The Caesars in the Apocalypse (2)

The Scripture Illustrated | by | Volume 29, Issue 4 | July – August 2023

SERIES

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 »

Hitler, Turkey and the British Mandate for Palestine

Jewish History | by | Volume 29, Issue 4 | July – August 2023

AUDIO

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 »

Anything Worth Doing

Minute Meditations | by | Volume 29, Issue 4 | July – August 2023

FREE

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 »

The Fulness of Christ (3) – “Christ in You, the Hope of Glory”

Exposition | by | Volume 29, Issue 4 | July – August 2023

AUDIO SERIES

“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Cor. 4:6)

In the previous article we reflected on the wondrous concept of being “in Christ”: members of his body, branches in the true vine, sheep led by the true shepherd, stones in a holy temple. These are lofty thoughts for finite minds, but the notion of “Christ in us” is even loftier.

The Fulness of Christ (3) – “Christ in You, the Hope of Glory” Read More »

Caleb (6) – “He Had Another Spirit”

Exposition | by | Volume 29, Issue 4 | July – August 2023

AUDIO SERIES

In Joshua 21 we are informed about the casting of lots for certain portions of the land for the Levites. In verses 10-11 we learn that God was going to decide which Levitical family would inherit the cities in the tribe of Judah, and Hebron in particular. We also learn that these children of Aaron were to be apportioned 13 cities amongst the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

It is significant that the first city mentioned was Hebron (v11,13). Why is Hebron being emphasised by position and repetition? One reason is because Caleb had given it up as his inheritance—we have seen evidence for that in previous articles. A second reason is that while the many children of Aaron would be divided amongst the 13 cities, the direct high priestly line probably lived in Hebron.

Caleb (6) – “He Had Another Spirit” Read More »

Some Encouraging Thoughts from the Epistle to Philippi (4)

Exposition | by | Volume 29, Issue 4 | July – August 2023

SERIES

“That I may win Christ…that I may know him”

We have seen how Paul made it abundantly clear that to know Jesus and his faithfulness to his Father is a vital motivating force in our spiritual transformation.

In Philippians 3:10, Paul encourages us to “know Jesus” intimately, something he has had to learn himself, and by this means understand the righteousness of God in him. He states that there is a need:

to know the power of his resurrection,

to know the fellowship of his sufferings,

to know what it means to be made conformable to his death.

Some Encouraging Thoughts from the Epistle to Philippi (4) Read More »

Vulnerability

Exhortation | by | Volume 29, Issue 4 | July – August 2023

AUDIOFREE

When we think of the teaching of our Lord, vulnerability may not be the first idea that comes to mind. But it is there, within our Lord’s teaching—the sense of being vulnerable to each other and being vulnerable to our God.

What do we mean by vulnerability? Well, it’s the idea of being open and not hardened. It’s the idea of being open to attack. The dictionary definition of the word is “the quality of being exposed to the possibility of harm”.

Vulnerability Read More »

Men Ought Always to Pray and Not to Faint

Editorial | by | Volume 29, Issue 4 | July – August 2023

AUDIOFREE

The parable concerning the unjust judge and the persistent widow is one which is only recorded by Luke in his 18thchapter. It follows hard on the heels of a salient warning in the previous chapter, in which our Lord described the dismemberment of the nation by the Roman eagles. He alerted his disciples to the signs that would herald that destruction. They would experience days identical to the days of Noah and the days of Lot in which violence and immorality would abound.

Men Ought Always to Pray and Not to Faint Read More »

New Zealand Christadelphian Family Bible School 2022-23

Inter Ecclesial News | by | Volume 29, Issue 3 | May – June 2023

The day finally came: 24 December, 2022. The Christadelphian Family Bible School, or ‘Summer School’, as most of us affectionally call it. After many months of preparation and over two years of waiting, we finally got to spend time together around God’s Word. A collection of over 300 Christad…

New Zealand Christadelphian Family Bible School 2022-23 Read More »

Start typing and press enter to search

Scroll to Top