Letters to the Editor

Racial and Ethnic Comments

Dear Bro. Don,

Greetings in the one hope!

We have greatly enjoyed the “Tidings” over the years and pray that the information, advice, comments and correspondence can continue until the time when we no longer need it. We are writing because of a problem that we don’t really know how to address any other way without hurting or offending anyone. For that reason, we request you not publish our name at the end.

There is a disturbing tendency among us that we feel should be brought to everyone’s attention. It is the inflamma­tory things we hear against other races from a very few of our brothers and sisters.

We don’ t feel that it is usually done on purpose, but we truly need to be transformed and totally renew our minds. We need to be sensitive regarding all things that we do and say, even those things we may consider cliches. Even saying things in the form of humor seems, to us, just a cover-up, as though humor makes it acceptable to say negative things about our fellow humans.

God created us all equal. In His kingdom, there is no division of race. We are told that there is no Jew or Greek, that we are all one in Christ. So the things that are said– be they in the form of humor or cliches, or old expressions and ways of thinking — are things that we should not think about. They simply are not edifying, nor do they present us as keeping unspotted from the world. We need to think on those things which are honest and true, pure and lovely.

We simply hope that by having this published, people may become more aware of what they say.

Many times we have wanted to say something in person; but by the time we realized the hurt of what had been said, it was too late. That was mainly so because racial and ethnic comments are often quite subtle.

We need to remember that God is the potter and we are the clay. We should delight in the variety He has created.

Much love in Christ,
A sister

Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith

(See the related article by Mark Drabenstott in this issue.)

Dear Don,

We wish to communicate to your readers our concern about the confusion that exists in differentiating between Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith and [another group by the identical name] Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith. A recent announcement in the October, 1992 issues of “The Advocate,” “The Tidings” and “The Watchman” illustrates the problem. The ad was for a debate on “The Devil and Satan” between a Christadelphian and Mark Morrison who is identified as a member of Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith. Mr. Morrison is not from any congregation affiliated with us. Unfortunately, your readers may now get the impression that all congregations labeled Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith believe in a personal devil.

The many Christadelphians with whom we associate know this is not true, but we are concerned that those who do not know us may get a false impression. We, along with Christadelphians, believe that “the devil” is a Bible metaphor describing human nature.

Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith congregations in Chesterland (Cleveland), Unionville and Salem, OH; Gainesville and Miami, FL; Perryville, KY and Roll, IN are not associated with the Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith that used to have their headquarters at Oregon, IL (the so-called Oregon Conference). Our seven congregations, along with Christadelphians from across the U.S., Canada and England, attend a Bible school (The Gathering) at Kenyon College each August. Our congregations use many Christadelphian materials (hymn books, literature, teaching aids, tapes, etc.).

We are considering possible solutions to distinguish our congregations from those of the Oregon Conference. We wish to maintain our identity without the confusion that now exists.

Your brothers in Christ,
Curtis Ross, Brian Ross, John Linsen­meier,
Mark Samsonas, Cleveland, OH

Why I Kings 13?

A question from the Manitoulin Youth Conference.

Why is I Kings 13 included in the Bible and what are the lessons we can learn from it?

The chapter is introduced by a phrase in the last verse of the preceding chapter: “Which he had devised in his own heart” (I Kgs. 12:33).

The phrase alludes to the religion established by Jeroboam, first king of the northern kingdom of Israel. His religion was a worship of Yahweh, God of Israel, but designed according to Jeroboam’s own ideas. He changed the location of worship from Jerusalem to Bethel and Dan. He changed the priests from Levites to any who wanted the job and changed the time of the feast of tabernacles.

Why should this matter? What is so important about where or when or through whom we worship just as long as we worship? The difference is that God commanded one and not the other. Isn’t this arbitrary? It may seem arbitrary to us but God is the one whom we are to worship and He is the one who sets down the terms of right worship.

