MA Y , 1 9 6 8 With April Radio Features
BIBLE PROPHECY andthe HOLYLAND by Charles L. Feinberg
THE GODTHAT DIED by John Hunter STUDIES in I JOHN by Lloyd T. Anderson
May, 1968 / Volume 8 / Number 5
MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE BIOLA FELLOWSHIP
president .....................
S. H. SUTHERLAND
ed ito r ............................
AL SANDERS
produ ction . ................
BILL EHMANN
printing ........................
CHURCH PRESS ON THIS MONTH’S COVER Biola College students enjoy fel lowship in the lounge of new wom en's residence hall.
CONTENTS
BIBLE PROPHECY AND THE HOLY LAND— Dr. Feinberg ........ 3 MINIMUM SAFETY PRECAUTIONS — Dr. Hunter .. 9 A NEW HOME — Dr. H un ter........11 THE HOLE IN THE ROAD — Dr. Hunter ............................................... 12 THE GOD TH A T DIED — Dr. Hunter ............................................... 13 THE YELLOW FLAG— Dr. Hunter 15 TRA FFIC CHAOS — Dr. Hunter ..1 7 PANEL DISCUSSIONS ...........................19 PARABLES AND PEARLS ........... ,- 2 4 STUDIES IN I JOHN — Lloyd T . Anderson ..........................30
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.
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&ihte /pAopherjf and the HolyLand
by Dr. Charles L. Feinberg Dean, Talbot Theological Seminary
A S WE CONSIDER the literal fulfill ment of prophecy concerning the return of the Jews to their national homeland, it will be extremely help ful to study such passages as Jere miah 23:1-8. A careful reading read ily shows us what God had in mind by way of restoration of His people Israel. Because of limitation of space, I would urge you to look this up and read it for yourself. As you study this radio lesson, have your Bible opened to this section. We can not but note the remarkable insight God gave Jeremiah. Although for centuries these p rophecies have pointed to the Lord’s deliverance from the land of Egypt, there is something even more wonderfu l which will take place. Preaching before Frederick the Great of Europe was a most capable chaplain. The monarch was so moved he asked the sincere scholar, “If your religion is the true and trustworthy one, you ought to have some suc cinct and pointed proof of it. Can you verify its authenticity in but one word?” The faithful minister was undaunted, and without hesitation rightly answered, “Israel.” What an apt description! Wherever we see the people of this nation or the in dividual Jew, it is a further vindi cation of the reliability and trust worthiness of God’s Word. If the Jew is in the land, we see the truthful ness of prophecy. If he is out of the land, there is still proof. Israel is the land of redemption and prophecy. One cannot see this area of the world without coming to the important con clusion that he is walking again in the pathway our Saviour trod. The author of the well-known book, The
Nazarene, explained what gripped his thinking as he penned this work. He declared, “I say that I could never write about Jesus until I went to His homeland. It was in 1907 when the story really came alive. The whole landscape of the Holy Land held His footprint — every bush and tree and stone.” It is clearly shown that the Holy Land is the premillennialist’s para dise. This is because Bible scholars who take Bible prophecy literally see it literally fulfilled. Bethlehem is not just a name in the Bible; Nazareth is not just some proper noun; Sa maria actually ex ists. Jerusalem, Gethsemane, and so many other areas bring to mind the blessed facts of redemptive history. God is fulfilling His prophetic Word in Israel today. First of all, He is returning the people to their own land. In Jeremiah 23, the Lord declares, “I will gather the remnant of my flock out of countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.” In Isaiah 49:14 it is declared, “But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.” This speaks of Israel in exile. The Jews believe that God has for gotten them. It seems to be a case of “out of sight, out of mind.” Then in a beautiful analogy, the Lord asks, “Can a woman forget her suck ing child? that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands: thy walls are continually before me. The children shall make haste; 3
was clearly seen by Zionists that their only hope was for a national homeland. In 1897 at Basel, Switzer land, the first historic Zionist Con gress was convened; Herzl wrote 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.” Interest ingly enough, that was 1897. Exactly fifty years later, in 1947 in the fall of the year, the United Nations di vided Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state. What a timely prediction! He spoke better than he knew. No matter from whence the representatives to the Congress came or what the color of their skin, they all expressed their profound love for Israel. The fires began burning with fervency and earnest ness. It was my dear friend, Dr. William L. Pettingill, one of the edi tors of the Scofield Bible, who used to say, “Jews are like homing pigeons. A Jew has a mechanism in his heart. When the hour arrives, he will go back.” I have heard Jewish people, recently arrived in Pales tine, who have testified, “I don’t know why I came here; I was in Po land, and although my relatives are there, there was something which drove me irresistibly back to the land.” Dr. Leon Tucker, an outstanding Bible teacher, was once traveling in a Pullman where he heard two men, whom he recognized as Jews, dis cussing very openly the matter of the return of the Jews to the Holy Land because of the Balfour Dec laration. One of the men very proud ly boasted, “I don’t care what they do with that country or land. I spell my Palestine TJ-S-A’. My capital city is not Jerusalem but WASHING TON.” He further avowed his com plete interest in this nation rather than the new Jewish homeland. Dr. Tucker excused himself and entered the conversation. “Do I understand
thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee. Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold; all these things gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth” (Isa. 49:15-18'). Whatever a wedding day may be in its fulness, it is most cer tainly the bride’s day. She is decked out in marvelous bridal attire. So Zion is seen here as a personifica tion of a woman whose children are her adornment. God will multiply His children in spite of men like Hitler and Stalin. How remarkable it is that both Jeremiah and Isaiah indicate God’s g re a t purpose in bringing His people back to the Holy Land. While some people believe that the hope of Israel began somewhere in this century, they are quite in correct The great hope of Israel Was there long before the Balfour Declaration in the 1920’s. Their na tional anthem gives excellent evi dence of this fact, for its very title is “The Hope.” While orthodox Jews celebrate the Passover in exile and dispersion today, for they are scat tered all over the world, they pray that God may grant that they shall do it in a coming year in the Holy Land. You see, Israel has had a great love for Zion for centuries. Although they have been offered other nation al homelands, such as the ones in Venezuela, or Uganda, none was feasible for them. In 1897 at Basel, Switzerland the first Zionist Con gress was convened. Part II H ow thrilling it is to see the lit eral fulfillment before our very eyes of God’s prophetic Word con cerning the Holy Land! This is the great hope of Israel. In the latter part of the 19th century, after the awful anti-semitism in France where they tried to obliterate the Jew, it 4
lieve that these things could ever happen. Yet seeing them fulfilled in our own lifetime gives us definite assurance and confidence that the remainder of the prophecies of the Old Testament which have not yet been fulfilled will transpire with equal literalness.” We have shown from such pass ages as Isaiah 49 and Jeremiah 23 that the Jews are coming back. All areas of the world are represented. Some have estimated that there are Jews in Israel now from over 100 different countries of the world. There are more than seventy differ ent languages spoken in Israel. How thrilling it is for the believer to see God fulfilling His Holy Word! He said He would return His chosen people to the land where they would dwell in perpetuity. Let us study our Bibles and rejoice in His faithful ness and majesty. Part III W HILE it HAS been thrilling to see the literal fulfillment of the return of the Jews to the Holy Land, it must be pointed out that this has not transpired without much conflict and turmoil. This, too, is prophetic of the future. In Ezekiel 38 and 39, we read of the greedy eyes from the north as the Russian power sweeps down in lust for this extremely wealthy area of the globe. There are trillions of dollars’ worth of minerals in the Dead Sea alone, to say nothing of the vast deposits of oil, perhaps the largest such reser voirs in the world. Daniel 12:7 tells us that there is going to be a coming conflict in the Holy Land. While there is an increase in the desire for peace, tensions are on the mount throughout the nations. In various parts of Israel there are military preparations seen in many quarters with service personnel in evidence everywhere. Conflict must come soon er or later, because so much as been left unresolved. Charles Malick, an
that you are a Jew and disinterested in your people’s land?” The man was somewhat on the defensive; however, he affirmed his position. Then the man of God asked, “I want you to do me a couple of simple fa vors. First of all, reach out your right hand toward me.” Dr. Tucker said, “I’m not a palmist, but rather a Psalmist.” Then he continued, “Stick out your tongue.” Although the fellow thought he was trying to make light of him, he followed his simple instructions. After that, Dr. Tucker quoted these words from Psalm 137, “If I forget thee, 0 Jeru salem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy” (vv. 5-6). Hear ing this, the Jewish man’s head fell into his hands and he said, “0 God, I have never been so rebuked in my life and that from a Gentile.” Even in his alleged contempt for his land, it was evident that the desire had been implanted in his heart and that of every Jew to return to his own land. It was my privilege to study two years with the world-famous Pales tinian archaeologist at Johns Hop kins University, Dr. William Fox- well Albright. In a statement before a group of men at the Jewish Theo logical Sem inary , he forcefully pointed out, “It has never happened in the history of the world that a nation should become a nation in servitude away from their own land and in that bondage for 430 years, and then go back to the land from which their ancestors first departed to take up where they had left off, and to have their national life all reinstituted and reinaugurated. With Israel, however, it has happened.” Surely no reasonable, thinking indi vidual can escape the reality of this clear-cut evidence. He further de clared, “I was one of those non-pro- phetic individuals, who did not be
dance. Judaism is to be found in several types from the extremely or thodox to the most liberal. Some are rigidly strict while others are merely interested in the cultural, social and political aspects of the country. I shall never forget when we wor shipped in the Church of the Re deemer which is Lutheran. There were only eleven of us besides the two ministers. This gives you a pic ture as to how many there are who are really interested in the Gospel message. While there are holy places everywhere, yet there are so few really concerned as to the real mean ing of the Messiah of Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amos wrote, “O Is rael; and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, 0 Is rael” (4:12). Ben Gurion is quoted, when he was asked what he thought was the reason that the Jews were going back to the Holy Land, as saying, “Well, you know, our Jewish people have their own individual opinions. In fact, one of our rabbis, said once if you can get three Jews to agree on anything anywhere in the world, the Messiah will come. We all have our different opinions. I cannot answer for the rest of them, but I believe our Jewish people have come back here to be ready to re ceive the Messiah when He comes.” It was about eighteen months ago that our newspapers carried an ar ticle about the death of a woman in whose will some fifty thousand dol lars were left for the reconstruc tion of the temple at Jerusalem. I t is Ben Gurion’s opinion that a com ing temple will be built by the Mes siah Himself. He is a very close stu dent of the Bible, and on this point is absolutely right. Look at Zechariah 6:12 and 13. We must not fail to underscore the lateness of the hour as God is moving among Israel. Never forget it; the Church’s day is far along and decision is called for. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou
Arab Christian and statesman, has stated that the rise of Israel is really an historic event the conse quences of which now are impossible to foretell. The Near East has now entered upon a new critical stage of development. Its fate is clearly en twined with that of IsVael. It is still the Old Testament challenge between Ishmael and Isaac, and Jacob and Esau. To dismiss the present conflict between the children of Isaac and the children of Ishmael, who are all chil dren of Abraham, is not just another ordinary political or economic strug gle. When history finally shall reveal its secret, the present confrontation may turn out to be one of the major keys unlocking the secret of the fu ture. Peace is the watchword to be heard in the Holy Land today. They do not greet you without asking about your peace. Yes, “They say peace, peace, but there is no peace.” One of the interesting aspect of the prophetic return of the Jew to Palestine is that God said that they would not be returning in belief. There is need of redemption. As one goes throughout the land, this mat ter seeps through his bones as the moisture of rain on a damp day. Oh, the need of redemption! There are churches to be found everywhere, including the dominant ones from the fourth century. There are shrines which memorialize everything imag inable. For instance, it is said that when Mary was fleeing with our Lord’s legal father, Joseph, on the way to Egypt, part of her milk fell on the ground. Now at that supposed spot they have a “Milk Grotto.” So much time is taken up with the out ward rather than the inward, spir itually speaking. The Moslems are there, of course, with their five calls to prayer a day. They now have elec tronic amplification of their wails which are enough to wake the pro verbial dead. These rites and cere monies, however, are without God. The Samaritans are there in abun
6
shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). Before long the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God. The dead in Christ are going to rise first. Then those who are alive and remain are going to be caught up together in the clouds. There we shall be with the Lord forever. This is why we can comfort one another w ith these words. How wonderful it is to see the land of the Book and the people of the Book! This, however, is not enough. The most important element is the Saviour of the Book. I urge you to pray for the peace of Jeru salem all over that land. Port IV T here is no more wonderful and vivid proof today of God's ful fillment of His prophetic Word than what we see transpiring in the Holy Land. I have taught men in seminary the original language of the proph ecy of Isaiah, but I never thought I should live to see the truths so mar velously transpire before my very eyes. When I was a boy in Hebrew school, we marched up and down the streets of my home city, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, when the Balfour Dec laration was issued. I remember see ing grown men and women weeping openly. God was giving back their land! Isaiah 61:4 reads, “And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many genera tions.” Traveling to Israel, we see that the Jews are busily building, literally fulfilling the Bible, letter for letter and word for word. In the north, we think of the city of Haifa which reminds one of San Francisco. Below the city is the port where much activity and shipping go on daily. Thousands of crates of those marvelous Haifa oranges are sent around the world. Half-way up the mountain is the Technion, which is
the Israel Institute of Technology. At the very top is Mt. Carmel, where Elijah contended with the lying, idolatrous prophets of Baal. Haifa has an abundance of indus tries, oil refineries, paper mills, ce ment works and many other such operations. There is a huge number of rocks all around. Legend has it that when God created the universe, He gave all the rocks into the custody of two an gels. They carried them in huge con tainers: however, they collided over the Holy Land and spilled them. But the Israelis are making good use of them in building. Tel Aviv is a mod ern city about a quarter of million population. Today that number has doubled. It has some of the most beautiful hotels and modem build ings. They are the most up-to-date facilities you could find anywhere. It is a city throbbing with modern life. The culture is alive. The people are putting an emphasis on arts. Nothing can begin to compare with Jerusalem, the great city of David. Their modem structures, both for private and government operations, almost defy description. New build ings at the Hebrew University on Mount Scopus are most impressive. This is under the supervision of the United Nations. It is located at a very strategic place. In the first cen tury A.D., Titus saw its strategic military value. From this spot one can see all over both sides of Jeru salem. The facilities at the university are the last word in academic archi tecture for lighting, ventilation, seat ing and every other purpose. While many languages are spoken by the students, instruction is only given in Hebrew. The Jewish National Li brary has more than a million vol umes. Agriculturally, former sand dunes have been transformed into lush orange groves. Where once there was only dry land, today all sorts of development and transformation are 7
prophecies just seem to jump at you. Yes, make no mistake about it; God is returning His people to their^ an cient land. We can see these things and thank Him for His faithfulness and goodness.
