Latter Rain...
Issue No. 17 - 'The Key to Knowledge'
Who Lost What
In Luke’s Gospel chapter 15 Jesus gave three parables. Each one dealt with a loss. How did each know that there was a loss? By taking a census; the shepherd of his sheep, the woman of her coin collection and the prodigal son taking stock of his circumstances and his loss from having moved from his father’s house. Each example is a type of census and each one has a different application. There are many reasons for taking a census. It may be to find what has been lost, or what has been gained, or to have a basis to build on for a future, or to find what direction we need to follow in the future or just for interest’s sake. This also applies in our relationship with God.
Another way we might look at numbers is, does the fact that in this instance Jesus used three parables to make a point mean that it is of greater importance than one in which He only used one parable? Or is it because spiritual and heavenly things are impossible to express in earthly terms and the meaning must be gleaned from a fusion of the ideas into one? In these parables each contains a separate message although all contain one major message.
First it appears that Jesus was pointing out to the Scribes and Pharisees where they fell down in their actions and was attempting to guide them as to how they should be working; second, a lesson for all that we might become better followers of His examples by diligently seeking His truths; third, that God’s love and forgiveness is extended to all who sincerely seek for it. We should realise that we must continue to seek for that gift which when found will cause us to rejoice greatly.
Expanding on the first. Throughout Jesus’ ministry He was at odds with the Scribes and Pharisees. In these parables Jesus was attempting to make them aware of their failings but unfortunately it fell on deaf ears. Instead of working to bring lost people to the grace of God, these groups condemned Jesus even for associating with publicans and sinners and in their hypocritical way believed themselves to be closer to God than others. Jesus said of His mission “I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” Matthew 9:13. This attitude of the Pharisees is reflected in the words Jesus spoke prior to His giving us the sample ‘Lord’s Prayer’ in St. Matthew’s gospel chapter 6. In this illustration Jesus shows that the sinner with little knowledge and sincere faith who humbles himself before God is more acceptable than the Pharisee whose faith is in his works and learning. The Pharisee, in a spirit of boastfulness and pride, proclaims to the world how good he is, condemning the sinner who is humbling himself before God. Even their actions belied their belief. Of this Jesus said that they paid tithe of mint and anise and cummin and the smallest herb but neglect the more important matters of law, judgment, faith and mercy. What they did should not be neglected but the more important matters should be given more weight and not neglected at all (Matthew 23:23). Their works, as ours today, should be in our faith and not our faith in our works. It was James who said in his epistle (James 2:17-18), “Even so faith, if it hath not works is dead......show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works”. This shows that faith comes before works. James went on later in his epistle to say that if we offend in one point we are guilty of all (James 2:10).
In the second instance the widow is seeking the piece which she has lost. This is the natural thing to do in our physical life. If we lose something we look for it. In the creation Adam lost his place in Paradise, that is, dwelling in the Spirit of God, by sin. Today we should be seeking that which Adam lost - to dwell again in the Spirit of God. God appointed Adam and his descendants to be over His creation whilst living in Paradise. Adam and we who are his descendants lost that privilege by sin. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). God has however prepared a way for us to return. We must first accept the sacrifice of Jesus as means of having sin forgiven. This will assure us a place in the resurrection. Then we must seek for that Spirit which was lost to Adam. We have lost understanding and communion with God and must search diligently in our efforts to find it. Our actions will prove our faith. This seeking process is described by Paul in Romans chapter 5, where, when having been justified by faith we must seek through grace, tribulation, patience and hope for the gift of the Holy Ghost. This is the piece which was lost. Soul salvation is assured at the first resurrection by the sacrifice of Jesus but to dwell in the Spirit, the piece which Adam lost, will redeem man back from the wages of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23).
The prodigal son in the third parable, who left the protection of his father’s house (God’s Spirit) was enticed into sin with its reward of evil circumstances. From there the son took a reckoning or census of his station as compared to those of his father’s servants who had remained in the protection of his father and realised he must in humility seek again for that protection. There are a number of other lessons also that can be gained from this parable.
We can see that there is something lost which can be found with diligent search. Life in the resurrection is the gift of God through the sacrifice of Jesus given by grace and not earned. For this only the works of faith as set out in Hebrews 6:1-3 are needed. The piece that was lost is the Spirit which can lead us to become as brothers and sisters in Jesus. Jesus showed the way by living and fulfilling the Law (the teachings of Moses) and giving us the Gospel. If we are to be true followers of Him we must take a census of ourselves and seek to live in the Spirits of Christ and the Holy Ghost. This will be the preparation to receiving the piece which was lost and over which there will be great rejoicing.
Architectural Aspirations
The following article is based upon a Sermon preached by John Wroe, at Sydney, New South Wales on the 28th January, 1844. The venue for the sermon was the Old Racecourse that is no longer in existence but which is now Hyde Park in Sydney.
“Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is” 1 Corinthians 3:12,13.
There are three main doctrinal points to be gained from this text. Firstly, the reader must return to the creation to find out the meaning of these different builders, who they are, the different materials with which they build, and the different mansions to which they belong. “Declaring the end from the beginning” Isaiah 46:10. In Genesis 1:16 it is declared that on the fourth day of the creation “God made two great lights, and set them in the firmament: the lesser to rule the night, and the greater to rule the day” and Genesis 37:9,10 tells us that “Joseph said, I have dreamed a dream more; the sun and the moon, and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And his father said, Shall I and thy mother, and thy brethren bow down to thee?” He being the figure of Jesus, that all men were to bow down to.
