Paul Luckraft reviews 'Babylon in Europe' by David Hathaway (2006, 74 pages, New Wine Ministries)

David Hathaway is well known as an evangelist who has ministered worldwide for over 60 years. He is also the founder and president of Eurovision Mission to Europe and the Editorial Director of Prophetic Vision magazine. This small book remains one of his most important contributions to a wider readership and one that would repay serious consideration as we approach the EU Referendum.

David makes no claim to be a prophet but he does insist that God has "given me a revelation which I believe to be not only scriptural but vitally important for today" (p7). If that was the case ten years ago, then how much more so today?

He starts by looking into what was behind the formation of a single European State and why pressure came in the 21^st Century to create a 'European Union' which had never previously existed.

He accepts that there are political, social and economic reasons but also asserts that there is a biblical background to this in terms of prophetic fulfilment. He gives a brief historical summary of the road to the European Union but his major purpose in the book is to make three significant links between the EU and Bible prophecy.

Hathaway starts by asking why pressure came in the first place to create a 'European Union' which never previously existed.

The EU in Prophecy: Hathaway's Interpretation

The first is that the European Parliament building in Strasbourg bears strong resemblance to the shape of the Tower of Babel (as depicted in the oil paintings of Bruegel the Elder, and cleverly merged with the parliament building on the book's cover) which was a symbol of rebellion against God. The EU "want to restore and finish what God destroyed" (p16).

The author also points us towards the vision of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2 which showed five world empires, the last being interpreted as the restored Roman Empire which, according to David, "is the EU, exactly as we have it today" (p16).

His third link is that 'Europe' took its name from Europa, who in Greek myth was raped by Jupiter who took the form of a bull. She became the 'Queen of Heaven' and the EU constantly uses the image from Revelation 17 of this woman on the beast.

Banning God

Whether or not you agree with David that "the EU is part of the preparation for the rise of the False Prophet and the Antichrist" (p19), what is clear is that the EU deliberately set out to remove God from any of its foundational principles. The author shows how the decision to ban God from the Constitution was taken "behind closed doors, by an unelected group" (p47). All reference to God was removed leaving only the values of godless humanism and exalted human reason to undergird the whole Constitution of Europe. As such it is the spirit of Babylon that operates at the centre of Europe.

The EU was set up with God deliberately excluded from its foundational principles.

Being an evangelist at heart, David inevitably concludes that there is still a chance for change, and he offers his vision of a Europe won for Christ by those with a zeal to pray and preach the gospel. But these spiritual weapons can only be used effectively if it is clearly understood where the main challenge lies and what kind of battle we are in. To this end, David's book remains an important contribution today.

'Babylon in Europe' is available for £5 from David Hathaway's website, Prophetic Vision, or for £4.99 from RoperPenberthy.

Its accompanying documentary film, The Rape of Europe, is available on Youtube and has been reviewed recently over at Heart Newspaper.

 ***Event notice***

David Hathaway will be speaking at this year's Christian Resources Exhibition, at 2pm on Friday 20 May. For further information click here.

Join with us this week to test Smith Wigglesworth's 1947 prophecy of revival.

Smith Wigglesworth was a well-known evangelist. He had humble beginnings in life, took up the trade of a plumber and was then powerfully used in a world-wide ministry of evangelism with miraculous healings and miracles accompanying the ministry of the word. He lived from 8 June 1859 to 12 March 1947.¹

Shortly before he died in 1947, he delivered the following prophecy:

During the next few decades there will be two distinct moves of the Holy Spirit across the church in Great Britain. The first move will affect every church that is open to receive it, and will be characterised by the restoration of the baptism and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The second move of the Holy Spirit will result in people leaving historic churches and planting new churches. In the duration of each of these moves, the people who are involved will say, 'This is a great revival.' But the Lord says, 'No, neither is this the great revival but both are steps towards it.'

When the new church phase is on the wane, there will be evidence in the churches of something that has not been seen before: a coming together of those with an emphasis on the word and those with an emphasis on the Spirit.

When the word and the Spirit come together, there will be the biggest move of the Holy Spirit that the nations, and indeed, the world have ever seen. It will mark the beginning of a revival that will eclipse anything that has been witnessed within these shores, even the Wesleyan and Welsh revivals of former years.

The outpouring of God's Spirit will flow over from the United Kingdom to mainland Europe, and from there, will begin a missionary move to the ends of the earth.

Our purpose in highlighting these prophecies in Prophecy Today is to ask our readers to test them afresh, especially with the upcoming EU Referendum in mind. What is God doing in the world in these crucial days? What is he saying to our nation as a whole and to the Church in particular?

God uses the ministry of prophecy in our day but rather differently from Old Testament time. Since the special Day of Pentecost when God began to pour out his Spirit on all believers, the New Covenant brought about a new way when all believers would know God personally. Prophecy comes in whatever way God chooses and it then becomes a matter for our local communities to test together.

Over the weeks leading up to the Referendum of 23 June it is wise for our local Christian communities to seek the Lord for what he has said historically and what he is saying now.

Testing Smith's Prophecy

Last week we considered Mother Barbara's prophecy and sought to discover if it contained an accurate word for the UK. If so, the call to prayer, especially among our women-folk, would be critical in the saving of our nation.

Nevertheless, we have to admit that there were some questions relating to the prophecy that were hard to untangle, such as what it meant for a nation to be saved, especially when no conditions were given except the response to engage in faithful prayer.

Smith Wigglesworth's prophecy is of equal magnitude, but also provokes some questions:

• What of the timing and the validity? Next year the prophecy will be 70 years old. Would that fit with the "During the next few decades" of the first sentence?
• Was Smith Wigglesworth foreseeing the charismatic revival which some would say now needs the stability of a revival in the study of the Bible?
• Is a new thirst for Bible study occurring in our day, and is the dissatisfaction with traditional denominations in our day a manifestation of what was prophesied?
• Finally, will we really witness such an outpouring of God's Spirit as was prophesied? If so, does this have a bearing on our position in or out of the EU?

We encourage you to pray through these and other questions communally, using the 12 tests of prophecy featured in our last issue of Prophecy Today. See what God says and how the prophetic word for our nation is emerging over the coming weeks. Please share any useful insights below.

Next Week: Jean Darnall's visions

References

1 A brief introduction to his life and ministry can be found here.

Truth and justice have at last prevailed with the Hillsborough enquiry verdict. But where was God in the terrible events in Sheffield 27 years ago?

Everyone in Liverpool is relieved that truth and justice have at last prevailed with the enquiry verdict that 96 football fans were not responsible for their own deaths. But where was God when the terrible events in Sheffield happened, 27 years ago?

Clifford Hill looks back at his own ministry notes of a team event in Sheffield 28 years ago to shed some light on this. This is what he recorded:

MINISTRY NOTES: SHEFFIELD 1988

In the autumn of 1988 we did a week's ministry in Sheffield, with meetings at a number of different churches as well as some united events. On the final day the organisers had arranged a gathering of ministers, pastors and leaders of all the churches in the city who had been participating in the mission. Several other clergy whose churches had not participated in the meetings also accepted invitations to attend this team event - either out of curiosity or possibly to confirm how right they had been not to participate! There were about 80 clergy and lay leaders present for this final session.

Members of the team had been staying at various addresses in and around Sheffield. Monica and I stayed in the home of a suburban vicar. On the morning of the final meeting I drove the Ministry car to pick up some of the team who were staying in other houses. Edmund Heddle took the front passenger seat and David Noakes and Monica were in the backseats. Edmund usually occupied the front seat as he was rather large and needed the additional room, but he was hopeless at navigation so Monica usually had the map and gave back seat directions. On this occasion we were driving through heavy rush hour morning traffic when suddenly Edmund said, "Stop the car! Stop the car!"

