Living Word Magazine September 2015 by Sharon Full Gospel Church

You have the words of eternal life. John 6:68

www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk

In this issue: 4.

Fresh Fire of God

Daniel Kolenda (CfaN)

Hope for the Nations

Tom Holland (UK)

What do you Seek?

Reinhard Bonnke (CfaN)

10.

Faith-builders Bible Study Luke 4:14–4:30

Derek Williams (UK)

12.

In Depth Study – Zechariah 14

Mathew Bartlett (UK)

17.

NEW! Tamil & Gujarati Tracts

Bible Studies Online

18.

The Hands of God

Doreen Harrison (UK)

Back:

Britain’s’ Cheapest Gospel Tracts

Bible Studies Online

Living Word is published in the UK by Sharon Full Gospel Church, 7 Park View, Freeholdland Road, Pontnewynydd, Pontypool, NP4 8LP Editor: Mathew Bartlett

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Hope for the Nations: Scholar’s Book Corrects Misunderstandings in Paul's Letter to the Romans; Transforming Original Text Painstakingly researched by Senior Research Fellow in Biblical studies, Dr Tom Holland, ‘Hope for the Nations: Paul's Letter to the Romans (A Corporate Reading)’ takes readers deep into the world of the Roman Church and the culture into which Paul wrote his magnificent epistle. By correcting misunderstandings that have existed for two-thousand years, Holland urges readers to rethink familiar passages in Paul's Letter to the Romans from a fresh perspective, bearing in mind St. Paul’s Jewish roots, and so challenges common misconceptions about the apostle’s wider Biblical/theological beliefs. Among the twenty-seven books that make up the New Testament, ‘The Epistle to the Romans’ is often referred to as the "most important theological legacy" for its explanation and defence of the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. However, as Dr Tom Holland proves in his compelling new book, scholarly interpretation of the volume has been fraught with misconceptions. In ‘Hope for the Nations: Paul's Letter to the Romans (A Corporate Reading)’ Dr Holland attempts to correct these points of confusion and, in the process, challenge every level of readers’ Biblical beliefs.

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Anthony C. Thiselton, Professor of Christian Theology and the University of Nottingham comments, "Tom Holland always remains alert to the influence and relevance of the Old Testament and emphasizes the impact of Paul's thought upon the church as a community as well as on the individual as part of that community...a very salient and practical commentary." Blanchard Professor of New Testament, Douglas Moo, adds, “The commentary digs deeply into current scholarship on the Old Testament roots of Paul's teaching, yet presents its conclusions in accessible language.” ‘Tom’s commentary invites readers to break away from fixed ideas and journey to new place. It is informed, scholarly, rich in exegetical insights, yet easy to understand. I highly recommend it…’ Lawson Murray, President of Scripture Union Canada

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They often tell us about extreme desert conditions: so many of them feel spiritually tired, worn-down, and discouraged. Many feel like they have come to the end of their rope.

Fresh Fire of God

With tears in their eyes, they often plead for us to come, telling us how they long and pray for a fresh move of the fire and power of God in their hearts, churches, and communities. The LORD uses you to be a part of His answer to their prayers. Your gifts help us to say “Yes” to them. You help to make our Fire Conferences and Evangelistic Campaigns happen! We cannot go without you! By Daniel Kolenda and Reinhard Bonnke Reproduced by permission of CfaN UK. Image© Elultimodeseo

What I am about to say may come as a surprise to you, but there is a group of people who often battle through spiritual desert seasons, weariness, discouragement, and even feelings of inadequacy. These people are… Pastors, Evangelists, and Ministers – the precious people who fulfil roles of Christian leadership. Their job is often lonely and hard. And what they need the most is the fresh fire of God. That is the main reason we conduct our daytime Fire Conferences for Christian leaders alongside our massive Full Gospel Campaigns at night. We want you to realize that when you give your gifts of support to this ministry, you not only play a key role in our tremendous soulwinning efforts. You also help ignite fresh Holy Ghost fire in the hearts of many Pastors and Christian leaders in that region. You bless men and women of God who need it most.

Christian leaders often face intense struggles and lonely wilderness experiences. Like everyone else, dry seasons can make them vulnerable to negative attitudes. Sorrow can soak them like a cold rain. Anger can contaminate their thoughts and decisions. And disillusionment can blind them to the Lord’s faithfulness – the very thing leading them out of the desert and into the Promised Land. But God’s fire consumes all of these dangers. It dries out sorrow, boils away the impurity of anger, and emits a glow in the barren night that illuminates God’s faithfulness and restores faith. Divine fire brings revival in the desert. Time and time again, when we sense the Lord leading us to a certain region for a major Gospel Campaign, we also uncover a glaring need for the fire of God among Christian pastors and leaders. 4

Like it or not, you and I are in a great spiritual battle. Peter described us as “aliens and strangers” in this world and warned us of “sins which wage war against your soul” (1 Pet. 2:11). In other places the Scriptures mention “the weapons of our warfare” (2 Cor. 10:4) and “fighting the good fight of faith” (1 Tim 6:12; 2 Tim 4:7). These are the very times we must remember what Jesus said in John 16:33: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” We know that, together with you, we are laying the foundation that opens hearts and minds to receive a fresh outpouring of fire.

