Blow the trumpet!

“Announce in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem and say: ‘Sound the trumpet throughout the land!’ Cry aloud and say: ‘gather together! Let us flee to the fortified cities! Raise the signal to go to Zion! Flee for safety without delay!’

For I am bringing disaster from the North, even terrible destruction. A lion has come out from his lair; a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his place to lay waste your land. Your towns will lie in ruins without inhabitant. So put on sackcloth, lament and wail, for the fierce anger of the Lord has not turned away from us.” (Jeremiah 4:5-9)

This is Jeremiah at his strongest and most confident; delivering a broadside in the early days of his ministry when news had reached Jerusalem that the Babylonian army was on the march. The whole pronouncement is in poetry, which would no doubt have made it more striking for those who heard it in Jerusalem, at a time of complacency and comparative prosperity.

It is difficult to date this passage but the indications are that it came soon after the untimely death of Josiah and early in the reign of his son Jehoiakim, which puts it in the period 607-600 BC. The Babylonians were busy acquiring sections of the old Assyrian Empire and steadily moving towards Judah (the Northern Kingdom of Israel having already been scattered by the Assyrians).

This proclamation from Jeremiah is a perfect example of the prophetic ministry in action, performing his role as the ‘watchman’ of the nation and messenger of God. It is a series of announcements, each in the imperative to add drama to the news being conveyed: “A lion has come out of his lair; a destroyer of nations has set out” (v7). But this was no ordinary piece of news. The Babylonians may have been the army that was threatening Judah and the holy city of Jerusalem, but the agent was God!

Claiming Immunity

Ever since the Temple, envisioned by King David but built by Solomon, was dedicated, it had been more than just a place of worship for the God of Israel. It was a living monument to the covenant between God and the house of David – the dynasty that David founded, that was endorsed and blessed by the Lord.

Hear God’s solemn promise at the dedication: “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 I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chron 7:14).

This proclamation from Jeremiah is a perfect example of the prophetic ministry in action

That promise had become the focal point of a ‘royal-temple ideology’¹ that screened out covenantal reality and permitted self-deception. The aristocratic families surrounding the King who were in charge of the national government, and the priestly aristocratic families who were in charge of the Temple, were all under the deception that Jerusalem (represented by the Temple) was inviolable and that Judah as the Promised Land could never be invaded by a foreign army because it was under the protection of Almighty God. It was this delusion that Jeremiah’s harsh poetic pronouncement aimed to dispel.

Jeremiah alone seemed to perceive that they had failed to recognise that their covenantal relationship with God was conditional! It was conditional upon the people of Israel being totally faithful to the Torah, with the Decalogue at its centre – especially having no other God than Yahweh, the God of Israel.

Judgment Inevitable

The royal-temple ideology assumed that the covenantal conditions were fulfilled through morning and evening prayers in the Temple, conducted by the priests on behalf of the nation. But this was a mere religious ordinance.

This was the message that Jeremiah was called by God to proclaim (hence the imperative in his poetry): “Sound the trumpet throughout the land!” The purpose of sounding the trumpet was not simply to warn of the dangers on the international horizon, but to bring a message of warning from God: “I am bringing disaster from the north, even terrible destruction”.

There is no call for repentance in this pronouncement – only a call to put on sackcloth and lament. Jeremiah perceived the inevitability of judgment upon the nation and he knew the hardness of the hearts of the people. He had already called for them to break up their un-ploughed ground - the hardness of their hearts - but there had been no visible response.

Without repentance and turning, the covenantal relationship between God and Israel was dead. In fact, it was worse than that: it was a dangerous delusion that would bring disaster upon all the people, the priests and the prophets as well as the King and his family. No-one would be spared.

But the stark message of this pronouncement was that it was not the Babylonians who should be feared, but the God of Israel who had been deserted through the idolatrous practices of the people. There were even hints of this within the Temple itself, which showed the utter spiritual corruption that had become embedded into the nation.

Jeremiah perceived the inevitability of judgment upon the nation and he knew the hardness of the hearts of the people.

Depths of Conviction

The poetic pronouncement concluded with a declaration from God himself, beginning with the apocalyptic phase “In that day”. It stated the stark reality of the judgment that was about to descend upon Judah: “The King and the officials will lose heart, the priests will be horrified, and the prophets will be appalled.”

The fact that there is no ‘unless’ - no call for repentance or softening of the message - shows the depths of conviction that Jeremiah had received in his time of standing in the council of the Lord. In those moments in the presence of the God of Israel, time had been suspended, the future had become the present, shadow had become reality. The full horror that was about to descend upon the nation had been revealed to the Prophet. Like the Apostle Paul some 500 years later, he could not keep silent: “Woe unto me if I do not declare the truth of the word of God!” (1 Cor 9:16).

Of course, Jeremiah knew that if there were repentance in the nation, the Babylonian army could not penetrate the walls of Jerusalem or bring devastation to the cities of Judah, because there was no power on earth that could defeat the God of Israel. But he also knew the hardness of the hearts of the king and the priests and the leaders of the nation, who were blinded by a powerful spirit of corruption from the world that prevented them from perceiving the truth.

We Need Prophets!

The New Testament has many warnings of a similar blindness coming in the days leading up to the Second Coming of Jesus. 2 Timothy 3 speaks of this and the letters of Peter have strong warnings of the delusion that will drive the nations into a time of darkness and infect the Church with different forms of corruption.

