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LETTER TO THE CHURCH
` But what about you? Who do YOU say I am? '
We would start this Letter with words from Paul's Letter to Timothy, `my true son in the faith':
" What you have heard from me keep as a pattern of sound teaching "
Paul's words need to be heeded today just as much as when he wrote to Timothy, for we too are facing changing times and need to be as concerned as Paul was in his time. As we are aware that some reading this Letter will not be familiar with our Scriptural understanding of a `Probation Period' we begin with three great examples seen in Scripture. The word `Probation' is easily understood for it simply means `the testing of a person's character', which if it does not match up with what is required would lead to legally enforced penalties. In Scripture these Probations are set within periods of 40 years, and with the use of Scriptural numeracy the testing is seen in the number `4' and the fullness of the Probation is seen in the number `10'. Scriptural Probations always begin with a spiritual awareness of the LORD's Presence amongst His people through a move of the Holy Spirit - a Covenant-keeping God encouraging His people in times of dryness.
The first of these Probations is seen in the Exodus from Egypt, the `Exodus Probation', when the Israelites carried the Ark of God's Covenant in the Wilderness for 40 years. The second Probation began with the finding of the Book of the Law in the Temple in King Josiah's reign - the `Word' was once again with them, which led to his declaration that: `You must celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God as it is written in the Book of the Covenant'. The third Probation is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles when Peter `together with the Eleven' stood up in the Temple Compound and proclaimed the Risen Jesus to the assembled Jews gathered for the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, in 29 AD. This second of the three Pilgrim Feasts of Israel was also known as the Feast of First Fruits, the Wheat Harvest. This Feast was not `the birth of the Church', as some understand it, but the coming of the promised New Covenant in the Person of the Risen Lord Jesus through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit - first to the assembled Jews and then to the Gentiles, in accordance with Scripture. The `Church' had indeed been brought to the point of birth but it could not be fully birthed until Paul was released by the Holy Spirit to send his Letter to the Ephesians some 30 years after the beginning of this third Probation. All three Probations began with a glorious move of the Holy Spirit, giving hope for the future for `Emmanuel, God is with us'. But after 40 years all three Probations ended in `death' - the first, in the Exodus Probation; the second, in captivity in Babylon; the third, with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple and the scattering of Israel.
With this in mind we recall our understanding of prophecy as `an understanding of the present times, as seen in past times, with the certainty that those occurrences would happen again some time in the future'. With that understanding seen in Scripture we see that a fourth Probation commenced in 1967 with the re-taking of East Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and the Declaration by the legally appointed Leaders of Israel that Jerusalem was the `Eternal, Undivided City of Jerusalem'. This fourth Probation then followed the same pattern as the other three great Scriptural Probations, for 23 years later we saw the signing of the Oslo Accord which gave away part of the Land of Israel in the hope of peace - and 3 years later, again in Oslo, more concessions were made! Continually over the remaining years of this Fourth Probation the same pattern as seen in the previous Scriptural Probations has been repeated, which will eventually lead to `the Day of Jacob's Trouble', through which Trouble `all Israel will be saved'. What, then, of the Church, for this Fourth Probation which began in 1967 was a world-wide outpouring of God's enabling power on `all flesh'? It completed its course in 2007 with a world-wide financial crash, the consequences of which are still causing politicians and statesmen serious social and economic problems that they seem to be unable to deal with. The Church, both East and West, is in disarray, for the Eastern Church is close to destruction (if that were possible) and the Western Church faces growing moral and spiritual problems.
With this introduction complete we can at last turn to Paul's Letter to Timothy and understand the anxiety in Paul's writings for they were set within the time of the Third Probation which commenced in AD 29. Here Paul is writing whilst in prison in Rome in AD 68, towards the very end of that Probation which ended with the destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of the Jews by the Roman armies. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy was written in AD 68, very close to the time of his departure to Glory. Understandably the content of this Letter was one of great concern, for troubled times lay ahead and Paul was already seeing a departure from the truth appearing: `What you have heard from me keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you - guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us'. In chapter 2 Paul continues, knowing what will happen after his departure, and he urges Timothy:
" You then, my son, be strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the
things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to
reliable men who will be qualified to teach others. "
Continuing on into chapter 3 Paul sounds a clear warning of what is to come, and from the context and comments in earlier chapters we see that Paul's concern is over the `pattern of sound teaching' which he, Paul, received as a direct revelation from Jesus:
" But mark this; there will be terrible times in the last days . . . Just as Jannes
and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men will oppose the truth . . . .
