(1) The BASF uses uncommon and difficult words, suitable perhaps for a legal document of the Victorian era, but not nearly so suitable in a document we hope will be read (and understood!) by people in general today. (If any reader feels inclined to exclaim, “Why in the world should we want people in general today to understand it?”, then it may be because he has not seriously considered our body’s duty to proclaim the gospel to the world!)

Probably many readers can define such words as these, but can our neighbors (or even our Sunday School scholars) define them?:

• extant
• bequeath
• transcription
• metropolis
• underived
• abolition
• inaugurate
• immaculate
• abrogate
• coercion
• propitiation

(2) In addition to archaic and difficult words, the BASF uses lengthy and complex sentences — which obscure the meanings of some wonderfully simple concepts. (This may be seen — for one example — in the Foundation clause of the BASF.)

(3) The BASF omits any clear statement of the fundamental Bible teaching of justification by faith. Corresponding to this is its failure to mention conversion or repentance in connection with baptism. These oversights may reinforce an unfortunate Christadelphian tendency: to understand, and perhaps to proclaim, salvation as a mechanical process (‘learn the facts, and then be baptized’) more than as a moral awakening (‘change your life, and then be reborn’).

(4) The failure to teach the doctrine of the One Body has reinforced a sad Christadelphian tendency: to divide too quickly, too often, and too easily. This lack of specific teaching on the subject has encouraged us to put far more weight on, and more effort into, maintaining the purity of the Truth than maintaining the unity of the Body!

(5) The BASF is characterized by a complete absence of “love” as an attribute or motivation of God or Jesus Christ in their work. Also, there is a complete absence of “mercy” in connection with either the Father or the Son.

(6) The BASF tends to say too much in stating a principle, and (sometimes) to suggest inadvertently what is plainly wrong: ie,

1. that Abraham’s and David’s line was “condemned” above all other men (VIII);
2. that Abraham and his seed Christ will not inherit the whole world (XXI — but apparently overridden by XXII); and

3. that somehow in the Kingdom death will exist in a “much milder degree” than it does today (XXVI)!

(7) The BASF puts excessive emphasis (in Clauses XXVI through XXX) upon events of the Last Days, for which our Scriptural approaches to defining “essential doctrine” yield no evidence for inclusion. Considering the scant evidence from any part of the Bible for the literality of the thousand years reign of Christ, and for a “general resurrection and judgment” at the end of that period, these statements might well have been omitted from a statement of faith purporting to define fundamental and saving truth. (This is not to say that these two items, or any other points in the last five clauses, are wrong — only that they are not nearly so well-attested as most of the earlier portions, and that they are demonstrably not of the same “first principles” status. It should go without saying that other, more detailed interpretations of Last Days prophecies must likewise be kept out of “first principles” status, even if some brethren might wish to lift them there.)

The idea of reconciliation is quite pervasive in the teachings of Christ. How else could it be for one in whom God was reconciling the world to Himself (2Co 5:19)? This is nowhere more evident than in that section of his teachings known popularly as the Sermon on the Mount. Here, in rapid succession, the Divine Master places his blessing upon the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers — the reconcilers! The “Beatitudes” are followed by the warning of Mat 5:20: “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus could not have meant that his listeners should follow a more abundant “righteousness” than that of the Pharisees: that would have been well-nigh impossible at any rate. He must have meant a “righteousness” of a different sort — leaving behind the painstaking legal hair-splittings of washing and purifying; the wearisome fretting about contamination and separateness in a ceremonial sense.

The righteousness that Jesus advocates is an earnest, loving consideration for one’s brother, the principle rather than the appearance of righteousness, a reaching forward and not a pulling back: “Everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment” (Mat 5:22, RSV).

We can well imagine the skeptic’s words: ‘Yes, this is all well and good; but what does it have to do with ‘fellowship’?” The answer is found in the next two verses (Mat 5:23,24). The “gifts” we offer to God at this time, which Christ must have had in mind, are prayers and praises (Psa 141:2; Hos 14:2). The “altar” to which we now approach is Christ himself, in heaven at the right hand of the Father, where he acts as priest and mediator also (Heb 13:10; 1Jo 2:1). The lesson is obvious, and has — it may now be seen — a strong bearing upon our “fellowship”: Even if your “lamb” or “gift” (ie your personal, individual worship and service) is “without blemish”, you must still be reconciled to your brother before God will be pleased to accept it! Only when reconciliation is sought, and peace is made, and brethren dwell together in unity (Psa 133:1) — only then is the invitation extended: “Come and offer thy gift.”

