The Bride of Christ

I have been inspired by recently reading over Revelation 20-22 and particular themes that come out in this critically important final chapter of Scripture. And one of the things that has been amazing me is John’s revelation of the bride of Christ. To some the subject might not be new but it’s always worth remembering that for John a lot of this stuff would have been a brand-new way of seeing things. In particular I would imagine that the angelic invitation in 21:9 would have been a striking moment in itself. The angel says, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

Why would this have been striking? Because the bride is the wife of the Lamb. Not just anybody! Throughout the book there has been a significant revelation of Jesus as the Lamb of heaven. At the beginning He was seen to be the only one worthy to take the book that was in the hand of the Father and to break its seals to release the unfolding events of the last days. No one else in heaven or earth was worthy. He is revealed as the most unique, wonderful and praiseworthy being in all of history and creation.

And then, John discovers that this Lamb is to have a wife. Now, for such a one to have a wife must say something hugely significant about her also. Suddenly, statements about excellent wives and the like from Proverbs and other places seem a whole lot more meaningful. This is the one who the Lamb has been waiting for! She must be incredible.

Which is where we should begin to be surprised because, if you know anything about the bride of Christ, without doubt the term refers to the church. And you look at the rabble that we see as church today, and you wonder that the Lord would be so delighted over us! And yet He is.

I noticed something exciting too when I continued to read about the heavenly Jerusalem that is the bride of Christ. It says that there are twelve foundation stones to the city, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (21:14). Where does this bride spring from? It springs from the source of His followers, right from the days of the first twelve who gave their lives to follow Him. From that group that came to be known as the church. It is founded right back there when Jesus chose twelve to follow Him. This confirms for us the idea that the bride which is the city is the church.

But furthermore we can actually see Jesus actively sowing the seeds for this heavenly city-bride which comes to earth, way back in the Gospels. Because when John sees the bride, he sees

the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God… (21:10).

It comes from heaven to earth – this city founded on the twelve apostles. What did Jesus teach His followers to pray? “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) Without doubt His purpose from the beginning then was to raise up a people to become His bride who could see this ultimate goal accomplished, of heaven coming to earth, and He won them by buying their heavenly seat from which to operate in this task (Ephesians 2:6)

One last note about the new heavens and the new earth. There are two words for the word ‘new’ in the Greek – and this is currently second-hand information and I’m no Greek expert so I can’t tell you what they are. But I do know for sure that one of them is new in the sense of: scrap the old one, throw it in the bin: we’re getting a new one! And the other word is meant to convey the sense of something that has been re-newed. Taking something that has gotten a bit bad, and freshening it up. This is the word that is always used in the New Testament with reference to the new heavens and new earth. Even in 2 Peter 3 when everything is (literally) ‘dissolved’ (3:11) the new heavens and earth referred to there (3:13) are re-newed. Because sometimes you need to use a really strong cleaning agent to dissolve all the muck that has accumulated on your once-nice possession!

And Revelation 21:5 spells this out in beautiful and famed words: “Behold, I am making all things new.” And what I love is that to then really back this up, He goes on to say, “These words are faithful and true…. It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.” (21:5-6) It is as sure as He is faithful and true, and is the beginning and the end. As sure as ‘it is done’ – or perhaps, ‘it is finished’ – and the work of the cross 2000 years ago.

And what I especially love is that His very next phrase is an invitation to drink: “I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.” (21:6) It is amazing how often in Scripture God’s answer to a problem or method to a particular plan involves bringing water in some form, be it rain, floods, a drink…because we need the Spirit! If we want to see this renewing outworked in our lives on our patch of earth, it is done only by the Spirit. He is wrapped up in the whole ‘newness’ of God that is released in the New Covenant; in fact the Spirit is inseparable from the New Covenant. Come to Jesus and you’ll pretty quickly discover that He’s eager to give you His Spirit so you can live in heaven’s life to the full, rather than being stuck on earth having to cope by your own strength.

And together they join their voices at the end:

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.” (Revelation 22:17)

Two is better than one

More and more I find the way the Lord teaches us is by experience. Have you ever looked at the Bible with its 66 books and thought – how on earth am I supposed to learn about all THAT? Growing up as a Christian that was certainly one of my questions. An entire read-through doesn’t exactly fill you with the confidence that this is going to be an easy ride either – by the time you get to the end you probably realise you need to go back because you forgot some things!