We have seen it over and over again. If there was ever a season when the fire and power of God were needed most … that time is NOW.

individuals and groups received a measure of the Spirit to fulfil their God given tasks.

An Extract from Tom Holland’s New Book Romans 1: The Messiah King and his Mission (continued) Declared to be the Son of God with Power 1:4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, That Paul understands Jesus to be ‘his Son’ (that is, the ‘son of God’) is clear from the text, and so what Paul means by this must be carefully explored. The description ‘son of God’ has two layers of meaning; one which is familiar to both Jews and Christians, and another which is unique to Christian understanding. In the Old Testament judges (Ps. 82:6), kings (Ps. 2:7), angels (Job 1:6 NAS, RSV), and even the whole nation of Israel (Exod. 4:23; Hos. 11:1), were called sons of God. It is clear that this usage did not convey the idea of deity—even though these

When we come into the New Testament, we find that Christians are also called sons of God (Rom. 8:15–17). Their status means that they are heirs of all that God has (Rom. 8:17; Eph. 3:6), just as the kings of Israel were considered to be God’s heirs in the Old Testament (Ps. 2:8). Their responsibility was to be ambassadors representing him to an unbelieving world (2 Cor. 5:20; Eph. 6:20) and, to enable them to do this, they have also been given the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9). Furthermore, the universal church—the Israel of God—is called ‘the son of God’ (Rom. 8:14, 19; 2 Cor. 6:18; Phil. 2:15). The church has been called to do the work that Israel failed to do in taking the good news of God’s mercy to the nations (Phil. 1:27). Again, she has received the Holy Spirit to empower her for this work (Luke 24:48–49; John 15:26; 16:13; 1 Cor. 2:4; 12:7–13; 2 Cor. 3:18; Gal. 3:2; 4:6). The term ‘son of God’ is not only used in the New Testament for Christians, or for the church, it is also used of Christ himself. Jesus is regularly called the ‘son of God’ (Matt. 16:16; 27:54). In the Old Testament sense, this title means nothing more than that Jesus is the promised king, the descendant of David (albeit with a ministry which excels that of other representatives of God). In other words Jesus is the one the prophets had predicted would come to sit on the throne of his father David (2 Sam. 7:5–16; Jer. 33:15–16; Amos 9:11–12; Zech. 6:12–14). When the disciples used this term in the gospels, it is likely 5

that they did so with this restricted Jewish understanding. Following the resurrection the disciples began to realize more clearly who Jesus was, and appreciate more fully the significance of the term ‘son of God’. They came to see Jesus in a unique way. They already understood Jesus to be the Son of David who would bring salvation to his people, as predicted by the prophets; and they—like many other Jews—had expected the resurrection of the righteous at the end of history. Yet when they witnessed that Jesus had already been raised from the dead, they began to realise that the end of history had in fact begun. The apostles would have known that accompanying the prediction of the redemption of Israel from Babylon was the promise of the redemption of creation itself (Isa. 55:13). If Jesus had fulfilled the prophets’ predictions then the redemption of creation had—at least in principle—taken place. This may have led the apostles to deduce Jesus’ identity in the light of what he had accomplished. For the prophets had predicted that God would redeem his people from exile (the new exodus), and restore creation to its state of perfection. Jesus, the ‘son of God’ had achieved the redemption of creation, something beyond the ability of any earthly king, no matter how exceptionally endowed he was with the Spirit. Hence the disciples would have realised that the Old Testament categories of ‘son of God’ were entirely inadequate to properly describe him. This kind of evidence for the divinity of Jesus based on what he has accomplished may be termed

‘functional Christology’; we can understand who Jesus is through what he has achieved. Paul will use this functional Christology argument in chapter eight, linking Jesus’ redeeming death (Rom. 8:3) with the redemption of the entire created order (Rom. 8:19–25). Jesus’ status as Son of David allowed him to gather all of the promises of redemption together so as to fulfil them; but the redemption of creation is something which only God could do. Therefore, since Christ’s resurrection provided evidence that the work of redemption had been completed, it also—and as a consequence—attests Christ’s divinity. Jesus was declared to be the Messiah by the disciples, the crowds, and most significantly by the Father at his baptism (Matt. 3:17); this testimony of his eternal Sonship was further established by his resurrection. Such a Christological development came not as the result of wild speculation, but as the inevitable outcome of the resurrection. Growing confidence in the eternal Sonship of Jesus led the infant church to give expression to her increasing understanding that her Saviour was more than the promised descendant of David—he was himself God. The church chose to use the term ‘son of God’ in keeping with Jesus’ own use of the term—in a way that suggested equality with God (Matt. 28:19; John 10:33–39). The early Christians, therefore, adopted this usage when they wanted to speak of Jesus’ divinity. In summary, the term ‘son of God’ has two levels of meaning in the understanding of the early church:

the Jewish meaning which applies equally to Christ, the church, and her members; and the eternal (or ontological) meaning which uniquely applies to Jesus. Moreover, in describing Jesus as ‘declared to be the Son of God in power’ Paul deliberately echoes God’s saving activity in the Old Testament.

