Category Archives: Bible

Articles, Bible, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Overwhelmed and Defeated? Try the ‘Samuel Solution’

August 4, 2016 Kameel Majdali

VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIVING:

Overwhelmed and Defeated? Try the ‘Samuel Solution’

Life has always been filled with challenges. Handled correctly, they can leverage you to a better place. Handled unwisely, the demotion can be swift.

What about when the enemies and problems proliferate? Like the ‘verbal bombs’ of the culture war, the spread of violent jihadism, and rise in temperature at global ‘hot spots?’ Why are once great nations being humbled by a much smaller enemy in this asymmetrical war? When the troubles, pressures, and the enemy comes in like a flood (Isaiah 59:19), what do you do?

For the God-fearer, the question should be: Is there a Word from the LORD?

Short Answer: Yes! It’s the ‘Samuel Solution’

Solomon wisely observed that there is ‘nothing new under the sun’ (Ecclesiastes 1:9). What we see in our day has a parallel in Biblical history.

During the time of Samuel, the last judge of Israel, there was great distress in the land. Their sworn-enemy, the Philistines, was winning victory after victory. In one particular incident, they came to Shiloh, their ancient capital where the tabernacle stood. They stole the Ark of the Covenant, destroyed the city, and brought a great slaughter to Israel. Eli the Priest and his sons Hophni and Phinehas were all slain. It was like Armageddon.

Eventually, in their darkest hour, a chastened Israel came to seek counsel from Samuel, the man of God. They looked for, and received, a ‘word from the Lord.’ A couple of powerful insights came from this encounter.

Samuel’s First Principle – Backsliding: The reason Israel was defeated by the Philistines was not because of the strength of the enemy but by the backsliding of the people. God gave generous promises of protection but if the people were unfaithful to the LORD, His protective hand would be withdrawn. In Deuteronomy 28:25 (NKJV), failure to obey the voice of the LORD your God, would bring humiliating results with the enemy.

The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them; and you shall become troublesome to all the kingdoms of the earth.

Again and again, we learn it is not the strength of the enemy but the strength of our sin that will defeat us.

Samuel’s Second Principle – Revival: There is a promise and prospect of deliverance and victory. The key to this is found in I Samuel 7:3. Samuel told a humbled Israel:

If you return to the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.

Can it be any simpler? Deliverance and victory come by doing the following:

1. Return to the LORD with all your hearts;

2. Put away (get rid of) the false gods and unclean things among you;

3. Prepare your hearts for the LORD;

4. Serve the LORD only.

Do these simple principles (even a child can understand them) and God promises to deliver you from the ‘hand of the Philistines.’ You will go from being ‘overwhelmed’ to being an ‘overcomer.’

How did Israel respond to Samuel? They immediately got rid of the Baals and Ashtoreths and served the LORD only (I Samuel 7:4).

Then Samuel called all Israel for prayer at Mizpeh. When the Philistines heard it, they came rushing toward them like a flood. The people of Israel began to panic and said to Samuel to cry out to the LORD to save them. God heard the prayer of Samuel – and noted the repentance of Israel – sent a loud thunder upon the Philistines and they were overcome.

Samuel took a stone and called it ‘EBENEZER,’ meaning ‘Thus far the LORD has helped us.’

Israelite cities which had been taken by the Philistines were restored. Please note I Samuel 7:13:

So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

Repentance, fruit of repentance (put away the false gods), returning to God, and prayer, are part of the Biblical prescription for deliverance from enemies. It is called ‘revival.’ Note that as long as Samuel was the judge, the Philistines – Israel’s relentless enemy – no longer came into their territory.

Today, we need Godly leadership which will position God’s people into a state of blessing and protection, while keeping the enemy at bay: humble-servant leaders, not lordship leaders; shepherds, not CEOs; saints, not superstars.

The problems of the western world will not be solved by national elections, government funding, or trendy ideologies. Only by employing the ‘Samuel Solution’ – prayer for a Holy Spirit revival – with exemplary leadership, will turn the tide. God will hear our prayer, forgive our sin, and heal our land (II Chronicles 7:14).

Articles, Bible, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Be Strong & Of A Good Courage: Why Study the Book of Joshua

August 4, 2016 Kameel Majdali

Despite so much talk about ‘leadership’ today, there is a curious absence of the most important character quality: courage. Without courage, you cannot go forward, overcome obstacles, suppress fear, and make it safely to your destination. In short, without courage, you cannot lead. Remember that courage is not bravado, bullying, biceps, or bluster. Courage is the mastery of fear, a steeling determination to go forward, to take one’s focus off the obstacles and aim it clearly at the prize. No turning back.

To live as a Bible-believing Christian in an increasingly hostile world takes courage, conviction, and consecration, while willing to turn one’s back on comfort, convenience, and cowardice. In order to become ‘strong and courageous,’ one needs to learn the Bible, God’s Holy Word.

A great inspiration for this is the Book of Joshua. It is the first of a series of historical books in the Bible. The Book of Joshua has a victorious theme: After centuries of exile in Egypt, the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob finally inherit the land promised to their fathers. The exodus is finished, the land is possessed, and the covenant with God renewed in the land.

