The Story of the Magi. Do we have it right?

Posted on December 20, 2018December 21, 2018 by admin

Every Christmas season we see beautiful Nativity scenes that are carefully assembled behind a backdrop of trees, cattle, sheep, the Bethlehem star, a humble stable and a cattle trough bearing the birth of baby Jesus. We find Joseph and Mary huddled around our newborn Redeemer-King and there to the side we see camels and “three wise men” presenting gifts to the Christ child. But is that what the Bible says? And just who were the Magi?

The Magi were from the East in the area of Mesopotamia. The term “wise men” in Matthew 2:1 is translated from the Greek “magoi” which is derived from a Persian proper noun and was the name of their caste. Their origins date to the 7^th century BC. They were a mystical, hereditary priesthood devoted to astronomy and watching for signs in the heavens. They were said to possess an ethereal quality while exuding great spiritual power and authority. And they were enormously wealthy. The Magi were deeply invested in political power through a succession of declining powers, the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek and Parthian. They were the kingmakers of the East wielding great power and influence in the succession of thrones in the area of present day Iran. When their upper council, the Megistanes, met to declare God’s will to the authorities, their decisions were considered to be binding.

History further tells us that during the mid-6^th century BC in the reign of Cyrus the Great, they began to be associated with Zoroastrian faith which honored a single, self-created “god of light.” As monotheistic priests they mediated between God and man and performed blood sacrifices on altars. Due to the historical encounter with Jews during the Babylonian Captivity they became extremely close to ancient Jewish worship and prophecy. At the end of their exile in 536 BC the prophet Daniel lived among them and was a very respected spiritual authority.

First of all, the Magi would never have been wearing royal robes made of purple, scarlet, blue and gold thread. The Magi wore white conical hats with side flaps and their robes were made of pure white. They never wore turbans and you would never find them riding a camel for they despised them. They were renowned for breeding excellent horses which they preferred. In fact, they bred the steeds that became forerunners of today’s magnificent Arabian horses. When they traveled, they were not two or three, but hundreds. They traveled with massive caravans composed of armed cavalry, attendants, cooks, entertainers, soldiers, wagons and servants. Their company may have approached up to 1,000 and their mere presence would have been one of the most imposing and intimidating spectacles of the ancient world.

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where the Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, are not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.” (Matthew 2:1-7)

It says that “all Jerusalem” was distressed by the presence of the Magi, whom they knew possessed the power to make and break monarchies, and Herod was a political puppet of Rome. Herod was most likely deeply intimidated and he was intently interested in when the Magi saw the “Bethelehem star.” We know from the Bible that this event occurred possibly a year or more after the birth of Jesus. How?

After meeting with the Magi, Herod sent them south to Bethlehem. “And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.” (Matthew 2:8-12)

Three things to note. The Greek word for “young child” is “paidion” which means “toddler” In other words the child is now a toddler most likely walking around 15+ months old at the time of this event. And they are not at a manger in Bethlehem but instead in a “house.” When the Magi found the Christ child they found a toddler and not a baby. For reasons we do not know, Joseph and Mary returned to Bethlehem from Nazareth a year or so after Jesus’ birth. And finally, we know that it was the God of Israel who brought the Magi to Bethlehem but also warned them not to return to King Herod but to depart in a different manner.

The Idumean Herod was king by appointment of Rome and fearing for his throne he then committed great tragedy. “Then Herod, when seeing that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all of the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.” (Matthew 2:16)

At the Lord’s leading, the Magi had simply come to Bethlehem in their official role, to confer upon Jesus the title of King and High Priest of Israel. They knew a great prophesied King had been born and they chose to honor Him. How do we know this?

The gifts presented to Jesus by the Magi were of extreme monetary value but, more importantly they held great symbolic value as well.

The first gift, gold, is symbolic of monarchy, and it reminds of the wealth of Solomon’s Kingdom. (1^st Kings 10:21-22) What they brought was the wealth appropriate to the King, affirmed by the kingmakers themselves.

Frankincense is the second gift and it symbolizes the acts of the Levitical priesthood, and the prayers of the people. Frankincense was among the ingredients that were placed in the Tabernacle’s altar of incense by the priest. (Exodus 30:34-36) In giving this gift to Jesus, it prophetically pointed to His resurrected and glorified state as our High Priest and intercessor.