Those who have prophetic gifts today need to spend more time in the council of the Lord, as Jeremiah did, and then to declare boldly what they are hearing and seeing revealed. In these days when the leaders of the Western nations have turned away from truth, and when many church leaders are also blinded by various forms of spiritual delusion so that they are unable to declare the word of the Lord, the greatest need is for the Lord to raise up prophets in our midst.

May those who have learned to stand in the council of the Lord, to recognise his voice, to understand how he is working out his purposes today – be given boldness by the Holy Spirit to declare the word of the Living God in this godless generation that is hungry for truth, but does not know where to find it.

References

1 E.g. Brueggemann, 1999. A commentary on Jeremiah: Exile and homecoming. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

This article is part of a series. Click here to read previous instalments.

Will Britain stand?

Last Saturday, 11 May, two marches of quite different natures processed through central London.

One was a Palestine solidarity protest marking what Muslims worldwide call the ‘Nakba’ (the catastrophe), or the formal re-establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.

The march attracted mainstream press attention and some 3,000 protestors, led by Palestinian activist and former convict Ahed Tamimi who proclaimed the genocidal slogan of Hamas and Hezbollah: “From the river to the sea, Palestine shall be free” (i.e. Israel must be destroyed).

The other march, which attracted nearly 5,000 supporters but received no mainstream press coverage, was the March for Life. Standing up on behalf of the plight of unborn children, hundreds of thousands of whom lose their lives silently in the UK each year, the march celebrated and proclaimed the sanctity of human life.

Opposing Worldviews

Seeing these marches take place virtually side by side reminded me just how divided our country has become. Every month, all sorts of protests take place in our capital, each one claiming a just and righteous cause. Both the above marches purport to stand for justice on behalf of the oppressed. However, they are undergirded by vastly opposing worldviews.

The pro-life movement is rooted in a biblical worldview, in which human life - from conception - is divinely given, in the image of God, and innately deserving of dignified treatment. While not all within the pro-life movement are believers, the movement is grounded in an understanding that life and death are sacred matters, in which humans must defer to an authority and set of moral standards higher than their own. And so, the pro-life movement champions a culture of respect, non-violence and life.

The March for Life attracted nearly 5,000 supporters but received no mainstream press attention.

Palestine Solidarity March, 11 May 2019. See Photo Credits.By contrast, Palestinianism is rooted in a rejection of the God of the Bible: specifically, his choice of land and people, denying the covenant heritage of the Jews (and its basis in historical and legal fact). It leads people to believe gross distortions and slanders about Israel, regurgitate age-old anti-Semitic tropes and side with terrorist groups who seek to murder innocent Jewish civilians. The result, directly or indirectly, is the championing of a culture of violence and death.

The issues of Israel and unborn life, though seemingly unrelated, are two of the most defining battles of our time. Both are, I believe, particularly close to God’s heart. Both are also modern spiritual litmus tests: telling indicators of the spiritual condition of our nation before God. With this in view, pondering Saturday’s marches I was reminded of Jesus’ sobering words that “a house divided against itself cannot stand” (Mark 3:25; Matt 12:25).

A Nation at War

This coming week, Britain goes to the polls again for an election which many are calling a ‘second referendum’ on our membership of the EU. Current projections indicate that because the Remain vote will be split across several different parties, Nigel Farage’s new Brexit Party will make considerable gains by mopping up the Leave vote, at the particular expense of the Tories. But this does not change the fact that the country is still split roughly 50/50 over Brexit.

Brexit has divided families, neighbours, co-workers and friends. As we have written elsewhere on Prophecy Today UK, these divisions are far more than superficial political disagreements. They are symptoms of an underlying spiritual battle raging for the soul of the nation.

Brexit did not create these divisions; it merely exposed them, albeit starkly and painfully. For this reason, those who hope that a political resolution (deal or no deal) will make everything ‘go back to normal’ are sadly mistaken.

Britain has apparently become a nation of polarised outrage, shouting about a plethora of issues electronically, on the street and at the ballot box. But whether Brexit, Israel, abortion, climate change, President Trump, feminism, LGBTQ+ pride or any number of other causes, follow them to their roots and you will find one single, simple battle over God and his truth, revealed in Scripture.

True Unity

A generation of rebellion against the biblical beliefs and values that once united our nation means that Britain’s social and moral fabric is now rife with division and discordance. While our political and religious establishment call for unity and bridge-building, we must stand back and ask whether unity is possible, or even desirable, in this context.

True unity is a blessing of the Holy Spirit for obedience to the Lord. God will not bless a nation that rejects him. But Britain is a house divided, not knowing whom she really serves. Any man-made unity foisted upon this spiritual backdrop will necessarily be a poor imitation of the real thing; at best a charade, at worst a forcibly-imposed regime.

Britain has become a nation of polarised outrage on a plethora of issues – but follow each to their root and you will find one battle over God and his truth.

The only real answer to our problems is repentance and a return to the Gospel. Thankfully, God desires to use the present division and instability to draw people back to himself. He wants people to come to an understanding that something has gone very wrong in Britain: we are broken, in so many ways, and in need of a Saviour. He wants us to “seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us” (Acts 17:27). As Christians, are we being faithful in praying and working for this end?

A Hope and a Future

Credit: March for Life UK

I am thrilled by the growing strength of the pro-life movement in this country (and in the USA). But, while protests and goodly debate are vital, these alone will not win the day, because “our battle is not against flesh and blood” (Eph 6:12). As the Brexit polls indicate, Britain as a whole is still split right down the middle: not just politically, but spiritually.

