Dear Friends
We are happy to announce the birth of our son, Levi David Royle. He was born on Friday 24th August at 6.44am. He weighed 9lb 10oz and is 51cm long.
With Levi's late arrival and a busy few months ahead we have decided to postpone the mission trip to Rome in November to a later date. It is a hard decision to make as we were really looking forward to going and had already advertised but we really feel this decision is in the best interest of both my family and the mission. Levi will only be just over 2 months old and a 2 weeks mission is too much for him and for Liz and I at the moment. Even tho we might be able to cope we would not be able to put the work in the Lord wants us to do.
We now plan to go out again in May. I know this will mark a year from my last mission but a year is very short time as far as the Lord is concerned. This would give time to organise the trip more effectively and more time to raise up a mission team. Rome isn't going anywhere and everyday the Lord is equiping us and preparing us for mission giving us a hunger and a zeal.
As I mentioned before, this was a hard decision to make and I felt torn for a time. But the Lord has given me a peace about the decision and I ask you continue to pray and support us and be patient as the Lord works in our lives.
Shalom
Anthony
Friday 31 August 2007
Tuesday 28 August 2007
Congratulations to Salvador and Dianne
Congratulations to Salvador and Di (Both missionaries with Moriel in South Africa) on their engagement. May the Lord bless your marriage in the way he has blessed ours.
Shalom
Anthony and Liz
Shalom
Anthony and Liz
Saturday 25 August 2007
Update on Liz and Levi
Both liz and Levi came home this evening and are doing very well. They weighed Levi again today as we didn't believe he was 7lbs 9oz as he is a big baby and feels really heavy. The scales at the birth must have been faulty as he is 9lbs 10oz!
Shalom
Anthony
Shalom
Anthony
Friday 24 August 2007
It's a boy!
This is our son, Levi David Royle. He was born on 24th August 2007 at 6.45 am, weighed 7lbs 9oz and is 51cm long.
Both Liz and Levi are in good health.
Wednesday 22 August 2007
What did ITV's 'Muslim Jesus' leave out?
By Anthony Royle
Even though the ITV programme did stress the differences between the Christian Jesus and the so-called 'Muslim Jesus' I cannot help feel that they did no portray the whole picture of the character of Isa and the whole picture of the person of Jesus.
I begin with the fact that Jesus' name was never Isa and I refuse to call Isa, Jesus, and Jesus, Isa.. Dr Mark Durie tells us in his article 'Isa the 'Muslim Jesus', “Jesus’ mother tongue was Aramaic. In his own lifetime he was called Yeshua in Aramaic, and Jesu in Greek. This is like calling the same person John when speaking English and Jean when speaking French: Jesu, pronounced "Yesoo", is the Greek form of Aramaic Yeshua. (The final -s in Jesu-s is a Greek grammatical ending.) Yeshua is itself a form of Hebrew Yehoshua’, which means ‘the Lord is salvation’. However Yehoshua’ is normally given in English as Joshua. So Joshua and Jesus are variants of the same name. It is interesting that Jesus' name Yehoshua’ contains within it the proper Hebrew name for God, the first syllable Yeh- being short for YHWH ‘the LORD’.Yeshua of Nazareth was never called ‘Isa, the name the Qur’an gives to him. Arab-speaking Christians refer to Jesus as Yasou’ (from Yeshua) not ‘Isa.”
Not only does the Quran get Jesus' name wrong but other too including Abraham. Dr Durie tells us “Abraham ‘Father of many’ (cf Genesis 17:5) might have been better represented as something like Aburahim ‘father of mercy’ instead of Ibrahim, which has no meaning in Arabic at all.”
During the documentary we also are introduced to Miriam the mother of Isa. One thing we did not learn from the programme is the absurd claim the Qur'an makes. The Qur'an calls her the sister of Aaron and Moses and states that the mother and Isa and the Miriam of the Exodus are the same woman. They lived more than a thousand year apart. I'm not surprised they left that bit out. However, Miriam isn't the only person the Qur'an ages. Haman the minister of Ahasuerus in Media and Persia is also a minister of Pharaoh in Egypt a thousand years earlier.