I was busy thinking of what I should say at the forthcoming meeting and I was quite startled to hear his voice. Moreover, I had no idea why he should give such a command. It was not easy to respond as we were in the outside lane surrounded by slow-moving traffic but there was an urgency I could not ignore. I assumed he was unwell. I stopped as soon as possible, putting on the hazard lights at the same time. We were right opposite the Hillsborough football ground.

Edmund was making strange groaning noises which convinced me that he was ill. All three of us looked at him anxiously and asked what was the matter. He was unable to reply and appeared to be robbed of the power of speech, which increased our concern for his health. He signalled us to be quiet and after what seemed to be ages, but was probably no more than a minute or two, he indicated that he was seeing a picture and receiving a message.

It was not unusual for Edmund, an elderly Baptist minister, to see pictures with a message and after a number of years working together we had learned to respect his integrity. When Edmund said he was receiving something from the Lord we gave him space and we paid attention. On this occasion he was clearly going through a deeply traumatic experience that had a strangely emotional effect upon him. He was groaning and weeping and breathing heavily. He was trying to describe what he was seeing but he simply could not articulate the experience. Eventually he began falteringly:

I see a most terrible tragedy in that football ground. There is an immense crowd that overflows the stands. I see people stumbling and others treading upon each other in the crush. There is panic! There are bodies, children, young people and adults being trampled upon. The noise of their cries and their suffering and fear and panic is unbelievable and indescribable. I hear such a tumult and see such disorder and bewilderment. No one knows what to do. Everywhere there is panic and many lives are being lost. The authorities are powerless to deal with the situation and no one knows what to do. The cries of the dying are too much to bear.

His voice tailed off and he lapsed into a heavy silence; his whole body being shaken with emotion. For a long time, he could do no more than groan and weep helplessly. We had never seen Edmund so disturbed in all the years that we had worked together as a team. We knew that he was not given to emotional outbursts and this was something very special. So we simply sat there in the car surrounded by traffic with no words spoken. We didn't even look at each other. We were in silent prayer, trying to deal with something we didn't understand.

We must have sat there for at least 10 minutes listening to Edmund's dramatic description; then asking the Lord to show us what to do. Eventually we remembered that we had a large number of church leaders from across Sheffield waiting for us. We all agreed that Edmund must report his experience to the local church leaders. We moved out into the traffic heading for the church where the meeting was to take place.

The meeting began with worship: we gave our report on the previous week's meetings and there was a good time of feedback followed by intercession. We then briefly described our journey that morning and told them that Edmund had received a picture with a message which we believed to be a significant revelation.

Having set the scene, I asked Edmund to describe his experience. He did so without the dramatic emotion that he had experienced in the car outside the football ground and everyone listened intently. It was difficult to gauge the reaction but no doubt many were sceptical and others simply felt that there was nothing they could do about it. We had a time of open prayer when many voices were raised asking God to show us the significance of this picture and that if it were a true word of warning, God would show what action should be taken. We returned to London leaving them to seek further guidance.

On Saturday 15^th April 1989, the nation was stunned by news of the worst tragedy in the history of British football. Liverpool Football Club was due to play a semi-final match in the FA Cup against Nottingham Forest at the Hillsborough Sheffield ground. Thousands travelled from Liverpool to support their team in this important match and many thousands also travelled from Nottingham. The Liverpool end of the ground was vastly overcrowded and insufficient precautions were taken to limit the number of fans entering that section. The crush was so great that barriers collapsed and metal fencing was broken down. People stumbled and were trodden upon. The resulting panic increased the problem. 96 people lost their lives. The youngest was a boy only 10 years old. Five boys were aged 14. Most of the casualties were young men in the age range 17 to 24 while the oldest were two men in their 60s. The sense of bereavement and loss in the City of Liverpool was intense. The whole City mourned the loss of their children, young men and fathers.

Immediately after this event many of the clergy in Sheffield telephoned our Ministry office or wrote letters recalling the vivid picture that Edmund had received. There were many expressions of regret that no action had been taken. No one had gone to the football authorities and warned them of the danger that God had revealed. Of course, it is quite likely that the football authorities would have dismissed the warning but many of the ministers expressed a sense of guilt that they had not taken the warning seriously.

An Important Lesson

The people of Liverpool have had to wait 27 years to hear the truth about what happened on that fateful Saturday. At last the lies and cover-ups have been exposed: truth and justice have been established. But the ministry notes above show that there is another revelation which ought to be made known to the people of Liverpool: it is that God cared so much for their sons and daughters and husbands and fathers that he gave a special revelation to one of his servants – one who was listening to him regularly and was sensitive enough to the Holy Spirit that God was able to speak to him as we drove past that football ground some six months before the event.

God gave that revelation to Edmund so that lives could have been saved! I am not blaming the Sheffield clergy for their lack of action because I too did nothing more. As team leader I should have followed up our visit by ensuring that the football authorities were contacted and given the warning. I was busy going on to other meetings around the country; but that is not a valid reason for not taking the revelation seriously enough.

There are lessons here – for those in church leadership and for ordinary believers. If church leaders do not take prophetic warnings seriously we cannot expect secular authorities to do so.

All committed Christians have access to God through the Holy Spirit and all can learn to listen. At Prophecy Today UK we often hear of believers receiving words from the Lord, giving them to their pastor but having them rejected or not taken seriously. Leaders should take care not to dismiss words of revelation lightly, but to weigh them carefully and thereby encourage the whole fellowship to be a listening as well as a praying people.

There are many prophecies currently in circulation to do with Britain and her future in/out of the EU. Will you join with us so we can test these as a community?

The up-coming EU Referendum is drawing Christians all around the nation to think and pray about the direction in which Britain and Europe are headed. There have been a number of recent prophecies circulating churches and prayer groups, many of which call the UK to come out of the EU and give warnings about the direction in which the EU will eventually go.

It could not be more important for Christians to test these prophecies – so we are beginning a new series through which we might, as a community of faith, do this together. It also seems a pertinent time to re-print and test other significant prophecies for our nation that have been given historically.

Expecting Bias

In recent discussions within the Prophecy Today team we have noted that we should expect human bias in all contemporary prophecies, as a matter of course. Each of us is at a certain point in our biblical understanding and is still growing and this can shape the way we hear and speak out what we feel God is saying. We may also have denominational bias or be influenced by our educational background or life experiences.

There have been a number of recent prophecies about the EU circulating churches and prayer groups – it could not be more important for these to be tested.

There are times when the prophetic word is so strong that these biases are bypassed but we need not be embarrassed to put all prophecy to the test, or to question some elements of it. Sometimes we may deliver part of a prophecy accurately and then 'add a bit'. We are not the next Isaiah or Jeremiah, but part of the body of believers – a prophetic people acting together. All prophecy must be thoroughly tested and then we can be sure we really do have the word of God, as he confirms the understanding of his word to his people.

Seeing Prophecies in Context

Prophecy Today began in 1986 after major conferences in Israel where attention was drawn to Haggai's prophecy, repeated in the Book of Hebrews, concerning the shaking of the nations. We believe that this is the era we are in now and this is a prime reason for our re-publishing Prophecy Today online at this time. Though this view is still subject to testing, including by our readers, it continues to shape our work.

The outworking of this prophecy is involving much detail, and the prophecy itself fits into an overall 'end time' perspective. Among the issues for us to understand, therefore, is the UK's continuing membership of the EU – because whichever way we go, consequences will follow.

