The prophecy of Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament yet provides a pertinent warning to the children of Edom. It is a prophecy of how their pride and animosity against Israel will spur them into committing crimes against their brother, and the judgments that God will consequently bring upon them.
Ezekiel 38:2 states: “Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him”. Magog was one of the sons of Japheth (see Gen 10:2). The descendants of the sons of Japheth generally settled in Europe. According to Josephus, Magog can be identified with the Scythians: “Magog founded those that from him were named Magogites, but who are by the Greeks called Scythians”.[1] By the time of Ezekiel in the sixth century BC, the Scythians had migrated from the east and settled in the region to the north of the Black Sea. As a National Geographic article about the archaeological remains of the Scythians stated:
“…the Scythians for some 400 years were masters of a great stretch of the European steppe. At its height their kingdom reached from the Danube east across Ukraine, Crimea, and Russia, all the way to the Don River and the Caucasus Mountains”.[2]
Geopolitical Effects of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine in Light of Ezekiel 38 Read More »
Numbers 11:31-34: A reader enquires: How could God bring judgment on the people for eating the quail that He provided? As always, the context and detail of the record, including the events leading up to it, help us to understand. Let’s review the circumstances.
Towards the Promised Land – Israel leaves Sinai
It was on the first day of the first month of the second year after Israel left Egypt that to the great excitement of men and women of faith, “the tabernacle was reared up” (Exod 40:2,17). It was a singular day, there at Sinai, when divine worship could be formally carried out in the place where Yahweh would dwell among His people as He had declared: “Let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them” (Exod 25:8).
Who Shall Give Us Flesh to Eat? Read More »
On 14 May 2023, Israel celebrated its 75th Anniversary. As part of that occasion, we are pleased to announce the release of Brother Stephen Whitehouse’s new book, The Story of Israel & the Coming of Elijah. This must-read account explores Israel’s significance in God’s plan and examines how this fulfils the Scriptures.
The Story of Israel & the Coming of Elijah Read More »
He who does not work, does not eat
While we look to God to be our Provider, it does not mean we sit back and do nothing, waiting for Him to send us manna from heaven today. He will provide, but the principle is that we must also put effort in for Him to bless. The Apostle Paul was an excellent example of this:
“For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.” (2 Thess 3:7-9)
Seek Ye First (24) Read More »
Is it true that our thinking is becoming more shallow? Are we are losing the ability to think in any depth? Nicholas Carr, the author of The Shallows,[1] thinks that the answer to both of these questions is a definite ‘Yes’; and he sets out to demonstrate that, in our modern age of ever-increasing screen usage, not only are our learning and retention habits being adversely affected, but also the very physiology of our brains is changing as a result.
A unique feature of all the prophecies that deal with the last days is the concentration of global power. Daniel 2 speaks of Nebuchadnezzar’s image rising to its feet with elements of all the past empires being represented in the world today. Daniel 7 speaks of a Beast that becomes more powerful and ferocious with a little horn that seeks to change times, laws and seasons. Ezekiel 38 speaks of a massive coalition of nations, which encompasses much of the Eurasian continent. Revelation speaks of an alignment of political, religious, economic and military powers which climaxes in Armageddon.
An Artificial Divinity Read More »
The first seal
“Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, ‘Come!’ And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.” (Rev 6:1-2 ESV)
The white horse
Brethren Barker and Boulton[1] wrote: “The horse is intended to indicate that the events represented by the symbols were to take place within the Roman Empire. Roman coins bearing the figure of a horse and the word ‘Roma’ are referred to as supporting this view…[So] the horses of the first four seals cannot represent Rome, but certain forces which were to be in active operation against…the Roman Empire, ‘the earth’. The colours of the horses representing the character of the events rather than the state of the Empire”.
The Caesars in the Apocalypse (2) Read More »
This year, 2023, marks the centenary of three events, which directly affected the Jews and changed the course of history. All three events facilitated the return of the Jews to their ancient homeland.
Hitler, the Beer Hall Putsch 8 November 1923[1]
In 1923, on 8 November, Adolph Hitler proclaimed a Nazi revolution at a Munich beer hall, which became known to history as the “Beer Hall Putsch” (revolution). The next day he tried to take over the Bavarian government by marching on the administration with the support of his private army of over 2000 Storm Troopers. The attempt failed. Police opened fire, killing sixteen of his followers, while Hitler was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison for treason.
Hitler, Turkey and the British Mandate for Palestine Read More »
Here is a new twist on an old saying: “Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly—until you can learn to do it well”.
Far too many of us will not try to do the difficult until we feel that we can do it well, and we will never do it well until we first start by doing it poorly. Imagine telling a swimming instructor that we refuse to get into the pool until we can swim properly. Unless we jump in and splash around and put our head under the water and try to swim, poorly, we cannot ever swim well.
Anything Worth Doing Read More »