Now whether had the woman or the man the greater light? When Satan came to tempt them, the woman reasoned with Satan, and told him of the tree which was in the midst of the garden of which they were commanded not to eat; but the immortal bride being with drawn from the earth (ie. the body of the woman) till the sixth day (see 2 Esdras 7:26), Satan’s power was stronger than the mortal bride (ie. the woman), and he overcame her. Thus, the lesser light rules as the greater light was withdrawn from the earth. “For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope” Romans 8:20.
Now Adam did not reason with the woman, as she reasoned with Satan, but blamed his Creator for giving him the woman, which proves his light to be less than the woman’s, yet God said unto him, her desire should be to him, and he should rule over her, so that the fruit of the tree which they should have eaten of, was hid till the sixth day. Jesus compares this to a woman hiding leaven in three measures of meal, till Christ should send the bride, the other Comforter, with the light of the day. “If I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you” John 16:7. “The time shall come that these tokens which I have told thee shall come to pass, and the bride shall appear, and she coming forth shall be seen” 2 Esdras 7:26. “And this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness” Jeremiah 33:16. That then she should rule over the evil of the man, as the evil had ruled over them, Christ her husband, having Satan under his feet. “For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet” 1 Corinthians 15:25. “The holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God, and her light was like unto a stone most precious” Revelation 21:10,11.
“His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world (ie. Christ and the bride). In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race” Psalm 19:6,4,5. And he said “let them be for signs, and for seasons, and days and years”. The signs are three, the seasons are three, the days are three, and the years are three. According to the words of the prophet Hosea 6:2, the days are three; Jesus likewise shews that the creation is three days. Note Luke 13:33, wherein he says “he must walk today, and tomorrow, and the day following” (having 2000 years in each day). “The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened” (being three dispensations) Matthew 13:33. The prophet Isaiah prophesies of the three years in 37:30, “Ye shall eat this year such as groweth of itself; and the second year that which springeth of the same (ie. the evil of the tree): and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof”. So the beginning; for all these three prophets agree in the three dispensations, the beginning from the ending.
The night is set figurative of the builders of the incorruptible. The stars are set figurative of the builders of the mortal, which is the man and the woman, being the bride and bridegroom of the mortal life, which the scriptures (Revelation 20:4) declare shall live and reign with Him a thousand years. Man and woman being placed as living trees, and the trees being pruned on the sixth day, or sixth thousand years, that Jesus who is called the bright and morning star, shewed them the light of the incorruptible, of the mortal bridegroom and bride, and of the immortal bridegroom and bride, which is Christ and Jerusalem Above (being the light of the third dispensation). “That they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified”.
Now to return to the text, the different builders. In the first dispensation, Enos and his brethren built with stubble, for the incorruptible life, in the faith of the promise of the woman’s seed, being under no transgression but the death of the natural body. In the second dispensation the material for the building was changed, Moses and his brethren built with hay, for the incorruptible life, in the faith of the promise of the woman’s seed. The Lord sent Moses with the Law, that without the shedding of blood there should be no remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22) the slain goat being set figurative of the woman’s seed, that the soul that sinned should die the second death, unless he believed and repented.
In the third dispensation the material for the building was again changed, sacrifice being taken away, Jesus the seed of the woman and his brethren built with wood, for the incorruptible life. Satan here stood to withstand him, that there was a breach made in his house by Adam, his brother (these are the two brothers who have no earthly father), and contended for his life. “But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord (Christ) commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made" Matthew 18:25. “And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver” Zechariah 11:12. “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? See thou to that” Matthew 27:3,4.
Now the blood of the woman’s seed, Jesus, was shed for the two debtors which had nothing to pay with (Luke 7:41,42); which was he that repented before he died, which owed fifty pence to his lord (but still was a debtor to the death of the body, that which was pronounced upon Adam not being removed, the word of God being unchangeable). “To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” Romans 4:5, he that believeth on the Son of God though his body die the first death, his soul should be saved from the second death. “Dividing asunder of soul and spirit” Hebrews 4:12. “The spirit shall return to God that gave it” Ecclesiastes 12:7. “In the grave the chambers of souls are like the womb of a woman” 2 Esdras 4:41. And he which died unrepented, who owed five hundred pence, being under both deaths, the death of the body and the death of the soul (Revelation 11:11,12).
Now when the Law and Gospel, which are the two witnesses, had laid three days and a half in the streets (being two thousand years in each day, and one thousand for the half day), a voice came from heaven saying, “Come up hither”. “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” Revelation 20:15 (which is the devil that deceived them), which is the ending for the incorruptible, being the ending of the third dispensation for them that are dead, and are to die. Now as Jesus laid down his life for all men, all men have a part in his life according to their different mansions (Hebrews 2:14). For he is the Saviour of all men, but especially them that believe (He is the Saviour of them that believe at the first resurrection, and the Saviour of them that believe not, at the final resurrection - 1 Timothy 4:10; 1 Corinthians 5:5). He laid down his life to destroy the devil. “All things are delivered to me of my Father” Matthew 11:27. “Those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition(the devil)” John 17:12. So if the blood of Jesus had not been shed, that a payment might be made, all Adam’s race had been cast into the lake of fire. Now when death came to man, the fire came to prove his works of what sort they were of.
Secondly the different foundations. In the first dispensation Enoch built with silver and gold, for the mortal life; he sinned not after the similitude of Adam his father, he being under no transgression, but the death of the body. “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come” Romans 5:14. The Lord Jehovah by him overcame this, he kept him from eating of the tree in its forbidden state (Genesis 5:22), he walked with God and God took him. When death came to try his works, his works stood the fire, the silver and gold, which he built with, brought him into the image of a perfect man, immortal. This is he which built with silver and gold for the first dispensation, or season, or day, or year.