The Proverbs tell us there are seven abominable things, which God hates. The seventh (the worst?) of these is “he that soweth discord among brethren” (Pro 6:19). If this is so, then the teaching by contrast would be this: he whom God loves above all else, who is worthy of the seventh (the greatest?) blessing, is the peacemaker and the reconciler — ”he who sows accord among brethren”.

“The command of Christ is, ‘BE RECONCILED.’ Jesus does not discuss where the fault may lie. That is unimportant. The important part is — Seek reconciliation, continually, always. Not just go through the motions once or twice, like a technical Pharisee. He says — BE reconciled; keep at it; never give up the effort. IF THESE COMMANDS WERE OBEYED, THERE COULD BE NO ECCLESIAL PROBLEMS” (GVG, Berean 57:47).

“Brethren in Christ must PRACTICE reconciliation, atonement, and unity, not seeking to expose sins but to recover the sinner. They have no authority from Christ to mark up the failings of others and to make known from the housetops their deviations and sins… We should be no wedge-drivers but reconcilers, and not fall into the error of rejoicing more over the one sheep that is lost than over the one that is found, over withdrawing fellowship rather than restoring it” (CMPA, “Fellowship — Its Spirit and Practice”, The Christadelphian 109:11).

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance; but as He Which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy” (1Pe 1:13-16).

Peter is quoting an Old Testament passage, or rather a series of passages, from Leviticus:

Lev 11:44,45: In the context of a section prohibiting certain foods, and making a distinction between clean and unclean animals. The reason for this call to holiness: “For I am Yahweh that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God” (v 45).

Lev 19:2: The commandment to holiness comes here at the head of a series of injunctions, which include “Fear your father and mother”, “Keep My sabbaths”, and “Turn from idols”.

Lev 20:7,26: The same commandment again (“Be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God”) occurs at the beginning and end of a catalogue of sexual laws — -against fornication, incest, adultery, and so forth. Again, the same reason for this call to holiness is given also: “For I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be Mine.”

This reason for holiness is echoed in Peter’s letter, where after the verses cited above he reminds the believers that they have been redeemed by the blood of Christ out of their former “useless way of life” (1Pe 1:18,19), so as to be a holy nation, a purchased people, kings and priests who have been delivered out of darkness into light (1Pe 2:9,10).

Lev 21:8: Priests were to be “holy unto God” — — that is, not defiled with the dead.

***

The basic ideas of both the Old and New Testament words for “holy” (Hebrew “kadesh” and Greek “hagios”) are quite similar: They signify “set apart, pure, sanctified”. This process of being called out to form a distinct community or congregation, this separating or severing of a special group for a special purpose (Lev 11:45; 20:26), is the means by which the “ecclesia” is formed. Under the Law, as we have seen in Leviticus, God’s people were set apart, or made “holy”, physically — — that is, they were brought out of Egypt, placed under dietary restrictions, commanded to abstain from immorality and idolatry, and constantly reminded of the divine deliverance that set them apart. This separateness in a physical sense required even the extermination of the Canaanite nations in their midst.

But, under Christ’s “law”, the ecclesia is to be a congregation of “called-out” and “set-apart” ones even while in the midst of evil men and evil institutions:

They are to be a “city set on a hill”, an “island” of light in a sea of darkness (Mat 5:14-16), harmless and blameless in the midst of a crooked and perverse people (Phi 2:14,15). Their “holiness” is to be not so much one of erecting physical barriers between themselves and that which is unholy, but instead a spiritual separation and preparation of mind and attitude and conduct.

***

1Pe 1:16 is an echo of Matt 5:48:

“Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

The word “perfect” (again, both in Hebrew and Greek) means “to be complete or finished”, as a “perfect heart” — one that is whole, undivided in its loyalties, complete in its integrity; in a word, “holy”. A consideration of holiness, therefore, leads us naturally to Christ’s “Sermon on the Mount”: the living heart of the Truth, the “manifesto of the Kingdom”. “If ye love me,” said the Master, “keep my commandments.” And here they are: prayer, self-denial, loving one’s enemies, giving, preaching.

“Be ye therefore perfect.” Does Christ really expect us to be “perfect”? What he does expect (even demand) is that we exert every effort in that direction. He. requires no more than the very best we can do, but he will accept no less. This command leaves us absolutely no excuse for relaxing our efforts at any point short of perfection, or complete holiness. The great example is God Himself, awesome as that example may be:

“Be ye holy, for I am holy.”

“Be ye perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Holiness is both a series of acts and a state of mind. It cannot be one without the other. To the Pharisees it was the first but not the second, and their lives became an endless round of external, superficial “obedience”. But we may easily drift to the other extreme: Growing complacent in our reliance on the mercy of God, we may come to act as though “holiness” is nothing but a state of mind, and “deeds” make no real difference, because after all Christ can forgive!

