All posts by Kameel Majdali

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Decision Time for Brexit

The 29th of March, 2019, is soon approaching. It is the date the United Kingdom is scheduled to formally ‘exit’ the European Union (EU), after 46 years of membership. The EU will be reduced from 28 to 27 member nations. This ‘exit’ is popularly known as ‘Brexit,’ a contraction of ‘British exit.’
Make no mistake about it: Brexit is the single-most important event in the United Kingdom since the end of the Second World War. And it promises to affect the nation, continent, and the world.
Before we focus on the present, let’s take a quick look at the past. The European continent was wracked with unimaginable horror – twice in one century. These horrors were two world wars, both of which were fought on European soil. Millions were killed and injured and the continent was laid waste. With the vision to avoid future European wars and enter into a period of permanent peace and prosperity, the European Union was born. Less well known, though no secret either, is that the founders of the Union envisaged a superstate, where the member nations would be reduced to provinces in a country called ‘Europe.’
The marks of the superstate are there for all to see. Europe has a common currency, called the euro (17 out of 28 members have this as their currency). They also have a common flag, commission, parliament, bureaucracy. The Schegen Agreement means borderless travel between most EU members, not alike free travel across state boundaries in the USA or Australia.
In order to understand Britain’s experience with the EU, just image the following:
•   An Australasian union of nations starting with Far East Russia, China, Korea, and Japan in the North, all the way to the Australian states of Victoria and Tasmania in the South. Oh, let’s not forget New Zealand!;
•   In this union people are free to travel, live, and work between all points in-between the North and South. No visas. No permission. If these people sojourn in a land, they are expected to receive government entitlements just like the citizens of that country;
•   The capital of this union would be Kuala Lumpur (KL);
•   Australia, along with all the other countries, have to send regular and hefty payments to KL;
•   At the same time, laws and regulations are issued from KL. Compliance is mandatory. In fact, the edicts take precedence over national law and elected local parliaments;
•   External migrants (this includes economic migrants as well as bonafide refugees) are expected to be accepted by among the member states of the Australasian union.
Now you can understand what Britain has lived with for over four decades.
On 23 June 2016, in fulfilment to a campaign promise the previous year’s election, former British Prime Minister David Cameron hosted an ‘In-Out’ Referendum on continued UK membership in the EU. Though much of the government and opposition, along with the elites, big business, and media, were all for ‘Bremain,’ the electorate chose ‘Brexit’ 52% to 48%. This was a shock result, the first of two for the year: the other is the election of Donald Trump as US President.
Why Brexit? First, there was the obvious loss of British sovereignty. It has been estimated that 59% of law operative in Britain actually came from Brussels; only 41% came from the UK parliament in Westminster.
Second, the big payments going to the EU. Third, the migrant crisis of 2015, where German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave the ‘wink and nod’ for over a million migrants to come to Europe, caused many Britons to think: this could be happening to us. The latter point probably tipped the balance in favour of Brexit.
Another factor not mentioned but very important: the EU’s repudiation of Europe’s Christian heritage and its de facto adoption of the Phoenician goddess Europa as the symbol of Europe. This incremental move caused some British Christian say: Enough! Jesus, not Europa, is Lord!
After the referendum, Cameron immediately resigned and was replaced by Theresa May. Though she voted ‘Remain,’ May has been tireless in trying to fulfil the wishes of the British people. She was quoted as saying ‘Brexit means Brexit and we will make a success of it.’ In March 2017, she invoked Article 50, which meant Britain was serving two-years notice of its departure from the EU.
UK Parliament Votes ‘No’
A Brexit ‘deal’ means there will be a transitional period. ‘No deal’ means no transitional period.
The 27 member EU has approved a Brexit ‘Withdrawal Agreement’ – basically, the bill of divorce. However, on 15 January 2019 the British Parliament firmly rejected the Brexit deal 432 against to only 202 for. This is easily the biggest government defeat in British history. Even 118 conservative MPs voted against their government, meaning ‘pro-Brexit’ joined with ‘pro-Remain’ to defeat the agreement.
Some of the reasons for rejecting the agreement included:
1.       The Northern Ireland (NI) ‘back-stop:’ Ireland, part of the UK, suffered 30 years of ‘troubles’ before a sound agreement came in 1998, which resulted in a ‘soft-border’ between NI and the Irish Republic, an EU member. In order to keep an open border, if there is no long-term trade agreement after the interim-period, then the backstop would start. NI and the rest of the UK would be in a ‘single customs territory.’ This would be like a divorce but still living under the same roof. This ‘backstop,’ though meant to be interim, could only cease with EU approval.
2.       Payment: The EU withdrawal agreement required the UK to pay a minimum GBP 39 billion. Why? To cover its financial obligations. Is this the ‘alimony in a divorce?’
3.       Free movement of people: This was a major British concern since they want to take control of their borders. However, the ‘free movement’ of EU citizens could continue all the way to 2022. Thus, the door to Britain would remain open for the next few years.
What’s Next?
Since the Brexit bill was rejected by Parliament, what are the choices?
1.      Back to Brussels: Since the British Parliament said ‘No,’ the government could negotiate another deal, especially fixing the ‘Irish back-stop,’ which was a major concern of the parliamentarians;
2.      No confidence motion: Led by the Labour Opposition, this has happened and it attempts to remove the government and spawn an early election;
3.      Delay Brexit: The 29 March departure date would be delayed, even though it has been enshrined into British legislation;
4.      No deal: It is possible to leave the EU without a deal, meaning no transitional period. While some are predicting a ‘no deal apocalypse,’ others are more;
5.      Parliament takes control: Take Brexit from the government and give it to the liaison committee of MPs. Then they could have a ‘Norway-type’ Brexit; staying in the custom union and single-market. Norway is not a member of the EU, but is part of Schegen, the EU’s single market and custom unit;
6.      Another referendum? The referendum would ask if they want to accept the withdrawal deal or cancel Brexit. Takes time, costly, and may cause electorate to lose faith in the democratic system. Most Brits, including remainers, have mentally accepted Brexit.
7.      Cancel Brexit: The EU would make it easy to remain in the union and it would not have to be approved by the other 27 members. Again, this would be a betrayal of the referendum vote of 2016.
While Brexit is a major political crisis, Britain is a remarkable, resilient, robust nation that has led the world in statecraft, industry, achievements, courage in the face of adversity, the English language, and, yes, the Christian faith. Let spiritual people pray for God’s help and direction in this crucial time in Britain’s history.

