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The International Prophetic Voice for the Endtimes

Omniscient The Ten Kings

Creation and EvolutionPg. 44

The International Prophetic Voice for the Endtimes

JANUARY 2008$4.75

LETTERS TO THE EDITORFood Infla tionToday andthe Black Horseof the ApocalypsePg. 30

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7The Cost of FreedomBy Arno Froese

During 6,000 years of recorded humanhistory,people of all races have sung aboutfreedom, written abo ut freedom andfought for freedom.Acts 22:28 is the onlyNew Testament pa ssage tha t includes theword freedom,yet it is an immenselyimportant subject.Arno Froese explains

why this is so in this month's Cover Story.

26The SpecialRelationshipBy Ruth Ki ng

When Go lda Meir was to ld tha t Israel

could afford t o t ake risks beca use itssurvival wa s gua ranteed b y America, she is reputed to h ave retorted: By the timeyou get here we wont be here.

Midnight CallJANUARY 2008

4 Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Arno Froese HOSEA 13:4

18 Special Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Dr.Ron J.Bigalke Jr.

PROPHETIC TIMING &THE MILLENNIUM - PARTVI29 HealthWise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .By Dr.John Cionci

CAN USING A COMPUTER TOO MUCH INJURE YOUR EYESIGHT?

30 Money:Ends & Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Wilfred Hahn FOOD INFLATION TODAY AND THE BLACK HORSE OF THE APOCALYPSE

36 Missions Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .By Arno Froese REVIVAL LITERATURE FELLOWSHIP

44 Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . By Arno Froese OMNISCIENT...THE TEN KINGS...CREATION AND EVOLUTION

C O N T E N T S

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COVER STORY

DEPARTMENTS

$

39 US/UK Freed om orSlavery?

40 CANADARecord BudgetSurplus MakesNa tion Shine

41 WORLDReligion in the FutureGlobal Civilization

42 ASIASpeeding UpAsian Integration

42 EUParliament

Clea rs Wa y fo rChea p Drugs

43 USADeviceGivesMindControlOver Matter

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4 M I D N I G H T C A L L

Yet I am the LORD thy God fromthe land of Egypt,and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me(Hosea 13:4).

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As we begin a new year, werealize the truth of theprophetic Word relating to judgment of the world on one handand the possibil ity of being with theLord in 2008 on the other hand.

What is clear is that truth and lies andlight and darkness are being mixed today

more than ever before. In fact, it some-times becomes difficult to discernwhether what I read in the newspaper orhear on television is the truth or a lie.Such developments should not surpriseus because when the disciples asked Jesusabout the future, He responded with asobering warning: Take heed that noman deceive you.

When we read the book of Hosea, we areconfronted with Gods truth as opposed tomans acceptance of Satans lies. We mustreiterate here that Israel is Gods chosenpeople; the God of heaven revealed Him-self to these people in unmistakable ways.The Jewish people had indisputable proofthat God is real, His Word is true, and Healways brings to pass that which He haspromised, yet when we read this Old Testa-ment book of the Bible, we notice that Is-rael did not take these words to heart, butchose to follow their own sinful desires.

When Ephraim spake trembling, he ex-alted himself in Israel; but when he offendedin Baal, he died (verse 1). As we have al-ready mentioned, the name Ephraim is notonly limited in application to one tribe of Is-rael or the rebellious ten tribes, but Ephraimrepresents Israel as a whole.

The various translations differ regarding

the first sentence, when Ephraim spaketrembling, he exalted himself in Israel. It isnot clear whether this means that he trem-bled at the Word of God or that he spokegreat things and then exalted himself in Is-rael. In any event, we know that the last partof the verse, when he offended in Baal, hedied, is clear because he separated himselffrom the living God and died in his sin.

And now they sin more and more, andhave made them molten images of their sil-ver, and idols according to their own under-standing, all of it the work of the craftsmen:they say of them, Let the men that sacrificekiss the calves (verse 2). Idolatry was the ac-cepted norm for religious activity in thosedays; all the heathen manufactured their ownidols, thus Israel did likewise.

Here again we see a difference in the un-derstanding of the original when we read thelast sentence: Let the men that sacrifice kissthe calves. Martin Luther translated this

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J ANUARY 2008 5

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The object of Midnight Call is to call people everywhere toChrist, to proclaim the Second Coming of Christ, to prepareChristians for His coming, and to uphold the faith and w arn offalse doctrines. Midnight Call magazine is available in twelvelanguages. All work done through radio, literature andmissionaries is supported entirely by the gifts and free w illofferings of Gods people.

STATEMENT OF FAITHWE BELIEVE in the divine inspiration of the whole Bible andtherewith the infallibility of the Holy Scripture which is God sWord, a nd in the eternal Triune God : Father, Son and Ho ly Spirit.

WE BELIEVE Jesus Christ, the Son of G od, w as conceived of theHoly Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, and shedHis blood to save mankind. He died and a rose bodily the thirdday a nd later ascended into heaven.

WE BELIEVE that the Lord Jesus Christ died in the place ofeach individual sinner and that all who believe in Him as theirpersonal Savior are justified through His shed blood and havebecome children of God.

WE BELIEVE that Israel is Gods chosen people, and that therestoration of the Jews to their own land is the fulfillment ofthe Word of God.

WE BELIEVE in the pretribulational appearance of Jesus Christfor the Rapture of His Church (all born again believers).

WEBELIEVE in the immortality o f our souls a nd the resurrectionof our bod ies, and in the resurrection of the just and the unjust, the

everlasting blessedness of the saved and the everlasting punishmentof the lost.

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verse in the following way: He who kisses the calves must sacrifice man. Inboth cases, and there are other variations of possible translation, the message isclear: Ephraim-Israel committed atrocious acts by surrendering to idolatry.

What was the result? Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as theearly dew that passeth away, as the chaff [that] is driven with the whirlwind outof the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney (verse 3). Here we have thefulfillment: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. We can apply this verse collec-tively as well: The nation that sinneth, it shall die. Of course, it does not meancollective judgment; rather, it means judgment on each individual collectively.Judgment comes at once when the fullness of the sin has been reached.

Now God reminds Israel of what He had done for them: Yet I am the LORDthy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there isno saviour beside me. I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of greatdrought. According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and theirheart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me (verses 4-6). The Lord Godalways goes back to the beginning: He looks at Israels history all at once. Hebrought Israel out of slavery from Egypt, He made His law known through Mosesthat Israel should not have any other god, and that only He was to be their Savior.Israel had absolutely no reason to walk away from God. We read this fact repeat-edly, not only in the book of Hosea, but throughout the prophets, yet the childrenof Israel chose to forget what God had done for them, and exalted themselves in-stead of the Lord.

Now comes the judgment: Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as aleopard by the way will I observe them: I will meet them as a bear that is be-reaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I de-

vour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them (verses 7-8). Note thethree animals that are mentioned here: lion, leopard and bear. This reminds usof Daniels first night vision in which he saw the four Gentile power structuresthat would devour the children of Israel: the lion, the bear, the leopard, andthen the fourth beast: After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourthbeast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth:it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of i t: andit was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns(Daniel 7:7). Israel has truly experienced these judgments throughout its his-tory under Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and most recently under Romanworld dominion.

Verse 9 seems like a statement in which the Lord interrupts Himself: O Israel,thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help. One can sense Gods com-passion for His people, how He desires to restore them. Here we must recall theprevious verse: How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Is-rael? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mineheart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together (11:8).

Once again God used His prophets to reveal His intention, repeat history, butit was useless: I will be thy king: where [is any other] that may save thee in allthy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes?I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath. The iniquity ofEphraim is bound up; his sin is hid (verses 10-12). Here God reveals His desire

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to be their king; One who would judge righteously and protect them, but they re-quested a king based on their own initiative, so God gave them a king but He alsotook him away.

Now there was nothing left that was worth salvaging. Ephraim-Israel was alost cause: The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is anunwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth ofchildren (verse 13). An unborn child has little, if any, power to be born, buthere God reveals that there is so much stubbornness in Ephraim that he haschosen not to be born, not to be renewed, not to experience the rebirth.

Then suddenly a ray of hope breaks through the clouds of dark judgmentthat threaten Israel with suffocation: I will ransom them from the power ofthe grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; Ograve, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes(verse 14). God Himself will be the enemy of death. The prophet Isaiah wrotea similar statement: He will swallow up death in victory (Isaiah 25:8).

