Letters to the Editor

Rewards of Bribes?

Dear Brother Don,

Greetings in our one hope!

I saw this in the Oct., 1990 “Good Housekeeping” magazine and thought it was interesting in light of your letters regarding rewarding children in meeting.

“Offering kids rewards may seem like a surefire way to them to ‘do the right thing.’ But some researchers think a child’s generosity may actually be inhibited by rewards. In a recent study, kids aged seven to 11 were asked to help in a hospital. Some were rewarded with a toy; others were not. Those who received toys worked hardest. However, when rewards were later stopped, many of the kids who had been on the receiving end did no work at all!” Good Housekeeping, Oct., 1990, pg. 84.

Love in Christ,
Sis. Miriam Brittle,
Gaithersburg, MD

A system of immediate reward for doing good can be counter-productive because God does not work that way. In fact, sometimes, like Joseph, we do right but trouble ensues. If we are to prepare our chil­dren for a life of discipleship, we need to let them know when they are doing right without offering a reward every time. However, the judicious use of an incentive can get them pointed in a right direction. After all, they are children and think like chil­dren. Can we be sufficiently discriminating to sense when a small reward is appropriate?

Principle or Pragmatism

Dear Bro. Styles,

I am concerned about the brother’s article defining pragmatism, and even with the responses printed concerning it.

Both things were right to appear if only to “correct and instruct” the brother so that he might be “fully fitted for every good work.”

There is nothing wrong with being a pragmatic person, when the person is disciplined as a “a man of God,” II Tim. 3:16-17, two verses that define godly negotiations. Note that Paul had instructed and admonished Timothy about worldly prag­matism: “No one serving as a soldier entangles himself with the pragma­tism of living so that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier” (II Tim. 2:4). [The Greek for “affairs” in KJV is pragmateia.]

The Lord Jesus Christ was not only a pragmatic man but he was a spiritually pragmatic man. At age 12, Jesus was about his Father’s “business” (Luke 2:49).

My dictionary’s definition of pragmatism is: “In philosophy, the doctrine that ideas have value only in terms of their practical consequences, and that results are the sole test of the validity or truth of one’s beliefs.” This definition falls short of the scriptural definition only in that it does not take into consideration a concern for any spiritual bene­fit or consequence.

Now the Lord used the word (or its Hebrew equivalent, if someone insists) when he commanded, “Occupy until I come.” The Greek is pragmatuomai; literally, to pragma­tize; to be daily busy; to be practical; to become skilled “about (my) Father’s business.” Negotiate with people with the Word of God.

It is not only physical “work” that the Lord first requires us to do, i.e., believe; be baptized. We are first required to accept a good conscience (by being taught in the Word) toward God, which is a work of the Spirit. Our own spirit’s work is recorded in heaven and will be rewarded when the Lord returns to judge his people. Any further “good works” should follow the seal of His “earnest” upon a man. This is being practical! We can’t “save” the other fellow if we ourselves are not yet “saved,” as illustrated in the context of Acts 2:40.

Sincerely,
Lois Griffith, Moorestown, NJ

Liddell & Scott’s Greek Lexicon defines pragmateia as follows: “#I. the careful prosecution of an affair or business, diligent study, hard work… #II. an undertaking, occupation, business…” The word is only used in II Tim. 2:4 and a variation thereof in Luke 19:13.

We welcome your comments. In these last days of crumbling standards and sloppy ways, we all need (editors included) to be reminded to be careful and diligent (pragmatic in its good sense) in our approach to scripture.

Jew and Arab

(The following letter is continued from last month. Sis. Christine is making the point that there are several passages which support the idea of an Arab invasion of Israel before the Lord’s return. Last month, we had room to include her comments regarding Ezekiel 35 and 36. She continues with comments on Joel 3).

Joel 3 – a prophecy against “all nations” gathered against Israel in the last days.