In the second dispensation, season, day or year, the material of the building was changed. Elijah built with gold and silver, for the mortal life, in keeping the command which was given to Adam, and the law which was given to Moses, and the Lord by him overcame both deaths (being the death of the body and the death of the soul). When death came, which is the fire to prove his works, his gold and silver which he had built with brought him into the image of a perfect man. Chariots of fire, and horsemen of fire were seen, which he entered into, and God took him by a whirlwind. Here is the work of Elijah, being made the work of a perfect man, immortal, for the second dispensation, season, day or year.
The third season, day or year, the material was again changed by the Gospel; Jesus built with precious stones, for the mortal life. Now this Jesus, the woman’s seed, His body was not conceived of the mortal life of the tares (the evil of the tree), and he built with precious stones by keeping both law and gospel, showing faith and works in perfection that both the dead and the living might see that God had created man to be incorruptible, mortal and immortal (ie. celestial and terrestrial), an image of his own eternity. “Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance” Deuteronomy 19:14. Which is a figure of the land of Israel, men’s bodies. “And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men” Ezekiel 34:31. The law of God is the mark which divides every man’s inheritance; and the mark for the incorruptible body to put on incorruption, and the mortal to be made perfect man, and for the mortal to be made man and God, immortal, in the image of God’s own eternity (Wisdom of Solomon 2:23).
Though Satan strove against man that it should not be so, in tempting Jesus, the woman’s seed, as the woman was tempted in the Creation, by having life tempted in the Creation, by having life and good and death and evil with her, but Jesus chose life and good that He and His seed might live. “He shall see his seed” Isaiah 53:10. “He must increase, but I must decrease” John 3:30. And he said in John 14:12, “He that believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” In Luke 13:6,7, Jesus spake this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, behold, these three years (which are the three dispensations) I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none; cut it down; why cumbreth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also (which is a figure of the seventh thousand years) till I dig about it, and dung it: and if it bear fruit, well; and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down (which are those which have remained in their mortal lives a thousand years without the death of their natural bodies, their adversary being bound from them - it being the seventh thousand years)”.
“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 shall be fulfilled”. This is the thousand years of the Millennium for those that remain in their mortal life (Isaiah 11:9) that “They shall not destroy in all my holy mountain, but that the earth (the body of man) should be full of the knowledge of the Lord”.
Thirdly the builder for the immortal life. In the third dispensation, Jesus built with precious stones and he said in John 14:2, “In my father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you.”
Now the above are the different mansions, and the best mansion is this: The Immortal Church, which He said He would built on the sixth day. “Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” Matthew 16:18. And these are they who the light of the day is revealed to, they having both faith and works, their reward being not of grace, but of debt owing to them, the Immortality of their natural bodies (Jesus by His blood having paid the debt of his brother, Adam “To loose those that are appointed to death” Psalm 102:20). “For they kept their father’s commandment, and forsook not the law of their mother” Proverbs 6:20.
“He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.....If a man love me he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” John 14:21,23. “Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold(not of the incorruptible)” John 10:16. “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish (their natural bodies)” John 10:28. For Jesus said, “He that knew his lord’s will, and did it not, was beaten with many stripes” Luke 12:47. “For by his stripes are they healed” Isaiah 53:5. And they that knew not his will, were bastards and not sons; whose bodies are given to the furnace of the earth (1 Corinthians 5:5). He that should have his father’s wife (which is the forbidden tree) should be delivered unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the Spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus (to receive a spiritual body at the first or final resurrection, the soul being raised spiritual for the spirit to dwell in “For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread” Proverbs 6:26 - which is the woman’s seed, the body of Jesus, which Adam was not forbid to eat of in the Creation).
They that died, not having repented, chose the darkness of the night, and refused the light of it and have their part in the second death till the final resurrection, which is the debtor that owed five hundred pence. But those that have the light of the night, and keepeth it, their faith is counted unto them for righteousness in the first resurrection, being the debtor which owed fifty pence. But unto them which have the light of the day and keepeth it, it putteth out the light of the night in the. “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life” John 8:12. They having both faith and works, fulfilling James’ words in chapter 2 verse 2, “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” “In whom all the building fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple, in the Lord” Ephesians 2:21. They having the Spirit of Christ and the Bride dwelling with their own spirits within their natural temples, making them man and God, immortal. “That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance (being their natural bodies)” Proverbs 8:21. They being made like the Immortal Bride and Bridegroom - “These are they which were not defiled with women, for they are virgins (not being defiled with the tree in its forbidden state)” Revelation 14:4.
Arthritis
Arthritis, as its name implies, is associated with inflammation and stiffness of the joints. Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis are the two most common types although there are many others.
Osteoarthritis occurs after injury or with age and usual affects one or a few joints at a time. It develops as a result of the continuous wearing away of the cartilage in a joint. Cartilage, as the diagram shows, covers the ends of the bones and allows them to slide more easily over each other as the joint is moved. When sudden or long term injury occurs, or poor nutritional factors, or perhaps an adverse response to chemicals parasites or other invading organisms, the structure of the bones and cartilage may begin to change. Rough spots develop on the bones, the cartilage begins to thin and finally when the cartilage is worn away enough the rough surfaces of the bones rub together causing pain and stiffness. Osteoarthritis usually affects the weight bearing joints, such as hips and knees. The sufferer feels stiffness and pain in the joints especially during damp weather, in the morning, or after strenuous activity.