We believe we that the UK's membership in the EU needs to be understood in context of the wider fulfilment of Haggai's prophecy of a final great shaking of the nations.

Testing Prophecies: Things to Note

Testing of prophecy is best done methodically. We have chosen to begin our series by outlining three broad principles – though for a comprehensive testing, we recommend the list of 12 tests compiled by Dr Clifford Hill.¹

First, we know that sometimes God will do things unconditionally, even overriding human will (e.g. whilst steering us through a time of need), but apart from these times, most predictive prophecies (i.e. promises of blessing or judgment) are conditional. In these cases, 'if' is one of the big words of the Bible, and we would expect 'ifs' to feature within most contemporary prophecy.

Secondly, when we believe that the Lord has spoken, even if we feel strongly that it is from him, it is usually more helpful to ask others to test the prophecy using the words "I believe the Lord may be saying..." rather than as a direct word: "The Lord says...".

Thirdly, in testing prophecy for nations other than Israel, our reference point comes from Jeremiah 18. Jeremiah had been taken to the potter's house. Whilst telling Jeremiah what was to become of Judah, using the potter as a metaphor for how God could reform Judah, the following was revealed as God's promise for any nation: "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" (Jer 18:7) (note the ongoing nature of the prophecy and also the 'if').

In testing prophecy for nations other than Israel, our reference point comes from Jeremiah 18.

This Week: Test the 'Mother Barbara Prophecy'

Over the coming weeks we want to lay out some prominent prophecies spoken through the last century about our nation, and test them together. Take time alone in prayer and in prayer groups to do this.

This week, let us go back to reconsider a prophecy that has encouraged many Christians, especially women's prayer groups such as the Lydia Fellowship, for decades. This is the prophecy of 1911 passed on to Mother Barbara by Bishop Aristocoli shortly before his death:

Tell the women they must belong absolutely to God. They must believe in the great things that are happening that God is doing on the earth. They must prepare their souls, their children and their husbands. And they will have very much work to do for God. Oh, what a great work the women will have to do in the end time, and the men will follow them. Not one country will be without trial – do no be frightened of anything you will hear.

An evil will shortly take Russia and wherever this evil comes rivers of blood will flow. This evil will take the whole of the world and wherever it goes rivers of blood will flow because of it. It is not the Russian soul but an imposition of the Russian soul. It is not an ideology or a philosophy, but a spirit from hell.

In the last days Germany will be divided in two.

France will be just nothing.

Italy will be judged by natural disasters.

Britain will lose her empire and all her colonies and will come to almost total ruin, but will be saved through praying women.

America will feed the world, but will finally collapse.

Russia and China will destroy each other. Finally, Russia will be free and from her believers will go forth and turn many nations to God.

Let us begin to test aspects of this:

• Helpful Style: In what has come to be known as 'The Mother Barbara Prophecy', there is no claim that it is indeed a prophecy – no "thus saith the Lord" – more measured exhortation (though there is a prophetic nature to the foretelling of the future).
• Standing the Test of Time: Much has come to pass in world history which seems to verify the prophecy, especially relating to Russia and Germany, though Germany is now reunited. Now we are in the time when clarity is needed, since implications for contemporary Europe seem to be bound up in the last sections.
• Lack of Clarity: There has been tremendous encouragement for women called to prayer that through answered prayer Britain will be saved, yet what does it mean for a nation to be saved?
• Lack of Conditions: The prophecy states that Britain will be saved, but gives no conditions on such salvation.

What else do you notice about this prophecy? We encourage you to weigh it using the twelve tests of prophecy discussed previously, to assess once more this prophetic word in the light of Britain today and its relationship with the EU.

Do post your responses below for others to see, or email them in for our consideration.

Next week: Smith Wigglesworth's 1947 prophecy

References

1 Hill, C. Prophecy Past and Present: An Exploration of the Prophetic Ministry in the Bible and the Church. Copies available from the Issachar Ministries office – email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

A prophecy to the nation in relation to the forthcoming Referendum on EU membership - for your weighing and testing.

The Prophecy Today UK editorial team has decided to publish a prophecy to the nation in relation to the forthcoming Referendum on EU membership. The prophecy has already been widely circulated and we believe our readers should see it in the context of seeking guidance from God in regard to the Referendum.

We remind readers that all modern prophecy should be tested and not simply accepted as having come from a reliable messenger. Please read the prophecy and then the following note by our Editor-in-Chief, Clifford Hill.

DAVID NOAKES' PROPHECY

This was the word given by David when meeting with a small group of Ministry leaders on 17 November 2015.

"Nation of Britain, I have loved you with a love which has not ceased, despite the state of apostasy and degradation into which you have fallen. My anger towards those church leaders who have taught false things in my Name, and encouraged others to believe and act as they do, is intense and my judgment upon them will be severe. Yet I have compassion upon those who have been like sheep without godly shepherds; and my heart still longs to exercise mercy upon a nation whose forefathers upheld my Name and took my Word to the ends of the earth; a nation whose belief in the truth of my Word framed godly laws and inspired a culture of uprightness.

"Rather than rely on Me and my faithfulness to you, you chose, for worldly purposes, to join yourself to an institution which has denied my Name and refused to acknowledge Me in its councils. My fierce anger is upon that institution on account of its rebellion, its defiant rejection of me and its hardness of heart towards my ancient people Israel.

"I warn you now that the European institution will not repent, even though I bring disaster and destruction upon it. I urge you, O Britain still beloved by Me for the sake of your godly forefathers, come out of her, so that you may not be caught up in that same destruction, for I am even now arising in judgment to bring to nothing what she has sought to achieve. If you will separate yourself from her declared rejection of God, I will have mercy upon you and restore my hand of protection; and I will use you once again to bring light to many lost in the darkness which is now steadily increasing.

"Hear Me, O once godly nation and respond to my call, or you also will come to ruin in that same judgment of destruction. This is not my will for you, but you must choose the course which you will take. I urge you to respond to Me and choose life under my hand of discipline and protection, rather than death in the disaster which is even now coming upon Europe."

David Noakes

About the author: David Noakes was a solicitor in London until he joined Clifford Hill’s ministry in 1984. He has been part of the Prophetic Word Ministries/Prophecy Today team since that time, although he has also exercised an independent ministry speaking at conferences both in Britain and overseas. He has visited Israel many times and until recently was chairman of Hatikvah Film Trust, working with Hugh Kitson making films about Israel. He is a well-known Bible teacher with an established ministry and remains an official advisor to Issachar Ministries (Prophecy Today UK's parent charity).

Additional Note from Dr Clifford Hill

The Apostle Paul warned the church in Thessaloniki not to treat prophecies with contempt but to "Test everything. Hold on to the good, avoid every kind of evil" (1 Thess 5:21). This still applies today. If anyone receives a revelation it should be tested by others, however well-known and reliable the speaker.

I can testify to David's reliability and integrity. We have been close friends and colleagues for more than 30 years. I first heard him prophesy at a gathering of men and women with prophetic ministries at Mt Carmel in April 1986. Since then we have spoken at countless meetings together and many times he has received a word from the Lord that has been helpful to a local fellowship.

This prophecy is different and I have to say that it would have been much easier to weigh and test if David had expressed it in the third person rather than the first person singular. But that should not prevent us from a careful consideration asking fundamental questions, such as:

• Does it conform to Scripture or is there any way in which it does not?
• Does the prophecy edify and build up the church?
• Is the prophecy expressed in love?
• Does the prophecy glorify Christ?
• If the prophecy is predictive or has promises of blessings or warnings of judgment, Are there any conditions to this prophecy?
• Does the prophet himself/herself pass the character test required of one bringing a revelation from God? This character test was one of the major tests of prophecy in the New Testament churches.
• Finally, Is there a witness of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of the believers who hear this prophecy?