As stated in Bro. Perks’ letter in the October “Tidings,” “all” is often used in a surprisingly limited context in scripture – one only has to look through a concordance for examples. For example, I would think that none of us would believe that “all that are in the graves shall hear (Jesus’) voice” (John 5:28) teaches a universal resurrection considering the limitations given elsewhere, e.g. Daniel 12:2. The antagonistic na­tions actually identified in the chap­ter – Tyre, Sidon, all the coasts of Palestine (v.4), and Egypt and Edom (v.19) are all Arab. In v.12, the oppressors are described as the na­tions “round about.”

  1. Arab invasion of Israel – vs.2 (maybe), 3-6, 19.
  2. Temporarily successful – vs. 2, 3,5-6, 19.
  3. Judgment against them by God – vs. 2,4, 7-8, 11-14, 16.
  4. Indications that this is fulfilled in the last days – vs.17-21.

It is not possible to write these passages off as having already been fulfilled in the past. While they very probably have at one time received a partial, primary fulfillment, for each prophecy, verses are listed to show that the main fulfillment can only take place in the last days with the return of Christ.

May all of these events happen soon and bring the fulfillment of all of our hopes!

Your sister by grace,
Christine Parker, Austin, TX

Joel 3:5-6 and the latter part of v.2 are fulfilled (cf. Amos 1:6-10; Ezk. 26:2 and the continued attitude of Gentiles to Jews.) The verses present part of the divine indictment of the Gentiles which explains God’s dire judgments that will come upon them.

Putting aside every use of “all” as being limited is a dangerous exegetical practice; we thereby make it virtually impossible for the spirit to tell us when “all” truly is in mind. The fact that “all nations” are included in Joel 3 is revealed by the repeated use of the Hebrew goi which is the basic word for Gentiles (v. 2 “nations” twice, v.8 “people,” v.9 “Gentiles,” v.11 “heathen,” and v.12 “heathen” twice) and the repetition of all-inclusive language in vs. 2,9,11.

The invader described by Joel is linked to the Gogian invader by several phrases: Joel 2:2// Ezk. 38:4-6, 9, 15; 2:4 // 38:15; 2:11 // 38:16; 2:18 // 38:18-19; 2:20 // 38:6, 15, 39:2; 2:20 // 39:11.

Joel 3:4 gives specific attention to Tyre, Zidon and Philistia (Palestine) because of their historically close association with Israel. While they might wish differently, that association will not spare them divine judgment because their spiteful treatment of the Jews will not be ignored by God.

In Joel 3:19, the context is the kingdom age when Egypt will not be a desolation (cf. Isa. 19:23-25) and Edom will not exist (Ezk. 35:14). Therefore these names are here used symbolically of religious darkness and Gentile opposition to divine rule.

The Early Return of Christ to the Household

Dear Bro. Don,

Regarding Ezekiel 38 & 39 – are they pre-adventure or post-adventure?

A recent studious re-reading of these chapters seems to this writer to indicate they are timed for the threshold of the Lord’s return to the world as opposed to his thief-like advent to the household prior to this.

It is important to note that the fiery judgments on the Gogian hosts and their allies are not the work of Jesus and his saints. They are rather “an act of God” to use a legal phrase. A violent storm in Ezk. 38:22 is pictured as the obvious source of divine judgment. This is compounded by “every man’s sword shall be against his brother” in all the confusion (v.21).

Verses that follow state the reason for it being the personal action and triumph of the Lord of heaven. Notice its desired effect in v.23: “I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.”

Ezk. 39 begins with a recap of Gog’ s destruction by the LORD and enlarges (in v.6) on the fiery judgments as extending to those who dwell carelessly (of God) in the isles, with the effect on the Gentile and Israeli nations that they shall know that the God of Israel is at work (v.7).

Up to this time, Israel was living in self-sufficiency and prosperity, oblivious of the true “Hope of Is­rael.”

