October, 1968 / Volume 8 / Number 10
MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE BIOLA FELLOWSHIP president ............... S H SUTHERLAND editor ..................... AL SANDERS production .............. BILL EHAAANN printing .................. CHURCH PRESS CONTENTS ON THIS MONTH'S COVER
ISRAEL IN PROPHECY by Al Sanders .................... 3
Standing near the library where expansion is planned, Dr. J. Richard Chase, Academic Vice President and Dr. Robert Craw ford, newly appointed Dean for Biola College talk with Biola stu dent Greer Eagleson of La Habra, California. Dr. Crawford will also continue to serve as Chairman of the Division of Science and Mathematics. Second Class postage paid in La Mirada, Calif. Printed in U.S.A. by Church Press, Glendale, Calif. Address: Biola Broad caster, 13800 Biola Ave., La Mirada, California 90638.
PANEL DISCUSSIONS ............ 23
PARABLES AND PEARLS___ 25
STUDIES IN I JOHN by Lloyd T. Anderson.......... 31
t h e b i o l a h o u r
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Continued on Page 34
Part I I T was fascinating to read an arti cle from the Los Angeles Times recently which carried the headlines: “Swallows Return to Mission Exact ly on Time, 7 :01 and 53 seconds A.M.” This story has to do with the 6,000-mile journey from South Amer ica which the swallows annually take as they return to the mission at San Juan Capistrano, south of Los An geles on the way to San Diego. This is something which has mystified people for many years. Yet there is something far more interesting than the account of the swallows going back to San Juan precisely on sched ule. I refer to the return of God’s chosen people, the Jews, to the land of promise, the nation of Israel. These people, in the wisdom and providence of God, in a sense like the swallows, have a built-in homing de vice. No matter in what area of the world they may be found, there is a certain compulsion which is calling them back to this area given by God to Abraham and to his seed forever. Those of us who have known and loved the Bible over the years have heard again and again the geograph ic names of places in Scripture. Wasn’t it amazing, as it has been ever since, to hear over the air and to read in the newspapers these same names so familiar in Bible history? Many years ago, the chaplain in the empire of Frederick the Great of Germany was called upon by his monarch to defend the faith. The ruler resolutely declared, “If what you believe is trustworthy and reli able, then you should be able to prove the Bible and what you stand for with just one word. Can you do it?” The wise man of God responded in
the affirmative. “Of course it is pos sible, your majesty. That one word which proves the authenticity of the Bible, and the reality of salvation today is ISRAEL!” Today, perhaps as never before in history, we see how Israel is proof of the veracity of God’s Word. Have you ever wondered why God selected a nation? Why use any spe cial people and make them more privi leged than others? To understand this situation we need to realize why God established a covenant with Abraham. This was not some last- minute though t, some capricious whim of the Almighty. There were at least three purposes God desired to achieve in His gracious relation ship with Abraham. First of all, He wanted a nation which would serve as a repository for His divine reve lation, namely the Scriptures. To have the Word of God preserved for all mankind was one purpose in se-
Rev. Clyde Cook, head of the Missions Department of Biola College, takes the opportunity of using the warm weather for a class session out of doors. Mr. Cook's ministry has included several terms in the Orient following his graduation from Biola and Talbot Theological Seminary. He has been the representative for Biola's evangelistic drama team which tours the Orient this summer presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ. 3
lecting a specific nation. We know that this has been achieved and ful filled. Secondly, God wanted to establish a blood line through which would come into the flesh the Redeemer of the world, the very God of very God, our Lord Jesus Christ. This also was gloriously fulfilled through the Messiah, our Saviour. Lastly, God selected a specific na tion in order that in a coming hour there might be a specific witness to all the world. Now, while the first two aspects of the covenant have transpired, the third awaits its com plete prophetic fulfillment. During the time of the Tribulation, the peri od which immediately follows the Rapture of the Church, which in cludes all true born-again believers, Revelation 7 tells us that there will be 12,000 witnesses from the 12 tribes of Israel, for a total of 144,000 people. These will be God’s special witnesses during this time of un precedented judgment upon the world. Making this covenant with Abra ham was not something to be con sidered lightly. At least five different times Abraham was assured of its unusual promises. First, described
in Genesis 12:1-3 and 7, Abraham is promised ownership and occupation of the land. In Genesis 13:14-17, all of these elements are reiterated. Then in Genesis 15:4-21 we find certain minutiae of the promise. Again Genesis 17:1-16 states that Abraham, now in his old age, was promised a son. Finally in Genesis 22:15-18, at the time on Mount Moriah when Abraham would have offered up Isaac as a sacrifice to the Lord, the prom ise is again reconfirmed. As if that weren’t enough, we can take further encouragement in finding that the promise was restated to Isaac (in Genesis 26:3-5), and to Jacob (in Genesis 6:2-8). When Martin Luther came to Genesis 12:1-3, he paused in his translation concerning the Abraham- ic Covenant to declare, “Now it fol lows the right promise which ought to be written in golden letters and proclaimed in all lands, and for which we ought to praise and glorify our God.” He was exactly correct in his evaluation. Abraham was called upon to make a three-fold sacrifice. He had to leave his country, his kindred, and his home. Have you ever had to make a decision like that? If you have, your children doubtless have said, “But we don’t want to live anywhere else. We like this home! All of our friends live here.” Such was indeed the challenge facing Abraham to go into a country he knew not of, to serve a God in whom he had im plicit faith. Corresponding to the three-fold sacrifice, the Lord also gave him a three-fold blessing which was per sonal, national, and universal. As far as the individual aspect was con cerned, Abraham, according to James 2, was called the friend of God. The Arabs know him as El Khalil. Do you get the full impact of that name? You see, it’s one thing to say God is your friend. That’s a relationship be lievers enjoy. But this wasn’t all
Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland (left), Biola president. Is presented a deed to property owned by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Livingston. The land and home was sold and the money given to the school for the much-needed library expansion. Looking on at the right is Mr. Paul W. Schwepker, treasurer and vice president of Biola. Mr. Livingston, a member of the Biola faculty, serves in the Business Administration Department.