Thank goodness then that the Lord teaches us to understand His ways and His Word in the context of day-to-day life, rather than requiring us to be locked away in a study somewhere poring over pages with no idea what they mean. His book was written to give spirit and life, not simply lawful letters which kill and frustrate.

He knows each one of us and the path we take, and so I find He teaches us according to our experience. So while I may have a grasp on some aspects of what He is like, another brother or sister may have some revelation in a different area. Obviously combined this becomes more powerful and blesses me when I see a new perspective.

This begins already to touch on the area that the Lord has been teaching me about in my experience of late.

I am beginning to witness in my own life and in the lives of others the power that there is in numbers. A Scripture that has been encouraging me is found in the book of Ecclesiastes which says:

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

Through events in my own life and through fresh observation of the church and various ministries, I have come to be impressed by the importance of this Scripture. It has over the last two months had some direct consequences in my own life where when I have stood in agreements in prayer with another individual, we have seen the answer come almost instantaneously. It provides striking contrast for me when compared with my years of earnest striving for breakthrough over matters which have taken those years to win for the Lord.

This is not to give up praying on your own! I believe in cultivating an intimate place with the Lord where there are secrets of the heart shared between only you and Him, which no one else knows. We can even go for breakthrough. But come the time that there is a matter which requires something to turn around, I know now to seek my brothers and sisters, my close friends, those I am agreed with in spirit, to join with me in prayer. Some of the recent fruit I’ve seen has been amazing, and it comes completely in conjunction with the prayers that I have prayed with others.

Jesus believed in this! He said:

“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” (Matthew 18:19-20)

He couldn’t be clearer, and right now this couldn’t be a better description of my experience. I’m so excited to see that the word He spoke two thousand years ago have not aged a day, because He is the One who is the same yesterday, today and forever.

This has implications also I believe when it comes to ministry, not just prayer agreements. A sad example of when this can go wrong is the awful and confusing mess up that happened famously just over a year ago with Todd Bentley at the time of the Lakeland outpouring. (Note – I like to be distinct about the man as separate from the move.) Yes, apostolic leaders gathered around him in one famous meeting during the outpouring but records have shown that it was probably ‘too late’ by that point. They gathered around him because they realised he was an individual away from home, and his ministry base, far out on a limb conducting pretty much the whole revival, with massive world-wide influence – clearly therefore not in a place of substantial apostolic covering. Bill Johnson was most lucid in this area when he was on stage, announcing the danger of sending a man out into battle and then withdrawing the troops from around him – it’s a foolish action reminiscent of David actually seeking to bring death to Uriah. Perhaps this is why some of the critical voices of the revival will sneer when the ‘apostolic alignment’ meeting is mentioned.

For those not in the know there is too much to explain and it is best left as things are moving on a year later. The point is this, that Todd did not have anything like sufficient covering, likely because of the initial golden success of the revival seemingly unmarred by any great affliction, and Todd’s on-the-whole clean record of endurance and integrity. (Again there are elements to explain which can be given if people respond asking for them.) The precaution wasn’t taken soon enough.

Let us learn from history. When one is out on their own, they might well be overpowered, as the Scripture from Ecclesiastes makes clear. But two can resist. We must never allow our soldiers to go out onto the field alone. Jesus sent His disciples in twos. He gave us principles like the one quoted above. How critically important are His words!

Let’s not forget this, especially in the UK, where we can often succumb to the influence of Western culture which is, of course, very much centered on the individual in its (highly flawed) value system. Even some church models and ministries push individuals into the limelight where they can become the centre and focus of our attention. While individuals do have a ministry, the ones to note are the ones that have taken conscious steps to surround themselves with prayer covering and accountability. Billy Graham made pacts with two other ministers whereby they kept accountable in their finances, relationships, and so on. The success of the ministry – and its endurance – is evident.

Bill Johnson again, on the latest podcast refers to a time of great transition in their church when the initiative was taken to surround his family with intercessors – and then to surround those intercessors with intercessors – and then to create a third circle of intercessors again. And he witnesses that the transition season referred to was, despite incredible and challenging circumstances, one of the easiest seasons to ride through.

There are many situations that I believe this principle can apply in. I’ve even been thinking about my small music business which consists of just me – and what might happen if I sought to work in partnership! This is an exciting journey and something that I believe we all need to grasp at some point if we’re going to live fruitful lives for the Lord and see His kingdom come!

Worship 4: when times are tough

I have been struck recently by thinking again about a couple of unique moments in Scripture, as well as hearing about similar experiences from Christians today. The moments I refer to are times when a person of faith in a moment of extreme diversity and tension, chooses to take the action of worshiping in that moment.