This miraculous, obviously direct intervention by God, in the middle of Jerusalem’s imminent destruction, we suggest, is the first open and unmistakable act of divine intervention in world affairs, both to Jew and Gentile. Note vs.21 &22 “And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them. So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.” (The rest of Ezk. 39 should now be read.)

At this traumatic juncture, it follows that much re-education and an introduction to their Messiah is an urgent and immediate need for Israel. Only he can tell them what happened and why. These details are given in a recapitulation in Zech. 12.

Zech. 12:3,4,9 provides the link to Ezekiel 39. There follows in the rest of Zech. 12 the full revelation of him whom they rejected and pierced and their total self-abnigation and mourning that will bring them that fountain of cleansing “for sin and for uncleanness” (Zech. 13:1).

Zech. 14:1-2 again recap the brink of disaster that will encompass Jerusalem. Zech. 14:3-5 describe the next work of the Lord. They describe the Lord’s going forth to fight those nations as when He fought in the day of battle, its impact on the nations, and “the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.”

Parallel passages of this conquering lion of Judah are to be found in such quotes as Psa. 2; Psa. 149 :5-9; Isa. 66:15-16; Rev. 2:26-29; Rev. 11:18; Rev. 17:14; Rev. 19:11-16 (and in Rev. 19:17-18 a recap of Ezk. 39:17-22). See also Jesus’ words in Matt. 24:27-28 – “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.” (Note the shades of Ezk. 39:17-29.)

The suggestion, then, is that by tying Ezk. 38 and 39 with Zechariah’ s prophecy in chapters 12,13,14 we have the order of events as we espoused at the beginning as to Je­sus’ advent to the world.

To sum up, it follows that for Christ to burst upon the world and Israel with his lightning-like role immediately after the destruction of Gog, his thief-like advent to the household must have occurred somewhat earlier so as to have an army of the accepted saints with him to follow-up the destruction of Gog. Since the deliverance from Gog necessitates an immediate explanation to the Jews to tell them where they stand in relation to their God, Zech. 12-14 fall naturally into this place. In order for Christ to come with the glorified saints to humble Israel and follow-up with judgments on the world’s armies, his thief-like advent to the household for judgment and reward must have preceded the Gogian invasion.

So then, Ezk. 38 & 39 is post­adventual (after Christ’s return) to the saints and pre-adventual to natural Israel and the world’s nations.

Norman Brimer, Hamilton, ONT

We basically agree with the above scenario. However, we feel the divine judgments upon Gog are executed by Christ and the saints in God’s name. One of the blessings of the faithful is to be included in the Yahweh name (Rev. 3:12). Another of their blessings is to be the instrument of God in manifesting His judgmental glory upon the nations (Psa. 149:4-9 “the meek…execute vengeance upon the heathen…to execute upon them the judgment written.”) We feel Ezk. 39:8 indicates the events revealed in Ezk. 38 & 39 are part of the great divine judgments encompassed in this blessing to the saints. Their instruments of warfare will be the divine instruments of storm, plague, earthquake and confusion of the enemy as the angels use in this dispensation.

Opportunities to Preach

Dear Brother Don,

Hearty greetings.

There is presently much interest being shown in the brotherhood’s periodicals in the biblical and prophetic significance of German reunification. And rightly so.

However, there is one aspect that is being overlooked. This was vividly brought home to me when I was privileged to represent Jamaica and the U.N. at a large congress of several thousand environmental and space scientists in Dresden, Germany just a couple of days after reunification. Right opposite the Stalinist-style Palace of Culture where the congress was held is the half-rebuilt historic Kreuzkirche, still black from the U.S.-British fire-bombing of February, 1945.  I followed hundreds and hundreds of young people into this building; they filled every corner, even up the tower. They went to thank God for the ending of the atheist nightmare.

It was celebrated by simple Bible readings, shared between a 19 year-old and an older man. At one point,as the young man read Psalm 126: “When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing…” the whole vast congregation burst into a song of praise.

