Book of Esther Overview

University of Virginia Art Museum

Francesco Caucig (Austro-Hungarian, 1755–1828)

Queen Esther Before King Ahasuerus, ca. 1815

Oil on canvas, 55 3/4x 81 1/2inches

ESTHER OVERVIEW

Time: c 460 BC

Summary

Esther tells the story of the plot of Haman, the prime minister to the Persian king, to exterminate the Jewish race. This plot is foiled by Esther, the queen of Persia, who is a Jew. This book gives us the origin of the Feast of Purim.AuthorThe writer did not identify himself in the text. References in the book show that he was familiar with Persian culture and literature (Est 2:23; 10:2). The writer also wrote as though he was an eyewitness of the events he recorded. He was pro-Jewish and was probably a Jew. It is possible, though not certain, that Mordecai himself wrote the book.

Chronology

The events of the Book of Esther took place during the Persian period of ancient history (539-331 BC) and during the reign of King Ahasuerus in particular (486-464 BC).

483: Ahasuerus' military planning session in Susa

482: The deposition of Vashti

481: The beginning of Ahasuerus' unsuccessful expedition against Greece

480: Esther's arrival in Susa479: Ahasuerus' return to Susa; Esther's coronation

474: The issuing of Ahasuerus' decrees affecting the Jews

473: The Jews' defense of themselves; the establishment of the Feast of PurimThe first historical event to which the writer alluded seems to be Ahasuerus' military planning session at which he plotted the strategy for his ill-fated campaign against Greece (Est 1:3-21). The king held this planning session in the winter of 483-482 BC. The last recorded event in Esther is the institution of the Feast of Purim that took place in 473 BC. Therefore the events recorded in the book spanned a period of about 10 years.

By the time the Book of Esther opens, many Jews had returned from the Exile to Palestine to reestablish the institutions of Judaism (Ezra 1 -- 6). Most of the Jews in exile did not return even though their law (Deu 28) and the prophets (Isa 48:20; Jer 50:8; 51:6) encouraged them to do so. They preferred the comfort and convenience of life as they had come to know it outside the Promised Land -- rather than the discomfort and privation involved in obeying God. Esther and Mordecai were among those who chose not to return. [In 1893 the Babylonian expedition of the University of Pennsylvania discovered some extra-biblical documents that show how wealthy and influential some of the Jews who remained in Babylon were. See Siegfried H. Horn, "Mordecai, A Historical Problem," Biblical Research 9 (1964):22-25.]

The events of Esther fit chronologically between Ezra 6 and Ezra 7

538-515: Ezra 1-6.

520: Haggai, Zechariah.

482-473: Esther.

458: Ezra 7-10.445-420: Nehemiah.

432,431: Malachi.

Key verse: "If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Est 4:14).

Outline

1. Vashti divorced: Est 1:1–22

2. Esther made queen: Est 2:1–18

3. Mordecai uncovers a conspiracy: Est 2:19–23

4. Haman's plot against the Jews: Est 3:1–15

5. Mordecai persuades Esther to help: Est 4:1–17

6. Esther's first banquet: Est 5:1–8

7. Haman's rage against Mordecai: Est 5:9–14

8. Haman humiliated before Mordecai: Est 6:1–14

9. Esther's second banquet, Haman hanged: Est 7:1–10

10. Mordecai's counter-decree: Est 8:1–17

11. The Jews victorious and the institution of Purim: Est 9:1–32

12. Mordecai promoted: Est 10:1–3

II Timothy Exhortation

Paul and Timothy, anonymous painter

Exhortation: Be Not Ashamed

Paul’s first experience preaching to both Jew and Gentile at Ephesus had been both positive and joyful. In fact, so effective was the work that Luke records: "And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks" (Acts 19:10).

Eventually Paul left in order to consolidate the results of his preaching in the surrounding areas. On the return journey as he made his way back toward Jerusalem, he stopped off at Miletus: "And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church" (Acts 20:17). When they were assembled Paul delivered a stirring exhortation reminding them of the truths they had received, warning them of difficulties to come and urging them to continue in the faith. Prior to his leaving and boarding the ship the most poignant scene took place: "And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship" (Acts 20:36-38).
And most likely it was here that Paul parted from Timothy leaving him to take over the responsibility of preaching and shepherding the flock at Ephesus.

Letters to Timothy

The first letter to Timothy from the apostle was one of instruction and encouragement: "That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" (I Tim. 3:15). The letter ends with the admonition: "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust…" (I Tim. 6:20).
Like Timothy, we have been given a great treasure. We are in effect analogous to a bank that has been entrusted with a valuable deposit. As in the parable of the talents we are expected to keep, guard and add interest to the things of the truth until the Master returns.

The tenor of the second letter was very different. Paul had been removed from his own hired house to a Roman dungeon where he awaited death by execution. Nevertheless, confidence and assurance in the promises of God shines throughout the letter from the opening greeting: "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus" (II Tim. 1:1).

A source of strength

As Paul awaited his own death, no doubt meditating upon the last hours of the Lord Jesus gave him strength and courage. For not only was Jesus aware of his impending death, he also understood that it was to be achieved by the cruelest of methods. Jesus, knowing full well that the bread represented the body he was about to willingly surrender, and the wine the blood that would soon be shed, the Lord actually gave thanks saying: "This is my body which is given for you…This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you" (Lk. 22:19-20).
Being fully persuaded of these things, Paul urgently sought to strengthen and prepare Timothy, his beloved son in the faith, to carry on without him. The younger man was no stranger to the persecutions experienced by his friend and teacher: "But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me" (II Tim. 3:11).

Here was Paul, a prisoner awaiting death, paradoxically saying that he had been delivered! He wanted Timothy (and all those who would afterward read his words) to understand that the life of a disciple of Christ is not easy. Trials and afflictions will be part of the spiritual journey toward deliverance from the shackles of mortality. Mercifully, God does not leave His loved ones to struggle along in fear and weakness: "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (II Tim. 1:7).

Precious truths had been entrusted to Paul and in response the apostle trustingly deposited his life into the hands of the Lord. It mattered not that Phygellus and Hermogenes had turned away (II Tim. 1:15), because: "The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his" (II Tim. 2:19).

Love is not ashamed Earlier Paul had stated that he was not ashamed of his beliefs (II Tim. 1:12). Dramatically altered circumstances had only served to reinforce these sentiments. There is something very moving in his appeal to Timothy to resist being ashamed not only of the doctrines but also of him: "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner" (II Tim. 1:8).

Now in absolute faith, Paul cited the example of someone who would have been well known to Timothy, Onesiphorus, who was not ashamed of either the gospel or the one who had taught him: "The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: but, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well" (II Tim. 1:16-18).

Whether the journey from Ephesus to Rome was undertaken for the direct purpose of visiting his imprisoned mentor or whether, as some think, Onesiphorus was a merchant of Ephesus visiting the busy capitol city on business, is a matter of speculation. What is known, however, is that once in Rome, it became a high priority for this brother to locate and visit the apostle Paul, in order to provide him with much-needed succor and encouragement. We can only imagine that reunion: Paul in chains, Onesiphorus tired out from the long search of the various prisons. The joy of both must have been unrestrained but for Paul, it was a great comfort. He was virtually alone, for Demas had forsaken him and gone to Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia, only the faithful Luke remained with him.

Faith in action

Although Onesiphorus is not a major player in the New Testament, he is definitely an example of faith in action and one that we would do well to emulate. Obviously, we cannot visit Paul in Rome, but we can be alert to the needs of our brethren and sisters and exert ourselves to help. Remember what we do to others is a way of serving our Lord: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matt. 25:40).
Some feel that Paul’s request that the Lord be merciful to the house of Onesiphorus was an indication that Onesiphorus had died and Paul, fearing that his family might be destitute, was asking for a blessing upon them. Maybe searching for the prisoner Paul had alerted the soldiers of Nero to the fact that Onesiphorus was a Christian, leading to his subsequent capture and death. Or perhaps he returned to Ephesus and died peacefully. Whatever the truth of the matter, this new brother put into practice the precepts of his faith and thus could expect the loving approbation of Christ: "For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me…" (Matt. 25:35-36).

It is good to consider these worthies of old who unashamedly labored for their Lord under the threat of persecution and to be thankful that we live in a society that is more tolerant. Nevertheless, there are times when the nonchalance and ridicule of those to whom we preach is hard to take. But we never need to be ashamed of the wonderful truths we seek to impart.
Let us take courage from the one we have come to remember this morning, who unashamedly subjected himself to open scorn and derision for our sake: "Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds" (Heb. 12:2-3). His atoning blood covers all our sins; therefore we can take the exhortation of the apostle John to heart: "And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming" (I Jn. 2:28).