An expansion of these tests can be found here. These tests of prophecy were expanded still further in my book Prophecy Past and Present, published by Eagle (Guildford, 1995).¹

We are not going to answer these questions here because it is for readers to weigh the prophecy for themselves. We are simply indicating the way in which mature Christians should consider any word of revelation that is given today and we remind readers that our words are the human expression of what we believe we are hearing from God in our prayer times. These words have to go through our minds and none of us can claim to be sinless - so the words we speak must be weighed and tested, in accordance with the teaching of the Apostle Paul.

Over the next few weeks on Prophecy Today, Clifford Denton will discuss some of the well-known prophecies that have been given in modern times.

Dr Clifford Hill

References

1 pp237-251, in the chapter 'Testing Prophecy'. Copies of PROPHECY PAST AND PRESENT: An Exploration of the Prophetic Ministry in the Bible and the Church Today are still available from the Issachar Ministries office – email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Edmund Heddle's series on the prophetic ministry comes to a close as we study the greatest prophet of all: Jesus the Messiah.

"Are you the one who was to come or should we expect someone else?" The question which John the Baptist addressed to Jesus from his prison cell is the one that had echoed down the ages of biblical history. "Are you the coming one?" (in Greek ho erkomenos) (Matt 11:3).

Messiah's Threefold Office

The 'coming one', called Messiah because he was anointed by God's Spirit for his ministry (Isa 61:1), had a threefold office to fulfil: prophetic, priestly and kingly. He was to be a prophet to save us from our ignorance, a priest to save us from our guilt and a king to save us from our self-will.

Eusebius, one of the early church fathers, spoke of him as "the only High Priest of all men, the only king of all creation and the Father's only supreme prophet of prophets". In Christ all the prophecies of Old Testament Scripture are fulfilled, as Peter told his hearers in one of his earliest sermons: "Indeed. all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days...the promises of God through the prophets are for you, and you share in the covenant which God made with your ancestors" (Acts 3:24-25, Good News Bible).

The promised Messiah was to be a prophet to save us from our ignorance, a priest to save us from our guilt and a king to save us from our self-will.

The Prophet God Will Raise Up

We now turn our attention to the role of prophet and seek to understand how Israel was made to expect the coming of a prophet. In Deuteronomy 18:15, Moses announces: "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him".

Fuller details of the raising up of this prophet are given in verses 15-18. First, he will be raised up by God, he will not be appointed by the men of Israel or their leaders. He will be God's choice. Secondly, he will be like Moses and resemble his ideals and outlook. Thirdly, he will be "one of your own people". No foreigner will be appointed to that office. He will speak God's words and God's people are required to obey him in an unquestioning way. There will be serious consequences for those who refuse to obey. God himself will make him answer for any disobedience. This was the kind of prophet Israel was told to expect.

The Circumstances that Demanded a Prophetic Ministry

There are three reasons why it was important to receive the promise of a prophetic ministry at that time in Israel's history:

1. Moses their leader was shortly to be taken from them.

2. The promised land ahead was riddled with occultic and spiritualist practices (Deut 18:14)

3. They were afraid of God's voice and the fiery aura that surrounded him. "For this is what you your¬selves begged of God at Mount Horeb. There at the foot of the mountain you begged that you might not have to listen to the terrifying voice of God again, or see the awesome fire on the mountain, lest you die" (Deut 18:16, Living Bible).

The promise of a prophet who would speak only God's words was of vital importance to the Israelites as they proceeded into Canaan, where horrible practices such as the offering of live babies into Molech's dreadful fire were conducted. How such a practice must have grieved a loving God! The Israelites would find themselves among peoples who practised divination, sorcery, witchcraft, casting spells, practising spiritualism, listening to mediums and calling up the spirits of the dead (Deut 18:10-13). Such customs are still carried out today in so-called Christian countries, bringing down the wrath of God on people who practice things he regards as destestable (Deut 18:12 and 14).

The Lord showed his approval of their reaction to his holiness: "The Lord said to me: What they say is good. I will do as they have requested. I will raise up for them a prophet" (Deut 18:17, 18).

Israel needed the promise of a prophetic ministry. Moses was to be taken from them, they were afraid to hear God directly and the land of promise ahead was riddled with witchcraft.

A Succession of Prophets?

The text of Scripture refers to one single prophet (Deut 18:15 and 18). Moffatt in his translation refers to a succession of prophets in his rendering: "The eternal your God will raise up for you prophet after prophet like myself". It is clear on reflection that both are true.

Moses is requesting a prophet who will go into action as soon as they enter the Promised Land and who will continually stand up against the powers of darkness throughout the coming years of the nation's history. Clearly a succession of prophets would be necessary to accomplish this obligation. The New Testament places the stress on one exceptional prophet, concerning which the question of John the Baptist was asked, "Are you the one who was to come or should we expect someone else?" (Matt 11:3).

Corporate or Individual?

In our understanding of the scriptures we need to realise that certain titles like 'the prophet', 'the servant of the Lord', 'the son of man' and others have both a corporate and an individual significance. To get the fullness of the meaning we need to accept both interpretations.

So to grasp the meaning of the Deuteronomy reference we need to see the ultimate appear-ance of some special person, one preceded by a long line of prophets who were able to speak God's word to their succeeding generations.

Jesus - the Final Fulfilment of Deuteronomy's Prophet

It is evident from the gospels that the believers had become convinced that Jesus was 'the prophet'. He is referred to as Jesus the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee (Matt 21:11). After the people saw the miracles that Jesus did they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world" (John 6:14). "On hearing his words, some of the people said surely this man is the Prophet" (John 7:40).

The central revelation conveyed to the people of Israel is that it is Jesus of Nazareth who is the fulfilment of the prophet promised by Moses and recorded in Deuteronomy. Peter in his sermon in Solomon's Porch at the Jerusalem Temple refers to Jesus, the one whom God raised up, as the fulfilment of the Deuteronomic prophecy (Acts 3:22-26).

The Deuteronomy prophecy refers to the ultimate appearance of some special person, preceded by a long line of prophets who spoke God's word to their succeeding generations.

The prophet "powerful in word and deed before God and all the people" is revealed by the Lord himself to the two travellers on the road to Emmaus. It is surely no wonder that, as they listened to his exposition of "Moses and all the prophets", their hearts burned within them (Luke 24:19-32).

Reasons Why People Believed Jesus to be the Prophet

The woman of Samaria cited the evidence that had led her to believe that Jesus was the prophet when she described to her fellow Samaritans how "he told me everything I ever did!" (John 4:29). The widow of Nain received back her dead son when Jesus said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" When the man subsequently started to talk the people were filled with awe and praised God. The crowd cried out, "A great prophet has appeared among us" (Luke 7:14-16).

On the last and greatest day of the feast, when Jesus was expounding the scriptures to both religious leaders and ordinary people, there was some discussion as to whether or not he was the prophet promised in the Old Testament scriptures. Some at least reached the right conclusion: "Surely this man is the Prophet" (John 7:40). There was, however, no clash of opinion after Jesus had fed the five thousand. "After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did they began to say, 'Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world'" (John 6:14}.

Some Had Difficulties in Accepting Jesus as the Prophet

The Jewish leaders refused to accept Jesus because he had come from Galilee. They were saying, "Look into it and you will find a prophet does not come out of Galilee" (John 7:52). But that was not all the scriptures had said about the Messiah's birthplace: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler in Israel" (Mic 5:2). It was true that Jesus was brought up in Galilee. but it was in Judea that he was born.