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced
of, because you know those from whom you have learned it. "
And so to Paul's final encouragement to Timothy. `my true son in the faith':
" In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the
dead, and in view of His appearing and His Kingdom, I give you this charge:
Preach the Word, be prepared in season and out of season . . . . "
Here we break into his exhortation to `Preach the Word' - which is often used in the context of `Preach the Word' as an evangelist. It is worth pointing out that the two Greek words here for `Preach' and Word' are `Kerusso and Logos, which together have the meaning of `proclaiming something as a herald' - in the context of Paul's words meaning, `the proclamation or speaking words of instruction'. Within those two words there is also an underlying sense of gravity - listen to and obey that which is being preached - and it is only in the following verse 5 that in addition Timothy is reminded to `do the work of an evangelist'. Therefore within the gravity of Paul's words to Timothy there is great concern over `departure from the truth'. Timothy is urged to be strong and stand against the growing apostacy and to entrust that truth which Paul talks of to reliable men, for there was worse to come as the end of that Probation drew to a close. Timothy must preach that truth as a herald of the soon-return of Jesus. In these matters Timothy is also given a charge to entrust this to reliable men who could be entrusted to teach others. We too at this time have also been given that same charge - `to be strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus' and faithfully proclaim that truth, as revealed in the God-inspired Scriptures - for we too are experiencing a massive cultural and social change, both in the Church and Israel and in the nations of the world. This Probation Period is finished. All that lies ahead as `the Pattern' continues is Judgement, for there was no lasting fruit from that last great outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
With this background in mind we now turn to earlier Scriptures, also written at a time of impending change. Chapter 16 of Matthew's Gospel records Peter's confession:
" When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His
disciples . . . . `But what about you? . . . . Who do you say I am?' "
Jesus was of course speaking within His ministry to the Jews, but we can use those words and carry them into our fourth Probation period, for like the urgency felt by Paul the Apostle when he wrote to Timothy, that is also the urgent concern of our times. From here on we are aware that what we say may cause offence to those who like us understand God's Covenanted purpose for Israel. With our understanding of a Scriptural Probation period we had expected to see a growing apostacy, with the breakdown of spiritual authority and a worldly intrusion into `the Church', thereby compromising doctrine and belief. But like the `first sighting of the incoming tide', over several years we began to hear and read of theologians and high church leaders discussing and writing of the three Monotheistic faiths, Judaism, Christanity and Islam. Initially it caused us to write yet another study entitled `The Empty Husk of Islam', repudiating the claim that Christianity was monotheistic, and therefore it was not one of three common faiths which claimed the Covenanted `rights of Abraham' - that is, the three `People of the Book'. Christianity proclaims the Tri-une Godhead of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, three Persons in One! Christianity is either that unique belief or it is merely a sub-sect of Judaism,
With this in mind we turn to the first issue that faces us in Peter's `confession of Christ'. The Jewish understanding of resurrection in the time of Jesus, apart from that of the Pharisees, a relatively small sect of around 6000, there was little or no understanding of individual resurrection, but within Rabbinical writings there was a firm belief in the national resurrection of Israel - no matter how many times Israel was `destroyed' by outside forces the Israelites had certain hope in its resurrection. However there was a general acceptance of the immortality of the soul, which of course is not the same as resurrection. Peter's `confession of Christ' was therefore within this understanding of a Messiah, one sent from God for the establishment of His Everlasting Kingdom, that is, Israel. Later in Peter's Second Letter we read of that understanding, for he writes concerning Paul's writings:
" Our dear brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him. He
writes the same way in all his letters . . . . His letters contain some things
that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable men distort, as they
do other Scriptures, to their own destruction. " (3:15=16)
We certainly see little understanding of individual resurrection in the Gospel of John, where in chapter 20 concerning `the empty tomb': (v8-9)
" He (Simon Peter) and the other disciples saw and believed. (They still did
not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead). "
Following the crucifixion of Jesus and 50 days later we come to the Feast of Pentecost when Peter spoke in the Temple compound. By now a deeper understanding of the resurrection of Jesus had come through the anointing of the Holy Spirit, but it was also with the understanding of the restoration of Israel as the Kingdom of God, released at last from the bondage of Rome. We see this understanding of National Resurrection again when following Peter's declaration we are told in Acts that three thousand were added to their number as they were brought into the promised New Covenant - just as three thousand died in the Wilderness when receiving the Old Covenant at Mount Sinai following their rebellion. These were both national events involving individual people!