Martyn Lawrence
Originally published in The Carribean Pioneer, September 2004

Amos Exhortation

Amos the Prophet, Gustave Dore

Amos, one of the earliest of the Hebrew prophets, flourished during the reign of Uzziah, about 790 B.C., and was consequently a contemporary of Hosea and Joel. In his youth he lived at Tekoa, about six miles south of Bethlehem, in Judaea, and was a herdsman and a gatherer of sycamore fruit (Amos i, i; vii, 14). This occupation he gave up for that of prophet (vii, 15), and he came forward to denounce the idolatry then prevalent in Judah, Israel, and the surrounding kingdoms.

The first six chapters of his book contain his denunciations of idolatry; the other three, his symbolical vision of the overthrow of the people of Israel, and a promise of their restoration. The style is remarkable for clearness and strength, and for its picturesque use of images drawn from the rural and pastoral life which the prophet had led in his youth.

Amos Exhort: by Henry Morris, PhD

He Who Made the Stars

"Seek Him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is His name" (Amos 5:8).

This striking exhortation is inserted in the midst of a prophetic rebuke by God of His people Israel. They were rapidly drifting into pagan idolatry, and Amos was trying to call them back.
His exhortation, given almost 3,800 years ago, is more needed today than it ever was before. Modern pagan scientists have developed elaborate but absurdly impossible theories about the chance origin of the universe from nothing, and the evolution of stars, planets, and people from primordial hydrogen. But the mighty cosmos and its galaxies of stars - even the very constellations, such as Orion and the Pleiades (the "seven stars"), as well as the solar system - were made. All of these had to be made by an omniscient, omnipotent Creator, who certainly had a glorious purpose for it all.

Similarly, the global evidences that waters once covered all the earth's mountains (i.e., marine fossils and water-laid sediments at their summits) cannot possibly be explained - as evolutionary geologists try to do - by slow processes acting over aeons of time. God, the Creator, had to call massive volumes of water forth from their original reservoirs and pour them out on the earth in His flood judgment on a rebellious world.

All of these witness to the fact of creation and judgment, not to impotent "gods" personifying natural forces. Men urgently need to seek the true God of creation and salvation before judgment falls again, for "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31). HMM

At The Lord's Table: Esther Exhortation

Esther tells the King of Haman's plot

Exhortation

At the Lord's Table - Lessons from Esther

The book of Esther is about deliverance. It tells how, because a few leaders of God’s people were strong and faithful, God was able to deliver His people from those who wished to destroy them.
Mordecai and Esther are representative of ourselves as the ecclesia of God. Mordecai was perplexed because Haman, one of the king of Persia’s chief ministers, had developed a paranoid personal hatred for him and, as a consequence, made a complaint to the king about the people of the Jews.

Like Persia in ancient times, the Caribbean today is a religious place with many, many churches and temples everywhere. Despite this, the Caribbean, and the world, are full of violence and hatred. The world goes after Christians in very subtle ways. Like Mordecai and Esther, we have to be very strong.

Imagine as the Jews watched that gallows going up until it towered seventy-five feet above the city streets. No wonder "there was mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes" (4:3). People call upon the Lord when they are in deep trouble. Mordecai led his people in prayer for deliverance.

One reason for our coming here to the Lord’s table is to pray for deliverance. Young people like Esther, older people like Mordecai, all of us Christian-minded people must go to God for help and deliverance from our enemies. God answered Mordecai’s and Esther’s prayers because they were strong and determined not to give up.

As beautiful as the world is, that gallows casts its grim shadow over us. People get AIDS through having worldly fun, but in fact what they receive is a rope for that gallows -- a death certificate. At this table, let us pray that God will help us and our children to be strong, to overcome the obstacles in our world so that we can find deliverance.

For the Jews, deliverance brought "happiness and joy, gladness and honour" (8:16). Their celebrations attracted many who did not know the truth. "Many people of other nationalities became Jews" (8:17). So with us, we have a responsibility to see and to lead others to the truth by the very joy we show at our deliverance through Christ.

We are here not just to share bread and wine; we are here to pray for deliverance, to show love to each other, to fight back the enemy of sin when it attacks us. Let us support one another in continuing to pray earnestly so that the Lord will deliver us as he did Esther and her people, so that we can bring praise and honour and glory to His name and draw others to Him.

Travis Matthews, Round Hill, Jamaica
Originally printed in the Carribean Pioneer, February 2001

Praise and Giving Thanks

The First Thanksgiving, by Jennie Augusta Brownscombe, 1914

Praise and Giving Thanks, A Biblical Study

Halal (St 1984 Hb) to praise Aineo (St 134 Gk) to praise Yadah (St 3034 Hb) to give thanks Eucharisteo (St 2168 Gk) to give thanks

Before exploring this area further, it would be worthwhile clarifying what is covered by "praising" and "giving thanks". In hebrew, two verbs translated "to praise" are yadah (St 3034 heb) and halal (St 1984 heb). The greek equivalent of halal seems to be aineo (St 134 Gk), and this can be concluded from the fact that Psalm 117 v 1 ("Praise (heb halal) the Lord") is quoted in Romans 15 v 11. In this instance, the greek equivalent of halal is aineo.

Yadah is also translated "to give thanks" in the Old Testament and, by a process of elimination, the greek equivalent of it would seem to be eucharisteo (St 2168 Gk) (a link between the two words will be explored later on). Yadah also seems to be represented in the New Testament by homologeo (St 3670 Gk) and is usually translated "profess" or "confess".

Although halal is used in expressions like "Praise the Lord" and "I will praise you (if something happens)", it does does not seem to be used in expressions like "I praise you because you ....". So praising does not seem to be directed at God in terms of expressions like "I praise you ...", but seems to be limited to statements spoken about what God is, or to promises to praise God in the future. For example, Psalms 146 - 150 are psalms which contain many praise statements (heb halal), and say things about God and not things to him.

(Psalm 145 is called "David's psalm of praise". The hebrew word translated "praise" here is tehillah, which is related to halal. This psalm contains statements made to God, e.g. v1 "I will extol thee my God, O king", as well as statements about him, e.g. v 14 "The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down". The references to praising (heb halal) in the psalm are in verses 2 and 3 ("I will praise thy name for ever and ever" and "Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised"). The expression in verse 3 "Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised" is what previous observations have led us to expect from a "praise" statement (i.e. a statement about God). So the psalm can be termed a tehillah because it contains praise statements, the fact that it contains other expressions as well like the self judgements found in a tephillah does not invalidate this.)

Aineo, the greek equivalent of halal, is used in a similar way, i.e. in making statements about God (e.g. Luke 2 v 14 "Glory (gk aineo) to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men").

The verb yadah mostly seems to be used in a similar way to halal, in that it is either used in statements which are spoken about God, e.g. "O give thanks unto Yahweh" (Psalm 105 v 1), or it is used in statements which promise to thank him, e.g. "I will greatly praise (heb yadah - give thanks) Yahweh with my mouth" (Psalm 109 v 30). However, there does seem to be one instance where the verb yadah is used in an expression of the form "I thank you Lord ...". Psalm 75 v 1 says

"We give thanks (heb yadah) to you God, we give thanks (heb yadah) and your name is near, your wonderful works declare" (suggested translation).

There are a couple of similar expressions to Psalm 75 in the New Testament, where "to thank" is represented in the greek by the verb eucharisteo. So in John 11 v 41 Jesus says, "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me", and in Revelation 11 v 17 the twenty four elders say "we give thee thanks , O Lord God Almighty ... because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned".

(Some uses of yadah, which are picked up in the New Testament by the word homologeo, seem to fall firmly into the "talk about" rather than the "talk to" category.

Confession and Giving Thanks

Looking closer at the hebrew word yadah, it is clear that we need to be a bit more specific about what form of the verb we are considering. Just like the verb palal, we need to make a distinction between the Hithpa`el form of the verb and the other forms.

The Hithpa`el form of the verb (the "I do something to myself" form) is used in prayers and describes the confession of sins (for example Daniel's prayer in chapter 9 includes this sort of confession (v 4)). The other form of the verb which we are interested in (the Hiph`il form) has the idea of confessing God's works or thanking him.

The uses of the Hithpa`el and Hiph`il forms of the verb are instructive. When we confess ourselves (Hithpa`el form) we have nothing to commend ourselves with, but we are only able to relate our sins. However when we confess God, there is nothing bad to be said about him, just good things. One reason why we confess/give thanks to God is because "he is good, for his mercy is for ever" (e.g. Psalm 107 v 1 and other places).

From an examination of the use of the hebrew word yadah (to give thanks), palal/tephillah (to pray/prayer) and their related words, the possibility emerges that prayer and thanksgiving are separate, i.e. it may not be possible in scriptural terms to offer "a prayer (tephillah) of thanks". Where there is some overlap, like when the psalmist refers to giving thanks in Psalm 86 v 12 (Psalm 86 is a tephillah or prayer - title), it seems to be more in the context of what the Psalmist would do if his prayer was answered. In other passages where giving thanks/confessing is used in the same context as prayer, it is likely that giving thanks is something separate to prayer (for example in 1 Kings 8 v 33 it speaks of people "Confessing (or giving thanks - heb yadah - Hiph`il form), praying and making supplication").

