“They hated me without a cause” ……......…………………………….….………. 2

Predestination ..……………………………………………..………………………… 7

“Worthy is the Lamb” …………………………….………………………………..... 1

The Firstborn …..……………………………………………………………………...21

Secretary's Notes …………………………………………………….……………….. 28

“Seek ye Yahweh” ……………………………….……………….………………….. 29

Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps, set thine heartToward the highway, even the way which thou wentest (Jer 31:21)

Devoted to the Defence and Proclamation of the Way of Life

in Opposition to the Dogmas of Papal and Protestant Christendom

Volume 6: Issue 4 December 2007

“The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable … ” (Jas 3:17)“Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3)

“I saw, and behold, a white horse; and he thatsat upon him had a bow; and a crown was

given unto him: and he went forth conquering,and to conquer” (Rev 6:2)

THECHRISTADELPHIAN

WAYMARK

“They Hated Me Without a Cause”

One of the themes that run throughout Scripture - from the very first to thevery last chapter - is that of Light and Darkness, and particularly thedivision, or enmity that Yahweh has set between the two.

Genesis 1:3-5 reads:

“And Elohim said, Let there be light: and there was light. AndElohim saw the light, that it was good: and Elohim divided thelight from the darkness. And Elohim called the Light Day, andthe darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morningwere the first day” (Gen. 1:3-5).

So we find then, that the first Creative act upon the formless earth (Gen.1:2), was marked by division¸ yea, a Divinely ordained division, betweenthe two principles of Light and Darkness. Notice also: the commandmentfor Light to come into being is the first time in Scripture that we havewords spoken, and it is command of the Creator. So it is, that Lightentered into, and dispelled darkness, as a result of Yahweh’s Word beinguttered.

These principles are brought together by the inspired Apostle in 2Corinthians chapter 4, where we read that the manner in which the firstwords were spoken forms a pattern for the words of the Gospel beingproclaimed – the means by which the New Creation is formed:

“God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge ofthe glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:4).

And 2 Corinthians 4:3 informs us that the “knowledge of the glory ofGod” is enshrined in “the light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ” thatshines to those who are able to receive it. This parallel between thebeginning of the Old and New Creations goes further: just as Genesis tellsus there was a “division” between Light and Darkness, so John informs usthat this same condition existed in his day:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,and the Word was God … in it was life; and the life was thelight of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and thedarkness comprehended (or, overcame) it not” (Jno. 1:5).

Notice that we have the same threeelements being brought to the fore:the Word, the Light, and thedistinction between Light andDarkness. In the preaching of theglorious principles of the Gospel,by the very nature of thingsestablished from the beginning,there is a marked division. TheGospel itself makes that division,because it contains ideas, preceptsand principles that the natural mancannot “receive” (1 Cor. 2:14) anymore than darkness can receivelight. As in the natural, so in theSpiritual – there is a Divinelyordained division between Lightand Darkness.

THE LIGHT OFTHE WORLD

Our Master, Jesus the Christmanifested himself as a “light”:

“I am the light of theworld: he that followethme shall not walk indarkness, but shall havethe light of life” (Jno.8:12).

Notice Messiah’s identificationwith the first chapter of John, citedabove: “light of life”. He was theLight of the World, and that Lightwas the life of men. But thePharisees, being unable to seebeyond the natural state of affairs,did not comprehend his saying.Rather, they sought to destroy him,and so extinguish that light whichmanifested their deeds to be ofmen, and not of God:

“ t h i s i s t h econdemnation, that lightis come into the world,and men loved darknessrather than light,because their deeds areevil. For every one thatdoeth evil hateth thelight, neither cometh tothe light, lest his deedsshould be reproved. Buthe that doeth truthcometh to the light, thathis deeds may be mademanifest, that they arewrought in God” (Jno.3:19-21).

Those who scorned and rejectedMessiah, hiding in the shadowsand obscurity of darkness,perished without hope. Beingunable to bear the “reproof” of theWord (2 Tim. 3:16), they hated theLight – and therefore the supremeLight Bearer: Yahweh manifest inChrist.

We read of this enmity betweenthe carnally minded, and thosewho have the mind of Messiah inour New Testament reading for theday, in John chapter 15:

“if the world hate you,ye know that it hatedme before it hated you.If ye were of the world,the world would lovehis own: but because yeare not of the world, butI have chosen you out ofthe world, therefore theworld hateth you … He

that hateth me hateth myFather also … now havethey both seen and hatedboth me and my Father.But this cometh to passthat the word might befulfilled that is written intheir Law, They hated mewithout a cause” (Jno.15:18, 23-25).

The benighted world hates those whocause their light to shine before men(cp. Mat. 5:14-15), because itinevitably reproves them and theirdeeds (Eph. 5:11). It exposes themto be lovers of men, seeking thepraise of men, as distinct from loversof God, seeking His praise at the last.

THE EXAMPLEOF JOSEPH

Our Master was not the first to behated of men because of the words hespake. Revelations were given toJoseph, who related them to hisbrethren. They already hated him,for the love that Jacob had to him,but they hated him all the more forthe visions he was given:

“When his brethren sawthat their father loved himmore than all his brethren,they hated him, and couldnot speak peaceably untohim. And Joseph dreameda dream, and he told it hisbrethren: and they hatedhim yet the more” (Gen.37:4-5).

Again, he was given anotherrevelation, which he also made

known to his brethren, who were notslow to perceive the meaning:

“his brethren said to him,Shalt thou indeed reignover us? Or shalt thouindeed have dominionover us? And they hatedhim yet the more for hisdreams and for his words”(Gen. 37:7-8).

Ironically, one of the dreams towhich Joseph’s brethren tookexception to portrayed them as beinglights – eleven stars (Gen. 37:9).Indeed, at the last they did humblethemselves before Joseph as the laterchapters of Genesis describes, asJoseph’s dreams became a reality.But Jude alludes to their initialexpression of disbelief in describingthe false brethren who have creptinto the family of Christ:

“likewise also thesedreamers defile the flesh,despise dominion, andspeak evil of dignitaries …wandering stars to whom isreserved the blackness ofdarkness for ever” (Jude 8,13).

Notice the allusion here: just asJoseph’s brethren hated him becauseof the exalted position he would begiven over them, even so these falsebrethren “despise dominion”. Just asJoseph’s brethren were pictured asstars, even so the false brethren are“wandering stars”. And whereasJoseph’s brethren dismissed him as a“dreamer” (Gen. 37:19), in actualfact, it is the false brethren who are

the dreamers, for what they imaginewill not come to pass, whereas thosewho comfort themselves with thevisions of the Kingdom shall havetheir faith rewarded. But, there is adifference here between the falsebrethren and Joseph’s brethren.Joseph’s brethren came torepentance: for them there is not“the blackness of darkness for ever”,but light and glory when Messiahcomes as the Sun of Righteousness,and when the wise shall “shine asthe brightness of the firmament”(Dan. 12:3) in the New Day tocome. For the false brethrenhowever, they are like shooting stars– a momentary burst of light, yetonce that light has diminished asthey burn themselves out, nothingbut darkness remains.

A TYPE OF CHRIST

We find then, that Joseph’s brethren,at the beginning, took a hostilestance against him, for therevelations that he received - just asthe Jews did against Jesus ofNazareth. Indeed, one of theMaster’s parables strongly echoesJoseph’s circumstance:

“his citizens hated him,saying, We will not havethis man to reign over us”(Luke 19:14).

Even so, the Jews hated theirMessiah, to the extent of conspiringwith the Gentile powers in an effortto secure his destruction (Acts4:27).