At that Pentecost those `three thousand' Believers in the Messiah were all Jewish, or Gentile proselytes to Judaism. All kept the Law and were totally committed to Torah and its traditions. It was those early Jewish Believers who would form the so-called `New Testament Church'. It was those Jewish Believers who struggled to accept Paul's revelation given to him by the Risen Lord Jesus, and who together with the Rabbinical Jewish leaders caused Paul's continuous troubles and persecutions. Those Jewish Believers were filled with the expectaion of the imminent return of the Messiah to restore Israel as the Kingdom of God. Paul, however, spoke of a Spiritual Kingdom, the Body of Christ, Living Stones! He spoke of a new Temple in that Kingdom comprised of Jew and Gentile! And so Paul was persecuted, finally to death by the Roman authorities, for stirring up trouble in that far-off province of the Roman Empire! Time rolled away and the early Jewish Believers were scattered when the Roman armies destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple. All this is now history, and finally those events merge into what we understand to be `Church history'.
And so we turn to the beginning of the fourth Probation period mentioned earlier which ended in 2007, and as seen in previous Probations it ended in the `death, captivity and diaspora' of God's people. However in this fourth Probation God was concerned not only with His ancient people, the Jews, but also with His Redeemed people, Jew and Gentile, known collectively as the Church. If we are indeed in `the Last Days' we can understand more fully Paul's exhortation to Timothy that we spoke of recently: (2:13)
" What you have heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching,
with faith and love in Christ Jesus. "
Earlier, in his Letters to the Thessolonians, Paul also spoke prophetically of the end of this fourth Probation, where he warns them: (2 Thessolonians 2:1-2)
" Concerning the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to
Him (that is, the catching away of the Lord's Church, Jew and Gentile)
we ask you, brothers, not to be easily unsettled or alarmed . . . . "
Concerning the Lord's ancient people, the Jews, we read in the Book of Revelation of the conclusion of a very long Probation period for the nation of Israel. But as this `conclusion' is beyond the remit of this letter we shall return to the beginning of this current fourth Probation which came with the Arab-Israeli 6 day war in 1967.
Although the whole of the Middle East was always in a state of tension following the Israeli War of Independence, in 1948 the tension broke into open conflict as Egypt began a general mobilisation of its forces along the Sinai-Israel border. Israel launched a pre-emptive air attack against the Egyptian army and Egypt then called Jordan and Syria to enter the conflict. This resulted in Israel's seizure of East Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria from Jordan and the Golan Heights from Syria, and in 1967 Israel declared that Jerusalem was the eternal and undivided capital of Israel. As we have said earlier, the Middle East was in a sullen state of tension long before the 1967 war, and the politicians and religious leaders of the world were caught up in that tension, only too aware of the consequences of the destabilisation that would follow a breaking out of hostilities. Prominent amongst those world leaders was Pope John 23rd, who in 1961 spoke to a delegation of Jewish organisations at the Vatican, when he said to them:
"When I see you all here in front of me, I am reminded of Joseph who long withheld from his brothers that he was their brother, but eventually he could not restrain himself. I feel today, and I say to you, `I am your brother'. "
Later in 1963 shortly before the death of Pope John 23rd he spoke similar words, and we quote in full his prayer:
"We realise now that many, many centuries of blindness have dimmed our eyes, so that we no longer see the beauty of Thy Chosen People and no longer recognise in their faces the features of our first-born Brother. We realise that our brows are branded with the mark of Cain. Centuries long has Abel lain in blood and tears because we have forgotten Thy love. Forgive us the curse which we unjustly laid on the name of the Jews. Forgive us that, with our curse, we crucified Thee a second time. "
The outworking of these speeches and prayers must be seen against the backcloth of the Second Vatican Council, commonly known as `Vatican 2', held during the period 1960-1965. In reality this Second Council was but a continuation of the First Vatican Council of 1869 which was cut short in 1870 when the Italian army entered Rome at the end of the war of Italian unification. This unification of Italy led to the loss of the Papal States and to the Vatican's loss of temporal power, and it was not until 1929 that the Latern Treaty confirmed the establishment of the independent ecclesiastical State of Vatican City, which in time would lead to the assertion of spiritual power. To regain its influence over worldly powers in other matters Vatican 2 declared its `desire' to join the ecumenical effort for dialogue with other religions. To this end it produced the document `Nostra Aetate' (Latin for `In Our Time'), which was finally proclaimed by Pope Paul 6th in 1965 following the death of Pope John 23rd in 1963. This document declared that Jews at the time of Jesus were not responsible for His death, but within the document was a statement that the Church was the new people of God and Jews should not be seen as rejected or accursed by God. It continued, `the Church is mindful of the Patrimony she shares with the Jews'. It is said that the formation of Nostra Aetate was greatly influenced by the work of Jules Isaac, a survivor of the Holocaust, who had previously begun to collect evidence of Christian anti-Jewish writings and who had met with Pope John 23rd in 1961. The outworking of Nostra Aetate continued through successive Popes, and it can be seen today with the present Pope for the Catholic Church has fully embraced it as part of Church dogma.
