-------------------------<BrethrenVoice>------------------------- [which seeks to be guided solely by the NT Biblical pattern, facilitates free flow of Christian info. To God be the glory!] [eMail Moderator: brethrenvoice-owner@...] [The Moderator would welcome your comments/feedback] [<GLEANINGS-FOR-THE-DAY> Archives/Read online: http://associate.com/digests/brethrenvoice/ezmlm.cgi] <GLEANINGS-FOR-THE-DAY> <21 September 2002> Contents: ----------- (1) <Devotional> "A noble lie" - Ravi Zacharias (2) <Devotional> "Joseph, beloved of father" Charles E. Wigg (3) <Prophetical> "The Redeemer's Return" (Pt-33)- A.W.Pink (1) <DEVOTIONAL> <SLICE-OF-INFINITY> A NOBLE LIE Ravi Zacharias Philosophy professor Dallas Willard amusingly asks, "What would you think if you asked your ten-year-old, 'Susie, now tell me the truth, did you eat the cookies on the counter?' and she placidly replied, 'Mother, what is truth?'" Fortunately, our children are generally not so sophisticated. But this simple situation does illustrate something immense: for life to work we must know the truth. And as we look at how to find meaning in our lives, it does not take long to realize that our pursuit for fulfillment must be within the bounds of what is true. In our early years, wonder can be attained in the world of fantasy. But as the years pass, wonder is eroded in the recognition that life may not be lived in a fairy tale world. When truth has been lost, the results are devastating and we can see this in the lives of many young people tormented with emptiness. In recent years suicide has been the third leading cause of death among those ages 15 to 24. But this is not just the plight of those "coming of age." Of adults between 25 to 44, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death. (Footnote 1: Statistics for the U.S., reported by the CDC (www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/suicide.htm).) Does this not underscore our hunger for deep, internal meaning? In a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, philosopher Loyal Rue said that science has made it impossible to believe any longer in the myths of the Bible. And with the loss of these teachings, he acknowledged that we have lost the very underpinnings of moral theory and cultural coherence, for science itself cannot provide us with such answers. We are left, therefore, with the unprecedented situation of needing to concoct what he calls a "noble lie." This is how he words it: The illusion must be so imaginative and so compelling that it can't be resisted. What I mean by the noble lie is one that deceives us, tricks us, compels us beyond self interest, beyond ego...[and] will deceive us into the view that our moral discourse must serve the interests not only of ourselves and each other, but those of the earth as well. (Footnote 2: George Cornell, "Religion and Ethics," The Houston Post, 7 July, 1991.) Is this not more absurd than Susie asking, "Mother, what is truth?" Surely, if we are going to have answers to such pressing questions of meaning they must at least be true. Indeed, how can the relationship between truth and life be broken and we remain intact? Friend, ask yourself: Is my life based on truth, or perhaps on a noble lie? --- Copyright (p)(c) 2001 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. A Slice of Infinity is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. _______________________________________________________ (2) <DEVOTIONAL> JOSEPH, BELOVED OF THE FATHER Charles E. Wigg Genesis chapter 37;2 begins with the words, "These are the generations of Jacob, "Joseph". Thereafter. (Except for the sad record of Judah's moral decadence in chapter 38), the book of Genesis fixes our attention mostly upon the lovely character of Joseph. Some Bible teachers who will not accept that Joseph is a type of Christ, because he is not described thus in the New Testament. However the diligent student of scripture will not fail to discover in Joseph, many attractive features, that later shone out in the character of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is our desire in this series of articles to draw attention to some of these things. Our desire is to occupy the minds and hearts of genuine believers with the Person of Christ, His unique glory, His wondrous work, and His future greatness. Such an occupation will without doubt move our hearts to worship our blessed Lord Jesus, and to a greater devotion to Him while we wait for Him to come. Chief to his father's heart - Though Jacob had eleven other sons, yet Joseph occupied the chief place in his heart. He loved him more than all his sons, and determined to make him his principal heir. Our Heavenly Father also has many sons, (Heb. 2;10). Yet the Lord Jesus occupies the chief place in His Heavenly Father's heart. The Apostle John brings this out repeatedly in his Gospel. John noticed the unique place that the Lord Jesus had in His Father's heart. He states this in verse 14, of the first chapter of his Gospel. (And we beheld His glory, the glory as of an only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth. How the Lord Jesus appreciated the unique place that He held in His Father's affections! Again and again, we hear Him say, "The Father loveth the Son", or, the "Father loves me". See the following references; John 3;35, 