It is true that Christ can and will forgive, and salvation is by grace and not by works. But our works — — our acts of “holiness” — — are the only means of putting ourselves into the position where we may hope for and expect forgiveness when we fail. The crucial truth is that God will not forgive our shortcomings unless we are seriously striving for holiness and perfection!

***

It is common however, for man to offer objections (even if subconsciously, and only to himself) to a life of holiness. Such objections fall into several categories:

“All people fall Short of perfection and holiness; so I am content with my failings”: But the question should not be: “Is absolute perfection possible?” but rather: “Do I come as near perfect holiness as sincere intention and careful effort can take me?” Jesus has said, “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able” (Luke 13:24).

Many will at the last fail to obtain salvation, not because they made no effort, but because they did not make effort enough!

“I am so much better than most people; surely ‘that’ is enough”: This was of course the common mistake of the Pharisee, concerned as he was with the outward appearance. But it may be our mistake also. Are we, perhaps, “better” than the world in externals only? A little more Bible reading, more regular attendance at “church” meetings, a little more care in refraining from the grosser and more obvious sins? Such a self-perception may be terribly dangerous, because it can lull us into a complacent, sleepy satisfaction. And we shall find at last that we have been no more than “white-wash jobs”! “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Mat 23:27,28).

“Love is the important thing; works are secondary”: But Jesus has said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” Where in the Bible is love an emotion, and not an action? What is love, after all, if it is not obedience? Can disobedience be a manifestation of love?

***

It is evident, then, that Scriptural holiness is the mind of Christ, assimilated to ourselves (Phi 2:5). To the degree we make his mind ours, we are united and single and “perfect” in our loyalties (Mat 6:21-24). Life is too short to serve two “masters”, whether it be God and business, or God and gardening, or God and physical fitness. Holiness, then, involves the first step of “choosing the Kingdom”. If we have not chosen first the kingdom of God (v 33), it will make no difference what we have chosen instead!

Is this last statement true? Will it really make no difference whether we choose drugs, or a business promotion? Whether we choose politics, or football? Money, or family? Whether we choose, in short, the “disreputable”, obviously unworthy pursuits… or the “respectable”, society-pleasing pursuits? Surely it will make no difference that really matters, for we will have missed the purpose for which we were formed, and rejected the one thing that has any lasting value. Does it matter to a man dying in the desert, by which wrong road he missed the only well?

***

Acts 5 records the sad tale of Ananias and Sapphira, early disciples who pretended to be something more than they were. Caught between two worlds, desiring to have one foot in each, imperfect in their devotions, they lied to the Holy Spirit. They kept back part of the sales price of their possessions, and were struck dead for their pains.

We have “sold” the “old man” and laid the proceeds at the feet of Jesus. Have we also kept back part of the price? — — “I will do this and that for Jesus and then something else for myself.” If we have taught ourselves to think this way as a matter of course, then we will never be “holy”. We will never even be really happy. The “natural man”, like a little parasite, just will not quite let go. The less he is “fed”, the more he will complain and make a nuisance of himself… until he is truly dead! Jesus says, “Give me all. I don’t want 50% of your time and 20% of your money. I want you! I haven’t come to torment your ‘old man’, but to kill him once and for all. Hand him over, and I will give you a new self… a new man!”

Surely, if the cross of Christ is worth anything, it is worth everything. Surely, if Jesus is the Son of God, we must serve him and him alone. Surely, if we recognize that we need the “cure” for sin and death, we must sign up for the “full treatment”. Surely, there can be, in this war, no battles of “containment” or “limited objectives”, but a fight to the finish:

“Be ye holy, as I am holy.”

“Be ye perfect, as your Father which is in heaven in perfect.”

***

Imagine yourself a living house. Jesus comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he’s up to: he’s fixing the plumbing and mending the leaky roof, and you’re not surprised. In fact, you’re rather pleased with the improvement.

But soon he starts knocking out walls and adding a new wing — courtyards and towers are going up everywhere. It’s all such a fuss, and the hammering never stops, and you’re tired and fed up, and all you ever wanted to be was a decent little cottage, no better than most. But he’s building a palace!

Why is he going to all this trouble? Well, you see, Jesus intends to come and live ill this house himself.

“And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy… and the dragon gave him his power… and great authority” (Rev 13:1,2).

Introduction

They are such frightening pictures, aren’t they? Wild dragon-like monsters, with purple and red crocodile hides, fierce countenances, sharp claws, thrashing tails, and extra heads and horns sprouting out at odd angles? Did Daniel have terrible nightmares as a child which he could never put out of his mind? Did the apostle John use psychedelic drugs, as some cynics have suggested? Are twentieth-century readers supposed to take all of this seriously anyway?