This outworking was further expanded through the work of Rene Girard, a prominent Catholic anthropologist whose writings in 1972 were said to have greatly helped towards a much wider development of Pope John 23rd's initial thoughts. Girard's work centered on what was called `the Four Great Sibling Rivalries', seen in the Book of Genesis between Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau and fourthly Joseph and his brothers. In his writings as an anthropologist Girard understood that violence in a family came through sibling rivalry, the cycle of which could only be broken by a scapegoat deflecting the violence away from the group. To succeed in that the scapegoat must become the cause of the violence, but the scapegoat must be seen as powerful yet powerless - that is, there could be no risk to either sibling of a reprisal. Girard wrote that for thousands of years the Jews had become the scapegoat for warring religions. The Jews were outsiders, non-Christians in a Christian and an increasingly Islamic world. The cause of the violence, said Girad, lay in rivalry between the three similar `Faiths of the Book', and as they looked for a scapegoat the Christians attacked the Jews and the Muslims attacked the Christians, otherwise they would destroy themselves internally. But, and here is Girard's main thought, when the violence is over, the problem remains! And so to Girard's missing piece of his religious puzzle. Girard stated that such violence is born of a person's desire for what another has that goes beyond the desire of an object - it is a desire to become like the other in order to receive what that person perceives is theirs - and when that desire is not fulfilled it leads to violence in order to obtain it. Expressed simply: `I will fight to get it' which leads to defiant defence in order to retain it.
And so to the `Four Sibling Rivalries' of Genesis (and remember these are Midrashic teachings, a post-exile understanding of hidden meanings in Torah, developed by the Rabbis). First, Cain killed Abel because his gift was not accepted by God; then Isaac was loved by Abraham but Ishmael was sent away; and Jacob stole Esau's blessing from Isaac by deception. The case of the `Fouth Rivalry', that of Joseph and his brothers, we will leave aside for a moment as it does not fit easily into the same pattern of sibling rivalry. What, then, is the missing piece of the puzzle which brings to an end these Scriptural sibling rivalries which arose through the desire to be the only one chosen by God? The end of these rivalries, Girad said, lay within Scripture but is not seen by `reading' Scripture in the traditionally accepted way - which is always read from the rival's perspective. He said, if this new understanding can be brought out it would lead to all the `Abrahamic Faiths' being equals, not rivals. (You will note that the first rivalry between Cain and Abel has been left on its own because that rivalry led to its ultimate end in the death of Abel.)
Here, however, we are concerned with the sibling rivalry of the Abrahamic line and primarily with the `Fourth Rivalry' illustration which is left until later in this Letter. Concerning the rivalry between Isaac and Ishmael in the Genesis narrative, it is recorded four times that Ishmael will be blessed. God said to Abraham of Ishmael: `He is your offspring', but concerning Isaac: `He will be called your offspring'. Thus it is implied that Ishmael would achieve worldly greatness whereas Isaac had been given a governmental responsibility - that is, Isaac was chosen for a spiritual destiny. Both were given different but equally important roles, and we read in Genesis 25:9 that both `Isaac and Ishmael buried him (Abraham) in the cave of Machpelah'. The Jewish sages state that the birth of Isaac did not replace Ishmael in Abraham's affections; he merely had a different destiny blessed by Abraham and God, whereas Isaac was only blessed by God after Abraham's death when the two sons joined in common grief at his burial.