In I Kings 13, the unnamed prophet was given arbitrary commands. On his mission to speak the word of Yahweh to Jeroboam, he was to eat nothing, drink nothing and go home by a different way from that by which he had arrived (v. 9). What was the virtue in such a procedure? It prevented fellowship with Jeroboam, thus making clear God’s rejection of the king’s conduct (v.7-8) and it protected the prophet from being attacked on the way home. But what if refreshment was to be enjoyed with someone else, such as another prophet? (vs.11-19). That might sound reasonable but it was not according to “the word of the LORD.” No matter how arbitrary the word of the Lord might seem, he must obey it or die (v. 24).

The key phrase in this chapter is “the word of the LORD” which occurs in vs. 1,2,5,9,17,18,20,26(2),32 and equivalent phrases in vs. 3 and 21. That is 12 times in one chapter. Accordingly, the reason the chapter is included in scripture is to underscore the exhortation: Are we going to follow the word of God or the devices of our own hearts?

No exhortation could be more applicable to our own times. Are we going to honor marriage vows? Are we going to abstain from fornication and adultery? The world around us says, “Do it your way!” Our own affections and lusts agree with the world. But the word of the Lord says one man, one woman for life. That may seem arbitrary to us but it is “the word of the LORD.”

Some religions say that any sincere belief will save us. But “the word of the LORD” says there is only one way to be saved and that is through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Which will we follow?

I Kings 13 thus sets forth a basic exhortation that must be heeded by any person who seeks to worship God.

Divorced Before Baptism

Dear Bro. Don,

Loving greetings in the hope we share.

There is a topic of disagreement among brethren today that is felt so strongly that it has caused a division in an eccle­sia. It is the belief that single believers cannot marry if they were married and divorced before they came to a knowledge of the Truth.

Brethren who believe this say that it is the marriage vow made before baptism that the believer is held accountable to. I have always believed that it is the knowledge of the Truth that makes us accountable. Does an unbeliever who makes a vow in marriage truly understand the beautiful type of the glorious marriage to come? Would we be accountable to every vow that we had made while in the world, such as to the armed services, etc.? Does God recognize every vow that this perverse world makes?

Before we came to a knowledge of the Truth, we were in darkness and ignorance and without hope. Is it right to believe that at baptism all is forgiven and is washed away except for a marriage and divorce that was done in ignorance?

It is very sad to me, that in these last days when we all need each other for strength and guidance, that this issue has to tear the body apart. Our fellowship is so precious and should not be taken for granted or thrown away. It is a matter of opinion among brethren and should not be forced upon the ecclesia to make a stand on it.

I would really appreciate a response to this letter, as it has been a very disturbing trial we are having to face.

Much love in Christ,
Your Sister

The key to correct ecclesial action in the situation you present is the absence of direct scriptural admonition on this specific circumstance. Normally arguments from silence are ineffective. That truism does not apply, however, in the case before us, “For where no law is, there is no transgression” (Rom. 4:15; 5:13, etc.). Before we accuse someone of transgression, we need to have clear divine revelation on the matter.

There are many issues where we do not have specific instruction. In such cases, we must apply principles to guide our conduct. But on the major questions, we have clear pronouncements.

Consequently, the absence of a direct command restricting the freedom of a single, divorced convert to remarry after baptism is critical in rightly answering this question.

If Paul could say to the Corinthians that “such were some of you” after listing off adulterers, fornicators, etc., (I Cor. 6:9-11), there can be no doubt that many of the new converts were single, divorced people. Were they told not to remarry in the Lord? No, they are not!

The general advice given to all of us upon coming to the Truth is, “Let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God” (I Cor. 7:24). The general advice is applied to freedom or slavery, circumcised or not and single or married. That is, however, advice, not a commandment. Paul makes it clear that we do not sin if we cannot be celibate, “I speak this by permission, and not by commandment…if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn” (vs. 6-9).

You have probably heard I Corinthians 7 debated with respect to the very situation you present. Our suggestion would be to read the chapter from the standpoint of the single, divorced converts who had opportunity to marry in the Lord and found living alone an oppressive physical, emotional, financial and spiritual burden. They would be looking for a clear prohibition to marry. They would not find it and where there is no commandment, there is no sin.