5;20, 10;17, and 17;23-26. The Heir - Israel made Joseph a coat of many colours. This can also read, "a coat with sleeves". Such a coat was only warn by the heir to his father's wealth and property. The Lord Jesus has been made "The heir of all things", by His Father. (Heb. 1;2). He is the "Only begotten" Son of the Father. The uniqueness of His place as the only Begotten is weakened in many modern translations. We are all Sons of God, but we are sons by adoption, Gal. 4;4-7, and Eph. 1;4-6. We have received that honour, dignity, status, as a gift, but it was His right; by birth. --- [Reproduced with permission] _______________________________________________________ (3) <PROPHETICAL> "THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" (PART-33) THE TIME OF THE REDEEMER'S RETURN Arthur W. Pink .... "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (Matt. 24:29, 30). Having shown the Necessity of Christ's Return, having dwelt upon the Hope of His appearing, having pondered some of the bearings and types of the Fact of His Second Advent, we are now ready to discuss the Time of His Return and to consider the question--When is our Lord coming back again? By the "Time" of the Redeemer's Return we do not mean the date, but the position which this great event occupies in God's dispensational programme. Concerning this phase of our subject there is wide difference of opinion. Two positions have been taken and the advocates of each appeal to the Scriptures in support of their conflicting views. These two positions are known as Pre-millennialism and Post-millennialism. The word "millennium" means a thousand years, and "pre" means before and "post" means after. One school of theologians believe and teach that the Lord Jesus will return before the Millennium, another school insist that He will not come back again until the close of the Millennium, in fact not until the end of the world, the end of time itself. As the point at issue between these schools is of great importance and as this book may fall into the hands of a number of people who are bewildered by this contradictory testimony and who are anxious to know what the Scriptures really say upon the matter, we have decided to devote a separate chapter to an examination of the question--Will Christ return before or after the Millennium? When is our Lord coming back again? In seeking a satisfactory and authoritative answer to this question our first need is a candid mind, and unprejudiced heart, a teachable spirit. It is impossible for us to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord while we cling to our own pre-conceptions. The initial requirement in every student of Holy Scripture is that he shall bow to the authority of the Word and submissively receive at its face value all that God has revealed. We need to approach the Sacred Volume in the attitude of learners, willing to have our own ideas of Truth corrected, and prepared to have our beliefs formed and moulded by the teaching of Holy Writ. Such as assertion may perhaps appear a platitude, yet we are fully assured that it is a timely reminder. One of the main hindrances which prevents many of God's children apprehending Divine Truth is that they read the Bible through the eyes of others; they read it with opinions already firmly formed, they read it with prejudicial interest. This is largely true with reference to the subject of our present inquiry. People have been taught by some "Doctor of Divinity," or Seminary professor that the world is growing better, that the Gospel will eventually win all men to Christ, and that the Millennium is to be ushered in by the efforts of the church. It is difficult for those who have been taught thus to set aside the effects of such teaching and come to the study of the Bible to find out exactly what it says concerning these things. Yet we must do so if we would learn God's mind on the matter. It is "What saith the Scriptures?" not What does our church teach? not What does our Creed or Catechism say? not What did my godly parents tell me? but--What saith the Scriptures? We repeat, in seeking an answer to the question--When will our Lord return? Before or after the Millennium? we need to approach the Bible with an open mind, willing to be instructed by the One who inspired it, and coming to it in the spirit of the child Samuel saying, "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth." What is the Time of our Lord's Return? As stated above, two general answers are returned to this question. One class of theologians argue that our Lord will not come back again until after the Millennium; another class declare that He will return before the Millennium. In order to be fair to each of these schools we will first give a brief description of their respective positions. [To be concluded] _____________________<BrethrenVoice>_____________________ Subscribe, eMail:<brethrenvoice-subscribe@...> Unsubscribe, eMail:<brethrenvoice-unsubscribe@...> FAQs/Faith Statement, eMail: <brethrenvoice-faq@...> <BrethrenVoice> Home: http://associate.com/digests/brethrenvoice/ <eFellowship> Home: http://groups.msn.com/BrethrenChristiansForum/ "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith." 2 Cor 13:5 "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Jn 8:32 _______________________________________________________