Rheumatoid arthritis is associated more with an immune system response. It has been suggested that rheumatoid arthritis is caused by the immune system being unable to produce enough antibodies to fight a viral infection in the joint or that the antibodies produced are not specific enough and hurt both normal and infected cells. Researcher Hilda Clarke believes that rheumatoid arthritis is a result of the infection of the joint by parasites and the attempt of the body to get rid of them. Rheumatoid arthritis destroys the cartilage and tissues in and around the joints and often the bone surfaces themselves. The body replaces the damaged tissues with scar tissue causing the spaces between the joints to become narrow and fuse together. This causes the stiffening and crippling onset of the disease. Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include: swelling and pain in the joints, fatigue, anaemia, weight loss, and fever. These symptoms often disappear and recur at a later date.
The following are suggestions for the treatment of arthritis:
- Wear jogging shoes, massage sandals or some other means to provide extra cushioning of knee, hip and joints.
- Avoid night shade foods eg. potato, tomato, egg plant, chilli and capsicum, as these often affect arthritis conditions.
- Food allergy testing, and the elimination of problem foods from the diet may give symptomatic relief.
- Improving digestion by supplementing with digestive enzymes and taking little apple cider vinegar with meals. This also helps overcome food allergies.
- Avoid nutritional patterns that decrease immunity, eg. smoking, processed foods, alcohol, tea and coffee. Also reduce red meat intake.
- Increase consumption of cold water fish or cod-liver oil. For the vegetarian increased linseed oil, evening primrose oil or supplemental GLA/SFA may be used. This charge should decrease the need for pain management drugs.
- Eat more oats and irish moss as these foods contain proteoglycons which increases the health of cartilage.
- Eat foods rich in silicon, eg. whole grain cereals, hart nuts, apple pectin, and alfalfa sprouts. Silicon has a beneficial effect on bone metabolism and tends to act as a strengthening agent.
- The herb Feverfew may be beneficial in managing pain.
- Antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, E; pycnogenol (particularly derived from the marine pine tree); and enzymes such as Super Oxide Dismotere can be beneficial in controlling free radical activity and stabilising blood capillary walls in the affected areas.
- Elimination is an important factor in the treatment of arthritis and proper attention should be paid to both the kidney and liver.
Bibliography
1. Kirschmann, J. & Dunne, L., Nutrition Almanac (2nd ed.), McGraw Hill Book Co. NY 1984.
2. Osiecki, Henry, The Physicians Handbook of Clinical Nutrition, Bioconcepts Pub., Kelvin Grove 1990.If you have any comments on our article, please e-mail us at cichurch@cichurch.asn.auHerod the Great
Herod the Great was the grandson of Antipater. This Antipater was appointed Governor of Idumaea by Alexander Jannaeus (High Priest 103-76BC also known as Jonathon and brother to Aristobolus). Antipater had a son also named Antipater (who was made Procurator of Judaea by Julius Caesar in 47BC) who was born in Idumea thus paving the way for Herod’s reputation of being an Idumaean (an Idumaean was taken to be a descendant of the Edomites/Esau). He was reputed to be a stern by wise leader. Antipater appointed his elder son Phasael governor of Jerusalem (with jurisdiction over Judaea and Peraea) and his younger Herod, governor of Galilee (47-46BC).
Herod is said to have contrived to be ‘everything to all men’. By religion he was Jewish, by race he was Idumaean, culturally he tended towards the Greeks and his political allegiance lay with the Romans. He has been described as ruthless and cruel, with a diplomatic policy that was difficult if not impossible to follow. Like his father, before him, Herod could change allegiance very quickly thus making his loyalties very hard to follow or predict.
In 37BC his kingdom was Judaea, Idumaea, Peraea and Galilee with the port of Joppa and villages in the plain of Jezreel. Gradually he gained possession of the whole of Palestine apart from the city of Decapolis and a strip to the north of Caesarea.
Herod was a vassal king: he was not responsible to the governor of Syria but directly to Caesar and the Roman Senate. His position had restrictions, ie., on the issuing f his own coinage, otherwise he had full authority within his own kingdoms and was a Roman citizen, sharing the rights and privileges accorded to the same. Unusually, too, Herod was allowed the honour of naming his successor - this did not normally happen with vassal kings - but unfortunately when Herod’s friendship with the Emperor faltered so did the right of naming his successor. Herod, as a vassal king, also had no right to conclude a treaty with another state or wage war on his own account. He was under obligation to assist Rome in time of war with men and money and he was responsible for the defence of his nation’s frontiers.
Unfortunately Herod failed to gain the support of his subjects, who could be grouped into two sections:
Greeks - who disliked him because he was a Jew; and Jews - who disliked him because he was Idumaean by birth. The priestly aristocracy found him absolutely unacceptable (this group became known as the Sanhedrin).
The Sanhedrin’s opposition to King Herod meant that their power was lost and forfeited to the King’s favourites. The Sanhedrin was limited to strictly religious matters, political matters were dealt with by a Council specially appointed by the King.
To the Pharisees he was more favourable as they had assisted him during his siege of Jerusalem. They tended to adopt a quietist attitude rather than get involved in political affairs - in other words they preferred to keep a low profile.
Near the beginning of his reign he brought back the former High Priest Hyrcanus from Babylon - Herod even offered to share his throne with him. Hyrcanus couldn’t serve as High Priest because of his mutilated ears (the result of Antigonus’s villainy), neither could Herod be High Priest by reason of his lineage, thus he degraded the position, broke the hereditary principles and abolished the priesthood’s lifelong tenure. From no on the King would appoint the High Priest and the High Priest would hold office for as long as it pleased the King.
During the reign of Herod there were at least seven High Priests. In 36BC the High Priest was Aristobolus (III), the son of Hyrcanus’s daughter Alexandra who was also Herod’s mother-in-law. Aristobolus (III) was drowned according to orders given from Herod, making Alexandra and Herod mortal enemies.