There are two explicit instances that stand out to me of this kind of faith. One is Job, the man we associate perhaps most directly with suffering in the Old Testament, alongside maybe Jeremiah. But even more than that later prophet, Job’s one message is about suffering and how a person of faith endures through it. And one of the great keys to the whole book (at least as I see it) is this wonderful moment in chapter 1 where after Job receives all the terrible reports of what has befallen his family and his land, it tells us:

Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.” (Job 1:20-21)

At this point in the game, the fact that Job will choose to fall and worship the Lord and bless His name – is surely a great demonstration of faith in the face of adversity. Who do we know in life who might be like this should they experience the same things?

It is significant to note that in this place of worshiping in the moment of extreme suffering, Scripture notes that

Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God. (Job 1:22)

I believe this is the place that he obtained his victory which became manifest at the end of the book after much revelation, and the reward of a double blessing which outweighed the suffering.

The other individual that stands out to me is David. He is known of course as a worshiper anyway, but there is a moment people are perhaps less familiar with because it is blackened by his sin with Bathsheba. The consequences of his sin brought the judgment of God on the child that was born to them, who God said was to die. David cried out to the Lord to spare the child, but for whatever reason his request was not heeded and the child died.

It was a tragic and somewhat complex situation. I have heard arguments today about whether God was right to take the life of this child as a consequence of David’s own sin. While there are theological answers, I find it interesting that David raises no questions, and takes a different response to today’s theologians:

Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him and he did not listen to our voice. How then can we tell him that the child is dead, since he might do himself harm!” But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.” So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he came into the house of the LORD and worshiped. (2 Sam 12:18-20)

His actions probably would have surprised his servants, and would surprise us today. But again this attitude, this repentant action demonstrates a different spirit, a faith resident in the heart of David which was anchored in the supernatural – indeed he confessed faith in the afterlife when he said of the child “Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” (v.23) And so he prioritised worship – blessing the name of the Lord, in a moment of difficulty.

There are examples of this kind of attitude that I have heard of today. A man who cradled the still-warm body of his wife who had just passed away, and began to worship the Lord in that moment. Bill Johnson who realised the privelege of the opportunity to worship the Lord for always being a good God in the moment when his father died of cancer – a moment he would never have in eternity. That’s a sacrifice of worship I think few people have been able to know how to make.

When Paul wrote that we should rejoice always, and in everything give thanks, he wasn’t kidding. It can be the hardest thing when you’re going through even the tiniest of trials, to turn your attention upon Jesus – and yet, people have done it, because when we step out in faith, it attracts the supernatural, because that kind of attitude is not of this earth, but is anchored in heaven where is our hope. Let’s be challenged to draw near to the Lord in every moment.

Not afraid of the good news

Just a little nugget of a thought which has been buzzing round my head quite a lot of late. I find in my own life I’ve started to overcome any sense of the ‘stigmata’ of being a Christian – ie, being afraid to speak up for what I believe because I’m too concerned about what people’s preconceptions about religion might be.

I guess this is due to the fact that I just had to get used to doing a lot of evangelism last year on our church’s training course. It helped me to learn to generally be more bold in my witness, which is just what I needed.

But there’s something else which has really been provoking me in this area now too. Of course, we KNOW that we ought not to be ashamed of our message – so why is it that we feel that way sometimes? That’s not the question I’m out to answer exactly except to say that I’ve now come to a place of more peace where I know in my HEART that I am not ashamed, rather than just in my head. This is the place all Christians need to get to.

And one of the things that has driven me towards this place is the thought that I want to share here.

I have realised, with what I have learnt about history, that the movers and shakers, the world changers, were not people who tried to be inoffensive, culturally relevant/acceptable, or quiet and unobtrusive on other people’s views. Think about anyone who has made a serious mark in history: Ghandi, Mother Teresa…Hitler, Stalin…Luther, Wesley…Wigglesworth, Evan Roberts…. All of these and many others made tremendous impact on their societies and denominations, yet it always came at the price of being DIFFERENT – and quite often offensively so.

Obviously I have included there examples from across the board, including in the same list dictators and revivalists, but I believe they all hit on this same thing. It’s WHAT you choose to pioneer which determines the fruit of the impact you have. Sadly, evil men have stood up and been unafraid to speak out their message, even if it has led to the slaughter of millions.