We are also reminded of 1 Corinthians 15:54-55: So when this corruptibleshall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality,then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed upin victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? That isthe ultimate fulfillment for each and every believer who has put his/her faith inthe accomplished work of Jesus Christ on Calvarys cross. Redemption is com-plete, perfect, and valid for all eternity. That is what God makes known to Hispeople through His prophets. The ultimate end is not destruction but salvationin Him. Nevertheless, we must not be carried away by Gods grace and allowroom to assume that He will ignore sin and rebellion. The result of sin and re-

bellion is death and destruction, but those who seek the Lord, who yearn forHim, and realize under the conviction of the Holy Spirit that they are sinnersbefore God can already shout with trembling voices and deep thanks in theirheart, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

Of what does the victory consist? Verse 57 gives the answer: But thanksbe to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

INTERNATIONAL PROPHECY CONGRESS AND HOLY LAND TOUR4-15 May 2008Time is running out. Make your reservations for our upcoming tour to the land

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And the chief captain answered, With a greatsum obtained I this freedom. And Paulsaid, But I was free born (Acts 22:28).The above passage of Scripture is the only one in

the New Testament that includes the word free-dom, yet it is an immensely important subject.

During 6,000 years of recorded human history,people of all races have sung about freedom, writ-ten about freedom and fought for freedom.

All government officials, regardless of their affili-ation, agree that freedom is the primary goal oftheir respective agenda. Political leaders havepromised their people that peace can be obtainedonly when their enemies have been defeated. Praiseof, and endorsement for, freedom can be found inall consti tut ions and declarations, but true free-dom, where all people live in perfect harmony, isnot reali ty but wishful thinking.

N at i o n al An t h em sA nations anthem is an expression of

the peoples hope and aspiration.Consider the following an-

thems and notice that allnations desire the

same things; namely, peace, freedom, justice andprosperity.

Austria:Land of mountains, land on the streamLand of fields, land of cathedrals,Land of hammers, with a promising future,You are home to great sons,People blessed for the beautifulMuch-praised Austria,Much-praised Austria!

Greek:I recognize you from the dreadfulEdge of your swordI recognize you from the countenanceWhich surveys the earth with force.

Risen from the sacred bonesOf the GreeksAnd valiant as before,Hail , oh hail , liberty!

Hungary:O, my God, the Magyar bless

With Thy plenty and good cheer!With Thine aid his just cause press,Where his foes to fight appear.Fate, who for so long didst frown,Bring him happy times and ways;Atoning sorrow hath weighed downSins of past and future days.

All governm en t officials, regard less of affiliation , agree tha t freedom is th e pgoa l of th eir respective a gen da . Politi

leaders h ave prom ised th eir people thacan be obtain ed only when th eir enem ie

been defeated. Pra ise of, an d en dorsem en tfreedom can be foun d in al l con sti tut ions an

declarations, bu t tru e freedom , where all peo

perfect h arm on y, is n ot reality bu t wish fu l thin

Th e Co st o f Fr eed o m


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Bolivia:Bolivians, a most favorable destinyhas at long last crowned our vows andlongings;This land is free, free at last.Its servile state has now finally ceased.The martial turmoi l of yesterday,and the horrible clamor of war,are followed today, in harmoniouscontrast, by sweet hymns of peaceand unity.Are followed today, in harmoni ouscontrast, by sweet hymns of peaceand unity.

Taiwan:San Min Chu-i,Our aim shall be:To found, a free land,World peace, be our stand.Lead on, comrades,Vanguards ye are.Hold fast your aim,By sun and star.Be earnest and brave,

Your country to save,One heart, one soul,One mind, one goal.

Turkey:Fear not! For the crimson flag that proudlyripples in this glorious twilight,shall never fade,Before the last fiery hearth that is ablazewithin my nation is extinguished.For that is the star of my nation, and it willforever shine;It is mine; and solely belongs to my valiantnation.Frown not, I beseech you, oh thou coycrescent,But smile upon my heroic race! Why theanger, why the rage?Our blood which we shed for you will notbe blessed otherwise;For freedom is the absolute right of myGod-worshipping nation.

South Africa:God bless AfricaMay her glory be lifted highHear our peti tionsGod bless us, Your children

God we ask You to protect our nationIntervene and end all conflictsProtect us, protect our nationNation of South Africa, South Africa

Switzerland:When the morning skies grow redAnd oer us their radiance shed,Thou, O Lord, appeareth in their light.When the Alps glow bright with splendour,Pray to God, to Him surrender,For you feel and understand,That He dwelleth in this land.

And finally, Israels anthem, which I believe to bethe most important:

So long as still within our breasts,The Jewish heart beats true,

So long as still towards the East,To Zion, looks the Jew,So long our hopes are not yet losttwo thousand years we cherished themTo live in freedom in the Landof Zion and Jerusalem.

There is no mention of war, heroes or sacrifice inIsraels anthem.

It may be helpful to note that the above an-thems are English translation, which means thatthey are not perfect and they do not communi-cate the full power, meaning and spirit of thewords as they do in their original languages.Nevertheless, each of these anthems has a com-mon theme: an expressed desire for justice,equality and freedom.

W h y N o Fr eed o m ?The answer is rather simple: we all have our own

ideas of what freedom should look like and how itshould be obtained. Numerous battles have been

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fought in the name of freedom and yet there is stillno freedom on this earth.

Here we see the fulfillment of the followingprophecy that Jesus made almost 2,000 years ago: Andye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that yebe not troubled: for all these things must come to pass,but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against na-tion, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall befamines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in diversplaces (Matthew 24:6-7). Instead of freedom, Jesusprophesied wars, catastrophes and suffering.

Ro m a n Fr eed o mLet us return to Acts 22:28 where the Apostle

Paul writes, But I was free born.Apparently Roman citizenship was greatly de-

sired. The chief captain said, With a great sum ob-tained I this freedom. What type of freedom did

the Roman government grant to its citizens? Didthey receive a better quality of freedom than we

have now? Think carefully before you answer thatquestion!

Unfortunately, most of us have been influencedby Hollywood portrayals of Roman soldiers whoused brute force to discipline slaves or who threwtheir weight around with the general public. Thesepictures are etched in our minds and as a result, webase our idea of truth on fiction.

Ro m a n Fr eed o m i n I sr a elAllow me to show you another side of the story

the biblical one. In Luke 7 we read about a Ro-man centurion who was very worried about hissick servant:

And a certain centurions servant, who wa s dea r unto

him,wa s sick, and read y to die.And w hen he heard of Je-

sus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jew s,b eseeching

him that he wo uld come a nd hea l his servant. And w hen

they came to Jesus,t hey besought him instantly,saying,That he w as w orthy for whom he should do this:For he



Appa ren tly Rom an citizen ship was grea tly desired. Th e ch ief capta igreat su m obtained I this freedom . Wh at type of freedom did th e Rm en t gran t to its citizens? Did th ey receive a better qu a lity of freedonow?

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loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagog ue

(verses 2-5).

Unlike todays society, the centurion did not con-sider his servant a disposable object. Consider yourown work situation: Would your boss be so person-ally involved in your life and compassionately in-terested in your well-being if you fell ill? I dontthink so. In most cases, he or she would just hire areplacement for your position. But that was not thecase during Roman times, and in this example thecenturion is actually worried about this servant.

Note also that this man loved the Jews and he ac-tually built a synagogue for them. This passagebeautifully portrays the excellent relationship thattook place between the occupier and the occupied.Compare this to todays All ied occupiers inAfghanistan and Iraq who are hated by most of thelocal population.

Th e Ch i ef Pr i est sAfter Jesus raised Lazarus from dead, we readthe following account in John 11:47-48: Thengathered the chief priests and the Pharisees acouncil, and said, What do we? for this man doethmany miracles. If we let him thus alone, all menwill believe on him: and the Romans shall comeand take away both our place and nation. The re-li gious authori ties were justi fiably concernedabout the good relationship they had with the Ro-mans. But the people proclaimed that Jesus wasthe King of the Jews, which was illegal a Jewishking could only be authorized by the Roman gov-ernment!

Co r n el i u s t h e Ro m a nWe read of another case: Cornelius the centu-

rion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and ofgood report among all the nation of the Jews, waswarned from God by an holy angel to send for theeinto his house, and to hear words of thee (Acts10:22). It doesnt say here that he had a good report

with some of the Jews, but that all the nation of theJews looked up to him and were thankful for themilitary protection Rome provided for them. TheRoman authorities implemented law and order.

Based on the media reports I have read, there isno doubt that U.S. soldiers in Iraq do not have agood report with the people, and are actually killedif they are seen in broad daylight.

These few examples should suffice to show theexcellent quality of freedom Rome guaranteed to itscitizens regardless of race, color, or religion.

Pa u l t h e Ro m a n Ci t i z enWe must not forget one man in particular: the

Apostle Paul. Let us consider a few examples fromScripture:

We have the record in Acts 16 when Paul traveledto the city of Philippi. While there, Paul exposed andcast out a spirit of soothsaying from a woman and

wound up in trouble with the authorities:And b rought them to the mag istrates, saying, Thesemen, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, Andteach customs,which are no t law ful for us to receive,nei-

ther to ob serve, being Romans. And the multitude rose

up together aga inst them: and t he magistrates rent offtheir clothes,a nd commanded to beat them. And w hen

they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them

into prison, charg ing the jailor to keep them safely (Acts

16:20-23).