KING DAVID

Another example of one whosuffered hatred by his people, wasDavid. He was promised thekingdom, following the failure ofSaul to exercise wisdom in his rule.Saul therefore sought to slay David,seeing him as a threat to hisposition, rather than a saviour toIsrael. So Jonathan rebuked hisfather in speaking of David:

“he did put his life inhis hand, and slew thePhilistine, and Yahwehwrought a greatsalvation for all Israel:thou sawest it, and didstrejoice: wherefore thenwilt thou sin againstinnocent blood, to slayDavid without a cause?”

Notice the similarity here, with thewords of John 15:25, cited earlier.They hated Messiah “without acause,” just as Saul hated David“without a cause”. David hadwrought a great victory for Israel indefeating the mightiest man of theenemy – but instead of honouringDavid for his work of faith, Saul,(the tallest man amongst theIsraelites, who should have beenable to go against the Philistine ashis counterpart) instead sought tokill him.

Interestingly, it was whilst Davidwas fleeing from Saul, that mensought to leave the city to seek afterhim. Hiding in the cave ofAdullam, we read that “when hisbrethren and all his father’s house

heard it, they went down thither tohim” (1 Sam. 22:1). His brethren,like Joseph’s, had begun withscorning David’s pretensions to goagainst Goliath (1Sam 17:28), buthaving seen the salvation hewrought for Israel, they wentoutside the city to join him in histime of shame and flight. But it wasnot only David’s literal brethren thatcame to join him: all those whowere dissatisfied with their lot underSaul’s ruinous reign:

“And every one thatwas in distress, andevery one that was indebt, and every one thatwas discontented,gathered themselvesunto him; and hebecame a captain overthem …” (1 Sam. 22:2).

Forsaking the comforts of city lifeto share a cave with a rejected king,these, according to Paul, were those“of whom the world was notworthy: they wandered in deserts,and in mountains, and in dens andcaves of the earth” (Heb. 11:38).

We, as they, are discontented withour lot as we dwell among thekingdoms of men. We, as they,look to a future day when ourCaptain shall save us from theenemy, and lead us into a gloriousday of righteousness. But we, asthey, have to join ourselves to ourCaptain going “without the camp,bearing his reproach” (Heb.13:13). Though we may bedespised amongst men, werecognise that as they hated him, sothey will inevitably hate us, if weallow our light to shine before them,holding forth the Word of Life.Being considered “the foolish thingsof the world” and “base things ofthe world,” God hath chosen us toconfound the mighty, for the wordof salvation is not with the mightymen of this life, but rather in themouths of babes and sucklings hasGod perfected praise. Let ustherefore bear the yoke cheerfully,knowing that we do it for Christ’ssake, and that our labour can neverbe vain in the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58).

Christopher Maddocks

The kingdom of the heavens preached is still,parabolically, a net cast into the sea, and gathering all sorts of fish,

good, bad, and indifferent. When the net is full, it is landed on to shore, and itscontents are sorted by the master. All the good fish are gathered into

vessels for his use, but the bad are cast away. This arrangementcannot be altered. The good and bad fish will continue to swim in the

same waters until the end comes, and that end, it is to be hoped, is very near;for it is by no means pleasant or comfortable to swim in waters

full of sharks and serpents of the sea.

Bro John Thomas, 1866

Predestination

One of the unfortunate features of this subject, is that a Bible word iscommonly used to describe a non-Bible doctrine. The Apostasy hijackedthe term, and gave it a new meaning—which differs from what the Bibleplainly teaches. Consider these words which outline Calvin’s doctrine of“Predestination”:

“the eternal decree of God, by which he determined with himselfwhatever he wished to happen with regard to every man. Not allare created on equal terms, but some are preordained toeternal life, others to eternal damnation; and, accordingly, aseach has been created for one or other of these ends, we saythat he has been predestinated to life or to death.”

The concept is that our entire lives follow an irrevocable destiny,appointed beforehand by God. That whether or not we inherit life or deathas the final outcome is something concerning which the individual has noinfluence or choice.

Bro John Ullman writes concerning this:

“Some claim that our entire lives have been pre-ordained, or pre-planned by God, and that therefore we inevitably work out ourlives according to a destiny we cannot avoid. This teaching isfalse. Yahweh certainly “knows” the “end from the beginning”because of His limitless power. See Isaiah 46:10. But God'sforeknowledge is quite different to the proposition embodied inpredestination. See 1 Thessalonians 5:9; Deuteronomy 30:19;Ezekiel 33:11; Acts 10:34; 2 Peter 3:9”

(John Ullman, The First Principles of the One True Faith

Again, we read in The Christadelphian Treasury:

"CALVINISM is the doctrine that we are predestined by God tobe saved, or to be damned, in spite of our own efforts or conduct.It is both unscriptural and immoral. There is, however, a Bibledoctrine of Predestination, or Election. It is based upon the fact ofGod's foreknowledge, which Calvinism ignores (Rom. 8:29, 30)”

The biggest stumbling block to those who espouse this doctrine, is the factthat the Bible teaches free-will, and that how we exercise that will is goingto determine our ultimate end.

Consider these words of Messiah’s Apostle:

“I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by anymeans, when I have preached to others, I myself should be acastaway” (1 Cor. 9:27)

According to the Apostle Paul then, it is possible to set the way of lifebefore other men, and yet still fail to attain to it oneself. However, ifCalvanism is true, then there would be no doubt: Paul would not be able tospeak of the possibility of being “a castaway,” for by the very nature ofthings, it would be impossible, with his “destiny” being irrevocable.

Again, the same principles are expressed elsewhere:

“let us also fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into HisRest, any of you should seem to come short of it” (Heb. 4:1)

Notice: it is possible to “come short” - and whether or not we fear God, andbelieve His Promise determines whether we shall “come short” or not. TheApostle’s exhortation is meaningless if we have no means of influencingour ultimate standing before God. Any doctrine that robs men of the free-will to serve Yahweh, or otherwise cannot be true, for it would of necessitymean that we would not be judged “according to our deeds” (Rom. 2:6), butrather according to certain unalterable principles that we can have nocontrol over. It would mean that Yahweh will use a criteria for judgmentconcerning which men have no personal accountability or responsibility -which would be inherently unjust.

However, as well as considering the wrong doctrine that has the term“predestination” applied to it, we need to understand the truth concerningthe matter, as it is written in the Word of God. The word occurs in twopassages of Scripture, as follows:

“we know that all things work together for good to them that loveGod, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whomhe did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to theimage of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among manybrethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called:and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified,them he also glorified” (Rom. 8:28-30)

“… having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by JesusChrist to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will … inwhom we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinatedaccording to the purpose of him who worketh all things after thecounsel of his own will …” (Eph. 1:5,11).

In these places, the Greek for “predestinate” is the word “proorizo”,which is derived from pro = “before” and horizo, “to mark out” or bound(from which we have the word “horizon”. Literally therefore, the Greeksignifies “to mark out before,” and speaks of how through the Father’sforeknowledge, (that is, based upon His knowledge of what we will do andbecome before the things become reality). Knowing in advance whichpath we will choose to take, He made certain determinations based uponhis knowledge of our exercise of that choice. In other words, He hasdetermined, or marked out in advance those who will be in the Kingdomto come. Here is the point: there is a difference between Yahweh knowingthat certain things will come to pass, and Him actually causing them tocome to pass by interfering with Free Will, and thereby altering thecharacter and destiny of all men according to His Pleasure.

Men may commit acts of sin which are unrepented of—Yahweh knew thatthis individual would sin, without causing him to do it. But as we sawabove, his reward or otherwise will be “according to his deeds,” and notaccording to how God made him. Yahweh knew from the very beginningthat he would be rejected at Messiah’s Judgment seat. Contriwise, He alsoknows who constitute the righteous, as it is written: “The Lord knoweththem that are his” (2 Tim. 2:19), and upon the basis of their faith beingmanifest in faithful works, they will be given an entrance to the Kingdom.In both cases, the individual’s free-will determines their ultimate“destiny,” but because the Father knows in advance what men willbecome, it can be said that upon the basis of that foreknowledge, hedetermined, or marked out before— even before Creation who will beaccepted, and who will be rejected.