Equally remarkable was the key ­note address at the Congress by a famous Soviet scientist, representing a supposedly atheistic nation, which began with a quotation from Genesis and went on to give a review of the political, environmental and moral “signs of the times” which would have done justice to any Christadel­phian platform. He concluded by stressing that no world peace was possible without righteousness and a world government committed to justice and equality (Psalm 72).

A moving event was the last concert conducted by the late Leonard Bernstein a few days before his death, likewise to thank God for reunification and the end of the Marxist horror. It was quite the most thrilling performance by choir and orchestra that I have heard in over 50 years as a music lover, and quite evidently the greatest event in the famous conductor’s career. At the conclusion of the finale, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Lamb of God, have mercy on us and give us peace,” there was no applause as I expected, but Bernstein lifted his hands towards heaven and the thousands present bowed their heads in total silence as the bell in the tower of the old baroque church rang slowly as if to petition the Almighty to answer the prayer.

My point is this: we are eager to see some political significance which will tally with our prophetic views. But are we as eager to see and seize an opportunity before us, an open door? Are we as eager to offer our Bible-based faith to those who, wearied with godlessness, crave the Word of God which they have been denied for decades? And do so before western materialism overwhelms this hunger and thirst after righteousness?

Did not our Lord himself say, “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a wit­ness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matt. 24:14)?

With love in our great hope,
Alan Eyre, Jamaica, West Indies

Thank you, Bro. Alan, for pricking the conscience of each one of us.

While we pray for the soon return of our Lord when the light of the Truth will flood the world to every corner, we surely have opportunities now which are crying to be answered. The opportunity may be next door, in our own home or in a distant land. God grant us the vigor and the willing hearts needed to take advantage of fields that are ripe for the harvesting.

In the case of a united Germany, and more freedom of religion, our German brethren now have a greater opportunity to witness to the population of former East Germany.

How to End Prayers

Dear Bro. Don,

Greetings in our Lord Jesus.

Bro. Washington’s letter and your reply in the July “Tidings” made an interesting point that, perhaps, some of us do not give as much thought to this subject as we should. As the brother observed, many Chris­tadelphian prayers do end with the phrase, “in Jesus’ name.” In watching personal phraseology since then, it was discovered that the ending most frequently used was, “in Jesus’ name.” However, it was intermingled with, “in the name of Jesus Anointed” (the English equivalent of Christ/Messiah) or “in the name of Your Beloved Son,” or “in the Savior’s name.”

In your reply, you made a good case for ending a prayer by invoking the fuller name, “Jesus Christ” in one of three alternative ways. But while it may be more doctrinally correct, isn’t there a danger that one may then fall into the habit of using the same title without giving any thought to what is being said? An experience of some 50 or 60 years ago comes to mind: a phrase nearly always used in the concluding prayer of the memorial service was, “Lord, dismiss us with Thy blessing, fill our hearts with joy and peace.” Everyone knew it was coming.

Would it not, therefore, be more fitting if the individual made a conscious effort while offering the prayer through our advocate, Jesus or Jesus Christ, or both, to make reference to some different feature of his honored position: e.g. “our Mediator,” “our Sacrifice,” etc.

These suggestions are not intended to take away from the value of the point you two brethren made, but rather to keep ourselves from falling into a thoughtless parrot-like repetition of words. It should certainly stimulate our awareness of how we pray.

Yours in Christ,
Ashley Higham, Bloomington, IN

Your suggestion is good. There is always the danger of slipping into a meaningless repetition in prayer. Constantly striving for unique phrasing, however, can result in wording that is not accurate or appropriate. A proper balance needs to be maintained.

Concerned about “Tidings”

Dear Brother Don,

Greetings in the hope we share.

I am concerned with the focus of the “Christadelphian Tidings” magazine. The attention is on: 1. Should we celebrate Christmas? 2. Should we watch football? 3. Should we play competitive sports?