We also learned that the Qur'ans stories of Isa are based of folk-tales, however, I don't believe this was stressed enough as it does provide us with the origin's of the character of Isa. Isa talking from the cradle came from the pseudo-gospel 'The Arab Infancy Gospel', Jesus turning the birds into clay came from the 'Infancy gospel of Thomas' and Miriam going into the care of Zachariah came from 'Protevangelium of James'. All these writings were written in the 2nd and 3rd Centuries obviously not by eye-witnesses or based on historical facts. Not only was Isa's life plagiarised but stories like Ibrahim destroying idols were taken from Jewish Midrash Rabbah. So as you can see the Qur'an could have been written by Dan Brown.
One of the main differences between Jesus and Isa, which was pointed out, is the crucifixion. However, once again the programme did not give the full picture of Christ's crucifixion and why Isa could never die for our sins. The whole argument came to their word against ours. But if I was making a documentary on their differences I would of explored this area further as it is a fundamental difference between Christianity and Islam, did Jesus die on the cross?
Let's look at it from two angles. First of all we would have to reject the foretelling of Christ's crucifixion. We would have to reject the Torah and the prophets. Psalm 22 gives such an accurate account of Jesus' crucifixion. Verse 16 says they will pierce his hands and feet and not a bone would be broken in verse 17. They would gamble for His clothes in verse 18 and even the words Jesus cries out on the cross 'my God, my God, why have you forsaken me' is given account in verse 1. Isaiah 53 also gives a detail account as verse 12 tells us he will be crucified with criminals. Isaiah was written around 750 years before Christ and the Psalms around 1020 BC. Muslims might try and convince you that those text's have been tampered with, however, the earliest Old Testament manuscripts we have pre-date Jesus including the most famous Septuagint which was a Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures written around 250 BC.
Secondly, to a world that rejects the Torah and prophets anyway, history confirms the Christian claim that Jesus was crucified. This was mentioned by one Christian on the programme but was given enough information to make it a valid point. Dr Durie, in his article 'Isa, the Muslim Jesus', gives us references of non-Christian historical sources which verify that Jesus was crucified.
'Tacitus (AD 55-120), a renowned historical of ancient Rome, wrote in the latter half of the first century that ‘Christus ... was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberius: but the pernicious superstition, repressed for a time, broke out again, not only through Judea, where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also.’ (Annals 15: 44).
Thallus, a secular historian writing perhaps around AD 52 refers to the death of Jesus in a discussion of the darkness over the land after his death. The original is lost, but Thallus’ arguments — explaining what happened as a solar eclipse — are referred to by Julius Africanus in the early 3rd century.
The Babylonian Talmud refers to the crucifixion (calling it a hanging) of Jesus the Nazarene on the eve of the Passover. In the Talmud Jesus is also called the illegitimate son of Mary.
The Jewish historian Josephus describes Jesus’ crucifixion under Pilate in his Antiquities, written about AD 93/94. Josephus also refers to James the brother of Jesus and his execution during the time of Ananus (or Annas) the high priest.'
As Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 'the cross is a stumbling block to those who perish'. Islam cannot understand that God would send His son to die on a cross for us. To them it is foolishness. Because we believe that Jesus' blood had to be shed for our sins that we have a bloodthirsty religion. This is hypocrisy of Islam who slaughter many all over the world and are told to kill the Christian and the Jew (Surah 9:29). God doesn't demand anyone's blood except Jesus'.
The next major point I thought the programme didn't do any justice was the Muslim issue with the doctrine of the Trinity. There was no time given for a Christian response. First of all the Muslim's think we believe in three god's- God, Jesus and Mary. This statement is faulty on many levels. We believe in one God as the scriptures tell us that God is one and we don't worship Mary, she is not part of the Godhead and is a sinner in need of a Saviour as she confesses in the gospel of Luke.
We believe that God exists in the distinct and co-equal persons of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but they share a fully divine essence. Yet, the three persons are distinct. The Father is neither the Son nor the Holy Spirit; the Son is neither the Father nor the Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit is neither the Father nor the Son. The co-equal and distinct persons of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not three Gods because they share the same essence in complete unity. The nearest comparison is human beings. We are made in the image and likeness of God (Imago Dei)- three is one. We are body, soul and spirit. Each are distinct but are all part of us.