This idea comes through in other places of Scripture. Ephesians chapter 1(see above) describes the divine selection, or choosing of God:

“according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundationof the world, that we should be holy and without blame beforehim in love: having predestinated us …” (Eph. 1:4-5).

Notice here, how the “predestination” is directly linked to the Father’sforeknowledge. Upon the basis of His Foreknowledge, he chose thefaithful from the foundation of the world, according to the good pleasureof His Will. And “according as he hath chosen us” in advance, so it mightbe said that we have been “marked out before,” to be in our Father’skingdom.

This language is used repeatedly in the Scriptures. See for instance Jno.17:24, where Christ was loved of his Father from before the foundation ofthe world. Again, 1 Pet. 1:20, Christ was “foreordained from before the

foundation of the world”. And again, Rev. 13:8, 17:8 speaks of thefaithful having been written in the book of life from the foundation of theworld.

From these testimonies, it is abundantly clear that Yahweh, in knowing theend from the beginning (Isa. 46:10), has determined upon the basis of Hisforeknowledge what will be in relation to His Purpose. That is the Bibledoctrine of Predestination. Calvanism, on the other hand, in it’s denial ofthe exercise of free choice, actually removes responsibility and thereforeaccountability for wrongs done. It would teach that God made him thatway, to do that thing, that he might be condemned. And by the sametoken, there could be no commendation for works of faith - for he did notdo them by his own free will, but because God made him that way, to dothat thing, that he might be commended. So it is, that the basis ofjudgment is not the exercise of individual free choice, as manifest infaithful or unfaithful works: free will is entirely overridden and has nobearing upon the eventual outcome - a situation that is inherently unjust.

ANOTHER SIDE TO CONSIDER

But like many circumstances, there is another side to the case. Whilstfree-will is always present, there is a “purpose of God according toelection” (Rom. 9:11). Or as expressed another way, “it is God whichworketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).Or another way still, “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesusunto good works…” (Eph. 2:10).

Some have difficulty in reconciling such passages as these with theprinciple of free will. It is testified by the Master himself that no man cancome to him, lest they be drawn by the Father (Jno. 6:44) - but all inharmony with free will. The Father will not draw those who do not wantto be drawn. Individuals can, and do disobey the commandment to repent(Acts 17:30). In this sense the calling of the Gospel is an invitation aswell as a commandment. It is a commandment to be obeyed, coupled withthe invitation to become part of a new family with Messiah at the head,and which will be glorified in days to come.

God will “work in” us “both to will and to do” His Pleasure—but again,He does not do so with those who are abandoned to disobedience, andhave no interest in the things of the Spirit. The work of the Father is there- an arm of Salvation extended to man, lifting him out of the mire ofhumanity to be a people reflective of the Divine impress. We are truly hisworkmanship if we take hold of that arm, allowing us to be lifted from thedunghill to be considered the Sons of God, elevated in the Heavenlies inChrist Jesus. The entire work, even from before it’s initiation, is ofYahweh in every respect. But we can choose whether or not to allow Him

to work with us, as a potter does the clay, creating a vessel to honour, andforming particular characteristics that please Him. Let us make the rightchoice.

Christopher Maddocks

Worthy is the Lamb

In Revelation chapters four and fivewe are presented with a symbolicvision of the Lord Jesus Christbeing acknowledged and honouredby both the angels and the saintsbefore our Heavenly Father.

This incredible vision depicts thevictory of the Master not only overhis own flesh, but also with regardsto having now brought many sonsunto glory. For he, being the captainof their salvation, suffered toachieve this tremendous victory -and we are here today to rememberthe price that has been paid to bringthis vision to reality.

Now although this vision is highlysymbolic, undoubtedly the praisethat the Master receives when hecomes to establish his Father’skingdom will be very real. Let usnot make the mistake of dismissingthe power and reality of this futureevent, just because it is given as asymbolic vision.

We are presented then with both theMaster and his saints depicted byvarious symbols used to explainhow their redemption wasaccomplished. This vision issignificantly given at the beginningof the unrolling of gentile history in

what we could term the ecclesialage.

Thus the vision presented here wasto be a source of comfort, strengthand courage to the brethren andsisters of that day, in the very factthat our Lord and Master hadovercome. Now all power in heavenand earth was now given unto himto execute the Father’s will in theunveiling of his plan unto itsfulfilment in the glorious age tocome. For as we read on intoRevelation and tomorrows readingin chapter six we see the unsealingof the scroll’s various seals and theireffects upon the then Roman world.Indeed the age of the seals is farbehind us and now nearly 2,000year’s later brethren and sisters forwe are in the period of the final twovials.

Deep within the period of the sixthvial, undoubtedly approachingepoch of our beloved Lord’s returnbrethren and sisters we too need totake comfort, strength and couragefrom this incredible vision as thoseearly first century brethren did.

The vision brethren is meant tocomfort us in that firstly we knowthe end from the beginning the

resurrection of our Lord assured thevictory, when our Heavenly Fatherraised him to his right hand.Secondly we see here in verseeleven the number of the saintsredeemed from all ages and it is nota small limited and selectivenumber.

“And I beheld, and I heardthe voice of many angelsround about the throne andthe beasts and the elders:and the number of them wasten thousand times tenthousand, and thousands ofthousands” (verse 11)

“Ten thousand times ten thousand,and thousands of thousands,” anumber taken from Daniel chapterseven speaking of an incalculablenumber. Do we not read elsewhere“fear not, little flock; for it is ourFather’s good pleasure to give usthe kingdom”.

Now please do not misunderstandme brethren and sisters I am notsaying that every saint will beaccepted at judgement seat not at all.Rather I am saying this incalculablenumber is given so that we do notmake the mistake of excludingourselves on the pretext that there isonly so many spaces available andonly the very best will gain a place.

Let us be honest brethren and sistersnot one of us is worthy. Yet everyone of us has been called and everyone of us is therefore more thancapable in the Father’s mercy ofattaining the kingdom. Yet due toour nature we tend to play down ourown suitability and play up every

one else’s. It is what flesh does, yetthis vision is here to encourage eachand every one of us to believe in thecurrent work of our Lord in himbrining those many sons to glory,even us here today.

Let us take further comfort in thatthe picture given of these saintsfinally in the presence of their Lordis one of great rejoicing for as wesee in verse nine they are allsinging. Interestingly, none of thesongs referenced in the Apocalypseare solos!

“And they sung a new song,saying, Thou art worthy to takethe book, and to open the sealsthereof: for thou wast slain,and hast redeemed us to Godby thy blood out of everykindred, and tongue, andpeople, and nation; And hastmade us unto our God kingsand priests: and we shall reignon the earth” (verses 9-10)

These saints are jubilant no longercompassed about by every infirmityof the flesh whether physical ormental. Now rather they are arrayedin white - which we read elsewhereis the righteousness of the saints, ourLord’s bride. More than this, we arealso informed in verse four ofchapter four that they have receivedthe golden stephanos or victorywreath, both of these symbolsspeaking of the saints havingovercome the flesh in the blood ofthe lamb and gained the victorythrough their tried faith.

Now this jubilation is not justbecause they each have individually

gained age lasting life. Theirindividual and collective joy isbecause the purpose of ourHeavenly Father has been advancedin Christ Jesus. Namely they nowhave a leadership role in the nextphase of this outworking purpose intheir duties as kings and priests.

Thus the motivation for theirjubilation is not selfish, althoughthey will be glad they have beenredeemed, rather it is jubilation inthe accomplishment and continuingwork of the Father’s purpose in theone they sing of, namely our LordJesus Christ.