You seem to have replaced the Old Testament with another old testament. To this Jesus says, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices – mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness” (Matt. 23:23).

Yours in Christ,
Stephanie Ann Kercel,
Alexandria, VA

We always appreciate useful criticism. Where appropriate, we would not hesitate to apologize and make necessary adjustments. In this case, however, we do not feel any change is called for.

Suggestions regarding the topics referred to were not presented as irrevocable dictum’s but were offered as helpful comments on real issues of daily life. True, the specific matters discussed might be trivial to some but they are not to others. Furthermore, a discussion of sports-related activities involves principles that can be applied to all forms of entertainment which present serious problems to disciples in western societies.

The Truth is more than a set of right doctrines, it is a life to be lived, all the time, every day. The chances are far greater that we will be rejected for not doing justice, mercy and truth, than for not acknowledging these principles as right. All around us, society espouses belief in God and acceptance of His guidance but proceeds to practice sin whenever right conduct is too inconvenient, unpleasant or costly. We feel that is a great danger for the brotherhood and, Lord willing, will continue to address practical matters and contemporary issues.

Ecclesial participation overemphasized

Dear Don,

Upon reading your editorial en­titled “Sacrificing Children,” (Oct., 1990), I am compelled to write and express myself concerning your comments.

I am in full agreement with your thoughts as far as the purposeful neglect of our children’s needs (spiritual), and will even agree this neglect is as serious as the “passing through the fire” which the Israelites performed with their offspring.

I take exception, however, when you equate service to YHWH with ekklesial [sic] attendance. These are not synonymous activities, nor should be spoken of as such.

I realize why you feel they are. Any organization which has failed their people in the past, and/or continues to do so today, must find a reason for non-attendance of the masses, low interest levels in relation to special events, “grumbling” and “complaining” which seems incessant, a high percentage of brethren lost to other churches and/or religions, and the like. It is difficult to accept responsibility for these problems, so the old excuses and finger of-blame get resurrected time-and ­again as explanations for the organization’s shortcomings. This cannot continue if Christadelphia wants to be a “beacon of God’s light” in these times of peril and trouble.

As for non-attendance at Bible class, maybe if Christadelphia studied more from the Bible and less from the works of their brethren, attendance at such functions would increase. And as for isolation, many find ekklesial [sic] life (?) extremely difficult because the demands of Christadelphia to conform to its quaint and outdated mode of worship and uniformity overshadow the love and mercy of God’s truth. Of course, whenever someone disagrees with the mainstream, they are labeled “makers of division” and “schismatic.” This is not unlike governments who type and categorize any/all dissidents in order to make them fearful to the masses and thereby alienated. This strategy works quite well, as history has proven. In fact, the Jews found it of much avail when dealing with those who would proclaim Jesus as the Christed-one (see John 9:22 & 12:42). This is what earned them the title “synagogue of Satan” in the book of Revelation.

And as far as forming relation­ships outside the ekklesia [sic] , I know of many children who were “raised” in the ekklesial [sic] halls of Christadelphia and are in terrible shape mentally and spiritually. They do not now, nor ever did, need religion; they need the Truth of YHWH in their lives. Children need to know this Truth we profess is real and living, not a mere religious catechism which they must put to memory in order to take a ceremonial bath.

Remember, at Messiah’s appearance, all religion shall crumble, including Christadelphia. The only reason it won’t fall prior to Catholicism is if the Lord destroys them in anglo-alphabetical order.

Let’s raise our children in the image of Messiah that they may reflect the Father. This is sufficient to meet their needs for this life, and will give them opportunity to join the ranks of all those who serve in truth and righteousness.