Here are some points to get you started in your study of Joshua.

Hebrew Name

He came from the tribe of Ephraim and his original name was Hoshea, the son of Nun. Hoshea means ‘salvation.’ In Numbers 13:16, Moses changes his name to Yehoshua or Joshua, which means ‘Yahweh is salvation.’ The diminutive form of Yehoshua is Yeshua, the Hebrew name for Jesus.

Author

While so many Bible books have anonymous authors, this one does not. It says in that Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law (Joshua 24:26). So he is the author of the book that bears his name.

Theme

Possess your possession.

Portrait of Christ in Joshua

1. Scarlet cord: Rahab the harlot and her city of Jericho were scheduled for invasion and destruction. The only thing that would save her and her family was hanging a scarlet coloured cord on the window of their home. Whoever dwelt in the house where the scarlet cord hung when the invasion occurred would be spared (2:18-19). This is similar to an event which happened 40 years earlier in Egypt: The Passoer. The death angel passed over any (Israelite) house in the land of Egypt that had the shed blood of the passover lamb on the window or door. What a powerful metaphor of the blood of Christ cleansing us from all sin (I John 1:7) and delivering us from death.

2. Commander of the LORD’s Army (5:14): On the eve of the invasion of Jericho, the Commander stood before Joshua, who asked him if he was on Israel’s side or their enemies. He answered ‘Neither: I am Commander of the Lord’s army.’ This Commander had to be the Lord Himself because a) Joshua fell on his face and worshipped him and b) He said that the ground was holy.

Jesus Christ is coming back again, not to take sides, but to take over.

Key Verses

Joshua 1:8-9 (NKJV):This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. ⁹Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Joshua 11:23 (KJV):So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.

Distinctives

• Fulfilled covenant: The Book of Joshua shows the proof that God fulfilled His covenant to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give their descendants the land of Canaan. God is faithful to His word (21:43, 45).

• Joshua: A forerunner of Jesus, Who leads His people out of sin and into their promised inheritance;

• Jordan River: Boundary to the promised land. It represents a line of consecration which needs to be crossed.

• Canaan: Represents our inheritance before God.

• Gilgal: Israel’s first camp in Canaan. It represents a place of covenant, where the ‘reproach of Egypt’ was rolled away.

• Conquest of Canaan: We have a glorious inheritance in Christ but we must ‘fight the good fight of faith’ (I Timothy 6:12) in order to receive it;

• Holy and Herem: The land was the holy inheritance of God but there were parts that were ‘herem,’ the accursed thing assigned for destruction. Jericho was one of those places. Failure to completely destroy the accursed brought judgment on Israel (Joshua 7:10-13).

• Supernatural intervention: In the battle of the south and the 5 kings, Joshua prayed that the sun would stand still in Gibeon and the moon over the Valley of Aijalon (10:12). The Scripture goes on to say that there was not a day before or sine, when the Lord obeyed a man, for He fought for Israel. God will move heaven and earth to intervene on behalf of His servants who are doing His will.

• Rest: After the battle, and fighting the good fight of faith, there is rest (Joshua 11:23; 14:15; 21:44; 22:4; 23:1).

Outline of Joshua

Crossing Jordan and Preparation to Invade Jericho 1-5

Conquest of Jericho 6

Sin of Achan 7

Conquest of Ai 8

Treaty with the Gibeonites 9

Conquest of the South 10

Conquest of the North, Kings slain 11-12

Land divided among the tribes; city of refuge 13-21

Reuben, Gad, Manasseh go to Transjordan; Altar of Witness at Jordan 22

Farewell speech, Covenant at Shechem, Death of Joshua 23-24

Joshua is a courageous, overcoming, victorious book. May it help you to become ‘strong and courageous’ in the coming days.

Articles, Bible, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Blessing & Curses: Why Study the Book of Deuteronomy?

July 4, 2016 Kameel Majdali

Introduction

It was a sobering scene.

Location: The plain of Moab, near the Jordan River, at the back door of the ‘Promised Land,’ near the city of Jericho.

Main character: Moses, the aged and faithful servant of God, was about to give his valedictory speech.

The audience: A large group of Israelites: the younger generation, who were born in the wilderness (‘the wilderness generation’).

The challenge: Moses would need all the God-given communications skills he could muster to reach this younger group of people who knew no other leader but him. After all, if Ronald Reagan, John Paul II and Bernie Sanders, all in their 70s, could connect with younger people, why not God’s anointed prophet? He apparently succeeded.

The setting: It had been 40 years since he led the children of Israel out of Egypt by the power of God. The journey should have taken more or less 40 days. Yet, due to tempting God 10 times (Numbers 14:22, 24-34), the days turned to years. During these forty years the generation that left Egypt with Moses (‘the exodus generation’) had perished in the wilderness; the audience he now faced were their children.

The message; Forty years earlier, Moses received the Law (Ten Commandments) on Mount Sinai. He shared God’s standard with the ‘exodus generation. They disobeyed and perished. Now that they were gone, on the eve of entering the promised land, it was time to share the Law again with the younger ‘wilderness’ generation.