In this case, God intervened supernaturally:And suddenly there was a great earthquake, sothat the foundations of the prison were shaken: andimmediately all the doors were opened, and everyones bands were loosed (verse 26). This resul tedin the salvation of the jailor and his family.

But there is more to the story:And w hen it was day, the mag istrates sent the ser-

jeants, saying, Let those men go. And the keeper of the

prison to ld this saying to Pa ul,The magistrate s have sentto let you go: now therefore depart, and g o in peace.But

Paul said unto them, They have beat en us openly uncon-

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Corneliu s the cen turion , a ju st m an , an d on e th at feareth God, an dam on g a ll the n ation of the Jews, was warn ed from God by an h oly for thee in to h is h ou se, an d to hear words of thee ( Acts 10:22).

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out to save Paul: And he called unto him two cen-turions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiersto go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore andten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hourof the night; And provide them beasts, that theymay set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix thegovernor (Acts 23:23-24). This was a gigantic op-eration! We are talking about at least 470 soldiers,among which were 70 horses, plus their supplies!The trip from Jerusalem to Caesarea is approxi-mately 130 km. Its difficult to imagine that theycould get there any faster than about five days. Thecost must have been prohibitive all that trouble

for one Jew who wasnt even an Italian! Do youthink our government would have gone to thesame amount of trouble?

Such a demonstration of human rights isunprecedented in history. They could havesimply let the Jews take care of their own.Paul would have been killed and no onewould have cried about it. At that time, theydid not have a news media. If the Romanswere as oppressive and brutal as is popularlyportrayed, then Paul would have been killedinstantly; therefore, we must conclude thatbecoming a Roman citizen meant joining theelite.

When we analyze these facts from biblicalrecords, we quickly see that we have been ledastray by the propaganda of those responsiblefor educati on and i nformation.

Pr o g r essi v e Fr eed o mAt this point, those people who have studied his-

tory will object and say that we have more freedom

now than ever before. That is only partially true be-cause of our preferred definition of freedom, partic-ularly when we compare the freedom of the worldwith the freedom only God can provide.

For a better understanding, lets read Isaiah 5:20:Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil;that put darkness for light, and light for darkness;that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!Clearly this is a reversal of values: what God callsevil man calls good and what God calls good mancalls evil! Therefore, what we call freedom Godcalls bondage and what we call bondage God callsfreedom.

Lets go back to the second chapter of Danielwhere we read about the four Gentile power struc-tures pictured in the image of a man consisting ofgold, silver, brass, and iron. Virtually all scholarsagree that this image represents four kingdoms thatcan be identified with Babylon, Medo-Persia,Greece and Rome.

Specific emphasis is placed on the last one,which includes our time: And the fourth kingdomshall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breakethin pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron thatbreaketh all these, shall it break in pieces andbruise (Daniel 2:40). To reinforce this statement,let us also read Daniel 7:19, 23: Then I wouldknow the truth of the fourth beast, which was di-verse from all the others, exceeding dreadful,whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass;which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped theresidue with his feetThus he said, The fourthbeast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shalldevour the whole earth, and shall tread it down,

J ANUARY 2008 13

At this poin t, th ose people wh o h ave studied h istory wiobject an d say th at we h ave m ore freedom n ow th an

before. Tha t is only pa rtia llytrue becau se of ou r

preferred defin ition offreedom , particula rly when we com pare th e freedom of the world wifreedom on ly God can provide.

C O V E R S T O R Y

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and break it in pieces. The description of thefourth kingdom is negative: strong as iron,brake in pieces, subdueth all things, brakein pieces, devoured, stamped the residue withhis feet, devour the whole earth, tread itdown and break it in pieces. These words de-scribe horrible destruction. This is a clear de-scription of the last Gentile kingdom theRoman Empire. This is how God defines thecharacteristics and operation of the fourth and fi-nal beast kingdom. We would all agree there isnothing good about it.

However, lets take a look from a worldly per-spective and in so doing, we can rightly concludethat this is the most wonderful system formankind. While during the previous kingdomsman was subject to the whims of his rulers, gover-nors and kings, Greek-Roman democracy guaran-teed certain rights for all citizens. Isnt that awonderful improvement?

We cannot deny that brutality was used when anation was defeated in war and the population wasdispossessed. The men were either killed or becameslaves, as did the women and children. Today, wehave international laws that protect civilians as wellas military personnel.

If we explored the issue any further, we wouldfind that todays quality of life is significantlyhigher than it was for the people on planet Earthunder any previous government.

An immense volume of information is availablethat clearly identifies the quality of life, freedomand civil rights that were available throughout theEuropean world. We would immediately agree

when reading history that people today are in amuch better position than ever before.

Even in newer countries (colonial), fantasticprogress has been made during the last 200 yearsthat is nothing short of phenomenal! Here are a fewexamples: At the signing of the United States Con-stitution, the population was estimated to be ap-proximately four million. But when independencewas attained, only 100,000 Americans had theright to vote, the rest were considered peasantswho had virtually no rights, no protection andcould make no decisions. If you were an African-

American you were not even considered a humanbeing, and could be bought and sold like a piece ofmeat in a butcher store.

Women had virtually no rights either. They wereconsidered second-class citizens. Under normal cir-cumstances, women couldnt even their own prop-erty. Talk about freedom! Therefore, if we compareour relatively recent history with todays time, wemust agree that all citizens now enjoy a signifi-cantly higher level of freedom, rights and protec-tion than ever before. Yet, the Word of God definesfreedom in the exact opposite way. How are we tounderstand this?

En f o r c i n g t h e LawThe progression of individual freedom and lib-

erty is due to the implementation of Roman laws.This evolution has not taken place because manhas become better, but because he has no choice. Ifyou break the law then you will pay the conse-quences. If you dont pay taxes you will be pun-ished. Therefore, the threat of the law and the


Bu t wh en in dependen ce was attain ed, on ly 100,0can s h ad th e righ t to vote, th e rest were considerean ts wh o ha d virtua lly n o rights, n o protection am ake n o decisions. If you were an African -Am eriwere n ot even con sidered a h u m an being, an d cobou gh t an d sold like a piece of m eat in a bu tch erProminent figures of the African-American Civil Rights Movement:top left: W. E. B. Du Bois; top right: Malcolm X; bottom left: Martin Luther King, Jr.;bottom right: Rosa Parks

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JANUARY 2008 15

system of implementing the law has become theforce by which freedom has been created.

But there is more to come. In the not-too-dis-tant future, the world will become even moreunited than ever before. We already have a globaleconomy, a global political philosophy (democ-racy), a global financial institution (the WorldBank), and a global religion is in the making.When this four-fold criteria is implemented, thenwe will see the fulfillment of Revelation 13:8:and all that dwell upon the earth shall worshiphim. How is that possible? And he causeth all,

both small and great, rich and poor, free andbond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or intheir foreheads: And that no man might buy orsell, save he that had the mark, or the name of thebeast, or the number of his name (Revelation13:16-17). That is progressive freedom, and itwill be enforced by mans own invented global se-curity system.

Now we should understand why the Bible saysthat the last world kingdom will be the worst, al-though on the surface it is the best for all people.

Second Timothy 3:1 contains this profoundstatement:

This know also, tha t in the last da ys perilous times

sha ll come . Then t he Apostle Paul lists 18 charac teris-

tics that w ill be found in peo ple who claim to be Chris-

tians but are not :For men shall be lovers of their ownselves, covetous, boa sters, proud,b lasphemers, disobe-

dient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural

affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent,fierce, despisers of those tha t are goo d, Traitors,h ead y,

highminded , lovers of pleasures more tha n lovers of

God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the

pow er thereof: from such turn a wa y (verses 2-5).

Note that this is specifically emphasized to oc-cur in the last days. In other words, it wasnt toobad during Pauls day, but it will be today!

Fa l se Fr eed o mWhen we understand mankind's evil progres-

sion, we will exercise extreme caution before en-dorsing such propaganda as justice, peace, andliberty for all . According to Scripture it simply isnot true. If we believe we are in the end stages of

the endtimes, then we can justi fiably state that thewords, In the last days perilous times shall comenow apply.

An o t h er Fr eed o mAs we have seen, Roman freedom, obviously the

highest form of freedom in the world, was pur-chased by a non-citizen and given freely to a native.Regardless of how great this freedom was, it wasbased on the forceful implementation of Romanlaws at the cost of freedom for those people whoopposed Rome.

As we have seen expressed in the various na-tional anthems, those freedoms could only be ob-tained at the cost of another group of people losingtheir freedom.

It may be a little hard for some nationalists toswallow, but freedom in the United States came atthe cost of the Indians, the original inhabitants ofthe land, who lost their freedom. An abundance ofdocumentation is available in libraries, and nowthrough the Internet that describe the horrendous

C O V E R S T O R Y

It m ay be a little h ard for som en a tion a lists to swallow, bu t freedomthe Un ited States cam e at the cost the Indian s, th e origin al inh abitanof the lan d, wh o lost their freedomShoshoni tipis, circa 1900.