If giving thanks to Yahweh is not prayer in the sense of a tephillah, how does this fit in with what has been discovered about the meaning of prayer? The likelihood is that scripture separates between the two to emphasize the "before and after" relationship that can exist between them.
It has been seen that prayer (heb tephillah) can contain supplication or requests for God to be gracious. The following quotations indicate that thanksgiving is a response to God being gracious, i.e. it is something that comes after prayer is offered to God and has been answered.

Psalm 6 v 2, 5:
"Have mercy upon me (lit "be gracious to me") Yahweh ... for in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?".
Psalm 30 v 4 - 12:
"Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness ... Hear O Lord and be gracious (AV have mercy) upon me ... O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever".
Psalm 111 v 1 - 4:
"I will give thanks to (AV praise) the Lord with my whole heart ... he hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion".
Psalm 145 v 8 - 10:
"The Lord is gracious and merciful (AV full of mercy - heb rachum) ... The Lord is good to all: and his mercies (AV tender mercies - heb rachamim) are over all his works. All thy works shall give thanks to (AV praise) thee, O Lord; and all thy saints shall bless thee".

The first 3 passages show that giving thanks results from remembering that Yahweh is gracious. In addition they indicate that, because God is gracious, his works involve showing grace. Psalm 145 then shows these works lead to the salvation of the saints, which means that the saints can be considered to be part of his works. In turn, the saints (his works) give thanks for the grace shown to them (see Psalm 145 v 10).

The foregoing raises the question of whether it is appropriate to offer thanks for things which we have not asked for. So it may be inappropriate to offer thanks for food at meal times, if we have not asked for it to be provided in the first place (see Matthew 6 v 11) and are not mindful of where it comes from.

Earlier, Psalm 111 v 1 - 4 was quoted, which contains the statements "I will give thanks to the Lord .... he hath made his wonderful works to be remembered". This shows that giving thanks arises from remembering Yahweh's wonderful works (heb niphle'oth). These wonderful works are referred to again in Psalm 26 v 7 which speaks of the psalmist wishing to publish "with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell (heb saphar or count) all your wonderful works (heb niphle'oth)". These instances of giving thanks from remembering and counting Yahweh's works, suggest that giving thanks should be a result of recalling specific things.

The path from confession to thanks

The greek word translated "to give thanks" is made up of two parts, eu meaning "well" and "charisteo" meaning "to be gracious". The relationship between grace (greek "charis") and giving thanks (greek "eucharisteo") found in the Old Testament can be identified in the New Testament as well. 1 Corinthians 10 v 30, which deals with food sacrificed to idols, says:
"If I by GRACE be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I GIVE THANKS".
From this passage it is seen that those who are the recipients of God's grace give thanks (explaining why giving thanks in the New Testament contains the greek word for grace as well).
Earlier in these notes it was seen that the expression "prayer and supplication" can describe the confession of sin followed by supplication or asking God to be gracious. In this section it has been seen that confession and giving thanks are different forms of the same verb in the Old Testament and that thanksgiving is a response to God showing grace or hearing supplication. So we can now write this sequence:

Confession of self (sin) -> Supplication (part of prayer) - >God being gracious - > Giving thanks. (Hithpa`el form of Yadah) (Hiph`il form of Yadah)

Thanksgiving exhortation

Thankfulness is a delightful result of man’s sensitivity toward someone’s act of kindness. A thankful person is not a forgetful recipient of good things, but thoughtful enough to appreciate the blessings others had given him.

God is the ultimate object of man’s thanksgiving and a thankful man will never be forgotten by our Loving God. In Psalm 107:8-9, it is written, Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. (KJV) These heart-stirring passages from the Bible remind us that we should always be mindful of God and His loving-grace toward us.

Giving thanks to God is a great privilege for mankind to carry out for His glory. An in-depth study of Luke 19:37-40 will make us realize that our praises to God must stand above all other creations of the Lord. How shameful we would be if the stones cry out and give thanks to God because we overlook our opportunity to appreciate God’s marvelous deeds. Our giving of thanks to the Lord should not be limited only during the traditional Thanksgiving Day, but should be frequently done day by day as a serious expression of our gratitude toward God.

In Psalm 106:1-2, it is written, Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise? (KJV) Truly, human beings have the special privilege and capability of giving the best praises to our Almighty God.

(I) The Things We Must Thank God For
Ephesians 5:20
-Everything

If we believe that all things were created by God and all things work together for good to them that love Him and are called according to his purpose, then, it is only proper to thank God for everything.

(II) In The Name Of The Lord Jesus Christ
Ephesians 5:20
-Giving thanks to
the right person

The Bible tells us that there is no other way to eternal life except through the Lord Jesus Christ and there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Truly, believers got saved through faith in Christ; as Christ(adelph)ians, bear the name of Christ; pray in his name; serve God in his name; and before we forget, the Bible tells us that all things were created by him and for him, in the ages to come. Therefore, it is only proper that Christ(adelph)ians give thanks to our Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(III) The Will Of God
I Thessalonians 5:18
-Giving thanks to
God is an excellent way of doing
His blessed will for our lives

Living in the center of God’s will is the best life we could spend in this present world. Avoiding the will of God is undoubtedly an offense to Him. It gives grief to Him and surely kindles His anger to the offender.

In Jeremiah 5:24-25, it is written, But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone. Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. (KJV) These relevant passages remind us how God rebuked the people for not giving thanks to Him for their blessings especially during harvest time.

Our Father is so good to us and He is worthy to be thanked. Thanksgiving Day comes and goes, but be sure we are aware of its significance so we may not overlook the due thanksgiving to God who is faithful in providing all our needs. In I Thessalonians 5:18, it is written, In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (KJV) Truly, every day should be Thanksgiving Day for every one of us whose hope is in the resurrection and in the coming kingdom of God.

May your day be filled with thanksgiving and praise!

Nehemiah exhortation: Rocking The Boat

Nehemiah 4:17f. From "Biblia ectypa : Bildnussen auss Heiliger Schrifft Alt und Neuen Testaments", Christoph Weigel (author). Call Number at Pitts Theology Library: 1695Bibl.

We know what is meant when someone says they do not want to rock the boat, or disturb the status quo; they do not want to cause trouble by making changes. Often this is a proper approach, but in the matter of our religion, this religion is so different from what is natural to us, that we must be constantly vigilant to be sure we have not settled into ways which are unproductive in the way of salvation. The times of Ezra and Nehemiah provide us with the opportunity to examine this thought.

The return of the Jewish captivity in Babylon to Jerusalem was prophesied by Isaiah and Jeremiah, and Daniel was cognisant of some of these prophecies. It would have been exciting indeed for those aware of the word of God to witness the fulfilment of these prophecies. They would have appreciated that the hand of God had not forsaken the Jews, and like ourselves in these latter days, would be able to have confidence in the covenants to Abraham, the foundation of their hope.

The way this return to Jerusalem was initiated was apparently quite natural. There was no one sent to Cyrus to demand he repatriate this people. It was quite simply a consequence of his policies, no doubt encouraged by men around him who knew of the prophecies. The scriptures state that the Lord stirred him up to do this.

"Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up." 2 Chr 36:22-23

We read therefore from the book of Ezra how this charge was executed. The chief of the people, and many others, took much wealth, gifts willingly offered, including the vessels from the original temple which were given back to them by Cyrus, and went to Jerusalem. Their leader was one Zerubbabel, who was apparently of the royal line, a descendent of the royal family deposed by Nebuchadnezzar before Jerusalem was destroyed by the king of Babylon's armies.

This crowd of Jews from Babylon, having come to Jerusalem specifically to build the temple, began by building the altar of burnt offering, and set up the services required by the Law received through Moses. They set up a fund, and made other preparations to begin building the temple itself. It is interesting to read why they set up the altar before the temple was reconstructed to receive it. Ezra 3:3 reveals this.

"And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening." Ezra 3:3

They made the worship of God their focus because they were afraid of the people around them, who had had the place to themselves for almost a century, who we learn from the record were not at all happy about what was going on at Jerusalem. These people did not like to see the status quo disturbed. Can we pause to think about whether we would feel comfortable about making God our focus in time of difficulty?

The work on the temple progressed, and in due course the foundations were laid amid much celebration. Some of the old men there could remember the temple before the Babylonians destroyed it, and the recollection brought tears to their eyes.

The people from around, Samaritans who had been put there during earlier Assyrian campaigns, and who were not therefore natives, these people sought to join in the restoration work. They came to Zerubbabel claiming to worship the God of the Jews, and seeking to infiltrate the Jewish community, ostensibly to help in the work.