This sharing of the Moses’ law a second time is called Deuteronomy. In addition, the events of Exodus through Numbers are retold. The 10 Commandments are recited and Moses gives his final address to the nation. Moses reminds Israel of God’s love and faithfulness and strongly exhorts them to keep God’s law. If they do, manifold blessings will come and overtake them; if they refuse, then an avalanche of curses will tumble upon them.

As the book ends, Moses gets to view the promised land from Mount Nebo, and then dies and is buried by the LORD. Deuteronomy predicts the rebellion, dispersion, and ingathering of Israel and speaks of a future prophet like Moses, which, of course, is Christ.

During the days of Judean king Josiah, the ‘book of the law’ was discovered in the temple (II Kings 22:8-10; II Chronicles 34:15-19). This book was Deuteronomy, which spawned a nation-wide reformation. Centuries later, Jesus Christ successfully quoted from this book when overcoming the devil in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11; Deuteronomy 8:3; 6:16; 6:13; 10:20). In all this, the goal is to receive the blessings, and avoid the curses, by obeying the Word of the Lord.

Details of Deuteronomy

Name: ‘Haddebharim“The words’ or 1:1 ‘These are the words” also known Mishneh Hattorah ‘or repeating’ of the law. We get our English name Deuteronomy from the Septuagint, where it was known as To Deuteronomian Touto.

Author: Moses is the universally recognised author, including by Christ, the apostles, and the New Testament. Some later scholars have questioned Mosaic authorship, especially Chapter 34; could Moses have written about his own death and burial? Yet throughout the Torah / Pentateuch, it has been estimated that the phrases ‘The Lord says’ or ‘God says’ is used over 500 times. This first part of Scripture has an unmistakable ring of divine authority.

Portrait of Christ: He is the prophet like unto Moses (18:5). He is also known as the Rock of Salvation (32:15). As mentioned earlier, Jesus resisted Satan in the wilderness by quoting from Deuteronomy three times.

Theme: Blessing and Cursing (Deuternomy 28).

Key verses: Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (KJV)

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: ²⁰That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Time Period: Two months. The first month is Moses and his three sermons. The second month was the 30 days of mourning for Moses.

Outline of Deuteronomy

Sermon One (History): Moses Looks Back 1:1-4:43

12 Spies & their evil report (1)

Edom, Moab, Ammon, and the wars against Amorites (2)

War Against Og; Reuben, Gad, and half-tribe Manasseh settles in Transjordan (3)

Commands of Obedience & Warning against Disobedience (4)

Sermon Two (Legal): Moses Gives the Law Again (4:44-26:19)

Ten Commandments (5)

Israel’s National Creed (6:4)

Call to Obedience & Faith (7-11)

Place of worship & Destruction of Idols (12-13)

Kosher and un-kosher animals & tithing (14)

Debts cancelled in jubilee year (15)

High holidays: Passover, Feast of Weeks, Feast of Tabernacles (16)

Call to Justice (17)

Priests and Levites (18)

Sundry laws on cities of refuge, warfare, murder, firstborn, sexual morality, divorce, levirate marriage, Amalekites, first-fruits (19-26)

Sermon Three (Prophesy): Moses Speaks of the Future

Law on Tablets of Stone – Gerizim is Mount of Blessing and Ebal Mount of Cursing (27)

Blessing and curses: Obedience brings 14 verses of blessing and disobedience 54 verses of curses (28)

Covenant renewed in Moab (29)

The choice: life and death, blessing and cursing (30)

Joshua succeeds Moses; Israel will rebel in the future (31)

The Song of Moses (32)

Moses Blesses Israel One More Time: The Tribes Mentioned (33)

Moses views the Promised Land and Dies (34)

Articles, Bible, Faith, Prophecy, Teaching

Is It A Good Time to Visit the Holy Land?

May 31, 2016 Kameel Majdali

With so much happening in the Middle East today, and with Europe on the alert, is it really a good time to take a Bible land tour to Israel?

Many Bible-believing Christians are very keen to make the visit, but they have two major concerns:

1. Is it affordable?

2. Is it safe?

First, I cannot stress enough that your decision to ‘go or not to go’ should not be based on the nightly news. Under no circumstance should a Christian believer make decisions based on fear! Now or ever.

The Bible is full of exhortations to ‘fear not.’ Nowhere does it imply we should fear anything, any time. The only fear we should have is the ‘fear of the LORD.’ When you exercise Godly fear, it cancels out all other fears!

Your decision to visit the holy land should be based on two things:

1. Prayer and the leading of the LORD; and

2. Sufficient, accurate information.

Why visit the Holy Land?

There are two consistent and compelling reasons:

3. To walk where Jesus (and Bible heroes) walked. This is called‘devotion.’

4. To learn more about the Bible. This is called ‘education.’

There are so many wonderful Biblical places to visit that would fulfil both criteria, including: the Dead Sea, Jericho, Jordan Valley, Jordan River, the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, Mount Carmel, Caesarea, Jaffa, Bethlehem, Mount of Olives, Mount Zion, and the Old City of Jerusalem, plus more. In all these sites you can see first-hand where ‘Jesus walked’ and Biblical events took place.