Yes! There is rhyme and reason to these fantastic visions. It is not necessarily the easiest thing in the world to make sense of it all. Maybe none of us can expect, at the present time, to make sense of ALL of it. But the Bible does provide, both in its historical sections and in other more straightforward prophecies, guidelines by which we can begin the task of unraveling the apocalyptic enigmas.

“Beasts”?

The Bible tells us generally that men who know not God, or who treat other men in a brutal fashion, are no better than “beasts” in God’s sight, and that they will ultimately perish like beasts (Psa 49:12,20; Ecc 3:19,20). This is probably the rationale for Gentile oppressors of God’s people being characterized as “beasts” of prey, in Daniel and elsewhere. The great “Beast” of Rev 13, with its 7 heads and 10 horns, also is said to have the number of a man (v 18), perhaps indicating that it represents a particular man.

At least one man in Old Testament times was actually made by God to be like a “beast”. This was the great king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who recognized himself in the “head of gold” in the image of Daniel 2, and whose great pride and arrogance brought upon him an unusual judgment from the Almighty: see Dan 4:16,25,32,33.

Only a coincidence? Or does this suggest that the “Beast” of the Last Days will be Babylonian, as was the “Beast” Nebuchadnezzar?

Furthermore: is it another coincidence that the “Beast”, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, set up an image (of himself?) to be worshiped by all his subjects (Dan 3:4-6) — remarkably similar to the image (not to mention the overall circumstances) described in Rev 13?

Such “coincidences” may in fact be useful patterns — arranged by the Divine Hand — upon which the outlines of future events may be discerned. In other words, Old Testament history may point the way to the fulfillment of New Testament prophecy. For example, along with “Beasts” and images, Babylon and the Euphrates River (the great river that flowed through the heart of ancient Babylon) also appear as symbols in the Book of Revelation:

1. Rev 9 describes a great Destroying Power bound at the Euphrates River — the river which flows directly through modern-day Iraq (Rev 9:12-21).

2. Rev 16:12 pictures the Divine judgments poured out upon the Euphrates River, causing it to dry up; this leads immediately to the fall of Babylon (Rev 16:17-21; cp Rev 14:8; 17:5; 18:2,10,21).

All this makes sense if the fate of the Euphrates River and the fate of Babylon are closely connected in the Last Days, as they were in Daniel’s day — when the drying up of the Euphrates was the proximate cause of the capture of Babylon by Darius the Mede (Dan 5:31; cp Jer 50:38; 51:36). And all these details point to the greater Middle Eastern area as the scene of Revelation’s final fulfillment.

The Beast of Rev 13 combines the characteristics of the four beasts of Dan 7. Thus:

Beast of Revelation 13	Daniel 7
Like a leopard	3rd beast
Feet like a bear	2nd beast
Mouth of a lion	1st beast
10 horns	4th beast

The Apocalyptic Beast appears to be a composite of all four beasts of Dan 7. Furthermore, the four beasts have, collectively, 7 heads and ten horns, ie:

Beast	Heads	Horns
Lion	1	—
Bear	1	—
Leopard	4	—
Fourth Beast	1	10
Totals	7	10

And the one Beast of Rev 13 likewise has, all to itself, seven heads and ten horns! This is not random confusion and monstrosity for its own sake; there is pattern here, and in pattern there may be discerned divine inspiration and direction for our understanding.

“Heads”?

The idea that the great Beast of Revelation somehow combines and represents the four kingdoms of Daniel, which in turn trod down Israel, suggests the following analysis (names on the same line are equivalent):

The 4 kingdoms of Dan 2;7	The 7 heads of Revelation
1. Babylon	1. Iraq*
2. Persia	2. Iran*
3. Greece (a)	3. Greece* Turkey (c) Egypt (Ptolemy)* Syria (Seleucus)*
4. Rome	4. Rome (b)

* These five “heads” had ruled over Israel by John’s time. Egypt (the king of the south) and Syria (the king of the north) each ruled for only short periods during approximately 300-100 BC (see Dan 11).

• After the death of Alexander the Great, his vast empire was divided into 4 parts, ruled over by his 4 generals. Greece’s 4 “heads” (Dan 7:6; 8:8,22) — roughly equivalent to Greece, Turkey, Egypt, and Syria today — plus the 3 other kingdoms — Iraq, Iran, and Rome — (with one head each) = 7 “heads”.