"But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us."
Ezra 4:3

The rulers, appreciating the consequences of teaming up with the outsiders, wisely declined the offers of help, but this caused these people to show their true colours. They were intent not on helping, but on disrupting the progress of the building. They hired people to frustrate the Jews purpose, and sent messages to the rulers of the empire, to Cyrus, to Artaxerxes, and to Darius after him, to have the work stopped. These people succeeded. The work was temporarily stopped in the reign of Artaxerxes.

It was not in the purpose of God that the work should stop. It is interesting to note the different way God treated those who were not responsible to him, but were required to do his will, men like the kings of the nations, and those who were responsible, and whom he wished to use to accomplish his purpose, that is his people in Jerusalem. When the Jews had to go to Jerusalem from Babylon, God imposed his will upon Cyrus, and he made it possible for the people to return. Cyrus really had no choice in the matter. When the Jews, who should have known his purpose, stopped doing what he required, he did not force them to continue, or arrange circumstances so that it was most natural for them to do his righteousness, but sent prophets to remind them of their responsibilities. The Jews were required to make a conscious decision to do those things which were pleasing to God, and then follow up on that decision.

When the work ceased, the Lord sent prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, to encourage them to resume the work. God did not cause their minds to automatically want to do the work. The people were not forced to do what God required, they were encouraged, and punishment was meted out on those who did not cooperate in the will of God. The people were not relieved of their responsibilities because they no longer found it easy, because they had lost their motivation. They could not quit what they were responsible to accomplish. This was what the prophets needed to make them understand.

The work was resumed, and Ezra 5:5 is interesting for comment.
"But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter."

When the Jews resumed the Lord's work, the Lord's eye was upon them, and the work prospered, in spite of the antagonism of the people around. In fact, when the antagonists wrote to the new king, Darius, suggesting he take steps to curtail the work, he did the opposite, and made arrangements for the local taxes to be used to pay for the work! With this new incentive, and the continued effort of the Jews in the building work, the temple was finished, and dedicated.

Ezra was a priest, and he came from Babylon to Jerusalem not with Zerubbabel, but later, at about the time the prophets were encouraging the people to resume their building work. It appears that Artaxerxes rescinded his stop work order, sending with Ezra another letter to encourage the work to continue. It was an instance that when the Jews did what was right, the way was cleared for them to continue.

Ezra was sent from Babylon laden with silver and gold, with vessels for use in the temple services, and with authority to take from the kings treasuries, that is from the taxes, for use in the temple service. The responsibility given him by the king was to teach the people the law of God, and to make the colony of Jews law abiding, so that there should be no wrath upon the king Artaxerxes.

When things go well for us, when everything seems to fall into place as we had hoped, do we congratulate ourselves on a job well done? We have some cause for self satisfaction, surely, but the example of Ezra was to render back to God the credit for what was achieved. He acknowledged that it was the good hand of the Almighty, not his own strength and authority, which had accomplished his desire to beautify the temple and teach the people in Jerusalem.

"Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem: And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me." Ezra 7:27-28

Ezra could appreciate that it was in the kindness of God these things were to be accomplished, an attitude we do well to foster when things go right for us.

A problem arose. How were they to get this caravan, laden with wealth, across the robber infested roads all the way from Babylon to Jerusalem? Having spoken to the King of the great confidence they had in God, they were not anxious to go back to him and say, 'Oh, by the way, our God would like you to provide a guard for his treasures!' Ezra turned to the Lord God himself for help, as he always did.

"Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was entreated of us." Ezra 8:21-23

The convoy was indeed delivered from the thieves, Ezra's faith in God was vindicated. The treasures were delivered without loss to the custodians for the temple services.

After the treasures had been delivered, the princes came to Ezra with a concern. They reported that the people had mingled with the 'outsiders', participating in their abominations, and marrying their women. Regrettably, the rulers had been foremost in this wrong. This information devastated Ezra, and it was not until the evening sacrifice he was able to regain enough composure to appeal to the Lord.

Before we think about Ezra's response to this information, what does it mean to us. How do we react to the situation? We appreciate that what the Jews were doing was not unusual in a general sense. The activities they were engaging in with the people around were quite ordinary things in that context. It would not have been like the bad guy in a social group doing his or her best to get someone else to do something everyone knew was wrong, just for the dare of it. The activities which were under discussion here were probably just the normal behaviour and activities of the people, but nevertheless things which were abhorrent and abominable to God. If we need a current example to help us to understand, we might consider bad language, particularly swearing. It is nothing accounted of today, and if we were to indulge we would not be 'shut out' of the world's society, in fact we might rather be all the more warmly welcomed by it. However, it is not approved by the Almighty, and therefore is abomination to him.

"Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." Col 4:6

The point we are trying to drive home is that this Jewish community was merely joining in with the normal activities of the nations around. They were not becoming evil people in the popularly accepted understanding of this idea. It was this common association, which lead in many cases to actual marriage, as the differentiation between the Jews and the others became less obvious, which was so bad in the eyes of God.

From time to time we read prayers pleading for forgiveness for God's people. Here is one of them, by Ezra, recorded in Ezra 9, and there is another close by, offered by Nehemiah. Both of these prayers, and others, such as the one offered by Daniel, have an uncanny characteristic. This is illustrated in Ezra 9:6, for example.

"And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens." Ezra 9:6

Although he was not personally involved in the problem behaviours of his people, he accepted that he had equal responsibility with them in the matter, and this in spite of the fact he had only just arrived on the scene! Now if this was an isolated incident in scripture, this association with the guilt, we would find nothing remarkable in it. But this is not so. We find the same in the case of Nehemiah praying for his people. When Daniel prayed for his people, he too took on responsibility for the sin. Think about this: did these men simply assume this responsibility, or was it a responsibility from which they could not escape? It was a responsibility which came upon them because of their association with the group, and they could not get away from it. Although not personally involved in the sins, they were responsible by association with the group. We should come back to this idea: it is important to us today.

We do not want to get overcome by the negative aspects of the supplication Ezra made, important though they are. He recognized the principle illustrated throughout scripture, that it is by God's grace people are saved, not their righteousness! Thus it is written:

"And now for a little space grace hath been showed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem." Ezra 9:8-9

Salvation is of God. From time to time we may get into despair. We may wonder if it is all worth it, if we really do have what it takes to be in the kingdom, approved of God. It is because we have forgotten that we do not get to the kingdom on our own strength, but by the grace of God. We have forgotten that it is his purpose, his strong desire that none should fall short of his grace. We know what God said to the people through Ezekiel:

"Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" Ezek 33:11

Let the meaning of these words sink in. God does not have pleasure in the death of the wicked. So he does not want the house of Israel, or ourselves to die, but rather to turn to him. He encourages us to turn to him, and many times gives us yet another opportunity to demonstrate that we really are trying to be obedient.

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Pet 3:9

It is with us as it was with them. The Lord God really wants to have us in his kingdom. This was the sole reason for creating this whole system, so that his creation could glorify him, and he gives us so many opportunities to walk with him that we should never despair, if we are truly seeking after him. This, after all, as Ezra recognized, was the reason why he had permitted them to return to Jerusalem, to build the temple again, so that once more they might turn to him.
Ezekiel mentioned it, Peter mentioned it, Ezra and his people showed what it meant to them, that repentance was required for forgiveness. The longsuffering of God does not extend to the toleration of persistent willful disobedience. In this case the decision was made to put away the wives and children who were not of Israel, who were not the 'holy seed'.

"Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law." Ezra 10:3

How far did they take this decision? Did they make room for special circumstances? Did they really mean what they said when they committed to be rid of the foreign wives and their children? They made proclamation throughout the jurisdiction:

"And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away." Ezra 10:8

Those who would not cooperate in cleaning up the mess would be separated from the congregation. This is a principle we have to mind today. It was not new then, but had its foundation perhaps in the call to Abraham to be separate. the call was reinforced by the Law given through Moses. Paul reminds us of the same thing, quoting in fact from Isaiah.

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you," 2 Cor 6:17

Again from Paul:
"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." Eph 5:11

There can be no doubt as to our responsibilities in our lives. We are wise to avoid the influence of the world, and the best way to do this is to be separate from it, refusing to participate in its inappropriate activities. We will know what is inappropriate, and therefore where to draw the line, only when our mind is filled with the things of the spirit. Can there therefore be any doubt with what we should fill our minds, and how we should do it?

In this circumstance in Jerusalem, the matter was of such magnitude that they had to set a timetable to deal with it. It took them two months to clear it all up. It is sad really, that the last thing in the book of Ezra is a list of those who were guilty in this respect. It is a reminder that God knows whose lives are deficient before him. It is also a reminder that even when we are deficient in our service and behaviour, God is ready to forgive when we turn from our waywardness.