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suffering the original inhabitants of the Americancontinent had to endure. Native Americans losttheir freedom because of a new kind of freedomthat was being established.

Fr eed o m : Bi r t h r i g h t o f H u m an i t y?Anna Julia Cooper was an author, an educator

and a respected U.S. freedom fighter whose free-dom was denied, even though it was guaranteed bythe government. Anna Julia Cooper was an AfricanAmerican woman who had to fight for her free-dom. Her people were the backbone of the estab-

lishment of America because they supplied freelabor in producing agricultural products.A famous quote from Ms. Cooper is printed on

pages 26 and 27 of the new U.S. passport: Thecause of freedom is not the cause of a race or asect, a party or a class it is the cause of hu-mankind, the very birthright of humanity.

Is freedom really the very birthright of human-ity? According to Scripture it is not, therefore, wemust conclude that the cost of freedom is not paidby propaganda. It is not paid for by any armedforces. It is not the very birthright of humanity.

Th e Co st o f Fr eed o mSo what is the cost of freedom? There is one

beautiful word to answer that question: GRACE!Allow me to explain. When man fell into sin, hebecame subject to the enemy of God, the devil, themurderer from the beginning. The Bible says, Hewho sins is of the devil. In plain words, the peo-ple of this world are servants of Satan. Even ourbest behavior is fi lthy rags in Gods eyes: But we are

all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnessesare as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and ouriniquities, like the wind, have taken us away (Isaiah64:6). If that is the case, then normal behaviorwould be to kill, hate, and destroy, but that is nothow the story ends! God did not give up humanityto the devil grace broke through! God did set lim-its to Satans power. What is Gods purpose in limit-ing Satans authority over sinful mankind? Hisintention is to save mankind and restore man to hisoriginal creation. If God had given the devil his legalright over man to its fullest extent, then we would

really experience hell on earth.

Beg i n n i n g o f Fa i t hGod chose Abraham, a man who had faith in the

living God; thus, he is called the father of all be-lievers. What is so unique about this man is thathe obeyed God instantaneously. He had no prob-lem obeying Gods instruction to move out of hiscomfort zone and into a foreign land: Now theLORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thycountry, and from thy kindred, and from thy fa-thers house, unto a land that I will shew theeSoAbram departed, as the LORD had spoken untohim; and Lot went with him: and Abram was sev-enty and five years old when he departed out ofHaran (Genesis 12:1, 4).

Later, God requested Abraham to do the un-thinkable: Take now thy son, thine only sonIsaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the landof Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offeringupon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of(Genesis 22:2). How did Abraham react? Human


An n a Ju lia Cooper was an au thor, an educa tor an drespected U.S. freedom figh ter wh ose freedom waseven th ou gh it was gua ran teed by the governm entJu lia Cooper was an African -Am erican wom an whfigh t for h er freedom .Birth name: Anna Julia Haywood CooperBorn: August 10, 1858Raleigh, North Carolina, USADied: February 27, 1964 (age 105)Washington, DC, USA

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JANUARY 2008 17

nature would have led Abraham to discuss thesituati on wi th his family members or seek adviceoutside the family, but again we read of Abra-hams prompt obedience: And Abraham rose upearly in the morning, and saddled his ass, andtook two of his young men with him, and Isaachis son, and clave the wood for the burnt offer-ing, and rose up, and went unto the place ofwhich God had told him (verse 3). This ac-count clearl y shows Abrahams instant obedienceto Gods command, thus the way of faith to re-turn to God was opened. That is the only way tofreedom. All other types of freedom so arrogantlyproclaimed by the nations of this world are noth-ing but bondage: bondage to my proud self,bondage to my heritage, bondage to my nation,

to my flag, bondage to my own devised freedom,which ultimately will lead to worshipping Satanhimself.

Fr eed o m t h r o u g h t h e LawGod established a nation called Israel with

Abrahams grandson Jacob. Among this nation hefound a man named Moses whom He could en-trust His intention to save mankind. It was toMoses that God gave the Ten Commandments forthe people of Israel. These Commandments sim-ply say what to do and what not to do.

Although the Ten Commandments were givento the nation of Israel, they do apply to all na-tions of the world. Regardless of race or religion,everyone has the law written in his or her heartand knows what is good and what is evil. It does-nt matter what national religion rules the peo-ple or what poli ti cal persuasion they follow,there is no nation on earth that encourages itscitizens to dishonor their parents, murder, com-mit adul tery, steal or l ie. These are the basic

pri ncipl es that make it possible for a civilized so-ciety to function. Without these principles, therewould be no government, only chaos.

Fa i t h -Ba sed Fr eed o mGods intention for man was to f ind freedom in

Him, away from the deception of Satan, and rec-ognize Him as the only source of perpetual free-dom.

Man did not attain freedom without the law.And later Israel did not attain freedom underthe law. But f reedom, due to the cost of grace, i snow available to all who believe that JesusChrist is the Son of God who took the sins ofmankind upon Himself and became the onlyOne who ever laid down His l ife for t he freedomof others. When we recognize this fact, we sud-denly understand what a terrible insult it iswhen we utter such things as, our forefatherslaid down their lives so we may have freedom.

Here is what the Lord says: Peace I leavewith you, my peace I give unto you: not as theworld giveth, give I unto you. Let not yourheart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John14:27). Note that He makes a distinction be-tween His peace and the peace of the world. Wemust never confuse these two eternally di fferentissues.

C O V E R S T O R Y

Man did n ot attain freedom withou t the law. An d later Israel did n ot u n der the law. Bu t freedom , due to th e cost of gra ce, is n ow availabletha t Jesu s Ch rist is th e Son of God wh o took the sin s of m an kind u pobecam e the on ly One who ever la id downHis life for th e freedom of others.

MC

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The conclusion of this series will focus upon dispensationalpremillennialism. Premillennialists are futurists (obviously)who believe that prophetic fulfillment regarding the Rapture,

Tribulation, Second Coming, and Millennium is in an eschatologi-cal (future) period. Dispensational premillennialists believe that theTribulation, Second Coming, and Millennium are all future eventspertaining to national Israel (the Rapture Passages have distinctreference to the Church). The main difference between premillen-nial and non-premillennial systems is hermeneutical (interpretive),that is, an understanding of the continuity and discontinuity be-tween the Old and New Testaments. The procedure is not to inter-pret the Old Testament by the New Testament (Covenant); rather it

is to interpret the meaning of an Old Testament passage in its con-text and to systematize prophetic doctrines from the priority of theOld Testament, as opposed to the New Testament changing the orig-inal meaning. The relationship between the Old and New Testa-ments is a primary emphasis of dispensational premillennialism. 1

TH E TH EOLOGICAL SYSTEM OFDISPEN SATION AL PREM ILLEN N IALISM

In regards to the Millennium, consistent (dispensational) premil-lennialists believe the Rapture of the Church will precede the Tribu-lation Period. At the end of the Tribulation, Jesus Christ will returnin glory and power to establish His earthly kingdom fromJerusalem. The duration of the kingdom will be a literal thousandyears.

HERMENEUTI CS (SCIENCE OF BIBLI CAL IN TERPRETATION)

In regards to the issue of eschatological events, dispensationalpremillennialists (if they are consistent in their hermeneutic) be-lieve it is possible to witness signs of the times before God resumesHis unconditional and eternal program with Israel in the Tribula-tion and the Millennium. Consistent futurism recognizes that cur-rent world events set the stage for eschatological events in relation

PROPHETIC TIMING &THEMILLENNIUM


PART V I


B Y D R . R O N J . B I G A L K E J R .

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J ANUARY 2008 19

to Israel. However, the only prophetic event for theChurch in the future is the Rapture, which is immi-nent, and without any signs (this is why all at-tempts to predict the Rapture inevitably resort tofaulty application of prophecies to Israel being un-derstood in relation to the Church). Even thoughthe tribulational events will not occur during thepresent Church Age this is not to imply that worldevents are not significant. If there are present signsof events that are sett ing the stage for the fulfi llmentof prophecies that relate to the Tribulation, then, itis appropriate to believe in the soon coming of theRapture of the Church since that blessed event willcome before the start of the Tribulation. Dr. ThomasIce asked, How does the interpreter of biblicalprophecy insure that he properly understands thetiming of prophetic events?

A go od interpreter keeps the future in the future. If an

event in a pa ssag e is to occur during the Tribulation , thenit cannot happen during the current Church Age. It is

wrong to say that something is being fulfilled in our daywhen in fact, the b iblical context sets it within the future

time o f Tribulat ion. . . .

Having emphasized the point that w e are not to com-mingle the future with the present,it does not mea n that

current events have no future meaning in the present.