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there was to it with Abraham. It wasn’t a case of his saying, “I know God; He’s my friend.” Rather, it was God who made the pronouncement, “Abraham is My friend.” Do you see the difference? The national promises of the Lord were to all Israel while the universal promises were to all nations. In Genesis 12:3 we read, “In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” Among other things, here we find a very definite promise of the Messiah’s coming. Galatians 3:16 in dicates this more fully as we read the words of the Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” There is an old epigram that bears repeating. It simply, yet profoundly, declares, “How odd of God, to choose the Jews!” This selection is by His elective grace. Now let’s think for just a moment about Ishmael. As he came out of the land of Egypt, among other things, Abraham brought two very significant items with him. There was, first of all, his wealth, and sec ondly, the Egyptian handmaiden Ha- gar. Trouble and strife characterized the household of Abraham, as de scribed in chapters 13-15 of Genesis. They came largely as a result of these two things. Ishmael, son of Hagar, represents the flesh. Ishmael’s daugh ter, incidentally, according to Scrip ture (Genesis 36:3) married Esau. What a union that was! The flesh joins itself to the flesh. Sin, you see, always seeks the lowest possible level and gravitates in that direction. It is fascinating to see that God made specific promises to Ishmael. For instance, in Genesis 17:20, we find thé pronouncement, “Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him ex ceedingly; . . . I have blessed him, and will make him a great nation.”
In Genesis 16:12 Ishmael is graphic- all portrayed, “He will be a wild man.” Now Job 39:5-8 gives us an interesting description of this proph ecy concerning the descendants of Ishmael, showing that the wild ass makes its home in desert areas, a rough and raw existence. Again in Genesis 25:18, we learn that Ishmael was to dwell eastward, that is, east ward from the land of promise. This is an interesting picture of the Ara bian generations. This is the gen eral territory in which they live even to this day. When our Lord Jesus Christ was brought before Herod, it was really a case again of Isaac in front of Ishmael. The human son of Isaac, our Lord Jesus Christ, was standing before Herod, whose mother was an Idumean, a descendant of Ishmael, and whose father was from Esau. (Esau is known as “Edom” as is shown in Genesis 36:1.) This land of promise made to Abraham and to his seed forever, be fore the June 6th war was about the size of New Jersey (eight or ten thousand square miles). Actually the area they will some day inhabit will be vastly greater, as much as fifty times this size, or eventually about 250,000 square miles, all the way from the Great River of Egypt to the River Euphrates, taking in the whole Arabian peninsula. This is how
Mr. Leland Hamby, editor of the Scroll, yearbook for Talbot Theological Seminary, makes the dedica tion presentation to Dr. Robert Saucy, member of the faculty of TTS. Dr. Saucy isprofessor of Systematic Theology.
Scripture defines the land God has marked out. Historian Arnold Toynbee has written these penetrating remarks, “As for long life, the Jews live on, as the same peculiar people. Today, it has been long ages since the Phoe nicians and the Philistines lost their national identity. Their ancient Syri ac neighbors have gone into the melt ing pot and have been reminted with new images and superscriptions while Israel has proved impervious to this alchemy performed by history in the crucibles of universal fate to which we Gentiles all in turn suc cumb.” What remarkable things have hap pened in the Holy Land in these re cent years! In Ezekiel 36:34 we have the statement, “And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay deso late in the sight of all who passed by.” Do you know, that the Arabs had a tax levied on every tree and in order to avoid paying taxes, land owners cut down every tree they could find? Over the years the area became little more than a desolate, barren desert. Since Israel returned in 1948, several millions of trees have been planted. There are immense forests around Gaza. Space does not permit more than a
broad outline of Israel’s history, be ginning with Abraham and continu ing down through the centuries. In Genesis 14 we read of the victory of Abraham over the Syrian kings when he met Melchizedek, king of Salem. That’s interesting for in Hebrew the word zedek means righteousness. Salem, of course, is peace. This in teresting Bible personality was a type of Christ in that he combined both the offices of king and priest. Four hundred years after Abraham, the law was given to the children of Israel on Mount Sinai. Through the years, the Jews wandered through the wilderness. They clamored for a king and God gave them their choice in Saul. David followed him with his mighty victories. Next came Solo mon under whose reign the beauti ful temple in Jerusalem was built. This replaced the tabernacle the Is raelites had used in their 40 years’ march. In the later years of his rule, Solo mon began to exert more and more pressures upon the people. His urban development program required that there be increased taxa tion . Al though the people at that time didn’t revolt, the seeds for trouble and in surrection had been sown. Upon his demise, Solomon’s son Rehoboam as cended to the throne. Instead of be ing gracious and showing leniency, he applied even more demands until the northern ten tribes rebelled. They chose Jeroboam to be their king and were known all together as Israel. The southern kingdom, which really was comprised only of Judah and a part of Benjamin, became known simply as Judah. From this word we get our familiar term Jew. These tribes in the northern and southern kingdom fought back and forth for 150 years following this division. Then, in 721 B.C., the Assyrians swept in, carrying away to captivity the 10 tribes of Israelite people. Up to this point, it had been more or less usual for a conquered people to
With 75 acres to patrol and located in the heart of a busy residential area. Biota maintains strict security control on its grounds and facilities. Pic tured above is Gary B. Gates one of the school's employees.