Things cannot remain this way forever: they will tip one way or the other, unless the Lord intervenes in a more drastic and immediate way. Similarly, in 1858, Abraham Lincoln quoted Mark 3:25 to the Illinois Republican State Convention, warning that America could not remain divided over slavery forever. He said: “I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other.”¹

When it comes to both Israel and abortion, I hope very much that we will see a turning of the tide, with hearts and minds changed nation-wide and righteous decisions at the very top. But the ultimate hope for Britain, including on these issues, remains the Gospel, accompanied by much prayer. That is the only thing that will unite our beleaguered nation and give her a hope and a future.

References

1 'House Divided' speech, Springfield, Illinois, 16 June 1858. Read the full transcript here.

How the Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform UK is working to make abortion unthinkable.

Editorial introduction: Despite the legalisation of abortion in Britain and the US several decades ago, debate about this issue is far from over. Now, a new and vibrant generation of pro-lifers on both sides of the pond are determined to make history by changing hearts, minds and laws.

This week Alabama became the latest US state to pass pro-life legislation, in anticipation of Roe vs. Wade being overturned one day in the Supreme Court. In both the US and the UK, the March for Life is gaining momentum with each passing year.

And in the UK, pro-life organisations are being set up to reach the public about this vital issue. One such group is the Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform UK, which we heartily commend to you and are pleased to introduce with the article below. N.B. Contains one graphic image of abortion.

Social Reform, Abortion and Images

A brief journey through history shows that wherever civilisations have been established, human beings have committed great injustices against one another. Sadly, today is no exception, and one people group in particular is systemically targeted. Every working day, 800 unborn children are killed in the UK through abortion, provoking little outcry.

Worth a Thousand Words

Picture, if you can, the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Imagine the plight of natives in the Congo Free State in the late 19^th Century, where terrible atrocities were being committed against them. Hands were cut off for the crime of insufficient rubber collection; children were eaten by soldiers, in full view of their fellow villagers to terrorise them. Think of how, in the early 20th Century, American children were forced to labour in dangerous mines and factories, suffering malnutrition and a host of other health conditions.

What do these events have in common? Yes, they were systemic injustices that took great effort to overturn. But did you know that these atrocities were all ended by exposure through the use of images?

Lewis Hine's images helped to change public attitudes towards child labour. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and the history of social reform has proven this to be true. Wilberforce could not have abolished slavery without Clarkson’s tireless campaign to turn the tide of public opinion through visual aids. The introduction of the Kodak brought an end to the crimes committed against the Congo natives. Thanks to investigative photographer Lewis Hine, child labour in the US was halved by 1920 from what it had been in 1910.

Even the Civil Rights Movement was largely sparked by a single image: that of teenager Emmett Till, whose mother deliberately held an open-casket funeral to expose his horrific murder to the world. Sometimes, merely talking about injustice (especially systemic, state-approved injustice) just cannot trigger the emotional response necessary to instigate change.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and the history of social reform has proven this to be true.

Exposing Injustice

Time and again, society couldn’t see the injustices being committed against fellow human beings without being forced to look. And today, our blind spot is abortion. The Centre for Bio-ethical Reform UK (CBR UK) is a pro-life organisation intent on bringing this injustice to an end. CBR UK believes that if abortion can be seen for what it really is, it will become unthinkable.

CBR UK has a singular aim: to make abortion unthinkable simply by showing it for what it is. CBR UK does not protest abortion. Rather, the organisation argues, when revealed - abortion protests itself.

Using graphic imagery to expose abortion has a bad reputation – some consider it crass and sensationalist. Even some Christians view those who use images as a nuisance or a menace. It’s a comfort to those who do such thankless work, then, that historically, people reacted similarly when exposed to the hidden injustices of their time. When Lewis Hine shocked America with his series of photographs, some people were more upset with his work (which was bad news for factory owners!) than with the realities of child exploitation itself.

An 8-week-old aborted baby.Why do we react so strongly to abortion imagery? It’s true, of course, that the images are shocking and unpleasant. Yet we expose ourselves to all kinds of graphic content; some of us may not balk at TV dramas or movies featuring graphic sex, violence and other disturbing themes. And in case we argue that this is different because it’s fiction, let’s not forget that many of us happily watch medical procedures on television, some of which are bloody and gross.

The gore is not our deepest objection to images of abortion. Rather, it’s the pinprick of our consciences when we are forced to acknowledge that these are innocent human beings.

When we are forced to look at an injustice that is tolerated by society for the convenience of its citizens, we are forced to acknowledge that we might just be a little bit responsible.

But such discomfort is necessary to shift us from denial to action, and CBR UK has many examples of the effectiveness of this strategy.

Why do we react so strongly to abortion imagery? It’s the pinprick of our consciences when we are forced to acknowledge that these are innocent human beings.

Taking a Stand

Not long ago we celebrated Easter weekend, reminding ourselves that Jesus Himself died a very public death, being beaten and crucified for the whole city to witness during the biggest festival of the year.

It is not un-Christlike to take a stand for those who are rejected and considered least by today’s society; in fact, it is a command of God – to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed” (Prov 31:8-9).

On 23 May, CBR UK is showcasing its journey so far at London’s Emmanuel Centre. Whether you’re convinced of their strategy or on the fence, come and hear powerful stories of lives saved, minds changed and groups impacted. Book your free place now at cbruk.org/showcase. Or head to their website to see if you can support the work in anyway.