Whenever God had acted in a saving or redemptive way in the past (e.g. in the deliverance from Egypt and then from Babylon) he had also demonstrated his power (Ps. 106:8– 10; Exod. 9:16; 32:11; Deut. 4:37; Isa. 40:26; 66:1–2; Jer. 16:21). Moreover, when Israel was in exile, Ezekiel likened her return to the Promised Land to resurrection (Ezek. 37:1–14; Hos. 13:14). While this was a symbolic resurrection, the typological fulfilment of Jesus— the descendant of David, the King of the Jews, and the true representative of his people—had been literal. What Paul is saying in this verse is that another major saving event has occurred in the death and 6

resurrection of Jesus; an event so unique that it had achieved what no previous saving activity of God ever had. His real and historical resurrection was the exodus which brought deliverance from bondage and exile (1 Cor. 10:1–4).

According to the Spirit of Holiness The term ‘spirit of holiness’ was used in the Old Testament to describe the perfection requ ired for an animal sacrifice to be acceptable to God; in other words the sacrifice which Jesus made was unique and perfect (Rom. 3:21ff.; 8:3). His death has been accepted by God as the means by which he could forgive his people, and give them new life. But the term is not limited to being a reference to the sacrifice of Jesus. The prophet Isaiah spoke of Israel grieving God's Holy Spirit (Isa. 63:10), and David pleaded with God not to take his Holy Spirit from him (Ps. 51:11). So the term also relates to the Holy Spirit. This should not surprise us as Jesus was only able to make his sacrifice because of the Holy Spirit empowering him (Heb. 9:8–28).

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What do you Seek? by Reinhard Bonnke Image ÂŠ Grace21

7 Article reproduced with kind permission of Christ for all Nations

Jesus noticed two young men walking behind Him. He asked,

“What do you seek?” Anybody who knows the Gospel of John realizes that its language is filled with deeper mea-ning. What Christ said in an apparently artless way carries heavier significance. Here were two very young fellows, hardly out of their teens. They had already attended meetings of John the Baptist, and become disciples. Then he said, “Look the Lamb of God…” (John 1:36) and they went after Him. “What do you seek?” Jesus probes deep down into their souls. Was it a Kingdom and political independence for Israel? In His question Jesus suggested that they really wanted something more than just the Kingdom – more than just personal gain. Much more than satisfaction, happiness, or maybe a place in the sun.

A Dream, a Vision, a Hope They had an instinct for greater things. Let me put it like this: They had a dream, a vision, hope and expectancy which propelled them forward and motivated them. Some seek nothing. They see nothing to go after. Either they are too easily contented or else they are miserable pessimists fearing the worst in the future. They see no way forward, no

road, no new horizon, no new vision. If they look ahead it is not very hopeful. They travel without direction or purpose. A Christian sets his sights on infinity, on nothing less than God. The pure in heart shall see God. Tragically many people only think in terms of what they have or what they want, more money, just a better car, better food, better house, clothes – nothing new, just better, more sty-lish, big-ger. Jesus said, “All these things do the nations seek.” (Matthew 6:32); “A man’s life consists not of the abundance of things which he possesses” (Luke 12:15).

Take your Eyes off Ground Level John and Andrew were searching. They began with John the Baptist, and he pointed to Jesus, “Look…!” That’s the first thing: Look. Take your eyes off ground level, stop looking over your shoulder wishing the past wasn’t the past, or gazing at the present as if that was the permanent situation. Look ahead! See! There is something to see. John was a prophet – he could see, and he says: “Behold!” Jesus opens blind eyes. He opens new horizons. He gives us a dream, a vision that will not fail, a promised land only He can lead us into.

Jesus gave John and Andrew a vast vision - He was going to affect the whole world. John the Baptist knew that already, saying, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the whole world.” (John 1:29). Most people limit their concerns to their own family or immediate circle. The disciples would have lived out their lives within the confines of the Sea of Galilee and their fishing boats but Christ gave them a world commission. A whole world opens to believers, and a vast future. A man of faith is a man of the future. They were men of faith and faith operates for the future. God is the One who gives visions. Only God guarantees a future. He promises eternal life. Many have no forward outlook because there is no God in their future. He puts a “Go” into Your Soul The Christian is a follower of Jesus. Our Lord is always one step ahead, always pressing forward to new things, new achievements, new glory. If a man follows Christ he is bound to go forward. Jesus alters life, gives us all a future. Christ calls us to follow and He is the door, opening up to new vistas, new lands, new hope – life everlasting. His word to us is Go! He puts Go into our souls. Christians are not status quo people, but Goers.

Jesus doesn’t call us just to sing hymns and warm pews. He calls us to be Goers, not stuck in the mud, but adventurers, entrepreneurs of the Kingdom of God. Isaiah in the Temple had a vision and God said, “Who will go for us?” (Isaiah 6:8). Jesus said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17). God said to Abraham, “Go and I will lead you.” There’s a world to be won. There’s a prize ahead.