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rebuild the temple under Zerubbabel. This was by the permission of King Cyrus of Persia who had by then captured and subdued the Babyloni an empire. In 168 to 170 A.D. the temple was desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes. Just before the birth of Christ, when Herod was in power, he endeavored to remodel and redecorate the tem ple, which went on in varying de grees until he died in 64 A.D. Less than four decades after our Saviour’s crucifixion, in the year 70 A.D. Jeru salem was completely enveloped by Titus. The temple was leveled to the ground in fulfillment of Christ’s words of prophecy. So many of God’s chosen people were crucified that the historian Josephus rep o rts there wasn’t even a stick of wood to be found in Jerusalem on which a per son could be mounted for death; they had all been used repeatedly as Ro man g ibbets. During those days 1,100,000 Jews were put to death. The Roman emperor Vespasian gave large portions of the promised land to his personal friends. He tried to change the name too. Weary of the slaughter where blood had run so freely, the Romans began selling the Jewish people as slaves. Oftimes, be cause there were so many, an adult male would bring less than the value
remain in their area, but only to be slaves. For the Jews, however, so deeply had been instilled into their hearts the nationalistic spirit that the Assyrians very wisely, as far as warfare is concerned, carried them away into a distant area. Let us underscore the prime fact that there is no such thing in the Word of God as “10 lost tribes” as some cultists would have you believe. Some have even been led into error, thinking that these people crossed the Danube River and became part of the Anglo-Saxon race. This is cer tainly not taught in Scripture, in anthropology, or in any other sci ence which deals with man’s back ground. One hundred and forty years fol lowing the Assyrian captivity, Nebu chadnezzar, head of Babylon, swept over the Southern kingdom. The two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, were likewise taken into captivity. During this time one of the most beautiful Psalms (137th) was written. One can feel the heartbreak and pathos in this strange land to which they had been taken. Listen to the Psalmist agonize, “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion.’ How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” That’s such a beautiful chapter. This captivity by Nebuchadnezzar happened in 587 B.C. Before the conquerors returned to Babylon with their spoil, the mag nificent temple which Solomon built was destroyed. It would seem clear therefore that, prophetically speak ing, this actually began what is known as “the times of the Gentiles,” spoken of in Luke 21:24. Seventy years later, about 40,000 Jews at the very most, returned to
Various paraphernalia necessary for emergency work in the security patrol for the Biola Campus is pictured here. This includes flash lights, two-way radio, fire fighting equipment, and other items. 7
of an animal. Brutality and unbeliev able persecution was the order of the day. It was in A.D. 115 that Em peror Hadrian, in utter contempt for the Gospel, drove a plow through the very spot where the altar previously had stood. As far as the other Pales tinians cities were concerned, some 985 were destroyed and leveled. An other 580,000 men were killed, to say nothing of the women and children. In 362 A.D., Julian the Apostate tried to rebuild the temple, but it was an abortive attempt for the superstructure burned down. No fur ther effort was made. In 628, the Jews were banished from Palestine. In 634, the Arabs conquered the city under the leadership of General Omar in whose honor the so-called Mosque of Omar, the Dome of the Rock, was named. Then, in 1096, the first Crusade took place. It was in the name of Christianity, but unfortunately as •they sought to capture the holy places from the Ottoman Muslims, they made it a time of merciless slaughter. Before ever getting to Israel, they stopped to kill the Jews in Europe. Their avowed reason was to avenge the blood of Jesus. This was all un der the leadership of Pope Urban II. Finally, when they arrived in the promised land, every single Muslim
to be found was put to death. Not too long after that, in 1146-47, the sec ond Crusade was sent out. The only thing about this endeavor was that the carnage and bloodshed even ex ceeded that of the first. In 1306, France and England ex pelled the Jews from their shores. During preceding years, the Jews had enjoyed what was known as the golden age in Spain. By the end of the 15th Century, the Inquisition took place, and once again, thousands of Jews were annihilated. Anti-semi- tism of the worst dimension has been the whole history of man. We could mention other hardships such as in 1799 when Napoleon laid siege to Jerusalem. This was to be his first great defeat. In 1853 to 56 there was the Crimean War. This unfor tunately took place because of a dis pute between the Greek Orthodox and the Roman Catholic churches. They couldn’t agree upon which one of them should have control of the tra ditional Christian shrines. Then, no doubt the bitter hatred and evil persecution of the Jews reached its zenith and the very pin nacle of hell itself, when Adolf Hitler slaughtered perhaps as many as 6,000,000 Jews. There are several new books out on this subject which while frightening, are intensely in teresting. One is titled, Holocaust, and the other, While Six Millions Died. Keep in mind that the persecution of the Jews throughout the long cen turies is but another clear indication of the fulfillment of Scripture. Be cause of their unbelief, they could expect nothing else. Leviticus 26:33 states in the words of the Lord, “I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.” Prophecy such as Deuteronomy 28:64-67 and Ezekiel 36:16-20 give us additional informa tion in this area. It was prophesied, “And thy life shall hang in doubt
Students at Talbot Theological Seminary enjoy a time ot fellowship In the lounge. From left to right are Richard Johnson of Oakland, Calif., Wes Anderson of Norwalk, Calif., Dave Jenkins of Hunfington, Wesf Virginia, and Marvin Blundell of Chadron, Nebraska.