You will learn, grow, enjoy, and even have fun. You can float on the Dead Sea, get baptised in the Jordan River, partake in the Temple Mount sifting project, fellowship with local believers (the ‘living stones’) or do what everyone does – go shopping. Yes, a spiritual pilgrimage can be fun, too.

What is the difference between a tourist and pilgrim?

Tourists visit a place for rest and recreation. Pilgrims can have these same goals but with one dramatic difference. A pilgrim has faith in his or her heart and travels to a place ‘in faith’ in order to connect with a place associated with ‘faith.’

In other words, a pilgrim is a person of faith and the journey in faith is called a pilgrimage.

Is it affordable?

Yes, it is very affordable. For less than the price of a cruise (where much of what you see is ocean water), you can travel, sleep, enjoy abundant fresh food, and live like a monarch.

One the of key questions: is it safe to go?

With screaming headlines about ‘Arab Spring,’ ‘Syrian War,’ ‘Rise of ISIS,’ and increased terrorism, it is a legitimate question. Here is the answer.

First, it is safe enough. Apart from being in God’s will, is there any place on earth that is absolutely safe?

Second, the Middle East is big enough. A bomb going off in Baghdad does not mean there is trouble in Jerusalem. While there are problems in some parts of the region, there is stability in other parts. Israel is one of those places of stability.

Third, one local Christian said this is the safest country in the world, because it is God’s land. So true. Deuteronomy 11:11-12 (NKJV) says:

But the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven, ¹²a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year.

Since God’s eyes are always on this land, you can be sure that His eyes will be on you, too.

Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport has been impressively renovated in the past few years. According to Conde Nast Traveler, its readers rated Ben Gurion the world’s Number Four airport, after Singapore, Dubai, and Hong Kong airports. It is especially ‘state-of-the-art’ when it comes to security issues. There are 11 checkpoints and security posts from the time you drive through the airport gate until you board the airplane. No wonder there has not been an attack at or a hijacking from Ben Gurion in forty years!

Furthermore, both local Jews and Arabs have a vested interest in the security of their pilgrim guests since both work in the hospitality industry (you will find many Arab workers, even in the Israeli hotels). The locals have their ‘ear to the ground’ when it comes to security; they are the best sources of information when it comes to a place being secure. Prayer and following their advice affords you the best protection possible.

This is a hospitable part of the world with low rates of crime. It is safer here than in many major western cities.

Journey in Faith: Remember the pilgrim’s secret weapon: Faith. Unlike the nervous tourist, the pilgrim believes that God is with them and protecting them every step of the way (Psalm 91:1-2). Many comment that they feel safer in Israel than in many other places. This is because they put their trust in the LORD. Those who do are never put to shame.

After all, Christian believer, if you cannot trust God now for your fears, faults, failings, finances, friends, family, and future … then when do you plan to start?

Now is the time!

Is it really a good idea to visit the holy land? If you are led by God and full of faith, then ‘go for it.’ With that kind of attitude, you will be well equipped to enjoy a fearless journey to the Land of the Bible. The results can be life-changing.

NOTE: Teach All Nations is offering two Bible lands tours in November 2016:

The Book of Revelation (Greece and Turkey)

Bible Adventure Tour (Jordan and Israel)

Log onto tan.org.au for more information

Articles, Bible, Prophecy, Teaching

The Only Access to God: Why Study Leviticus

April 26, 2016 Kameel Majdali

At first glance, it is tempting to skip Leviticus when reading the Bible. It does not have riveting narrative like Genesis or Joshua, nor does it give lofty inspiration like the Psalms or Ephesians.

Skip Leviticus? Don’t do it! The third book of Moses is an indispensable part of the Bible: for starters, it is God’s inspired Word and profitable (II Timothy 3:16). It is a revered book of the Scriptures, known as the Pentateuch (Greek) or Torah (Hebrew), the five books of Moses. Furthermore, it gives some outstanding typology of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, it shows us the only way to have access to God. Therefore, it behooves us to make it part of our study of Scripture.

NAME

The original Hebrew calls this book va-yeech-krah, meaning ‘And he called.’ These happen to be the first three words of Leviticus in the Hebrew Bible. The Talmud refers to this book as the ‘Law of the Priests and Offerings.’ The ancient Greek translation of Scripture, the Septuagint (LXX) calls it Leuitikon, meaning ‘pertaining to the Levites.’ The Latin Vulgate gave us the name Leviticus. In reality, it speaks about only part of the tribe of Levi, the House of Aaron, who held the priesthood.

AUTHOR

Moses. No less than 56 times in Leviticus does it refer to the law given to Moses (e.g. 1:1; 4:1; 6:1,24). Jesus Christ speaks of Moses as the author of the Torah (Matthew 8:2-4 cf. Leviticus 14:1-4; Matthew 12:4 cf. Leviticus 24:9) and for believers His endorsement should settle the issue.

TIME

Israel stood at the foot of Mount Sinai. The first passover (Exodus 12:2) was the first month of the first year of the new calendar. The tabernacle was finished one year later (Exodus 40:17). Leviticus commences in the first month of the second year and Numbers begins the following month.

There is a logical progression leading to Leviticus.

Genesis: Man sins and falls.

Exodus: Man is redeemed and delivered.