Their joy looks back to that whichhas already been accomplished inChrist and forward to that whichthey will shortly take part infulfilling the rest of that purposecentred in the one we are here toremember. Indeed this is even trueof what we are here to accomplishonce more and yet once less in thepartaking of these emblems’brethren and sisters before our Lordshortly returns.

Now there is something trulywonderful in this vision that is notreadily apparent, but by a carefulreading of the passage. In chapterfour we have the saints picturedpraising God. Then in chapter fivethis praise is expanded to includethe angels in verse eleven, as wehave already seen. Then finally inverse thirteen we have the whole ofcreation joining in this great hymnof praise.

“And every creature which isin heaven, and on the earth,and under the earth, and such

as are in the sea, and all thatare in them, heard I saying,Blessing, and honour, andglory, and power, be unto himthat sitteth upon the throne,and unto the Lamb for everand ever” (verse 13)

What we have here is an outworkingcircle, like a ripple effect in a pond.Until the whole creation, whichpresently “groaneth and travailethin pain together until” this point toois liberated from the shackles of sinand rejoices in Christ’s gloriousrule.

The vision then we are examiningthen brethren and sisters does notjust take us to the beginning of themillennium, but it points forward tobeyond that day, when finally ourHeavenly Father is all and in all.

Yet it is true to say at thecommencement of the millennium,as the earth and the nations arerelieved of the bondage of sin and oftheir various forms of false worshipthey will collectively rejoice. Thepsalms speak of this time. See, forinstance, Psalm 96:1, 7, 11 – 12.

Undoubtedly Israel guided by thesaints will play a leading role, as isclear in these Psalms in teaching thenations the truth.

Returning to the scene here inRevelation 4 & 5, can you imagineyourself brethren and sisters beingcaught up in this great rejoicingthrong gathered around the greatgolden ivory throne singing praise toour Father with immortal voices. Nolonger either afraid to hear your own

voice in song or being tooembarrassed to let others hear ourvoices in song. All that self-consciousness gone.

What will it be like to hear “tenthousand times ten thousand, andthousands of thousands” voicessinging praises to the glory of Godcrying “Holy, holy, holy, Lord GodAlmighty, which was, and is, and isto come”. This cry comes fromIsaiah’s prophecy and in the sixthchapter we read attached to it “thewhole earth is full of his glory”,clearly pointing forward to theultimate fulfilment at the end of themillennium.

Now I do not know about youbrethren and sisters, but once a goodnumber of years ago now I was at agathering in the company of over1,000 brethren and sisters singingand then the atmosphere and thesound was tremendously upliftingand inspiring. What will it be like inthis day for which we all long?

If truth be told brethren and sisterswe struggle with visions like thisbecause they are in many waysbeyond our comprehension of whatit will feel like to with one voice, asis clear from the Greek in verse 11to praise our God so. Yet we areexhorted to try and do this even nowbrethren and sisters in anticipationof this future event.

Romans 15: 5-7

“Now the God of patienceand consolation grant you tobe likeminded one toward

another according to ChristJesus: That ye may with onemind and one mouth glorifyGod, even the Father of ourLord Jesus Christ. Whereforereceive ye one another, asChrist also received us to theglory of God”.

Such should be our desire even nowbrethren and sisters for in this visionwe see the Lord Jesus Christ’sredeemed bride united not justuniform in worship.

We see also in this vision that theworship of the saints was not justconfined to “offering the sacrifice ofpraise to God continually, with, thefruit of our lips giving thanks to hisname”. For in addition to the prayersof the saints it speaks in verse ten ofchapter four of the saints prostratingthemselves before God and castingtheir crowns at his feet in a sign ofsubmission, homage and obeisance.

“The four and twentyelders fall down beforehim that sat on thethrone, and worship himthat liveth for ever andever, and cast theircrowns before thethrone” (Chapter 4:10)

Indeed a further twice in chapterfive at verses 8 & 14 do we find thesaints so prostrate before the LordJesus Christ, as the manifestation ofhis Father in the earth. What isreally interesting about thesephysical acts of worship that aretotally foreign to our currentexperience brethren and sisters.

Now please note this that each timethey prostrate them selves it is as theresult of a truth expounded?

Indeed the expressions of joy insong that we have already in partconsidered is also part of thisphysical and emotional response tothe truth. Conversely we see thesame thing at the opposite end of thescale being manifested by theApostle John in verse four, wherewe read John “wept much”. He weptbecause there was no one to unsealthe scroll that scroll that was boundup in Daniel’s day.

In many ways John’s response hereis symbolic of our current situationin that this vision has not yet cometo pass in the earth. What we areseeing here then is a physical andemotional response to the truthevident in these acts of worship.

This reinforces the fact that our lifein the truth is not just to be anintellectual activity, although it istruly an important part of our life inthe truth, because the word of Godis the key. So we indeed do need ourintellect to worship and serve ourHeavenly Father acceptably.

Yet at the same time we havehighlighted for us a problem herewith regards to our worship in that ithas been said, “the journey from thehuman head to heart with regards toworship is the longest journey evertravelled in this life”. The truthneeds a physical and emotionalresponse brethren and sisters, ourwhole being is required.

So in chapter four they prostratethemselves as a result ofproclaiming those words in verseeight “Holy, holy, holy, Lord GodAlmighty, which was, and is, and isto come”. The truth of the holinessof our God brethren and sistersshould drive us to such a realisationof our position before him, as fleshand blood creatures of the dust.

Then in verse eight of chapter fivewe find the bride once moreprostrating themselves before theirLord, as a result of him beingworthy to take the book. “And whenhe had taken the book, the fourbeasts and four and twenty eldersfell down before the Lamb”.

Finally in verse fourteen, as a resultof the praise of the whole creationand their own collectivepronouncement of “Amen” at theend of that praise endorsing it, thesaints again joyfully prostratethemselves in submission, homageand obeisance.

From these three applicationsdepicting how the saints willworship in the age to come we learnthat part of our worship in givinghonour to our Heavenly Father is tobe with our whole being. Not justwith either the heart or the mind.That being the case brethren andsisters we need to learn to activelypractice such worship now. And notjust go through the motions, whichin honesty we are prone to do.Because in many ways even thissimple ritual of weekly partaking ofthe emblems can and does becomemundane due to the weakness of theflesh.

Again if truth were told brethren andsisters, usually the only time we willprostrate ourselves in this way is asthe result of our sin and our desire toconfess and resume fellowship withour God. Yet here each of theseincidents, are joyful events. Let uslearn to prostrate ourselves inresponse to Yahweh’s blessings aswell as his mercies brethren andsisters. Indeed let us learn to trulyrejoice in Yahweh our God brethrenand sisters.

Interestingly these three occasionsof submission, homage andobeisance also teach us somethingelse with regards to our salvation inChrist. Firstly it all comes from ourHeavenly Father; He initiated it,provided for it and brought it intobeing. Secondly He worked out hisplan through our Lord Jesus Christour beloved Master, again separatefrom us. So that finally our onlysuitable response is to worship himwith thanksgiving and honour forwhat He has achieved in Christ.

Let us realise brethren and sistersthat we bring nothing to the table,except our response in a thoughtfuland heartfelt life of active worship,service and sacrificial work. (Allthree aspects are part of andcomplete our worship).

In Romans Chapter 12 and at verse1 we read:

“I beseech you therefore,brethren, by the mercies ofGod, that ye present yourbodies a living sacrifice,holy, acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonableservice” (or worship).

Worship is actually one of ourHeavenly Father’s gifts to us, so thatwe might learn to place worth whereit truly belongs and to deepen ourlove for our God. Our HeavenlyFather brethren and sisters does notneed our worship for He does notlack anything in himself nor is Heenhanced by it. Rather it is a meansof developing and enhancing us bothindividually and collectively as welearn to practice worship throughpraise, service and sacrifice.