Some may feel we should impose the highest possible standard and they build their case on the lofty principles to which we all subscribe. That is fine to do to ourselves. It is not fine if we do it to others. We do not enhance our own godliness by imposing prohibitions where there are none in scripture. If we do impose on others burdens too difficult to bear, we can destroy them and endanger our own salvation.

“No Visitors” Was Correct

Dear Bro. Don:

We read your November editorial: “No Visitors” and then stood on a chair and cheered! Brother, you hit the nail on the head! You should have printed in capitals, bold type and underlined the words: “Those ecclesias which are vigorous in special efforts, lectures and campaigns, regularly have more baptisms than those which are not. Yet the baptisms rarely come from the special efforts.”

For years our ecclesia has held regular house-to-house distribution every six weeks. We cover half the city of Vernon (2500 homes) once, then the other half the second time. We have extended this work to Kelowna (30 miles away) and have covered homes for 65,000 people. In the Herald of the Kingdom we distribute, we insert a slip advertising the next public lecture. Do we have any response? Practically none! (Incidentally, this is in addition to our Project Okanagan kit mailing.)

But people occasionally come out of the woodwork to our public lectures. Yahweh sends them because He is calling out of the Gentiles a people for His name. Last month, the phone in the Kelowna hall rang half-way through the lecture — a stranger was on, apologizing because he could not make the lecture and asking for someone to call on him. Recently in Vernon a perfect stranger phoned: “How come you have a lecture on the Jews? What do you know about the Jews? Can someone come round and see me?” Years ago when we had a Sunday School of 100 Gentile students (trying to teach them the Truth), a knock on the door Sunday morning revealed a young woman with four impeccably dressed small children in tow. “I understand you have a good Sunday School here: may I bring my children?” We looked at her for a moment, made a deep bow and said: “Madam, come o-o-o-n in!” A few years later, the husband dumped the family to live with a teenager. The family moved to a different town, the mother remarried and then took up again her search for the Truth. She was baptized and later her eldest daughter as well. The seed took a little longer to germinate. Readers can multiply these examples by the hundreds.

Earlier this year, and out of the blue, an older man showed up at a lecture. Talking to him, we learned he was very ill. We visited his apartment and could not believe what we saw. He had no bed, no table, only one chair and nothing else. His apartment was bare; he slept on the floor. He came as regularly as he could to our Sunday evening lectures. Three weeks ago we turned to him and said: “Do you understand what baptism is all about?” “Yes,” he said, “that is my goal.” We immediately started instruction for baptism with him. At our last class, he was so weak he could barely crawl out of his sleeping bag on the floor. But he sat and studied the Bible with us for over an hour; soon he will have a Hope! Yahweh sent him.

Recently, we “buried” a 20-year ­old lad in the frigid waters of Okanagan Lake with a light dust of snow on the ground. He was the fifth young person baptized this year and the 105th baptism in 30 years in Vernon. That works out to 31/2 baptisms a year. We do not wish to emulate David and number the troops. We simple produce the facts to substantiate what Bro. Don said in his editorial. Yahweh blesses the work done in His name. No question. He blesses it beyond one’s wildest imagination. But first, the work has to be done, the labor continues in faith. The seed is sown, much falls on barren ground, but some falls on deep soil and another child of God blossoms forth to give the glory to the Father.

Another Year

The following poem was enclosed with a subscription renewal and personal letter.

Another Year

Once again we are
blessed to see
another year for you and me.

What can one say
to a Savior so dear
for letting us live
to see another year?

May we be ready
to answer the call
when the Master comes
to gather us all!

May we be blessed one and all,
to be found worthy at the judgment seat!

Edith Scott, Petersburgh, VA

A Useful Exercise

Sis. Rosalind Daniels refreshes her knowledge of scripture by writing out Bible verses. This is a useful exercise to be commended to us all. An example follows.

Christ is to return:

John 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

God is one, not three:

Mark 12:29,32 “And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, 0 Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord…And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he.”

God is greater than Christ:

John 14:28 “Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.”

The spirit, God’s power; not a person:

Matthew 10:28 “For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.”