In Jacob’s hope,
Hank Mason, Lancaster, CA

Because of the autonomous nature of our ecclesias, it could be that some have deteriorated to merely formalistic worship while others are vigorous, true lightstands. The Lord’s evaluation of the seven ecclesias in Asia indicated a great range of spiritual conditions even though they were all geographically close to each other. The great difference between Christadelphia and the apostasy around us is our attestation of right doctrine. If the ecclesia with which we are associated holds to the statement of faith but is suffering from spiritual malaise, our duty is to help improve its condition, not categorize it with the apostasy.

Ecclesial association is not a Christadelphian idea, it is God’s idea. We are not only baptized into Christ, we are also “baptized into one body…for as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ” (I Cor. 12:12,13).

There are times when ecclesial association will be tiresome, irritating or hurtful. That is irrelevant to our continued membership and is actually good for our spiritual development. How will we learn persistence unless we have long-term problems that we must work at for a long time? Ecclesial life sometimes provides such problems. If we run away from them, we are running away from an opportunity to be developed for administering the affairs of the kingdom. The personalities of some people in the ecclesia may be difficult for us to cope with. In dealing with them, we develop patience, forbearance and forgiveness, all qualities we will need to guide mortals into godliness in the age to come.

Ecclesial life may have its problems, but it is a great training ground for the saints. Don’t leave or scorn it.

Jew and Arab

Dear Brother Don,

I would like to attempt an answer to the letter written by Bro. Harry Perks concerning a future invasion of an Arab confederacy into the land of Israel.

I agree with Bro. Harry when he states, “repentance is what Israel needs,” but I cannot agree with his conclusion that this is to be brought about by an Arab invasion of Israel. In I believe that scripture points us in the other direction. Zechariah 12:9-11 states, “And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one that mourneth for his only son. ..in that day shall there be great a mourning in Jerusa­lem…” In Ezekiel 39:22, after the destruction of the Gogian host, it says, “So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.” There are more passages that! could quote, but these should suffice for now.

With respect to Psalm 83, I have yet to be presented with proof that this psalm is a latter-day prophecy! Bro. HA. Whittaker says, “Doesn’t the last verse of this psalm require reference to the last days?” (his emphasis). “That men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most high over all the earth.” (Psa. 83:18). No, the last verse does not require this psalm to be concerning the last days! Phrases like this occur all through the book of Ezekiel: 

  1. Prophesying of the destruction of Israel in 586 B.C. (Ezk. 6:7).
  2. Ezekiel being a sign to Israel (24:24).
  3. The prophecy of the destruction of Tyre (26:6; 28:1-19).
  4. The invasion and desolation of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar (29:6; 30:19).
  5. The destruction of Mt. Seir by Babylon (35:9).

These are just a few examples of the phrases as they occur in Ezekiel.

As for the ten confederate countries listed in Psalm 83:

  1. Amalek was totally destroyed in the days of Hezekiah (I Chron. 4:41-42) and the area they once held (same area as Edom) is now Israeli occupied.
  2. The Philistines were not Arabs but Aryan, according to archaeologists and historians like M.F. Unger, and therefore cannot make up an Arab They have disappeared from the pages of history and the land they once occupied (the Gaza strip) is now occupied by Israel.
  3. Gebal is non-existent and the area they lived in (Southern Palestine) is occupied by Israel.
  4. Edom as a nation no longer exists and the land in which they, at one time, lived is now southern Israel.

This eliminates four of the ten right off! We can fairly confidently say that this psalm cannot pertain to the last days.

Psalm 79 can apply to any of the enemies that overran Israel, or that will, like Gog.

I would like to suggest that if Bro. Harry would compare Zech. 14:2 with Rev. 16:14-16, he would understand what is meant by “all na­tions.” I would also ask if Bro . Harry reads passages such as Deut. 28:65; Jer. 29:18; Isa. 66:18-20; Mal. 3:12 as solely Arabs where the very same word is used for “nations”?

I think Bro. Harry’s comments on Ezk. 38-39 are covered very well by Bro. John Bilello in his letter (“Tidings,” Oct. 1990). Bro. Joe Banta (Oct. 1990) also emphasizes in an excellent manner our position of prophecy concerning the last days!