• The 6th “head” “now is”: At the time of John’s writing, Rome ruled over Israel. Counting the five that had already ruled over Israel, and the sixth was “now is”, there is left only one other head, which is…

• The 7th “head” — which in John’s day “is still to come”. Of the seven “heads” as outlined above, this would leave only the Turkish/Ottoman Empire. Although it ruled over the Middle East for a long time, it ruled only for a “short time” over Jewish-populated Palestine. There may also be a place here for another Last-Days power (somehow related to all the others) which will rule for the very “short time” of about 3 1/2 years.

“Horns”?

In Daniel, the alignment between Dan 2 (the “Image”) and Dan 7 (the 4 “beasts”) suggests that the (10?) “toes” that arise after the fourth empire are equivalent to the 10 “horns” that grow out of the fourth “beast”.

In the first instance of fulfillment, the 10 “horns” were the mercenary armies of the Arabs and Idumeans (Edomites) which assisted the Roman legions in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish state in AD 70 (cp the historian Josephus in his Wars of the Jews) [see Lesson, Ten toes, identity].

But Daniel also indicated that the 10 horns also exist when “the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed” (Dan 2:44). Since the Kingdom of God has not yet been set up as predicted here (see also Dan 7:27), there must be a further fulfillment of the toes prophecy. This illustrates the dual-fulfillment feature common in Daniel’s prophecy (and other Bible prophecies): once in an immediate and preliminary and partial sense, and once again (in a more complete sense) at the time of the end.

With Israel back as a nation in their land again (since 1948), the stage is set for another fulfillment. Who are most likely to be the 10 “horns” of the Last Days?

Psalm 83 lists 10 nations — giving their ancient names — which will join together in their determination to destroy Israel as a nation in the Last Days.

Likewise, recent Middle East history has seen ten Arab nations — occupying generally the same territory as the nations of Psalm 83 — gain their independence during the same generation (1922–1971) that saw the rebirth of the nation of Israel in 1948. (This is probably the import of Jesus’ words in Luke 21:29: “Behold the fig tree [Israel] AND ALL THE TREES.”)

There are currently, in the area occupied by the old Roman Empire, exactly 10 such independent Arab nations. This scenario even allows for the infamous eleventh “horn” of Dan 7, which arises after the others and acts as a catalyst in the defeat and persecution of Israel — the incipient “nation” of Palestine. At this writing it is not yet independent, but it could become so soon. Will this be the eleventh horn which comes up among, and after, the former ten?:

1. Egypt (1922)
2. Saudi Arabia (1932)
3. Iraq (1932)
4. Lebanon (1943)

5. Syria (1946)
6. Jordan (1949)
7. Kuwait (1963)
8. Bahrain (1971)

9. Qatar (1971)
10. United Arab Emirates (1971)

and

11. Palestine (?)

Thus the following analysis (names on the same line are generally equivalent):

10 Nations of Psalm 83	10 (and then 11) Horns of Revelation (a)
1. Assur (Assyria)	1. Iraq
2. Hagarenes	2. Egypt (?)
3. Tyre	3. Syria
4. Gebal	4. Lebanon
5. Moab	5. Jordan
6. Ammon
7. Edom	6. Saudi Arabia
8. Amalek
9. Ishmaelites	7. Kuwait 8. Qatar 9. United Arab Emirates 10. Bahrain
10. Philistines	11. Palestine (PLO) (b)

• These nations (all Arab) are all remnants of the Roman Empire in the Middle East (thus justifiably considered the “extension” of Rome, and the “toes” of Dan 2). This criterion (ie being part of the old Roman Empire) would exclude other nations like Yemen, Oman, and Iran. In fact, the territory of the ten Arab kings, along with that of Israel, is the only area of the whole world where all of Daniel’s four kingdoms actually ruled (ie where the territories of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome at their furthest limits overlapped)!

• The eleventh “horn”? It seems to be similar to the other ten horns, yet it is somehow different, and it arises later and displaces three others (perhaps Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria?).

Summary

The two charts may now be combined, and — for purposes of contrast — set alongside the list of the aggressor nations of Eze 38 (once again, an attempt is made to show equivalency from left to right):