Sharing in the joy of Jesus, the Jews and John Wesley

As Israel celebrates another independence day, I look forward to a special birthday of my own in a few weeks.

Yes, the magic milestone reached last year by the modern Jewish state means I was conceived in Cape Town just a few months after Israel’s re-birth.

My own re-birth came nearly 23 years later – on 20 May 1972, at around 10:30pm. And I remember how this rather precise dating of my encounter with Christ proved of great fascination to Labour peer (and former deputy leader of the Party) Roy Hattersley.

Identifying with Wesley

We were showing South African friends around the small Lincolnshire town of Epworth, famous as home of the Wesleys and only 13 miles from where we live in Doncaster, when I noticed a familiar figure striding up towards me.

I immediately recognised him as he was often rolled into TV studios for political comment, but I also knew him from way back, when, as Fleet Street correspondent for the South African Press Association, I would often report on his Dispatch Box statements about Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) or apartheid during his time as Foreign Office minister.

Although claiming to be atheist, Hattersley is a great admirer of Wesley, and of the Salvation Army founders for that matter, and has written biographies on both counts.

He was busy doing research for his Daily Mail column on why people like me made pilgrimages like this. I began by telling him that, though I was not a Methodist, I identified with Wesley in the sense that I had come into an experience of the risen Christ, just as he had done.

Though not a Methodist, I identify with Wesley in the sense that I have come into an experience of the risen Christ, just as he had done.

In fact, just as with the legendary preacher, I too could name the exact time and place where the change had taken place.

Furiously taking notes (as I used to do when he was speaking in Parliament), Lord Hattersley’s eyes grew wider with amazement. Like Wesley, I explained, I had felt my heart ‘strangely warmed’ as Jesus, at my invitation and at the prompting of another South African friend, came into my life in the north London home of my half-Jewish grandmother.

Great Awakening

Wesley’s re-birth took place on 24 May 1738 – also in London – after hearing an explanation of Luther’s introduction to a commentary on the Book of Romans. He was already a clergyman, as was his brother Charles, following in the footsteps of their father, who was rector of Epworth for some 40 years.

But now Wesley knew for sure that his sins were forgiven and that, by faith alone, he was accepted by Christ. The strange warming turned into a raging fire as he passionately proclaimed the Gospel for the next 50 years, riding a quarter-of-a-million miles on horseback in the process.

Historians are agreed that the subsequent awakening, also involving George Whitefield and others, averted a revolution of the kind that brought chaos to France.

My Own Testimony

Running with perseverance: Charles Gardner completes a 10K cross-country ‘trail’ around Yorkshire’s famous Castle Howard estate in 2010. Photo: Linda Gardner

Although I can’t claim a Damascus Road encounter of the sort that caused the Apostle Paul to fall off his horse, my own conversion was preceded, just seven days earlier, by an experience in which I was stopped in my tracks during a marathon race in Scotland – on the road to North Berwick, as it happened.

At 22 miles, the same point in the 26.2-mile race that Paula Radcliffe came to an abrupt halt in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, I too ‘hit a wall’, so to speak. But the disappointment paved the way for my greater openness when my friend, Brian Jackson (an accomplished athlete), challenged me to follow Christ.

I have never looked back, and have become increasingly aware of our debt to the Jewish people, which is why, upon my retirement from full-time work in the newspaper industry, I began serving as a volunteer for the Church’s Ministry among Jewish people (CMJ).

Wesley passionately proclaimed the Gospel for 50 years, riding a quarter-of-a-million miles on horseback in the process.

I am also proud of my own Sephardic Jewish ancestry, and was especially helped in my early Christian life by a lovely Jewish lady called Helen Macintosh, who effectively became a spiritual mother to me.

Helen became a believer through Billy Graham’s 1954 meetings at Haringey in London and always afterwards described herself as a ‘completed Jew’. Like her, I long for the widespread spiritual restoration of the Jews promised in the scriptures (e.g. Zech 12:10; Rom 11:26) following their much-prophesied return to the Holy Land.

Beautiful Sound of the Gospel

To complete this season of birthdays, I will be heading for Epworth on Saturday 25 May at 2:30pm to watch a play on the Wesleys being performed by friends from Sheffield.

Oh that these islands would ring once again with the passion – in words and music – that awoke sleeping hamlets all over England to the beautiful sound of the Gospel!

The first prophet to recognise God’s missionary purpose.

“If you will return, O Israel, return to me,” declares the Lord. “If you put your detestable idols out of my sight and no longer go astray, and if in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives’, then the nations will be blessed by him and in him they will glory.”

This is what the Lord says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem: “break up your unploughed ground and do not sow among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, circumcise your hearts, you men of Judah and people of Jerusalem, or my wrath will break out and burn like fire because of the evil you have done – burn with no one to quench it.” (Jeremiah 4:1-4)

This is another of Jeremiah’s early pronouncements, made during the reign of Josiah when the king was making a great effort to reform the nation. Jeremiah perceived that Josiah’s great reformation had, so far, not achieved its purpose of bringing the people back to the God of Israel. His opening statement was that returning to traditional religious practices was not enough: God was calling for them to return to him.

Josiah’s reform had not yet touched the hearts of the people. He had ordered the desecration of pagan altars and the breaking down of totem poles and all the other symbols of worship of foreign gods. But this had not really changed the people and produced the faith in God that both Josiah and Jeremiah were longing to see.