But He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world. And the greatest history changer of all time, as you may know, lived this beyond all others. He was uncompromisingly bold in His message, yet managed to tender it with outrageous grace. His message was clear and simple: the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Everything He did and taught, effectively, was to do with the kingdom. He too paid that price. They took such offense at Him that they nailed Him to a cross. But of course the enemy He was after was not even the religious minds of the day, but death itself, and it was death that He conquered.

You may know the Gospel story. But I just wanted to remind the reader of how uncompromising Jesus was in His message. You cannot read the Gospels and believe that He wanted His followers to be culture-pleasing saps who try to weave their whole message to please people according to what the mainstream media is saying.

I haven’t got to the main bit so enough waffle. What I have discovered, what has been most surprising (and would especially surprise those who are sincerely keen on seeker sensitivity and cultural relevance) is this: those who carried uncompromising messages, most especially Jesus, had great followings! Many people wanted to hear what they had to say! They may have been thoroughly dislikable, but that would probably have been to those who were over-comfortable in their cultural context. But when someone springs up with a message that is clear and without contradiction, and is demonstrated by the lifestyle of the one that preaches it, it is amazing how many people want to hear this kind of message!

My point is this: Christians really REALLY ought to stop being ashamed of the good news, not only for the obvious reasons that a) the Bible says so and b) it’s good news, but c) because there really really really are people out there who are hungry for a message, a cause, a lifestyle, which demonstrates absolute conviction and forwardness, and they will flock to one who preaches in this way. Let’s stop being afraid of the threats and the offenses that will be caused by one or two, and look instead at the harvest and see that it is white! I totally believe this was Jesus’ approach, and it ought to be ours also.

Lord help us preach Your good news without compromise.

The Bible – are we supposed to take it literally?

In what could be the first of a series (I suppose) on hermeneutics (and that depends on whether I find enough time/inspiration springing up to continue on other issues), I thought I’d at least make a little note containing my thoughts on a certain hermeneutic principle which is found to be prevalent especially in the United States and coming particularly in line with (but not exclusively from) Word of Faith ministries.

There is, you see, an understanding ‘out there’ in the world of Bible teaching especially in said areas, wherein we are instructed to take the Bible literally, on its word – what the Bible says, goes. We must completely believe that what it says is what it means – in fact as a principle of interpretation it entails very little requirement for any interpretation at all. That I suppose is a matter to settle in itself – how are we, supposed ‘mere mortals’, to interpret a divinely-authored book?

At this point, a disclaimer and a brief Scriptural statement. First, I believe wholeheartedly, 100%, that the Bible IS a divinely-authored book. From the first page of Genesis to the last page of Revelation God spoke and is still speaking through those words now so wonderfully preserved for us now in almost every language on the planet. The Bible itself instructs that it is a book to be effectively DEVOURED by the reader in order that life may be given and salvation manifest (Psalm 119 is one beautiful example of a psalmist’s adulation of the Word of God). Further clarification of my stance can be made if necessary (and points of it will obviously in this article).

And by way of Scriptural statement. First of all Jesus, we believe, came as the Word of God made flesh (John 1), and so if there is anything that we want to understand about God in the Bible we have to look at Jesus, as He perfectly demonstrates the Father and what He is like. That is our view as Christians. Secondly, Peter makes a very clear case for interpretation of Scripture, when he explains how we are to pay attention to the Word in 2 Peter 1:19-21. In it he says that “no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” In other words the same principle that was involved in the authoring of Scripture – namely that the Holy Spirit was involved – should be the rule for our interpretation of Scripture. That’s why it’s a great idea to pray before you read the Bible, asking the Holy Spirit to come and make it alive to you, to breathe on the words, and to, as it were, interpret them to you.

And so, we have laid the ground for what may now seem like a slightly hardened polemical against this certain hermeneutic principle (and it could seem, against those who adhere to it).

On the basis of the statement above, namely that we are to take the Bible on its word, that it means what it says, that what the Bible says goes – I would be likely to come to certain doctrinal conclusions which the reader may be familiar with: 24-hour 6 day creationism, a literal 7-year tribulation, and the everlasting, conscious torment of those lost to hell. All of these doctrines have, it can be without doubt, been approached using the hermeneutic method of taking statements found in the Bible ‘literally’ – at face value.