Leviticus: Man is instructed about the only worship that give access to the presence of God.

THEME

What is the only access to God? Worship through holiness.

Leviticus teaches how a redeemed people are to worship and serve God. He is holy and His people must be likewise. This holiness is undergirded by sacrifice, a motif that appears regularly in Leviticus.

KEY POINTS OF LEVITICUS

What become obvious as you study Leviticus is:

God’s Presence: God wants to dwell among His people;

Holiness: Only by being holy can people be close to God.

Sacrifice for sin makes holiness possible: without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin (Hebrews 9:20)

Covenant: We do not have a de facto relationship but de jure (according to law). Covenant, which means a binding agreement between two or more parties, brings great benefits when the terms are met; great disaster if violated.

Holiness is mentioned 152 times in Leviticus, which is 20% of all occurrences in the Old Testament. Sacrifice, which makes holiness possible, is mentioned 40 times; atonement 45 times, blood 85 times, and priest 190 times.

The emphasis here is unmistakable: God demands holiness as the price of entering His presence and dwelling with Him forever. Without holiness no man can see the LORD (Hebrew 12:14).

KEY VERSES

Leviticus 17:11 ‘For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’

Leviticus 20:7-8 ‘Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God. And you shall keep My statutes, and perform them: I am the LORD who sanctifies you.’

PORTRAIT OF CHRIST

In summary, you can find wonderful typology of Christ in the five offerings, seven feasts, and the role of the high priest.

CHRIST IN THE FIVE OFFERINGS

Burnt offering: Where the sacrifice is purged of sin. For Christ, the burning represents the unspeakable and excruciatingly painful suffering He experienced at His passion, culminating at the the cross.

Meal offering: This speaks of Christ’s sinless person and work, a portion thereof was thrown in the fire.

Peace offering: This speaks of reconciliation between a holy God and sinful humanity (Romans 5:1). This was the offering between Laban and Jacob.

Sin-offering: Known also as the guilt offering, this speaks of the Atonement that Christ procured for us. He is our sin-bearer.

Trespass Offering: Christ atoning death totally satisfies God’s righteous requirements. It restores the relationship with God that was severed by Adam’s sin.

CHRIST IN THE FEASTS

Passover: This is clear enough. The passover lamb was young, without blemish, and burnt after the sacrifice. Christ is called our passover lamb: He was young, sinless, and His passion was like fire. Yet because of His atoning death and shed blood, the death angel ‘passes over’ all who believe.

Feast of Unleavened Bread: Israel’s departure from Egypt was so quick, they did not have time to let the dough rise in the bowl. ‘Leaven,’ though necessary for good quality bread, represents pride and sin. During this feast, Israel eats only unleavened bread, known also as matzo. This feast represents the holy walk that Christ modelled and God calls us to.

Feast of First Fruits: This represents the first evidence of harvest from the crops; once you see this, you know the rest of the harvest is coming. Likewise, Christ is called the ‘first-fruits’ from the dead (I Corinthians 15:20-23). His resurrection guarantees our own.

Pentecost: Known also as ‘Feast of Weeks,’ this is an agricultural festival that also commemorates Moses receiving the law on Mount Sinai. Likewise, this feast has a glorious New Testament counterpart: the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the followers of Jesus in Acts 2. This is considered the birthday of the Christian Church. So as the law given on Sinai brought bondage, the Holy Spirit poured out on Pentecost in Zion gave power and liberty.

Trumpets: This is New Year’s Day and it is ushered in by the sounding of the trumpets. It is also an autumn feast and forecasts the final ingathering from exile of the children of Israel (Zechariah 14).

Day of Atonement: This is the most solemn day of the year, the only authorised fast in the calendar (even though Leviticus does not specifically mention fasting – it speaks merely of afflicting one’s soul). This was the only day of the year that the high priest could enter into the most sacred place on earth: the holy of holies. Christ, our perfect atonement, has given all of us 24/7 access to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).

Tabernacles: This autumn feast remembers when Israel dwelt in booths in the wilderness. Though not fulfilled in the New Testament, it most likely will culminate at the second coming of Christ.

High Priest: The line of Aaron, brother of Moses, from the tribe of Levi, held the priestly office. Aaron was a faithful but flawed figure. He contributed to the corruption of the golden calf incident while Moses tarried on Mount Sinai. Furthermore, his sons, Nadab and Abihu, offered unauthorised, strange fire before the LORD and were immediately slain by God’s holy presence. Understandably, the surviving sons Eleazar and Ithamar were reluctant to eat of the sin offering that followed for fear of suffering the same fate (Chapter 10). They, and their father, were not totally free from sin in order to eat the sin offering. Christ, who is high priest after the imperishable order of Melchizedek, a higher lineage than Levi, offers a perfect, righteous priesthood that ever lives to make intercession for us and affords complete access to the throne of God.

