Oct 10 1Chron 27 Ezek 36 John 1

 Oct 10 1Chron 27 Ezek 36 John 1

True it is, that we live at the end of a long period of Scriptural anarchy during which apostolic principles have been quenched, to all human appearances; and that the truth’s operations revived by the study of the testimony, are both very weak and necessarily unlike the apostolic original in its external form.

But we cannot but suppose the Lord equally alive to His work in the nineteenth century as in the first. In its essence, it is the same, though differing in its adjuncts and its accidents.

That essence is, faith in the promises constituting the Gospel, love for the things presented for faith, and obedience of the commandments prescribed for obedience.

--Robert Roberts, The Christadelphian” of 1898 Sunday Morning No. 293 Pages 63-66

reference 1 Chronicles 27:24

... The Bible makes reference to other literary activity all the time it was produced. In Esther 6:1 we read of the King of Persia on a sleepless night ordering the “book of the records of the chronicles” to be brought and read to him.

These revealed the part Mordecai had played in preventing the assassination of the King (2:23). Mordecai was exalted by the king, and all the acts of Ahasuerus and “the full account of the greatness of Mordecai” were written in “the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia” (10:2, R.V.).

It is evident that a very complete record was kept of the events of each king’s reign.

A staff of scribes attached to the royal palace must have kept and filed the records, for they were instantly available when the king wanted them.

We read of similar records being kept in the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. “The rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did,” were written in the chronicles of the kings of Israel (2 Kings 14:28). “The rest of the acts of Jotham and all that he did” were similarly written in the chronicles of the kings of Judah (15:36).

These chronicles must not be confused with the “Chronicles” which we possess.

The former were contemporary records, evidently more full than what is written in “Kings” and available for scrutiny when “Kings” was written.

In these we have a Divine selection of events, while the fuller writings were merely human records. Going backwards in the history we find that in David’s days records were kept; and it is a matter of comment in 1 Chron. 27:24 that the numbering of Israel, which David unwisely was having made, was not recorded in the chronicles of his reign.

This specially noted exception indicates how complete the records must have been. In the days of Joshua we have mention of the book of Jasher (10:13), and in Num. 21:14 mention is made of the “book of the wars of the Lord.”

Clearly then, all through Israel’s history there were contemporary, uninspired records of passing events. So common was writing at the time of the conquest that one of the towns of Canaan was called “Booktown”—Kirjath-sepher (Josh. 15:15); a little later we are told of Gideon obtaining a written list of the seventy-seven princes and elders of Succoth from a young man whom they caught (Judges 8:14, marg. of A.V. and R.V.). There are other hints to like effect.

But it is the evidence outside the Bible which has revolutionised thought about the ancient world. In 1887 the Tel-Amarna tablets were discovered, and they show that extensive correspondence was maintained between the ruler of Egypt and princes in Palestine about the time of the Exodus.

In January, 1902, the discovery was made at Susa of the code of Hammurabi, which the Cambridge Ancient History describes as “one of the most striking archaeological discoveries ever made.”

It speaks of this code as “one of the most important documents in the history of the human race.” “This was the Code wherewith the land was governed, and it shows the laws of Babylonia of this period to have been in advance of those of Assyria at a much later time.”

Several pages are devoted to a review of the civilization which the code shows to have existed. Hammurabi is now generally acknowledged to be none other than the Amraphel of Gen. 14:1. It was so recently as 1889 that the events of this chapter were pronounced “sheer impossibilities”; but here again the Bible was right, and matters that were lost sight of by profane history have been restored to knowledge by excavation. ...

--(1928). The Christadelphian, 65(electronic ed.), 158–159.

reference Ezekiel 36

A Transformed Land

The Levitical covenant (Leviticus 26) warned that if the people did not properly observe the sabbath (and a true sabbath rest is a rest from the works of sin), Yahweh would scatter them among the nations, in order that "the land shall enjoy her sabbaths" (v. 34).

This took place when Israel was dispersed among the Gentiles. The land has enjoyed its sabbath rest, as it has lain quiet over the centuries. But the time is at hand when it will again be stirred into full activity, to be transformed, and made the fertile abiding place of a transformed and regenerated nation.