A couple of the reasons I think that people like to adhere to this kind of reading of Scripture are:
a) it is simple, ie. there are no complications that would arise out of a reading of a verse. Regardless of the natural offense that my inner witness would have about the injustice of eternal, torturous suffering as the cost of seventy years of sin, I must believe that sinners suffer eternally in hell because of the verses which speak of eternal fire, smoke, darkness, punishment and judgment.
b) This view is not subject to the potential problem of human error in interpretation. This appears helpful on the surface because if you simply ought to believe what the Bible says then you are not in danger of putting your own swing on it and bending the meaning of Scripture to your own will and desires. However it can be subtly destructive and become an unnecessary offense among brethren as one who might question the meaning of ‘eternal judgment’ (perhaps – consider – as opposed to eternal judgING?) would be haughtily reproved and challenged that they should have any desire to find a different (or actual) meaning to Jesus’ words, as there is surely no other principle than that we take it as it is. Now, there will always be whacks who want to bend Scripture to their own will and desires, but this principle throws out the baby with the bath water. Jesus interpreted Scripture (Luke 24:27,45). Peter recommended that we do the same, by the Holy Spirit. Many others are recorded as having ‘explained Scripture’ (eg. Neh 8:7-8; Acts 8: 30-35), and so hopefully by the end of this article, we shall have (if we do not already) the same desire to ‘accurately handle the word of truth’ (2 Tim 2:15).

Now my examples (6-day creationism, elements of eschatology, eternal conscious torment) have obviously shown (what I feel are) the extremes that are reached by using this principle in interpretation. If we step back for a general survey of Scripture I’m sure there would be occasions when it would be logical to simply take what it says as its means and unnecessary or even unwholesome to obscure the text with a different meaning. I believe that Jesus really did die on a cross, as the four Gospels witness, as well as many of the epistles. There is no need for me to (initially) believe that the accounts of Him dying are in any way existential, fictional, poetical or otherwise that would extract them from an account of a literal event which, as it happens, changed world history. I then may come to meditate on WHY He died on the cross, who it was who died and how it related to His claims to be God, what He Himself said about His death, what it meant in light of Jewish history with its sacrificial system etc. That will lead me into meaning, but the immediate narrative makes perfect sense: He died on the cross.

Or some of the promises that we know and love. Take them as they are. If God is for us, who can be against us? Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Straightforward statements such as these from the end of Romans 8 encourage Christians the world over daily. They are easy to understand and mean what they say, clearly.

But in many cases we should and sometimes are required to interpret what is said. Take Jesus Himself. His parables were not understood without explanation and/or revelation, and yet it says that when He spoke in parables He was speaking the WORD [Gr. logos, often used to describe Scriptures] to them (Mark 4:33-34).

We even find occasions in the Gospels where it records that His disciples tried to take Him literally about something and He was trying to speak figuratively. On one such occasion He began speaking about what He called the ‘leaven’ of the Pharisees and Herod, and they began to talk about the fact that they hadn’t brought any bread with them! He sighed and tried to explain that He wasn’t referring to real bread. Therefore ‘leaven’ in this context was MEANT to mean something else.

Similarly in John chapter 11 He speaks of His friend Lazarus sleeping, and it becomes evident that He is trying to infer something by His use of the word ‘sleep’, but when His disciples don’t get it, He has to tell them plainly: “Lazarus is dead.” He didn’t particularly like being taken literally.

You see, we have a problem (forgiveable, but still a problem) when New World American civilisation which has tended to come to view the world rather black-and-white, takes with it across the seas a book written almost exclusively by Jews thousands of years before, a people who were very much more prone to the poetic, the symbolic, and the imagery. Everything about their books cries out that there is meaning and depth to what is described on the surface, and this comes to be no more fully true than when a Man, Jesus Christ, arrives on the scene and unveils a whole new layer, by saying that all the Scriptures testify of Him (John 5:39).

The question we are left with then is, well how do we know what to interpret, and what not to? Surely if we are requiring interpretation of the Scriptures, we are making the job harder for people. I have heard people say, you should just be able to take the Bible as it is, and if some teacher or other comes along saying they want to explain it, that you should be wary of it because they’re trying to have their own way. All the Bible, apparently, should be instantly understandable.

I don’t know why, but this just doesn’t hold up. As we have seen, Jesus Himself, as well as others, explained Scripture. I can understand the worry, but let us not allow fear of the false to keep us from the true. Let us not throw out the baby with the bath water. After all it is true, much of what Jesus said can be understood even by children, which is why He and His message are so wonderful. You get the impression from what He said that it was the children who understood before many of the religious leaders of the day, and that it is those who are like children in this sense, who would be inheritors of the kingdom. But if He indeed spoke in parables and then had to explain them, or if He indeed did not particularly enjoy being taken literally, or if we simply acknowledge how openly pictorial and symbolic so much of Scripture is – I would say we have some work to do. And we do that work, as I have explained above, by the Holy Spirit, the One who inspired the words in the first place.