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

2019: What Lies Ahead? Part 01

‘Brexit,’ ‘National Elections,’ ‘Syrian withdrawal,’ ‘Trump & the Democrats,’ by all accounts, 2019 promises to be an eventful year. Respected conservative Los Angeles radio personality Dennis Prager wrote an insightful article entitled ‘The Left Will Make 2019 a Dark Year.’ We will refer to his article later (and the URL is included), however, we can view 2019 from the prism of 3 cities and the world: London, Jerusalem, and Washington DC. Here’s what to watch for:
LONDON: As stated in our separate article, Brexit is the single-most important event in modern British history since the end of the Second World War. It ramifications affect not only the United Kingdom, but also Europe and the world. For all practical purposes, ‘Brexit’ or ‘British – exit’ from the European Union (EU) is a divorce. Even under the most amicable conditions, divorces are almost never pain-free. Since the June 2016 EU ‘Brexit’ referendum, the British people have more or less accepted that their nation will exit the EU. Will their elected politicians be able to deliver that outcome, and with a reduced amount of pain? Watch this space.
JERUSALEM: This 4,000 year old city with a colourful history and a unique sanctity among the monotheistic religions is almost never out of the spotlight. It is the rope of a geo-political tug-o-war between various parties, including Israel, Palestinians, the United Nations, European Union, the Vatican, the United States, Russia, Orthodox Church, and Muslim world. All these parties have a say – and ‘veto’ – over the future status of the holy city. None of these factors stopped US President Donald Trump of declaring American recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moving the embassy there. At present, there are more urgent matters in the Middle East, including the wars in Syria and Yemen, the destabilisation of Libya, Shia-Iran’s rising hegemony.
Remarkably, after 70 years of boycotts, non-recognition, and on-off warfare, the Sunni Arab world is connecting with their long time nemesis. Why is the Arab world embracing Israel? Answer: To help them counter Shia-Iran’s growing influence in the region, particularly in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen. Iran’s growing presence in Syria and her proxy Hizballah’s menacing activities (e.g. building tunnels at under Israel’s northern border) are things to watch. Also, Israel will have a national election in 2019 and current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the front-runner – for now.
WASHINGTON: Like a ‘bull in the china shop,’ a ‘cat among the pigeons,’ or, better still, a ‘Samson among the Philistines,’ US President Donald Trump presides over an exceptionally eventful administration. Despite much media attention, most of it negative, most people in and out of the United States don’t seem to understand what’s happening or why. Mr. Trump, after pulled off the most amazing upset victory in modern US presidential history, came to the White House as a total political outsider committed to the agenda of ‘Making America Great Again.’ As a non-career, non-establishment politician, he is not playing ‘politics as usual.’ His is an ambitious agenda: restore American leadership economically, militarily, and, yes, morally. The resistance against him is unprecedented in modern American history.
What we are seeing is not ‘politically partisanship’ — it is war. And Mr. Trump is fighting on at least two-fronts. First is the local war in Washington DC establishment: career politicians, both Democrats and Republicans, as well as the entrenched bureaucracy, see Trump upsetting the status quo, which is good for them but bad for the country through corruption, trillions of dollars of debt, weakened military, and unravelling moral structure.
The other front is the culture war, which this Issachar Teaching eLetter has been addressing for months. This once conspicuously Christian nation has been assaulted with sexual anarchy, courtesy of the sexual revolution; war on marriage, family, and gender, and disregard for the 10 Commandments and the Scriptures. Even though Mr. Trump will turn 73 on June 14th, he shows no signs of backing away from the fight of his life.
Overturning elections: In 2016, there were two upset elections: the UK’s EU Referendum on 23 June and Donald Trump’s election on November 8th. These outcomes were not expected and the reaction from the left was outrage, even hysterical. There are forces in both countries trying to overturn these results.
In Britain, there are voices to have a ‘second EU referendum,’ in the hope that the electorate might change its minds. In the United States, you can’t have an election straight after the previous one, just because you don’t like the results. So instead of waiting for the next presidential election in November 2020, the Democrats are seeking to remove Donald Trump from office in 2019 by impeachment. Understand that both actions are undermine democracy. Those who value traditional western freedoms should strongly resist such moves.
Dennis Prager in his article ‘The Left Will Make 2019 a Dark Year’ warns that the mainstream media and the Democratic controlled House of Representatives are also going to war in 2019 against Donald Trump. Their goal is his impeachment. Expect the House to issue subpoenas, launch ‘investigations,’ demand ‘tax returns,’ ‘transcripts,’ and a raft of documents. The media will offer ‘exposes,’ ‘breaking news,’ and ‘bombshells.’ It will be an on-going melodrama which will distract from all vital issues, hoping to weaken and remove the 45th President of the United States. US House Majority Leader and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has sent mixed signals about impeaching President Trump, but there can be little doubt that if something which looked plausible came up, she would seize it. Prager continues:
Compared with almost any country, America is freer; gives its people more opportunities to economically advance; is less racist, xenophobic and anti-Semitic … this coming year, the left, the Democratic Party and the media will continue purveying the lie that the Trump administration is fascist, racist and authoritarian and poses a mortal threat to American democracy … The road to Democrat victories (in 2020 & beyond) lies in convincing women, blacks, Hispanics, Jews and young people to be as unhappy, ungrateful and angry as possible — in the greatest country ever made.
TO BE CONTINUED NEXT MONTH