God has Better Plans One of the prophets of Israel once said, “Your old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall see visions.” (Joel 2:28) That’s God! The fathers of our faith dreamed dreams about the future not the past. In Egypt they had no future. They served foreign gods who promised them nothing but they could not get out of the rut. Slavery was in their blood stream, like salt in a sailor’s blood. They were slaves, and that was it. Their future was exactly the same as the past, work, poverty, and oppression. But God had better plans for Israel than working in brick kilns for Ramses. He sent Moses and reminded them again of the ancient hope of Israel – a nation in their own land. He stirred them and they made their exit,

their exodus. Notice what they did. They put their trust in God and went. They didn’t put their trust in God and have a naive long sleep. They started on the greatest adventure of all history. Don’t tell me that being a believer turns people into bovine, unglamorous, dull and mousy people. You don’t bury yourself when you come to Jesus – you were dead already but He has given you resurrection and life. Was Jesus a sad, humorless character, meek and mild and always on the defensive, back to the wall? Not my Jesus! What about the apostles? Was Paul a little twittering mouse? Singlehandedly he challenged 1000 years of paganism in Europe. There was more life in little Paul than in all the Roman army. A brave man? Not at all. He describes himself as trembling and nervous when he walked into the major city of Corinth. Christians have another perspective. The opposite of fear is not courage, but faith: “In what time I am afraid I will trust and not be afraid.” (Psalm 56:3).

Set your sails to catch the heavenly winds. “There go the ships,” the Psalmist said in Psalm 104:26. Do they? Or are we going to lie in a cozy harbor, never venturing on the high seas, our sails reefed? The man who sees Calvary can never rest again. He is too excited, full of God-given dreams of great possibilities. Every dream can be realized – in Christ! There’s a promised land for you, waiting to be taken. Start going now! Reinhard Bonnke Reproduces by kind permission of Cfan UK. You can support Cfan, Daniel Kolenda & Reinhard Bonnke’s African mission, by making a purchse from the Cfan bookshop.

Start going now! Go! The winds of God are blowing. The Spirit of God has come like a tornado from heaven to blow the dampness out of our souls, blow the fog out of our spiritual system. God is moving!

BUY: Faith The Link With God's Power

The Faith-builders Bible study series The ‘Faith-builders Bible study series’ has been developed a useful resource for today’s students of God’s Word and their busy lifestyles. Pastors, home or study group leaders and indeed for anyone wishing to study the Bible for themselves will benefit from using Faith-builders studies. Each volume is the result of many years of group Bible study, and has been revised again and again to be relevant, challenging and faith building whilst remaining clear and easy to understand. Each chapter has thought provoking questions to aid study and sample answers are provided. Below is an extract from the study notes for Luke 1:57-80

Luke Chapter 4:14–4:30

By Derek Williams & Mathew Bartlett (UK) Image © Rorem Jesus Begins His Mission 4:14–15 Then Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and news about him spread throughout the surrounding countryside. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by all.

When eventually he reached the town of Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue (as he was accustomed to doing every Sabbath day) and stood up to read the scriptures.

Spirit of the Lord upon him. This verse about the anointing makes clear what the people could expect from the messiah’s ministry. Jesus was anointed to make known the Image © Rorem good news to those who are poor – both the materially and spiritually poor. He is anointed to set free those that are bound by sin and Satan, an idea which includes the salvation of our souls and also deliverance from physical affliction and demonic possession. Jesus brings the light of the revelation of God and gives sight to both the spiritually and physically blind; setting free all who are oppressed (Acts 10:38).

Mark Chapter 2 (abstract)

By Derek Williams & Mathew Bartlett (UK)

Having faced and defeated Satan, Jesus began his mission in his home area of Galilee. So far Luke has told us that Jesus was born by the power of the Holy Spirit (), and that he received the Holy Spirit at his baptism (); here he emphasises that Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit. This was seen as Jesus began his ministry; as he taught in all the Jewish synagogues his message accompanied by miraculous works done in the power of the Spirit won him acclaim throughout the whole region. 4:16 Now Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read.

4:17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written. It is possible that Jesus requested this scroll of Isaiah. In any case he deliberately looked for a particular scripture within the scroll and began to read aloud. 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed. Jesus read from In Isaiah 61:1, where we read of the Anointed One. As Luke has already made clear, this anointed one was the long awaited descendent of David, the Messiah, who would have the 10

4:19 To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord is to announce that the day of salvation has arrived (2 Cor. 6:2). In Lev. 25:10 the year of release or jubilee is described as the time when debts are cancelled and slaves are set free. The coming of salvation means forgiveness of sins and liberation from sin’s slavery (Rom. 8:2).

4:20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. When Jesus had closed the scroll and gave it back to the attendant, he sat down; and every eye in the synagogue was on him, waiting to hear what he would say concerning this portion of scripture. 4:21–22 Then he began to tell them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read." All were speaking well of him, and were amazed at the gracious words coming out of his mouth. They said, "Isn't this Joseph's son?" Jesus began by announcing that Isaiah’s prophecy had been fulfilled; by implication, through his own ministry. The people were all astounded by the message of God’s grace, being amazed initially it seems, that a local boy, Joseph’s son, had become such a great teacher – nothing more. Jesus knew the unbelief of their hearts; that they did not accept him as the Christ, the Son of God, and so he begins to challenge them directly, perhaps even harshly.

Unbelief and its Consequences 4:23 Jesus said to them, "No doubt you will quote to me the proverb, 'Physician, heal yourself!' and say, 'What we have heard that you did in Capernaum, do here in your hometown too.' " Jesus, knowing the hearts of the people of Nazareth better (it seems) than they did reveals to them their unbelief (see Luke 2:34-35) by quoting to them this familiar proverb; the meaning being "Do miracles here in your hometown

like those you did in Capernaum” (NLT). 4:24 And he added, "I tell you the truth, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. Jesus affirms that it is because he had been brought up among them that they were not prepared to accept that he was sent by God. The saying "familiarity breeds contempt" would seem appropriate. They might have accepted a stranger but not one of their own. 4:25–26 But in truth I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's days, when the sky was shut up three and a half years, and there was a great famine over all the land. Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to a woman who was a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.