How does this affect some of our doctrines? One little bone to pick as an example of our less-literalistic reading, on the issue of eternal conscious torment. This is the doctrine of hell which says that those consigned there suffer forever, eternally, without end, and their excruciating torment is experienced consciously, and without relief.

One of the Scriptures commonly referred to, to justify this belief, is found in Mark 9:43-48, where three times it describes, not hell, but literally ‘Gehenna’, as being the place where the sinful are consigned, and where according to the description, “their worm does not die and their fire is not quenched.” I have been told that it would be foolish to take any other reading of this verse than to mean that they suffer eternally. The idea is that those who are in hell are perpetually being eaten by worms and being burned by fire, and I have read in a book that when some flesh is consumed by said worm or fire, it grows back again ready to be consumed once more.

Points I would have to make are:

a) already proponents would have had to have done some interpreting beyond taking it literally as it says it, because ‘Gehenna’ to the Jewish listener would have meant, ‘rubbish tip outside Jerusalem,’ where a constant fire was maintained to incinerate the trash. So if we are to believe this is an inference of hell, we are already interpreting. First clue that Jesus is speaking symbolically.
b) Second clue. Jesus is using definite hyperbole. If you read the passage, He instructs disciples to cut off their hand if it causes them to sin, yet not once do you ever read about any of His followers taking such a drastic action – or with their foot or eye, for that matter. Why, in an immediate context of hyperbole, would He suddenly interpolate a description of hell He intended to be taken literally? It would confuse the listener and reader.
c) Jesus is clearly and directly quoting from the last verse of Isaiah (66:24). There too, the words are intended to describe the absolute and inescapable finality of the transgressors, whose CORPSES (NB dead bodies, not alive ones) will inevitably be consumed by the worm and the fire.

There are further objections to be raised against the doctrine as a whole, on the level of Scripture, philosophy, morality and justice, etc. I hope an article dealing with this particular issue will be online soon!

But as for the matter of literal interpretation of Scripture I hope my points have been clear. I believe it is too simplistic in its approach to the Bible and has led to some obscure and damaging doctrines which unfortunately have been too widely assumed. It is time for us to redress the balance, to be diligent to present ourselves to God as workmen who do not need to be ashamed, because we’re accurately handling the word of truth (2 Tim 2:15).

Angels sing in the Bible

Just a short one. The traditional Christmas-card image of angels holding hymn-books and all singing something which requires their mouths to be thoroughly round (must be O come all ye faithful) – have you noticed that no one sings like that? – doesn’t usually shake anyone’s Biblical grasp too much. Indeed the great penultimate verse of the aforementioned carol rings out “Sing, choirs of angels,” confirming the traditional view that on the whole if a bunch of angels are around, they’re expected to sing.

But, did you know, it is very hard to find any place in the Scripture, anywhere, where angels are actually reported to SING? You go to the places you expect it to say that they ’sang’ and in fact it just says ’said’. Isaiah 6: And one said to the other, “Holy holy holy” etc. Even in Luke and the famous Christmas passage, the gathering of angels is reported to have SAID its message, not sung.

Well, when I heard this I was indignant! What, no angels singing in the Bible?

And then, I read Revelation 5:8-10. This is where the four living creatures and the 24 elders sing a new song which says “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals, for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and that will reign upon the earth.” Wonderful song.

But the fact that you have to observe is that some of the singers were the four living creatures. Now you might argue, that these are not necessarily ‘angels’ per se. But if you combine the understanding of chapters 4 and 5 with similar Old Testament revelations, we would find from both Isaiah 6 and Ezekiel 1, that these must be almost without a shadow of a doubt the ‘cherubim’ of those passages, who are unarguably angelic beings. They sing the same songs. They have the same faces. Could it be, from Scripture, that angels do – in fact – sing?

What I’m after is the experience to match up with the Biblical understanding. I have heard stories of times of corporate worship so heavenly that many people have heard angels to join in, even within our context in Ichthus in London, on occasion. Oh that we would partake of a heavenly rejoicing, and hear the angels join in as we do so!

Jesus’ recipe for Poisson sur le Pain

There were several chefs in the Bible: the Levites who got roast dinner every day; Habakkuk (it’s in the name); Ezekiel who favoured the cooking-over-human-excreme

nt method (controversial) and who also created a breakfast cereal still popular in the States today (http://www.answerfitness.com/129/ezekiel-49-sprouted-whole-grain-cereal-healthy-food-of-the-day/); and Enosh, known for his internet food distribution.