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tion. Another key verse is Isaiah 11: 9-12. The 11th verse reads, “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the rem nant of his people.” Note the use of the term “the second time.” While we do not set times or seek to estab lish specific dates, saying this means that we do see God, for the second time, bringing His children out of the dispersion back into their prom ised possession! Amos 9:14-15, “I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them.” Now someone may justly say, “Well, that was fulfilled and under Zerubbabel when they returned to rebuild the temple.” Keep in mind, however, that relatively speaking, just a handful came back. Then, too, they only re turned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, not to the other cities of Palestine. This is a promise for the rebuilding and rehabitation of the entire land. Ezekiel 36-40 shows the broad panorama from the return of the children of Israel to the battle of Armageddon and on into the millen nial reign of our Saviour. Ezekiel
before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assur ance of thy life.” It is so amazing, humanly speak ing, that such accurate prophecies could be made concerning the de struction and dispersion of a nation even before the nation was formed and in its promised land of habita tion. Do you know, at one time, his torians believed that there probably were less than 1,000,000 Jews left alive in the world, so great were the calamities which continually befell them? We think about the disappear ing American eagle and the buffalo of the prairie, but something which was even rarer in those days was a Jew who had escaped death. How strange is this city whose very name means peace, Salem, with the word Jeru meaning foundation. Yes, it is a city whose foundation is peace, yet it has been completely devastated as perhaps no other in the world. It has changed hands on 20 different occasions and five times it has been completely leveled to the ground. Keep in mind that the elec tive grace of God doesn’t provide for one’s physical security. At the same time, Scripture clearly indicates to us that Jerusalem will one day ful fill its name, “foundation of right eousness.” That will take place when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to this earth to rule and to reign in His millennial kingdom. Then righteous ness shall cover the earth even as the waters cover the sea. Let us consider next the thrilling theme of the promise of the return of Israel to their own land. Luke 21:24 is a key verse, which foretells, “Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” Have you ever stopped to figure it out? For the first time in more than 2500 years, the name of Israel has been placed back on the map as belonging to the Jew ish people. Not since 587 B.C. have they had their independence as a na
Mrs. Merrie An Zdef, fifth grade teacher at Anthony School in the Norwalk-La Mirada district, is shown talking with Mr. Dave Hammond, director of the Audio Visual department of Biola, following a recent video tape recording session. With them are Mr. and Mrs. Gale Reynolds. Mr. Reynolds is principal of Anthony School. Through the kind gift of a Christian friend, Biola was provided with video tape recording facilities which are used in the educa tional program of the school. 9
and tells us what it means. One stick represents Israel and the other Ju dah, the kingdoms which were divid ed in 930 B.C. In the closing hours of the dispensation of grace here on earth, we see these two coming to gether again. Jeremiah is full of these promises: 23:6, 30:10, 32:27, 33:16, 46:27, 28. The 30th chapter is particularly helpful. Again, it was David Ben Gurion who declared, “The Bible is our man date! The land of Israel was the birthplace of the Jewish people. Here they wrote and gave the Bible to the world. Compelled by this historic as sociation, Jews strove throughout the centuries to go back to the land of their fathers and to regain their statehood. Now we’re back! We do not intend to ever leave again.” As the salmon would fight to get back up the river for spawning at the place from which it originally came, so the Jew is inexorably head ing back to the land of promise. As believers, we have a tremendous re sponsibility, even as Paul suggested in the 10th chapter and the first verse of the epistle of Romans, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” That’s our desire. That’s our purpose. That’s our ear nest prayer and expectation. Part II A very inventive optometrist was anxious to secure business through some clever advertising. He sought to encourage people to have their eyes checked. He had a sign made to be placed in the window of his office. It read on this wise, “You can’t be optimistic with a misty op tic.” You know, as we think about the conditions which prevail in the world today, we should remind our selves that as believers we can’t be optimistic about the future if our spiritual eyes are cloudy, and if we don’t perceive the events spoken of
prophesies that the Jewish people will be returning as dry bones. The bones come together and then are covered over with flesh and sinew. Yet there is something vital which is missing. There is not any breath of life in the renewed corpse. So, even today, we see that the children of Israel are returning to their right ful land. These bones of hope long dead are returning from the ceme- taries of the world’s nations to which they had been dispersed. They are being gathered together with the flesh and sinew placed on the bones. What they now await is the Messiah from heaven to give the breath of life. It was Prime Minister David Ben Gurion who said, “If you can get three Jews to agree on any one thing in all the world, then legend has it that the Messiah will come.” That may be a facetious remark, yet spirit ually it is true. The valley of dry bones is not some rhythmic song that the Fred Waring group sings. It is a reality which speaks clearly of fu ture events in Israel. Also in Ezekiel 37:15-20 there is an interesting ac count of the two sticks coming to gether. This is not just some fanci ful story. Scripture explains itself
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Dr. Charles L Feinberg (left), dean of Talbot Thee- logical Seminary, makes a special award to Ron McDonald, a graduate from Talbot Theological Semi nary, majoring In New Testament. The award was for excellence in the field of homiletics. Looking on is James DeYoung from Illinois who was also graduated this year from TTS.