The 4 Kingdoms of Dan 2; Dan 7	The 7 Heads of Revelation	The 10 Nations of Psalm 83	The 10 (and then 11) Horns of Revelation	“Gog and Magog” of Eze 38
1. Babylon	1. Iraq	1. Assur or Assyria	1. Iraq	—
2. Persia	2. Iran	—	—	1. Persia
3. Greece ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ”	3. Greece 4. Turkey ” ” ” ” 5. Egypt 6. Syria	— — — — 2. Hagar 3. Tyre, and 4. Gebal	— — — — 2. Egypt 3. Syria, & 4. Lebanon	2. Meshech 3. Tubal 4. Gomer 5. Togarmah — — —
4. Rome ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ”	7. Rome ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ” ”	5. Moab 6. Ammon 7. Edom 8. Amalek 9. Ishmael ” ” ” ” ” ” 10. Philistia	5. Jordan ” ” 6. Saudi Arabia ” ” 7. Kuwait 8. Qatar 9. UAE 10. Bahrain 11. Palestine (PLO)	— — — — — — — — —
—	—	—	—	6. Libya
—	—	—	—	7. Ethiopia

General Comments on the Chart

A. While there are numerous points of connection between the nations of Psa 83 and the Beasts, heads, and horns — the nations of Eze 38 are largely a different group. Might they not (as Rev 20 suggests) attack Israel only after Christ and the saints have defeated the Arab powers and established the Kingdom in Jerusalem?

B. One of the 7 “heads” of the “Beast” is wounded with a “deadly” wound, but recovers — so that all the world gazes in awe at the Beast (Rev 13:3,5,6). At this date, it can only be speculation, but is the Iraq of Saddam Hussein that head? And is Saddam’s recent overwhelming defeat in the Gulf War the “deadly wound” from which he (the “Beast”, like Nebuchadnezzar) will rise again to dominate the Arab nations and threaten Israel once more?

C. The confederacy outlined above (in the first four columns) also includes the historical “kings of the north” (Syria) and “south” (Egypt). In Bible times, powers to the immediate north and south often put Israel into a pincers between them (cp all of Dan 11). Will they do so again?

D. The last element (and one of the most significant elements) of such a confederacy could be a newly-independent and vocal Palestine. Could PLO head Arafat be the second “Beast” of Rev 13 and the “little horn with a mouth speaking great things” of Dan 7:20 (ie great things against Israel)? Consider that Daniel’s beastly image had Babylon (Iraq?) for a head, but David’s beastly image — Goliath — was a Philistine, or Palestinian!

Conclusion

It is at least a possibility that such a confederacy as outlined above could arise in the near future, to threaten Israel (and, to some extent, the rest of the world). If it did, it would be at least one means of fulfilling the apocalyptic visions of Daniel and John. The great “image” of Dan 2, the 4 “beasts” of Dan 7, the 7 “heads”, the 10 toes and 10 “horns”, and the eleventh “horn” speaking blasphemous things may be seen to have their modern counterparts in such a pan-Arab coalition.

There may well be other scenarios that, at this point, are still possible — from both a Biblical viewpoint and a political one. Even at this late date, other changes could take place in the developing picture — new leaders rising up to displace old familiar ones, new treaties and agreements among the principals. Events have moved so rapidly in the last several years — so there is almost nothing imaginable which can surprise us any more. Or is there?

It is the business of all disciples to keep open minds as they study their Bibles in these turbulent and exciting times, and most especially to prepare themselves spiritually for the return of Christ.

The eight “Beatitudes” of Mat 5:3-12 are best understood and interpreted by the eight contrasts, or “Woes” of Mat 23:13-33:

THE BEATITUDES (Mat 5:3-12)	THE WOES (Mat 23:13-33)
The kingdom opened to the poor (v 3).	The kingdom shut (v 13).
Comfort for mourners (v 4).	Mourners distressed (v 14).
The meek inheriting the earth (v 5).	Fanatics compassing the earth (v 15).
True righteousness sought by true desire (v 6).	False righteousness sought by lies (vv 16-22).
The merciful obtain mercy (v 7).	Justice, “mercy”, and faith left undone (vv 23,24).
Purity within, and the vision of God hereafter (v 8).	Purity without, uncleanness within. “Blindness” (vv 25,26).
Peacemakers, the sons of God (v 9).	Hypocrites, and lawless (vv 27,28).
The persecuted (vv 10-12).	The persecutors (vv 29-33).

We have recently passed a significant turning point in our daily activities. We have completed another year of our lives. Can we say that we have completed another year of service to our Lord? Or have we merely passed the time with our minds and energies intent only upon this life that will soon pass away? Let us remember the words of wisdom to be found in Isa 40:6-8:

“All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it. Surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”

According to the prophet Isaiah, the grass here represents all man-kind. We cannot console ourselves with the belief that this is speaking only of those who know not the Truth. Isaiah says… “all flesh”. He is speaking of each one of us — even though we understand the Truth and have accepted it in baptism. Just as the plants around us, we are each in the process of withering and fading away. “In Adam all die.” “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” This sad decree set by God upon the head of Adam has never been lifted, and it applies with equal intensity to all of his descendants.