After Jesus had opened the eyes of the blind man, the Pharisees were sent to investigate what had happened. The blind man had reached the only sensible conclusion that Jesus was a prophet and that he was operating with God's power. The religious leaders could not accept that conclusion because the man had been healed on the Sabbath (John 9:16, 17, 33).

There are still many people today who do not believe that Jesus is the prophet promised by Moses. Some have drawn inadequate conclusions by refusing, like the Pharisees, to accept parts of Scripture. Others do not acknowledge him because, like the religious leaders of the time of our Lord, they allow their own traditions to stand in the way of accepting the evidence which to ordinary people was so clear and convincing.

At the time, many people did not believe Jesus was the promised Prophet because they failed to accept parts of Scripture, or were blinded by their religious traditions.

God's Greatest Prophet

The answer to the question that has titled this series of Bible studies, What is a Prophet?, cannot be adequately answered simply by studying, as we have done, the prophets of the Bible. We need in the end to come face to face with Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth.

He, like Moses before him, "knew the Lord face to face" (Deut 34:10) but in his case uninterruptedly. Other prophets, like Samuel, were able to communicate God's word to the people (1 Sam 3:21). And what was true of Samuel was supremely true of Jesus in that God let none of his words fall to the ground (1 Sam 3:19).

Jesus is greater than Jonah (Luke 11:42), Solomon (Matt 12:42), Jacob (John 4:12), Abraham (John 8:53) and Moses himself, concerning whom the writer to the Hebrews said, "Jesus has been found worthy of greater honour than Moses" (Hebrews 3:3). To quote again the words of the early father Eusebius, Jesus is "the Father's only supreme prophet of prophets". Listen to him and learn to prophesy by his prophetic spirit.

If we are to understand what a prophet truly is, we must in the end come face to face with Jesus the Messiah.

First published in Prophecy Today, Vol 7 No 6, November/December 1991.

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In the penultimate article in his series, Edmund Heddle looks at the third 'Servant song' of Isaiah.

The prophet's early-morning interview is the picture behind the third Servant song recorded in Isaiah 50:4-9. The other three Servant songs in Isaiah present various pictures of the prophet's life and ministry, including the familiar description of the Suffering Servant who was to be wounded for the transgressions of God's sinful people. These songs are found in Isaiah 42:1-9, 49:1-9 and 52:13-53:12.

As we consider what we are taught by the third Servant song, it will be helpful if we first understand that the two phrases in v4 which are rendered by the New International Version as "instructed tongue" and "like one being taught" are identical in Hebrew and in fact are the Hebrew word for 'a disciple' (limmud). Likewise, in the words of the song which follows, we shall so render the phrases "the tongue of a disciple" and "to listen like a disciple":

The Sovereign Lord has given me the tongue of a disciple, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen, like a disciple. The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears. and I have not been rebellious: I have not drawn back. I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard, I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.

Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, have I set my face like a flint, and I know I will not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me! It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me. Who is he who will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment: the moths will eat them up.

The Early-Morning Interview

In order to understand the meaning of Isaiah's words and to realise that we cannot understand 'What is a prophet?' until we recognise the place of the early-morning interview in the prophet's life, let us examine this Servant song.

Who wakens the prophet early each morning? God himself takes responsibility to waken his servant, bringing him enlightenment, instruction and encouragement. This enables the prophet to begin the day with the right outlook. Many Christians have discovered that, provided they are willing to co-operate by getting to bed in reasonable time the night before, the Lord will wake them at the agreed time and with a much gentler nudge than that of a clock. It is good to awake and to know that the Lord has been watching over us throughout the night of sleep.

Instruction a Day at a Time

One of the first lessons to be learned from this Servant song is the importance of having a fresh experience of God every day of our lives. As with the manna, it was necessary to go and collect a fresh supply daily. The Lord said through Moses, "The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day" (Ex 16:4) and Jesus taught us to ask the Father to "give us today our daily bread".

What is true for the realm of the physical also applies to the realm of the spiritual. Stale bread does little for the prophet, "whilst the hungry sheep look up but are not fed". We are to live a day at a time and to refuse either to sap our strength by worrying about yesterday's mistakes or by worrying over what may happen tomorrow. We can cope with each day, provided we tackle it one day at a time.

It is so important to have a fresh experience of God every day – as with the manna, we need a new supply daily.

Listening to God for Others

During the early-morning interview the prophet is given "the word that sustains the weary". He listens to God not just for himself but also for the sake of those who are weary; those literally on the point of fainting. Paul sees this as the main contribution that can be made by the gift of prophecy: "Everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort" (1 Cor 14:3).

If only today's prophets would get up and receive the word God would have them pass on to his people, his gift would not become devalued as it has been in the case of so many renewed churches today.

The Prophet a Disciple

As has already been pointed out. the Hebrew word for a 'disciple' underlies the opening verse of this song. God's gift to his people depends on his prophets having the ears and the tongue of a disciple. He needs a trained ear that can hear God and a trained tongue that he can pass on what God is saying.

In order to be able to do this he needs to live the life of a disciple. The Lord refuses to give his word to the man who is arrogant, proud and disobedient, but his secret is found by those who fear God and reverence his name.

The words of this Servant song applied to Isaiah himself and he was both prophet and disciple. But its words were perfectly fulfilled by Jesus, who was a disciple in his relationship to his Father. He said, "My teaching is not my own, it comes from him who sent me" (John 7:16). Unlike national Israel, the Servant would present to God perfect obedience and a willingness to endure humiliation and persecution for the Father's sake.

Prophets need a trained ear and a trained tongue to pass on what God is saying – the Lord refuses to give his word to the man who is arrogant, proud and disobedient.

The Cost of Passing on God's Message

"I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard, I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting". Because the prophet was faithful in proclaiming the message God had given him he found he had stirred up a hornet's nest of trouble, and this has proved true through the ages.

Men may propagate utter rubbish and yet still be applauded, whilst the simple truths of the gospel are rejected. The prophet is left wondering "who has believed our message?" (Isa 53:1).

He mentions examples of violence, physical abuse and insulting behaviour, all with the desire to prevent God's prophets speaking out his truth. Imprisonment and death are still the lot of those who faithfully pass on the message God has given in many parts of the world today.

How Will God's Messengers Keep Going?

In verses 7 and 9 of this Servant song we learn how God's servants can keep going. It is "because the Sovereign Lord helps me...it is the Sovereign Lord who helps." The secret of overcoming whatever the powers of darkness may throw at us is the help always available from an omnipotent God. Whether it is physical violence or false accusations, his help can transform ugly situations. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

The secret of overcoming whatever the powers of darkness throw at us, whether physical violence or false accusations, is the help that comes from God.

The Servant's Unwavering Resolution

If we are to face the trouble that will inevitably come to Christians all over the world in the future, we need to balance our utter confidence in God's help with our unwavering determination to stand firm whatever the cost. "Therefore have I set my face like a flint" (v7). Isaiah in these verses is saying something about his ministry and work as a prophet, talking of the many hardships he had met in carrying out his commission, but he speaks also of the Messiah and it is of him that we read, "Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51).

Flint was used to cut through very hard material, and Isaiah claimed that he would let nothing stand in the way of obedience to God. Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem for his confront-ation with the powers of darkness. He had to cut through all obstacles, whether personal or circumstantial, in order to fulfil his Father's will. His thoughts are well expressed in the words of Psalm 40:7-8, "Then I said, 'Here I am, I have come...I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.'"