The third gift is myrrh which is also associated with the Aaronic priesthood. It is the principal ingredient of the holy anointing oil, the ingredients having been given to Moses from the Lord: (Exodus 30:22-25; 30) If you read Matthew 26:6-12 you will find that the word “ointment” is the Greek word “muron” from “murra” which means myrrh oil and which is also used for burial purposes. In this passage Jesus even states this myrrh oil was given for His burial.

Even at His infancy, the Magi recognized Jesus as King and High Priest but the gifts also foretold of His death and burial.

It was an appointed time, a rare season. Jesus Christ was born at the exact and perfect time fulfilling foretold prophecies of the Bible. The Magi were also rare men who were able to discern the times and seasons looking for Him. In like manner Jesus will return at His Second Coming at a perfect and appointed time. Are you looking for Him?

An Agricultural Technique is an Evangelism Tool?

Posted on December 12, 2018December 12, 2018 by admin

“My people perish for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6)

Part of Sons of Thunder Ministries’ mission statement is to “feed” Africa and that is a bold statement given the size of Africa. But Farming God’s Way is a proven non-till agricultural process that has changed the lives of many thousands and is now the standard practice at the Sons of Thunder Farm in Zambia.

When Sons of Thunder first arrived in the late 1990s one of the first lessons learned was that American farming techniques do not work in southern Africa. Today, Sons of Thunder actually helps fulfill the Great Commission through farming.

Discovered on a commercial farm in Zimbabwe in 1984, Farming God’s Way is a patented four-step farming plan developed and implemented by Brian Oldreive and is now headquartered in South Africa. FGW not only reduces planting costs, but increases harvest yields, and the produce grown is of high standards. Once implemented at Sons of Thunder, where there was once starvation, there is now excess yield that is able to be sold in local markets.

In the photo above you see the meticulous details of planting preparation at the Sons of Thunder Farm. There is an old saying that “you cannot manage well, unless you measure well!” Great care is given to maximizing crop yields within each farm plot and is part of FGW training.

So, what is this patented process all about and why is it called “Farming God’s Way?” And how is it used for evangelism?

The four basic principles are:

Do Everything on time.

Given the angle of the sun in the southern hemisphere it is critical to plant within a narrow window of time. Soil prep, planting and weeding are all cycles that must be observed.

Set a high standard.

From a Biblical perspective, God enables us to take the land in a state of chaos and disorder and establish our dominion over the land, so that God’s glory is revealed through the work of our hands. All work must be done with excellence unto the Lord in mind.

Create minimal waste.

In His amazing wisdom, God designed the earth in such a manner that there are circles to all forms of life and which are interwoven with each other in a delicate balance and without waste. Slash and burn agriculture is practiced all over the world. FGW teaches maximum productivity on smaller tracts of land without threatening indigenous forests, or farmers living in harmony with God’s creation.

Do everything with a joy and gladness of heart.

Our attitude towards our work is also a component of what we sow. If we sow begrudgingly, we will also reap begrudgingly. In contrast to this if we sow with joy, we will also reap with joy. God delights in our sowing with joy.

“Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.” (Luke 4:8) The people of Africa have enormous strongholds of witchcraft and ancestral worship. Witchdoctors and shamans are found in almost every village and they are consulted for every event in life including agriculture. There is only one true God and we come to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. Thus, the first and foremost imperative lesson in Farming God’s Way is teaching the acknowledgement of God and God alone. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of life and Farming God’s Way. Through his shed blood on the cross for our sins we now have eternal life. As we are now adopted into God’s family we are no longer part of the world’s system and its traditions. The Sons of Thunder Farm in Zambia is now one of FGW’s National Training Centers in southern Africa used to educate farmers from Zambia and other neighboring countries. Therefore, it is an evangelical tool that is shared effectively at Sons of Thunder Farm with these training farmers with utmost joy.

Farming God’s Way is redemptive and its concepts taken directly from the Bible. It was sin that brought a curse on the people and the land. Jesus’ death on the cross broke that curse and we must pray and receive redemption through Jesus Christ.

We must rescue the lost land and through Farming God’s Way we use agricultural education as a means to share the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world.

Is it effective?

Here is a graph showing a recent comparison of results for 69 trials reflecting the difference between Farming God’s Way against high-standard conventional farm plots conducted by Care of Creation Kenya (CCK) since 2012.