Matthew 12:18 “Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.”

God’s love, not wrath, shown in Christ’s death:

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

Christ’s example to be followed:

Matthew 10:38-39 “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”

Sin is from within:

Mark 7:21-23 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness…all these evil things come from within.”

Belief and baptism, essential to salvation:

Mark 16:15-16 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be condemned.”

Rosalind Daniels, Marysville, IL

Working Women

Dear Bro. Styles,

Our love in Christ to you and staff.

The comments in the October issue by Sis. Knorr were well made. In all my ecclesial associations, sisters have had to take jobs most often because their husbands got ill or because they had unbelieving husbands who left them with a family to feed.

In these days, young couples cannot afford the basics without both of them working. Please, let’s not judge, but rather esteem others better!

It is certainly no time in which to get into debt. Times are guaranteed to get worse by the prophetic word of God.

I feel that the sisters who are faced with the necessity of working must not be made to feel guilty and less spiritual than those who are privileged to stay home. It overburdens the mind enough working all week, which is made worse by feeling the brotherhood frowns onus.

Working sisters would trade positions in a moment if they could and they should be respected for not being a welfare burden to their ecclesia. Granted, they face a great deal of undesirable behavior in the work place and as a result, the brotherhood needs to address that issue regularly and sympathetically, building rather than belittling.

May the Lord soon return and relieve us from our burdens to live in his peaceful kingdom.

Yours in Christ,
Ann Crouse, Paso Robles, CA

Dear Bro. Don,

Greetings in the Master’s saving name.

I would like to comment regarding the question of a wife working outside the home and the matter of having friends outside the Truth.

After the great depression when our son was in school, my wife worked four hours a day at a restaurant. It was run by Quakers and no one could be there without a tie and gentlemanly behavior.

Ever since, we have remained good friends with the couple who ran it and they visit my wife in nursing home every week. She is also visited weekly by her bridesmaid (an Episcopalian) of 64 years ago.

Over her father’s objections, our granddaughter married a Catholic.

Today my granddaughter’s husband is a Christadelphian as a result of our son’s good work and our family’ sway of life.

Would you have us turn away from those people? I think we can be a little self-righteous.

Your loving brother in Christ,
Charles E. Millard, Worcester, MA

We are always appreciative of reader’s comments. The work place normally brings with it many temptations, but if it is necessary for a sister to work outside the home, others should respect that choice. It is useful, however, to remember the option of women working from their homes and also the possibility of reducing expenditures so we can make ends meet on the husband’s salary alone.

As far as mixing with work associ­ates is concerned, if we practice the way of Christ, not hiding our light under a bushel, our associates will normally sort themselves out. “What communion hath light with darkness?”

Some of us have the problem of accommodating our speech and actions to retain associations that are attractive from a temporal standpoint. When we do that, we are being double-minded; we remember what James says about the double-minded person (James 1:8).

If one of our family makes the serious mistake of marrying an unbeliever, we should do as was done in the case noted above. The loving concern displayed when living family life in Christ will hopefully have a great impact and result in the conversion of the unbeliever.

Reasons for Resigning

In the September Tidings, a letter was included from Bro. Tom Price as to his reasons for leaving the community. Bro. Dean Brown responded, along with others, in the October issue. Following is Bro. Tom’s reply to Bro. Dean.

Dear Editor,

…He (Dean) bases his objection to the reading of “men’s philosophy” on its ‘ flawed foundation…it categorically denies the historical existence of impor­tant miracles.” This is an error…Non-­Christadelphian thinkers are many and varied. Some accept miracles, some reject them; in the main, miracles are irrelevant to their thought…

Dean suggests that I am blaming Christadelphians in general for the faults of a few. This is not what I had intended to convey..I intend to criticize the fact that pervasive attitudes exist which seem to me to contradict the words and example of Jesus…

Most Christadelphians in my experience don’t take non-Christadelphian thought very seriously, nor do they understand it very well — this gives their blanket condemnation of it a hollow ring. The turning point for me was when I began studying other ways of thinking, not so I could craft ways of preaching against them, but so I could understand what they might mean to someone who lived inside them — as I believe Jesus required us to do when he commanded that we should love our neighbors as ourselves.