Early-Morning Meeting with God

It is interesting to scan down in a concordance the list of verses which include the word 'early'. All the great characters of the Old Testament were early risers: Abraham and Jacob; Moses and Joshua; Gideon and David; Hezekiah and the writer of Psalm 108 who declared "Awake, harp and lyre, I will awaken the dawn" (v2).

The great figures of Old Testament times differed from one another in many ways but were one in this regard, that they gave time to their God in the early morning. It has been said that no one has ever made a lasting impression in the long history of the church who did not put God first every day.

If we are to face the coming troubles, we need to balance our utter confidence in God's help with our unwavering determination to stand firm - whatever the cost.

Jesus' Daily Quiet Time with His Father

In Mark's gospel we read of an evening in Capernaum when Jesus was healing the sick and setting free the demonised (Mark 1:32-38). Next morning the crowds gathered to see more miracles and to receive healing for themselves or others. But Jesus was nowhere to be found. Eventually Peter discovered where he was and urged him to return to the crowd that was growing by the minute. Jesus' reply that he must move on to other villages puzzled his disciples and annoyed the crowds, who tried to keep him from leaving them (Luke 4:42).

Jesus had gone out from his tiny lodgings before it was light so that he might discover his Father's will as he continued his ministry. We need to give prime time to God at the beginning of each day.

The Initiative Must Always Be with the Father

Jesus said in explanation of his lifestyle, "The Son can do nothing on his own initiative, he can do only what he sees his Father doing" (John 5:19). Even his words and the way he spoke them were totally submissive to the Father's control (John 12:49). In fact, he claimed that he did nothing except what would please his Father (John 8.29).

In this way, by the enabling of the Holy Spirit, he was able to lay the foundations of a Kingdom where men and women love most of all to discover and do his will. Central to this is our need to ask the Lord to wake us each morning to listen to what he has to say to us and to discover what he would have us to speak to those we will meet during the day ahead.

Of course, not everyone can be free at daybreak. Mothers with babies and little children, postmen and train-drivers are obvious exceptions. But they all have other times which they can spend in the Father's company. One thing is certain: no-one can hope to function as a prophet or in the gift of prophecy unless they spend time listening to what God is saying.

First published in Prophecy Today, Vol 7 No 5, September/October 1991.

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Edmund Heddle unpacks Peter's valuable instructions on prophecy.

In his two New Testament letters Peter augments and complements the teaching on prophecy and prophesying found in the letters of Paul. The two writers between them establish a complete answer to the question 'What is a prophet?' Peter's letters contain five paragraphs in which he deals with prophets and prophesying, each full of valuable instruction, and we shall deal with each paragraph in turn.

Prophecies Concerning the Coming Messiah (l Peter 1:10-12)

Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and the circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels desire to look into these things.

The Old Testament prophets who foretold the coming of Messiah referred to him as the gift of God's grace. This they did under the direction of the Holy Spirit, who revealed through them the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glory that would follow. The prophets were clear about the coming of the Messiah – but who he should be, what he should do, and at what point in history he would appear - all of these things they longed to know but were kept in the dark.

It was revealed to them that the prophecies they uttered were not for the immediate benefit of either themselves or God's people. They had been given for the enlightenment and blessing of a later generation, namely the people of Peter's day.

So the message had remained hidden, though they searched intently and with the greatest care. Prophets on earth and angels in heaven longed to understand the fullness of the prophetic revelation. The Greek word translated 'look into' is the same as the word used in John 20:11 to describe Mary Magdalene's entrance into the grave of Jesus, where she stooped down to look, standing at the side of the tomb so as not to get into her own light. How carefully should we look into the prophetic word, especially where the immediate application appears to be neither easily understandable nor relevant.

Old Testament prophets foretold the coming of the Messiah but were kept in the dark about the meanings of their own prophetic revelations.

The lesson from this paragraph is that no one prophet conveys the whole message. Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:29 suggests that "two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said."

Prophecy needs to be taken seriously and is best weighed in the company of the Lord's people. We need the Holy Spirit as much in understanding prophecy as in its
proclamation. The prophetic word about the Messiah remained hidden until Peter himself - the Spirit-filled preacher on the day of Pentecost - brought the explanation of their age-long bewilderment.

Using God's Grace-Gifts for His Glory (1 Peter 4:10-11)

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides so that in all things God maybe praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

God's grace is 'multicoloured' and is revealed in the gifts (charisma) of his Spirit. Peter mentions two gifts here:

1. The ability to speak God's words or, as it is usually termed, the ability to prophesy. "...the very words of God" is an attempt to translate the Greek word logion, which is usually translated by the word 'oracle' and means a divine response or utterance. This word is used in the scriptures of the Mosaic law, God's written utterances through Old Testament writers, the totality of Christian doctrine (Acts 7:38; Rom 3:2; Heb 5:12) and, incredibly, in the Spirit-inspired utterances of ordinary Spirit-filled-believers.

2. The ability to serve the body of Christ by gifts of divine power such as healing, miracles, deliverance from powers of darkness, and others (1 Cor 12:9-10). We are stewards of these gifts. Whatever gift God decides to give us for another individual or group we must pass on. God's gifts are unstinted and unlimited, except by our disobedience and unbelief. As stewards we shall one day be required give an account of our stewardship. God's provision is always lavish, and we are the ones who limit his gifts.

God's grace is multicoloured and his provision is always lavish – we are the ones who limit his gifts.

The Greek word translated as 'provides' is an interesting one; its literal translation is to provide a chorus in the theatre - to defray the cost of putting on a chorus at a public festival. Later on it came to describe the supplying and equipping of an army or a fleet. But in all cases its use conveys the idea of abundance.

Two things are required of us. First, that we are filled with God's Spirit and that we are willing to receive the gifts from the Lord and, secondly, that we obediently use them in the service of those for whom they have been provided. We are to let the spiritual gifts reach a fullness of development through us. Only then will their ultimate objective be achieved, namely that God may be praised. "To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever."

Paying Attention to the Prophetic Word (2 Peter 1:19-21)

And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Peter says that the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah had been made more certain by the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain, at which event he and the others present were eye-witnesses of his majesty. They were there when the voice came from heaven saying, "This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (v17). "You will do well to pay attention to the prophetic word which is for you like a light shining in a dark place", is the admonition Peter addresses to his readers.

We cannot live the whole of our lives in the glory of our transcendent Lord. We are in a sin-darkened world which Peter describes with words that translate to mean dirty, squalid and murky. The time will come when a new day dawns, preceded by the morning star. In classical literature the morning star is Venus, which rises in great brilliance before the dawn. But for Peter it must be Jesus (Rev 22:16). The words 'in your hearts' are thought by some scholars to belong to the next verse.

The Greek word for morning star is phosphorus, which means 'light-bringer'. Until the dawning of the day of Christ the prophetic word is like a light shining in a dark place. We should do well to give attention to it as society deteriorates and things become ever more difficult for those who are wholly committed to Christ.

Peter goes on to show that prophetic Scripture can be relied on totally because it originated not in the human mind or will but in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. No true prophecy was ever produced by mere human effort. Never at any time was it man's initiative that brought into being the scriptures. Man had his part to play; dwelling in God's presence and listening to his voice, he was told to record what he heard but he had to be careful never to add his own thoughts. Peter likened the prophets to sailing boats carried along by the wind.

No true prophecy was ever produced by mere human effort. Man had his part to play, but he had to be careful to never add to what God was revealing.