Muslims attack Christians for being polytheistic? Ask them where Allah came from? He was the chief god in the Kaabah, the pagan temple Muhammed purged that had more than 300 idols in it. Allah was the god of the crescent moon, which Islam has kept as its symbol. Allah isn't the generic term for God in Arabic. As Dave Hunt points out we should use 'Ilah'. The Muslims confess that there is no Ilah but Al-Ilah.
Allah isn't God, Isa isn't Jesus and Ibrahim isn't Abraham. Isa the Muslim Jesus? No, just a plagiarism of an apocryphal character. Jesus is historical, his life was recorded from inspiration of the Holy Spirit in Matthew Mark Luke and John and Jesus is God the Son.
Even though the ITV programme did stress the differences between the Christian Jesus and the so-called 'Muslim Jesus' I cannot help feel that they did no portray the whole picture of the character of Isa and the whole picture of the person of Jesus.
I begin with the fact that Jesus' name was never Isa and I refuse to call Isa, Jesus, and Jesus, Isa.. Dr Mark Durie tells us in his article 'Isa the 'Muslim Jesus', “Jesus’ mother tongue was Aramaic. In his own lifetime he was called Yeshua in Aramaic, and Jesu in Greek. This is like calling the same person John when speaking English and Jean when speaking French: Jesu, pronounced "Yesoo", is the Greek form of Aramaic Yeshua. (The final -s in Jesu-s is a Greek grammatical ending.) Yeshua is itself a form of Hebrew Yehoshua’, which means ‘the Lord is salvation’. However Yehoshua’ is normally given in English as Joshua. So Joshua and Jesus are variants of the same name. It is interesting that Jesus' name Yehoshua’ contains within it the proper Hebrew name for God, the first syllable Yeh- being short for YHWH ‘the LORD’.Yeshua of Nazareth was never called ‘Isa, the name the Qur’an gives to him. Arab-speaking Christians refer to Jesus as Yasou’ (from Yeshua) not ‘Isa.”
Not only does the Quran get Jesus' name wrong but other too including Abraham. Dr Durie tells us “Abraham ‘Father of many’ (cf Genesis 17:5) might have been better represented as something like Aburahim ‘father of mercy’ instead of Ibrahim, which has no meaning in Arabic at all.”
During the documentary we also are introduced to Miriam the mother of Isa. One thing we did not learn from the programme is the absurd claim the Qur'an makes. The Qur'an calls her the sister of Aaron and Moses and states that the mother and Isa and the Miriam of the Exodus are the same woman. They lived more than a thousand year apart. I'm not surprised they left that bit out. However, Miriam isn't the only person the Qur'an ages. Haman the minister of Ahasuerus in Media and Persia is also a minister of Pharaoh in Egypt a thousand years earlier.
We also learned that the Qur'ans stories of Isa are based of folk-tales, however, I don't believe this was stressed enough as it does provide us with the origin's of the character of Isa. Isa talking from the cradle came from the pseudo-gospel 'The Arab Infancy Gospel', Jesus turning the birds into clay came from the 'Infancy gospel of Thomas' and Miriam going into the care of Zachariah came from 'Protevangelium of James'. All these writings were written in the 2nd and 3rd Centuries obviously not by eye-witnesses or based on historical facts. Not only was Isa's life plagiarised but stories like Ibrahim destroying idols were taken from Jewish Midrash Rabbah. So as you can see the Qur'an could have been written by Dan Brown.
One of the main differences between Jesus and Isa, which was pointed out, is the crucifixion. However, once again the programme did not give the full picture of Christ's crucifixion and why Isa could never die for our sins. The whole argument came to their word against ours. But if I was making a documentary on their differences I would of explored this area further as it is a fundamental difference between Christianity and Islam, did Jesus die on the cross?