Putting away the detestable idols was not enough. God was looking for his people to be in a right relationship with him, whereby they could truthfully and honestly make the statement of faith: “As surely as the Lord lives” (v2).

Israel a Light for the Nations

Jeremiah saw this in the wider context of God’s missionary purpose for Israel: that they would be the means of conveying the knowledge of his salvation to all the nations. Jeremiah said that when Israel was truly in a right relationship with God, declaring his truth openly on the world stage, then the Gentile nations would also be blessed by God and would experience the glory of his presence.

In making this pronouncement, Jeremiah was ahead of all the other writing prophets who preceded him, although what he was declaring had already been embedded in the history of Israel from the time God called Abraham to leave his country and people and go to the land that God would show him. At that time, God made a solemn promise: “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Gen 12:2-3).

Putting away detestable idols was not enough: God was looking for his people to be in a right relationship with him.

God’s intention to use Israel to reveal his truth to the Gentiles was confirmed to the exiles in Babylon when God sent them a message of hope: he was about to overthrow the Babylonian Empire and release his people to go back to the Promised Land and to rebuild Jerusalem, thereby preparing the way for the fulfilment of the promised new covenant.

At that time God revealed to the exiles his purpose to use their little nation of Israel, purified from idolatry by exile in Babylon, as his servant and ambassador to the nations of the world: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth” (Isa 49:6).

To the ends of the earth: God's missionary purpose for Israel. Photo: Israeli coastline at Caesarea. See Photo Credits.God’s purposes are always much greater than our meagre perception of them, as well as our own small plans for our contribution in the service of the Kingdom. God sees the bigger picture, while we only see the little bit in front of our eyes.

King Josiah’s objective was to stop idolatry among the people by physically breaking down the pagan idols and centralising worship in the Temple in Jerusalem. However, Jeremiah saw beyond this, to God fulfilling the greater purpose for which he created the nation of Israel and revealed his Torah through Moses. Jeremiah could see God’s greater purpose in setting Israel aside from all the other nations in order to reveal his nature and purposes to humankind.

The Need for Circumcision of the Heart

However, in order for Israel to be the servant of the Lord, something of great spiritual significance had to happen in the nation. There had to be a spiritual awakening, enabling them to understand the purposes of God. That meant breaking up the ‘hard ground’ in their human nature so that they were receptive to the truth that God was longing to convey to them.

The people had to experience a spiritual circumcision - a circumcision of their hearts: cutting away the corruption of the world that had infected the nation through worshipping false gods of wood and stone. This idolatry had led them into fertility cults and sexual aberrations, adultery and family breakdown, and failure to teach their children the truth. It also meant greed and corruption permeating their business practices and affecting every part of national life.

In order for Israel to be the servant of the Lord and fulfil his covenant purposes, there had to be a spiritual awakening.

Most of all, the nation was no longer trusting in God for their protection - even as storm clouds were gathering on the international horizon. The Babylonian army was conquering one nation after another, across the Middle East. Clearly, Judah would soon be the next target, but they were grossly vulnerable and underprepared. They were a nation in disarray and would easily fall victim to an army said to be even more cruel and despotic than the Assyrians.

Jeremiah could foresee the future as clearly as if it were already happening, which gave great urgency to his calls for something more than Josiah’s reformation. He wanted to see a heart transformation across the nation – a spiritual revival that would not only ensure God’s covering of protection against an enemy attack, but would actually achieve God’s purpose for the nation to be his servant, bringing his salvation to the Gentiles.

The Final Word

The final word in this pronouncement was a dire warning of what would happen if Israel failed to understand the situation that faced them, not perceiving the purposes of God and not grasping the opportunity he was giving them to turn to him and be saved. The consequence of these failures was national disaster on an unimaginable scale: a fire no-one could quench.

The historical fact is that Israel and Judah ignored the warnings God sent to them through Jeremiah. The unquenchable fire fell as the Babylonians carried out a systematic destruction of towns and cities across the land, including Jerusalem.

God sees the bigger picture - we only see the little bit in front of our eyes.

Today, the nations of the world are being subjected to an unprecedented shaking of their pillars of state, creating turmoil, instability and international foreboding of what lies ahead. There have been plenty of warning signs, such as the collapse of the Twin Towers in New York, the Notre Dame fire in Paris and the Brexit turmoil in Britain: all signs of the threat of destruction coming upon Western civilisation.

The warnings Jeremiah gave to Israel need to be heard in the world today.

This article is part of a series. Click here for previous instalments.

The most important book you’ve never heard of…

The Didache (pronounced did-ah-kay) has been described as the most important book you’ve never heard of. So what exactly is it and does it deserve this accolade?

Its full title, ‘The Teaching of the Lord to the Gentiles through the Twelve Apostles’, explains its purpose and content. It is an early Church manual: the teaching of the early Jewish followers of Jesus to the new Gentile believers.

The Jerusalem Council of Acts 15 agreed that God had indeed “opened the door of faith to the Gentiles” (Acts 14:27). But after the Council’s ruling of four initial prohibitions (Acts 15:29), what else was required of Gentiles if they were to progress in the faith? If they were not expected to keep Torah as fully as their Jewish brethren, what did they need in order to walk in the same Way?

Here in the Didache we find compiled the necessary instruction to prepare them for immersion and membership in the Body of Christ. As such, this special document fulfilled a key role in the Great Commission to make disciples (not just converts) of all nations.