Articles, Bible, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Culture War Part 09

Recognising Progressive Churches Part 02:
Attitude To God’s Word
The Culture War: We have focused on this topic for several months – and for good reason. In order to ‘understand our times,’ we need to gain hold of the single-most critical issue of our day: the conflict between left-leaning progressives and traditional values conservatives. This is part of the half-century old ‘cultural civil war’ or ‘culture war.’ Conservatives wants to preserve the good things of western civilisation: rule of law, parliamentary democracy, constitutional government, and, above all, Judeo-Christianity. Progressives wants to either alter or destroy the West as we know it, all for the sake of ‘progress.’
We learned that this war is no longer strictly a secular phenomena. Progressivism is now affecting Christian churches: liberal, mainline, and even some evangelical. The process happens over time but some constant trends include high emphasis on relevance to the world system and culture. What we will see is that there is a concurrent de-emphasis on the Word of God.
Here are some of the key warning signs:
Demotion of Objective Truth
One of the hallmarks of ‘the Christian faith’ is its proclamation of objective, universal, divine truth. This is God’s truth, applicable to all people at all times. It’s the only truth worth embracing. With the advent of postmodernism, relativism has warred against the notion of ‘one-sized fits all truth.’ It’s objections do not change God’s truth but nevertheless they have caused question marks – and doubts – to rise in people’s minds.
Since God’s Word abides forever (Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35), we need to stand on it like a rock. Those who hear and obey will withstand all of life’s storms (Matthew 7:24-25).
Yet, in the current times, people are floating away from Bible-based sound doctrine and the truth it represents. II Timothy 4:3 warns us of these things: For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.
Part of how this will happen is the substitution of opinions, feelings, and personal experiences – in other words, subjective criterion – in the place of God’s objective truth. Yet, some Christians are departing from clear teaching of Scripture to embrace abortion, marriage redefinition, income redistribution, identity politics, and other items from the progressive agenda. For example, some Christians take clear doctrines and ‘don’t feel like’ they apply anymore in our times. Or ‘Jesus is love’ so how can anyone be judged, let alone go to hell?
It is one thing to wonder, it is another thing to depart from sound doctrine on the whim of the moment or to pander to a dying culture. It we become disengaged to these eternal truths, we risk fulfilling Ephesians 4:14: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.
A Low View of Scripture
The church was built on the veracity of the Word of God. If the Bible is not true or not the Word of God, then the church will fail and fall. The Scriptures represents God’s liberating truth and to neglect or ignore it brings bondage. Jesus had a very high view of Scripture: it must be fulfilled, cannot be broken, and woe to anyone who adds or subtracts from its timeless counsel (Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18-19).
The slide to progressivism subjects the Scriptures to debate, even doubt. For example, if someone says ‘The Bible “contains” the Word of God’ is enunciating a lower view of Scripture. What parts of the Bible are the Word? What parts are not? This guessing game fosters doubt and unbelief, whereas the purpose of Scripture is to inspire faith (Romans 10:17). Any statement, especially from the pulpit, that shows disagreement or dismissiveness to the clear teachings of Scripture, can be rightly seen as a slide towards progressivism.
TO BE CONTINUED