We have begun to read from the book of Nehemiah in the last few days. Nehemiah was somewhat of a contemporary of Ezra, but his mission was different. Ezra was a priest, and he wanted to see the temple completed, the services fully reinstated, and the people worshipping God wholeheartedly. Nehemiah heard of the difficulties of the people in the land, and resolved to improve their situation by building the wall of the city. This would enable them to prevent intrusion of the unwanted neighbours into their affairs, with all the ramifications that had. After receiving a report of the affliction and reproach suffered by his people, Nehemiah prayed before the Lord for their deliverance.

This prayer has the same characteristic to which we have already referred, that he did not exclude himself from the problems of the community, in spite of the fact he was not physically a part of it. Morally he could not be separated from the Jews in Jerusalem who were in spiritual disgrace, even though he was not physically part of the problem.

"Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned." Neh 1:6

There may be a school of thought which says we should not meddle in the affairs of others. This is undoubtedly good advice in many matters, but when it comes to the things concerning the Truth, some moderation of the concept is required. As Ezra and Nehemiah, and as we have also noted Daniel, could not be separated from the affairs of their people, so we are individually responsible for the collective behaviour of our people, which means our immediate family, our ecclesia, our fellowship. Paul found it necessary to explain the same idea to the Corinthians, where he spoke of the ecclesia as being like a body in which all parts are important, and that a malfunction in one part affects the whole. He wrote:

"That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." 1 Cor 12:25-27

There are therefore two parts to this situation, first that malfunction in one part affects the whole body, and second that the whole body is responsible for every other part. This gives us a twofold responsibility, first to make sure we are not the part which has the problem, and second to see that the problem of another is properly taken care of. In the cases from the Old Testament before us, and Paul's comments, the type of problem concerns behaving in an unseemly manner before God. We have responsibilities as individuals not to depart from the belief and practise of the Truth, and we have responsibilities toward those who have departed, to bring them back, or failing that, to dissociate from them as happened to those who would not leave their foreign wives. Believers must not permit those who will not be Godly to remain within the community, or to influence it in any way. To permit this is clearly to share the responsibility for the sin. None of us needs that burden.

Nehemiah's concern over the spiritual welfare of his people reflected in his attitude to his work in the palace. The King noticed this, and when he knew what was on his servant's mind, granted him a leave of absence.

"And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it. And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time." Neh 2:5-6

Nehemiah wanted to build the city, not for purposes of insurrection, but that it might be a fortress against the wiles of the enemy. We cannot help but think about parallels with our lives. If we lived communally in the world, it would be very difficult to practise the Truth. If the community of the ecclesia is devoid of worldliness in thought and deed, it will help strengthen our resistance to the wickedness outside. In our homes, we have the ability to isolate ourselves from many untoward influences, and thus improve our spirituality. Strong fences, strong defences, are an essential asset in the struggle to serve the Lord to his glory. This is why we must be careful about the literature we allow in our homes, the radio programs we allow to influence us, and the videos and television which have even stronger ability to influence. Put up walls, do not allow the defences to be breached, and develop spirituality and righteousness within. This was the principle upon which the nation of Israel was constituted, exclusion of outside influence. The nation fell when the principle was abandoned. Nehemiah tried to bring it all together again, so the people would turn again to God.

On arriving at Jerusalem, Nehemiah made reconnaissance of the walls at night by himself. Having made plans, he discussed them with the rulers, and they strengthened themselves for this good work. The surrounding people did not approve of the plan, of course, accusing him of rebellion, and laughed in the face of Nehemiah. What was his response?

"Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem." Neh 2:20

Again the faithful put their trust in the Lord God. Notice too that Nehemiah was emphatic these outsiders had no place in Jerusalem. They still have no place in the hearts and bastions of God's people.

The plans were made, the work was organised. Families were assigned to rebuild and repair various parts of the wall. The responsibility was not laid upon just a few, those skilled in the practice of building. Everyone had a part in the work. Even those whose work might be considered 'delicate' were involved, for example goldsmiths and apothecaries.


"Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths. Next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of one of the apothecaries, and they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall." Neh 3:8

The womenfolk were not necessarily excluded, neither were the rulers. Perhaps Shallum had no sons?

"And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters." Neh 3:12

Regrettably, some did not work enthusiastically, and doubtless they would have dampened the enthusiasm of those who were willing.

"And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord." Neh 3:5

By working together the job was done, a job the surrounding people did not think was possible.

Is it possible there are some jobs in the ecclesia which need to be done, but which seem to be impossible for some reason? Do we think we could take a leaf out of Nehemiah's book, get organised, and work together, regardless of our perceived suitability for the tasks which need to be done? Each family might take responsibility for a relatively small task, and work at it until it was complete, then the big job would suddenly be finished, and we would all have benefited from working together towards a common goal in the service of God. We think this is an idea worth pursuit.

Today's reading illustrates how to deal with troubles from outside the community. The nations conspired to destroy the work of God's people. They had been able to temporarily halt building progress on the Temple before, now they were rather more aggressive about it, planning not to make appeal to the King, but to do battle with the Jews. What was Nehemiah's response?

"Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them." Neh 4:9

He did not stop, but prepared to meet the armies. Nehemiah's workers were armed and prepared. When the enemy heard that this was so, they backed off and the work proceeded. Nothing was allowed to prevent God's work from being completed. It was not an easy task, and so great was their need to be prepared to meet the attack by the enemy that they did not even change their clothes, except for washing. Did we notice that when it was read? I did not.

In this work of Nehemiah we see diligence, preparedness, cooperation and confidence in God. The consequence was that Jerusalem was built as a bastion against the influences of the people around. If we apply the same principles, the same endeavour, we will be able to shore up our spiritual city; our spiritual temple of holy spirit against wickedness. If we do not, what then? Can we live with that possibility? Do we need to rock the boat? Yes, and amen, we do!

As we prepare to partake of the elements today, let us consider what great responsibility we have to our heavenly Father and to our king, Jesus. May we remember Christ's sacrifice as we offer up ourselves as living sacrifices; spiritual walls and holy temples within the kingdom. May we be wholly and acceptable in their sight as is our priviledge and duty. Amen.

Joel chapter 2 commentary

Joel, the prophet by

James Tissot c.1896

Joel 2:12-14

" 'Even now,' declares the LORD, 'return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.' Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing -- grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God" (Joel 2:12-14).

Here... is the only solution to Israel's woes and troubles: Repentance! It is doubtful whether any exhortation to a new life is to be found in the Bible to compare with this sustained and detailed pleading. But for long centuries God's people have been impervious to these appeals of heaven. Yet repentance -- note the piling up of phrases -- is the only thing that can save Israel from the unparalleled disaster which today appears threateningly on the horizon.

It is an aspect of the teaching of God's Word concerning Israel, which the New Israel just as stubbornly refuses to recognize, that except there be repentance first, even the omnipotence of an Almighty God cannot save the people of His choice. It is not possible to print out in full the entire list of Scriptures about this. Instead, the bald references are given. If any reader doubts the Bible's intensity of emphasis is really as strong as all that, let him work his way patiently through the subjoined catalogue. He will then ask himself, and his fellows, in amazement why such a vital theme has gone so much ignored for so long a time. Is it because earlier teachers left it alone, and if they didn't see it, it can't have been there? Or is it because, even for those who are spiritually streets ahead of natural Israel, repentance is an unpopular topic?

cf. Zec 6:15; 12:10-14; 13;9; Isa 17:6-8; 19:20; 59:20; Eze 20:42-44; 36:24-28; 37:11,23; Psa 81:13,14; Rom 11:15,26; Jer 3:14-18; 4:1,2; 29:12-14; Deu 4:27-31; 30:1-3; Mat 23:39; Amos 5:15; Lev 26:40ff; 1Ki 8:47-49; Gen 18:19; Zep 2:1-3; Acts 3:19,20.

In the face of this sustained remonstration, is it possible to believe that the Second Coming of the Lord will/can take place except the people of God demand it by their holy way of life and godliness? (2Pe 3:11,12).

The character of the repentance called for by the prophet Joel is spelled out very precisely, both as to disposition and the practical godliness summed up in the religious routine appropriate to his own day: 'meal offering and drink offering unto the Lord.' In practice, in this 20th century, what sort of repentance does Jehovah demand from His Israelis? One thing, for certain: an avowal of faith in Jesus as the Messiah. Let a Jew of today make that initial big step, and Messiah Jesus will see to the rest in due course. The guarantee for this, says Joel, is the character of the God of Israel which he quotes with gusto from Jehovah's own declaration to Moses: 'gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness' (Exo 34:6). This character of God had been exhibited in His longsuffering extended to brutal grasping Assyrians in the days of Jonah (Jon 3: 5-10; 4:11); and, thanks to the godly zeal of Hezekiah, was exhibited by the chosen people, undeserving, in Joel's own day (see, by all means, 2Ch 30:6-9).

Happily, neither Joel nor any other inspired writer goes so far as to assert that Messiah will come to the rescue of his nation only when all Israel is repentant. If Jehovah treasured seven thousand in the days of Elijah, is He not likely to be content with even fewer in the 3 1/2 year ministry of Elijah's great successor ? (Mal 4:6)

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the above is taken from brother Harry Whittaker's book, Joel

You may wish to read it online for yourself by clicking on the link. It is an excellent companion for our current reading cycle.