taking place. Then, consider the vast wealth and potential of the Dead Sea. Israeli scientists have found that if one mixes coloring with the water of the Dead Sea (six times as salty as the ocean), it raises the temperature some five or six degrees. This means the evaporation of the most valuable minerals is heightened, bringing in a tremendous income from produc tion. It seems as though towns have grown up from one year to the next. We saw the Kennedy Memorial in honor of our late President. It shows the different areas of the trunk of the tree, limbs that go into a tree holding it just like certain sections in a barrel, and then at the top it is cut off long before it ever gets to the main part of the tree. This symbolizes that here a young man was cut off in the prime of his life. The interesting thing is that cement areas go not horizontally but verti cally. The supports are fifty in num ber, and between every one of them in the areas where there is glass, there is a seal of every one of our fifty states of the Union. This is Is rael’s expression of great gratitude to the United States for all it has done in establishing the Israeli state. Then there is dairy farming. Some people may think that Jews are not very good at farming. You would be surprised at what the Jews are able to do. They are even shipping out some of their dairy products to Great Britain and other countries. One Israeli was showing his American friend around. There was quite a beautiful herd of cows. The Jewish man explained, “That’s our new breed over here. We crossed a Guern sey and a Holstein, and got a ‘Gold stein’!” These people have a good sense of humor. They are seeking to build up the land from one end to the other, striving in education to give the people the same language and objective. The entire area is thrilling to view, and the living 8
Mr. J. Vincent Morris, Academic Dean of Biola's Phoenix affiliate, the Arizona Bible College, goes over some material in prepara tion for one of his classes at the school. ABC has continued to grow since it was affiliated with Biola. An anticipated enrollment for next fall is expected at 200. Jill Erskine, a junior from Tacoma, Washing ton, looks over the opportunities which are available for teachers in a Southern California school district. With forty-three million boys and girls attending public schools across the United States, this presents one of the most important opportunities for missionary service.
7 Hinimum
by Dr. John Hunter Torehbearers’ Fellowship England
Safety Precautions
I T goes without saying that the people of Vietnam have been be sieged and beset with problems. Re cently, visiting Dalat, in the central area, I saw beautiful homes built way up along the mountainside. Yet this lovely city was filled with fear. Mur derous activities had been carried on. Not a day passed without some one's being killed. One day while driving down the street with a mis sionary, we saw a sign right on the town’s outskirts which attracted my attention. It declared : “Minimum Safety Precautions: Two Machine Guns and Two Hand Grenades.” If one were to proceed further along that road, he would have to have at least two machine guns and two hand grenades. While we felt God was tak ing care of us on our journeys, yet we knew it would be foolish to go any further into enemy territory. All of this made me think of a very real spiritual parallel. As we go through life, think of all the enemies we en counter. There are untold numbers of problems, difficulties, and frustra tions. Sometimes, there are things which seem worse than physical dan ger. Do you have any defense as you go through life? Are you caught by circumstances and events so that heartache and grief become your lot ? In the sixth chapter of Ephesians from Living Letters we have some wonderful suggestions for our sure protection. These were just ordinary people like you and me. Yet these pre cious words are written for our strength and admonition. Beginning at the 10th verse, Paul reminds them, “Your strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you. Put on all of God’s armor so you will be able to stand safe against the wiles
of Satan, for we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood but against creatures without bodies, the evil things of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil places of darkness who rule this world, and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world. So use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks. You will need the strong belt of truth and the breastplate of God’s approval. Wear shoes that are able to speed you on as you seek for good news of peace with God. In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. You will need the helmet of salva tion and the sword of the Spirit. This is the Word of God.” Isn’t it wonder ful to see the way in which the Holy Spirit spoke to people in the early days of the church? These folks had enemies and powerful forces against them just as you have. The point of these brief thoughts is to ask how you are facing all your prob lems. Are you just trusting to luck, hoping that what good you do will see you right through to heaven? Are you hoping for the best and ex pecting the worst? The joyous word is that no man has to live like this. It makes no difference who you are, rich or poor, man or woman. You may have the wondrous transforming power which will keep and guard you against all of the enemy and attacks. In I John 4 :4 we are given this won derful assurance, “Greater is He (the Holy Spirit) that is in you, than he (the devil) that is in the world.” A real Christian isn’t just someone who goes to church and believes cer tain things. There is more to it than 9
that. He is actually a person who has asked the Lord Jesus Christ to come into his life, cleanse him from sin and then to dwell in his heart. The Saviour H im self said, “Behold, I stand at the door of your heart and knock. If any man, or woman, or boy, or girl hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into you. I’ll never leave you nor forsake you.” You see, the wonderful thing about being a Christian is that you are never alone. Jesus Christ died on the cross to cleanse you from your sins. He comes to live within your heart. He becomes your mighty power and sufficient strength. He is the One who will keep and guard you. He Himself becomes your armor and strength. You may feel you are just a “no body,” living no where. You know what? You can have the power which will help you to stand against all of the attacks of the enemy wherever you may be. It isn’t by learning to be quieter, holier or more religious. .Come and ask Jesus Christ to be your Saviour. He will cleanse you from your sins and dwell in your heart. Christ keeps you and will take you right to heaven. Why don’t you trust Him today? Charlene Lyons from Fullerton, Calif., a stu dent at Biola, has the opportunity of practice on the beautiful three manual Shantz pipe organ. The instrument is used for special con certs, recitals, and other musical presentations.