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching, Theology

JERUSALEM: Magnet for Christian Visits Part 05

In Part 01 of our series, we learned that Christians have been visiting the holy city in a continuous flow since the early years of the church. Today, the number of incoming Christian visitors to Israel, with the ostensible goal of visiting Jerusalem, is around 60%, or more.
In Part 02, we learned about the strong ‘tourist factor’ which helped stimulate Christian visits.
In Part 03, we have seen that this ‘continuous flow’ and ‘tourist promotion’ has increased visits by Christians to Jerusalem and Israel, worldwide.
In Part 04, we began to define the Christian visitor, either as a ‘tourist,’ ‘pilgrim,’ or both.
Here in Part 05, we will continue to explore this fascinating topic: are today’s Christian visitors to Jerusalem ‘tourists,’ ‘pilgrims,’ or both. This is not an easy task. One reason is that today’s Christian visitors, unlike ‘classic pilgrims of old,’ tend to visit non-traditional and even non-Christian and/or non-Biblical sites, like the Western Wall, Haram el Sharif (Temple Mount), and Masada. They can also attend conferences, participate in archaeological digs, volunteer on kibbutzim, ‘shop until you drop,’ plant trees, float on the Dead Sea, and more.
Looking for a definition is not helped by the social anthropologists, the only group that ever studies the pilgrim phenomena. They use terms like communitas, a liminal experience, freedom from social structure, etc. Yet, they fail to utilise the very source-book of Christian pilgrimage, namely the Bible. So, we need to look at the Bible, theology, and history, to understand our status in the holy city and holy land.
Theology of Pilgrimage
Dictionaries define pilgrim as a stranger or foreigner (from the Latin peregrinus) and pilgrimage (peregrinatio) as wandering, a long journey, or a journey to a sacred place.
Peregrinus stems from the Biblical Hebrew and Greek. There are two pairs of words to denote the pilgrim. Firstly, the Old Testament speaks of ger in Hebrew or paroikosin the New Testament Greek. These mean a ‘one who lives as a resident alien’ (BROMILEY 1985:149), like a permanent resident, a long-term foreigner who still lacks citizenship rights. Ger/Paroikos could mean a non-Israelite, but often referred to the patriarchs and the physical descendants of Israel (BROMILEY 1985:789).
The second pair of words are toshab (Hebrew) and  parepidemos (Greek), meaning a temporary resident alien. A modern counterpart is a visitor that receives a three to six month tourist visa; thus, they have even less rights than a resident alien. Like ger/paroika, they also denote transitoriness (STEWART 1988: 1231). In 1 Peter 2:11 it states:
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers (paroikos) and pilgrims (parepidemos), abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.
The Biblical idea is that the patriarchs, heirs of Canaan and of God’s promises, were still no more than magurim or permanent residents without citizenship rights in the land of promise. Furthermore, the believer in Christ is considered a ‘citizen of heaven’ who is an alien temporarily residing in this present fallen world order; they are sojourning in the flesh awaiting their eternal home. Their mortal lifespan is considered a pilgrimage (Stewart 1988:1231). Hebrews 11:13 says:
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth.
From this comes the concept of pilgrimage, meaning that a citizen of another country sojourns in a holy land with a holy place, as a stranger in a strange land, in order to make contact with the roots of their faith and/or understand, apprehend, and/or appropriate their heavenly reward. Like Ellis Island to the Old World migrant to the United States, the pilgrim passes in transit through a holy land in order to obtain their future inheritance.
The following are offered as definitions:
‘Pilgrim:’ Any person of faith on a long journey, who, consciously or subconsciously, on a long journey to the sacred–sacred site, sacred city, sacred land, and/or sacred person;
‘Christian pilgrim to Jerusalem:’ Any visiting foreign Christian, whether alone or in a group, with faith in their heart, travelling to and sojourning in a sacred place (temporarily or longer), consciously or subconsciously seeking to connect with the source and city of their faith. As people of faith, since our entire earthly life is a ‘pilgrimage,’ then visiting the key city of the Bible (mentioned 811 times as ‘Jerusalem’) is a pilgrimage, too, no matter how unstructured, relaxed, unconventional or untraditional it may be.
It is not so much what the pilgrim does (e.g. liturgical acts), but who they are (a person with faith in Christ), that makes them a pilgrim. Doing religious things does not make them more of a pilgrim nor doing touristic things make them less – faith in the heart is the key that separates the pilgrim from the tourist.
Here are 2 sub-categories:
CLASSIC PILGRIM: One who comes to Jerusalem for the express purpose of visiting the holy sites and conducting conscious acts of devotion. Non-religious activities are kept to a minimum. Catholic and Orthodox groups, particularly during special seasons, would often fit this categorisation. They are the most likely group to have contact and church services with indigenous Christians;
BIBLICAL TOURIST: A Christian who visits Jerusalem to see the sights associated with Christ and the Bible. They do not necessarily partake in any conspicuous liturgical or religious activities. Furthermore, they visit non-Christian and non-sacred sites and do other tourist activities. Many evangelical and Protestant visitors could be classified as such.
In Part 06, we will look at the nature of Christian visits and other fascinating things.
NOTE: If you are interested in our June 2019 Jerusalem Encounter Tour or November 2019 Bible Adventure Tour, including Book of Revelation/7 Churches Extension, log onto: https://www.tan.org.au/upcoming-tours/
SOURCES CONSULTED
BROMILEY Geoffrey. (1985) Theological Dictionary of the New   Testament, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdman.
STEWART R.A. (1988) “Pilgrimage” The Illustrated Bible            Dictionary, Volume III, Leicester, England:             Intervarsity Press.

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

The Prophet from Babylon: Why Study the Book of Daniel

PART 01
Introduction
As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams — Daniel 1:17
A multi-metalled statue, a fiery furnace, a king goes mad and eats grass like an animal, a night in the lion’s den, these are some of the images that come to mind when we consider the Book of Daniel. Yet, it has value beyond memorable, faith-building Sunday school stories. For the Book of Daniel is a handbook for end-time prophecy, detailing the end of the ‘Times of the Gentiles’ and the ‘kingdoms of men,’ and the transition to the ‘Time of Messiah’ and of the ‘Kingdom of God.’ Though the book is written in Hebrew for the sake of Israel and its future, Chapters 2-7 are in Aramaic, so that the Gentiles can also learn of God’s purpose for them, too. Daniel is considered the Old Testament twin of the Book of Revelation. For the sake of understanding God and His end-time plan, the Book of Daniel is indispensable.
Hebrew Name of Daniel
Dani’el means that God ‘el’ is ‘my judge’ ‘Dani.’
Author of Daniel
Daniel, from the royal seed of Judah, was deported to Babylon as a teenager. Apparently, he lived through the entire 70 year captivity of the Judean to Babylon. The book is replete with dreams, including animals, images, and trees. The interpretation of these dreams impact Israel and the nations. In the Hebrew Bible, Daniel is listed among the ‘writings’ rather than the ‘prophets.’ The rationale is that he does not prophesy, but merely interprets dreams. However, in the Christian Bible Daniel is not just among the prophets, but among the ‘major prophets.’ The reason: Jesus Christ Himself refers to him as ‘Daniel the prophet’ (Matthew 24:15).
There have been questions, even doubts, about Daniel of the 6th Century BC being the author. The two main objections include:
1.       Prophetic accuracy: There are so many fulfilled prophecies that the highly rational scholar cannot believe God would give that much detail in advance. So there is the hypothesis of a ‘late Daniel’ of the 2nd Century BC, the time of Antiochus Epiphanes and the Maccabean revolt. If Daniel was written at the later time, then it really is no prophecy at all, but history masquerading as foretelling. This would render the account as a fraud. Is the God of the Bible incapable of foretelling events way in advance? Consider the prophecies about the first coming of Jesus, which were uttered centuries before their fulfilment in the first century AD.
2.       Linguistic: Some scholars believe Daniel was written later than the 6th century BC because chapters 2-7 uses late Aramaic and that Greek and Persian words are utilised, too. Daniel apparently used old Imperial Aramaic. He lived and died in the time of the Persian Empire and there was some cross-pollination between the Greeks and Persians during Daniel’s time.
Portrait of Christ in Daniel
There are several potent portraits of Christ in the Book of Daniel. These include:
1.       2:34: The stone cut out of the mountains without hands. The stone destroys all earthly empires and replaces it with God’s kingdom that fills the earth and lasts forever. ‘Without hands’ implies the divine origin or personality of this stone, namely Christ the Son of God. ‘Human hands’ did not chisel this eternal stone;
2.       3:25: Jesus is the ‘fourth man in the fiery furnace.’ Because of Him, the other three men Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were saved from destruction;
3.       9:25; John 4:25: Messiah. Only in Daniel 9 is the word ‘Messiah’ used in the Old Testament. It means ‘the anointed one,’ namely the Son of David, heir to the throne, who will rule Israel and the nations forever (Luke 1:32-33). Though the actual word is used only in Daniel, the concept of ‘Messiah,’ ‘Son of David,’ ‘Redeemer,’ etc. is replete throughout the Old Testament. That’s one of the compelling reasons it is a major and valued part of the Christian Bible.
To be continued.