Yet nonetheless he commands usand implores us to worship him,because in such actions as depictedhere in this wonderful vision we aretruly fulfilled and satisfied. We mayask the question then - does ourHeavenly Father get anything at allfrom all our worship?

The answer is if that worship isbased upon truth and sincere thenyes, He chooses to derive pleasurefrom it. Yet let us be warnedbrethren and sisters Israel wereconstantly castigated for what waslacking in their worship. Can it besaid of you and I brethren andsisters that we each have thebalance right with regards to ourworship?

With these thoughts in mind wereturn then in verse nine to findthese redeemed saintsacknowledging these truths, wherewe read. “Thou art worthy to takethe book, and to open the sealsthereof: for thou wast slain, and

hast redeemed us to God by thyblood out of every kindred, andtongue, and people, and nation”.

The focus of the saint’s worship ison the worthiness of the Master. Infact our word “worship” is actuallya contraction from the old Englishword “worthship”, meaning “tolove, to admire & adore” in otherwords to be worthy in ones eyes.This is borne out in the Greek forthe word “worthy” here means “tohave weight”. The idea is that ofhaving standing/ impact/importance with the one whoregards the other as truly worthy.

Can it be said of you and I brethrenand sisters that we each are givingthe Lord Jesus Christ and indeedour Heavenly Father the rightweight in our lives?

Colossians Chapter one, vs 12 – 19

Even now brethren and sisters inthis simple act of remembrance ourbeloved Master has the pre-eminence, as we “show the Lord’sdeath till he come”. Please note thatthis word “pre-eminence” is apresent active participle, meaning itis to be a principle of our daily livesto place the Lord Jesus Christ firstin our lives. Let us note the thoughtof the Eternal Spirit here is in thepresent tense, so that even now arewe to live this way, as newcreatures, because in the followingverses we are given two reasons forthis need. Firstly in verse nineteenwe read “for it pleased the Fatherthat in him should all fullnessdwell”.

Secondly if we are each to be andcollectively reconciled by his bloodthat we might be presented in thatday “holy and unblameable andunreproveable in his sight” (verse22). Failure to put the Master first inour lives manifests that we are yetcarnal in our thinking and actions.

Note carefully brethren and sisters,the Master’s worthiness is as adirect result of what our HeavenlyFather achieved through his life,death and resurrection. Worthinesscomes then from what has beendone. Indeed this very principle isthe basis of our own forthcomingjudgement, is it not.

In 2nd Corinthians Chapter 5 and atverse 10 we read:

“For we must allappear before thejudgment seat of Christ;that every one mayreceive the things donein his body, accordingto that he hath done,whether it be good orbad”.

Returning to Revelation chapter fiveand in verses nine and ten we aregiven four reasons (number of Godmanifestation) for the Mastersworthiness.

1. He “was slain” is an obviousreference to the atoning work ofChrist we shall shortlyremember. This looks back atthe past historic event.

2. He has, “hast redeemed (orpurchased) us to God,” which

speaks of the efficacy ofChrist’s atoning work anddescribes both its past, presentand ongoing effect. Notebrethren and sisters that the useof the aorist tense here for theword “redeemed” points notonly to our redemption as anaccomplished fact. But also thatthere is therefore a presenteffect every time we activelyapply our faith in Christ.

3. He has “made us unto our God akingdom of priests” points to thefuture work of the saints, whichis a reality at this point in thevision.

4. And “we shall reign” - theGreek employs a futureindicative of a promised futurefact.

This incredible vision brethren andsisters should embolden andencourage us to place our faith inour Heavenly Father’s provision inChrist Jesus our Lord. The visionwas given to assure all believersdown from the first century to ourpresent generation “that he, which,hath begun a good work in you willperform it until the day of JesusChrist”.

Thus the vision should indeedinspire us brethren and sisters to“press toward the mark for the prizeof the high calling of God in ChristJesus”. In this quotation concerningstretching towards the prize of ourhigh calling we learn a fascinatingpoint. Endorsed here by thescriptures and backed up by years ofpsychological research that “it is notthe past, but the future that

conditions you”. Because what youcommit yourself too determineswhat you are and become. TheEternal spirit through the ApostlePaul here is encouraging us to reachfor the prize and here in Revelationfive this vision of the future is givento inspire us to have a futureorientation.

2nd Corinthians Chapter fourand verse 18:

“While we look not at thethings, which are seen, but atthe things, which are notseen: for the things, whichare seen are temporal; butthe things which are not seenare eternal”.

Now please humour me brethrenand sisters close your eyes and seethe scene, picture each aspect inyour mind. Run your eye of faithover the great multitude of the saintsand angels given here. Praising inunison the Father through the Son,as I read to you verses eleven andtwelve.

“And I beheld, and I heardthe voice of many angelsround about the throne andthe beasts and the elders:and the number of them wasten thousand times tenthousand, and thousands ofthousands; Saying with aloud voice, Worthy is theLamb that was slain toreceive power, and riches,and wisdom, and strength,and honour, and glory, andblessing” (verses 11-12).

Now comes an important questionhighly relevant to this idea of thevision providing for us futureorientation. When you pictured inyour mind the scene portrayed heredid you see yourself personally andthe brethren and sisters you areassembled with today in among thisgreat throng of the redeemed?

We have to be able to see ourselvespresent in the kingdom brethren andsisters, because such clarity ofvision is a great aid to providing thewill and desire to press forwardfaithfully in Christ. It is notpresumption on our part to see intothe future in this manner. Rather itis an act of faith on our part,recognising that, yes we must stillbe found acceptable at the return ofour beloved Master. The scriptureprovides us with these visions sothat we might be up built and liftedup above the temporal.

Consider the Master the one we areto shortly remember in the emblemsof bread and wine upon the table.What do we read concerning him inHebrews “who for the joy that wasset before him endured the stake,despising the shame, and is set downat the right hand of the throne ofGod”?

Now that phrase “set before him”means that the joy envisaged was“placed before his eyes, it was set infront of him and it was appointed tohim”. Fascinatingly in the Greek thisword “before” is in the present tenseand is in the middle voice indicatingto us a deliberate personal choice.And finally this setting of joy before

Christ was a participle, in otherwords a daily principle our Masterlived by. Now wonder we areexhorted there in Hebrews to keepour eyes constantly fixed upon ourLord Jesus Christ “who is theauthor and finisher of our faith”.

The Master himself envisaged thekingdom in all its aspects with theredeemed his bride. How else washe able to so overcome that we toomight be brought unto glory. Surelynone of us are going to charge himwith presumption are we brethrenand sisters?

Now wonderfully that word“before” we have just examined inrelation to Christ is only used twicemore in this form in the Greek andboth passages are also in Hebrewsand are highly instructive to us inthis context.

Hebrews Chapter 12 and verse 1

“Wherefore seeing we also arecompassed about with so greata cloud of witnesses, let us layaside every weight, and the sinwhich doth so easily beset us,and let us run with patience therace that is set before us”.

We find then the same exhortationwe have been pursuing to lay asidethe past and our sin and revel in thisfuture orientation of the kingdom.This vision in Revelation chapterfive providing us with just such agreat cloud of witnesses we are tosurrounded ourselves with. Pleasenote brethren and sisters that itrequires a personal choice on our

part to set the vision before us.Indeed the word “compassed” hereis in exactly the same form in theGreek, as the word “before”,indicating to us that we must makethe same daily choice to bepersonally surrounded by thesewitnesses.

The question comes to us allbrethren and sisters are we willingto make that choice and so surroundourselves with these things ofeternity?