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fact, early cartographers placed Is rael in the very center calling it the navel of the world. All directions were figured from that one historic place. We first notice that Isaiah 43:5-6 relates God’s promise, “I will bring thy seed from the east.” That word bring in the Hebrew signifies a great force which will come. The Jewish cry throughout the centuries has been, “Today in the dispersion; to morrow in the land of promise.” As a matter of fact, the national anthem of Israel is simply titled, "Hope.” So, from the east there has indeed been a great marching which has come since Israel’s independence. As an example, in the city of Bagdad, a principal community of the Arab world, about 135,000 Jewish people lived. Life was difficult at best. The Jews petitioned to be allowed the privilege of leaving Bagdad. The un usual request was granted on several conditions. First of all, every avail able asset of the Jews was frozen and their every title was forfeited. Stocks, bonds, money, land and what ever valuables they possessed had to be given up to the Arabs. Incidental-
in God’s Word and discern the signs of the times. Some people in the world would have us believe that things are going to get better and better until finally the Lord comes. In actuality, according to all of our news media and secular magazines, things are getting worse and worse. When you stop to think about it, it’s in times like these that the Chris tian is the only one who can say, “Cheer up, the worst is yet to come!” The Lord Jesus reminds us, “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28). It has been very interesting in this study to go back over the course of years, picking up some old com mentaries of a hundred years or more ago. This was long before the chil dren of Israel ever returned to their land of prom ise. Faithful Bible teachers said then generally, “We don’t know how it will happen, but it will take place. God will see to that.” Back in 1859, more than a hundred years ago, the German scholar, J. N. Kurtz, wrote these words, “As the body is adapted and destined for the soul, and the soul for the body, so is Israel for that country and that country for Israel. Without Israel, the land is like a body from which the soul has fled, vanishing from its country. Israel is like a ghost which cannot find rest.” Another very significant prophecy we should note is found in Isaiah 43:5-6: “Fear not; for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south. Keep not back.” His torically, Israel has been sifted like flour to the four points of the com pass. By the way, any specific direc tions about which we read in Scrip ture are always calculated from Jeru salem. Israel has been known as the hub of the universe. As a matter of
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| § Donna Leonard from Ohio was graduated this year from Talbot Theological Seminary with her Master of Religious Education degree; she is at the organ console in the TTS chapel. Mrs. Leonard wrote the senior dedication song for the June 1968 graduates. 11 pHiilil
ly that represented, in the city of Bagdad alone, well over 500 million dollars. The second requirement was that each Jew had to promise, on threat of death, that he would never come back to Bagdad. With these conditions accepted, the Jewish people in Bagdad began to leave. A giant airlift was carefully planned. Planes were secured by lease and loan from different countries. The problem was, however, that the Arabs of Bagdad wouldn’t allow the Israeli planes to land in their city, so great was their contempt for the Jewish people. It was necessary, therefore, for the refugees from Bagdad to be flown first to Cypress and from there on to Israel. This was, of course, more costly and time-con suming. It is interesting to pause here to inject a little section of a verse from Isaiah 11:14 to the effect that they would even fly west from the east! Before the children of Is rael in Bagdad ever left the airport for Cypress, they were carefully and methodically searched by Arab police. Any rings, jewelry, cash and excess clothing were stripped from them. Only that clothing which they actual-
ly had on their backs was allowed to remain. When they arrived in Israel, they were absolutely penniless, com pletely poverty-stricken. It was then that Dr. Chaim Weisman declared triumphantly, “Now we see the end of the Babylonian captivity.” The next is the statement in the Word of God from Isaiah 43:5, “I will gather thee from the west.” The significant aspect of this revolves around the fact that in the Hebrew gather means to collect or to assem ble. The thing to keep in mind is that there is a great deal more of selec tivity which is maintained. The in gathering is not the same as the East where great numbers have come. When we think of the west, immedi ately it brings to mind the United States. Do you know that here in our beloved land there is the largest set tlement of Jewish people to be found anywhere ? More than five mil lion Jews live in our country. In Israel today, conservative estimates place the population anywhere from two and a half to three millions of people. In actuality, very few Jewish peo ple in our country have gone to the Holy Land to set up residence. Statis tically, the last figures we saw would place about 0.6% having gone from the United States, while 23 to 28% from the eastern part of the world have returned. There are several specific reasons for this. One is quite obvious while the other perhaps is more important. The standard of liv ing enjoyed here in the United States by the Jewish people is higher than any place they could possibly find in the world. There are many opportunities which are afforded the energetic and industrious. The sec ond reason is that God has had a purpose for few to go from America, for He has real use for them here. Keep in mind that in America, as well as many other free nations, mil lions of dollars have been raised through such efforts as the United
Campus development has been carried on by the Maintenance Department of the school. Landscaping was recently put in around several of the major buildings. Here Gary Hunter, one of the employees, prepares the ground for the actual work of lawn- seeding.