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Recognising Progressivist Churches Part 01

The culture war – progressivism versus conservatism – is ultimately a battle for the heart and soul of western civilisation. Some progressives seek to change the West; the more radical ones want to destroy it. To leftist, the West is viewed negatively: It represents oppressive dominant dead white men, Judaism and Christianity, old fashioned values and morality, and traditional family, along with a host of other traditions. For them, ‘progress’ is redefining, overhauling, or rejecting these things.
To the conservative, the West, represents democracy, free market capitalism, human rights, rule of law with due process, and, most importantly, Judaeo-Christianity. It delivered us from the dark and barbaric age and made an oversized contribution to civilisation. Its continued survival, and the blessings that go with it, are at stake. Conservatism seeks to retain or ‘conserve’ the good things of the West, as well as Biblical values: traditional morality, traditional marriage, and sanctity of life.
In many ways, progressivism can be viewed as a left-leaning secularphenomena. We have learned that it seeks to ‘equality,’ ‘tolerance,’ and ‘social justice’ through large government, income redistribution, and enforcement of political correctness. It is inherently anti-capitalist, anti-West, anti-American and Israel and anti-Judaeo-Christian. Yet, there has been a large dose of progressivism found in Christendom, too. Liberal churches and some mainline ones have already gone down the progressivist road. Their leftist/liberal politics nicely fit with their leftist/liberal theology. Yet, an increasing amount of evangelical churches are following the same path. The inroads it has made are a cause for concern.
How Does the Change Happen?
How does a church, particularly Bible-believing evangelical or Pentecostal, end up going progressive? There are different scenarios but here is example. Many want to reach unchurched postmodern people. They believe that ‘conversation,’ ‘connectedness,’ ‘community,’ and especially ‘relevance,’ are the keys. Propositional truth, like the gospel of Christ, may be too confronting in its current form and needs to be softened and sweetened in order to be palatable – or ignored altogether. After all, the gospel tells us about our sinful nature, our destiny with destruction, yet God’s glorious free gift of forgiveness and new life in Christ. The emphasis on ‘relevance’ is especially worrisome, for there seems to be a willingness to set aside Biblical absolutes in order to not offend the unchurched. What is the point of being relevant to the world and irrelevant to God? To be politically correct yet spiritually incorrect?
The ‘transformation’ of a church from traditional-Biblical to progressive usually happens incrementally. So subtle is the change that even those within the church itself may not notice. In an age such as ours, with increasing deception, it is vital that we have discernment of the times and seasons, especially when a church goes off track.
It is a truism that churches that seek to cater for the world by watering down Biblical doctrines, ethics, morality, and spirituality, will actually lose members. Churches that stay faithful to their call will remain healthy and even grow. After all, how do we expect to ‘win the world’ if we are no different to them? What unique thing then will we have to offer?
What are some of the tell-tale signs that a church is drifting towards left-leaning progressivism?
In Part 02, we will see that our attitudes towards truth, the Word of God, sound, historic doctrines, as well as reinterpretation and justice, will determine whether we stay orthodox or go progressivist.
TO BE CONTINUED.

