Developing disciplined habits of devotion

The ten horns of Daniel’s beast vision have been and gone

Don’t be distracted from the greatest sign of Jesus’ soon return

Paul Luckraft reviews ‘Charts of Bible Prophecy’ by HW House and R Price (2003, Zondervan)

Margaret Wiltshire reviews ‘The Daniel Dilemma’ by Chris Hodges (2017, Nelson Books).

How should we live as believers in a pagan world? This is a problem which confronts us all, especially as what was formerly ‘Christendom’ becomes more and more hostile to Christ. It was also the dilemma which faced the young Daniel when he was taken into exile into Babylon. Should he show respect to their gods, or should he stand firm in his faith in the One True God?

In this timely book, Pastor Chris Hodges is not concerned with the prophecies found in the Book of Daniel, but with the life of Daniel. Daniel managed, without compromising his beliefs or values, to serve in high office under four different Babylonian regimes for a period of 70 years. How did he stand his ground and honour God – and even be used powerfully by him - in a corrupt culture?

Focus on Personal Discipleship

Hodges takes lessons from Daniel’s character and the way he persevered through these years, applying them to our lives today. Each chapter is organised around one of these lessons, which include knowing our identity in the Lord, allowing him to transform us into his likeness, settling our core values, being ready to stand our ground, avoiding idolatry, identifying pride, getting our priorities right and dealing properly with our emotions.

Daniel managed, without compromising, to serve in high office in pagan Babylon for a period of 70 years. How did he stand his ground?

In this sense Hodges includes a lot of material concerned with personal discipleship that has already been written about many times elsewhere. But Hodges is not only concerned with teaching believers how to overcome inwardly; he is also concerned to address how we react outwardly, in seeking to confront the issues of the day and bear faithful witness to those who don’t believe.

The author shows us that “we can hold firmly to biblical beliefs without becoming obnoxious, insulting or mad”,¹ if we learn how to focus on winning hearts more than winning arguments. However, Hodges’ outward focus is sadly limited to the final chapter, though it perhaps makes up the book’s main contribution. It could have been expanded on considerably.

Truth, Love and Grace

Nevertheless, this is an easy, logical and practical book to read that will be both helpful for the beginner and a good reminder for the more mature. There are some accompanying resources (a study guide and DVD) available separately for readers who would like to explore the issues in more depth, whether alone or with a group.

There will always be cultural challenges and the need to confront them with God’s word, and with love and grace. What we believe about ourselves and about God will influence every decision we make in this respect. Though the author writes with particular concern for the USA, in our own divided nation which has forsaken its Christian heritage this book provides an apposite reminder to “hold God’s standards high and his grace deep - just as Jesus did”.²

‘The Daniel Dilemma: How to Stand Firm and Love Well in a Culture of Compromise’ (265pp, paperback, audiobook, e-book) is available on Amazon for £9.90 (paperback) and elsewhere online. Find out more about the book on the publisher’s website.

You may also be interested in Living in Babylon by Dr Clifford and Mrs Monica Hill.

References

1 Quote taken from here.

2 Ibid.

There are many calls today to pray for the nation with a spirit of repentance but many Christians find this difficult. How do we repent of things for which we feel no responsibility?

We grieve over family breakdown and the suffering of children, of those who are killed on the streets of our cities and the babies that are aborted from their mother’s wombs. But we feel helpless in the face of the forces of evil that are sweeping through our nation.

How can we respond to calls to pray in repentance?

This is where the prayer in Daniel 9 is of tremendous help.

Daniel was a righteous man who was not one of the leaders in the nation of Israel. He was not personally responsible for any of the sins committed in the nation or for the corrupt policies being followed by the nation’s political leaders, or for the unfaithfulness of the religious leaders.

Daniel did not even live in Israel: he was in exile; but he received detailed accounts about what was happening in the land of his birth and he was desperately concerned for its welfare and for the moral and spiritual condition of his fellow countrymen.

A Covenant-Keeping God

Daniel’s prayer begins with acknowledging the nature of God – that he is a covenant-keeping God of love.

He then identifies with the sins of the nation, even though he himself had not in any way been involved in them. He was nevertheless a citizen of Israel whose leaders and people had disobeyed the commands of God and thereby had put the nation outside the protection of God. They had brought upon themselves all the consequences of disobedience promised in Deuteronomy 28 from verse 15.