Sincerely,
Tom Price, Pittsburgh, PA

Dear Bro. Don,

Greetings.

Congratulations in particular for a brave first in a major international Christadelphian magazine– to publish letters of people “resigning” from the body. That’s not the right word, of course: Jephthah’ s example, and the rest of the scriptures from cover to cover, remind us that we may renege on a vow but we certainly cannot resign from it.

I am on a temporary assignment with the U.S. State Department and so it has been my privilege to share wonderful fellowship with the Washington, DC Ecclesia. The joy of this experience has been in total contrast to the sour grapes of those letters, the one sad, the other bitter — both of them so full of the present day afflictions: self-concern, self-fulfillment, even self-pity (“I just can’t take this any longer. ..this church doesn’t turn me on, etc., etc.”).

The Washington, DC Ecclesia is all of 134 years old. Senile? No way! It is a virile, busy, caring body of brothers and sisters, truly enjoying the difficult tasks of believing, preaching and living the Truth. To worship with them at the memorial is an inspiration. The discussions at Bible class (they have two weekly) are so interesting that the class rarely closes on time, and the topics are always relative to daily life, never just intellectual. The oldies are young at heart, always trying new programs to keep the light burning. A frequent ecclesial newsletter keeps the members informed, and a recent issue mentioned that the previous quarter had seen an average of 20 unbaptized visitors at each meeting!! This, be it noted, is in an ecclesia far over a century old in one of the richest cities on earth, beset with all the last day signs of godlessness and supposedly unresponsive to the Truth!

And the ecclesia is not stuck in a routine rut either. Last Sunday night, a whole group were at the Center for the Performing Arts enjoying the world-famous Metropolitan Opera basso Jerome Hines lead a spectacular live performance of the opera “I am the Way” — and grasping the opportunity to speak of the Truth to people in that huge audience. There was one shy sister in the foyer with a handful of pamphlets , just in case!

And what shall I more say?…Of collections for victims of hurricane Andrew, famine relief, projects in the local community…

The Brotherhood dying on its feet, uncaring? Not here! Out of touch with Christ’s teaching on love and mercy? No way! Stuck with irrelevant traditions? Not that I have ever witnessed.

I guess there are ecclesias that are Laodicean. But it has not been my misfortune in 47 years since I forsook Anglican apostasy to become a Christadelphian ever to belong to one that even remotely resembled Tom Price’s caricature, and I have been a member of twelve. Passing strange!

Your own magazine is the best testimony anyone would want to the fact that, befuddled sociologists and historians notwithstanding (June “Tidings,” pg. 201), the Christadelphian Brotherhood is alive and well, and busy responding to the greatest challenge and opportunity God has ever presented to us — to gather to the fold seekers from those countries where the Word of God has been banned for 70 years. Forget the sour grapes and let’s mobilize!

Lovingly yours in Christ Jesus,

Alan Eyre, Free Hill, Jamaica

Relative to Bro. Price, we can ask ourselves the question: Does Christ require us to wholly understand the thought-systems of the people around us? Despite the inordinate amount of time and concentration it would take is that the Christian way?

No, it is not!

As Paul said to Timothy: “Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine [and we know which teaching he was talking about]…meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them;…for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (I Tim. 4:13-16). Here is the point! Do we want to help others be saved? Then let us be wholly familiar with the word of God so that we can guide them into saving Truth.

We could spend the rest of our lives studying the ideas of men. That is vanity. The Lord had an opinion on this matter: “I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.”

(With these remarks, we will close this discussion for the time being.)

Reaction to the Debate

The following appeared in the November, 1992 issue of Megiddo Message:

“Remove my name from your mailing list.

“After reading the September 1992 edition of “Megiddo Message,” which denies Christ’s sacrificial work on the cross and claims we can gain right standing with God by our own merits alone, I want no part of your unsound doctrine.