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course, the Jewish Passover, and this was printed as an open letter to Pre mier Kosygin. The theme was, “Let my people go!” Then LOOK maga zine for April 30, 1968, commented, “Israelis hope that the Soviet Union will permit much of its three-million Jewish population to emigrate to Is rael.” At present, there is no chance of this. Premier Levi Eshkol prom ised, “It may take another 50 years, but we’ll have Jews from Russia.” Now there is one other point of the compass which we have not dis cussed. This is the south. Notice in verse 6 of Isaiah 43 that God is go ing to say to them, “Keep not back!” That command means “Don’t restrain them any longer!” It is given to us in the imperative but in the present tense. The Hebrew word here in Scripture translated South is teman. It’s not actually the exact Hebrew word for south but that from which we get the country of Yemen. Locat ed geographically, Yemen is in the southwestern sector of the Arabian peninsula. Its southern boundary is Aden; to the west is the Red Sea. Historians tell us that a band of Jewish people went to Yemen about forty-two years before the temple was destroyed. When this calamity befell Jerusalem, a call went out to
Jewish Appeal to help refugees over in Israel. It has been a staggering financial problem with people arriv ing at the rate of about a thou sand a day. Conservative estimates indicate that it will cost about $3,000 per applicant to get him re habilitated, re-established, and on his own feet, moving ahead again. Just multiply $3,000 by 1000 every day and by 365 days of the year. You’ll see the fantastic amount of money in volved. Yet long millenniums ago, God knew what the needs of these people would be. So, only to the west, did he give this indication. “I will gather thee [selectively] from the west.” The next point of the compass is north. Isaiah 43:6 prophesies: “I will say to the north, Give up!” As we think of the events which have transpired in recent days, we recall with great shame and horror the way in which Hitler treated the Jew ish people during World War II. Following the close of World War II, those Jews who survived Hitler’s massacre were allowed to leave for the Holy Land should they so desire. About 100,000 of them who were left were from the countries of Czecho slovakia, Yugoslavia, Austria, Po land, Hungary, and so on. Russia, however, steadfastly refused permis sion. In the Soviet Union today there are over two millions of Jewish peo ple. Some estimates range up to three milions, including those in the Com munist satellite nations. So, the north is commanded to “give up” the Jew ish people. This is written in the fu ture imperative tense as far as the original Hebrew is concerned. In other words, it is a command which some day in the future will be given when we know not. You can be sure that the Lord some day will say to the Russian people, “You give them up!” I have here a full page ad which ran on Good Friday, April 12, 1968, in the Los Angeles Times. It was, of
The success of any banquet revolves around those who faithfully serve. Blola students above are Linda Wisdom (left) of Redlands, and Karen Weather of Guam. The girls assisted in a recent dinner for foreign students in the Los Angeles area. 13
After the nationalization of Is rael, in 1949 the world watched in complete wonderment at the strategic air lifts which went on from nearby Aden, adjoining the Yemen state. This was because the Arab govern ment wouldn’t allow Israeli planes into Yemen. What is absolutely amaz ing is that a hardened Arab ruler would allow Jewish people, their valued slaves, to leave. Yet what was true of Pharaoh of old in Egypt was true of modern Arab rulers who obeyed the voice of God even though they likely did not realize that it was God who compelled them. What a strange and spontaneous moving of the Spirit of God to bring them back to their land out of bondage! The prayer they uttered throughout the long centuries was then answered. It is the petition which states, “This year we are servants here, but next year we hope to be free men in the land of Israel.” Their forefathers had said that through the centuries. Now the . creation of the modem state of Israel actually had its begin nings long before 1948. Back in 1897 in Basel, Switzerland, the first Zion ist Congress was convened. Follow ing the productive sessions, Dr. Theo dor Herzl wrote these interesting and even prophetic words in his diary: “I have seen this day the founding of the state of Israel. If I were to say it openly, I would be laughed at and scorned. In fifty years everyone will see it.” He certainly spoke better than he knew. In ex actly five decades, following that con ference, Israel, as a free nation, came into existence. Back in 1861 in London, England, there was inaugurated “The Society for the Colonization of Palestine.” Serving as chairman was Baron Ed mund de Rothschild. Agricultural farms in Palestine continued to flour ish as selected Jewish people went there to purchase lands from the Arabs. It was formerly barren desert, but by their inventive skills, the