Exhortation, November 12: Patriots of The Kingdom

This past Tuesday, November 7th, voters in the United States went to polls in excerise of their right to participate in the electoral process. Judging from the outcome, the people have spoken for change, giving the democrats control of the American Congress for the first time since 1994.

Certainly, the issues leading to this change included the ever present "war on terror", illegal immigration, social and family issues, plus a host of others. But what we are considering today is what does it mean to be a patriot of the Kingdom of God?

Brother Mathew de Caussin helps us understand in the following exhort. Originally offered in December of 2001, it is presented here with minimal alteration.

May our Great God and King bless your week as you sojourn into the coming kingdom.

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Patriots of God's Kingdom

Amidst the turmoil of fear and emotion resulting from the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001 it is good for us to remember the message delivered to king Nebuchadnezzar: "The most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will" (Dan. 4:25). God is working with the countries of the world to fulfill His purpose; whether they are the United States, Britain, Afghanistan, Iraq or Russia, they are all under His control. This is not to say that God caused the New York tragedy, only that He allows unruly and evil elements in society to run their course in the furtherance of His purpose. However distasteful it might seem for us to think that God would allow such atrocities, we must concede to His judgment.

Conditions and attitudes have changed so quickly that we need to be reminded of our godly perspective and responsibilities. How should we as children of God behave in these troublesome times? For example, how do we respond to the person who offers a flag pin or ribbon for our car? What should be our stance if we are asked to fly a national flag and participate in the rising surge of patriotism? Should we support our country, a kingdom of men, or do we only support the kingdom of God? To find answers to our queries, let us turn to the source of all wisdom, the Bible:

Answers from scripture

First of all, where is our true citizenship? "Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ" (Eph. 2:11-13, NIV as all quotes). As Gentiles, we would have been without hope in the world, but because of Christ’s sacrifice we are brought into the family of Abraham becoming citizens of spiritual Israel and heirs of the promises (Gal. 3:29).

Yet what role does our national citizenship in the country of our birth play in our lives? Here a consideration of an incident in the life of Paul is enlightening. When in imminent danger of being flogged, disclosure of his Roman citizenship served to provide Paul with protection (Acts 22:25-29). He did not feel it necessary to denounce his citizenship, deeming it a blessing that allowed him to preach with power and freedom. Today, American brethren and sisters, in common with many who live in a democracy, can claim the same privilege and blessing.

Paul also tackles the problem of relating to the world as servants of God:

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone; the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God (II Cor. 5:16-20).

Similarly in the letter to the Ephesian ecclesia:

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should (Eph. 6:19-20).

Ambassadors of God

We are ambassadors of God’s message and have the responsibility to make the country of our true citizenship known to those around us. Foreign ambassadors refrain from participation in local politics and so do we. Does this mean that we consider ourselves to be above the laws of the land? On the contrary, we are commanded to be law abiding and pray for those in authority: "that we my lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty" (I Tim. 2:2). Nevertheless, when conflicts in allegiance occur: "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).

God gives us further instruction on how to behave toward the governments of our land of residence:

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men (Titus 3:1-2).

We are expected to be obedient, humble and respectful; even though we are not of this world, we still have the responsibility to behave as conscientious citizens. We are to pay taxes, pay our bills, and give respect and honor where it is due. It behoves us to be an example to non-believers because we are representing our God and King:

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil, live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king (I Peter 2:9-17).

We are, by God’s grace, living in this world, but we are not to be of the world:

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world, the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever (1 John 2:15-17).

A time of testing

Sadly America and her allies are at war and it is possible our young people may be called to arms. This scenario would of course necessitate brethren appearing before a board of tribunal to justify their refusal to defend the country (ambassadors do not participate in the battles of their hosting country). The Lord Jesus made the rationale clear: "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence" (Jn. 18:36). For years, we have enjoyed the privilege of living in a country at peace; however, things have changed and we may be facing a time of testing. Strength to continue our walk toward the kingdom can be drawn from such occasions as this when we remember the trials and testing of the Lord and the fact that he endured them all for our sakes.

Now it is time to summarize our thoughts. We have seen that although we have no permanent place in the world, as representatives of God we should have complete respect and honor for the country in which we live. If we are confronted about an apparent lack of patriotism, we should be ready to give an answer. (Maybe committing a phrase to memory would help. Something like: "We are God’s ambassadors who are respectfully living in this free country waiting for His Kingdom to come; for this reason we cannot be a part of the politics of the world").

As King Nebuchadnezzar came to realize, God is in control of the kingdom of men. It’s important to await the unfolding of God’s purpose and not attempt to conform His plan to our preconceptions. Until the ushering in of the kingdom of God, we are required to remain law abiding, submissive to authority, and an example to those with whom we come in contact. May it be that the one we have come to remember in the bread and wine will soon return and, in his mercy, allow us to serve him by flying the flag of righteousness throughout eternity.

Mathew de Caussin

Ezra, Overview

Ezra Reading The Law in The Hearing of the People

Gustave Dore, Illustrated Bible

Today, we begin reading the book of Ezra. Courtesy of the Agora, please find below an overview of this inspiring book. You may wish to copy and paste it or save it for future reference.

Ezra, overview

Author: Ezra

Time: 538 – 457 BC

Summary: Ezra covers the events of the Jews returning from the Babylonian captivity. The decline of Babylon and its eventual overthrow by the Persians brought about this return to Jerusalem. The Jews are numbered and are allowed to return to Judah to rebuild the Temple. Samaritan assistance is rejected and their opposition is a contributing factor to the slow progress of the Temple construction. Despite the delays, the Temple is completed and dedicated during this period.Key verse: "The Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage" (Ezr 9:8).

Outline
1.
The exiles return from Babylon: Ezr 1:1 – 2:70
a)
The decree of Cyrus: Ezr 1:1–4
b)
Preparations for the journey: Ezr 1:5–11
c)
Those who returned: Ezr 2:1–70
2.
Temple building begins: Ezr 3:1 – 4:23
a)
The altar and the foundation: Ezr 3:1–13
b)
Opposition to the work: Ezr 4:1–23
3.
The building completed: Ezr 4:24 – 6:22
a)
Work resumed: Ezr 4:24 – 5:5
b)
Tatnai's letter to Darius: Ezr 5:6–17
c)
Decrees of Cyrus and Darius: Ezr 6:1–12
d)
The Temple finished: Ezr 6:13–22
4.
Ezra's journey to Jerusalem: Ezr 7:1 – 8:36
a)
Ezra introduced: Ezr 7:1–10
b)
Letter of Artaxerxes to Ezra: Ezr 7:11–28
c)
The journey to Jerusalem: Ezr 8:1–36
5.
Ezra's reforms: Ezr 9:1 – 10:44
a)
The offence of mixed marriages and Ezra's prayer: Ezr 9:1–15
b)
The abandonment of mixed marriages: Ezr 10:1–17
c)
List of those with foreign wives: Ezr 10:18–44

The Gospel And Politics

The Gospel and Politics

By Alfred Norris

Party politics
In the western world all adults may vote for a candidate of their choice. He belongs to a party, which in Britain will usually be Conservative, Labour, or Liberal; in the United States Democrat or Republican, and so on. In the eastern world it may often happen that only one party is allowed, and in these "People's Republics" the only freedom one has and a risky freedom at that is to spoil one's paper if that party is not acceptable.

Religion has little to do with the matter, even when names like "Christian Democrats" are used, except that sometimes a party may be pledged to uphold the state religion, or the state atheism. Though the sovereign of Britain is called "Defender of the Faith", she is in fact committed to the toleration of all faiths, whether professing Christ or not; and though the United States proclaims on its currency "In God we trust", the reading and teaching of the Word of God is prohibited in its state schools.

All the same, religious people often do take part in politics, as candidates or as voters: and in this they find themselves side by side with irreligious people travelling the same roads. All the major parties contain people of diverse faiths and of no faith, and religion as such does not dictate their policies. Even so, the motives of many politicians and partisans may be good in themselves: at their broadest they may seek the well-being of the world as a whole; and, with progressively narrowing interests, they may seek instead the interests of their country, their race, or their class. At the very worst the motives may be purely selfish, the seeking of a career, or a means to securing personal advantage. At the worse end of this spectrum it must be embarrassing for religious people to collaborate; at the better, the fact that the good of man is sought without any real regard to the glory of God must represent a grievous compromise of godly thinking.
This can be demonstrated easily. Suppose that, in Britain or America, say, a "Christian Party" were to be formed. Its programme might be:
"Vote for the Christian Party and the Sermon on the Mount. When we are in power all will be taught to hunger and thirst after righteousness, to love their neighbour as themselves, to turn the other cheek. None will be permitted to look on a woman to lust after her, and all ungodly and unwholesome literature will be proscribed. All children will receive thorough Bible instruction, and all parents will set them a good example by regular worship. None will lie nor deceive: our Yes will be Yes, and our No, No. Masters will rule without self-seeking, and servants will obey in humility without resentment."