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

The Wheel Within A Wheel: Why Study the Book of Ezekiel

Introduction
Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God — Ezekiel 1:1
It is considered one of the most spiritual and prophetic of books. His visions were the most elaborate and colourful of any in Scripture. It has some memorable parts, like the ‘wheel within the wheel,’ ‘valley of dry bones,’ the invasion of ‘Gog and Magog,’ extensive description of the fourth temple, and emphasis on shekinah glory.
The vessel of this timeless prophecy is Ezekiel, the son of Buzi. A contemporary of Daniel, he is a bridge between Jeremiah and Daniel, starting at the tale end of the former and overlapping with the beginning of the latter.
Hebrew Name of Ezekiel
Yehezke’l, meaning ‘God strengths.’ Greek name is Iezekiel and Latin Ezechiel. His name is mentioned twice in the book (1:3; 24:24) but no where else in Scripture.
Author of Ezekiel
Ezekiel is clearly the author. He writes from the exile and never returns to his land. He was exiled to Babylon in 597 BC and lived by the River Chebar in Tel Abib. His ministry began in 592 BC with his first vision and continued to around 570 BC. This means he did not return from exile to Judah (neither did Daniel, though he lived to see the captivity end). Being a priest, Ezekiel made special emphasis on the temple, sacrifices, glory, and priesthood. The prophet speaks of righteousness and points out that the lack of it led to Babylonian exile. He cautioned the Judean exiles not to expect restoration too soon – Jeremiah did prophesy 70 years of Babylonian captivity. After Jerusalem and Solomon’s temple were destroyed in 586 BC, Ezekiel upheld God’s covenantal promises, which meant their restoration was assured.
Portrait of Christ in Ezekiel
‘Son of Man’ is the key phrase regarding Christ in Ezekiel, used 94 times alone. This phase was Jesus’ favourite description of Himself in the gospels. Also the ‘shepherd’ (chapter 34) and ‘Plant of renown’ (34:29). Starting as a little twig, he grows into a stately tree, like the cedar of Lebanon.
Theme of Ezekiel
Despite the setbacks, heartbreak, destruction of Jerusalem, 70 year exile, Ezekiel is a manifesto on restoration, particularly of Israel. The promises of the covenants, particularly Abraham, David, and the New, are the building blocks for such confidence. God keeps His covenantal promises and they will come to pass, no matter what. Though Ezekiel was only 25 when he was exiled and spent the rest of his life in the Diaspora, he had perfect faith that his nation would be reborn.
After the ‘dry bones live’ and the nation is restored (37), Israel becomes the object of a massive, unprovoked attack from Gog and Magog and its coalition allies (38-39). If it weren’t for divine intervention, Israel would be completely destroyed. Yet, deliverance is promised and the invasion force will be divinely destroyed. It will take 7 months to bury the dead.
The description of Ezekiel’s temple at the end of the book can be tedious for some, an annoyance for others. After all, why would there be a future temple, with regular animal sacrifices for sin, when Christ’s is the perfect, once-and-for-all sacrifice for all people, for all time? Those who have more literal view say that it will be as it is written; there will be a temple with  sacrifices as a memorial for what Christ has done on the cross. After all, the sacrificial system continued from the time of Christ’s death unto 70 AD, when Herod’s temple and Jerusalem were destroyed. This is a period between 40-50 years.
Key Verses of Ezekiel
24For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. 25Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh — Ezekiel 36:24-26
Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. 34And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. 35And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited — Ezekiel 36:33-35
Summary of Ezekiel
Ezekiel is conscripted into God’s service, not unlike Moses (Exodus 3), Isaiah (6), and Daniel (10). Judah has her sins revealed in a series of visions. This was disturbingly graphic when the glory of God departed from the temple and then eastward, past the Mount of Olives, to the wilderness. Those who should be spiritual leaders were frauds and idolators. Then, Babylon comes like a bird of prey and takes them away. Yet, Judah will be preserved and restored.
The nations like Moab, Tyre, Philistia, and Edom will be slain. Egypt survives but becomes the basest of kingdoms. An interesting insight is the description of the King of Tyre, which sounds eerily similar to Satan himself (28:11-19).
After this, Israel will be restored. A genuine shepherd will replace the imposters. The valley of dry bones comes alive, Gog and Magog brings Israel ultimate victory, and then the temple, its courts and regulations are described. Most importantly, the glory of God returns to the temple.
Outline of Ezekiel
I.           Call of Ezekiel (1-3)
II.         Judgement of Judah (4-24)
III.      Judgement on the Nations (25-32)
IV.     Restoration of Israel (33-48)

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

JERUSALEM PILGRIM PART 04

Pilgrim or Tourist? Helping Define the Modern Christian Visitor to Jerusalem?
In Part 01 of our series, we learned that there has been a continuous flow of Christian pilgrims from the very early days of the Church. Today, Christians visit the Jewish state more than any other group, usually above the 50% mark.
In Part 02, we learned about the ‘tourist factor’ that has helped to stimulate Christian visits. Promotion of Christian Biblical Tourism has been a constant since the Six Day 1967 War.
In Part 03, we have seen that this ‘continuous flow’ and ‘tourist promotion’ has resulted in increased visit by Christians to Jerusalem and Israel. They come from all over the world, including countries that do not have diplomatic ties to Israel (including Indonesia and Malaysia and parts of the Arab world). Concurrently, visits to Jordan dropped dramatically after the Six Day War. Jordan once controlled eastern Jerusalem but once that ended, tourist numbers dropped, too.
In Part 04, we will examine the important question: are modern Christian visitors ‘pilgrims’ or ‘tourists’ or both? We need to construct a contemporary definition, though this will not be easy. Modern Christian visits are truly fluid and versatile grass roots movement of highly motivated and passionate people. It is not ordered by ecclesiastical or political command.
With modern Christian visitors, there can be a mixture of motives, including spiritual, emotional, human interest, and leisure, the proportions of which are hard to measure and vary from group to group. Modern tourism often blurs the distinction between ‘pilgrim’ and ‘holiday-maker.’ Whenever there is a recreational component to the tour, it is easy, perhaps lazy, to simply call such visits ‘tourism.’ After all, a faith-filled believer, boarding a plane and travelling to the Middle East, is a complex, fluid, and/or semi- unstructured ‘avant-garde experience’ with an undeniable spiritual motivation.
Traditionally, Israel’s Ministry of Tourism classified many holy land groups as ‘tourists’ than than ‘pilgrims,’ even when it is a church group led by a clergyman. Why? The reasons vary. Some groups do to perform proscribed rituals at the holy places while others seems to be having too much fun: shopping, swimming in the Sea of Galilee, floating in the Dead Sea, visiting non-Biblical sites like Masada. Francis Peters, a prolific scholar on the subject of Jerusalem and comparative monotheism, concurs with this view:
…in Jerusalem the pilgrim has been palpably replaced by the visitor, and, in fact, by the tourist; holy places have declined–the word is chosen advisedly in the present context–into the secular status of historical sites….Contemporary visitors to Jerusalem do not lack for piety on occasion. But very few of them are there…in fulfilment of a religious obligation (PETERS 1986:74).
Seeking to define a Christian visitor to Jerusalem as a ‘pilgrim’ is not as easy as it is for other holy cities. We learned earlier that there is no Biblical or apostle command that Christian believers must visit the holy city. Christendom does not have a single spokesperson who can speak clearly and indisputably on behalf of all Christians about what constitutes a ‘pilgrim’ or ‘pilgrimage.’ The various streams of Christendom have vastly different attitudes towards a Jerualem visit. Catholics and Orthodox highly venerate holy sites and are oriented towards ‘place and space.’ Protestants, particularly evangelicals and Pentecostals, are not at all enamoured by holy places and are more interested in natural things like the Sea of Galilee and Mount Carmel, or educational sites like archaeological ruins and places like Nazareth Village, a reconstruction of the Nazareth of Jesus’ day.
Barber comments:
The physical act of pilgrimage is almost universal: the only major culture from which it is largely absent is Protestant Christianity (Barber 1991:2).
The question is, does this perceived lack of a ‘physical act of pilgrimage’ (of which there are as many variations as there are pilgrims), or Peters non-‘fulfilment of a religious obligation’ mean that Protestant visitors to Jerusalem, who constitute a large percentage of the total Christian number, and other Christian visitors, are not pilgrims?
Does it even matter what a Christian visitor thinks of himself or herself – pilgrim or tourist – when they come to Jerusalem? Short answer: Yes1
TO BE CONTINUED
SOURCES:
BARBER Richard. (1991) Pilgrimages, Woodbridge, Suffolk, The         Boydel Press.
PETERS Francis. (1986) Jerusalem and Mecca, New York: New York University Press.