Luke records what Jesus says here, not only to show the reaction of the men of Nazareth, but to progress his account of how Jesus brought a gospel that would reach all nations and not just Israel. 4:28 When they heard this, all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage. We are not sure what made the men of Nazareth so angry. Was it because Jesus had revealed to them the sin of unbelief and hardness in their hearts? Or was it because Jesus was seemingly prepared to allow non-Jews into God’s blessings? Surely, since they were Israelites, God’s blessings were for them alone? They didn’t like to hear the truth that God values the response of obedience and faith more than he values lineage, and became furious with Jesus.

He reminds them of what happened in the days of Elijah the prophet (1 Kings 17:9-16). During those days there was a great famine as Elijah had prayed that it would not rain for three and half years. As a result, many people died, and so there were many widows in Israel. Yet God did not send Elijah to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath, which is in the county of Sidon. There the Lord miraculously provided for Elijah, the widow and her son.

4:29 They got up, forced him out of the town, and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.

4:27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, yet none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.

However, the people of Nazareth were not able to accomplish their objective, for since his hour had not yet come, no man could take His life (John 7:30 and John 10:15-18). As a result of divine protection, Jesus passed through them peacefully and went on His way to another village.

At the time of Elisha the prophet there were many lepers in Israel but none of them were healed except Naaman the Syrian. The reason for this was that there was unbelief in the people of Israel. It seems that 11

This put an end to the service that day, as they grabbed hold of Jesus and took Him out of the city intending to throw Him over a cliff. This was preparatory to stoning. 4:30 But he passed through the crowd and went on his way.

Our In Depth Study Zechariah Chapter 14 By Mathew Bartlett Photo © Jacob Gregory

Scripture taken from the NET

Bible®. This article is an extract from The Prophet of Messiah – a Zechariah Bible Commentary

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The Day of the Lord 14:1–2 A day of the LORD is about to come when your possessions will be divided as plunder in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to wage war; the city will be taken, its houses plundered, and the women raped. Then half of the city will go into exile, but the remainder of the people will not be taken away. The day spoken of by Zechariah is a day for the Lord to take action against the nations who oppose Jerusalem. If ‘the nations’ are seen as the godless of the world, then perhaps Jerusalem is depicted as the only place left on earth being tenaciously faithful to God at a time when all others abandon him (see Ps. 2:1–3). This should always have been the case, but it had not been so in the past, which is why they had been carried into exile.

Zechariah’s prophecy urges faithfulness in all situations—for even if all nations opposed them, God is the one in whom they must trust. It may seem strange that a message addressed to those who had just returned from exile after the sacking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar years earlier should speak of another day when such horrors would be witnessed again. What questions might have arisen in the listeners’ minds? Would this happen in their day (the prophet says ‘about to come’) or at a later time? Was the prophet referring back to an earlier prophecy concerning what had happened under Nebuchadnezzar? Looking back from our modern perspective, are we to understand this prophecy as being fulfilled in the time of the Babylonian invasion, 12

or the Roman destruction of the city, or some other time? The vital clue which Zechariah gives in answer to these questions is that ‘all nations’ will be gathered to make war on Jerusalem. Such a universal assault on the holy city has never occurred in history—it is unprecedented. Indeed, never before have ‘all nations’ gathered against any one country, let alone a single city. What would make the nations of the world consider it necessary to deploy all their combined military might against Jerusalem? The nature of apocalyptic writings and the meaning of the genre remains a hot topic among scholars. Should such writings be taken symbolically or literally? And if literally, have the visions already been fulfilled, or is their realisation yet to come? These questions are

extremely significant in Zechariah 14, which is notoriously difficult to 1 exegete. Personally, I wish both to discuss the rich metaphors which such visions contain (how they relate to God’s nature and his purposes for his people) and also 2 (cautiously ) discuss those aspects of the text which appear to require a literal interpretation. After all, when Daniel saw a vision of four beasts emerging out of the sea, it is clear that he did not envisage a time in the future when awful monsters would rise out of the Mediterranean to destroy the earth! Nevertheless, in years to come, four world powers did arise, just as Daniel predicted; powers which were aptly described by the powerful descriptive metaphors Daniel had employed in his vision. So then, let us briefly discuss how and when elements of Zechariah’s prophecy (14:1-2) might expect a literal fulfilment. The only other passage in scripture where all nations are described as gathering for battle near Jerusalem is in the book of Revelation, so that might be a good place to start. In Revelation 16:14–16 all nations gather to the plains of Megiddo for what is popularly called ‘the battle of Armageddon’; and in Revelation 19:19 these same armies are depicted as opposing Jesus Christ at the time of his return. Hence in Revelation a reason is proposed for

For a discussion of major approaches, see Al Wolters, ‘Zechariah 14: A Dialogue with the History of Interpretation’, MJT 13 (2002) pp. 39–56 2 Cautiously, I say, because the future is unfamiliar territory for all of us.

