering of this world reaches the high pitch of Luke 21, Mark 13 and Matthew 24, Jesus' exhortation to us is not to look at the problems all around but to "look up and lift your heads, because your redemption draws near" (Luke 21:28).

We journey through a temporary world where all our experiences become prompts to seek God, personally and together, for help on the way. If there is a primary purpose for all the suffering in the world, it is that we will earnestly seek God. Our priorities should be balanced towards eternal life, but God also sends us help in this life according to his best judgements for us - personally and within the 'big picture'.

If there is a primary purpose for all the suffering in the world, it is that we will earnestly seek God.

Kingdom Now...or Kingdom Coming?

Jesus warned us that there would be false expectations concerning his return (Luke 21:8-19, Matt 24:4-14). The parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matt 25:1-13) warns us that a wrong view of his coming will possibly lead to a falling away for some, through giving up, losing focus and even losing hope. Even in Paul's day, there were those among the Thessalonians who were confused and some who were losing hope (1 Thess 5:1-11; 2 Thess 2:1-17).

So, what are we to expect prior to the Lord's return? A careful reading of Acts 3:18-21 is helpful here - it is like a three-point sermon.

• Point 1 (v18) concerns the prophecies that were fulfilled through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.
• Point 2 (v19) exhorts us in the era between his first and second comings to seek the Father through faith in Jesus so that our sins may be blotted out and seek him for times of refreshing.
• Point 3 (v20-21) concerns Jesus' return. He remains in heaven until the time appointed by the Father. The Kingdom of Heaven will not come in fully until then. It is not in the hands of the Lord's disciples to bring in the Kingdom for him. When the King returns he will bring in the complete restoration that we all yearn for - more so as the suffering of the fallen world is magnified. There will be no final Kingdom without the King.

Meanwhile, as Paul also said (Rom 8:23), we have the first-fruits of God's Spirit in us, sufficient for our pilgrimage, our growth in faith and love as we go on to complete our journey. There is no suggestion that the completion will come before the Lord's Kingdom is fully with us, when we will even have new bodies:

I consider that the present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us...we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies...we wait for it patiently. (Rom 8:18-27)

While we await Jesus' return, we are exhorted to seek the Father for forgiveness, sanctification and times of refreshing. We also have the first-fruits of God's Spirit in us.

Word Study

There are two main Hebrew words that are related with the word suffering, each with a somewhat different emphasis.

One word is natan, meaning to give, cause, perform, allow. Jesus said (Mark 10:14), "suffer the little children to come unto me." This has the sense of allowing something to take place. This is not the same as the other main Hebrew word for suffering, nasa. Nasa has a wide range of meanings including, to bear, exact, stir up. This is the sort of suffering we are considering in this study - the sort of life experience that is a burden and requires perseverance. It is not, however, a punishment.

A corresponding Greek word for suffering of this kind is pasho. It is the suffering of Jesus in Luke 9:22 – "the Son of Man must suffer many things." It is also the suffering referred to by Peter relating to our own pilgrimage (1 Pet 3:14), "if you should suffer for righteousness sake..."

We can bring suffering on ourselves of course, but outside of this if someone is suffering in this world (whether through sickness or some other burden), it should not be seen as a personal judgement of God for their sins. It should be understood in the more general context of the fallen world through which we are all pilgrims.

Some Examples

The Book of Job has been given to us to show that a person may suffer sickness and bereavement and it is far from a punishment for sin. Indeed, much personal suffering is part of one's personal walk with God and may promote questions, test faith and lead to personal growth. This may not always be the case, but there is a message for us all in the experiences of Job that prompt us to be careful of our conclusions and also be careful how we counsel others. A suffering person needs comfort but not misguided comfort from unwise friends!

Whilst we sometimes bring suffering on ourselves, outside of this individual suffering should not be seen as judgment from God for their sins. Job is a prime example.

When Jesus healed the man born blind (John 9), the Lord showed us that some suffering, and the testimony which it produces, brings glory to God and is not to be linked with personal sin (John 9:3). When a faulty tower, perhaps of unsound construction, fell and killed 18 people in Siloam (Luke 13:4), it was a lesson that sin is not necessarily attributed to those who suffer most from the consequences of a sinful world.

Sickness or suffering of other kinds, though not always so, can be a result of satan's schemes, for example, the man in the caves of Gadara (Matt 8:28) and the infirm woman (Luke 13:16). We must be careful when to discern the direct workings of satan and when not.

Jesus went about healing and delivering many people, to demonstrate the power of the Kingdom and as a testimony to who he was – the Lord, with power to forgive sin and to heal (for example, Matt 11:2-6, Matt 9:1-8). Yet, some he healed and some he did not heal. He healed as a response to faith (eg Luke 8:48) and also when he was filled with overwhelming compassion (Matthew 9:36). He gave us no expectation that all sickness and suffering would be removed from the world prior to his return, yet showed us that God does respond to faith – which itself is a gift from him (1 Cor 12:9).

Suffering, Testing and Comfort

A wide-ranging study of this subject would show that there is no easy formula to explain why a person is suffering in some way. We are taught not to be downcast, but to look up. We are exhorted to grow in faith through the exercise of our experiences. In our individual lives we will have unique opportunities to seek God and help one another, exercise the gifts and ministries we have been given (1 Cor 12) and grow together in the midst of a suffering world. Furthermore, when we ourselves are seen as suffering we are in a position to both sympathise and witness to a real faith in Jesus.

Returning to questions we posed at the beginning: where is God to be found in our sufferings - and why does he sometimes seem silent? The answer is that he is always close (consider again the testimony of Job). It is a surprising experience of those with faith in Jesus that suffering brings us to seek God more rather than less. It is an evidence of overcoming and an exercise of our faith. Those without such faith are more likely to draw further from God. The seeming temporary silence of God is all part of this process of testing our faith, exercising it and growing it.

In suffering, God is always close – and for those with faith in Jesus, suffering brings us to draw even nearer to him.

We cannot do what Jesus did for us on the Cross, but we are able to witness to it in this world of suffering. It is our privilege to identify with the suffering of Jesus, as pointed out by Paul (Galatians 1:24), who filled up in his flesh "what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church."

Just as the apostles rejoiced "because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name" (Acts 5:41), so we can come to a point of maturity where we "consider it pure joy whenever we face trials of many kinds, because we know that the testing of our faith develops perseverance" (James 1:2). Of course this does not mean we should artificially look to bring suffering upon ourselves to seem more holy; rather it means that we have a wise perception of the subject of suffering in this world.

A word to be held in tension with suffering is comfort. Isaiah 40:1-2 speaks of the comfort to be given to those suffering for the outworking covenant purposes of God. No-one has suffered more than Jesus in this respect, though Israel has had its share of suffering. We too must learn to live with the suffering in this world and comfort one another. Paul said (2 Cor 1:3-7):

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings as we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

This is a brief study on a huge and central subject in our lives as pilgrims journeying between the Fall and full restoration. Let us seek to achieve a balanced perspective as we go into testing days ahead, constantly seeking God - each on our individual journey.