Thank you for hearing me out.

Bro. Matthew D. Smith,
Brantford, ONT

Bro. Matt makes some excellent points. There is no ambiguity about Ezk. 38-39 and Zech. 12-14 being latter day prophecies. In both cases, Israel is victorious over a mighty invader and is a converted people from that day forward. Since the time of Ezekiel and Zechariah, that has not happened. Furthermore, the wording of Ezk. 39:22 is meaningless if Israel had been converted for years under the rulership of Christ and the saints. The verse links Ezekiel 38-39 with Zech. 12-14 as being different versions of the same events which occur before Christ and the saints establish themselves in Israel.

Incidentally, Bro. Tony Benson recently noted in the “Testimony” an excellent point in regard to this discussion. The Gogian host is destroyed by an earthquake that causes tremendous damage throughout the Middle East and the whole world, “…the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground” (Ezk. 38:20). If Christ were already enthroned in Jerusalem, that would mean any reconstruction begun under his guidance would be destroyed.

Dear Brother Don,

While the correspondence about last days prophecy over the last few months has been very interesting, I feel that the choice of the Biblical evidence debated has been rather lopsided. In your editorial in the September issue, you raised Psa. 83 as the “most often quoted” passage in support of an Arab invasion of Israel before the Lord’s return. But since then, it seems tacitly to have been presented as the only passage supporting that view. This is by no means true. Of many passages on the subject, I would like to raise the following as showing that the hatred displayed in Psa. 83 finds its fulfillment in a temporarily successful Arab invasion of Israel, a conquest that subjugates the pride of Israel and leads to their repentance, and the return of the Lord to deliver them.

Ezekiel 35 – a prophecy against Mount Seir (Edom).

  1. Arab invasion of Israel – vs. 5,10,12,13,15.
  2. Temporarily successful – vs. 5,15.
  3. Judgment against them by God (not by Israel’s military prowess) – vs. 3-4,6-9,11,14-15.
  4. Indications that this is fulfilled in the last days.

v.14 – “when the whole earth re­joiceth, I will make thee desolate” – when will this be but in the kingdom?

v.5 – The translations vary, but each has the idea of the time of the end, either the end of Israel’s trouble, or their punishment.

Ezekiel 36- a prophecy to the mountains of Israel.

  1. Arab invasion of lsrael – vs. 2 -6,15 .
  2. Temporarily successful – vs. 2- 6,15 .
  3. Judgment against them by God – vs. 5-7.
  4. Indications that this is fulfilled in the last days: vs. 12,14,15 “no more…any more…” This is the last defeat for Israel before the kingdom.

It is not possible to write these pas­sages off as having already been fulfilled in the past. While they very probably have at one time received a partial, primary fulfillment, for each prophecy verses are listed to show that the main fulfillment can only take place in the last days with the return of Christ.

May all of these events happen soon, and bring the fulfillment of all of our hopes!

Your sister by grace,
Christine Parker, Austin, 7X

Sis. Christine also included a section on Joel 3 which we will print next month, Lord willing.

The key to a right understanding of Ezk. 35 & 36 is Ezk. 37 and the figure of the valley of dry bones. Israel’s restoration and the punishment of her enemies does not happen in a day nor is it all accomplished after our Lord’s return. As we have seen, part of the restoration has already occurred. In like manner, part of the punishment of her Arab neighbors is occurring before our eyes. It has basically happened to Jordan and the Sinai desert part of Egypt (Edom) and is continuing in Lebanon (Tyre and Sidon). Now it will probably occur to Iraq (Assyria). We anticipate the allied force now in Arabia will devastate Iraq. God often uses nations to accomplish His judgments. As He did in the past with Assyria and Babylon, so in our lifetime He has used Israel and others against some Arab states. All of this does not negate the traditional approach to Ezk. 38 & 39 but simply provides greater detail about the days in which we live.