Issue 18.1 by Living Hope

Glad Tidings

Volume 1 8, Issue 1

Januar y/Febr uar y 2014

Glad Tidings January/February 2014

Something To Consider ............... p.3 by Vince Finnegan

Hearing Yahweh ......................... p.8 by Mary Ann Yaconis

Seek Yahweh: Aramaic-Part 2 .............................. p.4

Congo Connection ..................... p.11 by Richard Elton

by John Cortright

Glory of Yahweh ......................... p.12 by Vince Finnegan

Love Prayer ................................... p.6 by Vince Finnegan

Mark these important dates on your calendar!! GodGod-Centered Marriage February 14th-16th, 2014 at Living Hope Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Conference April 4th â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6th, 2014 at Living Hope

Glad Tidings is published six times per year by Living Hope International Ministries 458 Old Niskayuna Road, Latham, New York 12110 USA

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Glad Tidings is mailed free to anyone who requests it. Scriptures are taken from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise noted.

SOMETHING TO CONSIDER: Delight Yahweh’s great dream expressed often in the Scriptures is: “I will be your God, and you shall be My people.” God has always yearned for this loving relationship with man and has ensured that in the end it will be so. David is one who understood God’s desire and shared the same devotion in return. David’s passion for Yahweh, well documented in his writing, stands as a lighthouse for those who want a similar relationship with their God. He wrote, “You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever” (Psalm 16:11). David communicated his concern regarding the sin committed with Bathsheba in Psalm 51:11 - “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.” Being in the presence of God meant everything to him; therefore more than most, he lived a God-full life. Consider David’s words from Psalm 119: Ps 119:16 I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word. Ps 119:24 Your testimonies also are my delight; deligh they are my counselors. Ps 119:35 Make me walk in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Ps 119:47 I shall delight in your commandments, which I love. Ps 119:70 Their heart is covered with fat, but I delight in Your law. Ps 119:77 …for Your law is my delight. delight Ps 119:174 I long for Your salvation, O LORD, and Your law is my delight. delight One of my grandchildren is in the stage that grandpa is pretty desirable, so he wants me to hold him often, and he still enjoys sitting on my lap. It may seem that I favor this child more than others; however, I love all seven of our grandchildren equally. The child, not me, has determined the closeness of our relationship. He wants me to hold him, and he wants to sit on my lap. I would love it if all the children did the same; sorrowfully, however, grandpa affection is a passing stage in child development. In like manner, Yahweh desires for all His children to sit on His lap, but He does not force us to want Him. Men like David enjoyed an intimate relationship with Yahweh because they wanted it − enough that they took the time to allow Yahweh to hold them. Adam and Eve hid from the presence of Yahweh after they sinned. Cain’s sinful consequence was expulsion from the presence of God. God told Moses that His presence would go with him. Moses told Yahweh, “If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.” All those who enjoyed an intimate relationship with Yahweh wanted it more than they wanted anything else. Do you want to sit on God’s lap?

God’s blessing to you,

Vince Finnegan 3

Seek Yahweh: Aramaic - Part 2 By John Cortright

he earliest extant New Testament texts are in Greek. Manuscript Π 52 is considered the oldest, dated to the first half of the second century. There are several late second century and third century Greek papyri. Two famous Greek codices from the fourth century contain both Old and New Testaments – the Codex Siniaticus and the Codex Vaticanus. The earliest Aramaic New Testament manuscripts are the old Syriac copies of the Gospels from the late third to early fourth century. The next oldest Aramaic/Syriac version is the Peshitta text, containing both Old and New Testaments, dated to the first half of the fifth century (410AD-430AD). The Greek manuscripts are older than the Aramaic/Syriac. This is not disputable. What can be questioned is whether Syriac was translated from the Greek, or was it copied from earlier Aramaic versions which no longer exist. Well-known Greek scholar, Bruce Metzger, supports that Syriac was translated from the Greek, “prepared by missionaries to assist in the propagation of the Christian faith among peoples whose native tongue was Syriac.”1 He asserts that some features of Greek syntax “cannot be conveyed in a translation,” but “as to whether or not a given