This section of Ezekiel's prophecy speaks of this. It shows that the Gentiles are to be ejected from the land (Ch. 36:1-7), after which it will yield its fruit (vv. 9-15).

The promise of this rejuvenation of the land is in striking contrast with the punishment pronounced in Ezekiel 6.

There a prophecy is recorded against the land of Israel because of the evil abominations that the people committed therein, in consequence of which it would be made quite desolate (vv. 1-6). But here Ezekiel predicts its restoration in order to provide the foundation of life for Israel in the Kingdom.

For as the Kingdom of God in the past was established upon a rural basis (Leviticus 25), so it will be in the future (Mic_4:4). Divine Law, the Land, and the Family will form the nucleus of the new order for mortals, to be set up by Christ.

This will correct the worst ills of modern life, for they stem from three sources: alienation of man from God, from the soil, and the modern disruption of family life. The artificial conditions of city life are largely responsible for this, and those who would serve God should take heed of this fact, that they might avoid its worst influences as much as possible. The Kingdom will drastically change these conditions.

It is significant that man's very name (Adam) illustrates his need. Adam means "earth" (Heb. adamah), and all his sustenance comes from the earth. A rural life, enlivened by Divine worship and stimulated by the mental exercise of the Word, is the best type of existence possible under present conditions.

But the further that man has drifted from this, the more completely has he become severed from God. It is not without significance that Cain, after he had been driven from the presence of God through disobedience, went and built a city (Genesis 4).

In order to provide a sound basis for the re-establishment of the Kingdom of God in Israel, the land will first be cleansed the people.

Armageddon will accomplish the first; and the great earthquake at Christ's return supplemented by ample rainfall that will be then provided, will result in the second. Thus the land will be transformed in preparation for the people.

Ezekiel 36:2

"Because the enemy hath said against you"—The ground of Yahweh's indictment against the Gentiles is their boastful jubilation against Israel in dispersion.

Nobody can touch the people of God with impunity, and even though Gentiles might be used by Him as the medium of Divine punishment against Israel, their real motives are only to advance their own aggrandisement, and because of that they are punished (see Isa_10:5-15).

"The ancient high places are ours" — The "high places" were used by Israel for false worship, and are today claimed by the Gentiles as their own.

The fact that these ancient places of false worship are specifically referred to is a hint as to the cause of Israel's calamity: because of the use to which they were put.

Their modern counterpart are the so-called "holy places" in the land which the Gentiles (and particularly the Greek and Roman Catholics) claim as their own. In this way the antitypical Idumeans have stretched forth their hands to grasp Israel's inheritance, and have defiled the land by so doing.

Ezekiel 36:5

"In the fire of My jealousy"— The fire of Yahweh's jealousy is the heat of His anger. The same word is translated "zeal." -The desecration of the holy land and people is hateful to Yahweh, even though the wickedness of the latter demands such punishment.

The motives of the Gentiles in oppressing Israel, however, are not to fulfil the Divine purpose, but extend their own power, and for this they will be punished in the "fire of Yahweh's jealousy." His zeal shall be extended to preserve the remnant (Isa_37:32), will cause Him to arm His warrior (Isa_59:17), to fight against the nations (Isa_42:13; Zec_8:2), to gather them for judgment (Zep_3:8), and ultimately to restore the throne of David in glory (Isa_9:7).

"I have spoken against the residue residue of the heathen"-—The residue of the heathen refers to those who will refuse to heed the appeal of Christ to submit to him after Gog has been destroyed (Isa_60:12). The term "residue" is used because not all of mankind will be in this category, for some will see the light and submit (Psa_68:31-32; Dan_7:12). Tarshish will be among the first to do so (Isa_60:9).

"Against all Idumea"—The residue of the heathen is compared with all Idumea which is to be completely destroyed. Idumea is Edom, and as Ezekiel has already shown in Ch. 35, the Edomites figuratively represent the flesh in political manifestation. This, like Edom in the past, will be completely overthrown (Ch. 35:14).