Let's look at it from two angles. First of all we would have to reject the foretelling of Christ's crucifixion. We would have to reject the Torah and the prophets. Psalm 22 gives such an accurate account of Jesus' crucifixion. Verse 16 says they will pierce his hands and feet and not a bone would be broken in verse 17. They would gamble for His clothes in verse 18 and even the words Jesus cries out on the cross 'my God, my God, why have you forsaken me' is given account in verse 1. Isaiah 53 also gives a detail account as verse 12 tells us he will be crucified with criminals. Isaiah was written around 750 years before Christ and the Psalms around 1020 BC. Muslims might try and convince you that those text's have been tampered with, however, the earliest Old Testament manuscripts we have pre-date Jesus including the most famous Septuagint which was a Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures written around 250 BC.
Secondly, to a world that rejects the Torah and prophets anyway, history confirms the Christian claim that Jesus was crucified. This was mentioned by one Christian on the programme but was given enough information to make it a valid point. Dr Durie, in his article 'Isa, the Muslim Jesus', gives us references of non-Christian historical sources which verify that Jesus was crucified.
'Tacitus (AD 55-120), a renowned historical of ancient Rome, wrote in the latter half of the first century that ‘Christus ... was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberius: but the pernicious superstition, repressed for a time, broke out again, not only through Judea, where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also.’ (Annals 15: 44).
Thallus, a secular historian writing perhaps around AD 52 refers to the death of Jesus in a discussion of the darkness over the land after his death. The original is lost, but Thallus’ arguments — explaining what happened as a solar eclipse — are referred to by Julius Africanus in the early 3rd century.
The Babylonian Talmud refers to the crucifixion (calling it a hanging) of Jesus the Nazarene on the eve of the Passover. In the Talmud Jesus is also called the illegitimate son of Mary.
The Jewish historian Josephus describes Jesus’ crucifixion under Pilate in his Antiquities, written about AD 93/94. Josephus also refers to James the brother of Jesus and his execution during the time of Ananus (or Annas) the high priest.'
As Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 'the cross is a stumbling block to those who perish'. Islam cannot understand that God would send His son to die on a cross for us. To them it is foolishness. Because we believe that Jesus' blood had to be shed for our sins that we have a bloodthirsty religion. This is hypocrisy of Islam who slaughter many all over the world and are told to kill the Christian and the Jew (Surah 9:29). God doesn't demand anyone's blood except Jesus'.
The next major point I thought the programme didn't do any justice was the Muslim issue with the doctrine of the Trinity. There was no time given for a Christian response. First of all the Muslim's think we believe in three god's- God, Jesus and Mary. This statement is faulty on many levels. We believe in one God as the scriptures tell us that God is one and we don't worship Mary, she is not part of the Godhead and is a sinner in need of a Saviour as she confesses in the gospel of Luke.
We believe that God exists in the distinct and co-equal persons of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but they share a fully divine essence. Yet, the three persons are distinct. The Father is neither the Son nor the Holy Spirit; the Son is neither the Father nor the Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit is neither the Father nor the Son. The co-equal and distinct persons of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are not three Gods because they share the same essence in complete unity. The nearest comparison is human beings. We are made in the image and likeness of God (Imago Dei)- three is one. We are body, soul and spirit. Each are distinct but are all part of us.
Muslims attack Christians for being polytheistic? Ask them where Allah came from? He was the chief god in the Kaabah, the pagan temple Muhammed purged that had more than 300 idols in it. Allah was the god of the crescent moon, which Islam has kept as its symbol. Allah isn't the generic term for God in Arabic. As Dave Hunt points out we should use 'Ilah'. The Muslims confess that there is no Ilah but Al-Ilah.
Allah isn't God, Isa isn't Jesus and Ibrahim isn't Abraham. Isa the Muslim Jesus? No, just a plagiarism of an apocryphal character. Jesus is historical, his life was recorded from inspiration of the Holy Spirit in Matthew Mark Luke and John and Jesus is God the Son.
Monday 20 August 2007
Prayer Update
The doctors have gone with my dads original diagnosis and he has a pulmonary embolism which is stress induced. He is now out of hospital and recovering.
Shalom
Anthony
Shalom
Anthony
Sunday 19 August 2007
Update on my brother
My brother Aaron is now out of hospital but my dad is still in. Please pray for my wife, Liz, as she is now a week over due with the baby and would like the Lord to send her into labour soon!