The issue is how they relate a nd ha ve mean ing. After all,

as a fut urist, I do expect tha t God will one d ay fulfill Hisplan for the last da ys. 2

Tribulational events do not find fulfillment in thecurrent Church Age. Consistent (dispensational)premillennialists will not adopt a historicist inter-pretation of world events by quoting, as fulfi llment,passages that clearly refer to eschatological eventsin relation to the nation of Israel. Dr. Lewis SperryChafer reminded his readers that

distinction must be mad e betw een the last days for

Israel the days of her kingdom glory in the earth (cf.Isaiah 2:1-5) and the last da ys for the Church, wh ich

are days of evil and apo stasy (cf. 2 Timothy 3:15). Like-

wise, discrimination is called for betw een t he last daysfor Israel and for the Church and the last da y, which, as

related to t he Church, is the d ay of t he resurrection of

those who have died in Christ (cf.John 6:39-40,44,54). 3

Expositors must relate biblical passages to theirappropriate period in time (either the Church or Is-rael). Commingling eschatological events for theChurch and Israel confuses issues. The followingchart illustrates this practicality.

BIBLICAL COVENANTS

It is obvious that some biblical propheciesawaited fulfillment because a particular human re-sponse was required. For instance, the propheciesof the Assyrian captivity (722 BC) and the Babylon-ian captivity (586 BC) were conditioned on the re-sponse of Israel to the message of repentance theprophets preached to them. God, of course, alreadyprophesied the response of Israel but this did not

Even thou gh the tribulationa l events will not occur du ring th e present Chu rch Agim ply tha t world even ts a re no t sign ifican t. If there are present signs of even ts thastage for the fu lfillm en t of proph ecies tha t relate to the Tribu lation , then , it is appin th e soon com ing of the Ra pture of th e Ch u rch sin ce tha t blessed event will comthe Tribu lation.

Last Day (John 6:39-40, 44,54; 11:24; 12:48)

Last Days (Isa 2:2; Mic 4:1;Acts 2:17)

Latter Days (Deut 4:30;31:29; Jer 23:20; 30:24;48:47; 49:39; Ezek 38:16; Dan2:28; 10:14; Hos 3:5)

Latter Years (Ezek 38:8)

Last Days (2 Tim 3:1; Heb1:2; Jas 5:3; 2 Pet 3:3)

Last Time (1 Pet 1:5; 1 John2:18; Jude 18)

Last Times(1 Pet 1:20)

Latter Days (1 Tim 4:1)

LAST THINGS FOR CHURCH AND ISRAEL

Church Israel

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Dispen sationa l prem illen n ialists believe tha t fou r of the covena n tal prom ises oTestam ent between God a n d Israel are u ncon ditiona l . Du ring th e Tribulat ion, GIsrael for th e respon se He desires for fulfillm en t of tho se un con dition al covena

mean she was not responsible for her rejection ofGods message. Although, it is true that someprophecies are conditioned on human response,other prophecies are clearly unconditional.

Dispensational premillennialists believe that fourof the covenantal promises of the Old Testament be-tween God and Israel are unconditional. During theTribulation, God will prepare Israel for the responseHe desires for fulfillment of those unconditionalcovenants. It should be noted that the AbrahamicCovenant, from which all the covenants with Israelbranch, i s completely conditioned upon Gods faith-fulness. He alone obligated Himself to the covenantby passing between the severed animals (Genesis15:12-20).

God made five covenants with the nation of Is-rael: the Abrahamic, Mosaic, Land, Davidic, andNew Covenants. Of the five covenants made withIsrael, only one of those is conditional: the MosaicCovenant. Three things are to be noted regardingthe covenants with I srael: (1) The covenants are li t-

eral. This means that the contents of thosecovenants must be interpreted literally; (2) Thecovenants God made with Israel are eternal, that is,they are not restricted by time; and, (3) Thecovenants (except for the Mosaic Covenant) are allunconditional. The covenants with Israel are notannulled because of her disobedience. An uncondi-tional covenant is characterized by the words Iwill, which declares Gods eternal faithfulness tothose promises. It is because the covenants are de-pendent upon God for fulfillment, that their literalfulfillment can be expected in the endtimes. All thebiblical covenants contain both physical and spiri-tual promises. The physical promises will be ful-filled by and are limited to Israel. The biblicalcovenants are literal, eternal, depend entirely onGods sovereignty, and were made with a covenantpeople, Israel. Nevertheless, some of the spiritualblessings of the covenants will extend to the Gen-tiles. Since the death of Christ is the basis of salva-

tion for all people for all time the Church hasbecome a partaker of the Jewish spiritual blessings.Covenants are contracts given in order to define

a relationship between individuals. The biblicalcovenants between man and God are com-pletely unique to Christianity. Nowhere in thereligions of the world does one find the godsrelating to man covenantally. In Scripture, thepersonal relationship between God and man isbased upon and mediated through means ofcovenants. The purpose of the covenants is to

reveal Gods earthly agreements (covenants beingcontracts between individuals for the purpose ofgoverning that relationship), spiritual promises(God wants to bind Himself to His people to keepHis promises so that He can demonstrate in his-

tory the kind of God He is), earthly redemption(plan of redemptive unity), and only hope formankind (relationships in the Bible, especially be-tween God and man, are legal [ law] or judicial[court] . Thi s is why Gods earthly agreements aremediated through covenants, which involve intent,


COVENANTS OF THE BIBLE

ABRAHAMIC COVENANTGENESIS 12 :1-3

Land Seed Blessing

LANDCOVENANT

EUTERONOM Y 30

Land

DAVIDICCOVENANT

2 SA M U E L 7

Seed

NEWCOVENANT

JE R E M I A H 3 1

Blessing

Canaan Nation Salvation

FUTURE FULFILLMENT

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promises, and sanctions. God wants to bind Himselfto His people to keep His promises so that He candemonstrate in history His character.

The Abrahamic covenant is the greatest of re-

demptive covenants. All of Gods blessings for bothJew and Gentile result from this covenant (Genesis12:1-3, 7; 13:14-17; 15:1-21; 17:1-21; 22:15-18).Regarding the unconditional covenants, Dr. ArnoldFruchtenbaum wrote:

An unconditional covenant can b e defined a s a sover-eign act of God whereby God unconditionally obligates

Himself to bring to pass d efinite promises,blessings, and

conditions for the covenanted pe ople. It is a unilateral

covenant. This type of covenant is characterized b y theformula I will which declares Gods determination to do

exactly a s He promised. The b lessing s are secured by t hegrace of God. 4

The participants of the Abrahamic covenant areGod and Abraham. The perpetuity of the covenantis through Abrahams natural-spiritual seed ( Ro-mans 9:6, 8; Galatians 6:16). There are fourteenprovisions of the Abrahamic covenant. First, fromAbraham would come a great nation, Israel (12:2;13:16;15:5; 17:1-2,7; 22:17). Second, Abraham waspromised a land, Canaan (12:1,7; 13:14-15,17;15:17-21; 17:18). Third, Abraham would be

greatly blessed (12:2; 15:6; 22:15-17). Fourth, Abra-hams name would be great (12:2). Fifth, Abrahamwill be a blessing to others (12:2). Sixth, those whobless the nation of Israel will themselves be blessed

(12:3). Seventh, those who curse the nation of Israelwill themselves be cursed (12:3). Eighth, throughAbraham all humanity will be blessed, includingGentiles (12:3; 22:18). Ninth , Abraham will receivea son of promise by his wife Sarah (15:1-4; 17:16-21). Tenth, Abrahams descendants would undergothe Egyptian bondage (15:13-14). Eleventh, therewill be other nations that will spring forth fromAbraham (17:3-4, 6). Twelfth, Abrahams namewould be changed (17:5). Thirteenth, the name ofAbrahams wife would be changed. Fourteenth, cir-cumcision would be the token of the covenant(17:9-14).

The Abrahamic covenant involves a promise ofland to Abraham and Israel, a nation (seed), and aworldwide blessing. The implication is that theAbrahamic covenant will be fulfilled in the form ofthree sub-covenants: (1) the land covenant; (2) theDavidic covenant; and, (3) the new covenant. Thiscovenant is literal (13:15, 17), eternal (13:15; 17:7,8, 13, 19), and unconditional (15:1-18). The perpe-tuity of the covenant would be through Isaac (26:2-

Alth ou gh Isaac h ad two sonthe prom ise of the covena n twould be th rou gh Jacob.Concerning the sons of Jacothe covena n t was confirm edthrou gh h is twelve sons, whwou ld fa ther the twelve tribof Israel.

Isaac Blessing Jacob, Govert Flinck, 1638

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5, 24). Although Isaac had two sons, the promise ofthe covenant would be through Jacob. Concerningthe sons of Jacob, the covenant was confirmedthrough his twelve sons, who would father thetwelve tribes of Israel.