Walking in the Way

The Didache can be seen as a kind of apostolic Mishnah for new Gentile believers. Certainly there is a Jewish quality inherent in the text. The opening is particularly Jewish, and the language and prayers in later chapters have direct parallels and counterparts in the Judaism of the time. All the early believers in Messiah were still within the fold of Judaism, so this is hardly surprising.

Another similarity with the Mishnah is that the Didache is likely to have been passed on orally before being written down, as evidenced by certain mnemonic devices within the text. Most scholars believe its style places it in the mid-1^st Century, though some dispute this. If it is this early then it falls within the oral tradition of the time. The long title, quoted above, would have been added later when it was written down (incidentally, shorter versions of the title do exist, namely ‘The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles’, and just ‘The Teaching’, or ‘Didache’).

The Didache is an early Church instruction manual setting out teaching for helping new Gentile converts to become disciples.

The Didache is an anonymous document. Although the 12 apostles are mentioned in the title, they are not referred to in the text. Some see similarities with the Epistle of Barnabas and so suggest a link with him and hence with Paul. However, we cannot be sure if any of the apostles were directly involved in its production or transmission, although there is no doubt that the essential thrust of the Didache follows the same path and breathes the same spirit.

The Didache has been described as having an archaic simplicity (which fits its early dating). Its expressions are primitive. It contains no detailed creed, no exalted titles of Jesus, no lofty theology or doctrine. Rather it is a simple work of everyday living, reflecting the Jewish concept of ‘halakhah’, or walking with God. Its aim is to pass on the Way of Life as taught by Jesus (rather than provide a description of him and his works), directing Gentile converts in the step-by-step transformation necessary for full participation in their new faith.

Before the ‘Parting of the Ways’

The Didache clearly represents a time before Christianity became separated from Judaism. Nothing in it indicates the later ‘parting of the ways’. It has been described as one of the last voices of authentic apostolic faith: the final flowering of Judeo-Christianity before Greek influence and theology took charge. This alone makes it a fascinating and worthwhile document to study.

The Didache was popular among early believers and enjoyed wide circulation. Numerous early Church writers mentioned it and quoted from it frequently, for instance Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Eusebius and Athanasius. It is mentioned as being read in churches, but was not considered canonical or to be used to confirm doctrine. However, it could be seen as being “appointed by the Fathers to be read by those who newly join us and who wish for instruction in the word of godliness.”¹

This is recorded as continuing until the 4^th Century, but by the 5^th Century the Didache fell out of popularity and was referenced much less. It does get an occasional mention in later times, but for centuries it was assumed that copies no longer existed. Then came a surprise discovery in 1873.

The Didache has been described as one of the last voices of authentic apostolic faith.

An Astonishing Find

A Greek Orthodox Archbishop, Philotheos Bryennios, was browsing in the library of the Greek Convent of the Holy Sepulchre in Constantinople and found a text lodged between two longer works in a single bound volume of Christian manuscripts. Somehow it had escaped the notice of previous cataloguers. Was this find too good to be true? Might it be a modern forgery? After a few years it was judged authentic and dated as a copy from 1056. It was finally published in 1883. When the first English translation was released in 1884, it sold 5,000 copies on the first day.

Although older fragments have been found since, this remains the only complete manuscript. Known as Codex Hierosolymitanus 54, it now resides in the library of the Greek Orthodox patriarchate in Jerusalem. In 1922 two Greek fragments were found in Egypt which were textually very close to that found in Istanbul, thus verifying its accuracy. In addition, a Coptic fragment from Cairo, dating back to the 5^th Century, was published in 1924, and another nearly complete Gregorian version was found in Constantinople in 1923, though never published. The 1873 manuscript remains the most reliable and complete.

Inevitably, a find such as this created a lot of controversy - especially where its contents didn’t agree with then-current Church traditions! The Catholic Church appreciated some bits of the Didache but was dismayed that some of its liturgy wasn’t there. Similarly, Protestants, pleased to see these omissions, did not like the emphasis on what they saw as ‘works of righteousness’, such as fasting twice a week. Both sides inevitably attempted various interpretations to place it more comfortably within their own traditions.

Intended for Study

The Didache is a short work, approximately one third of the length of Mark’s Gospel. It is composed of 16 short chapters (some very short), containing just 2,190 words in total. The vocabulary and grammar reflect the popular koine Greek of the 1^st Century. Its style is simple and terse. It uses only 552 different words, of which 504 are found in the New Testament. All this again points to an early date.

The Didache is a short work, approximately one third of the length of Mark’s Gospel.

The material of the Didache was probably intended to be studied in pairs, in a one-to-one format, as the entire text uses the second person singular. This is similar to the rabbinic concept of chavruta, where the novice studies at times with a partner of the same level, but at other times with someone more mature in the faith acting as a mentor. Indeed ‘The Training’ is a better title than ‘The Teaching’, as the Didache represents a form of apprenticeship! Crucially, the mentor was not offering his thoughts on these matters, but passing on instructions that he had previously received and was also living out.

The Didache also seems to be for both male and female disciples. Specifically female issues are addressed, and the novice is addressed as ‘my child’, not ‘my son’.

Flow of Topics

Some believe the Didache was composed in stages, with the first section, called ‘The Two Ways’, existing in some form before being incorporated into the Didache. Nevertheless, as a whole it displays a unity across its structure, with a flow of topics which may indicate a comprehensive step-by-step programme for Gentile converts to become full disciples. The layout allows the recipient to progress slowly from introductory material to more complex rituals of daily living and community.