phrase or sentence was present in the Greek exemplar from which the translation was made, the evidence of the versions is clear.”2 However, noted Aramaic scholar George Lamsa states that “the Gospels, as well as the Epistles, were written in Aramaic, the language of the Jewish people, both in Palestine and in the Greco-Roman Empire.”3 Later these writings “were translated into Greek for the use of converts who spoke Greek.”4 Although there may be some debate on this issue of Greek or Aramaic primacy, the importance of Syriac translations in the early church is acknowledged by most. The Syriac Peshitta version is important in both Old and New Testament studies. “More than 350 manuscripts of the Peshitta New Testament are known today, several of which date from the fifth and sixth centuries. The text of the Peshitta has been transmitted with remarkable fidelity, so that very few significant variants exist among the witnesses.”5 When modern Bibles today are said to be translations from the Aramaic, they are translations from this Syriac Peshitta version, originally written in Estrangela Aramaic script. An interesting study is the use of the Aramaic word translated into English as “Lord” in these 4

versions. This is the Aramaic word mari (Yrm). In Aramaic, when the letter alaph is added to the end of this word, it is in the emphatic form, mariah (0yrm). This is the word most often associated with the name of God, Yahweh, in the Peshitta Old Testament. It is the word “Lord,” but it is an emphatic form of the word. This emphatic usage is used in the New Testament as well. In both Lamsa’s Bible translated from Ancient Eastern texts and in the Aramaic-English Interlinear,6 this form of mariah is simply translated as “the Lord.” In another modern translation of the Aramaic New Testament, author Andrew Gabriel Roth does not believe that the Aramaic 0yrm (mariah) is a conjunction of the Aramaic word for Lord, mari, but rather it is the Name of God “Yah” with the prefix “Mar” and should be translated as “Master YHWH.”7 Although the author makes a compelling argument, there are some problems with this translation. First, in order for this word to be the name, “Yah,” it would need to include the Aramaic letters “yod” and “he.” It does not. Secondly, if one simply translates every use of mariah in the New Testament as “Master YHWH,” then there are some difficult sections of Scripture. For instance, Luke (Continued on page 5)

note for all 205 uses.)10

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So we can see that, although Greek manuscripts are older than Aramaic/Syriac manuscripts, the early Syriac Peshitta version is important in New Testament studies. The emphatic use of the Aramaic word mariah is commonly used as a surrogate for the name of God in both the Old and New Testaments. These Aramaic translations offer us more insight into a study of God’s name.

2:11 would read, “for born to you this day is a savior that is Master YHWH….” And Philippians 2:11 would read, “And that every tongue should confess that Master YHWH is Y’shua Mashiayach [Jesus the Messiah].” Such translations are very problematic. Perhaps, one of the best definitions of this emphatic form of mariah is found in the 1926 Syriac New Testament Lexicon. A copy of this definition is pictured below.8 The Aramaic word mariah is an emphatic form of the root word mari, or Lord, and as such is used as a designation of the tetragrammaton, the four letter name of God. However, this word can also be understood of human masters as supreme lords or when Jesus is called “The Lord.” There is a Spanish translation from the Peshitta text9 which probably gives the most accurate rendering of this word, allowing the context to provide proper interpretation. There are 205 uses of this word mariah in the Aramaic New Testament. 128 times, the Spanish translates this word as “Yahweh,” the name of God; 75 times, as “Señor” (or Lord, sir, master); and two times, as “Amos” (or Owner). (See foot

Bruce M. Metzger, The Text of The New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration (Oxford Uni-