The final passage in which we havethis idea of having something “setbefore us” is Hebrews Chapter sixand verses 17 – 20:

“Wherein God, willing moreabundantly to shew unto theheirs of promise theimmutability of his counsel,confirmed it by an oath: Thatby two immutable things, inwhich it was impossible forGod to lie, we might have astrong consolation, who havefled for refuge to lay holdupon the hope set before us:Which hope we have as ananchor of the soul, both sureand stedfast, and whichentereth into that within theveil; Whither the forerunneris for us entered, even Jesus,made an high priest for everafter the order ofMelchisedec”.

Now as we finally come to breakbread and to drink wine in memoryof our Lord until he comes to makethis wonderful vision a reality in our

lives. We see in the bread brethrenand sisters our forerunner theMaster the word made flesh. Thisbread which speaks to us of thepower of the word of life toenlighten our minds and set beforeus and fill our thinking with that joyof these visions of the age to come.That we might be comfortedencouraged and inspired to see theirfulfilment.

Likewise in the wine we see theMaster the lamb slain from thefoundation of the world. Who wasslain to redeem us to the Father forthe purpose of being his willingservants in the day of our belovedMaster’s power?

Thus in the wine we see not only theprice that was paid, but moreimportantly the choices that hemade and his faithful worship of hisFather in a life of praise, service andsacrifice, even to the laying down ofhis life. What of us brethren andsisters are we equally willing tomake these same personal choicesand to give our lives in worship,service and as living sacrifices forone another. So that we might onewith one voice worship the Fatherthroughout the ages of eternity, asdepicted here in this tremendousvision?

We could finish brethren and sisterswith no better words than the finalwords, recorded in this wonderfulvision:

“Saying with a loud voice,Worthy is the Lamb that wasslain to receive power, and

riches, and wisdom, andstrength, and honour, andglory, and blessing. Andevery creature which is inheaven, and on the earth, andunder the earth, and such asare in the sea, and all thatare in them, heard I saying,Blessing, and honour, andglory, and power, be unto

him that sitteth upon thethrone, and unto the Lamb forever and ever. And the fourbeasts said, Amen. And thefour and twenty elders felldown and worshipped himthat liveth for ever and ever”.(Verses 12-14).

Wayne Marshall

THE FIRSTBORN

When the children of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, We read inExodus 13:2:

“Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the wombamong the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine”(1).

The reason for this is given in verse 3:

“And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in whichye came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for bystrength of hand Yahweh brought you out from this place: thereshall no leavened bread be eaten” (2).

The significance of these words is shown in Genesis 49:3:

“Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning ofmy strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency ofpower”.

The firstborn was the beginning of their strength. By strength of handYahweh had brought them out of Egypt, therefore they were to sanctifythe beginning of their strength to Yahweh. We have to remember that theAlmighty had just slain the firstborn of Egypt, the culmination of the tenplagues, to deliver them from bondage.

But how were they to sanctify their firstborn to Yahweh? This isexplained in Numbers 3: 41:

“And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am Yahweh) instead

of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle ofthe Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of thechildren of Israel”.

From this we see that the Levites were taken instead of the firstborn. If weread verses 39-51, we shall see that the Levites numbered 22,000, whereasthe firstborn numbered 22,273. To redeem the 273 which were over andabove the number of the Levites, Moses was commanded to take 5 shekelsapiece, which amounted to 1365 shekels and was commanded to givethem to Aaron and his sons. Significantly, each of these numbers aremultiples of 7. 273= 39x7 and 1365= 195x7. Now, we hope to show thatthe firstborn stood for the whole nation.

The word firstborn is the Hebrew bekowr (1060) and means firstborn,hence chief. Bekorah (1062) is derived from this word, and it meansbirthright. In fact bekorah is the feminine of bekowr. It could besignificant that it is feminine because the birthright applies to the ecclesia.Esau had the birthright which he sold to Jacob, which we read of inGenesis 25:31-34:

“And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esausaid, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall thisbirthright do to me? And Jacob said, sware to me this day; andhe sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. . . thusEsau despised his birthright”.

Esau the firstborn proved unworthy of this title therefore the birthrightwent to Jacob. The same word bekorah is used in Genesis 27:36:

“And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? For he hathsupplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright;and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing”.

This verse shows that there is a link between the birthright and thepromises to Abraham (“my blessing”). It is used again in 1 Chronicles5:1-2:

“Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was thefirstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s bed, hisbirthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: andthe genealogy is not reckoned after the birthright. For Judahprevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; butthe birthright was Joseph’s)”.

Here we see that Reuben proved unworthy of the birthright, so it went tothe sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Mannasseh. Of these two sons, Jacobconferred the right of the firstborn upon the younger, Ephraim, when he

blessed them which we read of in Genesis 48:14, and 18-19. It wasJoshua of the tribe of Ephraim who led the children of Israel into thepromised land and moreover initially the tabernacle was pitched in Shilohwhich was in the tribe of Ephraim. But let us not forget the words in 1Chronicles 5:2, “For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him camethe chief ruler”. The Lord Jesus Christ was to descend from the tribe ofJudah. The change from Ephraim to Judah is shown in Psalm 78: 60-70:

“So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh (in Ephraim), thetent which he placed among men. . . . But chose the tribe ofJudah, the mount Zion which he loved. . . He chose David alsohis servant”.

“Firstborn” is used in Deuteronomy 21:15- 17. Here, this is the naturalapplication of the title, but the Scriptures we have considered have shownthat the right of the firstborn is dependant on worthiness. The Almightyhas the prerogative to determine who is the firstborn on the basis ofworthiness of character. It is noteworthy that the word was used rightback in Genesis 4:4-5, where we read:

“And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and ofthe fat thereof. And Yahweh had respect unto Abel and to hisoffering: But unto Cain and his offering he had not respect”.

So from the beginning there was significance in the firstborn,memorialized in the fact that Abel brought of the firstlings of the flock,which is the word bekorah, also rendered firstborn. Cain was thefirstborn. He could have ruled over his brother, but proved unworthy andwas rejected, so the right of the firstborn went to Abel who Cainmurdered. But Abel’s blood cried out from the ground. This of courseclearly pointed forward to the Lord Jesus Christ who was put to death bythe Jews, but his blood “speaketh better things than that of Abel”(Heb.12:24).

We shall now begin to consider the typical significance of the firstborn,but firstly let us note that the firstborn stood for the whole nation of Israelas we see from Exodus 4:22-23:

“And thou shalt say unto Pharoah, Thus saith Yahweh, Israel ismy son, even my firstborn: And I say unto thee, Let my son go,that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, Iwill slay thy son, even thy firstborn”.

The firstborn of Egypt were slain to redeem Israel, Yahweh’s firstborn.As Isaac was miraculously conceived, so Israel as a nation wasmiraculously conceived, so they were Yahweh’s firstborn.

But the Passover lamb also represented the firstborn. Why? Because bythe slaying of the Passover lamb and the eating of it, the children of Israelwere saved when the angel of death passed over Egypt, as we see fromExodus 12, the chapter which precedes the chapter on the firstborn. In thischapter instructions are given regarding the slaying of the Passover lamband then we read in verses 12-14:

“For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and I willsmite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast;and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I amYahweh. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon thehouses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass overyou, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when Ismite the land of Egypt”.

Because Israel slew and ate of the Passover lamb their firstborn weresaved when the angel of death passed over and slew the firstborn of Egypt.Therefore the Passover lamb represented the firstborn of Israel which theywere to sanctify to Yahweh.

Now let us consider the words of Psalm 89 which speaks of the LordJesus Christ, the seed of David. Let us read verses 24-28:

“But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in myname shall his horn be exalted. I will set his hand also in the sea,and his right hand in the rivers. He shall cry unto me, Thou artmy father, my El, and the rock of my salvation. Also I will makehim my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. My mercywill I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fastwith him”.