THE FIRST EASTER They who loved Him and they who hated Have stood together beside His cross. And these are resting in wicked triumph, And those are mourning their bitter loss; How they had hoped He should yet redeem them, Had owned Him Master and known Him Friend— Oh, Star of Jacob! too early setting, By clouds o'ershadowed, is this the end? Soldiers and people and priests and rulers Wreaked their malice and angry spite, Though invisible angel legions Only waited His word to smite; Saviour of men and strong Deliverer, Himself He would not, could not save, And cruel hands have seized and slain Him And set their seal on His guarded grave. Giver of life, to death a hostage, Lord of glory, in shame who died, King of kings, by His foes defeated. Mocked and beaten and crucified. Light of the world, in darkness lying, Maker of earth, in bondage held— Surely, Israel's hope has perished, Surely, the doom of good is knelled. Cometh the dawn of the Easter morn ing, Cometh the flashing of angel wings; Oh, ye timorous hearts despairing! Myrrh and aloes are needless things. He who was dead is risen— risen! His words of comfort your grief shall dim; And out of the grave of our sins and sorrows— We who love Him— we rise with Him. — Annie Johnson Flint
10
by
Ü 7l*w dioma
Dr. John Hunter Torchbearers’ Fellowship England
W hat a privilege it has been to visit a number of missionary fields! It was amazing, as an example, to see the refugee work going on in Hong Kong. Large areas are being cleared, areas of waste water filled in as preparations are made to accom modate people. Here in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon on the mainland, area of four by three miles, are more than four and a half million people. Day by day there are many who struggle to freedom across the boun dary to seek a home in Hong Kong. The city at its worst is much better than China itself at its best. Here are individuals, as well as families who have fled from terror and per secution. They have found a new home and a place of rest. This reminds me of the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. He told His faithful followers, “Let not you r heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto my self; that where I am, there ye may be also.” The Saviour is now pre paring a place for each one of us. While He doesn’t tell us what the home is like, He does give us wonder ful assurance. Do you know where you are going when you die? Recently, while in S a i g o n , I watched a Buddhist funeral. There was the priest in front of the proces sion with the gongs and other weird instruments to scare away the evil spirits. It was most difficult to watch the mourners. There was a sad pathe tic look on their faces, for they seemed devoid of hope. If you come to the Lord Jesus
Christ as Saviour, and as a sinner acknowledge your belief in Him, you will have eternal life. Would you like Jesus Christ to say these words to you, “Let not your heart be trou bled: ye believe in God, believe also in me?” You know, it is a terrible thought to go out into the darkness. What hopelessness! Do you have vi sions of going to hell to receive all the punishment and suffering of hell ? This is the tragedy of darkness. You don’t have to live with this. Come right now to Jesus Christ. He will not only forgive your sins but also give you peace and joy in this world, and the knowledge of a new home in heaven. It’s like these people who struggle across the border to Hong Kong, hoping to find a resting place. They find such a little room and pro tection from the storms of life. If you know the Lord, He says He will be there to meet and receive you. I don’t care who you are, wherever you may be, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, man or woman, boy or girl. Jesus Christ makes this free offer, “Whosoever will may come;” “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” He means not only rest in this world but also rest in the world to come. This can’t be inherited or pur chased. It can’t be won. Take the free gift that God offers you in the Lord Jesus Christ. Come as a sinner to the cross and believe that Jesus Christ died for you. You can say, “Lord Jesus, I don’t understand it, but I don’t have to. I know I am a sinner, and dear Lord, I want for giveness and a home in heaven. I want to know where I am going when I die.” Open your heart and receive Him. May God bless you for this act of faith and love. 11
by Dr. John Hunter Torchbearers’ Fellowship England
Jhß Mola in the Road
O NE OP THE JOYS of my ministry has been to visit various coun tries and see the outstanding work being accomplished by our mission aries. While in Manila, I was driving down a bumpy road in an old car. The steering wasn’t very good, for good automobiles are at a premium in that area. Frankly, I’ve never seen so many holes in any road. It would have seemed a good idea just to build a bridge across the holes they were so big. This was a very dangerous trip and the incessant rain added to our problems. Because of the water, one couldn’t tell where the holes were. The way might look safe-; however, when we got up to a hole, we had to swerve desperately to avoid disaster. This was all compli cated, too, by the erratic driving of the oncoming traffic. Suddenly we hit a deep rut which was so bad that the car tipped over on its side. We were stuck, to be sure. It was neces sary to wait until someone came along to pull us out. The point I'm trying to make is that what we hit didn’t look like a big hole. The water had seemed level with the top of the road. The way, however, soon became treacherous. We were really in trouble. My mind went to a verse from Proverbs 16:2 that reminds us, “All the ways of man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.” Later in verse 25 we read, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” The way seems right, but in actuality, destruction is the result. The road there on the outskirts of Manila could have brought death to us. It certainly would have been that if we had been on a bicycle or motor cycle. 12
Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour? You may not be a bad or a wicked person. If you are going your own way, how ever, choosing to live your life your own way, satisfied with your own goodness, the Bible says you are heading for death. You may be pros pering, happy, without any th ing bothering you. Stop to consider the truth of Scripture. There is no mis take or variance from this scriptural truth. There are holes in your road of life. One of these days you will drop right through into a lost eter nity. On the other hand, God’s Word tells us that His way is perfect. If you will come the Lord’s way, you will find blessing, joy, peace, and eternal life. There are but two ways. Perhaps you have come to the cross roads in your pathway of life. God’s way may not look so exciting, but the great and wonderful thing is this: it is the only way that leads you to life everlasting. Change and come God’s way. Come to the cross, ac knowledging yourself as a sinner. Repent of your sin, and ask the Lord Jesus Christ to cleanse you. The Saviour will come into your heart and bless you. Which way are you going to go, your own way or God’s? Will you declare, “Lord Jesus, I am going to follow You and Your way from now on.” May you do so now for His blessed name’s sake. Young people who are ambitious to play a big part in the drama of life should re member that a small roll is often better than a long loaf. * * * The lowest ebb is the turn of the tide.
by Dr. John Hunter Torchbearera’ Fellowship England
The God that (DM
J UST HOW alive is the God in whom you believe ?While recently in Tai wan, I went to a village called Para dise. Going down the streets of this little town, I noticed what people looked like. They were very friend ly. There was a special monument along the roadside. It seems that about a year previously a “holy” tree had been there. This was a god to the people in this area. Evidently it had stood there for many years. No one could remember when they had not worshipped the god of the tree who supposedly brought blessing and good luck to them. For some strange reason, however, the tree began dy ing, as the leaves withered. Finally, in a heavy wind storm, it collapsed. Their god was now dead. This was the reason for the memorial. What a strange paradox! Here was a place called Paradise where the people’s god had died. Could this have any kind of a parallel in your life? Perhaps you are one whose life could be described as anything but paradise. You are hoping for the best, and maybe expecting the worst. Has it been that in recent years things have happened so that you have grown away from your faith? The things in which you used to be lieve are not as important today. To be quite honest, would you say that your god is dead, too? The hopes and desires that you had have just vanished away. Working with young people and college students, I have seen how many who have been reared in Christian homes seem to drop out of their faith. All is gone! There is an excellent statement in II Timo thy 1:12. Paul gives this wonder ful word of conviction and assur ance. “For I know whom I have be lieved, and am persuaded that he is
able to keep that which I have com mitted unto him against that day.” Paul had been condemned to death. He was ready to be offered, as an oblation offering, for the glory of Christ. He had fought a good fight, finished his course and kept the faith. This man had a faith which was burning bright. His God wasn’t dead. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt about his Lord. As I have gone around from country to country, I find people who believe in all kinds of things and who have all types of gods. In whom do you believe? Paul was speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born as a baby in Bethlehem, living a wondrous life, and then coming to the age of 30 and stepping out into service for God. Then He died on the cross. The Bible tells us that when He died, He was buried with our sins. “Who Him self bore our sins in his own body on the tree.” Scripture teaches us that “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” You see, here is someone to whom we can come. Christ alone could say, “I am He who liveth, and I was dead, and behold I am alive forever more.” The Bible clearly teaches that if we come to Christ, not to ethics, not to a cul ture, not to a religion, but here and now today to this blessed Person whcr is alive, He will forgive and cleanse our sins, giving us the assur ance of eternal life. The Lord enters our hearts in the person of His Holy Spirit. Those who walk without God, without Christ, and without hope, can’t possibly know this wonderful presence. This is for you today, re gardless of who or where you are. Unfortunately, I didn’t confess 13