Alexandra was friends with Cleopatra, and on her instigation, Antony called Herod to appear before to “please explain” his actions. For this interrogation he committed the care of Alexandra and Mariamne (mother and daughter) to the care of his uncle Joseph who was married to Herod’s sister Salome. If Herod was sentenced to death at this meeting, his Uncle was to kill Mariamne - Herod couldn’t stand the thought of another man having her. Unfortunately a false report of Herod’s death reached Jerusalem, Joseph divulged to Mariamne what her fate was to have been. On Herod’s return he found inferences and intimations about the relationship between Mariamne and Uncle Joseph were quite unsavory, thus he placed Alexandra under arrest, executed his uncle Joseph and spared Mariamne. Unfortunately Herod had to go on a second trip and made similar arrangements to the first trip. On his return he encountered similar gossip of Mariamne with a guard, but this time he executed her, which death was to haunt him forever. He also executed his mother-in-law, Alexandra, who had plotted and intrigued against him.
Herod in total had 10 wives and 15 children with many grandchildren. The wives of which there is a record were:
Wife No. 1 - Idumaean - named Doris - mother of Antipater who went to Rome with Agrippa to gain Caesar’s approval he was executed for treason.
Wife No. 2 - Mariamne - whom he put to death, she was the mother of Alexander and Aristobolus, both of whom were educated at Rome. Both these sons were executed by strangling in 7BC on orders from their father Herod the Great. Perhaps because of this, Herod lavished attention on the children of these sons causing extreme jealousy in Antipater.
Wife No. 3 - Mariamne - daughter of Simon the High Priest - had a son Herod.
Wife No. 4 - a Samaritan woman called Malthace - she was the mother of Archelaus and Antipas
Wife No. 5 - a woman from Jerusalem called Cleopatra - she was the mother of Philip.
The succession was a constantly changing formula. In Herod’s last will he appointed
Archelaus - King of Judaea - also known as Herod the Ethnarch - ruled from 4BC to AD6 (Matthew 2:22).
Antipas - Tetrarch of Galilee and Transjordan - he was also called Herod Antipas - he ruled from 4BC to AD39 - it is this Herod that ordered the execution of John the Baptist.
Phillip - Tetrarch of Gaulonitis, Trachonitis and Panaeas - also known as Herod Agrippa I (grandson of Herod the Great) he ruled all Galilee from AD41-44 (Acts 12).
Herod died 5 days after the execution of his long imprisoned son Antipater. He was 70 years old when he died and ruled for 36 years after Rome had made him King. It is said that on his death there occurred an eclipse of the moon which modern astronomy has predicted happened on March 13th, 4BC.
All in all, Herod had three well defined policies:
Encourage good relations with Octavian and to promote that Hellenistic culture of which Rome was now champion
Cultivate the confidence and trust of his own people by, eg., reducing their burden of taxation and avoiding offence to their religious scruples
Suppress nationalism.
He maintained a standing army and watched his borders with military precision.
He was a patron of the arts with building and the arts being much advanced during his reign - he introduced the games held in the Emperor’s honour (Olympic games). He rebuilt 2 major cities, Samaria and Caesarea.
Herod’s crowning glory was the reconstructed Temple - it was begun in 20BC, completed in 18 months and the outer courts and porticoes in 8 years, but bits and pieces were being finished and added to up to AD65 - a few years before it was destroyed. His erection of the Temple involved strict observation of Jewish law, eg. the stones to be used in the building were prepared beforehand by ten thousand workmen so that no noise should be heard there, a thousand of these workman being priests specially trained as masons and carpenters for work on the most sacred parts of the building (cf. Antiquities 15:11:2). He never entered the inner Temple himself, he erected no statues nor stamped any images on his coinage. (Recall the eruption of violence caused when Herod allowed an eagle to be erected over the doorway).
Herod was an egomaniac and a sadist. Readers will recall Herod’s order for all the male children in Bethlehem, from the age of 2 years and under, to be slaughtered. This was in response to the visit of the three Magi from the East, telling Herod of the birth of a King - Herod could not cope with any threat to his throne, as has been seen within his own family structure. But the Bible does not tell us what happened to Herod after this incident other than the fact that he died. Eusebius tells us that God’s judgment started immediately after this edict had been issued. “A scourge wielded by the hand of God struck Herod and drove him to death” (Eusebius 8.4). In Jewish Antiquities Book XVII, Josephus describes Herod’s terrible end in these words: “Herod’s sickness grew steadily worse as God exacted punishment for his iniquities. He was consumed by a slow fire which gave no clear indication to the touch of the burning heat that added so much to his internal miseries. He had an overpowering desire for food, which it was impossible to satisfy, ulceration of the intestines with agonising pains in the lower bowel, and a clammy transparent humor covering the feet. The abdomen was in the same miserable state, and in the genitals mortification set in, breeding worms. Breathing was constricted and only possible when sitting upright, and it was most offensive because of the heavy stench and feverish respiration. He suffered in every part convulsions that were unbearably severe. Those who practised divination and had the gift of foretelling such things declared that God was exacting a penalty from the king for his continual wickedness” “Later he was so tormented by lack of food and a racking cough that his sufferings mastered him and he made an effort to anticipate his appointed end. He took an apple and asked for a knife, it being his habit to cut up apples when he ate them; then looking round to make sure there was no one to stop him he raised his hand to stab himself”,and to cap it off, just before Herod died he gave orders for the execution of yet a third of his sons.
Bibliography
D.S. Russell, The Jews from Alexander to Herod, New Clarendon Bible, Oxford University Press, 1967
Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible - KJV
Werner Keller, The Bible as History, Bantam Books, 1974
Josephus, The Histories
Josephus, Antiquities, XVII, vi,5.Who? and How Many?