And incidentally, Haggai took his name from the plural of Haggis.

But the ‘chef poissonier’ in the kitchen of the Bible is of course Jesus Himself, who on a number of occasions is shown to have given His followers a good seafood dinner. The following is a transcript of one of Jesus’ own famous recipes, taken from the recipe book of an early church father who followed in Jesus’ fish-cooking footsteps, coming to specialise in multi-fish dishes: Polycarp.

‘Poisson sur le Pain’

Preparation time: as long as it takes your disciples to click and get their act together.
Ingredients: Five loaves of bread, two fish.
Serves: four to five. Thousand.

Take the bread and the fish and lift them up to heaven. Make sure to lift them nice and high – you don’t want your guests to miss this one! Give thanks for the food, for one to two minutes. Make sure to stir in a healthy dose of “Father” – and if you’re pentecostal, then a dash of “glory” and “hallelujah” could add an interesting twist to the mix.

Then, simply begin distributing bread and fish fairly evenly among the disciples for them to give out. This part requires special patience as disciples can tend to be quite thick and tough to move but, given some time, the process should become smoother and easier. Keep doing this until there is an even spread of food.

Once the bread and fish have been consumed, you can use the disciples to pick up the leftovers that might be lying around – these make great basket-fillers! This way, you can have some for people to take home.

Best served in groups of 50s and 100s, after three days of no food, miles away from any shops.

New songs

Just a note to see if anyone might be interested in my new songs which i’ve put up onto myspace at www.myspace.com/bentriggmusic – two of them, entitled Son of Man and Dreamer. Both quite different but hey see what you think. I am just in the middle of editing Son of Man though to make the first verses more congregational! Means a bit of restructuring too though but hey – these are just demos!

There’s some old ones there too from Summer 2007. Enjoy.

Some thoughts. Daily advance. Truth and Grace. People.

I have a lot buzzing round my head. So I thought I’d stop by to get some of it out. Just to give some context:  Just been doing two weeks of intense mission in which God has done more than I possibly imagined might happen, and generally been wonderful. He is really really good!

Thoughts number one and two go together. I was listening to Bill Johnson on a very long drive yesterday, and he said he believed there would be a generation coming who know what it is to see daily advancement of the kingdom. I thought about it, and kinda agreed and said amen.

But later, I suddenly thought of the words of Jesus found in Luke 9:23 – he who wishes to follow Me (says Jesus) must deny himself and take up his cross DAILY and follow Me. Suddenly I realised, Bill was right. Who would die for something not worth dying for?? The cross is the greatest price ever paid and yet what it paid for far outweighed it again in terms of worth. In the Christian life, when we take up a cross, it is not to simply be sacrificialists – that is more Old Testament thinking. We take it up because we see a great goal ahead worth paying that price for. (For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in/to us, Romans 8. Jesus for the joy set before Him went through the cross Hebrews 12:2. etc.)

I believe Luke 9:23 is loaded with potential and God is looking for the generation that is made HUNGRY by the potential of this verse, wherein we might indeed see DAILY kingdom advance. How surely in this life is death followed by a resurrection? (Phil 3:10 the two go together.)

The next point is linked to this. It’s common to read this verse or hear it preached, and to feel crushed and depressed because, how on earth do I die daily? (Didn’t Paul also use that phrase – I die daily? Galatians?) What a challenge! Yet first of all, we ought to be encouraged by resurrection, but secondly, it is worth reminding ourselves that according to John 1:14-17, Jesus brought GRACE AND TRUTH. The Law was given through Moses. They found that impossible. When Jesus came, He did not just release truth to finish us off with impossible holiness, nor did He just release grace without us knowing what we needed it for. He released both. Jesus never speaks a truth without releasing the grace needed to accomplish/fulfill it. Titus 2:11 says the grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness! Isn’t that amazing. Translating ‘charis’ as ‘grace’ (normal) in Hebrews 12:28, would tell us to have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably. If you read something that Jesus says (such as Luke 9:23) and you wonder how on earth you can live like that, get into receiving posture and let His grace come.

Final thought, kinda different from the rest. Just a point which came from discussion with a friend. When Christians think about their future they often think geographically – where does God want me? I’m not saying that’s wrong, quite clearly God’s heart is for nations, and that is how we do mission. But perhaps we just need to shift our thinking a little bit and think: with whom does God want me? Who are the people who I know have something I want spiritually? Who are those with whom I have a great spiritual bond where there is something more to develop? I just know that personally and for a few others that I’ve known of, thinking relationally rather than geographically has helped a great deal to fuel people further into their calling and destiny. That’s just a thought, maybe I’ll expand on it sometime.