them from the homeland, asking that they come back home to help. But there was no desire to comply for they had captured this then fertile area, and enjoyed the settlement to its full. Through the 5th century, Judaism was accepted as the national religion of the area. Ethiopia ruled next, aften which the Persians came. In the 8th century, the Moslems took over the country, and the Jews were reduced to nothing more than second- class citizens. These past eleven mil lenniums have meant tremendous bondage, privation and persecution for God’s chosen people. Slavery in the United States was small and relatively short-lived compared to the centuries upon centuries, over 1100 years, for the Jews in Yemen. In later history, Yemen received its independence from the Turks af ter World War I. The restrictions placed on the Jewish people only worsened. Many of them were slaugh tered and the majority were slaves
Dr. Daniel Rose (right), in cap and gown, attends commencement exercises for Biola Schools and Col leges. With him is his lifelong friend Mr. Eugene Poole, now retired and former director of the Biola Stewardship Department. Mr. Rose is 99 years of age and has faithfully served the Lord as director of the Jewish Department as well as member of the Biola Board of Directors.
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waste land became productive. In 1903 it was urged upon the Society that they establish a national home land for the Jewish people. Where do you suppose the suggested location was? It was Uganda, South Africa. Obviously, this was turned down as unacceptable. By 1914, 90,000 Jews had gone to Palestine, and some 43 agricultural states had been well es tablished. These were led by Dr. Chaim Weisman, a brilliant chemist, who had helped Great Britain during World War I. It was in this same period of time that General Allenby captured Jerusalem from the Turks. Later England was given a mandate over Israel for its protection. On May 17, 1939, the British is sued their historic British White Paper which was designed to recon cile the irreconcilable. There were demands by the Arab population con cerning Palestine. As a result, a limited immigration quota was es tablished for Israel. By now, how ever, the Jews had purchased some 350,000 acres of land. Several hun dred thousand had returned to carry on the work. Then, May 11, 1948, the United Nations met on the question of the Jewish State. By a vote of 37 to 12, they accepted Israel’s right to the land. May 14, 1948 the Jewish Na tional Council and the General Zion ist Council met at Tel Aviv to pro claim the establishment of indepen dence of Israel. David Ben Gurion was elected Prime Minister and Dr. Chaim Weisman as President of the Provisional Council. On December 7, 1949, Jerusalem was internationalized. It is further interesting to realize that in the year 800 B.C. the prophet Joel prophesied concerning the partitioning. In 1956, there was the sudden 100-hour war with Egypt relative to the Suez Canal. Israel, Great Britain, and France were all involved. There are Jews in Israel from more than 100 different countries
with more than 70 different lan guages being spoken. A little more than a year ago, we heard Nassar of Egypt doing his best to bring defeat to the Israel state. He thought that since the Unit ed States was busy in Viet Nam, and that he could count on Russia’s help plus the fact that the Arab states had massive superiority, with something like 110 million to a handful of two- and-a-half million Jews, he could only win. The only thing he forgot was God. But then, a lot of people today forget the Lord. Even Chris tians have a tendency to be more interested in their own deeds and needs than their need of communion and fellowship with Him. Let me share with you several quotations which were intensely in teresting. The Egyptian Minister of War and Commander-in-Chief of the Joint Armies of Egypt, Syria, and Saudi Arabia, declared, “The Egyp tian army has enough strength to wipe Israel off of the map!” The Minister of State and Secretary of the Islamic Congress vowed, “Soon will be proven the strength, and strength of will, of the Arabs. Egypt and the Arab nations will teach Is-
Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland (right), president ot Biola, shares with Dr. Ray A. Myers (left), chairman of the Biola Board of Directors, a special resolution on behalf of Dr. Royal Blue, Biola graduate and pastor of the North Valley Baptist Church of Redding. Mr. Blue recently received the honorary doctor ot divinity degree at the June commencement exercises. He was also featured speaker at Biola's annual Missionary Conference. 15
rael a lesson. Egypt will grind you to dust!” The Minister of Informa tion of Lebanon, over Radio Beirut, asserted, ‘‘The Arabs must put aside their conflicts in order to prepare for the war of honor in Palestine.” The President of Syria warned, “The present situation demands the total mobilization of all Arab strength to eliminate that state which has arisen in our midst. Israel is like a cancer!” The Prime Minister of the Sudan spoke bitterly, “Israel is a general NO TIME? I knelt to pray, but not for long, I had too much to do. I must hurry off and get to work, for bills will soon be due. And so I said a hurried prayer, jumped up from off my knees, My Christian duty was now done, my soul could be at ease. All through the day I had not time to speak a word of cheer. No time to speak of Christ to friends . . . they’d laugh at me, I fear. No time, no time, too much to do? That was my constant cry, No time to give to those in need . . . at last ’twas time to die. And when before the Lord I came, I stood with downcast eyes, Within His hands He held a book; it was the ‘‘Book of Life.” danger, menacing all humanity. She has no right to existence.” It was prophesied in Psalm 83:4 that the nations would declare: “Come let us cut them off from being a nation: that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.” But like Pharaoh of old, they, too, forgot God. It is further interesting to look at some of the comments taken from the press relative to the historic June 5th war. Life magazine, June 16, 1967, “Astounding was the only word 16