OUTLINE

Part One: Access to God by Sacrifice

I. Laws on how to approach God (5 offerings) 1:1-7:38

II. Laws of the Priest (incl. strange fire 10) 8:1-10:20

III. Laws of Purity (food, childbirth, leprosy) 11:1-15:33

IV. Laws of Atonement (national, reverence for blood) 16:1-17:16

Part Two: Walk with God by Sanctification

I. Laws of Sanctification People 18:1-20:27

II. Laws of Sanctification Priest 21:1-22:3

III. Laws of Sanctification in Worship (feasts/priestly duties/blasphemy dealt with) 23:1-24:23

IV. Laws of Sanctification in Promised Land (sabbatic year, Jubilee) 25:1=26:46

V. Laws of Sanctification though Vows 27:134

Articles, Bible, Prophecy, Teaching

ABORTION: How Would You Answer Your Niece?

March 29, 2016 Kameel Majdali

Recently I received a friendly Facebook message from my niece, who lives in the United States. A 24 year old millennial, she is an intelligent thinker, thoroughly postmodern, has a soft, sweet, and compassionate side. She loves US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders – she ‘feels the Bern.’ Though she had been exposed to the gospel, she chose to embrace an alternative lifestyle. She knows and respects that I am an ordained Christian minister with a conservative, high-view of Scripture.

Imagine my surprise when she asked me the following question:

What is your view on abortion, and why do you feel that way? Your professional and personal qualms with the issue would be appreciated. Please feel free to get as deep as you would like. The more information the better. Thank you uncle.

So, as a blogger, I decided to share my answer to my niece with the world.

What would you say to your niece if she asked you about abortion?

Here is what I said to mine:

Terminology: First, let’s define terms. Abortion means the deliberate termination of a pregnancy. Miscarriages are actually called ‘spontaneous abortions,’ meaning they come from nature at any time, usually in the early weeks or months of a pregnancy. ‘Therapeutic abortion’ is caused by direct human intervention, normally by a medical professional. It is the latter type to which I will address.

Why abortion was outlawed in the past: If the foetus in the womb is truly a human-person from conception, then abortion is clearly murder. This was the consensus for centuries and the laws treated it as a criminal offence. The Judeo-Christian heritage of the western world, and the Ten Commandments as the foundation of the legal system, made it so. The sixth of the ten commandments clearly states ‘Thou shalt not murder’ (Exodus 20:13).

Even so, abortions have happened throughout history, despite the physical risks and the legal and Scriptural prohibitions.

Why did things change? We have had 200 years of The Enlightenment, where human reason became king. Then we had the advent of liberal theology, higher criticism that has a lower view of Scripture, and the rise of evolution. Add to this a cultural civil war that has lasted over half a century. In this war we’ve had a sexual revolution, the feminist movement, and postmodernism with its ‘truth is relative’ and ‘tolerance is a must.’

Roe vs. Wade 1973: The watershed happened on January 22, 1973. On this date, the United States Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision called ‘Roe vs. Wade,’ which gave American woman a constitutional right to have an abortion. Thirty-one states had their abortion laws overturned in an instant. Though ‘Roe’ was considered a ‘compromise’ and not a ‘blank cheque’ for abortion on demand, the fact is that over 55 million abortions have been performed in the US since 1973. That is about as many people who perished in World War II.

Roe vs. Wade cited the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution (ratified in 1865, just after the Civil War), which guarantees Americans the right to ‘life, liberty, and property.’ Then the court applied ‘substantive due process’ to the 14th Amendment, and somehow created a ‘woman’s right to privacy,’ though this is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution. Thus, the amendment that was meant to protect life was now used as justification to terminate the life of a future American citizen. As one person put it, the US Supreme Court created a constitutional right to privacy ‘out of thin air.’

Abortion Justified: If you can successfully deny that the foetus is a ‘person’ and worthy of legal protection, or at least, be ambiguous about its personhood, then abortion goes from being ‘murder’ to merely a ‘constitutional right’ and ‘medical procedure.’

Today’s Scene: Apparently, many millennials are more pro-life than their baby-boomer parents. The annual rate of abortion in the United States is declining (e.g. from 1.6 million to 1.2) and clinics are closing across the country. Being an abortion doctor can be hazardous to your health: a string of high-profile assassinations of abortionists have clearly encouraged some to close their doors (pro-lifers condemn these assassinations; of course, the ‘right to life’ extends to abortion doctors, too). Even Norma McCorvey, the ‘Jane Roe’ in Roe vs. Wade, apparently defected from the ‘pro-choice’ camp to ‘pro-life.’ The 2015 revelation from surreptitious videos that Planned Parenthood medical staff were selling aborted baby body parts (clearly an illegal act) keeps this divisive issue on the ‘front page.’

On high-profile retired US politician, with universal name recognition and says he is a evangelical Christian, claimed to search the Scriptures on this issue. His conclusion: The Bible does not say when the human spirit enters the body. Once the spirit enters the foetus, it is a person, he reasons. Needless to say, this politician is ‘pro-choice.’

Is the Bible really silent on the personhood of the foetus?

My position: as a born-again Christian and ordained minister, I take an predictably pro-life position. I have no other choice: my understanding of Scripture compels me.

• God spoke to the prophet Jeremiah: Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you’ – Jeremiah 1:5.

• Psalm 139:13-16: there are some incredible statements in this passage. Apparently, the detailed mapping of our very being (perhaps right down to the molecular level) was written in God’s book, even before we were conceived.