Christ until I finished college. I thought I was a Christian, simply because I went to church. Really, I wasn’t. I had never come to the cross. I couldn’t have said, “I know whom I have believed.” Praise God, I can say this now. This is why I want to bring Christ to you before it is too late. Regardless of where you live, Paradise or not, you can have the assurance of going to a perfect eter nal place like that when you die. Your God won’t be dead. We have Christ as the ample proof of that. May you open your heart to Him now, finding this blessed One who wants to save, protect, and bless you for this present hour, and through out all eternity. "YE SHALL HEAR OF WARS" The rumbling of the war machines Has ringed the world around; From Russian steppes to Golden Gate Is heard the dismal sound. The presses of the world revolve To tell the tragic tale, Of fear and hate, the lust of power; A mad world's endless wail. Insanity seems throned today Upon the seats of power; And darkened intellects hold sway, To plunge in gloom, the hour. God's Word amid this hellish din Nor place nor heed is given, But men whose glory is their shame, Shut out the light of heav'n. The kingdoms of the world of men Seem set in dread array Against the counsel of our God, Whose judgment w ill not stay. The day of wrath is drawing near, When mercy spurned, w ill slay The rebels, for whose souls she pleads Without avail today. — W . J. Maynard
Listeners to "The Biola Hour” have been en couraged to send in both foreign and com memorative U.S. stamps from letters. These are then soaked off by senior citizen friends of the school and sold by the pound to wholesale dealers. Proceeds are used for the education of students. Seated from left to right are Mr. John Isaac, director of Stewardship, and Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland, Biola president. Standing are Mr. Al Sanders, Dr. J. Richard Chase, and Mr. Paul Schwepker. Regular five and six cent issues have no commercial value, however, the larger commemoratlves and for eign stamps can be readily used. They should be sent in bulk to the school when a suffi cient number has been collected. Modern cafeteria facilities make serving faster and easier at Biola's Phoenix affiliate, the Arizona Bible College. Pictured here is Diane Russell of San Diego who has opportunity of working at the school.
14
by Dr. John Hunter Torchbearers’ Fellowship England
The Yellow Jlaq T raveling throughout the Orient, I have been fascinated by the many things that are different from what we know in England. While in Japan, I was particularly attracted to the strange areas which were pre served for pedestrians in traffic. There were sections marked along the road for people to cross. On each side on the pavement there was a post and a little metal masket, bear ing a number of yellow flags. I won dered what these were for. Then I saw someone and the idea was made clear. When one wished to cross the street, he would simply take a yellow flag and wave it for all to see. The oncoming cars were supposed to stop so that you could cross safely. That yellow flag was your means of safety. This is quite something! This seemed like such a wonderful idea, but as I watched day by day I saw very few people using the system. They would watch the cars and then dart across, taking their chances. It seemed so strange to me that here was a way provided by the government, money invested in flags, so that a person could have a safe crossing. Yet, actu ally, practically no one used the sys tem. This seemed to me similar to what folks tell me. When I talk about be ing a Christian, some will say, “Oh, that’s one way; however, I believe there are hundreds of ways to heav en. It doesn’t really matter which way you go as long as you are sin cere. We’ll all get there in the end.” How many there are who seem to comfort themselves in this manner. It is like crossing a busy thorough fare without a yellow flag. I used to think that if I tried the best I could, living a good life. I would be all right in the end. Then I heard
some words spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). This came as a tremendous surprise to me. There have been many reli gious teachers in the world’s history. None of them, however, could com pare with Christ. They pointed to a way, but He Himself is the way. While I was touring the mission fields, some natives said to me, “The Christian way is good, but there are others. It doesn’t matter which way you go.” This is why we send our young men and women to the foreign field for there is only one way. Some people think that Jesus Christ was only a good Man. He was far more than this. He was and is the very Son of the living God. When people worshipped Christ, rightly He ac cepted their worship. Mohammed or Buddha didn't do that. Putting it very bluntly, Jesus Christ was either what He said He was, or else He was the biggest fraud ever perpetrated upon mankind. Jesus Christ can’t be only a good man. He must be what He said He was, the Son of God. Are you one of those people who is living a good life with your own faith and ideas? Maybe you aren’t a bad or a wicked person. Perhaps you even call yourself a Christian. That’s fine. But, listen, there is no other way except Christ. He alone could call Himself the door to eter nal life. You see, the thing that’s keeping you out of heaven is your sin. “Your sins have separated be tween you and your God.” Christ died bearing your sins. You don’t have to work your way to heaven, in fact, you can’t possibly do it. Simply accept the way God has provided in the person of His Son. Come to the cross 15
as a sinner, acknowledging your need I am the truth for you. I am the life in finding your way back to God. for you. Will you take Me? Will you There is only one way and that is come in simple faith and open your through Christ. If you were the only heart? I will cleanse you.” May this man or woman who ever lived, Jesus be your earnest conviction of faith Christ would need to die for you. just now. Only in this way will you It is because He is the only way. find your way back to God, in true He says, “I am the way for you. forgiveness, peace, and eternal life,