Shalom
Anthony
Shalom
Anthony
Friday 17 August 2007
Update on my dad
It seems that my dad hasn't got an embulism but has pneumonia. Apparently he is doing well and should be out of hospital soon.
Shalom
Anthony
Shalom
Anthony
Thursday 16 August 2007
Urgent prayer request
My brother Aaron is now in ICU with pneumonia and my dad, Dave, is also in ICU with an embulism. Please pray for them and my mum who is still recovering and also for my brother Chris who is deputising for my dad.
Shalom
Anthony
Shalom
Anthony
Monday 13 August 2007
Prayer Update
My mum is out of hospital now with the 3 cysts removed. She is slowly recovering at home.
Please pray for a Mrs Davis. She is the mum of a person I support at work. She is very sick and could die but refuses to take treatment as she is a follower of Benny Hinn and is flying out to the States to be healed by him. Please pray that through her desperation she will see Jesus and see that Benny Hinn has killed many people by declaring them healed thus telling them there was no need for their medication only later to find out they were not healed and died.
Shalom
Anthony
Please pray for a Mrs Davis. She is the mum of a person I support at work. She is very sick and could die but refuses to take treatment as she is a follower of Benny Hinn and is flying out to the States to be healed by him. Please pray that through her desperation she will see Jesus and see that Benny Hinn has killed many people by declaring them healed thus telling them there was no need for their medication only later to find out they were not healed and died.
Shalom
Anthony
Sunday 12 August 2007
Is Satan Bound Today?
I have been studying Bible prophecy over the last year in some depth. I have observed that after each prophecy is given that Satan has consistently been trying to thwart God's plan of redemption for man kind. God tells Adam and Eve the Redeemer will be on the seed of the woman and that he will crush the serpents head and the serpent will bruise his heal. Very soon after that 'the sons of God'(fallen angels) corrupt their seed by taking the daughters of men and impregnating them so the Messiah would not come. The next messianic prophecy is that the redeemer would come through the line of Shem. As soon as God picks a specific line of people I believe Satan influenced the false religion and unity of Babel by bringing all the races of the world together so there would be no distinction of nation, therefore, God's promise could not come about and God would be a liar. God goes on to be even more specific by choosing the Messiah to come from the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Throughout the Old Testament we see how Satan has always come against Israel, not only trying to destroy her through men like Haman but through apostasy and deception and even by dispersing them into conquering nations to loose their identity as a people. These things are the traces of Satan's influence in the world. But when Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins did all this end? Is Satan bound?
The traditional Amillennial view of Revelation 20 is that Satan '1has been prevented from "deceiving the nations" by preventing the spread of the gospel.'
Obviously this view comes with the question 'How can Satan be bound with so much evil and trouble in the world?' Anthony Hoekema explains, '2This does not imply that Satan can do no harm whatever while he is bound. It means only what John says here: While Satan is bound he cannot deceive the nations in such a way as to keep them from learning about the truth of God. Later in the chapter we are told that when the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations of the world to gather them together to fight against and, if possible, to destroy the people of God (verses 7-9). This, however, he cannot do while he is bound. We conclude, then, that the binding of Satan during the gospel age means that, first, he cannot prevent the spread of the gospel, and second, he cannot gather all the enemies of Christ together to attack the church.'
I see two problems with this statement. Firstly, is this what the text is saying? Is the deception that Satan brings the prevention of the gospel being spread and the church being under attack? And secondly, do we have evidence that the gospel is not being prevented from being spread today and the Church not coming under attack, thus Satan is bound?
Let us first look at the text in question.
Revelation 20:1-10 'And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgement was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness1 of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever'
As we can see by the context of the passage the deception described here is not the deception against the gospel but about leading nations against Israel. It is evident that in verses 8 and 9 that Satan will gather an army and attack Jerusalem. Satan has always tried to destroy Israel by deceiving the nations, even more so since Christ came Rev 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
We also find in the context of Revelation chapter 20 that the thousand years begin at the second coming of Christ and not the first coming of Christ. We read in Chapter 19 that Jesus comes back with his bride after the tribulation and defeats the beast. Then Chapter 20 continues with the events and describes to us how Satan is bound.