Concerning the promise of a land, God promisedthat Israel would return to their land after beingscattered throughout the world. The content of thecovenant is found in Deuteronomy 29:1-30:10. Theland covenant is distinct from the Mosaic covenant(Deuteronomy 29:1). The covenant was made be-tween God and the nation of Israel. There are eightprovisions of the land covenant. First , the disobedi-ence of Israel to the Mosaic Law and subsequentworldwide scattering was prophesied (29:2-30:2).Second , after her disobedience, Israel will eventuallyrepent (30:2). Third, the Messiah wi ll return (30:3).Fourth , after being dispersed, Israel will be regath-ered to her land (30:3, 4). Fifth, Israel will possessthe land promised to her (30:5). Sixth, Israel

will be regenerated (30:6). Seventh, Israelsenemies will be judged. Eighth, Israel willreceive the blessings of the millennial king-dom (30:8-10). 6

The land covenant was given to reaffirmthe title deed of Israel to her promisedland, as was originally given in the Abra-hamic covenant. Since the land covenantis unconditional, the covenant cannot becanceled despite Israels disobedience.Di sobedience does aff ect I srael s enj oyment

of the l and . The land covenant enlargesupon the original Abrahamiccovenant. This covenant was stillin effect centuries after Israelscontinued disobedience (Ezekiel16:1-63). The land covenant isyet to be ful fi ll ed in the mill ennial ki ngdom.

The Davidic covenant is set forth in two pas-sages: 2 Samuel 7:11-17 and 1 Chronicles 17:10-15. Although the passages may appear similar,there are some variations. This covenant was made

between God and David. David endures as therepresentative head of the Davidic house and dy-nasty. The Davidic covenant amplifies the seedaspect of the Abrahamic covenant. There areseven main provisions given in this covenant.First, David is promised a house or dynasty thatwill be eternal (2 Samuel 7:11; 1 Chronicles17:10). Second, Davids son would be establishedon his throne after him (2 Samuel 7:12). Third,Solomon would build the Temple (7:13). Fourth,the throne of the Davidic and Solomonic king-doms would be established forever (7:13, 16).Fifth, though Solomon would be judged for dis-obedience, God would not remove His lov-ingkindness from him (7:14-15). Sixth, theMessiah will come from the seed of David (1Chronicles 17:11). Seventh , the Messiahs throne,house, and kingdom will be established forever(17:12-14). 7

The Davidic covenant is a literal, unconditional,and eternal covenant. It still awaits fulfillment andis confirmed in numerous biblical passages (Psalm89; Isaiah 9:6-7; 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5-6; 30:8-9;33:14-17, 19-26; Ezekiel 37:24-25; Hosea 3:4-5;

Accordin g to th e Abrah am ic covena n t, the seed would be a descenda n t of Abrah amthe Messiah wou ld be a Jew. It was later revealed to Jacob, tha t the seed wou ld beJu dah , th e fam ily of David.


ETERNALITY OF THE DAVIDIC COVENANT

UNCONDITIONALPROMISES

MEDIATED THROUGH MESSIAH

ETERNAL

DYNASTY

ETERNAL

THRONE

ETERNAL

KINGDOM

ETERNAL

DESCENDENT

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Amos 9:11; Luke 1:30-35, 68-70; Acts 15:14-18).

The eternal promises of the Davidic covenant willbe mediated through the Messiah. These eternalpromises are of a house, dynasty, throne, and seed.The importance of this covenant is to amplify theseed aspect of the Abrahamic covenant. Accordingto the Abrahamic covenant, the seed would be a de-scendant of Abraham, which meant that the Mes-siah would be a Jew. It was later revealed to Jacob,that the seed would be limited to the tribe of Judah,the family of David.

The New Covenant is recorded in Jeremiah 31:31-37 (cf. Isaiah 55:3; 59:21; 61:8-9; Jeremiah32:40;Ezekiel 16:60; 34:25-31; 37:26-28; Romans11:25-27; Hebrews 8:7-9:1; 10:16-17). There areeight main provisions of this covenant. First , it is anunconditional covenant between God and Israel (Je-remiah 31:31). Second, it is distinct from the Mosaiccovenant (31:32). Third, it promises the regenerationof Israel (32:33; Isaiah 59:21). Fourth , the regenera-tion of Israel would be universal among the Jews (Je-remiah 31:34; Isaiah 61:9; Romans 11:25-27). Fifth ,it would provide a provision for permanent forgive-

ness of sin (Jeremiah 31:34). Sixth, the provision isthe indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Jeremiah 32:41;Isaiah 61:8; Ezekiel 34:25-27). Seventh, Israel ispromised many material blessings (Jeremiah 32:41;Isaiah 61:8; Ezekiel 34:25-27). Eighth , it wil l providefor a new Temple (Ezekiel 37:26-28). 8

The New Covenant amplifies the blessing aspectof the Abrahamic covenant, particularly in relationto salvation. This covenant is not an elaboration ofthe Mosaic covenant since it ultimately replaced theLaw (Jeremiah 31:31-32; Romans 6:14-15). The keyaspect of this covenant is the blessing of salvationthat will include the national regeneration of Israel(Jeremiah 31:34; Ezekiel 36:29; Romans 6:22;11:25-27). The national salvation of Israel will ex-tend to every individual Jewish person. This salva-tion will be true in succeeding generations from thetime that the initial regeneration of Israel begins.Therefore, during the millennium the only unre-generate people will be Gentiles. In other words,during the entire millennium there will be no un-

The na tiona l sa lva tion of Israel will extend to every in dividua l Jewish person. Th itrue in succeeding gen erations from the tim e tha t the initial regen eration of Israedurin g the m illenn ium the on ly u n regenerate people will be Gen tiles. In other woentire m illenn ium there will be n o u n saved Jews.

NEW COVENANT RELATIONS

NEWCOVENANT

F u l f i l l m e n t /

R e c i p i e n t s

N o F u l f i l l m e n t /

P a r t i c i p a n t s

Is ra el Church

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saved Jews. This is the reason why t hey shal l not teach again, each man hi s neighbor and each man his brother, saying, Know the LORD (Jeremiah31:34). Although the Church is partaking of thespiritual blessings of the covenant (Ephesians1:3), it is the nation of Israel who will receivethe material and national promises. This rela-ti onship of the Church to the New Covenant i sexplained i n Galati ans 3:13-14. Through Chri st,the Church partakes of the covenant betweenGod and Israel (Romans 11:28-29; 11:17).

ISRAEL AND TH E CHURCH

Negatively stated, it is improper to speak ofthe Church as a building, a denomination, or astate or national church. Furthermore, theChurch is not to be confused with Israel or thekingdom of God. The Church is a distinct entityin this age. Both the Church and Israel have spe-cial relationships with God, but they must bedistinguished. The distinction between Israeland the Church is the natural resul t of interpret-

ing the Bible historically and grammatically (i.e.l it eral, plain interpretati on). One must interpretthe words of the Bible in their normal or plainmeaning. The opposite would be a spiri tualizing(allegorizing) of the biblical text. Dr. CharlesRyrie wrote:

Use of the words Israel and church shows clearly

tha t in the New Testa ment nat ional Israel cont inues

with her ow n promises and that the church is never

eq uated with a so-called new Israel but is carefullyand continually distinguished as a separate work of

God in this ag e. 9

Since Israel and the Church are distinct enti-ties, and Israel has not possessed the land underher Messiah-King, nor have the promises beentransferred to the Church, then the timing offulfillment must be future. Certainly, there is asense in which the biblical covenants have beenfulfilled progressively. For instance, Abrahamenjoyed some of the promises that God hascovenanted with him. The Davidic covenantwas fulfilled some in David and Solomons day,


Furtherm ore, the Chu rch is not to be confused with Israel or the kingdom of God. distinct entity in th is age. Both the Chu rch a n d Israel ha ve special relation ships wim ust be distin guished. The distin ction between Israel an d the Chu rch is the n atu rainterpreting the Bible historically and gram m atica lly ( i.e. literal, pla in in terpretati

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JANUARY 2008 25

yet there will be a complete fulfillment in a fu-ture mil lenni al ki ngdom. Since the Church cameinto existence on the Day of Pentecost, theChurch is distinct from Israel, and cannot in-heri t the uncondit ional promises that God madewit h I srael .

MILLENNIAL KINGDOM

The Old Testament refers to the millennialkingdom when referring to the Davidic king-dom, but it did not designate its length (Psalm2:6-9; Isaiah 2:2-4; 11:6-9; 65:18-23; Jeremiah31:12-14; 31-37; Ezekiel 34:25-29; 37:1-6; 40-48; Daniel 2:35; 7:13, 14; Joel 2:21-27; Amos9:13, 14; Micah 4:1-7; Zephaniah 3:9-20;Zechariah 14:9). The New Testament teachesthat the length of the kingdom will be one thou-sand years in length when the Lord Jesus Christestablishes His kingdom and reigns on earth

from Davids throne in Jerusalem (Revelation20:1-9). If the biblical covenants are understoodliterally (on the basis of grammatical interpreta-tion), then there must be a future, regeneratenational Israel in the land under the rule of herMessiah-King. The covenants await fulfillmentin the millennial kingdom.