All of us know what the outcome would be. In Britain, where every candidate forfeits ¡ê150 if he fails to get one eighth of the votes cast, to contest 630 parliamentary seats would be to hand over ¡ê94.500 to the Exchequer! Voters in the main are not anxious to submit themselves or their country to the Christian discipline.

God's politics: a look into the past
A few minutes in the Old Testament will be well spent to introduce this theme, for there a Chosen Nation was given its national constitution by God, which is surely the very thing we need to know about. This was the foundation clause:
"Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, You shall be my own possession among all peoples; for all the earth is mine, and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." (Exodus 19:5-6 All Scripture quotations are from the Revised Standard Version.)

There was nothing democratic about this at all. God imposed His law on His people, and expected them to accept and obey it. They, on their part, conceded the Tightness of this demand with,
"All that the Lord has spoken we will do."
That was the charter. God made the laws, and the promises of blessing too. Israel might keep the laws and inherit the promises, or break the laws and run into the peril of (at least temporary) disinheritance. It is never contemplated that the people should be a democracy, and even their kings were expected to administer God's laws, and not to tinker with them, for
"When he (the king) sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law . . . and it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them." (Deuteronomy 17:18-19)

Of course Israel was a nation, and Canaan became their country, so kings had to rule, priests to direct worship, Levites to teach, and judges to administer justice. The nation needed, and was granted, a civil and military administration: but the laws of God were what they were expected to administer. And as a matter of history, during those periods when the administration was godly, the nation prospered; and when obedience to God declined, so did the nation fall into decay. About half-way between Moses and Christ the kingdom fell prey to its enemies, and at the time when Jesus came, after a period of precarious independence, the Jews lived under the overlordship of the Romans, and were yearning for their freedom.

Jesus' politics: an essay in humility
It is so easy to think of Jesus as the founder of democracy, as against the authoritarian principles of the Old Testament. His personal humility, his readiness to suffer all manner of insult and suffering without complaint, his willingness to serve his disciples, his counsel that none should think himself better than his brother, all seem to make him very unlike the ancient kings, and very unlike the God of absolute authority Whom the Old Testament depicts:
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must he your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:25-28)

But this goes too far for democracy. Not only was Jesus meek, but he expected his disciples to be meek. They, too, are to endure wrong, cultivate humility, and refrain from posing as judges. The restrictions which Jesus imposes on aggression leave little room for either private or political agitation, as the Sermon on the Mount well shows (see Matthew 5:3-5, 38-42, 43-46, 7:1-5).
Besides this, Jesus was really no democrat at all. Seen as a man he was humble and self-denying. Seen as God's representative he was as uncompromising as Moses. When he says, "Verily I say unto you" we can take it that he is laying down the law, as surely as any prophet ever did with his "Thus saith the Lord" Though his disciples are his friends, it is only if they do what he commands them (John 15:14); it is right to call him "Teacher" and "Lord", for "So I am", he says (John 13:13). And in regard to politics, as to everything else, the only thing which the Christian can do is to approach his Teacher and Lord and ask, "Lord, what should you like me to do?" (Acts 9:6, 22:10)

Jesus and politics: an essay in obedience
One thing is absolutely plain. Jesus and his disciples never sought any part in the government of the Jews or their land, either by collaboration or by revolution. With regard to the Jewish rulers, the Scribes and Pharisees are to be obeyed when they speak for the Law, even though they are not to be copied in their lives: debts are to be paid, or otherwise the disciples will deserve the punishment of the I aw. Even Jesus himself will pay his temple tax, though as Son of God he might have refused it. Roman taxes, too, must be paid, and if the disciples were persecuted their one redress was to run away to another place. The world was one thing, and the disciples were another. The world might hate them, despise them, or ignore them, but it must not be allowed to assimilate them. The disciples lived, practically speaking, as wanderers in someone else's country, and the situation was one they were expected to accept. Their task was gospel-preaching, not meddling in politics or revolt. (*For those willing to turn them up, here are some of the many passages from the Gospels which point this way: Matthew 5:10-12, 7:1, 17:27, 23:2-3, Luke 12:58, John 3:19, 7:4, 7, 8:23, 14:17, 15:18, 17:9)
The crisis of all this is the declaration of Jesus before Pilate, from which derives the present subordination of the disciples to all authorities, Jewish or Gentile:
"My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my Kingship is not from the world." (John18:36)

This extends the disciples' abstinence to military matters as well as to politics, certainly, but it docs make quite plain that Jesus, at least at that time, gave no countenance to Christian involvement in the administration of the country in which they lived. Even among fellow-Jews, members of the Chosen Race, the disciples were to think of themselves as political strangers.

The Apostles politics: the new Chosen Race
The situation does not change after the resurrection of Jesus. His apostles continue where he left off. It is true that the position of the Jews as a nation changes, for they had been warned by the Lord himself that, when they put him to death, they would for a time be disinherited:
Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it.(Matthew 21:43)
And this is exactly what happened. Some Jews were converted, of course, and at least the first rive thousand Christians in Jerusalem were Jewish (Acts 2:41, 4:4). But the attitude of the nation as a whole hardened as the Gospel was spread among the Gentiles, and judicial Jewry declared itself clearly to be anti-Christian (Acts 13:46), and against the conversion of Gentiles (Acts 22:21-22). When they crucified the Lord they called wrath for his shed blood upon themselves and their children, and on his way to the Cross itself. Jesus warned them of the wrath to come (Matthew 27:25; Luke 23:27-30). And the persistence of the rulers in the same hatred of the name and work of Jesus demonstrated clearly to what dreadful fate their rebellion against God was leading them:
(they) killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all men by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they may be saved-so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But God's wrath has come upon them at last.(1Thessalonians 2:14-16; see Luke11:45-51)
But long before the Jewish state was actually destroyed, in AD 70, the new nation spoken of by Jesus had come into being, and Peter writes of it in these significant words:
". . . they (the Jews) stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. Once you were no people but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy:' (1 Peter 2:8-10)

For the time being, that is, God has rejected natural Israel,* and replaced it by a people who used not to be called a nation at all. They become a nation by accepting Christ, which itself comes from hearing the word of God, faith, and new birth in baptism (1:22-2:2). In fact they are drawn out of any nation, for the Lord sent his disciples to preach "to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem": some are Jews, others Gentiles, but they are all one in Christ Jesus. (Luke 24:47; Galatians 3:26-9)

* So many people speak as though the natural Israel is permanently cast off, having nothing further to do with God's purpose, that we must clear away this possible misunderstanding. Israel is now being restored to Palestine as the Bible promised; and the glory of the coming Kingdom of God, and the joy of the resurrection of the dead, awaits the time when the restored nation will "look on me whom they have pierced, and mourn for him" (Romans 11:13-26; Zechariah 12:10; Revelation 1:7).

The Apostles' politics: strangers and pilgrims
The Apostles treat this mixed community of Jews and Gentiles in exactly the same way as Jesus treated his first disciples. Peter, for example, goes on to say to them:
"Beloved, I beseech you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh that wage war against your soul. Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in case they speak against you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing right you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. Live as free men, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil; but live as servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God: Honour the emperor." (1 Peter 2:11-17)

This is the Christian's political charter. You live, Peter says, in a world controlled by non-Christians. They appoint the rulers, and they make the laws. It is your duty to keep their laws, and give them no ground for accusing you as lawbreakers. It is true that you, as Christians, have a far superior standing in God's sight to theirs, but you are not to use this to further lawless ends. Just as Jesus paid the temple tribute when he need not have done, so are you to remember that you serve God best by letting men see your humility and obedience.
Paul's attitude is the same. Every believer is to subject himself to the ruling powers, for conscience' sake, keeping their laws and paying their taxes (Romans 13:1-7). In doing this they are to show all meekness to all men and avoid contentions (Titus 3:1-2).

It is again more a question of atmosphere, at this point, than of word, but is it possible to imagine the apostles dwelling so pointedly on our duty of obedience to the powers that be, without coming to the instinctive conclusion that they, like the Lord Jesus, regard the powers that be as one thing, and the disciples as something other, different, and apart?
But it is more than a matter of atmosphere and instinct. The apostles freely give advice to disciples on how (1) masters should treat their servants; (2) servants should serve their masters; (3) subjects should obey their rulers. Why do they not tell rulers how to treat their subjects?

* Passages in support of this paragraph are too numerous to put in the text. They include: 1Peter 2:13-25; 3:1-7; Romans 13:1-10; Ephesians 5:22-23; Colossians 3:18-25; 4:1; 1 Timothy 2:1-2; 6:1-2, 17; 2 Timothy 2:24-25; Titus 3:1-2.