“Ephesians 2:8-9 says, ‘For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not oj works, lest any man should boast.’…”

North Carolina

Christadelphian Bible Mission

Dear Bro. Don,

Loving greetings in Jesus.

As many of your readers will be ware, Sis. Peggy Hill and the late Bro.Ron Hill maintained an account for the Christadelphian Bible Mission (CBM) for many years. This account was a means of channeling funds to the CBM in the United Kingdom for use in areas not covered by the CBM of the Americas (administered from California) and the Australasian CBM.

Sis. Peggy Hill has now asked me —with the agreement of the CBM –to look after this account. There is no intention to compete with funds being provided to the CBM of the Americas or the Australasian CBM, which serve in areas of great need of support. The idea is to provide brethren and sisters, and ecclessias , with a facility for channeling assistance to other areas of missionary activity. These areas include Eastern Europe, where great interest is being shown — surely, one of the amazing developments of our times– as well as throughout the African continent and in many other parts of the world. I can testify from my frequent trips to Africa of the immense interest there in the gospel of salvation. It is deeply heartening, challenging and uplifting. But how can they hear without a preacher?

Would those who wish to help please address their contributions to the Christadelphian Bible Mission, 4909 Newport Ave., Bethesda, MD 20816. Could they also please indicate how they wish their help to be allocated between the preaching Fund and the Welfare Fund.

Your brother in Christ Jesus,
Ron Hicks

Reminiscence

Along with subscription renewals, we are often delighted to find a personal letter. The following is extracted from one of these.

Dear Bro. Don,

Greetings in the Master’s saving name.

Thank you for sending the Tidings to us. May our Heavenly Father reward the Truth by adding to our numbers regularly.

I am 93 years old and my wife is 85. The November (1991) issue of “Tidings” came on November 2, our 62nd wedding anniversary.

I met my sister-wife in March, 1929. She had character, morals and unaffected friendly ways. I was immediately in love with her. After two dates, I asked her to marry me. She had just come home from working in Boston and going to school evenings.

Of course, she never went back. She put on no airs — told me she was of Dutch descent and came from a broken home in a small town in the Catskills. From age 12 to 14 she worked on her grandmother’s farm, milking cows and doing the other chores within her ability. At age 16, she came to live with relatives in New Hampshire and when her mother found employment through friends in Worcester, she moved there. I went to Wesley Methodist where we were married November 2, 1929.

Our son was born February, 1931 during the worst depression ever seen. Twenty-eight percent unemployment! From 1930 until 1938, I didn’t know whether I would have a job the next Monday. Finally we started making war goods for England and France.

When our son was born, I didn’t have enough money to take my wife to the hospital. We were living in a house owned by a Christadelphian and he took my wife to the hospital in a snow storm. We wanted more children, but did not want to bring them up in poverty. It was a difficult time as we were deeply in love.

In 1939, I looked out from my place of employment and saw a man shoveling snow. I found out later that he was a Christadelpian and a brother to the Christadelphians who had helped us out. I was able to get him a job.

During World War , he kept hounding me about my false beliefs. At times, he was brutally frank. He gave me “Christendom Astray,” “God’s Way” and “Elpis Israel.”

I did not make a move until August, 1949. I went to the memorial service. The genuine warmth and friendly air made sense. That fall, my wife and I went to Wilbraham Bible School and attended meetings regularly and were baptized on her birthday in March, 1950.

Our son followed two years later and his wife was baptized before he would marry her…

Sincerely, your brother in Christ,
C.E.M., Worcester, MA

Israel Not Safe

Dear Bro. Styles,

Loving greetings in our Lord Jesus Christ.

In 1967,  Israel had no serious threat after the Lord God gave her total victory over her enemies. The Palestinians remained “sheep.” This may have fulfilled the time of safety referred to in Ezekiel 38.

It cannot be said of Israel today that she is dwelling safely. The Palestinians are no longer sheep. They are held down by force and brutality but this cannot go on indefinitely. Four million Jews cannot effectively control two million people when the Lord stirs them up in a major challenge to Israel.