Planting has already begun in southern Africa. Please pray that the Lord will continue to bless the Sons of Thunder Farm as we endeavor to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ even through the use of agricultural methods. Would you partner with us in this ministry? Your prayerful financial support would be greatly appreciated.

The Rapture in the Old Testament?

Posted on December 5, 2018December 5, 2018 by admin

Most Christians believers today think of the Rapture of the Church as being a New Testament concept or mystery that was revealed by Paul only after the resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is known through various names as “the appearing” or “the blessed hope” or the “catching away” or “the gathering” or “the receiving” or “the changing” and there are several others. But does the event known as the “Rapture” appear in the Old Testament?

First, the word “rapture” is only found in the Latin Bible. English Bibles translate it as the “catching up” or the “snatching away.” In Greek, the word is “harpazo” but in the Latin it is “raptus.”

The Rapture of the Church is the event recorded in 1^st Thessalonians 4:15-18 and Paul describes this future event in this manner: “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.”

Second, in order to identify the Rapture in Scripture it is key to understand the 70 weeks prophecy found in Daniel 9. There 69 weeks of years spanned the time from Artaxerxes’ decree to rebuild the Temple until the death of Messiah. According to Daniel 9:26, this gap between the 69^th and 70^th week contains the Messiah’s death, the birth of the church, Titus’ destruction of the Temple, and the great Dispersion of Israel. When we realize the church age is this gap, then we can see that the Rapture occurs before the 70^th week.

Daniel describes this 70^th week as the “time of distress” which is that seven-year period prior to the start of Messiah’s one thousand-year reign, saying remarkably that it starts with all believers being rescued.

“Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.” (Daniel 12:1-2)

The Church is always referred to as the “bride of Christ” and it is interesting to note that the prophet Isaiah spoke of the time right before the “Lord’s Indignation” (also called the Tribulation) when His people would be hidden in their bridal chamber:

“Your dead will live; their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, for your dew is as the dew of the dawn, and the earth will give birth to the departed spirits. Come, my people, enter into your rooms (“chedar” in the Hebrew which means “wedding chamber”), and close your doors behind you; hide for a little while until indignation runs its course. For behold, the LORD is about to come out from His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; and the earth will reveal her bloodshed, and will no longer cover her slain.” (Isaiah 26:19-21)

Although the book of Zephaniah was written just prior to the Babylonian Captivity this book mentions the final “day of the Lord” more than any other book in the Old Testament as the prophet looks to the judgment and restoration of humanity in the far future. In chapter 2 he declares God’s judgment but first issues an invitation for all the “meek or humble” to be “hidden” in the day of the Lord’s anger and provides a beautiful picture of a pre-Tribulation Rapture:

“Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth who have carried out His ordinances; seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger.” (Zephaniah 2:3)

The word “hidden” is the Hebrew word “cathar” which means “to be absent, keep close, or secretly conceal.”

Finally, the prophet Micah lived during the days of Hezekiah about 750 years before the birth of Christ. He was a contemporary of Isaiah and several of his writings indicate a close association with him. He prophesied to the Jewish people declaring God’s scathing judgment upon them. You may also remember that it was Micah who foretold the birthplace of Bethlehem and the purpose of Jesus Christ found in Micah 5:2. But, Micah also looks far into the future to the Tribulation period when Israel cries, “Woe is me!” In chapter 7 and using the King James Version, he writes what appears to be an event just prior to the “day of the Lord” involving a “disappearance” that is easily overlooked in the English:

“The good man is perished out of the earth….” (Micah 7:2a)

Two things to note, first the word “good” is the Hebrew word “chasid” which elsewhere is translated as “saint.” Second, the word “perished” is a root translation of the Hebrew word “ovad” (root of “abad”-Strong’s #06) which means “to cause to disappear.” Thus, this verse may be more apt to say, “the good man (or saint) is perished (or disappeared) out of the earth…”

There are 15 Hebrew words that are used to translate “perish” in the Bible and most of them are bloody. However, the word “ovad” simply means “to disappear.”

It is interesting to note that Isaiah uses the same word “ovad” in this passage:

“The righteous perisheth (“disappears”), and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.” (Isaiah 57:1)

What makes this all the more notable is the Hebrew word for “taken away” is “asaph” which means to “hide in a place of safety” and is a common agricultural phrase describing storage of crops at final harvest.

Is it all just coincidence?

Sources for this article include Dr. Ken Johnson and J.R. Church.