the unity of the nations: they are united by their opposition to Christ and by their seeming awareness that his return to earth is imminent. By comparing the two passages it may reasonably be proposed that Zechariah’s prophecy relates to the same period as John’s; albeit that it offers a different perspective. If this is so then Zechariah provides important details about this ‘end time’ conflict which are absent from John’s vision. The initial assault of the world’s anti-God forces against the city of Jerusalem will be successful, with plunder, rape and exile of many Jews; a statement which ostensibly correlates with Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:21–22. 14:3 Then the LORD will go to battle and fight against those nations, just as he fought battles in ancient days. Whether or not the reader chooses to search for a literal fulfilment of the prophecy, one thing is certain. The reason Zechariah speaks of the trouble of the last days is to introduce his grand theme: the final triumphant appearance of the Lord who brings salvation and vindicates his people. Just as in ancient times—the days when God brought them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land—so God would work in power and glory to redeem his own. Faced with all the problems of their post-exilic period, the Jews could trust in God; for as in the days of Moses they were to again stand still and see the Lord’s salvation. The Apocalyptic vision of God’s final triumph over wickedness and the vindication of his people is the blessed hope expected by believers in every era. In days of difficulty, the reminder that good will ultimately conquer evil both sustains faith and provides an 13

incentive for service. This was just the motivation which the returning exiles needed, and which we also need today. Once again, an interesting correlation is found between this verse and the battle depicted in Revelation, where God’s enemies will be destroyed by the word of Christ without a shot being fired (Rev. 19:21); even as in an earlier time Daniel foresaw the forces of evil being destroyed without human hand (Dan. 2:34). The Lord is Coming to Jerusalem 14:4–5 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives which lies to the east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in half from east to west, leaving a great valley. Half the mountain will move northward and the other half southward. Then you will escape through my mountain valley, for the mountains will extend to Azal. Indeed, you will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come with all his holy ones with him. Whether this is a reference to the feet of Christ literally standing on the Mount of Olives (as they certainly did at the time of his ascension); or whether it stands as a metaphor for God’s coming near to help his people is not clear. Actually, little can be gained from a ‘symbolic’ reading of these verses, so perhaps the literal approach will be more fruitful; although in Revelation, when the Lord Jesus Christ is seen to ride out of heaven against his enemies, nothing is said there about his landing on the Mount of Olives. The only reference

is to the nearby Mount Zion (Rev. 14:1). It appears that during the assault on Jerusalem depicted in the opening verses, an earthquake will provide a route of escape for the people of Israel, via a chasm opened through the Mount of Olives. When the Book of Revelation speaks of Jewish suffering at the time of the end, it says ‘the earth helped the woman (Israel)’ by swallowing an evil ‘flood’ of persecution (Rev. 12:16). If this passage of Zechariah relates to that same time, then this earthquake provides the means of escape for the remnant of Israel from the wrath of the antichrist and his confederates. As Zechariah and John both indicate, it will be at this time that Christ will appear in the clouds, followed by the armies of heaven, a throng which includes both saints and angels (Rev. 19:11– 16; Matt. 16:27). If we were to examine the powerful metaphors within the verses, then we might see that no matter how desperate the situation, or how dark the night of trouble or persecution (v. 6), God will always come to the aid of his people. The years of exile had been like a dark night for the nation, but God would now arise for their deliverance. For the Christian believer, however, it is impossible to separate the idea of God’s final intervention in human affairs from the personal and glorious return of Jesus. 14:6 On that day there will be no light — the sources of light in the heavens will congeal. As with all apocalyptic writings, even when the events convey a literal meaning, one cannot precisely say whether the events in

the vision are concurrent, consecutive, or separated by considerable time. To state the matter simply, if the darkness is literal, when does it take place? Darkness is a recurring theme in the Bible. In Genesis, it is the state of the world without God’s creative activity; for Paul, it represented the state of the human soul without new creation in Christ; and in the Book of Revelation, darkness indicates the coming judgment of God on the earth (Rev. 6:12; 8:12; 9:2) as the necessary prelude to his creation of a new heaven and a new earth. Hence if the darkness of verse six accompanies the coming of ‘the LORD my God’ to fight against the nations then the picture is one of a dreadful twilight in which God metes out retribution on his enemies. What is more, that darkness can be seen as indicative both of judgment and as the precursor to new creation is evident from the time when Christ hung on the cross, and the midday sun was turned into midnight darkness which covered the face of the whole earth; Jesus at that time bearing the judgment for sin in order to bring eternal life to humanity. 14:7 It will happen in one day (a day known to the LORD); not in the day or the night, but in the evening there will be light. If in the previous verse, light became darkness for God’s enemies, yet in this verse night becomes day for God’s people. As when God brought Israel out of Egypt and provided a pillar of fire by night to light their way, so this light represents the immediate presence of God who descends to act on 14