The title of firstborn has been applied to the Lord Jesus Christ. This wesee also from Colossians 1:15-19:

“Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of everycreature. . . (v.18) And he is the head of the body, the ecclesia: whois the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things hemight have the pre-eminence. For it pleased the Father that in himshould all fullness dwell”,

and Romans 8:29:

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to beconformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstbornamong many brethren”.

If Israel was described as Yahweh’s firstborn, how can this title also beapplied to the Lord Jesus Christ? It was because Israel proved herselfunworthy of that status, to the extent that the very people who weredescribed as Yahweh’s firstborn, crucified the Son of God, just as Cainwho was the firstborn, but proved unworthy of that status murdered hisbrother Abel, on whom that title should have been bestowed because hehad proved worthy. However let us note the words “firstborn amongmany brethren”. We shall now consider this.

The title of firstborn is dependant on worthiness and this is shown inRomans 9:6-9:

“For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, becausethey are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaacshall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children ofthe flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children ofthe promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word ofpromise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son”.

These words are showing that not every descendant of Abraham is a childof God and therefore not a true Israelite, even though they may be ofIsrael. They have to be a child of promise as Isaac was. Who are thechildren of promise? These are defined in Galatians 3:29:

“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirsaccording to the promise”.

The Apostle continues in Romans 9:10, which confirms that which wehave already spoken of concerning Jacob and Essau:

“And not only this, but when Rebecca had conceived by one, evenby our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neitherhaving done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according toelection might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It wassaid unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written,Jacob have I loved, but Essau have I hated.. . . (v.16) So then it isnot of him that willeth, not of him that runneth, but of God thatsheweth mercy”.

But we have also been called to these things brethren and sisters as we seefrom 23-26:

“And that he might make known the riches of his glory on thevessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, even us,whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of theGentiles?”.

We, brethren and sisters have been called to be part of the ecclesia of thefirstborn as we see from Hebrews 12: 22-25:

“But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the livingGod, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company ofangels, To the general assembly and ecclesia of the firstborn(E.D. “firstborns”), which are written in heaven, and to God theJudge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect (i.e. thoseworthy ones of Hebrews 11), And to Jesus the mediator of thenew covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh betterthings than that of Abel. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh.For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, (i.e.Moses) much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from himthat speaketh from heaven”.

In this same chapter we see in verses 15-17 how Esau despised hisbirthright i.e his place as the firstborn:

“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest anyroot of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many bedefiled; Lest there be any fornicator or profane person, as Esau,who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know howthat afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he wasrejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought itcarefully with tears”.

How important it is that we learn from Esau's failure. He put presentadvantage before the promises to Abraham, before his birthright. Incontrast, Jacob wanted the promises. He showed that tenacity of purposefrom his birth, when he held on to his brother’s heal in the womb and soheld on to the promises throughout his life. If we would inherit thebirthright, how important it is that we put the kingdom before presentadvantage as the Master taught us in Matthew 6:31-34:

“Therefore take no thought (be not anxious), saying, What shallwe eat? Or, What shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we beclothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) foryour heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore nothought (be not anxious) for the morrow: for the morrow shalltake thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day isthe evil thereof”,

and 19:27-30:

“Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsakenall, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus saidunto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, inthe regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of hisglory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribesof Israel. And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, orsisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for myname’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inheriteverlasting life”.

As Israel by strength of hand were delivered out of Egypt when the angel ofdeath slew all the firstborn of Egypt, so Yahweh’s firstborn Son, the truePassover lamb has been crucified to deliver us from the bondage of sin anddeath, therefore as part of the ecclesia of the firstborn we should give thebeginning of our strength to Yahweh.

Moreover at the Passover, Israel had to be in a state of readiness to leaveEgypt. They had to eat it with their loins girded, their feet shod and withtheir staff in their hand. So with us brethren and sisters, the Master couldreturn at any time and we need to be in a state of readiness for his coming.

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed with so great a cloudof witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin whichdoth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race thatis set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher ofour faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured thecross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand ofthe throne of God. For consider him that endured suchcontradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied andfaint in your minds” (Hebrews 12:1-3).

Footnotes:

These words were applied to the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ as we seefrom Luke 2:22-23*. It is noteworthy that the sanctification of the firstbornwas linked with the fulfilment of the requirements of the law for the birth ofa son in Leviticus 12. Leviticus 12 focuses on the Lord Jesus Christ. Theword man child is the Hebrew zakar which means remembered child. Thisword is actually rendered remember and moreover significantly is renderedmemorial where it is applied to the memorial name of Yahweh in Exodus3:15*. In the requirements of the birth of the man child in Leviticus 12 thewoman was to be unclean for 33 days pointing forward to the ministry ofthe Lord Jesus Christ of 33 years.

Leaven represented malice and wickedness, the things of Egypt. They were

to leave these things behind, therefore, the feast of unleavened breadwhich followed the Passover represented to the children of Israel that fromnow onwards they must leave the things of Egypt behind. So with us theleaven of the world should not be found in our house. We must leavethese things behind in our walk to the kingdom. A very heart searchingthought!

Carlo Barberesi

Secretary’s Notes

As announced in the last issue, An Exposition of Joel has now beencompleted, and is available from the Secretary at the cost of £3.00plus p&p. Comprising 92 A4 pages of verse-by-verse analysis, andrelevant studies, the book can also be downloaded free of chargefrom our internet website here:

www.christadelphian.uk.com/downloads.html

There have been a few ‘hiccups’ with the distribution of weeklySunday Exhortations due to the collusion of various inconveniences,but which have now been resolved. To receive SundayExhortations by e-mail, just send an e-mail to:chris@christadelphian.uk.com

We are working on the reproduction of a book on The Tabernacleby Bre C Tooth, and G Holton. Further information will be madeknown as the project progresses.

It has been suggested that some of the series that we have publishedin The Christadelphian Waymark should be reprinted in bookletformat, i.e. Colossians—an Exhortation for Unity in Love, TheBASF—It’s Importance and Teaching, and Tobiah—The Infiltrationof an enemy. We would be happy to oblige as soon ascircumstances permit.

We acknowledge with thanks donations made by various brethren,which have helped our work to continue, and will help facilitatefurther projects (outlined above).

“Seek Ye Yahweh”

1 Corinthians chapter 1 describes the manner in which the Word waspreached and received:

“Ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise menafter the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called: butGod hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound thewise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world toconfound the things which are mighty; and base things of theworld, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea,and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are, thatno flesh should glory in His Presence” (1 Cor. 1:26-29).

The system of salvation extended to Man therefore, involves the elevationof the Father only, making no provision for flesh to glory before Him.“We preach Christ crucified … unto the Greeks foolishness” (1 Cor. 1:23)says the inspired Apostle, and this maxim holds as true today as when itwas first written. The Natural man is unable to receive the things of theSpirit (1 Cor. 2:14) - especially when to do so involves humility and selfabasement – and so holds fast to that which is natural to him - theindulgence of the carnal mind upon things that do not profit. Preachers ofthe Gospel taught by Christ and his apostles have been scorned andderided throughout the ages, for in themselves and their natural position insociety, there is no human reason why they should be honoured. But “thefoolishness of God [i.e. the cross of Christ considered foolish by men] iswiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (Rom.1:25) - and though the treasure is hidden within weak and earthen vessels,when Messiah comes to lead his people into victory against the powers ofsin, the light shall be caused to shine across the entire globe, after thefashion of Gideon’s victory over his enemies.This pattern is something that we find repeated in the prophecy of Amos.The seventh chapter recounts the prophet’s words in answer to Amaziah,the priest of Beth-El, who had told him to “flee thee away” and ceaseprophesying to Israel:

“I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was anherdman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit. And Yahweh tookme as I followed the flock, and Yahweh said unto me, Go,prophesy unto my people Israel” (Amos 7:14-15).