The Righteousness of God

Daniel’s prayer acknowledges the righteousness of God in bringing disaster upon the nation as a result of the things that had been done by its leaders and people.

But he does not say “They have sinned” – he says “O Lord, We and our Kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you.”

God’s Mercy

Daniel then speaks of God’s mercy and his willingness to forgive even in the face of deliberate disobedience.

He acknowledges, “We have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.”

True Repentance

Of course Daniel could not repent on behalf of the whole nation. We can only repent for ourselves. But by identifying with the sinful nation Daniel then could pray positively asking God for his help: “O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath” (v.16). He is then able to pour out his heart before the Lord on behalf of his sinful nation:

“Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favour on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the City that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.

“O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name” (vs.17-19).

Ungodly Laws

In praying this prayer we need to have in front of us the list of ungodly laws that have been passed in Britain since the 1950s to remind us of the things that as a nation we have put upon the Statute Book of the nation. Laws such as:

• the Abortion Law 1967 that has polluted the land with the blood of the innocent:
• the Sunday Trading Act 1993 that directly opposes God’s command to observe a Sabbath Day:
• and the Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Act 2013, that made homosexual practices equal to the marriage of men and women which is part of God’s act of creation.
  

Prayers of Repentance

Our prayers of repentance acknowledge that we are part of a nation that has deeply offended the God of Creation and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are ashamed to be part of such a nation that has known the truth for many generations and has deliberately turned away from the word of God to embrace idolatry, lies and deception and is now steeped in corruption and unrighteousness that fully deserves the judgement of a righteous God.

The Faithful Remnant

We nevertheless cry to him whom we know to be a covenant keeping God of love and mercy; that he will hear the prayers of the faithful remnant in our nation and help us to make his word heard in Britain once again, that there may be a turning in repentance in the nation and that times of prosperity and blessing may come upon the land and upon our people.

First published by Issachar Ministries Trust, Office 5, Shannon Court, Sandy, Beds SG19 1AG.

Paul Luckraft reviews ‘Into the Lion’s Den’ by Steve Maltz (Saffron Planet, 2018).

When a prolific author such as Steve Maltz claims that his latest book is his ‘most important ever’, it is worth considering why. Certainly it is a timely book and its message vital, both in its socio-political analysis (parts 1 and 2) and its Christian response (part 3, which occupies just over half the book).

The title alludes to Daniel being tested in the lion's den. Christians today face a different den, but an equal threat: Western culture is our lion's den. In recent decades our enemy the devil has been prowling round seeking to devour (1 Pet 5:8), and has succeeded in changing our society dramatically.

In this eye-opening book, Maltz examines satan’s chosen method in the West – the unseen force behind the current explosion of political correctness, identity politics and blame culture – which goes by the name of Cultural Marxism.

Dismantling Society’s Building Blocks

Maltz has done some detailed research on the origins of our current social scene and its threat to Christian witness, presenting it in his usual readable style. He also provides a full and clear response to the threat of Cultural Marxism, drawing largely on his previous writings (Hebraic Church, Livin’ the Life) which in retrospect can be seen as preparatory to this book.

Maltz explains how Cultural Marxism took the failed ideas of economic and political Marxism and repackaged them in subtler, cultural terms, using techniques from other academic disciplines. The result was a “covert cultural infiltration, hidden in plain sight” (p8) that has made massive inroads into undermining the Judeo-Christian foundations of modern Western society.

satan’s chosen method to devour the West is Cultural Marxism.

He starts with Alice Bailey’s ten-point plan (first formulated in 1948) to wrench society away from its Christian roots, and shows how this was then built upon by others, in particular Herbert Marcuse and Theodor Adorno, whose writings were very influential in the 1950s. This eventually led to the creation of the Frankfurt School and the development of Critical Theory in which everything is to be deconstructed, the aim being to ‘liberate’ those who have been oppressed for so long by Christianity and its associated institutions.

In Cultural Marxist thinking, points of previous stability such as the family, or the notion of two genders, are re-interpreted as inherently oppressive. The notion of objective truth is also considered tyrannical - relativism must become the norm. Truth is whatever you want it to be.