Ibid, pg 68

Ibid, pg xii

Op cit., Metzger, Page 70

Andrew Gabriel Roth, The Aramaic New Testament (Netzari Press, Copy-

Here are NT uses of the Aramaic word mariah and how it is translated into the Spanish Peshitta Version: Translated as the name of God, Yahweh: Mt 1:10, 22, 24; 2:13, 15, 19; 4:7, 10; 5:33; 21:19, 42; 22:4; 23:39; 27:10; 28:2; Mk 11:9; 12:11, 29 (twice), 30, 36; 13:20; Lk 1:6, 9, 11, 15, 16, 17, 25, 32, 38, 45, 46, 66, 68; 2:9, 15, 22, 23 (twice), 24, 26, 38, 39; 4:8, 12, 18, 19; 5:17; 10:27; 13:5; 19:38; 20:37, 42; Jn 12:13, 38; Ac 2:20, 34; 3:19, 22; 4:26, 29; 5:9, 19; 7:30, 31, 33, 37, 49; 8:26, 39; 11:21; 12:7, 11, 17, 23; 13:10, 11; 15:17 (twice); Ro 9:29; 11:34; 15:11; 1Co 1:31; 2:16; 3:20; 10:26; 14:21; 2Co 6:17, 18; 10:17; Ep 2:21; He 7:21; 8:8, 9, 10, 11; 10:16, 30; 12:5, 6; Ja 4:10, 15; 5:4, 10, 11 (twice); 1Pe 2:3; 3:12 (twice); 2Pe 2:29; 3:8, 9; Ju 1:9, 14; Re 1:8; 6:10; 11:17; 15:3, 4; 16:7; 18:8; 19:6; 21:22; 22:5, 6 Translated as the Spanish word, Señor (Lord, Master, Sir): Mt 3:3; 22:43, 45; Mk 1:3, 5:19; Luke 1:76; 2:11; 3:4; Jo 1:23; 8:11; Ac 1:24, 2:21, 36, 39, 4:24, 7:49, 9:10, 15, 27, 10:36, 13:12, 49; 14:3, 25, 26; 16:32; 18:9, 25; 19:10; Ro 9:28; 10:12, 13; 14:9, 11, 14; 1Co 3:5; 4:4, 5, 17, 19; 7:17; 8:6; 11:27 (twice), 29; 12:3, 5; 15:58 (twice); 16:10; 2Co 2:12; 3:16, 17 (twice); 18 (twice); Eph 4:5, 17; 5:19; Phil 2:11, 29; Col 3:22, 24; 4:7; 2The 3:3; 2Tim 2:19 (twice); Jam 1:7; 3:9; 5:7; 1Pe 3:5; 2Pe 3:10, 15; Rev 4:8; 11:4; 22:20. Translated as the Spanish word, Amos (Owner): Ep 6:9; Col 4:1

Love Prayer (Philippians 1:9-11) By Vince Finnegan

source of all true love. - This I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real

knowledge and all discernment, 10 - so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; 11- having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Our contemporary cultural consensus, the alleged openminded view, is born largely from humanistic love (a strong interest in or concern for human welfare, values, and dignity) as opposed to God’s love. Our nation’s attitude and stand on capital punishment, abortions, premarital sex, marriage, homosexuality, welfare, passivism, politics, and so on, for the most part, are void of Scriptural influence. Such thinking and beliefs greatly affect the widespread understanding of love. Everybody in the world has an opinion about love along with a desire to experience it. The sensible resource for understanding this awesome subject is Yahweh, our God, the Creator and the

Man’s opinion (no matter how thoughtful) pales in significance to that of Almighty God’s. Our thoughts compared to His are less than nothing. Sadly but truly, man does not have the ability within himself nor with the help of others to understand rightly true love. Many well-intentioned people who believed they were motivated by love have committed appalling atrocities against God and humanity. Even more common, most of us with the genuine intention to help another but motivated out of humanistic love have done more longterm damage then godly good. Howbeit, we considered our actions love-centered! The only right way to love and certainly “to abound still more and more in love” is to gain God’s knowledge and discernment. God is love, so gaining insight about Him as communicated in the Bible is imperative. His actions and words as recorded in the whole Bible, not just in the New Testament, reveal the magnitude of love. Extracting segments of the Bible such as 1 Corinthians 13 and concluding it reveals 6

everything to know about love is a grave error. True and accurate understanding requires the scope of the whole Word of God. The quality of being able to grasp and comprehend the best thing to do or say for another person requires spiritual insight. The good news is that God promises to give wisdom to those who ask. James 1:3 tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, Who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” Knowledge and discernment are available to them who ask, seek, and knock. This Philippians prayer is similar to Ephesians and Colossians – “that … the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him” (Eph 1:17). “…We have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may (Continued on page 7)

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be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Col 1:9). According to verse 10, the prayer has two aims: 1) approve things that are excellent, and 2) to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ. Prayer is indeed needed to approve things (that is to analyze properly and test the best matters), especially so with love. The Godgiven ability to discern the best among the good, which is far harder than detecting good from evil, is necessary for godly love. The word “sincere” has an interesting Greek background − strictly tested by sunlight. I am reminded of cameo jewelry which is each a threedimensional scene or portrait hand-carved from multicolored conch shells or banded agate. The carver creates a

design that will reveal colored layers as it is carved. Counterfeit cameos have the top image glued to the bottom. The way to discern the fake from the genuine is to hold it up to the sunlight to determine if it is pure, one piece. When examined by God’s light, we want to be pure, real, and genuine without insincerity, hypocrisy, or falseness. To be blameless before God is available through the sacrifice of Christ. Colossians 1 states so well – “He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach, if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel….” Paul prays for the Thessalonians in similar manner. 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 Now may our God and Father

Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. As we live blamelessly today, we minister to God (Psalm 101:5-7), receive an inheritance forever (Psalm 37:18), delight Yahweh (Proverbs 11:5 and 20), and inherit good (Proverbs 28:10). The love prayer ends by telling us we are filled with the fruit of righteous through Jesus Christ. This fruit includes a new self now according to Ephesians 4:24 and eternal life if the prayer is fulfilled in our lives. All of this is “to the glory and praise of God.” Jude verses 24 and 25 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Hearing Yahweh By Mary Ann Yaconis

oses had quite an experience when he heard Yahweh talk with him. There was a bush that appeared to be burning but was not being consumed with the fire. There was a voice that seemed to come from the bush. Moses bowed down. It was holy ground, and Yahweh, the Creator of all, was communicating with Moses. Another example of hearing Yahweh is Samuel, who was just a boy serving the LORD. He was asleep in the tabernacle area when he heard someone call his name. He thought it was Eli, the priest. Eli told Samuel that it was the LORD calling and to say, “Yes, LORD, Your servant hears you.” For the first time that Yahweh talked with this young lad, He gave him quite a lengthy revelation that was not cheerful news. Yet, Samuel, on his first attempt, listened and remembered all that was said to him.

Probably, if we had Moses’ or Samuel’s experiences, we would be elated and be convinced that we heard from Yahweh. Are we to expect this way of hearing from God all the time? What does “hearing Yahweh” or “hearing from” or “talking with” Yahweh mean?

be in God’s “perfect will.” There are times in the Scriptures when Yahweh has given very specific instructions in miraculous ways. These times are more of exceptions than a general rule of practice. Problems with looking for signs and a specific word are: • We have to figure out what

Yahweh’s “perfect will” is and not be content until we are absolutely certain He told us exactly what it is. Generally, all that we need to know is contained in the Scriptures. • Because we are shackled with the burden of having to have the perfect will decision, we get bogged down and can’t make any decision (which is just as unhelpful as an ungodly decision). • We have thoughts that things will be horribly wrong if we don’t “get” the perfect decision, doubt ourselves, doubt Yahweh, and become fixated on getting the right answer. • We can easily get tricked into looking for signs that Satan can easily manipulate. We struggle and struggle in prayer because we feel like we don’t get the answers we need and may conclude: • We are sinful and do not

Some say that it means that God gives you audible instructions or shows you “signs” that make your decisions for you so that you can

deserve an answer; • Yahweh does not hear us, or

maybe we even doubt Yahweh as God; and/or

• We do not have the ability to

really listen to Yahweh. Unfortunately, thinking that there is just one perfect will causes us to miss out on what we could be doing to serve Yahweh. We become crippled waiting for an answer. What hearing Yahweh means to us is that we develop a peaceful, quiet, and faithful way of just being in Yahweh’s presence all the time, listening to Scriptures in our heart and Yahweh by way of the holy spirit on a continuous basis. Our life, when we accept Jesus as Lord, is rooted in a foundational pattern of reading and meditating upon the Scriptures, praying, and living out these Scriptures in everyday life. We use our free will to discipline our thoughts to conform to His thoughts. We understand that God does not want to have us to be mini-robots but instead use our God-given personalities, intellect, and desires to live within the freedom of the spirit of God within us. Dallas Willard, in his book Hearing God, makes the following statements and quotes Gary Friesen about perfect will: In his book Decision Making and the Will of God, Gary Friesen, has done a masterful job of critiquing the view that God has one particular (Continued on page 9)

(Continued from page 8)

thing for you to do in a given case, that correct decision-making depends on your finding out what that thing is and that if you miss, you will be in God’s permissive will at best – and a second-class citizen in the kingdom of God. Arguing against this extremely harmful view, Friesen says, The major point is this: God does not have an ideal detailed life-plan uniquely designed for each believer that must be discovered in order to make correct decisions. The concept of an “individual will of God” [in that sense] cannot be established by reason, experience, biblical example or biblical teaching. So the perfect will of God may allow, for a particular person, a number of different alternatives. For most people, for example, a number of different choices in selecting a partner (or none at all), various vocations, educational institutions or places of residence may all equally be God’s perfect will – none being in themselves better or preferred by God in relation to the ultimate outcome desired by him. The sincere seeker should assume that this is so and should move forward with faith in God if no spe-

cific word comes on the matter concerned after a reasonable period of time….