For they do not. There is not one word of advice to Christian magistrates or governments.
This quite extraordinary omission allows of only one conclusion: it did not enter into the mind of the Apostles that there could be such a thing as a Christian magistrate or government. The Christian would always remain a pilgrim in other peoples' worldly countries until his Lord should come to take the kingdom to himself. He might be a man of property, or be poor; he might be a master or a slave (or, nowadays well-nigh universally, a hired servant); but he would always be a subject, and for the silence speaks with unambiguous eloquence he would never be a ruler.
And the situation has not changed. There are superficial alterations in procedure, but few in substance. Kings are rarer, and presidents are elected; people think they have put their own governments into power, and are encouraged in the illusion that they are governing themselves. But governments remain things of this world, and the Christian's part in them is nil: outside them, his duty is to obey.

The modern Christian's politics
There is another way of putting this, of course. If this world is usurped by unbelieving men with whom the Christian should not join hand in hand in government (whether to govern, or to put the government into power), then the Christian himself looks to another government, and another Governor. To him, Jesus Christ is already King. If he is not yet acknowledged by the world, he is surely acknowledged by those whom he has bought with his blood. And for that reason the Christian has, at present, his "citizenship in heaven". There sits his King enthroned with the Father; thence he seeks his help and strength in time and need; to this place he looks for the signs of his king's return, when he will gladly go out, and meet, and serve him. For him to serve executively some other worldly ruler would be inconceivable.

The disciples are a "little flock" in a big and menacing world. Only the return of Jesus with his angels will put to right a world which "lieth in wickedness", and before then the Christian has to expect a situation in which evil gets worse, even governments themselves more corrupt, and a wicked conspiracy of worldly powers themselves will claim sovereignty over the minds and bodies of men, "whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his coming". No wonder that the Bible bids God's people "come and be separate" from such a Babylon as this! * Some of the evidence for these statements will be found in 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10; 2:3-12; Revelation 11:15-19; 17:1-18:24; Psalms 2 and 46; Daniel 2:44:2 Timothy 3:1-5.

When the Christian can break the law
The same Apostle Peter who tells us so plainly what the Christian duty is, and who forbids us to use the liberty which belongs to the disciples of Christ as an excuse for licence, did himself at one period of his life find himself obliged to flout the injunctions of the powers that be. And that was when they told him and the other apostles that they must no longer preach their faith. Then the painful choice arose: who takes priority? The worldly ruler, or the God we serve? And in that context Peter was in no doubt which was right:
"We must obey God rather than men!" (Acts 5:29; see 4:19)
which was exactly the position of the three men in the furnace, who told mighty King Nebuchadnezzar: " We will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up!" (Daniel 3:18). A Christian must not break the law to his own ends, but he must put the law of his God first if the powers of this world should presume to trespass on God's prerogative. But this still leaves him as the passive agent in the world's arrangements: in political matters the world sets the pace, and the Christian adjusts himself to its demands when his conscience towards God is satisfied.

When the Christian can use the law
Though this is not quite the same as involvement in politics, it is part of a related problem. The Christian does not make laws, and does not appoint those who do. Nor does he invoke the laws for his own personal advantage, otherwise the counsel of the Lord Jesus concerning suffering injustice, and Paul's about refraining from revenge (Matthew 5:38-42; 6:14-15; Romans 12:19-21) would be very difficult to sustain. And the Christian certainly does not invoke the law of the land to settle his disputes with his brothers (1 Corinthians 5:1-7). Paul observes very painfully that the Christian within his community is supposed to be in training for rulership in the Kingdom of God, and that it is a very poor testimonial to his progress if he has to go to the worldly judges, wash his dirty linen before them, and ask them to deal with matters too difficult for himself!

But the two occasions when Paul used his standing as a Roman to prevent himself being flogged (Acts 16:37-39), and to avoid a trial loaded against him in Jerusalem (Acts 25:9-12) were of a different kind. He sought harm to no-one else, but a simple right entrenched to him in the Roman code. In a similar way, if the law of our land provides for Christians a right of conscience, say, in times of war, or a right of remission of tax for certain charities or premises, the Christians are entitled to invoke the law to secure them: but none of this has anything to do either with law-making, or with using the law to gain victory over rivals and enemies.

But what about Joseph and Daniel?
It is all very well, it might be said, to speak as though the true believer is a pilgrim in other people's lands, without rights or participation in their administration. But Joseph became Grand Vizier in Egypt, and Daniel and his friends Viceroy and rulers in Babylon, so why cannot Christians? (Genesis 41:39ff; Daniel 1:19; 2:48-49; 3:30; 6:2, 28).
This is not easy. Joseph, doubtless, was used by God for the preservation of the infant race in times of trial, so that they might be able to go into the promised land at the appointed time. Daniel, too, was evidently God's instrument for His own purposes, perhaps even raised up to influence the mind of Cyrus of Persia to assist in the repatriation of Israel to Palestine (2 Chronicles 36:22-23). But in both cases the inspiration and direct guidance of God were evident in their interpretation and revelation. What God did through them in the days when He was preparing His chosen race, or preparing for their return, by the direct exercise of His power and wisdom, is not to be taken as any sort of precedent for our wilful flouting of our position as "strangers and pilgrims", in the days when there is no open vision. Our present task is to perfect a different sort of co-operation with existing authority:
"First of all, then, 1 urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way." (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

Our powers for good with the authorities over us are to be exercised through example, and through intercession with God on His throne of grace.

Petty politics
National politics are not, of course, the only problem. And as we reduce the scale of our interest, so do we reduce the evidence available to decide what we shall do. If we do not govern the nation, nor elect its government, may we govern the city and vote in local elections? If we do not make the laws nor try to be High Court judges, may we be magistrates or stipendiaries? If we may not actually pass the sentence, may we be members of the panel of "twelve good men and true'" who help to arrive at the verdict? If we should not join political parties, can we join Trade Unions or professional associations? And may we elect their committees: or stand on them?
It is hard to see that what applies to nations docs not apply So cities, so local politics come under the same axe. It is hard to see that magistrates, in Paul's sense of the term, does not include magistrates in our modern sense too, so being judges of any kind seems to be eliminated. (In any case, why, in our pilgrim position, should we want to hold such an office? There is so much of a more specifically Christian kind that we ought to be about.)

The jury problem will remain a vexed one for some time to come. That the law (in Britain) provides little opportunity of legal escape from jury service is not really relevant, for if such service were offensive to conscience it would come under Peter's "We ought to obey God rather than men'', whatever the consequences. What each one has to decide is whether weighing the evidence, and coming to a conclusion as to what took place, is the same thing as judging and administering the Law. And all that this essay has to say (notwithstanding some rather strong convictions on the part of its author) is. "Let every men be fully convinced in his own mind!" (Romans 14:5). Is one should, at ail events, despite the sensitive conscience which says that this involvement in the processes of official procedure is an odd thins for a "stranger and pilgrim" to be engaged in, and who thinks that the Christian, in such cases, might well echo the sentiments of his Lord and say, "Who made me a judge or divider over you?" (Luke 12:14).
And as for unions and associations and the like, we have no certain, or specific, word from the Lord. What each Christian man and woman has to decide is: If this post of mine demands a membership of a certain union, what does that involve? Is it merely paying a fee? (In this case I surely may forego that portion of my earnings). Is it supporting a party? (In that case I can surely opt out of the contribution to its funds.) Is it engaging in strikes or lock-outs? (In this case I can surely stay at my post for so long as practical circumstances allow.) And in that spirit he or she will make answer. But if the question is: Shall I agitate for certain political views, or fiscal rights, or whatever-it-might-be? Then the answer must surely be: No! I will not. And if membership of the union or association in question involves this I will refuse, and seek my livelihood somewhere else. More specific advice than that it is, in this writer's view, impossible to give. Hard heart-searching, followed by compassionate understanding, seems to be needed here.
Only one other qualification can be offered: if the Christian is invited to associate himself executively with such activities he will do well to refuse: for if he consents he will find it hard to escape involvement in the politics, coercion, and pressures of political movements, and this is not for the servant of the Lord, who "must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, forbearing, correcting his opponents with gentleness" (2 Timothy 2:24).

Is not this merely negative?
By no means. It is, of course, possible for the one who would opt out of his responsibilities, to call himself a Christian and abstain from every good work on that account. It is no less possible for those who would earn a Christian reputation for himself to join the ranks of the "do-gooders", and compromise his Christian faith in the unique salvation offered in Jesus Christ. But it is also possible for one who wants to maintain untainted loyalty to the Gospel of salvation in Jesus, to exercise in his private life the compassion, selflessness, and concern for the wellbeing of those in need, which will preserve its due sense of proportion and, knowing the inevitable frustration of human endeavours to right the world, will say to the spiritually lame,
"In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!"

The Christadelphian, 404 Shaftmoor Lane, Birmingham B28 8SZ
1970