The Bible in particular, previously the ultimate arbiter of truth, is to be continually re-interpreted to support these new ideas, rather than read to bring us to a saving knowledge of God.

Victims vs Oppressors

Cultural Marxism divides society into oppressors - those clinging to a biblical framework - and oppressed: so-called ‘victim groups’, who need to be liberated from the ‘repressive’ norms of traditional Christianity. Today’s victim culture is the direct creation of Critical Theory which “began to roll out a series of ‘causes’, centring on those deemed to be ‘victims’” (p46).

The law of Cultural Marxism, which is ultimately as authoritarian as its political predecessor, is that these causes represent true freedom, and so must be upheld by everyone. To oppose or even question them is unacceptable, and so warrants derisive, shut-down treatment (e.g. labels such as ‘homophobic’, ‘racist’, ‘sexist’, ‘fascist’). Only Christians can never be considered as victims - after all, they are the oppressors, who have held the upper hand for so long!

Meanwhile we now have a whole range of potential ‘micro-aggressions’, anything that can be deemed to cause offence to victims’ feelings, ranging from casual comments to displaying biblical texts, wearing a cross or offering to pray for someone.

Cultural Marxism divides society into oppressors - those clinging to a biblical framework - and oppressed: victims who need to be liberated from the ‘repressive’ norms of traditional Christianity.

Cultural Marxism is seen as a progressive movement, helping us turn away from old superstitions, outdated morality and the restrictions of the past. Maltz has illuminated all these trends in a way that is easy to understand. We see how for decades Cultural Marxists, first in academia and then outward into politics and the media, have been pulling the strings behind the scenes in a war for hearts, minds and, ultimately, souls.

Dealing with the Madness

He concludes there “is no real hope for our society if Cultural Marxism is allowed to continue unchecked” (p71).

However, he does not finish there. In Part 3, ‘Dealing with the madness’, he offers a way for Christians not only to survive in this new culture but also to engage with it for the sake of the Gospel.

His starting point is that “we are not called to fix the Kingdom of the World, instead our role should be in the execution of the Great Commission, in helping to rescue people from this Kingdom by guiding them into the Kingdom of God” (p93).

This has always been our role, but now there is a greater urgency, as well as a greater difficulty. Yet there is also a greater opportunity. Despite the dangers of Cultural Marxism, the Gospel is not fettered and God remains sovereign. Perhaps he has allowed all this to shake us out of complacency and force us to re-evaluate our effectiveness? Cultural Marxism may have done us a favour if it results in a more authentic Christianity, one that is more Hebraic, more ‘first century’.

By exploring this possibility and how to achieve it, Into the Lion's Den is an exciting book, not a depressing one.

Has God allowed Cultural Marxism to proliferate to shake the Church out of its complacency?

Encouragement to Live Distinctively

Maltz takes Titus 2:11-15 as our mission statement for these times, using it to show how we can begin ‘Reaching a World gone mad’ (the book’s subtitle). He also draws on the main points of his previous book, Livin’ the Life, about honouring God, reflecting Jesus and engaging with the Spirit, arguing that Christians need to live distinctively.

He asserts that “our best weapon” in dealing with Cultural Marxism (p139) is understanding the difference between function and form. We must function as Christians, not just have the outward form. If we can’t talk about or quote Jesus without being criminalised, then we must become living examples of God’s word.

Towards the end of the book Maltz makes a vital point when he says that “Reaching a World gone mad is going to require more Godly Wisdom, rather than relying on our own powers of articulation or knowledge or experience” (p195). The book contains some real life examples of Christians (from all walks of life) being grilled in TV interviews, as good illustrations for us to learn from. When we speak up, God’s wisdom is needed. But if we ask him and listen, he will give us the words.

Over a long period, Cultural Marxism has been a creeping threat. We may not have seen it coming, but now we can see it clearly at work. But many may still be puzzled as to how our society arrived in its current state, how we got to this particular kind of madness, and how to respond. This book addresses these issues and should be read and then read again until we have absorbed its vital message.

How important the book will be only time will tell, but it deserves to be widely read and discussed.

Into the Lion's Den (238pp) is available from Saffron Planet Publishing for £10.