How many times have we opened our Bible to read and opened at “the begats” or at some genealogy. Often we tend to think of these readings as tedious and uninteresting but if they are studied they can give some very interesting information, such as when various characters lived and how they were related to each other. It is feasible to suppose that Adam could have spoken to Noah. It is interesting to note the length of a generation - as man’s life span decreased, so did the span of a generation.
One interesting genealogy is that of Jesus as recorded in Matthew’s Gospel Chapter 1. The types of people mentioned in this genealogy reveal the broad scope of those who made up the people of God as well as the genealogy of Jesus ....Jacob, Judah, David, Solomon, Boaz, Ruth....., what a variety of ancestors. This ancestry is divided into three sections, each of 14 generations:
- Abraham to David
- David to the exile in Babylon
- From the exile to Christ.
Maybe Matthew liked 14’s (or 2 lots of seven)!
How many is a question that is often raised - today with a census taken at regular intervals and in Biblical times. In Biblical times the people were mainly numbered when it was time to go to war, and counting usually applied only to males able to fight - possible from 20 upwards. They were in general numbered according to their tribe and where they lived. The census was just part of the fighting preparation.
However one census, that recorded in 2 Samuel 24, was completely different. There was no imminent threat to the country, and no need to number military fighters, but David, for some reason, decided to take a census. It would seem (from the Biblical account) that this action was inspired by Satan and displeased the Lord. David’s decision or wish it seems was merely for his own satisfaction and pride in the size of the empire he had acquired or to give him “security” by knowing he had a sizeable reserve of manpower to call on if needed. In itself the taking of the census was not wrong, but both motives showed pride and a move away from trust in and dependence on God.
Joab, David’s chief of army queried David’s actions, “Why does my Lord he king want to do such a thing?” Nevertheless the King’s orders prevailed and a census was taken throughout the land. It took 9 months and twenty days to complete the count, the census showing that in Israel there were eight hundred thousand in Judah five hundred thousand able-bodied men.
But then disaster! David suddenly had an attack of conscience realising he had acted in pride and against God’s command. The prophet Gad came to David telling him he would be punished and allowing him to choose one of those options as his punishment. David said, “I am in deep distress, let us fall into the hands of the Lord for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men” (2 Samuel 24:4 NIV). The people were punished with a plague which killed 70,000. David was overcome with remorse and pleaded with the Lord, “I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall on me and my family” 2 Samuel 24:17.
This was certainly a census that had gone wrong. (The rest of 2 Samuel chapter 24 tells how God was merciful and accepted David’s plea for forgiveness.)
Another census of great significance is mentioned in Luke 2:1. “And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed”, or as recorded in NIV version “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world”. The census figures were used for military service and taxation and although Jews were exempted from military service they still had to pay poll tax. (Poll tax was a tax levied on every person above a certain age). All had to return to the city of their birth for this taxing and as Joseph was of the lineage of David, he had to return to Bethlehem. Mary, too, was of the house of David and was required to enrol. In Syria, the Roman province in which Palestine was located, women twelve years of age and older were required to pay poll tax and therefore to register.
What strange and wonderful ways God has of fulfilling prophecy. Normally Joseph and Mary would have remained in Nazareth with the birth of their child so close, but here they were, Mary “great with child” setting out on a journey of abut 120 kilometres(75 miles) either walking or riding a donkey - what an undertaking! But God used the decree of a pagan emperor to fulfill the prophecy of Micah 5:2, “But thou, Bethlehem, Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel”.
A prophecy made hundreds of years earlier being fulfilled by this decree or Census! If there had not been so many travellers at this time, accommodation would of course have been much easier to find - so the census too has forced Mary and Joseph to the stable and brought about the fulfillment of many other prophecies. We would imagine that Mary, at the time of the baby’s conception would never have thought that he would have been born in Bethlehem and in a stable at that!
God of course s omniscient (all knowing) and does not need to take a census to know how many people there are in this world and how many are His faithful followers. He goes even further in counting and we read in Luke 12:6,7 “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: yea re of more value than many sparrows”.
Yes, we all count with God. Each one is an individual and each one of value to Him.
What a wonderful thought to keep with us!
Was there a Census?
"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city" Luke 2:1-3.
Historians raise numerous arguments about this passage, the main objections being:
- There is no record in the history books (especially the Roman ones) of this census having taken place, or the results from this census.
- Some historians say that Joseph would not have been forced to travel to Bethlehem for enrolment, and much less expected to take Mary with him - this argument will be dealt with a little detail later.
- Some historians argue that a Roman census could not have been held in Palestine during the reign of Herod - Herod's reign and his life are dealt with later in this article and in a further article in this issue.
- Because the historian Josephus does not mention this census, historians assume it did not take place - but there is another side to this argument.
- A census held under Quirinius could not take place in the time of Herod, since Quirinius was not yet governor at Syria at the time - this point also will be dealt with more fully later in this article.
Caesar Augustus was emperor of the Roman Empire from 30BC to 29th August AD14. He reigned as absolute monarch over the Roman Empire. The background of all the New Testament book is Roman and the area known as the Roman Empire would have been regarded as ‘the world’, thus a taxing of the whole world did not mean the whole world as we know it today, but the ‘known’ world of the Roman Empire.
The census would have recorded the name, occupation, property and kindred and been recorded in the public registers of the city - it is the absence of this record that has caused so much misunderstanding and conjecture.. The census probably took place for taxing rather than military reasons, as the Jews were exempt from military service. At this stage Syria was a tributary to Rome, although they nominally had their own king, in this case, Herod the Great.