C O N C LU SI O NThe Old Testament promises made with na-

tional Israel will be fulfilled with a future, re-generate national Israel. Since Israel and theChurch are distinct entities, there is no sense inwhich the latter can fulfill promises to the for-mer (unless, of course, one wrongly assumespriority of the New Testament, resulting in themeaning of the promises in their original con-text being changed or reinterpreted so that theywere not unconditional or eternal; e.g. amillen-nialism and postmillennialism). God will befaithful to the unconditional covenants that Hehas made. God has a covenant relationship with

Israel that will lead to future fulfillment of theAbrahamic covenant (and the sub-covenants ofland, seed, and blessing). Due to the current dis-obedience of the nation, she is experiencing thecurses of the Mosaic covenant (and just as thecursings were literal so will be the blessings).When those curses have reached their culminationin the seven-year Tribulation Period, resulting in aregenerate nation, God will fulfill the biblicalcovenants with His chosen people. Since theChurch does not have any relation to the period ofthe Tribulation, she wil l be removed prior to thestart of that period; and when Christ returns toearth, the Church will have already received glori-fied bodies to rule and serve with Him in the mil -lennial kingdom.

* Next month wi l l begin a ser i es on the doctr ine of the Church, which wi ll cl ari fy t he disti ncti on be-

tw een I sr ael and the Church, and how t hose di s- ti ncti ons relat e to the present and the fut ure.

ENDNOTES1 John S.Feinberg,Systems of Discontinuity, in Continu ity and

Discont inui ty: Perspectives on t he Relatio nship Betw een th e Old

and New Testam ents , gen. ed. John S. Feinberg (Wheato n: Cross-

wa y, 1988), 74.

2 Thomas Ice,Stage-Setting of the Last Days, in Revelat ion Hoof-

beats:When the Riders of Apocalypse Come Forth , gen.ed .Ron J.

Biga lke Jr.(Long wo od, FL: Xulon Press,2003), 284-85.

3 Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theolog y (Dallas: Dallas Semi-

nary Press, 1947; reprint, Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1993), 4:374-75.

4 Arnold G.Fruchtenbaum, Israelology: The Missing Link in System-

ati c Theology (Tust in, CA: Ariel Ministries, 1989), 570.

5 Ibid., 574-75.

6 Ib id ., 582.

7 Ibid., 584-85.

8 Ibid., 586-587.

9 Charles C. Ryrie, Dispensationalism , rev.ed.(Chicago:Moody

Press, 1995), 129.

MC

God will be faithful to the u n conditiona l covena nts tha t He ha s m ade. God ha s a cwith Israel that will lead to future fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant (and the lan d, seed, an d blessin g) . Du e to th e curren t disobedience of the n ation , sh e is expof the Mosaic covena n t (a n d just as the cursings were literal so will be th e blessin g

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When Golda Meir was told that Israel could afford to take risks because its survival wasguaranteed by America, she is reputed to have retorted:

By the time you get here we wont be here.

B y R u t h K i n g

Meirs pragmatism has eluded a succes-sion of Israeli leaders who have acceded toimposed cease-fires, territorial withdrawals,release of terrorists, restraint in the face ofnaked aggression, all under the spell of neb-ulous and illusory promises of support andthe chimera of a special relationship withthe United States.

Only yesterday (as of this writing) IsraelsTzipi Livni burbled that Israel has the firm

backing of the United States, apparentlyclueless how often the United States hasfirmly turned its back on Israel.

Meir was particularly scalded by so calledguarantees. As Foreign Minister in 1956,she negotiated the terms for Israels totalwithdrawal after the combined forces of Is-rael, France and England invaded the Sinai,

responding to Nassers blockading the SuezCanal and closing the Straits of Tiran. The

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guarantees she secured were joint pledgesby the United Nations and the United Statesto support Israels unrestricted access to theStraits of Tiran and to install a UN Peace-keeping force (UNEF) in the Sinai. In 1967,in violation of these signed guaranteesEgypt again blockaded the Straits, dismissedthe United Nations forces and transferredclose to 100,000 troops of her own troops tothe Sinai. The United States agreed that thisconstituted an act of war but asked for Is-raeli restraint.

Then Foreign Minister Abba Eban ur-gently reminded President Johnson of theU.S. guarantees. He was categorically re-buffed by Robert McNamara, by Secretary ofState Dean Rusk and by President Johnsonhimself. Fortunately, Israel acted in her own

defense. However, few remember that fol-lowing Israels breathtaking victory in theSix Day War, the United States enforced anarms embargo for 130 days.

In 1973 Golda Meir trusted the pledgesof support by Richard Nixon (the first Presi-dent to visit Israel) and was stung by Amer-icas failure to share intelligence chatterwhich indicated a forthcoming surprise at-tack by the combined forces of Egypt andSyria. When the Israeli government, verylate, woke up to the imminent attack, theU.S. warned Israel not to mobilize or pre-empt. This clearly contributed to Israels se-rious initial setbacks. Furthermore, in spiteof Israels desperate and repeated pleas,there was a six day delay in the airlift of crit-ical supplies from the United States. HenryKissinger and Secretary of Defense JamesSchlesinger subsequently pointed fingers atone another for the delay. It was Nixon whofinally ordered the airlift to begin immedi-

ately but by that time almost 2,000 Israelishad died.

Egypts prestige was greatly enhanced byits attack and oiled by a concomitant OPECembargo. In spite of a brilliant come-from-behind victory in 1974, Israel was pum-meled by then Secretary of State Kissingershard fisted demands that Israel accepts a fi-nal cease fire on Egypts terms or faces a re-assessment of the special relationship.

Under Carter, the euphoria of the peacetreaty with Egypt clouded the fact thatCarter used the special relationship toclobber Menachem Begin into concedingevery single one of Sadats demands at CampDavid.

The special relationship was again putto the test in 1981 when a UN resolutionharshly rebuked Israel for the destruction ofIraqs nuclear reactor. The Reagan adminis-tration, in the person of U.S. Ambassador to

The Special Relationship

Meir was particularly scalded by so called guarantees. As Foreign Minister inshe negotiated the terms for Israels total withdrawal after the combined forces o

Israel, France and England invaded the Sinai, responding to Nassers blockading Suez Canal and closing the Straits of Tiran.

J ANUARY 2008 27

4th Prime Ministerof Israel:In officeMarch 17, 1969 June 3, 1974

2nd ForeignAffairs Minister ofIsrael:In office1956 1966

Born:May 3, 1898Kiev, RussianEmpire

Died:December 8, 1978(aged 80)Jerusalem, Israel

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the United Nations Jeanne Kirkpatrick votedin favor of the resolution. Kirkpatrick saidthat Israel had shocked the US administra-tion by bombing while the possibility forpeaceful approaches remained.

A decade later, during the first PersianGulf War Israel pledged that if attacked shewould retaliate. Iraq bombed Israel, a non-combatant, with 39 scud missiles whichcaused extensive damage in Haifa and TelAviv; 74 people died, most from heart at-tacks, some from suffocation in gas masks,several in direct hits. But the Bush adminis-tration sternly warned Israel to remain out of

the conflict in order not to disrupt Americasother special relationships, those with theArab states.

Perhaps influenced by his anti-Israel Sec-retary of State James Baker, Bush rewardedIsraeli restraint by demanding participationin a Madrid conference. In the October 1981letter to the Palestinian Arabs calling for par-ticipation, the US stated:

We [the US government] do not recog-nize Israels annexation of east Jerusalem orthe extension of its municipal boundariesand we encourage all sides to avoid unilat-eral acts that would exacerbate local tensionsor make negotiations more difficult or pre-empt their final outcomeIn this regard,the US has opposed and will continue to op-pose activity in the territories occupied in1967, which remains an obstacle for peace.

To add injury to insult, the letter to Israelwas almost identical (apart from a soothingmention of warm friendship, shared destiny

and values). It is to be noted that the wordsstrategic partnership gradually faded fromAmerican canned speeches.

The rest is bitter history. Bil l Clinton, whoas a candidate upbraided Bush for endanger-ing Israel, shepherded along Oslo, the great-est catastrophe of all, on behalf of his superspecial relationship with Yasser Arafat.

After 9/11 there should have been a re-newed mandate for strategic cooperation be-tween Israel and the United States, butPresident Bush, whose stirring post 9/11speeches vowed to hunt down terrorists andthe nations who harbor them, flogs his so

called road map which regards terroristsand promises them sovereignty over Israelsheartland.

Dont get me wrong. The United States hasbeen generous with both military and foreignaid. Israel, for its part has been (by far) Amer-icas most dependable ally in the region. Israeland America have the same enemies, butAmerica, for reasons of a misguided re-alpolitik or energy needs or foolish utopi-anism or ignorance of jihad, gratifies theenemy at Israels expense. Compounding thisfailed policy, these gratuitous gifts to theArabs (who have never honored an agree-ment with Israel and rarely with each other)are given with the perfunctory invocation of aspecial relationship with Israel.

And Israels governing auctioneers, sellingthe illusions of American guarantees, con-tinue to offer up their future and security tothe lowest bidders.