“What hearing Yahweh means to us is that we develop a peaceful, quiet, and faithful way of just being in Yahweh’s presence all the time...” Just as character is revealed only when we are permitted or required to do as we want, so also the degree and maturity of our faith are manifested only in cases where no specific command is given. It is not a great and mature faith that merely does what it is told. Rather – in the words of William Carey as he went out to India as a pioneer missionary – such a faith is one that “attempts great things for God and expects great things from God.” It actively gets on with the work to be done, the life to be lived, confident in the good-hearted companionship of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Human initiative is not canceled by redemption; it is heightened by immersion in the flow of God’s life. People with a mature vision of God and extensive experience in his way have no need to be obsessively anxious about doing the right thing. For the most part they will simply 9

know what is right. But their confidence is finally not in a word from the Lord but in the Lord who is with us (pp. 207-208). Willard, D. (1999), Hearing God, Inter Varsity Press: IL An example of this spiritual reality is how we drive a car. We do not have to think consciously of everything we do when driving. In order to make a turn, we put on the turn signal, slow down by raising our foot off of the gas and placing it on the brake pedal, gradually slow the car down, move our hands so that the steering wheel moves in the correct direction, stop the turning when appropriate, and then place our foot over the gas pedal to make the car go faster once we have made the turn. These tasks are tedious to read, but our minds habitually do these and significantly more tasks. Our ability to drive comes from experience and repetition. We do not have to give a lot of thought to each of the actions once they are habitual. This physical example is similar to how our spiritual walk with God is to be. We are to exercise or discipline ourselves unto godliness. 1 Tim. 4:7b, 8a On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things As we move about with the twists (Continued on page 10)

(Continued from page 9)

Hearing Yahweh Continued... and turns of life, we are guided by the holy spirit. We go to work and take care of families; all the while we are disciplining and exercising ourselves to think praises to Yahweh, receive understanding and wisdom from God, and keep our thoughts on love, kindness, and service to Yahweh. How do we exercise ourselves to be habitually in the presence of Yahweh, hearing Him, and responding to His promptings? First: We read, study, and memorize the Word, asking Yahweh for understanding. Psalm 110:11 Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. Second: Next we pray Scriptural prayers (such as Ephesians 3:14-20) for spiritual understanding and wisdom.

Most of the day, because our hearts have been steeped in the Scriptures and our actions follow those words, we live a Christ-like way through our work, relationships, and activities. But there are times we need Yahweh’s “extra” insights, understandings, and wisdom. Because we are already doing the Word, we will be sensitive to the holy spirit prompting us. We do our part by learning and growing physically and, simultaneously, spiritually. Third: We add serving the LORD with gladness. Psalm 100:1 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. Take time to be aware of the spiritual connection you have with Yahweh through Jesus Christ. He gave us this gift to be our lifeline to Him

until Christ returns. It cannot be overused and should not be overlooked. Cultivate your hearing Yahweh by spending morning time in prayer and reading, continuing through the day with the same prayerful attitude, sharing your needs and concerns with Him on a consistent basis, speaking in tongues, taking moments to be quiet and just listen to your thoughts, and going about serving all. As the song says, “He walks with me and He talks with me….” Willard states the concept in this way: “Spiritual people are not those who engage in certain spiritual practices; they are those who draw their life from a conversational relationship with God (p. 222).” We “hear Yahweh” as we go about our daily lives, living a Christ-like life. This is walking by the Spirit. This is hearing Yahweh.

Children’s Day 2014 in Kinshasa

Children did the teaching in Kinshasa

Bringing in the New Year with Praise 10

often make it difficult for people to come to fellowships. Yet, as Armel reports, “In the midst of these challenges, the soul-winners continue to bring a message of hope and life.”