Articles, Education, Family, Prophecy, Teaching

Good-bye, Ebenezer Scrooge: A Case for Christmas

It’s name recognition is universal and, until recently, so was its appeal.
Who can resist a family dinner with roast turkey, bread dressing, Christmas pudding, and all the trimmings?
Or going into the living room, a warm fire roaring, hot chocolate topped with marshmallows in the mug, while gleeful children unwrap presents found under the Christmas tree?
Or listening to the public singing of Christmas carols, with those time-honoured verses are still able to stir the soul?
Yes, Christmas still evokes much enthusiasm throughout the world, and not just in the West. Asia goes crazy over Christmas, including places like Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Japan.
Even in ‘laid-back’ Australia, where a few even refer to it as ‘Chrissie,’ Christmas is still a very popular day off. Aussies relish the big meal, the family gathering, and, if possible, a splash at the beach while throwing ‘another shrimp on the barbie.’
In his best-selling book, A Christmas Carol (1843), Charles Dickens wrote about a miser called Ebenezer Scrooge, who tried to throw a wet blanket on Christmas. He immortalised the words, ‘Bah! Humbug!’ Scrooge was eventually transformed into a kinder, gentler man, because of the Christmas spirit.
Today, amazingly, a postmodern spirit of Ebenezer Scrooge has permeated western society. Christmas has been under a concerted attack from two quarters.
Secularists: Courtesy of political correctness, some secularists have declared war against Christmas. They want to ban displays of Nativity Scenes on public property since, they claim, it crosses the boundary of separating church and state. They also want to ban the greeting ‘Merry Christmas,’ lest it offend non-Christians (personally, I know many non-Christians living in the West who also enthusiastically observe some, or all, or the Christmas activities). Vacuous phrases like ‘Happy Holidays’ and ‘Compliments of the Season’ are offered instead.
Christians: Christmas is also under assault by some Christians, too. Just this year I heard a normally mild mannered Christian become agitated and militant, just at the mention of the word ‘Christmas.’ This individual insisted that Christmas is a non-Biblical, non-obligatory, downright pagan event that should have no part in the life of a Christian. Not content that they and their family boycott Christmas, this person tried to ‘proselytise’ others to join the Christmas boycott.
Chances are, this individual is facing an uphill battle. And rightly so.
I, for one as a Bible teacher and one that endeavours to train people to live a Biblically-correct, Spirit-filled, God-honouring life, have no problem whatsoever in observing Christmas. Here are some reasons:
BIBLICAL EVENT, NOT BIBLICAL COMMAND
The Christmas story, as found in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, are part of the great narrative of the coming Saviour. While no where are we commanded in Scripture to observe the birth of Christ (indeed, it is highly unlikely that December 25th is the day of His birth – and remember, the Queen’s Birthday Holiday is in June, though her actual birthday is in April), we are still reflecting on two important Biblical events:
1.    The Incarnation of Christ: ‘And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us ….’  John 1:14;
2.    Emmanuel: Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us – Matthew 1:23.
PAGAN BUT PURIFIED
Christian critics claim that Christmas is a pagan holiday. Some elements, like the December 25th coinciding with the winter solstice and/or the Christmas tree, could have pagan origins. For some, this is like eating meat offered to idols. But for others, when something is dedicated to God, it is no longer unclean. After all, the pagan city of Jebus, after being captured by King David, was converted into Jerusalem, the holy city.
TIME OF REST, FAMILY, FELLOWSHIP
Many people live ridiculously busy lives. Christmas is a time to put on the brakes, rest, relax, and have family time or interaction with friends. Most people find this an immensely gratifying experience.
OPPORTUNITY TO PROCLAIM CHRIST IN AN INCREASINGLY SECULAR SOCIETY
With so much indifference and antagonism to the gospel message, Christmas is a golden opportunity to publicly tell the gospel of Christ – with impunity! That’s why many churches use this occasion to have concerts, plays, and other forms of community outreach. Few can object to such gospel pageantry because, after all, ‘It’s Christmas Time.’
CHANCE TO GET PEOPLE INTO CHURCH
For some people, Christmas may be the only time in the year they will darken the door of a church. As such, they become a ‘captive audience.’ This again is a chance to show them the meaning of Christmas – it is about Christ. As the saying goes, ‘Jesus is the Reason for the Season.’
Let’s remember that celebrating Christmas is ‘optional.’ One’s eternal salvation is not dependant on whether a person observes this holiday, or not. So if you choose to not to celebrate, that’s perfectly fine; provided, you don’t emulate Ebenezer Scrooge and try to spoil it for the majority who do.
We would do well to remember the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 14:5-6:
One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 16 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it ….
As for Ebenezer Scrooge, may he rest in peace (RIP).