So it was that in selecting men to deliver words of rebuke and correctionto his people, Yahweh chose those who, by the world’s standards wereweak and lowly. Amos was not among the rich and prosperous in the

things of this life, neither did he elevate himself to be a prophet – rather hewas taken and chosen by the Father, that having no glory in himself todetract from the message, he would be a vessel suitable to hold forth theword of life.

Amos chapter 1 tells us that the prophet’s ministry was during the days ofUzziah, king of Judah. And 2 Chronicles chapter 26 characterises thisperiod as being a time of prosperity. Uzziah, we are told: “built towers inthe desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the lowcountry, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in themountains, and in Carmel, for he loved husbandry” (2 Chron. 26:10).

The record continues:

“and he made in Jerusalem engines invented by cunning men,to be upon the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrowsand great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; forhe was marvellously helped till he was strong” (2 Ch 26:15).

Carmel was a fruitful place, and the prosperity of the land was shown bythe need for vinedressers and husbandmen to tend the land and beasts.Yahweh blessed him greatly, but only whilst he was of a lowly spirit. Hewas “marvellously helped till he was strong” we are informed, “but whenhe was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction; for hetransgressed against Yahweh his God, and went into the temple ofYahweh to burn incense upon the altar of incense” (2 Chron. 26:15-16).Had Uzziah remained humble, Yahweh would have continued to elevatehim, but as “pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before afall” (Prov. 16:18) even so Uzziah became haughty, and fell from hisposition of favour. Seeking to become his own High Priest by entering theTemple without Divine Authorisation, he was smitten with leprosy in hisforehead, and remained a leper till the day of his death.It is interesting to note that in the year of Uzziah’s death, the prophetIsaiah saw a vision of the glorified Messiah:

“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sittingupon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled thetemple” (Isa. 6:1).

Notice here, the Master is “upon a throne”, which speaks of kingship, buthis train filled “the temple,” which indicates the centre of worship, orreligion. So it is that in the Kingdom, Christ shall be a High Priest afterthe order of Melchisedec, a king-priest officiating in the presence ofYahweh in the Most Holy.

However, unlike Uzziah, Christ does not elevate himself to be a priestlyking: he is made so by Divine appointment:

“So Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest;but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, today have Iforgotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art apriest after the order of Melchisedec” (Heb. 5:5-6).

Moreover, Christ sought salvation from death, in humility notpresumptuously. The sacrifices he offered were not animal offerings, buttears, and a meek and lowly spirit that trembled at the Father’s word:“when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying andtears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in thathe feared …” (Heb. 5:7).

Returning to the prophecy of Amos, and particularly that portion whichforms part of our daily readings for today, we find a constant exhortationto repent and “seek” Yahweh. “thus saith Yahweh unto the house ofIsrael, Seek ye me, and ye shall live” (Amos 5:4). This theme continuesthroughout the chapter: see verses 6, 8, 14. The exhortation is therefore,for sinful men to repent and seek Yahweh in spirit and in Truth. Amos’ministry was particularly to the elevated class in Israel; against “thehabitations of the shepherds, and the top of Carmel” which would “wither”(Amos. 1:2). Again, he spoke words against the “palaces” of both Israeland the heathen (1:4, 7, 10, 12, 2:2, 3:9, 11, 15). And chapter 5 describesthe people:

“they hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor himthat speaketh uprightly, forasmuch therefore as your treadingis upon the poor, and ye have taken from him burdens ofwheat … they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in thegate from their right” (Am. 5:11,12).

The poor and defenceless were oppressed by men of standing andprosperity. Just as we read in 1 Corinthians that the truth-holders tend tobe men of weak social standing, even so those who spoke out against theexcesses of Israel were “hated” and “abhorred”. Even so it is today, thatmen of the flesh pour scorn upon men of the spirit.

But those to whom Amos spake, although they denied the power thereof,they did have a “form of godliness”. They made a shew of desiring thelong-promised Day of Yahweh to come, when they might be furtherglorified. But this was not to be so: the Day when it came was to bedarkness and judgment, not light and glory to them:

“Woe unto you that desire the day of Yahweh! To what endis it for you? The day of Yahweh is darkness, and not light …shall not the Day of Yahweh be darkness, and not light? Evenbe very dark, and no brightness in it” (Am. 5:18, 20).

Malachi spoke of that same day, saying, “who may abide the day of hiscoming” (Mal. 3:2). Joel spoke of that day, being “a day of darkness, andof gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness” (Joel 2:2). Thesethings ought to provoke us into an inward examination. When Messiahreturns, there will be those who seek to be identified with him, and say,“Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy Name donemany wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them. I never knewyou: depart from me ye that work iniquity” (Mat. 7:22-23). In that day,there shall be great darkness and gnashing of teeth on the part of therejected (cp. Mat. 22:13). It is quite possible to look towards the comingDay of Yahweh with an entirely wrong heart and spirit. It is no use toseek the kingdom to come if it is not our present desire to live by theprinciples it will be established upon. For one thing, if we do not delightin the things of the spirit of God, we will not be happy living in conditionswhere only those things are elevated. But more importantly, if we do notseek the righteousness of the Father in our age – have can we expect it tobe imputed to us in the age to come?

Amos chapter 5 nevertheless provides us with a vision of hope. Althoughthe coming Day of Yahweh would be darkness to those who cannot abidethe glory of the Light, for the faithful there would be an entrance into adawning of a new day:

“Seek him that … turneth the shadow of death into the morning…” (Am. 5:8).

In Yahweh then, there is hope and salvation. It may well be that duringthe days of our sojourn in mortal weakness that the path upon which wewalk will lead us through times of bitterness and hardship. Times thatseem like we are walking in the “shadow of death”. Certainly this wastrue of David – yet he continued to trust in his God:

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow ofdeath, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thystaff they comfort me” (Psa. 23:4).

Again, Israel are depicted to Ezekiel (chapter 37) as dwelling in a valley ofdeath – dry bones resting in hope that they might come together again atthe appointed time, and be caused to stand up as a “great army”. In thedarkest of whatever circumstances befall us, we can have the confidence

that Yahweh is going to bring a new age of light, health, and wisdom –and that if we desire those things in our hearts, we will be part of thatkingdom to come. To the Word and to the Testimony we look for lightand hope (Isa. 8:20). As the “children of light” we do not seek our ownglory, as did Uzziah. Seeking to be identified with he who was meek andlowly in heart (Mat. 11:29), we do not exalt ourselves, but trust in Yahwehthat He will give the reward in due time. Not seeking the material thingsof this life, we seek first the Kingdom of God, and Yahweh’srighteousness, knowing that all other things we have need of will beprovided for us (Mat. 6:33). The examples lie before us in the Scripturalrecord, but only we can made the decision to follow them.

Christopher Maddocks

God Manifestation:

God alone can set apart and make holy. An act or thing, then, to be madeholy to God, must be according to His appointment; and whatever is done

according to divine ordination, God does. “The true worshippers shallworship the Father in spirit and in truth; for such are the worshippers the

Father requires. God is spirit, and they that worship him must worship himin spirit and in truth” ( John 4:23 ). To worship is to honour, and to honourGod is to do what He requires. Honour emanating from the will of man is

“will worship” and therefore unacceptable to God. Spiritual worshipaccording to truth, is the honour He requires. The worship appointed by

the Spirit, through the Apostles, is the spiritual worship; and is composedof certain acts set forth in the Scriptures of Truth.

Brother John ThomasThe Apostolic Advocate July, 1836. 190

"What have you done?" and not "What have you professed?" willdetermine the acceptance of the saints. If their doings are resolvable intomere words that cost nothing but a feeble effort to pronounce them, they

can have no part in the Kingdom of God and Age to Come. Thus saith theLord; therefore let no man be beguiled by vain deceit.

Brother John ThomasHerald of the Kingdom and Age To Come 1851