We know that (physically, at least) we are “in Adam”, that we must die. What is the use of God repeating the fact to us so many times throughout the Bible? Let us read again the last phrase in that quotation from Isaiah:

“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”

Here is the lesson God would have us to learn — that only in His eternal word is there any hope of life. Only in the Bible can we learn the secret of a satisfying and rewarding life in this present time. And only in the Bible can we learn how to obtain everlasting life in the future.

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As mentioned just before, we have passed a significant point in our everyday life. We have completed another calendar year, but more importantly we have completed another reading of our Bibles with Robert Roberts’ “Bible Companion”. In the past year we have gone through the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice. Since we have accomplished this over the last 12 months, why not just put our Bibles away in a comer and find something else to read? We have given it a lot of attention in the past; we have read every bit of it carefully. Doesn’t it seem silly to start right over and read the same book again?

The only explanation we can give for such odd behavior is that we know the Bible to be unlike any other book that has ever been written. Jesus tells us, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” “Study the scriptures, for they are they that testify of me.” As Isaiah said, “The word of our God shall stand for ever.’ This is why we must be concerned with our Bible reading, and why we should be thankful for the works of John Thomas and Robert Roberts and many other brethren. The only other worthwhile books besides the Bible are the books that can faithfully help us to understand God’s Word better.

It is well worth noting that each of our three reading sections for the year closed with words of blessing. In Job and Malachi and Revelation, we must remember and ponder these blessings. And we must strive to see that they apply to us. If we knowingly turn our back upon the promises of our Father, all we can expect is shame and rejection when we stand before the Son of God.

Let us remember that such blessings as these do not come to us if we merely sit complacently and tell ourselves that “we have the Truth”. Unless we work eagerly to fulfill His requirements, we will be like the servant who hid the talent which his master left with him. What was said by his lord upon his return?

“Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mat 25:30).

Job

The first of the three instances of blessing occurs in the last chapter of Job. Job had been a righteous man all the days of his life. He had led his family in worship of God. He had taken up as his own the cause of the poor and the orphans. He had “feared God, and eschewed evil” (Job 1:8).

God caused many trials and sufferings to come upon His servant Job. Through this Job came to a more perfect realization of the power and majesty of his God. And he repented of his few presumptuous words and thoughts, and humbled himself before his Creator:

“Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (42:6).

In many ways Job typified our Saviour Jesus Christ. He endured many sufferings of a physical nature. And, possibly even more difficult, he endured the ignorance and false accusations of both his family and his friends. And in the end he proved to be a faithful servant, and he offered up sacrifice and prayed on behalf of his antagonistic friends.

In all these ways Job represented Christ. And since we are commanded over and over to be followers of Christ, these incidents in Job’s life may apply to us as well. We are tried and chastened, that our faith may be made more perfect. We may suffer embarrassment and ridicule from our friends and families if we try to live according to the Truth.

But if we, by “a patient continuance in well-doing”, are found to be worthy as Job was, then his blessings may apply to us:

“The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before… So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning… After this Job lived an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations” (Job 42:10,12,16).

Each of these things given to Job were wonderful gifts, but only very small in comparison to the crown of life which waits for us, and which these blessings represent.

Malachi

The second of the three blessings occurs in the last two chapters of Malachi. Malachi was the last of all the Old Testament prophets. He prophesied only about 400 years before the coming of Christ. The major portions of his message, like many of the prophets before him, concerned the children of Israel and their wickedness and neglect of God. Malachi accused both the common people and the priests: The commoners had offered polluted and feeble and worthless sacrifices to God, and had kept the best for themselves. Therefore they were lying and stealing from God. And the priests, by both word and deed, encouraged the people to do this:

“Ye (the priests) are departed out of the way: ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi” (Mal 2:8).

“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse; for ye have robbed Me, even the whole nation” (Mal 3:8,9).

But even in the midst of such widespread hypocrisy and false worship, there remained a remnant of faithful ones who sought to obtain the blessings of their Lord:

“Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him” (Mal 3:16,17).

For us, the lesson is very clear. We live in the midst of a wicked generation of men who have corrupted God’s way upon the earth, just as men did in the time of Noah. We must encourage one another to stand against the currents of change around us and to continue toward our goal. We must come together and speak often to one another. As Paul expresses it:

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Heb 10:24,25).

If we truly fear the Lord, then our names will be written in the book of remembrance, or the book of life. And we will become His jewels, or His “peculiar treasure” — as the margin of that verse indicates. In this way, we will fulfill God’s promise to Israel in the time of Moses:

“Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me from among all peoples… and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation” (Exo 19:5).