Thus, whereas the "residue of the nations" is warned, the complete destruction of "all Idumea" is pronounced. The Gogian Confederacy, or latter-day manifestation of the Fourth Beast, is the antitypjcal Edom in belligerent manifestation. It is to be completely overthrown.

"Have appointed My land... with despiteful minds"—The Hebrew word sheat, here rendered "despiteful" signifies "contemptuous." The RV renders the phrase: "despite of soul." The word is expressive of minds that are so povertystricken as to be incapable of an enriching thought, minds, so absolutely destitute of the influence of Divine truth, as to manifest an utter contempt of what God has promised. Such minds see in the land and people of Israel only an impoverished country and a scattered people, and in their contempt would destroy those whom they detest. The cause of such an attitude has been expressed by Micah as: "They know not the thoughts of Yahweh, neither understand they His counsel" (Mic_4:12).

Ezekiel 36:7

"I have lifted up Mine hand"— This was the gesture made when swearing an oath. Yahweh has sworn two such oaths in relation to promises He has made, and these guarantee the future prosperity of both the land and people of Israel.

The first was the oath confirming the promise made to Abraham (Gen_22:16); the second was the oath made to David (Psa_132:11). Both the Abrahamic and Davidic promises include the future of Israel.

Abraham was told: "I will make of thee a great nation" (Gen_12:2); David was told that the nation would be established in "a place of its own" and "move no more" (2Sa_7:10).

Both covenants were confirmed by oaths, so that Paul adds: "By two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us" (Heb_6:18). Salvation itself is bound up with the redemption of Israel (Joh_4:22), and those brought within the bonds of the covenant are constituted the true "Israel of God" (Gal_6:16). As such, their patriotism is for Israel, and they rejoice in its hope (Act_28:20).

—The Gentiles will bear their shame in the sense that they will suffer the just punishment of Yahweh. All the pomp and power of their might will be reduced to nothing before Him, whilst that which is today despised by them (the truth, Israel, the land) will be elevated to true greatness.

Ezekiel 36:38

"As the holy flock"—The margin renders: "As the flock of holy things"; The Companion Bible renders: "The flock of holy offerings". Isaiah declares that some of the nations shall assist the Jewish people to return back to their homeland as an offering unto Yahweh (Isa_18:7; Isa_66:20).

In that same sense they will be a flock of holy offerings presented as voluntary tribute by the Gentiles to the Lord Jesus Christ. Zechariah declares that Yahweh "shall save them in that day as the flock of his people" (Ch. 9:16), and shows that they are to be a people exclusively given over to the divine worship and service in the age to come (Ch. 14:20-21).

"As the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts"—Flocks that entered Jerusalem in the days of solemn feasts were dedicated as offerings for the divine service.

The phrase is here expressive of the spiritual state of the nation in the age to come. Israel will comprise a completely dedicated people wholly absorbed in the service of Yahweh.

The term "solemn feasts" literally signifies "appointed seasons for meeting" with Yahweh, and has particular reference to the three mam feasts which were "set times" of meeting for the people with Yahweh. This verse, therefore, teaches: 1)

Israel will be greatly multiplied in the land: 2) they will constitute a dedicated people attending to the needs of divine worship: 3) they will form the meeting place between God and man. In other words, as Ezekiel shows in his great Temple prophecy, transformed and regenerated Israel will constitute the medium between all other nations and Yahweh.

RESTORATION A WORK OF TIME

The restoration of the Jews is a work of time and will require many years to accomplish. God has said: "I will save the tents of Judah first" (Zec_12:7), and the context shows that those in the land, at the advent of the Lord, are treated as Judah.

Following their redemption, the ten tribes scattered abroad will be subsequently received back home. Though Elijah will be sent forth before the battle of Armageddon to invite them to return (Mal_4:5), the Jews before whom he will appear, will not arrive back in the land until after it has been cleared of the enemy.

Once in the land, and separated into their various tribes, the Kingdom will again be restored to Israel (Act_1:3; Act_1:6), and the nation will constitute the chief dominion in the world empire of Christ (Mic_4:8). See Elpis Israel, part iii.