Congo Connection By Richard Elton As the gospel is being preached in the Congo, recent reports bring exciting news of many people being saved and lives changing through Christ. Enter the Ark Program The “soul-winners” who were sent out last summer to various cities in the Republic of the Congo are now mid-way through their year. Many people are coming to Christ because of their faithful witness. Rev. Armel Ngo, who oversees these fellowships, recently visited the city of Ollombo and taught a multi-day seminar called “Reform Your Ways and Your Walks.” It was well attended, and many of those present were new Christians. In Brazzaville, the capital city, the soul-winner volunteers were sent to six different precincts. Three of the groups now have the “problem” of finding a space large enough to accommodate all the people coming to their meetings. A continuing challenge is the persistent poverty and illness present in parts of the city, which

Miraculous deliverance In a fellowship in Makélékélé, one of the Brazzaville districts, there was a young woman who had been insane for many years. She was unable to speak. By God’s grace, this girl was delivered from her insanity and today can speak normally. This miracle, which was witnessed by many, has become a great testimony of the delivering power of God. Meanwhile, in the Democratic Republic of Congo In the DRC, the fellowships in Kinshasa have two wonderful traditions in December. On December 25, they host a large Children’s Day – a time for the children to enjoy singing, reading of poems they have written, and teaching. All this plus refreshments make it a special time for these little ones, who otherwise might not be doing anything at all on Christmas day.

New Christians at the Ollombo Seminar Armel and Soul winners in Ollombo 11

And on New Year’s Eve, the saints gather to greet the new year with a time of prayer, praise, worship, and testimonies of what God has done for them over the past year. This is intended to exhort the believers in their walk with the Lord. Their prayerful vigilance is a refreshing contrast to the wild reveling and partying that has become so commonplace in the “developed” world. School children are busy and blessed Kennedy also reports that the 54 children being sponsored to attend school this year are doing well. They have been diligent in their studies and enjoyed a break around the Christmas holidays. These children are all from families in the church who struggle to meet basic living expenses and may not have the opportunity to attend school without this sponsorship. The parents are especially grateful for blessing of education for their children. Although it’s winter here in the U.S., by spring we’ll be planning for the next school year’s sponsorship program. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity and contact Living Hope for more information if interested.

God-Centered Marriage Marriage Conference February 14th—16th, 2014 As with any area of life, a successful marriage is attained by approaching the matter God’s way. We need His help to get the results He shows in Scriptures. We certainly want our prayers heard and not hindered. How important, then, is this essential area of our lives to us and to future generations? Something so vital to our overall well-being is worthy of our time and effort. Since the relationship is ever changing, it requires diligent attention. Come, newlyweds and seasoned couples, and join us for our 2014 Marriage Conference! John and Mary McCave are our presenters for this special weekend. Please register by February 9th. Friday: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Teachings Saturday: 9:00 – 12:00 Teachings

12:00 - 1:00 Lunch (provided) 1:00 - 2:30 Question and answer time Sunday: 10:30 – 12:00 Sunday service

Registration Fee - $10 per person You may want to stay in a motel Friday or Saturday night even if you live locally. Please email or send attached registration by February 9, 2014.

Names _____________________________________________________________________________________ Birthdates________________________________________ How long have you been married________________ Street Address _______________________________________________________________________________ City ________________________Zip___________ Phone (H) ____________________(C)_________________ 12

Email ______________________________________________________________________________________

Glory Of Yahweh By Vince Finnegan

he tabernacle in the wilderness was a specific location for Yahweh to dwell among His people. He said of this place, Exodus 29:45-46 “I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God. They shall know that I am the LORD [Yahweh] their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them; I am the LORD [Yahweh] their God.”

The tabernacle was supposed to remain central for Israel in the wilderness and eventually in the Promised Land. Howbeit, they failed to maintain reverence for Yahweh, and the tabernacle faded in significance to them. After hundreds of years of neglect, David, a man after God’s own heart, brought the Ark of the Covenant that was in the tabernacle into Jerusalem and restored its centrality and significance to Israel.

The tabernacle provided tangible evidence of the presence of Yahweh; it was a place to receive forgiveness of sins and to worship Him. Yahweh gave meticulous, detailed instruction on the construction of the tabernacle and placed His spirit upon the builders so that, in the end, it was exactly what He wanted. He even provided instruction on how to bring the implements into the tabernacle. He consecrated the tent, altar, Aaron, and his sons. After all was set, His glory filled the tabernacle signifying Yahweh’s approval and presence.

David earnestly desired for Yahweh to have a more permanent dwelling place in God’s city, Jerusalem, and made provisions by collecting the money and materials necessary for building the Temple. David’s son Solomon carried out the construction under God’s direction. The Scriptures reveal that Yahweh provided the same kind of meticulous, detailed instruction with the construction of the Temple and placed His spirit upon the builders, so that in the end it was exactly what He wanted. As with the tabernacle, so with the Temple − the glory of Yahweh came upon it.