Scripture could be depended upon as a light-bringer. The initiative in prophesying must always be with the Holy Spirit. As Paul says after listing the nine supernatural gifts, "All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines" (1 Cor 12:11).

The corollary to Peter's statement, ie that it was the Spirit who originated Scripture, is that it can be neither understood nor interpreted by mere human ability. The modern practice of prophesying needs to be brought into line with the fact that no true prophecy ever comes from human initiative, also that no prophecy can be understood apart from the enabling of God's Spirit. How blessed are those who, though living in a wicked and dangerous world, nevertheless have the word of the prophets made more sure.

Prophetic Promises Remembered (2 Peter 3:1-4, 8-13)

Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Saviour through your apostles.

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come...they will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised?...everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation"...but do not forget this one thing, dear friends: with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise...he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief...since everything will be destroyed...what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God...in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

Peter is concerned that the prophet's words concerning the destruction of both earth and heaven prior to the establishment of the new heaven and the new earth were being forgotten and were ceasing to have a challenging effect on the behaviour of God's people. He recalls the words of Jesus, who challenged the people of his day to watch "because you do not know on what day your Lord will come" (Matt 24:36-44).

Peter in his two letters makes three references to Noah and the Noachic flood (1 Pet 3:20; 2 Pet 2:5; 2 Pet 3:5). The promised flood was a long time in coming but finally it arrived and did exactly what God said it would do.

Isaiah had foretold the establishment of a new heaven and a new earth (Isa 65:17-19, 66:22) but the process was to involve the destruction of things as they are. Since their fathers had died things had gone on just the same and people blamed God for being dilatory. But Peter explained that the delay in fulfilling the promise was due to the patience of God and his great desire that none should perish. Peter told them it was not that God had forgotten but that he loved. The delay is no indication of divine forgetfulness but rather of compassion.

Peter warned believers that God's apparent delay in delivering his promised judgment on the world was due not to forgetfulness, but rather to divine compassion and love.

Patience is likewise required of God's people. The promise of the prophets is that the new heaven and the new earth will be preceded by universal destruction. This ought to exercise a profound effect on Christians' life and conduct.

To Sum Up...

Peter reviews the coming of the Messiah; unfolds the resources of the spiritual gifts; confirms the authority of the prophetic word; and reveals the importance of preparing for the day of the Lord.

First published in Prophecy Today, Vol 7 No 4, July/August 1991.

Prophets of the Old Testament often experienced confusion as they tried to understand circumstances in the light of God's word. What can we learn from them?

It should not surprise us that the prophets of the Old Testament were often perplexed. In the conduct of their ministry it was necessary for them to spend much time both with their God and also with the people to whom they had been sent. What they heard in God's presence was often very different from what they heard in the conversation of their everyday world.

In this study we shall meet some of these perplexed prophets and, as God's prophets today, learn how to prevent ourselves repeating their mistakes.

Moses

When the 12 leaders returned from their exploration of the Promised Land, it was seen that only two were in favour of going on to possess it. The Israelites grumbled and were about to stone Moses and Aaron. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting. The Lord said to Moses:

How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me...? I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you [Moses] into a nation greater and stronger than they. (Num 14:11-12)

What an offer! But was it a privilege? Moses must for a while have been greatly perplexed. On the one hand God's tremendous promise - on the other the people's rejection. But he quickly came to an understanding of the situation, and began to reason with the Lord. That would not be right, he said. "Then the Egyptians will hear about it!...if you put these people to death all at one time the nations...will say 'The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised...so he slaughtered them in the desert'" (Num 14:1-2, 10-16).

What prophets hear in God's presence is often quite different from what they hear in the conversations of everyday life – which can cause confusion.

Moses was concerned about God's name and reputation. Are we today more concerned with getting into the upper echelons of prophetic ministry, or are we determined that all we do shall enhance God's reputation among us?

Elijah

After Elijah's announcement that there would be a serious drought in Israel, he went to stay in the house of a widow in Zarephath. God provided them with a jar of flour and a jug of oil every day. But their peace was about to be disturbed by the sudden death of the son of the house. The prophet's perplexity is evident from his words, "O Lord my God, have you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?" (1 Ki 17:20).

One testing experience through which prophets and other believers may have to pass occurs when people or resources which we have come to rely upon are suddenly removed.

One testing experience which we may encounter occurs when people or resources we rely upon are suddenly removed.

Job

Here is a man who had to face tremendous perplexity. His book begins by recording a series of catastrophes directly involving him. His donkeys were seized, his sheep and their shepherds were struck by lightning, raiding parties carried off his camels, and to cap it all his children were killed in a hurricane. Even so he did not charge God with wrongdoing.

Then the Evil One was given permission to test Job on a personal level, and as a result his body was covered with painful sores. But still Job did not sin by what he said. Certainly, he cursed the day he was born and groaned under his calamity, but he still did not speak out against God, even when his wife suggested that suicide was the best way out (Job 1:13-22, 2:7-10).

His three friends held forth on Job's situation but were to prove "miserable comforters" (Job 16:2). Their current theological theories did nothing for the sufferer. Their concept of God had collapsed because it was too small. In the end Job was content not with a perfect explanation of the suffering of the righteous but with the greatness of his God.

Job had to suffer tremendous perplexity – in the end he was contented not with a perfect explanation for his suffering, but with the greatness of his God.

It is still true that godly men and women have to face the perplexing question of why God allows them to suffer as he does. Meanwhile Job's book is a resounding protest against current teaching that a God-fearing life inevitably brings success and prosperity.

Hosea

When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, "Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife...because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the Lord" (Hos 1:2). Did God actually tell Hosea to take to himself as his wife a woman who was already an adulteress? It seems more likely that Gomer was chaste at the time of her marriage and that only later did she leave Hosea for someone else. This would fit the symbolic use God makes of the prophet's domestic situation, for he refers to the days of Israel's youth as a time when Israel was pure in her relation to Yahweh (Hos 2:15).

But however we understand the time of Gomer's immorality it must have perplexed poor Hosea and may have exposed him to the judgmental reactions of other prophets. His only consolation was the assurance that Yahweh himself also suffered intensely when Israel proved unfaithful to him.

It was Hosea's privilege to let his unchanging love for Gomer be a picture for all time of the 'love that will not let us go'. Let all prophets know that they have the understanding and compassion of God himself where his servants have to experience the continuing sadness of life in a broken home or unstable family environment.

Hosea's suffering was a picture of the suffering God himself went through with Israel – so Hosea always had the consolation that the Lord understood what he was going through.

Jonah

There is one thing of which we can be certain: Jonah did not like the people of Nineveh! After receiving his original commission to preach to them, he ran away. It took a strange encounter with a great fish to persuade him to obey the instructions he had received and "Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh" (Jonah 1:1-3, 3:3). Once there, his prophetic preaching was so effective that God's offer of mercy brought the whole nation to its knees in repentance. "When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened." (Jonah 3:10).

One would have thought that the prophet would have been thrilled with such a positive response to his message. "But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry" (Jonah 4:1). This was the reason he refused to go to Nineveh and ran away to Tarshish: he believed that if he preached they would repent and that God would then forgive them, and he did not want that to happen.

We may be certain that Jonah laid on heavily the message of judgment, but probably did not encourage the Ninevites in repentance. Today's prophets need to ask the Holy Spirit to help them put forward a presentation of their message in which judgment and mercy are balanced against one another. Jonah made the terrible mistake of begrudging them the mercy that they so much needed. This was the attitude of the scribes and Pharisees in the time of our Lord when they grumbled at Jesus for entertaining publicans and sinners to a meal. "If I have the gift of prophecy...but have not love, I am nothing" (1 Cor 13:2).