--Mansfield, Expositor

reference John 1

The Word of God

"His Name is called the Word of God"—Rev. 19:13.

In our reading from John this morning, we are introduced to a deep, but beautiful, subject. He calls our attention to the fountain and origin of life, and to the only begotten of the Father—His beloved Son through whom He manifested Himself to Israel.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).

This takes us back a long way—“In the beginning." That is, before the record of creation given by Moses. We must bear in mind that in writing these words John was addressing a people who realized clearly there is hut one God—a fact John well knew.

Our English version was translated from the Greek. The original for "Word" is Logos, and the word rendered "God" is Theos. The Romans borrowed this word from the Greeks and called it Deus from which we derive our word "Deity."

The word Logos signifies "the outward form by which the inward thought is expressed and made known; also, the inward thought or reason itself." So that the word comprehends both the idea of reason and speech.

Then we are informed by John that the word (or Logos) was with God (or Theos). This suggests companionship, and we learn from the book of Proverbs that such was the case. In ch. 8 the Logos, or wisdom-energy of the Father, is personified—"Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

"Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things'' (vs. 1-6).

"The Lord possessed me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth! when there were no fountains of waters.

Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. "When He prepared the heavens, I was there; when He set a compass upon the face of the depth: When He established the clouds above; when He strengthened the fountains of the deep:

"When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass His commandment: when He appointed the foundations of the earth: "Then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him" (vs. 22-31).

This, we think, makes clear how the Logos was with God, but John adds, "The Logos was God." Bro. Thomas explains this—"Without THEOS, the Logos could have no existence. This may be illustrated by the relation of reason, or intelligence and speech, to brain, as affirmed in the proposition: No brain—no thought, reason, nor intelligence.

Call the brain THEOS; and thought, reason, and understanding intelligently expressed, Logos; and the relation and dependence of THEOS and Logos, in John's use of the terms, may readily be conceived.

"Brain-flesh is substance that underlies thought; so THEOS is substance which constitutes the substratum of Logos. THEOS is the substance called Spirit; as it is written, 'THEOS IS SPIRIT,' and he who uttered these words is declared to be himself both substance and spirit." Some, however, would have us to believe that as the Logos was with God, and the Logos was made flesh, that Jesus was with God in the beginning as the second person of a triune God, described as "God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost.”

But let us not be mystified by the term Logos. The teaching of John is plain. He does not say that in the beginning was the Son, and the Son was with God, and the Son was God. What he does say is that the Logos was in the beginning (as we read in Proverbs) and that the Logos was made flesh. The result of this action was the bringing into existence "the man Christ Jesus,” "the Son of God." By this method God was manifest in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:16). The flesh, through which God

was manifested, was the son of Mary. It was a flesh identical with that of his mother, being "made of the seed of David according to the flesh" (Rom. 1:3). John brings the subject of manifestation before us in his first epistle.

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us" (1 John 1:1-2).

Thus the eternal Father manifested Himself by His Spirit, through the living body of Jesus, who as a child had been developed from his mother Mary, in the same manner as any child is developed. This is further elucidated in Jesus' words—"When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things" (John 8:28).

And again (John 14:10)—"Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak unto

you, I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the works." In the light of these things, surely it is not hard to understand John as he speaks of the Word, or Logos—that great power, energy and wisdom by which all things were made. 

The declaration in Psa. 139, regarding the eternal power of the Father, is to the effect that—though centralized in Him—the Spirit is everywhere present, filling heaven and earth. Therefore the Father, being the center of all

power and wisdom, expresses His will and His purpose by, or through, the Spirit which irradiates from His person—

"The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made."

This is taken by many to indicate that Jesus was the Creator, but this impression is to a large extent simply a result of the translators' choice of wording. It is clarified in the Diaglott—"This (the Logos) was in the beginning with God. Through it (that is the wisdom-energy of God) everything was done; and without it not even one thing was done, which has been done."...

—G.A.G. May 1955 Berean