Though there are no separate headings, the content clearly divides into sections or tractates. Phrases or topic sentences are repeated to signal the beginning of new portions and summary statements are used to bring blocks of material to a close. These linguistic clues suggest the following four sections (though some split the third into two parts, making five in total):

Section 1 refers to two ‘ways’: the Way of Life and the Way of Death. These two paths would have already been well-known from Scripture (e.g. Psalm 1) and the teaching of Jesus. The Way of Life concerns one’s relationship with God as well as one’s relationships with other people.

Much of this reflects the Torah and the Decalogue, but the Didache contains a noticeable emphasis on how Gentile believers needed to live within the Roman world. In particular, it contains new prohibitions pertaining to what they would encounter in Roman society. Overall, the Didache represents an interesting adaptation of the Torah to take into account the circumstances that these converts would face.

The Didache represents an interesting adaptation of the Torah to take into account the circumstances that new Gentile converts would face in the Roman world.

Section 2 provides regulations for eating, baptising, fasting and praying. The chapter on food is very short and simple, and covers meat offered to idols. The next chapter, on baptism, shows a preference for baptising in flowing water, although exceptions are allowed if this is not available. Baptism is to be done in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and was to mark a clear turning-point in life, including the breaking of previous social bonds (even those within a family if necessary), as through baptism the convert was now joining a new family.

Fasting was to be undertaken before baptism and the next chapter indicates that in general a fast should be made twice a week, as within the Jewish tradition, though on different days from the Jews! This chapter also contains short injunctions on prayer, including use of the Lord’s Prayer.

The next two chapters contain the blessings to be made before and after a meal, especially the eucharist which was a full meal within the context of a family. Again, Jewish traditions are preserved here.

Warnings and Hope

Section three contains regulations for hospitality and for testing various kinds of visitors, especially itinerant prophets. They are to be welcomed and even honoured, but their time spent in any one community must be limited. Warnings are given against those who seek money or extended hospitality, and of course their words had to be tested and match their conduct, which must have already made a favourable impression upon the community before their words are heard.

The Didache contains a lot of cautionary advice regarding prophets - something still needed today. It seems the new Christian communities had much to fear from abusive and wayward prophets. However, ample provision is also made for welcoming true prophets, who could even be rewarded – provided they didn’t ask (interestingly, there is no mention of the communities creating and sending out their own prophets to other places. However, they were to appoint their own local overseer, or episkopos, which at that time was an entirely secular word meaning someone charged with oversight. These men were not themselves teachers or prophets, but also had to be of good conduct and then similarly honoured)!

The Didache contains a lot of cautionary advice regarding prophets - something still needed today.

The final section is on the end times! What a refreshing change from the complexities and confusion we find today. Here is a short synopsis of apocalyptic warnings and a message of hope. The emphasis is upon the ‘not yet’ aspect of the Kingdom, the need for holiness in preparation for Jesus’ return, and warnings of false prophets and deceivers.

Finally, three signs of truth are mentioned that will appear at the end: the unfurling or opening of the sky, the sound of the trumpet and the resurrection of the just. Then the world will see the Lord coming upon the clouds. Perhaps this is all we need to know in advance!

Now you’ve heard of this important book, click here to read our reviews of three editions currently available to purchase.

Paul Luckraft reviews three different translations of the ancient text.

If you wish to purchase a copy of the Didache for yourself then here are three very different options that I have come across and can recommend.

I have used all three in my article on the Didache, and readily acknowledge their help in compiling it. Which you would prefer will depend upon the level of analysis and commentary you require, and how much you want to spend!

Owles’ Translation

The simplest option is a translation by R Joseph Owles (2014, 33 pages). Be warned: all you get is an English translation. There is no Greek text to go alongside it or commentary to explain it, though there is a single page of notes at the end.

However, it is well-formatted in a way that makes it easy to read and understand. If that is all you require, then this will suffice and may be the cheapest version you can find.

Owles’s translation is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle forms.

Milavec’s Translation and Commentary

The next alternative is by seminary and university professor Aaron Milavec (2003, 114 pages), which starts with a very informative introduction. After this comes the Greek text with a side-by-side English translation (the Greek being on the left-hand page and the English on the right).

The remaining pages are mainly taken up with what is described as a brief commentary. Apparently, elsewhere, Milavec spent 15 years compiling a 1,000-page commentary, so he apologises that this one is neither exhaustive nor definitive! However, this briefer version (65 pages) will be more than sufficient for most readers.

The book also contains a bibliography and recommended electronic aids for further study of the Didache. Milavec provides several flowcharts showing the progression of various events, such as the key aspects of the Didache training, which might be of interest to some. The final few pages offer some considerations on the dating of the Didache and its dependence upon Matthew’s Gospel.

All in all, this is the edition that will be most suitable for those who want a bit more than just a basic translation, but don’t want to spend hours in further study.

The Milavec edition is available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle forms.

Janicki’s ‘The Way of Life’ Version

If you want a book that will take you much deeper into all that the Didache offers, then The Way of Life by Toby Janicki is worth considering. Published in 2017 by the Vine of David, a publishing arm of Messianic ministry First Fruits of Zion, this is a hardback which will cost you more to obtain, especially as you may need to get it from the US.