for it. Alliances and boundaries were mutated by a biblical cataclysm.” United Press International on June 12, 1967, “The very scene was in the area of stories well known to every Sunday school child.” The New York Times, June 8, 1967, “As the Is raelis reached the wailing wall, most had submachine guns slung over their shoulders and several held ba zookas as they prayed.” The Chi cago Tribune, June 12, 1967, “In Moses’ time the Egyptian mobile army, soldiers, chariots, were de stroyed in the waters of the Red Sea. This time Israelis had to do the job, smashing tanks and planes with their own tanks and planes.” The Wall Street Journal, June 14, 1967, “The Israeli forces captured Egyp tian land in the Sinai that produces enough oil to fill all the needs of Israel formerly imported from Iran. The Jewish state has already made platonium to produce nuclear bombs. It owns several atomic reactors. Egypt could get a ‘black market’ bomb from Red China. What the final outcome is for the Middle East no one knows.” Time magazine, March 28, 1968,” “Jordan is exploding with commandos. These are called feda- yeen which simply means ‘Arab free dom fighters.’ As one of the fedayeen recently stated, ‘Any age, any size, either sex, it makes no difference, I shall kill them.’ The Arab states have recently levied special taxes to support these fedayeens. So much money is flowing that fedayeen or ganizations now guarantee life-time support for families of those killed in action. There are now at least 20,000 of these Arab freedom fight ers. Before the war there were only 500. Half of them are college gradu ates. They are rotated in and out of civilian jobs. Moshe Dayan has been marked for special assassination. A top agent, according to reports, has already been sent to do the job.” So go these magazine and news re ports.
temperature raised from between five and six degrees. This causes faster evaporation and more productivity. Chemical deposits in the Red Sea are conservatively estimated to be worth $1,270,000,000,000. Large ship loads of potash are sent around the world, even here to the United States. In addition, th e re is something like $825,000,000,000. worth of magnesi um chloride in the Dead Sea. Great Britain is helping to finance about 125 new factories to produce chemi- YOU CAN’T FOOL GOD You can fool the hapless public, You can be a subtle fraud, You can hide your little meanness, But you can’t fool God! You can advertise your virtues, You can self-achievement laud, You can load yourself with riches, But you can't fool God! You can criticize the Bible, You can be a selfish clod, You can lie, swear, drink, and gamble, But you can’t fool God! You can magnify your talents, You can hear the world applaud, You can boast yourself somebody, But you can't fool God! cals and metals in this area. In Isaiah 61:4, we read the words, “And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, arid they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.” All over Israel today one sees the remarkable fulfillment of this. One of the problems facing this war-beleaguered city of Jerusalem is the fact that six different faiths oc cupy the holy areas. There are the Roman, Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Armenian, the Syrian, the Coptic, and the Abyssini an. All claim that they have rights to the Holy Sepulcher. This was the church which was destroyed two 17
Now let’s take a look once again at Israel today. The Scripture says that in that day they shall say “Peace, peace, but there is no peace.” Every where one looks, not just in Israel, but in our land as well, there are valid concerns about a potential world conflagration. Zechariah 12:3 prophesied th a t Jerusalem would be a burdensome stone for all nations. What a pic ture of actual events as finally the UN had to break up without being able to decide anything whatsoever about the future of Jerusalem. One of the very real problems which Jew ish people face today is the pressure which has been placed upon Arab refugees displaced from their homes and land. Arab leaders have tried to keep these poor people in such a spir it of bitterness and fomentation that revolt is written upon their every thought. The Jews have tried very hard to re-establish the Arab people. •They even sought to pay them for land which has been taken, or to have them come back. But again, the Arabs will not allow the refugees to start new communities. They keep them poor and agitated. Some have escaped refugee camps, seeking ref uge in different lands, where they have tried to start life over again. Despite continued bitter open threats and constant dangers, the Israelis move on. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abba Eban, emphatically promised, “We will never give up this city again. We have returned to our holiest of holy places, never to depart. The city can breathe with two lungs again.” Premier Levi Eshkol agreed, “Jerusalem is not negoti able !” Now, let us take a look at some of the amazing things to be seen tak ing place in the land of Israel today. For instance, Jewish scientists have discovered that if they mix coloring with water, the water from the Dead Sea, which incidentally is about six times saltier than the ocean, has its
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