Why does Satan want to destroy Israel? Because God ties His integrity to it and made a promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob making a covenant with them 'forever' and God will never give up on Israel. The Bible also prophecies that in the last days the Jews will be back in the land of Israel and Satan will be defeated in Jerusalem. That is why Satan is trying to get the Jews out of the land now! He knows his time is short.
So, is Satan bound from deceiving the nations to come against Israel today? The best examples I can give are in recent history is Islamic nations like Iran who are bent on destroying Israel. We also remember the Holocaust, which many are denying now happened. The plot to destroy Israel is something Satan has done throughout the course of history both in Old and New Testament times through the means of a world conquering empire or a diaspora. So we can conclude that Satan is not bound today and hasn't been for the past 2000 years meaning this is a future event in conjunction with Christ's rule on earth and Satan will not be able to deceive the nations until the end of the thousand years. Because Satan is bound up for a literal 1000 years we know Christ will reign for a literal 1000 years.
The other question that the Amillennial view poses to me is there evidence that Satan is bound from preventing the gospel from being spread amongst the nations and is the church protected from it's enemies? If so we must come to the natural conclusion that Anthony Hoekema comes to '3We see then that the binding of Satan described in Revelation 20:1-3 means that throughout the gospel age in which we now live the influence of Satan, though certainly not annihilated, is so curtailed that he cannot prevent the spread of the gospel to the nations of the world. Because of the binding of Satan during this present age, the nations cannot conquer the church, but the church is conquering the nations'
The church conquering the nations? Which nations? The Amillennial view here is far from reality and can easily be very misleading and even offensive. The gospel today is being prevented to be preached in many nations that soon it will be illegal to say Jesus is the only way to get to heaven. Not only is the gospel being prevented from being preached to the nations but also being prevented to be preached in churches. Many churches worldwide have stopped preaching the gospel. All of this due to 'doctrine's of demons' and Satan's influence in the world. But what really offends me about this teaching is that nations cannot conquer the church? Have they not read Fox's Book of Martyrs? I guess the thousands of Christians being persecuted in Muslim countries are not the real church as the real church is conquering nations!
Not only is this Amillennial view not a reality it's also not backed up by the rest of scripture. Did the apostles teach Satan was bound? Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica in 1 Thessalonians 2:18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
Peter also wrote about the reality of Satan attacking the believer and warns us in 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Yes, ultimately the gospel will always be preached and the church will remain until the rapture occurs but not because Satan is bound it's because of the Lord's grace. Throughout history Satan has always tried to thwart God's plan, and visibly still is, but he has always failed and will continue to fail. He still continues to persecute the church and destroy Israel. He still brings apostasy and he still tries to separate God's people to loose their identity in the world.
So what happened at the cross and how was Satan defeated there? Hebrews 2:14-15 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage
The word for 'destroy' here is katargeō and it means 'to be rendered useless'. To put this verse in context the author of Hebrews was writing to a group of Messianic Jews that were being persecuted and wanted to go back under the law to no longer be persecuted because they feared death. In verse 14 the author notes that Jesus too became flesh and blood and experienced death to take away the power of death from Satan that we may no longer fear death (thanatos)
Satan is not yet bound but he no longer has the 'power of death'! We should not fear death! Satan will persecute you, he will hinder you but you have nothing to fear. He will try and deceive you with doctrines of demons and with fleshly temptation but if you follow the instructions of Peter and resist the devil in faith, being faithful to Jesus Satan will flee from you. Peter goes on to say 'To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.'
Some one once said that Satan's greatest deception was that people believe he doesn't exist; then maybe the second greatest deception is that he is bound up and no longer 'deceiving the nations'.
1Wikipedia 'Amillennialism' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amillennialism
2Anthony Hoekema 'The Interpretation of Revelation 20v1-6' http://www.the-highway.com/amila_Hoekema.html
3Anthony Hoekema 'The Interpretation of Revelation 20v1-6' http://www.the-highway.com/amila_Hoekema.html
The traditional Amillennial view of Revelation 20 is that Satan '1has been prevented from "deceiving the nations" by preventing the spread of the gospel.'