• Ephesians 2:10: God knew us from before the foundation of the world (eternity past) and ordained us for good works.

• Matthew 10:30: The hairs of our head are numbered.

• Matthew 19:14: Jesus commanded that the little children be brought to Him and no one was to forbid them. They are what constitute the kingdom of heaven.

• Genesis 1:27: This affirms that humankind is made in the image of God.

• Genesis 9:6 says simply: Whoever shed man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.

Could it be any clearer?

With such meticulous care, there is no question that in God’s mind the foetus is a person, even before they are in the womb. Therefore, deliberately terminating that pregnancy is destroying a life.

Don Feder says speaks of abortion as part of a larger culture of death. When it was legalised in 1973, prophetic voices warned that euthanasia would be next. People scoffed at them and said it would never happen – yet, it is happening before our eyes. The most vulnerable people – the very young and very old – are being targeted for destruction, often for economic or expedient reasons.

Simple, true justice means we should do our best to defend those who cannot defend themselves. This includes the very young and very old.

Are we a better country because of Roe versus Wade?

Does 55 million abortions improve our quality of life, instil compassion for the needy, or improve our ability to care?

Does it help strengthen the family?

If a child cannot be safe in its mother’s womb, is there any safe place on this planet?

I am unashamedly pro-life and, where possible, and to the best of my ability, I would encourage and support any courageous woman to refuse abortion and carry the child to term.

Dear niece, thank you for allowing me to answer your question on abortion.

I conclude with a simple challenge given by God to all of us. It is found in Deuteronomy 30:19:

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;

Articles, Bible, Prophecy, Teaching

A HASTY DEPARTURE: Why Study the Book of Exodus

March 29, 2016 Kameel Majdali

Introduction

It has captured the world’s imagination: ten dramatic plagues meant to chasten a recalcitrant Pharaoh, the parting of the Red Sea as on dry land, manna descending from heaven, fire and shaking that hits the holy mount. It was even the subject of a block-buster movie called The Ten Commandments.

Those who want to be ‘future-ready’ need a solid grounding in God’s Word. Understanding Exodus is fundamental for such grounding. May this article be a resource for further Bible study.

Hebrew Name

All these things – and more – are part of the great Bible book called Exodus. The name in the original Hebrew is we’elleh shemoth, ‘And these are the names …’ which happen to be the very first words of the book. The name ‘Exodus’ comes from Greek, meaning

Pentateuch Introduced

Exodus is one of the five books of Moses, known as the Pentateuch (Greek for five volumes) or Torah in Hebrew. These include Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

Originally, the Pentateuch was written as one volume and Moses was the universally recognised author throughout the ages. While some scholars and higher critics question Mosaic authorship of the Torah, ancient Israel and the early church did not. Indeed, Jesus Christ Himself attested to Mosaic authorship without hesitation (Matthew 8:4; 19:8; Mark 1:44; 7:10; 10:3; 12:19, 26; Luke 5:14; 16:29, 31; 20:28, 37; 24:27, 44; John 1:17, 45; 3:14; 5:45, 46; 7:19, 22, 23). If Mosaic authorship is good enough for Jesus, it should be good enough for us, too. The Torah/Pentateuch is also known by other Biblical phrases, like ‘The Law of God,’ ‘Book of Moses,’ Book of the Law,’ etc.

Genesis Summary

Genesis tells us of creation, the origin of all things, and the the holy family – the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God made a covenant with these men, known as the Abrahamic covenant, which promised to use them and their seed to bring blessing to the world, especially redemption. The book ends with the sons of Jacob living in Egypt because of the great famine. It was prophesied that their descendants would be there for 400 years.

Exodus Summary

Exodus begins with that 400 year period drawing to an end. The sons of Jacob, who started off as 76 persons from Canaan, had grown during this period to a great nation. The census: 600,000 men of military age, not counting women and children, thus possibly exceeding 2 million people.

The Egyptians, who felt threatened by the size and prosperity of the children of Israel, oppressed them. All this was allowed by God to prepare them to return to the land of promise, Canaan.

The Lord raised up Moses to challenge Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go. He stubbornly refused and thus began the 10 sensational plagues that punished Egypt. The final plague was the death of the first-born. Israel was authorised to sacrifice a lamb, put the blood on the doors and window lintels. When the death angel came to the house and saw the blood, he ‘passed over’ that house and it was not visited with death. This sacrifice, and the feast that follows, became known as ‘Passover,’ one of the Jewish people’s great holy days.

After Israel departed Egypt, Pharaoh got ‘buyer’s remorse,’ regretted letting Israel go, and sent his military forces to bring them back. This was where the great miracle of the parting of the Red Sea occurred. Israel walked through the sea as on dry land but once they went past, the closed in on the pursuing Egyptian troops. On the way to Canaan, they stopped at Mount Sinai and Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. The remainder of the book speaks of sundry laws, case studies, and the design of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting.

Exodus: This is a Greek word which means ‘to go our, depart, exist.’

Author: Moses

Theme: Salvation by blood

Key verse (6:6): Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:

Portrait of Christ & Biblical Typology

Though there are no direct messianic prophecies, Exodus is rich with typology that teaches us more about Christ and His ministry.