Oh, ye Christians, leam the lesson, Are you struggling all the way? Cease your trying, change to trusting, Then you'll triumph every day! Whatsoe'er He bids you, do it, Fill the water pots to the brim; But remember, 'tis His battle— Leave the miracle to Him! Christian worker, looking forward To the ripened harvest field, Does the task seem great before you? Think how rich w ill be the yield! Bravely enter with your Master Though the prospect may seem dim, Preach the Word with holy fervor— Leave the miracle to Him! HE KNOWS He knows it all — the winding path. The sky o'ercast and grey, The steepness of the mountainside, The roughness of the way. He knows it all — the haunting fear, The doubtings that distress. The wond'rings and perplexities, And all the strain and stress. He knows it all — each troubled thought, Each anxious wave of care, And every burden, every grief, Or cross that thou dost bear. He knows it all — the weight of woe. Thine often tear-dimmed eye, The stabbing pain, the slow, dull ache, And sorrow's broken cry. He knows it all — but H is to choose, And thine to take His choice! He knows it all! He planned it so! Then trust Him, and rejoice! — E. Margaret Clarkson
LEAVE THE MIRACLE TO HIM Whatsoe'er He bids you, do it Though you may not understand; Yield to Him complete allegiance. Then you'll see His mighty hand; "F ill the water pots with water," Fill them to the very brim; He w ill honor all your trusting: Leave the miracle to Him. Bind your Isaac to the altar, Bind him there with many a cord; Oh, my brother, do not falter, Can't you fu lly trust your Lord? He it is who watches o'er you. Though your path may oft be dim, He will bring new life to Isaac— Leave the miracle to Him; See them march around the city. Scarce a sound from day to day. Scoffers from the walls deride them— "Jericho can stand such play." But the Lord's time cometh sw iftly, Then they shout out with a vim ; "Look the walls are tott'ring, falling !" Leave the miracle to Him! Face to face with hosts of Midian, Gideon's men are sifted out; Forth they go, these chosen heroes W ith no sword the foe to rout; Do you wonder if the vict'ry Can be gained by band so slim? See! Jehovah's sword is gleaming Leave the miracle to Him! Bring to Christ your loaves and fishes Though they be both few and small He w ill use the weakest vessels, Give to Him your little all.. Do you ask how many thousands Can be fed with food so slim? Listen to the Master's blessing— Leave the miracle to Him!
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by Dr. John Hunter Torchbearers’ Fellowship England
Traffic
T here are so many beautiful coun tries we have visited in the Orient among which one of our favorites is Taiwan. I must confess, however, I wds utterly amazed at the traffic in the bustling key c ity of Taipei. Should I take a taxi ride, my heart was always in my mouth. I have never seen so many cars and peddi- cabs in all my life. They all seemed to be going as fast as they could. Of course, each driver was blowing his horn. I am sure there must have been rules of the road. What they were, and whether the drivers obeyed them was another matter. Should you come to a comer and desire to make a turn, you couldn’t wait for someone to give you a chance. That would never come. You had to push in and just take your chances. It would often mean being brutal, but this was the only way to get anywhere. I couldn’t help but think how that all of these people were going their own way. They gave no heed to others whatsoever. It was hard ever to find a policeman to enforce any traffic regulations. Instead, chaos seemed to reign supreme. You know, I can’t help but com pare this with the way so many peo ple live today. They go their own way, pushing on, regardless of what it may mean for someone else. Do you know anybody like this? Has it ever happened to you? Maybe you are just going your own way and are determined to get by. Did you know that God has special laws which are sometimes called commandments? Have you ever stopped to realize that you may be continually b re a k in g God’s commandments? Do you tell lies? You may answer, “Doesn’t everybody ?” Of course they do. But
each time this happens they are breaking God’s law. Do you think dirty thoughts? Make no mistake about it, some day you will have to answer for this. All of the selfish ness, meanness, pride, ugliness, envy will be brought before you for judg ment. Here were people perhaps like you. They had gone their own way and had been heedless, careless, and thoughtless. Then they became Chris tians. They realized that they were going the wrong way and had come to God. They asked the Lord Jesus Christ to cleanse them from their sins. As, by faith, they received the Saviour, He came by His Holy Spir it to dwell in them. To these people these words were written. “Once you were under God’s curse, doomed for ever for your sins.” If you have nev er come to Jesus Christ to receive Him as Saviour, you have condemned yourself. “You went along with the crowd and were just like all the others, full of sin, obeying Satan the mighty prince of the power of the air, who is at work right now in the hearts of those who are against the Lord.” “All of us used to be just as they are, our lives expressing the evil within us, doing every wicked thing we longed to do or thought about; we started out bad with evil natures born within us, and were under God’s anger just like everyone else. “But God is so rich in mercy; He loved us so much, “That even though we were spir itually dead and doomed by our sins, He gave us back our lives again when He raised Christ from the dead (only by His undeserved favor have we ever been saved). “And lifted us up from the grave t7
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