Obviously this view comes with the question 'How can Satan be bound with so much evil and trouble in the world?' Anthony Hoekema explains, '2This does not imply that Satan can do no harm whatever while he is bound. It means only what John says here: While Satan is bound he cannot deceive the nations in such a way as to keep them from learning about the truth of God. Later in the chapter we are told that when the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations of the world to gather them together to fight against and, if possible, to destroy the people of God (verses 7-9). This, however, he cannot do while he is bound. We conclude, then, that the binding of Satan during the gospel age means that, first, he cannot prevent the spread of the gospel, and second, he cannot gather all the enemies of Christ together to attack the church.'
I see two problems with this statement. Firstly, is this what the text is saying? Is the deception that Satan brings the prevention of the gospel being spread and the church being under attack? And secondly, do we have evidence that the gospel is not being prevented from being spread today and the Church not coming under attack, thus Satan is bound?
Let us first look at the text in question.
Revelation 20:1-10 'And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgement was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness1 of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever'
As we can see by the context of the passage the deception described here is not the deception against the gospel but about leading nations against Israel. It is evident that in verses 8 and 9 that Satan will gather an army and attack Jerusalem. Satan has always tried to destroy Israel by deceiving the nations, even more so since Christ came Rev 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
We also find in the context of Revelation chapter 20 that the thousand years begin at the second coming of Christ and not the first coming of Christ. We read in Chapter 19 that Jesus comes back with his bride after the tribulation and defeats the beast. Then Chapter 20 continues with the events and describes to us how Satan is bound.
Why does Satan want to destroy Israel? Because God ties His integrity to it and made a promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob making a covenant with them 'forever' and God will never give up on Israel. The Bible also prophecies that in the last days the Jews will be back in the land of Israel and Satan will be defeated in Jerusalem. That is why Satan is trying to get the Jews out of the land now! He knows his time is short.
So, is Satan bound from deceiving the nations to come against Israel today? The best examples I can give are in recent history is Islamic nations like Iran who are bent on destroying Israel. We also remember the Holocaust, which many are denying now happened. The plot to destroy Israel is something Satan has done throughout the course of history both in Old and New Testament times through the means of a world conquering empire or a diaspora. So we can conclude that Satan is not bound today and hasn't been for the past 2000 years meaning this is a future event in conjunction with Christ's rule on earth and Satan will not be able to deceive the nations until the end of the thousand years. Because Satan is bound up for a literal 1000 years we know Christ will reign for a literal 1000 years.
The other question that the Amillennial view poses to me is there evidence that Satan is bound from preventing the gospel from being spread amongst the nations and is the church protected from it's enemies? If so we must come to the natural conclusion that Anthony Hoekema comes to '3We see then that the binding of Satan described in Revelation 20:1-3 means that throughout the gospel age in which we now live the influence of Satan, though certainly not annihilated, is so curtailed that he cannot prevent the spread of the gospel to the nations of the world. Because of the binding of Satan during this present age, the nations cannot conquer the church, but the church is conquering the nations'
The church conquering the nations? Which nations? The Amillennial view here is far from reality and can easily be very misleading and even offensive. The gospel today is being prevented to be preached in many nations that soon it will be illegal to say Jesus is the only way to get to heaven. Not only is the gospel being prevented from being preached to the nations but also being prevented to be preached in churches. Many churches worldwide have stopped preaching the gospel. All of this due to 'doctrine's of demons' and Satan's influence in the world. But what really offends me about this teaching is that nations cannot conquer the church? Have they not read Fox's Book of Martyrs? I guess the thousands of Christians being persecuted in Muslim countries are not the real church as the real church is conquering nations!
Not only is this Amillennial view not a reality it's also not backed up by the rest of scripture. Did the apostles teach Satan was bound? Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica in 1 Thessalonians 2:18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
Peter also wrote about the reality of Satan attacking the believer and warns us in 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Yes, ultimately the gospel will always be preached and the church will remain until the rapture occurs but not because Satan is bound it's because of the Lord's grace. Throughout history Satan has always tried to thwart God's plan, and visibly still is, but he has always failed and will continue to fail. He still continues to persecute the church and destroy Israel. He still brings apostasy and he still tries to separate God's people to loose their identity in the world.