What, then, of the third rivalry, between Jacob and Esau? Scripture records that, `Isaac loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob' (Genesis 25:28.) This led to great sibling rivalry, and a reading of this Scripture can only cause great compassion for Esau whose legally entitled blessing from his father was stolen by Jacob. But there was a second blessing given to Jacob by his father Isaac which needed no subterfuge (Genesis 28:1) for it was intended for him from his birth. As with Isaac, this second blessing was a Covenanted blessing - not for wealth or power but for children and land for the generations to come. So we read in Genesis 33 that when Jacob met Esau he gave back the worldly blessing of wealth: (33:11)
" `Take, I pray you, my blessing because God has dealt graciously with me,
and I have no need of it'. And Esau took it. "
The missing piece of the puzzle, said Girad, was that: Brothers need not strive for what is theirs by Divine blessing. Both are loved and are on a personal unique path together as equals. The choice of Isaac and Jacob does not mean rejection by God of Ishmael and Esau.
This now brings us to the `Fourth Rivalry', to the story of Joseph, often used for ecumenical religious unity. The story concerning Joseph and his brothers occupies some 13 chapters of the entire Book of Genesis, just over one quarter of the book. We have singled it out for special concern because it does not fit into the pattern of sibling rivalry, as seen in the previous three `rivalries', and is used within the context of the so-called `Three Monotheistic Faiths', Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Within Judaism the person of Joseph is traditionally seen to be a reflection of the promised Messiah of the royal line of David, whereas to Christians he is the foreshadowing of The Promised Seed of Abraham of the royal line of David.
However, what has been overlooked by the proponents of the Three Monotheistic Faiths is that the general understanding of the `Joseph story' is not one of rivalry but of repentance. Certainly his brothers were resentful of Joseph, but they did not covet his position for they totally rejected his claims and plotted his death. Joseph was saved only by his brother Reuben's concern for their father's distress, which led to Joseph being sold into slavery to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. Joseph's actions towards his brothers when they journied to Egypt in search of food because of the famine seem at first to be vengeful and spiteful, but his actions intended his brothers to undergo the same bitter experience they had inflicted on him in order to bring them to repentance. Joseph's forgiveness was never in question, as seen in his words to his fearful brothers: Genesis 45:5
" Don't be alarmed! Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm
me but God intended it for good, according with what is now being
done, the saving of many lives. "
This makes the `Fourth rivalry' different from the previous three for it leaves the brothers not equal but under the authority of Joseph, who was able to provide land, property and food for his brothers. And so Joseph's dreams were fulfilled as his brothers accepted him as their provider and protector.
Staying at this `natural' level we can see that the work of Rene Girard could still be used to bring acceptance of the two Abrahamic faiths, Judaism and Islam, but to extend it to three Abrahamic faiths we would have to ignore or destroy the full and final truth that lay in the Joseph story, leaving Christianity as a sub-sect of Judaism similar to the Essenes or Pharisees. The central message of this fourth event is of One who forgives even before repentance has been made and is different, totally unique, to the other three events. The words of Pope John 23rd were not just a gracious remark towards Judaism when he spoke to that Jewish delegation in 1961: `. . .and I say to you, I am your brother'. The unspoken implication was - as with Joseph's words to his brothers - `I am your provider and protector', that is, the first among equals but nevertheless still the first. This is so with all who inherit the Papal throne, for their title, not often mentioned, is `the Vicar of Christ', the vicarious presence on earth of the heavenly Joseph. Following Vatican 2 there has been continual mention of the Three Monotheistic Faiths, which expression has to be maintained if this ecumenical work is to be continued, for Christianity is not monotheistic, it is tri-une, one God in three Persons. This concept is totally rejected by Judaism and Islam alike!