It is interesting to note the importance placed in Rome’s approved historians, such as Josephus, and the amount of accuracy attributed to them, both then and now. The argument generally runs that because Josephus does not mention this Census taking place, therefore this census did not take place. This, unfortunately, does not take into account the historical accuracy of both Josephus, as a historian, and Luke. Historians record events in the order of importance in which they, as observers and recorders, observe it. Josephus mentions many things in his works which are not mentioned elsewhere, but the authenticity of Josephus is not called into question - rather we are looking at the point of view of 2 excellent historians, Josephus whose allegiance and income came from Rome and Luke whose allegiance was to Jesus Christ and who was not dependent on his record keeping for his income. It is generally accepted that on the matter of Christian history pertaining to the areas in question, Luke has proved to be more reliable and trustworthy than Josephus.
An enrolment as described in the Gospel of Luke is extremely probable in light of Augustus’s political manoeuvres - Augustus was working throughout for a more effective centralisation and organisation of his empire. For his purpose an enrolment would have been necessary. Many historians have now shown that during the 1st century AD a census was held regularly every 14 years or so, and that one was probably held at the time of the birth of Jesus.
Augustus was generally regarded as a wise ruler - characteristic of Augustus’s actions towards a subject people being that he gave consideration to their national customs. Since Augustus had had the enrolment made through Herod, who ruled as king of the Jews, it goes without saying that the Jewish custom was followed to let the inhabitants go to their original native city for the taxing. Thus the statement is confirmed that everyone had to go into his own city to be enrolled. Joseph, born of the house of David, had to go to Bethlehem. An interesting aspect of a Roman census was that women also had to pay taxes, but it was not necessary for her to go in person. Joseph may well have been concerned that Mary’s ‘time’ was near, or many other reasons may have precipitated the decision for Joseph to take Mary with him.
Interestingly a notice of C. Vibius Maximus, a prefect of Egypt (AD 104), which has been discovered shows that the manner of enrolment described by Luke agrees with what was also the custom in Egypt. All who are away from home are instructed to return to their ordinary abodes for the enrolment.
Herod the Great was not a King in the true sense of the word - he was only a vassal king under the overlordship of the emperor. Josephus relates that during the last years of his reign Augustus demanded an oath of fidelity from all Jews. It would be natural then to order a general taxing of the Palestinian inhabitants. Herod, though, would have had liberty with the arranging of the census under the guidelines of Jewish custom. The need for a census would have become more urgent with the advanced age and impaired health of Herod the Great - Augustus would have had to make preparations for the future of Palestine after the demise of Herod the Great.
Cyrenius/Quirinius as history records him was Governor of Syria at a much later period than King Herod’s rule, but it is recorded that he was Roman consul in 12BC and thus would qualify to be a governor of a Roman area. History has left a record of the governors from 12BC to 4BC but from 4BC to AD4(which time incorporates the census and birth of Jesus) the names are not given. There is ample evidence to suggest that Cyrenius was governor of Syria twice.
Luke describes the taxing as the first and that it took place when Quirinius was Governor of Syria. The Greek word protos means first but it also means ‘before’. On translation of the Scriptures a different meaning can be gained by inserting before instead of first, ie. “And this taxing was before Cyrenius was made governor of Syria” as in John 1:15,30; 15:18. With this application the Bible becomes aligned with recorded and accessible historical fact. We know that when Archelaus (the son of King Herod) was deposed and banished by Augustus in AD6 Judaea was reduced to the status of a Roman province, governed by a prefect appointed directly by the emperor and responsible to him. The legate for Syria at the time of Archelaus’s deposition was P. Sulpicius Quirinius (Cyrenius); he had the task of holding a census to determine the amount of tribute which the new province might be expected to pay into the imperial exchequer. Of significance here is the public’s reaction to this taxation, if taxation and census taking had been a regular form of Judaean government there would have been no revolt, but instead “Judas the Galilaean arose in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him; he....perished and all who followed him were scattered” Acts 5:37. Josephus gives a much fuller account, according to him Judas of Galilee together with a Pharisee named Sadduk, raised the standard of revolt because they held it to be intolerable that tribute should be paid by the people of God to a Gentile monarch; indeed, to acquiesce in such a state of affairs would be high treason to God, who alone was Israel’s king. Of course, the reaction of the masses may also be attributed to the Romanness of the implementation - this time they did not have Herod to intervene for them, being conscious of their habits and customs as he was - this time they had the census and taxation instituted in the Roman way with no consideration to the Jewish customs and practices of the people, but with suppression and domination. Josephus at no stage mentions that this census was the first - one would think that if it was the first that alone would have been worthy of noting.
Archaeology is continually turning up more and more evidence in support of statements made in the Bible, previously argued and contended against, and giving us the evidence needed to support the factualness of the Biblical accounts. Luke has been credited with some as having made a mistake, but this seems too simple an answer for a man as thorough an historian as Luke was. Through excavations at Antioch there has been the discovery of a fragment with a Roman inscription which produced the surprising fact that Quirinius had been in Syria once before his governorship on a mission from the Emperor Augustus in the days of Saturninus the pro-consul. At that time his assignment had been purely military. He led a campaign against the Homonadenses, a tribe in the Taurus mountains in Asia Minor. Quirinius established his seat of government as well as his headquarters in Syria between 10 and 7BC, thus fitting much better than AD6 and establishing the birth of Jesus as being around 7BC.
It is always interesting when it comes to the Bible evidence that mankind would rather discredit first and believe later, but with political historians, writing for profession, gain, or their master’s approval will be granted absoluteness in testimony far and above that ever granted to the historians in the sacred writings. Perhaps we should start to analyse the incongruities of this analysis, and treat the historian with more suspicion, or at least widen our range of historians, especially since more and more, archaeology is bringing to light evidence proving the Scriptures, and showing us what the historian omitted.