behalf of his people. Whenever God’s people face any kind of trouble, God will be their light and they will never walk in darkness. Eventually, of course, when the sun, moon and stars pass away (Rev. 6:12–14) there will be a new heaven and a new earth (Rev. 21:1) where the Lord will be the only light his people need forever. 14:8–10 Moreover, on that day living waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea; it will happen both in summer and in winter. The LORD will then be king over all the earth. In that day the LORD will be seen as one with a single name. All the land will change and become like the Arabah from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem will be raised up and will stay in its own place from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate and on to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses. In these verses the symbolic nature of the prophecy is predominant; although one ought not to suppose that some kind of literal fulfilment is entirely ruled out. The overall picture of Zechariah’s vision is one of God coming to act on behalf of his people against their enemies; and so great is this action that it is described in terms of the movement of the land itself and the changing of the geographical features of a large area around Jerusalem. With the great earthquake, and the splitting of the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem is raised to a higher altitude above sea level and an underground spring will be released, flowing both east towards

the Dead Sea and west toward the Mediterranean. In Ezekiel 47:1–12 we find a similar vision in which the living water brought life and abundant blessing wherever it went, even turning the waters of the Dead Sea fresh so that fish could live there. The living water flowing from Jerusalem was seen by Jesus as a prophecy concerning the outpouring of the Spirit, which began in Jerusalem at Pentecost, and through which rivers of living water now flow into the hearts of those who believe. The Spirit of God has come to stay, his presence being an abiding taste of future glory, unaffected by seasons or circumstances. However, it was not the Mount of Olives that was riven to set this spring in motion, but Christ himself who was stricken on the cross so that living water might flow from him to all people (to east and west). The reformers would have seen verses 8–9 as a reference to the word of the Lord going forth from Jerusalem to all nations, bringing men and women under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. ‘The LORD will then be king over all the earth. In that day the LORD will be seen as one with a single name.’ Jesus entered into death for every person, but God has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name, so that all might bow before him. Jesus has been revealed as the single focal point of worship for men and angels and God has commanded all to bow their knee to him (Heb. 1:6; Phil. 2:9–11). The place of worship being lifted up (v 10) may also be indicative of this new focal point of worship. Christ

becomes of paramount importance, the focus of every area of life. Whatever Christians may do each day, everything is done as unto the Lord; whilst in heaven the Lamb is at the centre of all worship (Rev. 5:8–13). 14:11 And men shall dwell therein, and there shall be no more curse; but Jerusalem shall dwell safely. (RV) I have chosen the RV as it expresses the thought that there shall be ‘no more curse’ (as in Rev. 22:3). The redemption which Christ has provided by his death on the cross encompasses the whole of creation (see Rom. 8:21 and Col. 1:20) so that even during his thousand year reign on earth the curse will have been removed; and in the new heaven and earth it will find no place (Rev. 22:3). God’s Enemies Defeated 14:12–15 But this will be the nature of the plague with which the LORD will strike all the nations that have fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will decay while they stand on their feet, their eyes will rot away in their sockets, and their tongues will dissolve in their mouths. On that day there will be great confusion from the LORD among them; they will seize each other and attack one another violently. Moreover, Judah will fight at Jerusalem, and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered up — gold, silver, and clothing in great abundance. This is the kind of plague that will devastate horses, mules, camels, donkeys, and all the other animals in those camps. The realisation that ultimately all of God’s enemies will be defeated would have encouraged the 15

defenceless exiles to trust in God for their protection. Once again, if viewed literally, the detail of the prophecy lends itself to the depiction of the battle of Megiddo (Armageddon); since although the manner of the death of the armies that gather at Megiddo to fight against the Lord and his people is not specified in Revelation, it is clearly violent, since the blood of the armies will flow to a depth of at least 1.22 metres for 300 kilometres (Rev. 14:19–20; the width is not specified). Whether or not such figures are accurate, the slaughter is immense (possibly in excess of 100 million persons). Its description calls to my mind eyewitness accounts which I have heard from the victims of the Hiroshima bombing, who saw blood and dead bodies flowing in the river only minutes after the bomb was dropped. Probably this verse is what inspired the creators of ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ to depict the enemies of God physically melting away, as if caught in the radiation flash of a nuclear explosion. Yet nuclear power is not the cause of death; instead it is the word of Christ (Rev. 19:21). The soldiers’ fighting between themselves indicates panic, a futile attempt to get away from the looming judgment. Not only the people but their animals will be destroyed in this manner, and anything of value that remains will become the spoil of war, the property of Israel. The Feast of Tabernacles 14:16 Then all who survive from all the nations that came to attack Jerusalem will go up annually to worship the King, the LORD who rules over all, and to observe the Feast of Tabernacles.

Without explanation, the prophet announces that there will be survivors of this cataclysmic event, and that they shall come (probably by compunction) to pay homage to the Lord. The observation of the Feast of Tabernacles usually lasted one week, but Zechariah may have the perpetual fulfilment of the Feast of Tabernacles in view. The feast was essentially a thanksgiving for the full harvest, a time of abundance and blessing; and such blessing will become continuous when God comes to dwell among his people (a time defined by many Christians as the Millennium period, where Jesus rules over the earth for one thousand years—Rev. 20:4). 14:17–19 But if any of the nations anywhere on earth refuse to go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD who rules over all, they will get no rain. If the Egyptians will not do so, they will get no rain — instead there will be the kind of plague which the LORD inflicts on any nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. This will be the punishment of Egypt and of all nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. It is not so much the refusal to attend a feast as the refusal to submit to the Lord that results in punishment; since, during the millennial reign of Christ, he rules with a rod of iron, and enforces the submission of all peoples. Overall the picture is of all nations being compelled to worship the Lord, an image similar to that presented by Paul in Philippians 2:9–11 and 1 Corinthians 15:25–28. Hence the idea of non-compliance would seem out of place; and the idea of a drought does not fit well