Continuing this move we have also noticed a growing onslaught on the Epistles of Paul, calling him the founder of Christianity and accusing him of Hellenising Scripture with paganism and Greek philosophy with its Higher (that is, Gnostic) knowledge. If Christinaity is to be `dismantled' and become one of three monotheistic faiths, one of `the People of the Book', this can only be done through rejection of the revelation given by Jesus to Paul. Through that rejection will come the rejection of Jesus Christ as God the Son - which is not the same as the Son of God which can be used as an honourific title. These changes occur over a long period of time - and we have called them a `morphing', which is changing something by gradual degrees into something completely different but yet retaining its original outer form. We have set this morphing within a Scriptural fourty-year Probation Period which began in 1967, using the thoughts and words of Pope John 23rd. This drive towards ecumenical unity continued through acceptance of the `Nostra Aetate' by the Catholic Church and can be seen in the recent words of Francis the current Pope, and we paraphrase his words for brevity's sake:
" God revealed Himself in His Word. If all people's responses are in accord with the Word of God, they stand in a right relationship with God. For the Jews that Word is based on Torah and the traditions based on it. Confessing Christians find their unity in Christ . . . Judaism finds its unity in Torah . . . both faith traditions find their foundation in the one true God . . . In that sense Christians can affirm that Jesus Christ can be considered as the Living Torah of God, Torah and Christ are the Word of God. " (our emphasis)
In December 2015 there was much excitement in certain Christian ministries over the public statement signed by 25 Jewish Orthodox Rabbis entitled, `To do the will of the Father in Heaven'. This statement advocated partnership with, and appreciation of, the religious value of Christianity to address the moral challenges of today! Rabbi Greenberg of CJCUC (The Centre for Jewish and Christian Understanding and Cooperation, whose work resulted in that public statement) said this:
" We understand that there is room in traditional Judaism to see Christianity as a development out of Judaism that was willed by God . . . Since the Second Vatican Council the official teaching of the Catholic Church about Judaism has changed." (our emphasis)
But Judaism is not Biblical - it is the teachings and traditions develeloped by the Rabbis after the Babylonian captivity! In the early months of 2016 a prominent UK Prophetic Ministry reviewed a book entitled, `A Messianic Church Arising', concerning the `Restoration of Jewish Roots to Christianity', with an Appendix concerned with: "the Jewishness of the early Church and the Jewish Feasts' . . . over the centuries Jewish people had come to recognise their Messiah but they had been assimilated into the Church and had forfeited their Jewish identity". In the second chapter the author looked at the influence of paganism and discussed the effects a pagan mindset has had, and still has, on the Gentile understanding of God's relationship with the Jewish people - causing many Gentiles to struggle to see that there is one God rather than `one of many Gods'. (our emphasis) One highlighted box in the review stated, "This is a book that will show you how to regain your lost inheritance as part of the `One New Man' with Jewish Believers. " These are examples from prominent Ministries and Theologians showing the reality of a Probation Period, and of how deep we are into the captivity that concludes a Probation Period. This flow from leading Christian Ministries has entered into acceptance by much of the mainstream Church and expresses itself in many ways in order to make acceptance of the three Monotheistic Faiths as three equal faiths but on separate journies to the one true God.
As to the `many ways' within this Probation: The taking back of East Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria co-incided with the `Jewish Roots Movement', which began to over-emphasise Israel, elevating it to a position not seen in Scripture within this Dispensation. It developed into a desire to keep the Jewish Feasts rather than teach understanding of the richness that lay within them. There began to be an over-reliance upon Rabbinical Midrashic writings (which are post-exile interpretations of Torah) which must always line up with, and be confirmed by, the Hebrew-Christian Bible. Clearly these writings cannot, for Paul tells us that a veil covers their hearts and minds. In early 2016 a respected Christian Ministry involved with Israel reported the publication of an Aramaic/English New Testament translated from the original Peshitta text, and we quote:
" . . . which appeared in the ancient world sometime prior to 400 AD . . . . Though there are some differences between the Greek text and the Aramaic, some Christians think that Aramaic was the original language of Middle Eastern Christianity and we should be studying Aramaic rather than Greek."
Aramaic simply means the language of the Arameans, which was the lingua franca of the wider Assyrian Empire and used by the Assyrians, Babylonians, Chaldeans, the Medes and the Persians, so there was no other common dialect in use. The Peshitta Text, which simply means `the common text', as does the meaning in Koine Greek, is said to be a Syrian translation into Aramaic. This Syrian text was, and is still, used by the small and deeply divided Eastern Syrian Churches, but most scholars agree that the Peshitta Text translated into Aramaic is a 4th century translation from Koine Greek. And, as it is well known, the Old Testament is a direct translation from the Hebrew text into Koine Greek, which is well known as the Septuagint. It is also agreed that the Septuagint and the New Testament, although translated into Greek, have Hebrew thought and syntax imbedded into them. All this may well seem to be academic, but when put together with what has been said it can be seen as yet another attack on the validity of the Greek translation of Scripture. Finally, it has been said that if the Peshitta Text was translated into English it would read as the King James Version of the Bible.