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Recipe: Time to Talk Turkey

Recipe: Time to Talk Turkey
Note: This recipe was featured 3 years ago so its time for a revisit.
With Christmas around the corner, it is time to ‘talk turkey.’ Would you like to have the most moist, juicy, and flavourful turkey dinner? Then, take the simple, extra step of brining. A little bit of effort and following a few common sense points and you will have guests raving about your meal long after its complete.
Brining (turkey or chicken)
This procedure is designed to let your turkey or chicken soak for 24-48 hours in specially prepared liquid. Brining will prepare the bird, seal in the juices, and make for a much better, more moist, more delicious outcome.
Remember these simple steps:
•   Container: Use anything but aluminium. A clear clean plastic bucket can do the trick.
•   Water: Start with 6 or more litres of cold water.
•   Dissolve: In a litre of boiling water dissolve 100g or table salt (or 200gm coarse salt) and 200g of sugar. Don’t use too much salt if you plan to brine more than 1 day. Add this mixture to the bucket.
•   Aromatics: You can add to the water all kinds of flavour enhancers. Try spices such as coriander seeds, juniper berries, peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, cloves, thyme (fresh is preferable). Throw in some cut oranges or lemons.
•   Seal the deal: If using a bucket, cover it. If using a heavy duty bag, tie the top.
•   How much time should you brine?: You can brine overnight or as long as 24 to 48 hours
•   Keep cool: There is no need for refrigeration but the bird must be completely covered and cool. It can brine in the garage, back porch, any place that is cool and safe. If necessary, if you live in a warm climate, use ice or other cooling objects.
•   Ready to Roast: Remove the bird from the brine 1-2 hours before roasting. It should be pat dried on the inside and out.
Other Turkey Tips
•    Room temperature: Roasting should commence once the turkey/chicken is at room temperature, not frozen or cold or wet from brining.
•   Recommended oven temperatures: Under 4 kg, roast for 70 minutes at 190 C plus 20 minutes per kilo (180C fan-forced); GM 5, 375 F. For a turkey more than 4 kg, 90 minutes plus 20 minutes per kilo, same temperatures. If you roast a brined turkey breast, 70 minutes plus 20 minutes per kilo is sufficient. Make sure the oven is preheated and at the desired temperature before you put the bird in the oven.
•   Additional preparation: As an added bonus, trying spreading soft butter on the turkey breast and insert thyme or lemon slices under the skin. Butter the skin of the bird and either use salt and pepper or chicken seasoning for added flavour.
•   Stuffing: Stuff the bird with you favourite stuffing and secure by tucking the skin or using skewers. Or, bake the stuffing separately and put onions, lemons, and spices into the cavity.
•   Bacon on the breast: You can lay bacon on the breast until it starts to crisp. Remove and then return in the last 10 minutes of roasting.
•   Meat thermometer: If at all possible use a meat thermometer. There is nothing worse than under cooking or overcooking your precious Christmas turkey, especially in front of the guests! The temperature when finished should be around 75-80 C.
•   Cover with foil: At first, roast the turkey uncovered. Baste every 30 minutes. Once the skin is a light golden brown, then cover with 2 long sheets of aluminium foil, make sure it completely covers the bird, like a tent. In the last 30 minutes, remove the foil permanently so the skin will crisp.
•    Basting Option 01: You can simply baste every 30 minutes, using the juices of the turkey at the bottom of the tray and spooning them all over the roast. Basting is important because it keeps the meat from going dry.
•   Basting Option 02: Use a creamy concoction of butter, cream cheese, lemon zest and rosemary (preferably fresh). Using your hands, put the paste under the skin, at the neck, the breast, everywhere. Make sure you season the bird before roasting.
•    Basting Option 03: Take some muslin cloth and soak it in unsalted butter (you can double or triple the cloth). Cover the bird with the butter-rich muslin before it goes into the oven (remember to keep it from touching the heated oven element). Remove 30 minutes before completion to let the skin crisp.
•   Roasting position: This may surprise you but the experts recommend roasting upside down until the last hour, then put the bird right-side up.
•   Is it ready? Two of the best ways of determining if the roast is ready is by the thermometer, 74-75-80 C. Second, pierce the bird. If the juices are pinkish, it is not ready – roast longer. If the juices run clear, it is ready. Another method is the ‘wiggle test.’ Try ‘shaking hands’ with the legs; if the roast is ready, they will easily wiggle. If there is tightness and hindered movement, it is not ready.
•   Gravy: Once the roast is ready, drain off the surplus juices and put in a bowl or jug. Put it in a cool place and allow the fat to rise. Once cold, skim off the fat and use the juices for a delicious gravy.
•   Rest the Roast: It is very important that the roasted turkey/chicken is allowed to rest after it comes out of the oven. Usual time is 30 minutes. Cover with foil and then with clean tea towels. You can wait as long as 2 hours and it will still be hot. Resting allows the bird to finish cooking after the oven, juices spread, and it makes for a better result.
•   Enjoy.