This near 600-page volume contains a new translation (again, side-by-side with the Greek) and a very extensive commentary from a Messianic Jewish perspective. Indeed, it is described as the first commentary of this kind. Most Didache studies have been influenced by denominational church interpretations which did not value its Jewish context, so this book is a very worthwhile contribution to the whole Jewish roots movement.

One significant bonus is an appendix containing the Epistle of Barnabas which makes for a fascinating comparison with the Didache. Another appendix features the Oxyrhynchus Papyrus fragments. There is also a very full bibliography for the even-more-serious student!

Janicki’s ‘The Way of Life’ version is available in hardback form from FFOZ or from Amazon.com (both international shipping).

This study series on the life and prophecies of Jeremiah and their relevance today was published on Prophecy Today UK during 2019.

1. The Prophet's message for our times
2. Jeremiah's call to ministry
3. Jeremiah begins his prophetic ministry
4. Jeremiah's first public prophetic word
5. Has a nation ever changed its gods?
6. Do not put your trust in the nations...
7. How easy it is to forget God
8. Adultery, idolatry and spiritual brinkmanship
9. God's plans for the faithful remnant
10. The broken covenant
11. The conspiracy
12. Jeremiah's insight into the Father's heart
13. God's warning to humanity
14. The first prophet to recognise God's missionary purpose
15. Blow the trumpet!
16. The prophet with tears in his eyes
17. The limits to God's patience
18. God's offer of forgiveness and protection
19. Who does God hold responsible for the state of the nation?
20. Discerning the signs
21. Finding the right path
22. Disaster unless repentance
23. Surely the Lord would protect his own Temple...
24. Idolatry is not hidden from the Lord
25. Worship is not a substitute for obedience
26. God's abhorrence at the killing of children
27. Jeremiah's most devastating prophecy
28. The Prophet's appeal to common sense
29. When religious leaders re-interpret Scripture to suit themselves
30. Deception in the house of God
31. A timeless message about life's true meaning
32. Choosing the way of the world or the way of the Lord
33. The God of Creation is a God of action
34. When the wicked prosper, is God unjust?
35. The importance of staying close to the Lord
36. Even in times of drought, those whose confidence is in the Lord will survive
37. The cure for anxiety
38. A fearful message
39. The truth is unpopular
40. Judgment might be inevitable - but it isn't the end of the story
41. When sin becomes engraved on the heart of the nation
42. The nations are clay in the Potter's hands
43. From the stump of Jesse, a righteous Branch has come
44. Remainers and Leavers
45. The promise of a new covenant

Torah portion: Leviticus 16:1-18:30

Acharei mot (‘after the death’)

In Israel, this Torah portion is read in the spring: a time of warmth and beauty, when the flowers appear and the voice of the turtledove is heard (Song of Solomon 2:11-12). It is at the end of the month of Nisan, with a message for a ‘spring clean’ in our lives, and a renewal of our reverence for God’s awesome holiness.

The Need for Humility

Moses was reminded about the important difference between the holy and the common, the sacred and the profane. The God of Israel expressed His Presence in the Tabernacle as infinite Holiness, and it was only one man, the High Priest, who was permitted to enter the Holy of Holies where God ‘dwelt’, and then only once a year, on Yom Kippur. 

Aaron’s disobedient sons entered the Holy Place to burn incense in a self-motivated way (Lev 10:1) and were consumed by God’s fire. After their deaths (acharei mot), God told Aaron that he could not approach His Presence just whenever he chose, or he would also die. 

He must have made a sin offering, set aside his High Priest’s garments and put on a simple linen tunic (signifying purity and humility). Only then could he enter God’s Presence to represent a flawed community before a God who was both Holy, Holy, Holy(Isa 6:3) and also a consuming fire (Heb 12:29). 

The Need for Submission

There is often in church groups today a great superficiality when entering the holiness of God’s Presence. Believers often come into His Presence as if it were a social gathering, an opportunity to catch up with friends, or to update church business. 

Holy and reverend, literally fear-full (nora, from yare, meaning to be afraid) is His Name (Ps 111:9). There are many distractions to this reverent attitude in the Presence of the Living God, which can prevent us from obtaining cleansing and coming in humility before the Lord of lords. 

Even the reading of His precious Word of truth can be taken lightly and without understanding. His Word simply commands us to submit to God and His righteousness in humility (James 4:7; Rom 10:3).

We need priestly linen garments, and an attitude of humility and submission, lest we fail to learn from Aaron’s sons, who in self-appointed pride or zeal were consumed by God’s fire. When we respond to God’s command to “Choose life”, it is only by daily cleansing and faith in Jesus’ Blood shed for us that we can walk in the awesome holiness of His Presence. 

God has spoken to us through His Son (Heb 3:2), calling us to “Listen to Him” (Matt 17:5) and walk as He did, in the Father’s ways.

Life is Sacred 

Our life is God’s gift, and for Him to dwell in us we must express our love for Him by obeying His teaching. The Torah is Jesus’ way of life for His redeemed people (see Matthew 5), and in this portion we find prohibitions of eating blood (the symbol of sacred life) and of a range of unlawful sexual practices as pursued by pagan nations, which defile both man and the land. For these things God confirmed that He would blow upon them with His fiery wrath and they would be melted (Ezek 22:21). 

As a nation, and as His church, in these days, we need to mark the difference between the holy and the common, the sacred and the profane. If we are to receive the blessings and protection of His Presence, we must follow in His way. 

That is His Truth (Amen). This is a good time for a spring clean.

Author: Greg Stevenson