I’m personally excited that from September, I will be working part-time with Ichthus doing various things including involvement with the worship life of Ichthus. I have many great ideas!! But the best thing will be working with Chris Orange who carries so much of what I want to press into. And being around people this year who have pioneered some incredible things in the faith, like Roger and Faith Forster, and others, has been an incredible experience, the investment I have received has been wonderful, I feel spiritually fat with all the amazing stuff I’ve been learning! So, it’s all about people!

Jean Darnell – Final Visit to London

Jean Darnell service at Kensington Temple

Today I had the privilege of being able to attend a special leaders’ meeting at Kensington Temple in London where prophetess Jean Darnell was sharing, on what is likely to be her last visit to London.

I have of course heard of the prophetic word she released over the UK back in 1967 (see www.byfaith.co.uk/paulrevival4.htm for example). Now leaders and Christians were gathering again to be refreshed and to hear her share her heart for this nation, about which the Lord has spoken much to her.

My account of this afternoon’s message is this: she reiterated in some detail the word of 1967, making sure to be clear on all points, and spoke of some of the significant fulfillments seen since that time, and of other surrounding convictions of believers at the time. Of particular note was her recounting the story of how the Festival of Light came together in London, and of how around 100,000 people gathered (as a conservative estimate) at Hyde Park, Speaker’s Corner, to pray for the nation. “God is going to answer that prayer,” she said, to which we all said “Amen!”

She went on to speak of what else the Lord is emphasising concerning the ‘national spiritual awakening’ that was a part of the original prophetic word, and came to focus in on the younger generation (within whose bracket I definitely fell!), concluding the message by asking those of us aged 35 and under to stand, and praying for a mighty anointing upon us!

Her message brought out much about the harvest, of memorable note being her comments about a ‘joyful harvest’ and the ‘song of the harvesters’. In fact of this last matter she told of how at the New Wine leaders’ conference in Harrogate where she had recently ministered, upon sharing about the harvest, a song of the Spirit broke out around the congregation of over 1000 pastors who were gathered. “It was the song of the harvesters,” she said. “You could really hear it in the Spirit.”

She also spoke with great passion about evangelism, emphasising how the Lord was going to release power evangelism, bringing church to the streets. Out of the book of Acts, she commented how “the enemy is always shocked when the church comes out of its four walls into the streets.” She encouraged us from Acts 5:29 that “we must obey God rather than men.”

Most significantly and impactingly for me, she shared that the church will come under great persecution this century. Of course, it is inevitable, but in our society I’m sure that much of the church presently has no idea of the realm of persecution…but praise the Lord, we will do soon! If the word she has been prophesying is indeed fulfilled, that the church will be causing a national spiritual awakening through powerful street outreach, while the enemy attempts to increase his presence through Islam and waning moral standards, and collapsing government and structures, then I’m not surprised!

What was so refreshing was that this word was released, I believe, with grace to go through it, there was such a supernatural enabling in that moment as she shared about persecution, because I and I’m sure many of those present could see that it was a price worth paying! Surely “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us”!

She also spoke concerning the anointing, out of 1 John 2:20,27, that “you have an anointing and you know all things” was a word to a corporate body, not to an individual, and that “you know all things” was to signify that together as a body when we function under the anointing, you get a complete picture of what the Lord is intending. It cripples the anointing’s power when you seek to work on your own, it is when we are together that the Lord’s intention is achieved!

She also spoke briefly about the secrets of the kingdom, and how they are revealed! They are ‘open secrets’. She read to us from Luke 10:23 and we all rejoiced with her as she explained how the Lord himself rejoiced about all the Father was doing (apparently the Greek of verse 21 makes out that He did a little dance to rejoice!), saying “Thank You Father that you’ve hidden these things from the clevers, the know-it-alls, and have revealed it to these little babies here!”

Overall I came away with the Spirit upon me, sensing very much the release of a word concerning joy, concerning the imminent harvest and the national spiritual awakening, and the Lord’s call especially to young leaders (but with honour for every generation in place) to be unified, and increase in fervour again in the way that has preempted all revivals.

Scripture references for all that she spoke of were

Acts 5:29; Matt 13:11; Luke 10:23; 1 Cor 2:9,10; 1 John 2:20,27.