So what happened at the cross and how was Satan defeated there? Hebrews 2:14-15 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage
The word for 'destroy' here is katargeō and it means 'to be rendered useless'. To put this verse in context the author of Hebrews was writing to a group of Messianic Jews that were being persecuted and wanted to go back under the law to no longer be persecuted because they feared death. In verse 14 the author notes that Jesus too became flesh and blood and experienced death to take away the power of death from Satan that we may no longer fear death (thanatos)
Satan is not yet bound but he no longer has the 'power of death'! We should not fear death! Satan will persecute you, he will hinder you but you have nothing to fear. He will try and deceive you with doctrines of demons and with fleshly temptation but if you follow the instructions of Peter and resist the devil in faith, being faithful to Jesus Satan will flee from you. Peter goes on to say 'To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.'
Some one once said that Satan's greatest deception was that people believe he doesn't exist; then maybe the second greatest deception is that he is bound up and no longer 'deceiving the nations'.
1Wikipedia 'Amillennialism' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amillennialism
2Anthony Hoekema 'The Interpretation of Revelation 20v1-6' http://www.the-highway.com/amila_Hoekema.html
3Anthony Hoekema 'The Interpretation of Revelation 20v1-6' http://www.the-highway.com/amila_Hoekema.html
Saturday 4 August 2007
Congratulations to Brent and Hope
We just want to congratulate Pastor Brent and Hope Harrell on the birth of their baby boy, Brayden Scott Harrell, who was born on 2nd August. This is their third child. Praise God for new life! We pray Hope and Brayden are in good health and wish you all the best.
Friday 3 August 2007
Urgent prayer request
Please pray for my mum, Lyn Royle, as she is in ICU with pneumonia and they took an x-ray that shows a cyst on her lung.
Thursday 2 August 2007
Calvary Chapel Rome
Below is a link to a video made by Calvary Chapel on the vision that God has given them which we share.
http://www.youtube.com/inetmatrix
http://www.youtube.com/inetmatrix
Wednesday 1 August 2007
Items for prayer
I have recently been taking a bible study for people with learning disabilities on Tuesdays and we have been going through the seven days of creation and also John's Midrash on Genesis 1 in John 1. I've been teaching very basic but fundemental priciples and it has seemed to be well recieved. There are both christians and non-Christians that attend so please pray they grow in understanding and we will see people commit their lives to the Lord.
Also please pray for a young man called Amir. A month ago he asked me to disciple him but whenever I book a date to meet up he doesn't show up or answer his phone when I call him. He's been skipping church more and has started to spend more time with this group of goths. He is going on holiday to Israel in the next week or so to see family there who are Muslim. I pray through being there he might find boldness to talk about Jesus and re-kindle his first love.
Please pray for Liz as the baby is due in the next week or two.
Please pray for my dad as he returns to South Africa in the next week after a very long time away from home. Also pray for Salvador as he flies to the UK and that his preaching tour goes well.
We are waiting for the baby to be born to finalise plans for our November trip as we have to put the babies name on the flight tickets.So continue to pray for the preperation of the mission. There has been more people interested in joing us and a couple of churches wanting to sponsor us in the future.
Shalom
Anthony
Also please pray for a young man called Amir. A month ago he asked me to disciple him but whenever I book a date to meet up he doesn't show up or answer his phone when I call him. He's been skipping church more and has started to spend more time with this group of goths. He is going on holiday to Israel in the next week or so to see family there who are Muslim. I pray through being there he might find boldness to talk about Jesus and re-kindle his first love.
Please pray for Liz as the baby is due in the next week or two.
Please pray for my dad as he returns to South Africa in the next week after a very long time away from home. Also pray for Salvador as he flies to the UK and that his preaching tour goes well.
We are waiting for the baby to be born to finalise plans for our November trip as we have to put the babies name on the flight tickets.So continue to pray for the preperation of the mission. There has been more people interested in joing us and a couple of churches wanting to sponsor us in the future.
Shalom
Anthony
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