In Mal 4:2, the prophet offers a promise of the Messiah, “But unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings.”

There is no doubt that Jesus, the Sun of righteousness, will arise one day soon — bringing eternal life to the saints and peace to the battered world. But let us remember that he will “arise” unto us individually only if we “fear His name” in the proper way, and only if we “speak often one to another”.

Revelation

The last section of the Bible Companion is the New Testament, which is practically concluded with these words of blessing, Rev 21:

“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth (ie, the former evil order of affairs) were passed away; and there was no more sea.” (That is, there were no more unregenerate persons, described in Isaiah as the troubled sea, which casts up mire and dirt — Isa 57:20.)

And in the 22nd chapter, in words which require no explanation: “And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it… was there the tree of life.”

But again, as always before, let us remember that these blessings are conditional: They are not blessings for everyone, but… “Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (22:7). To have any hope, we must search the book of Revelation and all the rest of Scripture, and endeavor to keep all the sayings of God’s word.

The New Year

We have paused at the end of a year’s reading, to take stock of a few of the tremendous number of promises recorded in the Bible for our sakes. Let us keep these promises before our minds always, and never regard the daily readings as a chore to be performed, but instead as a God-given opportunity to approach to the mind of God, to receive strength and encouragement, and to learn of His ways and walk in the steps of His Son.

Now we begin a new year with the Bible before us. We read in Genesis of the awesome majesty and power of God in the Creation, and we see His constant concern that provision may be made for man, with the help of God, to overcome his own evil tendencies. In the sacrifice for Adam, the protection of Noah, and the calling of Abram — we continually see God’s love for us, and His purpose “to bring many sons to glory”.

In Psalms, we learn words of acceptable praise to our Heavenly Father. And we learn fresh admiration for His everlasting word of life:

“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes” (Psa 19:7,8).

And finally in Matthew, we again begin to read of the life of the only-begotten Son of God — the focal point in God’s plan of redemption for those that fear His name:

“God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them” (2Co 5:19).

“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh” (Rom 8:3).

We have come to the end of one year and we have begun the next. We must never, however, come to the end of our reading and study of God’s word. And we must always continue to put off the old man and put on the new man, by the “renewing of our minds”. But now for a moment we can stand at the summit, the crossroads of the word of God. We can see how every part is related, how it all combines in one glorious purpose. We can look both backward into history, and forward into the future as God unfolds it; and we may gain a glimpse of just a fraction of the greatness of our Father in Heaven.

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out. For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things. To whom be glory for ever. Amen.”

David Levin wrote to the Tidings, and his letter was published as a follow-up to my article [see Lesson, One body, implications of the ]. In it he wrote:

“George wrote: ‘each member BELONGS to all the others’. The word BELONGS stands alongside the idea of BELIEVES in defining the one body in Christ. Too many of us, myself included for many years, averred that the body of Christ was to be defined as ‘those of a common belief system’. Only in the past several years have I come to appreciate the principle of BELONGING as equally necessary in circumscribing a worldwide body of Christ.

“The analogy of the natural body requires us to discretely demarcate our membership. None of our natural bodily members offers its services to the body on a part-time basis, nor do we tend to share body parts between two or more bodies! In the spiritual body, one cannot have part-time status, nor can one claim membership in more than one body. Our natural bodies are discrete operating organisms; likewise, the body of Christ.

“Our situation in North America today shows the need to use both belief and belonging in defining our community. We have brothers and sisters who share our belief system, yet remain outside (either completely alone or in small factions) for a variety of reasons. Some simply do not want to be part of a larger group. Some have no sense of community, thinking that their belief alone suffices to position them within the one body.

“All would become part of the one body if we used belief as the sole criteria of defining the one body, as we exclude no one from the body of Christ who shares the same belief system. But can we include those who make no commitment to belong to one body? If we did, we would have a non-discrete and vague body. We would have some who claim common belief, but would have no commitment to a single community, as they would claim freedom to join in fellowship with others who make no such commitment.

“Therefore, BELIEF alone cannot organize a community. Our factionization proves that. So many do share the same hope — but remain apart because they have no sense of BELONGING. Many brothers and sisters lament the thought of excluding anyone of like faith, but what can we do if someone shares our faith but not our commitment to one body? If one does not commit to belonging to one body, that individual must bear his or her own conscience on the matter.

“I would like to reinforce George’s thesis: to constitute a body, each member must commit to belonging to each other. This principle has wider application than just settling ‘fellowship’ issues. Commitment to belonging to one worldwide community undergirds all our cooperative service, mutual edification, and outreach. On these two principles — BELIEF and BELONGING — hang the integrity of the body of Christ.”