During this Probation there has been a persistent cry to form `a New Testament Church', and more recently suggestions for `a Hebraic Church', without understanding that the New Testament Church was composed of Jewish Christians who bitterly opposed the Apostle Paul and the Gospel he preached. There was also growing opposition to the so-called `Hellenising of Scripture', forgetting that most of the Jewish rituals and traditions they wished to return to came out of Tulmadic Judaism following their captivity in Babylon and were largely pagan in origin. The growing Messianic Fellowships of today are in danger of undermining the God-given truth revealed by Paul in Ephesians - `His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace' - their leaders insisting that Jews when becoming Believers remain Jewish in identity and practice.
To conclude, we repeat our opening remark that what has been said today is not intended to be an attack on the Catholic Church, neither is it a defense of Protestantism or Orthodoxy, and most certainly it is not an attack on Israel for we speak in great alarm over what we see taking shape in tangible form in the Church. If indeed these are the `Last Days' then Scripture clearly reveals that there has to be a great religious False Prophet. The Roman Catholic Church system is the only `autonomous, ecclesiastical, monarchical State ruled by an absolute elective monarch', the Pope, who has a world-wide respect not given to other religious leaders. We therefore conclude with Paul's words to Timothy:
" What you have heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with
faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to
you - guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. "
In these perilous times we need to hear the words of Jesus when speaking to His disciples, and then respond as did Peter:
" `Who do people say the Son of Man is?' . . . . . Simon Peter replied,
`You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God'. "
APPENDIX TO CHURCH LETTERS
Rather than break into the main narrative, this short Appendix is to inform that we do not write or speak from a Protestant, Roman Catholic or Orthodox position but solely from the position of disciples of the Lord Jesus. We write with `an understanding of the present times, as seen in the past times, with the certainty of their re-occurrence in the future', as confirmed in Scripture. Therefore without any anti or pro Catholic prejudice it is worth noting that the Vatican is not built on one of `the Seven Hills of Rome', so vilified by many Protestant students of prophecy. Those seven hills all lay to the east of the River Tiber, whereas the Vatican - or to give it its correct Latin name, `Mont Vaticanus' - was added to the city of Rome, along with others, during the mid-9th century by Pope Leo 4th and lies to the north-west of the River Tiber. However the Vatican is the only religio-politico State, having the official title of Vatican City State. This is not to be confused with the Holy Roman See which is the Pope's spiritual and pastoral governance with no national boundaries. The Vatican is an autonomous ecclesiastical (or sacramental) monarchical State within the city of Rome, ruled by an absolute elective monarch, the Pope. However, a writer in 1 BC stated that in ancient times it was known as the Mount of the god Vaticanus, or Vagitanus, who it was said endowed new-born infants with their first cry Vagire (to cry) who would thereafter speak words of prophecy - on such ancient folk lore many pagan beliefs grow!
Some things written or said here concerning Israel may cause offence, and if it does this is unintentional, for those who know us through our writing or through personal contact will know of our full undertsanding of God's purpose for Israel. Our intention is to warn of an over-emphasis on Israel in this Dispensation, for it can easily distort Scriptural understanding of Israel's final end of its journey, `and so all Israel will be saved'. Clearly not all we hear or read about Israel is Scriptural, indeed everything that purports to be Scriptural must have Jesus at its centre. No other name or authority, no other teaching or prophecy should be allowed to intrude into the centre of our lives! God's Word has Jesus at its centre, and the Glory of God through and in Jesus is Scripture's eternal goal - as it must be ours! Wisdom is required in matters concerning Israel lest we unintentionally through our zeal to identify with Israel begin to negate our life in Christ. The prophet Isaiah, speaking the LORD's Word says: (Isaiah 11:1-2)
" A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will
grow fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him . . . . "
That Branch is Jesus! Only through Him will branches be grafted into that Olive Tree, Jew and Gentile alike! We are required to `preach Jesus, and Him crucified' whilst upholding the Olive Tree with love, honour and respect.
Finally for this Appendix, and in view of the attached Letter's subject, we need to carefully consider Paul's warning in his Second Letter to the Thessolonians: Are we in the time of `the falling away, and the great delusion when many will believe the lie'? Paul was writing this halfway through the Probation of his time. We, in this Probation, are beyond that point.
Selah !
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