The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD [Yahweh] filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the LORD [Yahweh] filled the tabernacle” (Exodus 40:34 and 35).

2 Chronicles 7:1-3 Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD [Yahweh] filled the house. The priests could not enter into the 13

house of the LORD [Yahweh] because the glory of the LORD [Yahweh] filled the LORD’S [Yahweh’s] house. All the sons of Israel, seeing the fire come down and the glory of the LORD [Yahweh] upon the house, bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave praise to the LORD [Yahweh], saying, "truly He is good, truly His lovingkindness is everlasting." Shamefully and deplorably, Israel failed miserably to maintain faithfulness to Yahweh and in time brought idols into the holy Temple and worshipped them instead of Yahweh. In the place of which the psalmist said, “O Yahweh, I love the habitation of Your house and the place where Your glory dwells” (Psalm 26:8) and “…In His temple everything says, ‘Glory!’” (Psalm 29:9), they worshipped vile idols. Their filthy, irreverent behavior desecrated Yahweh’s holy sanctuary and caused Him to withdraw His glory. Ezekiel 8:6 Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations which the house of Israel are committing here, so that I would be far from my sanctuary?" Yahweh showed the prophets Israel’s despicable, idolatrous be(Continued on page 14)

(Continued from page 13)

to the Temple. The rededication and the offering were meager at best in comparison to the time of David and Solomon.

havior, with Ezekiel receiving perhaps the most graphic and shocking revelations. Additionally, God also foretold of the destruction of The second Temple, Herod’s Temthe nation, city, and Temple if ple, existed between 516 BC and Israel did not repent. They failed 70 AD. Herod the Great was interto respond; therefore, the deested in perpetuating his name for struction which was foretold hapthe ages through building propened in Ezekiel’s lifetime. Ezejects, so among other things, he kiel received extraordinary revebuilt temples for various pagan lation wherein he saw the glory gods and the Temple for the Jews. of Yahweh moving carried by the He completely rebuilt the Temple, four cherubim and four wheels. even going so far as to replace the Directly before the destruction of foundation stones and to smooth Jerusalem and the Temple by the off the surface of the Temple Babylonians, Ezekiel observed the glory of the Yahweh move away from the “Yahweh promised that the Temple.

day will come when His Son

Ezekiel 11:22 and 23 will return,...he will take Then the cherubim lifted up control of Jerusalem and their wings with the wheels beside them, and bring back the Temple and the glory of the God of Isthe glory of Yahweh.” rael hovered over them. The he glory of the LORD [Yahweh] went up from the Mount. Obviously, Herod’s motimidst of the city and stood over the vation was the opposite of David’s mountain, which is east of the city. and Solomon’s with the first Temple. Yahweh’s complete involveBoth the tabernacle and the Temment and direction seen in the ple were sanctified or consefirst was lacking with Herod’s, as crated by Yahweh’s glory, accordwas the Ark of the Covenant, the ing to Exodus 29:43. Once His sacred fire, plus the glory of Yahglory was removed, the Temple weh. The Romans under Titus dewas no longer holy and, therestroyed this Temple during the fore, was fit for destruction. siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD. No reconstruction has happened In the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, since save the Dome of the Rock, seventy years after Israel’s captiva pagan temple constructed in 691 ity, the Israelites returned to JeruAD by the Muslins. So, in the place salem and rebuilt the city and the that was once Yahweh’s holy city, Temple, but nothing is said about on His holy mount, where His holy the glory of the Yahweh returning Temple stood, for over 1,300 14

years, there is a pagan temple! On the other hand, Yahweh promised that the day will come when His Son will return, and just as David once did, he will take control of Jerusalem and bring back the Temple and the glory of Yahweh. Ezekiel, among other prophets, tells of this new Temple. Ezekiel 43:4 and 5 The glory of the LORD [Yahweh] came into the house by the way of the gate facing toward the east and the spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD [Yahweh] filled the house. Haggai 2:6-9 For thus says the LORD [Yahweh] of hosts, once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD [Yahweh] of hosts. The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD [Yahweh] of hosts. The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ former says the LORD [Yahweh] of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the LORD [Yahweh] of hosts."

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