Habakkuk

The branch of theology called 'theodicy' was at the heart of Habakkuk's perplexity. The term is made up of two Greek words theos (God) and dike (justice) and it refers to the vindication of God's character despite the existence in the world of physical and moral evil. It all began when Yahweh told Habakkuk: "For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if you were told. I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people" (Hab 1:5-6).

At the heart of Habakkuk's confusion was the question of how a righteous, holy God could allow evil in the world.

God created perplexity in the prophet's mind when he went on to say that he would use the Babylonians to punish his own people Israel. 'How could God do such a thing?' was the anguished cry of the prophet. "Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?" (Hab 1:13). The problem of 'theodicy' does not exist among those who have gods whose morals are little better than those of sinful men and women. But those who believe in a holy and righteous God are shocked and upset by some of the actions and decisions of the only living and true God.

What can a prophet do - whether living in ancient Israel or in our modern world? Like Habakkuk, it is right to take the problem to God and to wait until he answers (Hab 2:3). Meanwhile the righteous shall live by faith (Hab 2:4). Ultimately all perplexities will be resolved.

Jeremiah

No-one transcends Jeremiah in the depth of feeling in which he expresses his perplexity:

O Lord, you deceived me and I was deceived, you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long...the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long. But if I say, 'I will not mention him or speak any more in his name', his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. (Jer 20:7, 9)

Here is a prophet who has every reason to resign his prophetic mission. After all, he had been beaten and put in the stocks (Jer 20:2). We see here plainly the personal cost of continuing to speak God's word, but Jeremiah could not restrain himself. The Lord's message was burning in his heart and he could not remain silent. How much the church of today needs prophets who will get into the counsel of God and then will speak out fearlessly what he wants them to say, whatever the cost!

Jeremiah spoke God's message fearlessly and suffered greatly for it. How much today's church needs prophets who are willing to do this, whatever the cost!

Ezekiel

The Spirit then lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the Lord upon me. I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Aviv near the Kebar river. And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days – overwhelmed. (Ezek 3:14-15)

It would appear that the seven-day period during which Ezekiel remained silent was an expression of his sense of bereavement and perplexity. The silence, the location of the event, and the period involved (cf Job 2:13) conveyed his deep empathy with his people in their affliction. Undoubtedly his silence gave emphasis to the words he was later to utter.

Today's prophets need to give time to the true situation of the Lord's people, instead of shooting off superficial words that carry no weight because they do not have the heart-cry of the totally perplexed behind them.

Whatever perplexities prophets have to face, let them learn that they may complain to God, but they must beware of complaining about him.

Whatever perplexities prophets have to face, let them learn that they may complain to God, but they must beware of complaining about him.

First published in Prophecy Today, Vol 7 No 3, May/June 1991.

Paul Luckraft reviews 'When a Jew Rules the World' by Joel Richardson (WND Books, 2015)

From its intriguing and somewhat provocative title to its final sentence (in which the author expresses his personal longing for the day when indeed Jesus will rule the world) this is an impressive and wide-ranging book on the topic of the role of Israel in God's plan.

The author demonstrates a powerful theological and historical argument for God's sovereign election of Israel and his eternal purposes for them, guiding the reader through the history of the Jewish people and their all-important role in God's future kingdom, when Messiah Jesus will be in complete charge.

He is thoroughly convinced that if the church "is to ever regain the clarity and prophetic spirit it needs to navigate the dark days ahead" then it must reject the false doctrine of replacement theology and begin the process of cleansing "by acknowledging Israel as the essential thread that runs throughout the Lord's unfolding promise-plan of redemption" (p6). He hopes this book will help to combat the ignorance and arrogance whose consequences have been seen throughout history and which are likely to be repeated in the days ahead.

This is an impressive and wide-ranging book which guides readers through the history of the Jewish people and their role in God's future kingdom.

Surveying History and Theology

The book is in three parts. The first outlines what the Bible says about Israel in the plan of God, including a discussion of each of the main covenants found in the Old Testament and a look ahead to what is promised in the new covenant, including the restoration of the Jewish Kingdom.

As he examines the Biblical covenants with Abraham, Moses and David, he doesn't shirk the issues of land and what this will one day mean when Jesus rules the world. Overall in this section he provides a very helpful analysis of the distinctions between these three covenants - and condemns those who blur them into one 'old' covenant.

The second part is an historical survey of what he calls 'Jew-hatred', a term he prefers to 'anti-Semitism' as it is more specific. He asserts that replacement theology, or 'supersessionism' (again, his preferred terminology), is at the heart of this Jew-hatred, being both its foundational principle and constant driving force. The details here are largely familiar and are found in many other similar works of this kind, but it is an essential part of his overall thesis. He tackles the atrocities in their usual chronological order, from 115 AD and the early Church Fathers, via Constantine and onwards to Luther and the Reformation, the Russian pogroms and finally, of course, the Holocaust.

Richardson examines the distinctions between God's covenants with Abraham, Moses and David, condemning their blurring into one 'old' covenant.

The third section is largely a consideration of Biblical prophetic passages. Richardson's conviction is that we must take the Bible literally wherever possible and that these things will happen. As a consequence of this belief, Jesus will one day rule from Jerusalem. The only way to avoid this conclusion is to spiritualise the promises God gave to Israel, and create a preterist or amillennial theology (these terms are clearly explained!). The author declares that the only way to combat the errors of replacement theology is by advocating a thoroughly restorationist, futurist, pre-millennialist position (again, all is made clear early on, in chapter 2).

The author attacks logically but lovingly those who distort clear biblical truth. He is prepared to name them while recognising that they do hold their beliefs most sincerely. However, he points out that "even the most brilliant mind is at a profound disadvantage when defending something that is not true" (p62). A gifted eloquence is no substitute for truth.

The book analyses what the Bible says about Israel - including its future - and surveys anti-Semitism through the ages.

Islamic 'Replacement Theology'

His book includes an interesting chapter on Islamic supersessionism, showing how Islam has embraced its own form of replacement theology over both Jews and Gentiles. Within this he remarks how the Islamic view of the end-times changes the role of Jesus on his return from that of Jewish King to Muslim preacher and judge - no longer a Jew ruling the world but an advocate of Islam!

There is a very good section on many of the great teachers and preachers who predicted the re-establishment of Israel, such as JC Ryle, Charles Spurgeon and David Baron. He also upholds Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Corrie Ten Boom as two shining examples for our day.

Towards the end he issues a warning to those interested in biblical prophecy and apocalyptic matters that it is so easy to approach all this "in a factual, yet deeply detached and emotional manner" and forget that we "are speaking of real families, real people, real lives. If discussing these things does not fill our hearts with sorrow or drive us to our knees in prayer, then it is clear that we are not seeing them through the eyes of the Father or His Son, Jesus" (p234-5).

Excellent from start to finish - thoroughly recommended to anyone who wants to understand better the relationship of Israel to Bible prophecy.

Thoroughly Recommended

Here is a well-informed approach to the topic - clear and very readable. Richardson knows what needs to be said and how to say it for our benefit and edification. His book has good endnotes and a general index, though not a bibliography or scripture index. Clearly he has thought through in detail what it means to believe in a Jewish kingdom within the Millennium, and he is able to reassure us that the olive tree into which we are grafted is not dead or uprooted.

Excellent from start to finish, this book is thoroughly recommended to anyone who wants to understand better the relationship of Israel to Bible prophecy.

Hardback, 273 pages, available from Awesome Books for £13.43 + P&P, or from Amazon for £18.58.