Bibliography
Norval Geldenhuyts, The Gospel of Luke, The New International Commentary on the New Testament.
Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible - KJV
Nave’s Topical Bible, Moody Press.The Great Census
During August 1996 there was a Census in Australia. One of the first statistics that I have seen is that it took a taskforce of some 40,000 people to collect the date, and at a cost A$135 million (or A$6.85 each).....
There was also a census at the time that Jesus was born, and it is interesting to notice how it helped to fulfil a number of prophecies. Firstly, Jesus was born away from his home town, to fulfil the prophecy in Micah 5:2 that He would be born in Bethlehem. Secondly, if the wise men had not asked Herod, "Where is He that is born King of the Jews", Herod would not have been incensed to fulfil the prophecy about Bethlehem weeping for her children (Jeremiah 31:15, Matthew 2:16-18).
God uses the seemingly natural events of man to fulfil His purposes.
The Bible speaks of another great Census, the 'Census of Census', when all men shall be called to give an account of how they spent their time here on earth. Some people refer to this as a judgment, and to some it will be a time of judgment, but to those who have trusted in the Lord and lived in the teachings that He has taught to them, it will be a great home coming or census of everyone who has ever lived (Revelation 20:1-5; Daniel 12:1-3). Imagine it, meeting the patriarchs, seeing the Bible prophets, plus the many, many men and women who have ever lived, all called forth from the grave, which has claimed their temporal bodies, according to the curse that is upon all mankind, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” Genesis 3:19.
What is there to give an account at the Census if the body has returned to dust?
Ecclesiastes 12:7 reads, “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it”. Hebrews 10:30 says that Christians are “Not of them that draw back unto perdition; but of them that of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple”. And just in case some do not discern that there is a difference between the soul and the spirit we refer to Hebrews 4:12, which reads: "The word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 23 mentions the spirit and soul and body as being all necessary to make up the ‘whole’ of man.
So what then is called forth to the census?
The spirit returns from God who gave it, and calls the soul from the grave, and it becomes a spiritual body, in the likeness and form of the person, but being spiritual and not physical.
In Acts 2:31, speaking of Jesus being laid in the grave after His spirit returned to God, it says that God did not allow His soul to be left in hell, neither His flesh did see corruption. Jesus was a special case because He, being without sin or evil, rose from the grave triumphant that Satan found nothing to corrupt in Him.
What will this great Census show?
In broad concept it will divide mankind into three groups:
1. Those who had not accepted salvation through God’s teachings;
2. Those who had accepted salvation, but through distance of time, they have lost their physical body which returned to dust;
3. Those who are alive, and who are looking for the return of Jesus, who will experience a “change” as Paul spoke of in 1 Corinthians 15:51.These three groups will have many, many sub groups, but just as the Census we know draws people into groupings, so this Reckoning, or Census at Jesus’ return will see these three basic groups of people.
God, in His own way, at this great Census or Judgment, will turn those who have not accepted Him back for a time of torment (Daniel 12:2: Revelation 204-5). This group, group 1 above, is a study on its own, so we won’t deal more with them here. Those who have accepted Jesus’ teachings, or who have lived up to the teachings from our Lord, in the period prior to Jesus coming to earth, etc., will be called forth from the grave, but their physical bodies will not be reconstituted, as some interpret Ezekiel’s vision in chapter 37 to mean, but it will remain with the curse upon it, dust thou art and unto dust thou wilt return. These individuals in this group will be grouped into many mansions (John 14:2), according as they have lived their life here on earth, but all will be spiritual beings, living now in the light and understanding of the Lord, perfectly happy and content in the lot that has been appointed to them.
Then there will be another group, who have accepted God to rule in their life, but they realise that God “has no pleasure in the death of him that dieth” Ezekiel 18:32. So they have sought forgiveness through the sacrifices of Jesus, and through humility have sought God, through His promises in the Scripture, to help their physical body so that they can live without seeing physical death (1 Corinthians 15:51) by the power of the promise made of God, fulfilled in them. Ezekiel chapter 37 refers to the way in which these people rise from the evil life of this world, and become alive to the fulness of life in God.
The main aspirants to this group are referred to as a “Bride” for a Bridegroom, even though they are 144,000 individuals who have each developed this faith and action in their personal spirit, soul and body. These individually, although collectively grouped under a census heading, have followed Paul’s instruction in Romans 12:1-5 and not conformed to this world, but transformed through the spiritual power available through the grace of God, and renewed their mind from temporal and physical thoughts to know and recognise through faith the greatness of the power and promises of God’s words that, “Your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand....” Isaiah 28:18. In plain English, they will not need to see physical death, which has been common to everyone except Enoch, Elijah, and Jesus who passed by death; but through the renewing of their mind to spiritual, eternal heavenly values, they will be “wholly” sanctified in spirit and soul and physical body, “preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” 1 Thessalonians 5:23.
Although the Census groups people, each one is an individual, personally responsible to their Creator for how they live and exercise the privileges given to us on earth.
Although this Census involves all mankind who have ever lived, from Adam forward, God will be aware of each individual and their spirit of intent in what they have done on earth, Jesus told His followers, “that even the hairs of your head are all numbered”. (Read Matthew 10:29-31.) We are more value than the sparrow, yet God in His omnipotence is able to keep stock of them also.
We are not told the exact date of the “Census” that is coming, but we do know that just as God has predicted other events, and they have come to pass, so this event will happen at His predetermined time.
Are we ready for the “Census”?
Which group are you aiming for in this Census?
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report” Hebrews 11:1-2.
“I press for the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” Philippians 3:14, 21.