• Moses was the prophet, priest, and king, so is Christ;

• Both were threatened with destruction at birth;

• Like Boaz in the Book of Ruth, Moses is a type of kinsman-redeemer. So is Christ, who comes from the tribe of Judah and offers salvation to Israel and the Gentiles;

• Both Moses and Christ forsook worldly ambitions in order to serve a higher purpose and receive a greater reward;

• The passover lamb prevented the death angel from destroying anyone who was under the blood; Christ saves us from the death of eternal condemnation;

• Christ is our passover lamb (I Corinthians 5:7; John 1:29; Isaiah 53:6) and

• His shed blood causes us to pass from death to life; blood spread by hyssop (faith) and is applied for our salvation (Exodus 12:22; John 1:12; Hebrews 9:22);

• Lamb is to be eaten. This reminds us of holy communion, take eat, this is my body, take and drink for this is My blood (John 6:54-48);

• Remove all leaven, which represents pride and sin. See Psalm 139:23-24; I Corinthians 5:7; leaven of Pharisees (Matthew 16:6);

• Bitter herbs: represents suffering in this life (Hebrews 12:11);

• Quick departure from Egypt: Christians are to promptly depart from the world spiritually and in the rapture (I Thessalonians 4);

• Exodus from Egypt, where the latter represents the fallen world system (Kosmos), is like the believer forsaking the world in order to follow Christ;

• Seven feasts of Exodus all teach an aspect of Christ;

• High priest in Exodus is a type of Christ, our faithful priest (Hebrews 4:14-16; 7:25; 9:11,12, 24-28);

• The exodus and crossing the Red Sea are a type of water baptism (Romans 6:2,3; I Corinthians 10:1, 2);

• Tabernacle or Tent of Meeting:

• 3 courts;

• Outer court has laver (washing) and altar of sacrifice. Type of Christ’s sacrifice, which happened outside the city walls;

• Holy Place: altar of incense, shewbread, candlestick. Incense a type of Christ’s intercession (Hebrews 7:25), bread and candle is Christ the bread of life and light of the world;

• Most holy place: Ark of the covenant (God’s throne, containing the 10 Commandments), represents God’s presence;

• Conclusion: Though there are no direct messianic prophecies, Exodus is rich with typology that teaches us more about Christ and His ministry;

• Exodus and the New Testament: This book is quoted 44 times in the New Testament by every author except Jude, who himself alludes to the exodus. Only Psalms, Isaiah and Deuteronomy are quoted in the New Testament more than Exodus.

Special Features

10 Plagues

1 waters turned to blood (7:14-24)

2 frogs (7:25-8:12)

3 Lice (magicians said: “This is the finger of God.” (8:16-19)

4 Flies (8:20-32)

5 Diseases in livestock (9:1-7)

6 boils (9:8-12)

7 hail (9:13-35)

8 locusts (10:1-20)

9 darkness (10:21-29)

10 firstborn (11, 12:1-30)

10 Commandments

1 You shall have no other gods (heart – 20:3)

2 You shall not make any graven images (hands – 20:4-6)

3 You shall not take the name of the LORD in vain (mouth – 20:7)

4 Remember the Sabbath day (mind – 20:8-11)

5 Honour your parents (hold them up – 20:12)

6 You shall not murder (don’t place them down – 20:13)

7 You shall not commit adultery (heart – 20:14)

8 You shall not steal (hands – 20:15)

9 You shall not bear false witness (mouth – 20:16)

10 You shall not covet (mind – 20:17)

Outline of Exodus

I. Israel in Egypt (1:1-12:36)

A. Israel oppressed by Egypt (1:1-22)

B. Moses’ early life (2:1-2:25)

C. Moses called by God (3:1-4:31)

D. Moses Meets Pharaoh the 1st time: remove straw (5:1-23)

E. God reminds of covenant (6:1-13)

F. Genealogies of Moses & Aaron (6:14-30)

G. Moses Meet Pharaoh 2nd time: rod turns to serpent (7:1-13)

H. Ten Plagues (7:13-12:36) Passover instituted (12:1-28)

II. Exodus from Egypt (12:37-18:27)

C. Journey from Egypt to Red Sea (12:37-14:20)

D. Journey through the Red Sea ((14:21-31)

E. Songs of Moses and Miriam (15:1-21)

F. From Red Sea to wilderness of Shur (15:22-26)

G. From Elim oasis to wilderness of Sin (15:27-16:36)

H. From Sin to Rephidim (17:1-7)

III. Israel at Sinai (19:1-40:38)

A. Rephidim to wilderness of Sinai (19:1-2)

B. The Law given (19:3-25)

C. Ten Commandments given (20:1-26)

D. Judgements and feasts given (21:1-23:33)

E. People agree to the Word of the Lord (24:1-18)

F. Tabernacle of Moses in detail (25:1-31:11)

G. Specification and Building of Tabernacle (31:12-35:3): in this period we have the giving of the two tablets of stone, golden calf incident, veiling of Moses’ face because it shined with glory)

H. Building of Tabernacle (35:4-39:43)

I. Tabernacle finished (40:1-38)