Further Information

Steve Maltz’s next Foundations conference takes up the same theme of Cultural Marxism – there are still some places left. Please see our News page for further details, and for information about further events involving Steve Maltz.

Simon Pease reviews ‘MidEast Beast: The Scriptural Case for an Islamic Anti-Christ’ by Joel Richardson (2012).

Joel Richardson's thought-provoking MidEast Beast challenges the widely-held belief that the final empire of biblical prophecy is a European-revived Roman Empire. Instead, he makes the case for a resurrected Islamic Ottoman empire, a view which is increasingly being taken seriously by students of prophecy.

MidEast Beast is one book in a series by the author looking at biblical prophecy from a Middle East perspective and follows on directly from Islamic Anti-Christ, which studies the close parallels between Islam's eagerly-awaited messianic leader and the biblical Anti-Christ. His later work dealing with Jesus and Israel, When a Jew Rules the World, has already been reviewed by Prophecy Today.

Taking Prophecy Literally

The book opens with recommendations on interpreting biblical prophecy, such as starting with easier, literal prophecies, rather than diving straight into Revelation and highly symbolic material. Richardson takes biblical prophetic references to places such as Egypt and Persia (Iran) literally, rather than spiritualising them to refer in general to the enemies of God.

Applying this principle, the author demonstrates from several of the prophets how God will bring vengeance on Israel's enemies in the Middle East on the ‘Day of the Lord’, highlighting specific nations, all of which are Islamic. He challenges the view that the Anti-Christ will rule over the entire world, exploring the biblical use of hyperbole and drawing attention to passages which describe the Anti-Christ kingdom at war with opposing nations.

Referring to Daniel's vision of a fourth kingdom crushing the others which preceded it, Richardson presents an argument for this kingdom being the Islamic Ottoman Empire, rather than the Roman Empire (as is often assumed). He uses maps to illustrate strikingly how the Islamic caliphate, unlike Rome, conquered all the areas previously occupied by the Babylonian, Medo-Persian and Greek empires.

Joel Richardson makes the case for the final empire of biblical prophecy being a resurrected Islamic Ottoman empire.

He argues that the related ‘legs of iron’ in Nebuchadnezzar's dream represent the Sunni and Shiite parts of the Ottoman Empire. He also presents historical evidence that the "people of the prince who is to come" (Dan 9:26), prophesied by Daniel and who destroyed the Temple in 70 AD, were legions recruited by Rome from the local populations of regions which today are mostly in Syria and are all Islamic.

Richardson also investigates the seven-headed beast of Revelation, pointing out that the argument for Rome being both the sixth beast which ‘is’ and the seventh which replaces it, is contradictory. Islam overtook Rome in the Middle East, conquering its capital Constantinople (now Istanbul), with the Ottoman Empire receiving a "fatal head wound" nearly 100 years ago. The author makes a compelling argument for its future reappearance as the eighth beast, which is intriguing in the light of recent developments in Turkey.

Direct, Analytical, Logical

Although Richardson writes primarily for the biblically-literate believer with an interest in ‘end times’ prophecy, his compelling argument for the veracity of Scripture has caused me to recommend MidEast Beast to believer and non-believer alike.

His style is direct, analytical and logical, whilst being highly readable and devoid of theological jargon. Not surprisingly, his views have generated much debate, so he engages in a spirited defence of his position against his critics, including citing the opinions of prominent believers from earlier generations who also understood biblical prophecy as referring to Islam.

As a result of the author’s meticulous research, some readers may find MidEast Beast overly long at nearly 270 pages, but this is probably necessitated by the controversy he has generated.

Richardson’s views have generated much debate, so he engages in a spirited defence of his position against his critics.

Thoroughly Recommended

This book is more than just theological argument – it is a call to action, challenging Christians to recognise that Islam will continue to grow powerfully. Richardson argues passionately that this knowledge should impact believers' attitudes towards the evangelisation of Muslims, our preparation for increasing persecution and our commitment to stand with the Jewish people.

I thoroughly recommend MidEast Beast, not only because it challenges us to consider carefully what the Bible actually teaches (rather than simply accepting recycled opinions at face value), but also because of the implications if his interpretation of Scripture proves to be correct.

Mid-East Beast (published by Joel Richardson) is available from Amazon in hardcover, Kindle and audio forms.