with the usual picture of the Millennium: that of reversion to an almost Eden-like state. Likewise, a problem arises since Egypt does not (at present) depend on rain for 3 water; it has the Nile. Nevertheless the Book of Revelation admits that rebellion will follow the thousand-year reign of Christ. The nations will reveal their true nature as they rebel against the Lord; bringing about their own destruction and the inauguration of the final judgement (Rev. 20:7–15). 14:20–21 On that day the bells of the horses will bear the inscription "HOLY TO THE LORD." The cooking pots in the LORD's temple will be as holy as the bowls in front of the altar. Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and Judah will become holy in the sight of the LORD who rules over all, so that all who offer sacrifices may come and use some of them to boil their sacrifices in them. On that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD who rules over all. The ultimate fulfilment of all eschatological hope is that humankind will dwell in the immediate presence of God, in the restoration of the Eden-type relationship where God walked and 4 talked with people. This hope, for the Christian, is bound up in the person of Christ (Titus 2:13). The

Merrill, p. 320 What Craigie calls ‘A new sense of God’s presence’. Peter C. Craigie , Twelve Prophets: Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi: Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: Saint Andrews, 1985), p. 221 16 4

sanctification of the articles for temple worship symbolised only a shadow of the reality to come. In the immediate presence of God, everything is hallowed. Even now, since Jesus Christ has been made for us sanctification (1 Cor. 1:30) every word of fellowship, every act of service and every menial task is made holy through Christ. It is his presence that makes them holy; just as God’s presence in the bush made the ground beneath Moses’ feet holy. The Canaanite was considered unclean and was not to be admitted to the congregation of the Lord’s people. The absence of such people indicates that no one is excluded from the presence of God. All may enter, for the new creation removes all boundaries of race and gender. Just as ‘there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female—for all of you are one in 5 Christ Jesus’ (Gal 3:28) , so there are no more Canaanites. They have been made holy through Christ; transformed by new creation. Discussion Questions for Chapter 14 1. vv. 1–15. In what ways might Zechariah’s depiction of God’s ultimate victory over all his enemies encourage the returning exiles? In what ways might it comfort God’s people today? 2. vv. 4–11. In what ways do you see Zechariah’s prophecy as a reference to the second coming of Jesus? 3. vv. 16–21. In what ways might we understand the picture of all nations gathering to worship God to be fulfilled through Jesus?

See Merrill p. 320

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કે મ કે દે વે જગત પર એટલી પ્રીતત કરી કે તેણે પોતાનો

એકાકીજતનત

ஆம்! For God so loved the world that he gave

દીકરો આપ્યો, એ સાાંરુ

his only begotten son,

કે જે કોઈ તેના પર

that whosoever

તવશ્વાસ કરે તેનો નાશ ન

believes in him should

થાય,

પણ

અાંનાંતજીવન પામે.

તે

not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

தேவன்

இவ்வுலகினைப் பெரிதும் நேசித்தார். எனவே ஒரே

தனது

குமாரனை

இதற்குத் தந்தார். தேவன்

தன்

மகனைத் தந்ததால் அவரில்

These tracts contain extracts from the gospel of John for your church outreach to local Gujarati and Tamil speaking communities. 17

நம்பிக்கை வைக்கிற எவரும் கெட்டுப்போகா மல்

நித்திய

ஜீவனைப் பெறுவர்.

The Hands of God Extract From ‘A Bouquet Blessings’ by Doreen Harrison

The waiting room table usually held a variety of up to date magazines, but today it was empty. Instead of the welcome reading material was a single notice. Because of the possibility of contracting swine flu, the doctor’s surgery had been advised to remove all magazines as a health and safety precaution. Well, I was in this particular waiting room for reasons of my health and so I should perhaps be pleased about the attempts to keep me healthy! But I think today’s society has become overwhelmingly concerned with health and safety. I recently read an article about a school crossing patrol man who had wielded his lollipop for several years, but who was facing suspension for giving “high fives” to the children who had become his

friends. How sad, I thought, that friendliness at work has become so unacceptable. Some time ago my husband and I visited a cathedral where each pew contained a notice concerning ‘sharing the peace’. Worshippers were advised not to shake hands in case they shared germs in the process. It appears that even hand to hand contact has become dangerous! In some situations it is no longer considered advisable for adults to say to a child, “hold my hand” in case such might be misinterpreted as being sinister. The helping hands of our health care professionals reach out to us in protective gloves. Many years ago, I recollect a lecturer at teacher training college reminding us to wash our hands in soap and water frequently, for “you never know where the children’s hands have been before they 18

reached yours!” Yet at the same time we were encouraged to express our concern and interest with the friendly touch of a human hand. I have always treasured the words written by Minnie Haskins, quoted by King George VI in his broadcast to the Commonwealth in 1939: “Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be better to you than light and safer than a known way.” If today’s society presents us with a multitude of doubts and fears, it is good to remember that God never changes and we are safe with him. Rabbi Ben Ezra once wrote: “Our times are in his hand. Trust God, nor be afraid.” Consider this verse from Psalm 37: “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”

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