Israel is in trouble. When President’ George Bush rejected the $10 billion loan guarantee, the headlines in Jerusalem were, “America Declares War On Israel.” Israel is so lacking in confidence that, when she realized President Bush would not talk further to Israeli Prime Minister Yitsak Shamir, he was voted out of office. She is fearful that current Prime Minister Yitsak Rabin now talks of giving up part of the Golan heights and the West Bank for “peace.”

Israel knows, as few nations do, of the strength of her enemies. Incoming missiles cannot be stopped. They have enemies within and without.

I feel the key is I Thessalonians 5:3. I understand this to mean the seeking of peace and not actual peace. And Ezekiel 38 does not speak of peace at all but only of “safety” in the KJV and “securely” in the RSV. Since there is no peace but much seeking of it, the Thessalonians reference looms large indeed.

As one writer put it, “For there to be peace in the Middle Ease, it would be necessary for one or two generations of open borders between Israel and the Arabs for trade, etc. to convince all parties it was real.”

I believe that Israel’s offer of land that had previously been described as vital to her defense is her final effort to survive. She has what is called the “doomsday bomb” to be used before capitulating to her Islamic enemies.

With respect to Russia, I would expect the military will take control. Russia may be weak politically, economically and agriculturally but she still has thousands of tanks, missiles, ships and planes. She will no doubt be invited by others into the final crisis but will come into the land with the intention of staying.

According to Zechariah 14:2, all nations will unite against Israel. They will do so when the Lord causes conditions of imminent worldwide destruction.

Surely the return of the Lord is near. Therefore the fulfillment of all the prophecies on last-day matters is also near.

Expecting actual peace to come to Israel must be an incorrect understanding. The clear understanding of I Thessalonians is of seeking peace and that is going on now.

While I am no scholar and these are only observations, I am deeply concerned that our brotherhood be alerted to the imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

With deep appreciation and affection,
E. Wight, N. Scituate, RI

Does God Look On Sin?

Dear Bro. Don,

Regarding Habakkuk 1:13, if God cannot look on evil, then how did He ijudge Israel and know that awful things were happening in and to Israel (i.e. Deut. 28)?

Submitted at the Manitoulin Youth Conference

The verse reads: “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously…” The context speaks of the Chaldean ‘ invasion of Israel to execute God’s judgments for Israel’s iniquities (1:7). The prophet remonstrates that the Chaldean’s are worse than Israel, worshiping their armaments (vs. 13,16). As a mighty judge, how can God permit such injustice to occur that the wicked Chaldean’s should overrun His own people (vs. 12,­13)?

The usage of three Hebrew words clarifies this passage.

  1. “Evil” (v.13) is from ra which is widely used for both “wickedness” (Psa. 7:9) and “adversity” (Psa. 10:6). God sees (observes) adversity and delivers the righteous from it but brings it as punishment upon the wicked: “Many are the afflictions (ra) of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all…Evil (ra) shall slay the wicked…” (Psa. 34:19,21 and see Amos 3:6). He also sees (observes) wickedness: “God saw that the wickedness (ra) of man was great…” (Gen. 6:5).
  2. “Iniquity” (v.13) is from amal which God sees: “thou beholdest mis­chief (amal)…” (Psa. 10:14); “the LORD heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor (amal)…and the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt…” (Deut. 26:7-8).
  3. “Mighty God” (v.12) is from tsur which means “rock” and is so rendered as a title of the Deity in Deuteronomy 32:4: “He is the Rock (tsur), his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.”

This last reference (Deut. 32:4) is most useful as it praises God as a righteous judge who does what is just and right. The passage provides the idea behind Habakkuk’s anguish. How could such a judge countenance the wicked Chaldean’s overrunning Israel? From the first two points, it is clear that God does see wickedness and adversity. He surely saw the inequity of what was occurring and as a righteous judge how could He tolerate it? This is the thrust of the prophet’s appeal on Israel’s behalf.

Ultimately, Habakkuk’s appeal is heard as the Chaldean’s will be destroyed (Hab. 2:8) and Israel will be saved (3:13). But in the short term, the Chaldean’s were used by God to punish His nation that had gone astray (2:15-17).