-Outpost, October 2007, pgs. 11-12

The Special Relationship

After 9/11 there should have been a renewed mandatefor strategic cooperation between Israel and the United

States, but President Bush, whose stirring post 9/11speeches vowed to hunt down terrorists and thenations who harbor them, flogs his so called roadmap which regards terrorists and promises themsovereignty over Israels heartland.

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Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) is the officialtitle assigned to a condition that can be contractedby an over, or improper use, of the computer. ScheilEye Institute of the University of PennsylvaniaHealth System has compiled a list of symptoms that

include the following: eye irritation (dry, itchy orred eyes), blurred vision, headaches, neck and backaches, and muscle fatigue.

Some experts argue that no permanent damageactually occurs to the eye, and cite evidence suggest-ing that CVSis a more serious condition for childrenthan it is for adults. Studies suggest that childrenwho frequently use the computer run the risk ofnear sightedness (myopia).

The good news is that it is easy to prevent CVS.The American Optometric Association (AOA) callsattention to special issues concerning a childs use ofcomputers: a child will often accept blurred visioncaused by nearsightedness or other eye problemsbecause he or she thinks everyone sees that way.Prolonged use of computers without a break cancause problems in focusing the eyes and eye irrita-tion. The eyes may lock-in on the screen and thissometimes makes the eyes unable to smoothly andeasily focus on a particular object, even long after us-ing the computer.

Since most computers are geared for adult use, achild must look up more than an adult would. This

motion exposes the surface of the eyes to more air,which results in dry eyes because less blinking is in-volved when looking at a computer screen. Parentsshould also be aware of how vision problems canhave a negative impact on a childs behavior. AnAOA survey revealed that only 44 percent of parentswere unaware of that relationship. This lack ofknowledge may explain the low frequency of eye ex-ams for children who are entering school. So, theAOA concludes, Children have different needs tocomfortably use a computer. The AOA found that25 percent of school-aged children have visionproblems, but only 14 percent of children entering

grade school actually get an eye exam. The NationalInstitute of Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSCH) has even recommended that adults re-quest an eye exam before starting to work on acomputer, and once a year thereafter.

Parents and teachers should strictly enforce theamount of time a child should be allowed to use thecomputer. Since prolonged computer use requires aperson to sit in the same position for an extendedamount of time, periodic breaks to stand, stretch,and look around, will not only help the bodys mus-cles, but it will also give the eyes a chance to relax. Iffrequent full breaks are not available, then shorterbreaks will suffice by simply looking up from thecomputer into the distance about every 15 minutesfor intervals of approximately 15 seconds. Frequentblinking and the use of eye drops will also keep theeyes from drying out and feeling itchy.

For a child, the recommended distance betweenthe screen and the eyes is 18-28 inches foradults its between 20-26 inches. The center of thescreen should be 4-8 inches lower than the eyes.Adjust the height of the chair so the knees are bentat a 90-degree angle, with the feet flat on the floor,or on a footrest. Sit straight against a backrest withthe forearms on the armrest, and the elbows bent ata 90-degree angle. The keyboard and mouseshould be located lower than the elbow, and within

hands reach. The head should be tilted slightlydown when looking at the center of the screen. Re-duce the amount of lighting in the room so thatthere is no glare on the screen. These tips will notonly avoid CVS, but also other problems such asblood clots in the legs and carpal tunnel syndrome.

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, andseal the book, [ even] to the time of the end: manyshall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be in-creased (Daniel 12:4). Note: Knowledge does notmean wisdom.

Set your affection on things above, not onthings on the earth (Colossians 3:2).

Dr. John Cionci is aPhiladelphia native andgraduate of CentralHigh School, Universityof Pennsylvania, andPhiladelphia College ofOsteopathic Medicine.He is a member of theAmerican OsteopathicAssoc iation and Chairof the AIDS Assoc iation.Dr. Cionci has been apracticing physiciansince 1950.

H E A L T H W I S E

Dr. Joh n Cionci 536 Fort Wa shing to n Ave., Fort Wa shing to n, PA 19034

Can using a computer toomuch injure your eyesight?B y D r . J o h n C i o n c i

J ANUARY 2008 29

MC

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M ON EY: EN D S & T R EN D S$

For more perspectives and resources on world economic and financial trends of interest to Christians,visit

Wilfreds website http://ww w.eternalvalue.comfor ad ditiona l resources and subscribe to the freenewsletter Eternal Value Review: World Review and Market Monit or.

Food Inflation Today and the BlackHorse of the ApocalypseB y W i l f r e d H a h n

Described here is rampantfood inflation. Followingthe first two seals whichintroduce the white and redhorses these signifying theconsecutive stages of a globalizedpeace and prosperity and war and

strife comes this picture of soaringprices for the two agricultural products ofwheat and barley.

It is a timely topic to explore if for noother reason than the world again appearsto be on the verge of a period of majorfood inflation. This may not be overly ob-vious to North Americans just yet; how-

ever, the precursors to this global devel-opment can hardly be ignored. Basic foodprices in North America have surelysurged of late. For example, raw milk fu-tures on the Chicago Mercantile Ex-change have risen 80% over the past year.Wheat prices have doubled from a yearago, while corn prices have more thandoubled since the start of 2006. Similarprice spikes can be observed across a widerange of agricultural products. Othercountries are experiencing even highersurges. In China, pork prices are triplethat of a year ago and in Russia most fooditems tracked by the Statistics Committee

I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a paof scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the fou

living creatures, saying, A quart of wheat for a days wages, and three quartof barley for a days wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!(Revelation 6:6, NIV) . This is the pronouncement at the time that the third sis opened during the future Tribulation Period.

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$Food Inflation Today and the Black Horse of the Apocalypse

(Rosstat) rose 30% in one month (August2007).

Granted, these current day events maynot be any more significant than othersimilar occurrences of virulent food infla-tion in world history. Yet, all the same, theunprecedented global trends being wit-nessed today do beckon the question:Could this vision in Revelation 6 be con-nected with developments already evidenton the world scene today? Well seek toanswer this question.

Wheat and BarleyIn the pursuit of an answer, lets first

delve into the interpretation of theprophecy found in Revelation 6:6. Herewe see that a quart of wheat costs theequivalent of a days wage denarion inthe original Greek as does three quartsof barley.

Actually, quite a few Bible translationsobscure the meaning of this prophecy asthey use unhelpful interpretations for the

Greek word denarion . This refers to thedenarius which was the most commonRoman coin in earlier New Testamenttimes. Though this currency had experi-enced some minor inflation by the timethat Apostle John recorded the Book ofRevelation, as best as we can tell, it wasstill considered the equivalent of a dayswages. The Bible itself confirms this. Ear-lier, in Matthew 20:2, we read of a vine-yard owner who [] agreed to pay thema denarius for the day to work for him.

Just how expensive are these grainprices? Here we can make some calcula-tions that wil l provide some perspectiveto the living standards relative to ourday..

Lets begin with wages. The average an-nual income in the world today (in USterms) is estimated at $7,439 (a figure in-cluding both high and low incomecountries). Assuming a five-day work

week, that would amount to $33 perwork day. 1 Were the black horse to ap-pear today, just how much would it costto buy either one quart of wheat or threeof barley? As a rough estimate, about 150times higher than the price of un-processed grain today.

Next, lets turn our attention to thefood adequacy of this amount of grain.

How long would that much grain sustaina person? In the original Greek, the terminterpreted as a quart is the ancient dry-goods measure, the choinix . This mea-sure, though sources are somewhatimprecise on its size, is probably equiva-lent to 1.2 dry quarts or 1.3 liters.

Therefore, assuming that the averagehousehold in the world today would haveapproximately one worker per a house-hold of 3.5 people (which indeed is rep-resentative of the average household sizeworldwide), then could one measure ofwheat or three quarts of barley sustain ahousehold of this size? Barely. Bothwheat and barley have approximately thesame caloric content (about 90 caloriesper ounce). And, as there are roughly 40ounces in one choinix , one days wagescould acquire at maximum 3,600 caloriesof wheat or 10,800 calories of barley.However, lets not forget that there are

Were the black horseto appeartoday, just howm uch would i tcos t to buyeither one

quart of w heator three ofbarley? As aroughes t im ate ,about 150t im es higherthan the priceofunprocessedgrain tod ay.

J ANUARY 2008 31

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B y W i l f r e d H a h n

M ON EY: EN D S & T R EN D S$

more days in a week than there are work-days. Making that adjustment would al-low only 2,750 calories of wheat per day,for example.

According to the UN Food and Agricul-tural Organization (FAO) the averageperson in the world today consumes a lit-

tle over 2,700 calories per day. For i llus-tration, assuming that humankindmaintain this same level of consumption,it appears that 100% of a laborers dailywages and more would be required tosupply a household with sufficient food atthis prophesied time. Even in this case, afamily could only eat barley thecoarser grain and not wheat. Barleywa

Documents

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